When it comes to classic gaming, few game consoles stand out in ways the Super Nintendo Entertainment System ever did. And why not? The console had hundreds of downright amazing games over its run and the graphics were simply incredible! The games are as fun to play now as they were in 1991 when the system came out. Between 1991 and 1996, the saying was “Now you’re playing with Super Power” as this system produced titles that were simply amazing.

It’s hard for me to even pick ten SNES games that I enjoy playing on this machine. I could have easily listed games like Mega Man X, Pilot Wings and Secret of Mana, all of which are well worth your time. But, let’s look at some of the best titles from this system.

#10: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time (Konami ‘92): Arcade game fanatics would stand up and cheer as this game was well ported and stayed true to the arcade with a few extra levels thrown in for good measure. Cowabunga!

#9: Batman Returns (Konami, ‘95): Few things are as satisfying as playing the dark knight in a beat ‘em up for the ages. Going after Penguin and Catwoman while taking down the Red Triangle Gang! This game and “The Adventures of Batman And Robin” are a must for all fans of the Dark Knight.

#8: StarFox (Nintendo, ‘93): Starfox had some really cool visuals for its time and even now, it’s as great a game as ever because the Super FX chip allowed some really neat 3D polygon effects. StarFox was a gold standard for years to come when it came to shooters.

#7: Contra III: The Alien Wars (Konami, ‘92): Contra has always had a reputation for being challenging as heck, but this game took it to a new level. A dual weapon system, an overhead level system and the Super Bombs were exciting additions to this series, and you still had 6 full stages of Red Falcon-pounding awesomeness.

#6: Zombies Ate My Neighbors (Konami, ‘93): What is this game? I dare any of you to put it in Virtual Console and play it. 48 levels of fast paced action all done as a spoof of horror movies from the ’30s through the ’80s! And if you never got the cheerleader in high school, Never fear! Save as many as you want at 1000 points each.

#5: Final Fantasy III (Square Soft ‘94): One of the best RPG’s ever to come onto the SNES was this one, where the battle and magic scenes were truly incredible, as well as new characters we’ll never forget. And we’ll forgive that it was actually the sixth title in the series.

#4: Super Metroid (Nintendo ‘94): Everyone had a crush on Samus Aran, and wanted to see her in the real “zero suit”. After Super Metroid, it was easy to see why. In this game, she bonds with a baby Metroid and goes to Zebes, facing a bigger threat. The graphics and music are incredible and the action is one of the best on any console, ever!

#3: Super Castlevania IV (Konami ‘91): No list would be complete without the quintessential Simon Belmont game. The whip works in eight directions, the controls are fantastic and the game itself is dark. 2-D scrollers don’t get much better than this, period!

#2: The Legend of Zelda, A Link To The Past (Nintendo, ‘92): Zelda returned to true form in what made the first game awesome with this game. Beating up chickens is part of the fun of this game, and the gameplay itself is as good, if not better, than the original.

#1: Super Mario World (Nintendo, ‘91): How can we not include the game that introduced us to Yoshi, gave Mario some awesome abilities (like the cape) and had nearly 100 levels of really awesome action? No matter how many times you play this game, you can always find something new to love about it!

- Doug Tullis

The Super Nintendo of the 16-bit era represents the golden age of video games to many gamers world wide. It was a time when gameplay trumped advanced graphics and when breakthroughs were several. At the aftermath of the fierce console wars of 1990’s, the Super Nintendo had conquered all that stood before it. Its reigning popularity thrived well into the 32-bit era, when even its power was dwarfed by that of the new consoles. Collectors know SNES games well and search for them relentlessly, hoping to add another classic component to their stock. Even to this day, when consoles are gaming powerhouses, the Super Nintendo is met with a potent nostalgia in the minds of any gamer.

The Super Nintendo (a.k.a. the Super Famicom) was introduced internationally during 1990, and was shipped until 1993. As one of the 16-bit consoles of its time, the Super Nintendo fought in one of the most brutal console wars to date, its competitor being the Sega Genesis. Its abilities easily surmount that of its predecessor, the NES, and made the Super Nintendo an unbeatable console. Despite the passage of time, Nintendo developed several enhancement chips to keep the console up to date.

During the days of SNES there came an army of immortal titles, unforgettable and great. Installments like Super Mario World, Kirby Super Star, Donkey Kong Country, Chrono Trigger, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, set the SNES in stone as one of the greatest consoles in history. Games like these presented strides forward in gaming that blew fans away. Super Mario World and The Legend of Zelda deliver their sprawling game worlds. Donkey Kong awed players with its pre-rendered graphics. Chrono Trigger offered its lengthy and enthralling story. Since the Super Nintendo’s time, however, these titles have become rare artifacts.

Many SNES games must be bought from auction these days, usually at surprisingly steep prices. The more rare games have become equivalent to jewels and precious stones, sapping buyers’ wallets of hundreds to thousands of dollars. Even games that are common may demand a high price, if the quality of the game is superb.

At the end of the Super Nintendo’s brilliant career Nintendo shipped about 49 million consoles. Although it didn’t surpass the success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Super Nintendo holds the title for best selling console of its time. The Super Nintendo’s legacy holds strong to this day, and will stand the test of time for generations to come.

The Super Nintendo Entertainment Console or SNES is the improved version of the original Nintendo gaming console. Nintendo started as a small company in Japan in the late 1800s. They manufactured card games for many years.

The original Nintendo console was released in 1985 with the popular games Mario Bros and Duck hunt. 15 games were released in 1985. In 1990 the Super Famicom was released in Japan. In August of 1991 the Super Famicom was released in the United States under a different name, Super Nintendo.

The Super Nintendo is a highly advanced model of the original. The controllers were also advanced and made easier to use. The SNES was farther advanced in 1993. This new console that was replacing the SNES had 64 bits. It would be released in 1996 as the Nintendo 64. When the SNES was released it had competition like Sega. It soon overtook them and became the popularist gaming console. The game selection had alot to do with this.

The SNES was top of the line in the early to middle 90s. The 16 bit system was king. Every child was talking about it. It was on the top of their Christmas lists. They were selling out everywhere. They were popular then and are becoming popular with collectors now. Technology made them popular then but what makes them popular now? Children that played these consoles with their parents are grown up now. People like to collect things from their past. The SNES is one of those items. A must have item that brings back fond memories. For parents and kids alike from the 1990s the SNES is a big memory.

The advancement in the SNES are more reasons to be popular. The joy stick controller was a big improvement. Having a 16 bit processor is another that made this a hit to play. SNES seemed to work better than the original model too. It was the gaming console to have, and is again.

Bringing back memories of your friends sitting around playing the SNES. Games like Mario Bros World and Street Fighter were big hits in the neighborhood. You could not go to school or the park without hearing about playing the SNES.