SNES Articles | RVGFanatic

How Super Nintendo CRUSHED 1994

The Super Nintendo has enjoyed one hell of a legendary run. From its bubbling infancy in the early ’90s… to its absolute DOMINANCE in the mid 90s… and even to its dying days in the late ’90s, gamers around the globe have enjoyed many wonderful memories with this amazing console, and in the years beyond as well. In all those memorable years during the system’s lifespan, which one was the very best? Opinions may vary, but I think most folks would agree without a shadow of a doubt that the best single year of the SNES was 1994. It’s been 30 years since that amazing run. Let’s take a look back at the games that made 1994 Super Nintendo’s best year.

JANUARY 1994

Capcom made us wait but boy was it worth it. 1994 could not have opened with a better entry than Mega Man X. It was the Blue Bomber’s 16-bit homecoming at long last, and it was freaking fantastic.

As an aside, this is an article I’ve been wanting to write ever since RVGFanatic launched back in January 2007. I’ve always had a fondness for all things 1994. It was just an amazing year and a great time to be a 10, 11 year old boy growing up in suburban America. It blows my mind that it’s been 30 years since that unforgettable year. How time flies by…

While iconic classics such as the previously mentioned Mega Man X are the foundation of the Super Nintendo, one would be sorely remissed if the lesser known “sleeper” hits aren’t highlighted as well. Skyblazer was a solid game that kind of got lost in the large library of the SNES back in the day, but has always had a strong cult following. It’s one of those games that quite a few folks sort of discovered later and wasn’t appreciated as much until then. Fun fact: Kazunori Yamauchi, the man behind Skyblazer, went on to produce the classic PlayStation 1997 racing game Gran Turismo (which also became a movie last year in 2023). Shout out to you, Kaz!

Just check out how uber cool and nifty it all is. You can’t talk about “underrated” Super Nintendo “hidden gems” without mentioning Skyblazer!

FEBRUARY 1994

As a kid who grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I can’t tell you how many times I roamed these grungy and glorious arcade halls. And all the amazing beat ‘em up games that flooded the market during that epic era of arcade gaming. It was almost sort of a rite of passage, if you will. And it’s something many gamers hold near and dear when they think back to those halcyon days of yore. So although February 1994 didn’t produce too many memorable titles (hey it’s all good since we were still busy with Mega Man X), we did get some bliss in the form of NINJA WARRIORS.

It’s a solid beat ‘em up, for sure, but sadly there’s no two-player co-op mode. I liked it but not as much as the critics who absolutely raved about it.

In my review I gave Ninja Warriors a solid 7.5 rating. A two-player mode would have bumped it into the 8.5 range. The scores above are from EGM, a publication which will be highlighted later in this article…

5 years ago, in the summer of 2019, Ninja Warriors was revitalized for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. A proper two-player co-op mode was included to right a previous wrong. Thes results? Pure ninja badassery!

I fondly can recall how excited 10 year old me felt when I first laid eyes on Ardy Lightfoot. EGM ran a short preview on it, and I remember being fascinated by Ardy’s look, his little blue sidekick and that gorgeous yellow column of light energy. It seemed to have all the makings of a classic platformer. The small single screenshot exuded so much ADVENTURE. And that was part of the magic back in the day. Hunkering down with the latest video game magazine, excitedly flipping through to gawk at all the cool games coming out, and using one or two grainy ass screenshots to wonder away at all the possibilites. Your imagination did the rest. I swear, technology’s awesome and all, but gaming kids these days don’t know what they’re missing out on…

After Sonic the Hedgehog hit the scene in 1991, mascot platformers became a big thing. Some were amazing, most were forgettable. 1994 was to mascot platformers as 1990 was to horror movies. There was a significant downtick in the number of “me too” wannabe cash-ins as the well began to dry. Part of me naturally couldn’t help but root for and admire Ardy Lightfoot. He was a dying breed indeed.

Good ol’ EGM at it again. Their five reviewers had slightly differing opinions of Ardy. It’s one of those lesser known SNES games that some really vouch for, in the vain of Ed and Mike above. I rated it 6.5 myself, so I’m closer in line with Dano, Al and good ol’ Sushi-X (big shout out to the EGM legend and myth).

Ardy Lightfoot has its charms. It definitely has an adventurous aura that’s nearly second to none. But it’s hampered by some flaws here and there to bring down the overall experience. Still, it has its moments, and is noteworthy enough to throw on this list, especially during a relatively quiet month in what was a staggering year. And who knows, maybe you’re more in the camp with Ed and Mike who both advocated for Ardy. If so, then this game definitely belongs.

MARCH 1994

Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Mortal Kombat dominated arcades in 1993. In general, fighting games were all the rage back then. As you can see from EGM issue number 50, these titanic titles were duking it out for gaming supremacy.

But at least one game was able to legitimately challenge both Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat for the arcade game throne… NBA JAM! Its much anticipated SNES translation in March of 1994 was a monumental event. All the kids in the neighborhood came flocking over, and we spent countless Saturday nights dunking on one another. It was pure 16-bit bliss.

My friends and I played NBA Jam well into the summer and even through the fall and winter. It was THAT damn good. When I think back to those epic sleepovers from the early-mid ’90s, I can’t help but fondly recollect all the laughter, trash talking and buzzer beating hail mary half court prayers that this game produced. Thanks for the memories, JAM.

Speaking of top tier sports games, Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball is the best baseball game on the SNES, bar none. Griffey is a heavenly blend of detail-oriented simulation and satisfying fast paced arcade-like play. Games are as short as 15 minutes, which wasn’t always the case for baseball games of that era. Griffey got you in and out, and often times you stayed happily for hours on end thanks to “just one more game.”

I’ve logged thousands of hours into Griffey, and that is no hyperbole. I’ve played over ten 162-game full seasons over the past 30 years. Even though the players have all long retired and the gameplay mechanics are 30 years old, the game remains timeless. I’ll go months or even years without playing it, but then I’ll randomly fire it up and enjoy it just as much as I did when I was a kid. A legit 10+ out of 10 level game! One of those rare games I can play for a lifetime.

Speaking of playing for a lifetime, Equinox took home “Best Ad of the Year” for 1994 with this absolute banger of an advertisement. I remember my best friend Nelson and I just laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, and how much it made us want to play it.

But rather than simply playing for laughs, the ad was also packed with intriguing tidbits. F’rinstance, scope the intimidating size of this boss! In addition, you know what special item you’ll win for your troubles of defeating Sung Sung. You’re just not sure what the harp will do. See? Instant intrigue!

There aren’t many isometric action adventure games on the SNES. Equinox represents the best of its kind, and makes one long for more games of this ilk on Nintendo’s 16-bit wonder.

ProTip: Try playing it during November or December. The game’s atmosphere lends itself quite well to the seasons of fall and winter. Equinox is easily one of the Super Nintendo’s most underrated games that doesn’t get nearly the love and recognition it so richly deserves.

WolfMarch

The first time I witnessed Wolfenstein 3D (circa mid 1992), my 8 year old mind nearly melted. Never before had I seen anything like it. Then DOOM launched in December of ’93, making Wolfenstein look more like a Ms. Rachel singalong. So when the Wolfie port hit the SNES some three months later, I didn’t expect too much. I was a Doom guy through and through. But a funny thing happened that March weekend of 1994. It became “one more labyrinth,” “one more key” and “one more Nazi.” It was a joyous weekend that sparked a new sense of appreciation for Wolfie.

The SNES port has many detractors, and I can see why. Blocky visuals, no blood, and various other censors that stripped the game of its full faithfulness. And while the gameplay isn’t the smoothest, it was still more than manageable. To me it still captured enough of the essence that makes Wolfenstein, er, Wolfenstein.

Few games on the SNES can provide the sheer rush of mowing down 20 bad guys in the span of 30 seconds quite like Wolfenstein 3D. And it helped made the first quarter of 1994 a special one for the SNES.

As a kid I was mega hyped for Clay Fighter (which busted), but it was Interplay’s other title, Claymates, that I should have paid more attention to.

Good luck to those athletes in the 2024 Olympics! — Good luck to the athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics!

The box was covered with a lenticular lens — the original faux 3D technology. Claymates proved to contain way more substance and staying power than that silly Clay Fighter could only dream of.

Play as Clayton or one of five different animal friends. The levels were humongous and well designed. It’s just a fun quirky little game that flew under the radar.

APRIL 1994

They say they broke the mold when Super Metroid dropped in April of 1994. THEY WERE DAMN RIGHT.

With an enticing sci-fi alien world atmosphere second to none and some of the best damn gameplay ever crafted, it’s almost impossible not to swoon at the mere thought of Super Metroid. Many often cite this as not only their favorite SNES game ever, but their favorite game of all time, PERIOD.

It’s mind boggling that it’s now been over 30 years since this first came out. Honestly feels like a lifetime ago!

SuperMetroid-Crateria4

Read any top SNES game list and chances are you’ll find Super Metroid somewhere in the top 10 5 3. That says it all, really.

Super NES fans kicked off 1994 with Mega Man X, and then were treated to Super Metroid only 3 months later. What a time to be alive, eh?

In late ’91 my brother and I discovered Fatal Fury at our neighborhood arcade. We were instantly hooked. We spent many a night enjoying the 2 vs. 1 mode where old man Tung Fu Rue would transform like the Hulk and kick our butts. Great times. Unfortunately, the SNES port was terrible.

Thankfully, Takara got it right second time around. My brother and I played Fatal Fury 2 nonstop that weekend we rented it. It was a damn good fighting game. Not counting Super Baseball 2020, this was like the first really strong Neo Geo to SNES translation, paving the way for other solid Neo Geo ports to come.

Blew us away like a hurricane... — Blew us away like a hurricane…

Joe & Mac was one of the earliest platformers released on the SNES, way back in good ol’ January of 1992. It was a fun two-player cavemen against dinosaurs romp, so it was a pleasant surprise when Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics quietly dropped more than two years later. By no means a blockbuster or even anything to write home about in particular, but every gaming library needs its share of fun little games to help solidify and round it out.

Capcom converted two of its medieval 1991 arcade beat ‘em ups to the SNES in April of ’94. While it was awesome getting to play both in the same month, you wonder why Capcom didn’t spread it out so each title could receive the spotlight solely? At any rate, as a kid you were just grateful. Knights of the Round is a solid beat ‘em up with clanging swords and the works!

The other one was King of Dragons. Thanks to its cooler enemy roster and the ability to play from one of FIVE characters (pretty unheard of by SNES standards back then), I much prefer KoD over Knights of the Round. But both arcade conversions are fine examples of the genre and among the best of its kind on the SNES.

MAY 1994

Look, I’ll come right out and say it: May was the shits. You know the old saying: ya can’t win ‘em all. But hey, 11 out of 12 ain’t bad, eh? Probably May’s most noteworthy (notice I never said good) release was Clay Fighter: Tournament Edition because it was an exclusive rental. At the time no store sold it, so the only way to play it (if you were so inclined) was to go to your local rental store. I remember seeing it on the shelf every weekend I went. Never rented it because I was so disappointed by the first one which came out about half a year prior. Fool me once…

JUNE 1994

Summer of ’94 got off to a scorching start when the 32 MEG monster Super Street Fighter II hit rental and game stores nationwide. As impressive as the previous two Street Fighter ports were on the SNES, this one took the cake. 16 fighters and multiple modes made it one of the best fighting games the SNES has to offer. Perhaps even THE very best.

10 years ago, on the OG RVGFanatic website, I wrote an article called THE SUMMER OF IMPORTS. At the time it had been 20 years since that fateful summer. Now it’s 30 years! In a nutshell, it was the best summer of my life. My best friend Nelson and I played SNES games and watched horror movies galore that summer, living it up as 10, 11 year old boys could. But what really made that summer unforgettable were the Super Famicom imports Nelson and I rented.

One of those imports was King of the Monsters 2. The first port was incredibly disappointing due to missing features from the arcade cult classic. But just like with Fatal Fury 2, Takara got it right second time around.

The Vanessa Carlton-inspired pictures I made for the KotM2 review is still one of my personal favorites.

The ending of the game lines up perfectly to those lyrics!

See what I mean?!

But I digress. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Let’s move on

The other import we rented was Capcom’s 24 MEG beast, Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion, better known here in the states as Saturday Night Slam Masters. It was arcade wrestling 4-player mayhem at its finest. A little shallow, sure, but a whole hell lotta fun!

The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates was quietly a fun little underrated game.

One of the most underrated titles of 1994 was The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang. You can’t talk about SNES hidden gems without citing this quirky, delightful caper.

"Can we crank up that ride over there to 88 MPH?" — *“Can we crank up that ride over there to 88 MPH?”*

I remember making those pics for my Spike review. Time consuming, but it was fun to do in my younger more carefree days

Definitely fun for me looking back on all those captions I added. Takes me back! They were a staple of my older SNES reviews, but I digress…

JULY 1994

July was sparse, but June’s offerings kept us plenty busy. July did have one big release though in the form of Stunt Race FX. While it didn’t quite live up to the hype, it was a memorable enough rental that gave us some quality entertainment for a weekend.

AUGUST 1994

There were three imports Nelson and I rented during the summer of 1994 that made that summer one for the ages. King of the Monsters 2, Saturday Night Slam Masters and Fighter’s History. I’ve been a Fighter’s History fan since day one when I first played the arcade original in 1993. Sure it was an overtly blatant Street Fighter 2 clone, but it had its share of unique charms. So when Nelly and I got to play the Japanese version MONTHS before the American release dropped in August of that year, we were over the moon!

Though far from being the greatest fighting game of its time, it was an amazing translation. It felt just like we were playing the arcade game in our living room! I love the simple yet detailed sprites and backgrounds. Look at those bulging muscles on ol’ Marstorius! Love the Thailand stage with the crowd overlooking the action from the bridge. Even down to the design of the energy bars… I absolutely adore the aesthetics of this game. It just screams 1993. It was a simpler time in our lives when it felt like a new fighting game was coming out on a ~~monthly~~ weekly basis.

Plus it’s the only way to play as Karnov on the SNES!

Super Double Dragon is one of my favorite beat ‘em ups on the SNES. So it was quite the shocker when Double Dragon V was revealed to be a fighting game. But given how popular fighters were back then, I guess in hindsight it’s not too shocking. DDV got a lot of flak but I honestly didn’t think it was that bad. Definitely a guilty pleasure for me. At the very least it was a major curiosity that I have fond memories of renting and enjoying for a random weekend during the final weeks of summer before the 6th grade.

Brain Lord was a worthy action RPG that flew under the radar. I enjoyed its more methodical gameplay with enough hack and slash action to keep things lively as you solve puzzles and dispatch of foul creatures such as this malignant mutated cockroach.

But if you were in the mood for a more traditional style RPG, with turn based battles and multiple members joining your party along the way, Capcom’s Breath of Fire was right up your alley. Nothing extraordinary about it, but damn solid.

SEPTEMBER 1994

September 9, 1994. MORTAL FRIDAY. The infamous launch date of Mortal Kombat II across 22 platforms (or so it felt). The first port left something to be desired, including a lack of blood, but the sequel got it oh so right. Blood and justice were both restored. It helped too that part 2 in general is a far superior game to the first one. This was Mortal Kombat at its peak, and SNES MK fans were in heaven.

As much as I was looking forward to Mortal Kombat II though, there was another fighting game I was anticipating even more…

1994 was indeed a banner year thanks to hits like this — 1994 was indeed a *banner year* thanks to hits like this

World Heroes 2 was my tentpole event of 1994. I spent countless quarters and hours on the World Heroes franchise back in the early-mid ’90s. It was my absolute favorite fighting game series.

It was a fantastic port, all things considered, and in some ways more accessible than the arcade in terms of options. Of course many sacrifices had to be made to scale the game down to work on the SNES, but it captured the spirit and essence of the arcade original quite well.

I swear this is not a flex :P [Liar -Ed.] — I swear this is not a flex [Lying ass bitch ass ho ass -Ed.]

In a universe full of cute mascots, fluffy platformers and such, it was a HUGE breath of fresh air to experience something different like Blackthorne. The SNES didn’t have many games like it, putting Blackthorne sort of in a class all its own.

Illusion of Gaia (spiritual sequel to Soul Blazer) really scratched the action RPG itch. Gorgeous graphics, huge bosses and memorable characters made this title simply irresistible.

Super Bomberman 2 kept the good times rolling as friendships were put to the test and egos were bruised. Always a blast (sorry).

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was to 1994 as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was to 1989… pure dominance. It was only a matter of time before a licensed video game adaptation would pop up on the SNES. And while it was simplistic and short, it was very enjoyable nevertheless.

Almost every boy's childhood crush — Almost every boy’s childhood crush…

OCTOBER 1994

Every year I always look forward to seeing the calendar hit October. It starts the best 3-4 month run of the year as I absolutely love the fall and winter seasons for various reasons.

But there was nothing like October 1994. As longtime readers of RVGFanatic may recall from my nostalgic article Memories of Halloween, this was the year that I had the best Halloween a kid could ever have. Meanwhile, in the background we also got to play some amazing SNES games. What a great time to be a kid!

stevecoll199

Final Fantasy III is in the running for not only best SNES RPG but best SNES game, period. Even to this day, people are still playing and talking about it.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! on the 8-bit Nintendo gave us so many wonderful memories. It took a hot minute but Super Punch-Out!! finally arrived in October of ’94, and it was well worth the long wait.

Nintendo brought back some classic familiar faces while introducing some tough new hombres to crack. The added power of the 16-bit SNES gave the game a big boost in visuals while the gameplay mechanics remained as smooth as ever. Well done, Big N. Well done indeed.

Earthworm Jim was a quirky action platformer that quickly developed a cult following.

Sparkster was another pretty cool platformer. Konami almost could do no wrong back in those days…

One of many unheralded gems on the SNES was Super Adventure Island II. I enjoyed the first one, clunky though it might be. It had a classic early ’90s simplicity to it. But the sequel is legitmately a very good game. I love the RPG undertones!

Final Fantasy III (rightfully so) got all the RPG love this month, but there was another RPG worth your while that quietly came out the same month. Robotrek had some really cool features, such as building and customizing up to 3 robots to do the dirty work for ya!

Super R-Type was among the earliest wave of SNES games released back in September of 1991. R-Type III over 3 years later turned out to be everything you wanted the first one to be.

NOVEMBER 1994

Who could ever forget the first time you witnessed Donkey Kong Country live in the flesh? The flurry of snow falling, Kong beating his chest and the snow covered trees was an unforgettable sight.

I’ll always remember the jubilant chatter on the school playground… DKC was on everyone’s lips. We all adored it and couldn’t stop yapping about it. The whole 6th grade was bananas for Donkey and friends.

For something a ~~little~~ lot darker, Demon’s Crest was pretty damn spectacular in its own right! The structure is very much Metroidvania. It is, for my money, one of the best damn action games on the SNES.

For 2-player action thrills, Pocky & Rocky 2 was a worthwhile sequel to the SNES cult classic.

ZeroKaz

I feel almost obligated to include Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel. Although I feel it didn’t live up to its potential and is only decent at best, there is a robust contingent of SNES fans who love it. I just never was able to get down the flying/diving mechanics which are paramount to success. Thus playing Zero for me was always a mix of fun and frustration, but I acknowledge that it contributed to a lot of people’s enjoyment of the SNES in late ’94. Maybe one day it’ll click more for me, too.

Speaking of obligations, Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi concluded the SNES trilogy of Star Wars games. I haven’t gotten around to playing Return of the Jedi yet, but I loved Super Star Wars. These are some of the hardest platformers around, but they’re quite fun if you can work around it.

X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse was hyped to the moon. It graced the cover of the December issue of EGM, and my gaming crew and I could not wait to play it. The end results were a little mixed, but I still contend it’s a solid enough game with phenenomenal visuals and some badass special moves. I mean, as a kid pulling off a Ryu-esque Dragon Punch on a Sentinel? You felt like a superhero yourself.

Weighing in at a monstrous 32 MEGS, Samurai Shodown was the last big Neo Geo conversion. Coming at the tail end of 1994, it was a sign of the times. ’94 was a massive year for the Super Nintendo, and a lot of things would change by 1995. It was almost as if Takara (the publisher) and Monolith (the developer) knew this was the end of the line, so the boys took one last big swing. A lot of sacrifice had to be made, including a substantial downsize in sprites and the absence of the infamous screen scaling. It was a bummer to be sure, but it was still a competent translation. And most importantly, it was still quite fun. I have fond memories of defeating the fighting game guru in my gaming crew. He largely went undefeated in most fighting games we played. But the night I dethroned him in Samurai Shodown was pretty damn epic. Everyone in the group was whooping and hollering. An outsider looking in might think we just won the Little League championship. Good times.

Even to this day I can close my eyes and STILL hear that haunting sound effect of Haohmaru’s hurricane projectile…

DECEMBER 1994

Batman Returns gets a lot of love, but many consider The Adventures of Batman & Robin to be the definitive Batman SNES experience. Definitely an added bonus if you loved Batman: The Animated Series as much as I did, as the aesthetics of this title tie in quite well with B:TAS.

Speaking of licensed games, Biker Mice From Mars (what a name!) has something of a small cult following in SNES circles. It’s often cited as one of the system’s plethora of underrated hidden gems, and was clearly inspired by the beloved SNES classic Rock n’ Roll Racing.

Speaking of racing titles, Uniracers also has somewhat of a cult following. It was super speedy and you could pull off some crazy stunts. Not my personal favorite, but I see why so many loved it.

We got another solid arcade to SNES translation in the form of Power Instinct. It had some unique features such as being able to jump up two screens and stages had breakable barriers that would expand the stage even farther if a fighter goes crashing through. Plus, who didn’t want to play as the evil grandma?

EGM’S CONTRIBUTIONS

My brother subscribed to EGM for a full year, starting in January of 1994. I’ll never forget opening our mailbox and seeing a thick ass issue #54 sitting pretty in our mailbox! EGM and GameFan were some of the awesome gaming publications that ruled 1994. They truly enhanced my SNES experience that year, and I’ll always be thankful everything aligned so perfectly to make that year one for the ages.

The day my brother and I received EGM issue number 65 was bittersweet. The bitter: it the final issue of our subscription. The sweet: it was the largest EGM issue ever, as proudly advertised on the front cover. As much fun as we had with EGM, my brother decided not to renew. I like to think that there was a quiet unspoken understanding that EGM (and SNES) peaked at the tail end of 1994. Sure, we’ll still get some great stuff here and there going forward, but we’d never see the same level of consistency. It’s like a running back in the NFL at age 27 vs. age 28. 27 could be an optimal year but at 28 you see a vast decline. And kid you not, once EGM issue 66 dropped in January of 1995, there was an immediate dropoff in quality. I often joke to myself that EGM sold their souls to crank out issue 65. It was so massive and so beautiful cover to cover… that they never could quite recover from such a draining effort. Thanks for the memories, EGM. You helped play a significant role to make 1994 Super Nintendo’s peak year!

1994 FUN FACTS

My belief of 1994 being Super Nintendo’s most prolific year is subjective. But what is objective is that 1994 saw the biggest number of SNES games released. That is a fact that cannot be disputed. In fact, here’s what each year produced:

1992: 113
1993: 178
1994: 226
1995: 118

I didn’t cite 1991 because the SNES came out late that year. Nor did I cite 1996 as the system was rapidly fading. So 1994 *doubled* the amount of games from 1992 (113 to 226), but as we all know, it’s not about quantity it’s about quality. But as you can see from the countless games highlighted previously, 1994 has quantity and quality in spades. And for the record, here are the number of SNES game releases during every month in ’94:

January: 10
February: 15
March: 11
April: 20
May: 11
June: 19
July: 4
August: 17
September: 16
October: 30
November: 50
December: 20

I was shocked to discover that July, smack dab in the middle of the time when kids are home for the summer, only saw 4 new releases. I was also surprised to see November as the highest month (with 50 releases). My money would have been on December to have the highest number. But yeah, pretty insane that there were 100 new SNES games in the last 3 months alone vying for your holiday cash!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

It’s hard to fathom that 1994 is now well over 30 years ago. Sometimes certain events from ’94 feel like they were only yesterday. Most times though, man they feel like a lifetime ago. ’94 was just a very special year for me. I was 10 and 11 that year, the 5th grade was awesome, I had my best friend Nelson, arcades were still very much a thing and the SNES had reached its optimal stage of evolution. Everything just combined to make 1994 the best year of my childhood. That’s why I look back so fondly on that time period. The Super Nintendo saw so many iconic titles during its lifespan. But 1994 had the highest concentrated number of hits from where I sit. Throw in the fact that gaming magazines at the time also hit their prime so to speak, and you had all the ingredients in place for an epic year. And that it was. I mean, just think of all the Hall of Fame caliber SNES games we got that year… Mega Man X, Super Street Fighter 2, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy III, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat II, Demon’s Crest, Super Punch-Out!! and so much more. An embarassment of riches. A veritable who’s who of SNES lore!

Crazy how all those classic games are now 30 years old or about to be later this year in 2024. I recently played a bunch of them in order to get extra inspired to write this article. And wow do they still hold up like the champions they are. They’re simply timeless… games as playable and enjoyable today as they were THREE DECADES ago. It blows my mind how much these games have stood the test of time, and how likely they will even 30 more years from now. And that, my friends, is how Super Nintendo CRUSHED 1994.

Thanks for the memories, 1994. I salute thee! — 1994… here’s to ya!

RVG Turns 15!

Earlier this month, RVGFanatic turned all of 15 years old. Opening its virtual doors on January 7, 2007, it’s crazy to believe that it’s been that long. I celebrated another milestone earlier this month as well — January 17, 2006 marked the fateful day that I decided to embark on my SNES resurrection. And this is what truly blows my mind: since the start of my SNES comeback, I’ve been playing it longer than its existence from 1991-2005 (14 years). My SNES resurgence now spans 16 years (January 2006 to January 2022). RVGFanatic is now older as well (15 years). My goodness. Talk about time flying! Although my SNES fever is nowhere near what it was during 2006-2018, I still play it regularly to this very day. With my Player 2 No matter where life takes me, the SNES will always hold a special place in my heart. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane…

LIFE IN THE EARLY ’90s

As a proud kid of the late ’80s to mid ’90s, I grew up during the golden age of gaming. Arcades were amazing and the technological leap from the 8-bit NES to the 16-bit SNES was mind-blowing. Many weekends consisted of my brother, our friends and I gaming to our hearts’ content. It was a simpler time. Those halcyon days forever burn in my soul. I would never want to be 10 years old again, but I’d love to visit for a few hours and be a fly on the wall.

Don’t get me started on the toys and cartoons of that era! Most everyone likes to claim that their childhood was the best time to grow up, but for me, I feel very fortunate to have grown up when I did. Simple pleasures like raiding an arcade hall with your best buds, or gawking at all the cool toys and games in the long aisles of Toys R Us, or strolling through the local video rental store to rent the latest game or movie… those days, more or less, are forever gone. I’m so thankful that I grew up when such entities were at the height of their powers.

That glorious glow beckons like none other — That glorious glow beckons

The Macys partnership will not even be close — One of the best places a kid could visit in the ’90s

Hitting up the video store was a weekend ritual!

My family moved in early 1996, and life got busy with middle school and high school. But in 1999, I bought a secondhand Sega Saturn for $40 from FuncoLand because my brother wanted to play Fire Pro Wrestling: 6 Man Scramble. I had my own motivation in the form of World Heroes Perfect.

It wasn’t long before I became a Sega Saturn diehard. I was obsessed with it from 2001-2005 and acquired 350 Saturn titles during that time. I was a frequent visitor (and even a contributor) to sega-saturn.com. I loved reading all the user reviews and in many ways, I credit that website (along with Rob Strangman’s OPCFG) as early influences for RVGFanatic.

I attended University in the early to mid 2000’s, and had a great time exploring my interests and figuring out who I was. I dabbled in theater arts, performed in stage plays and got my teaching credential. I learned from all the people I met, the friends I made and the varied experiences I had. One of my favorite things about college though was that sweet fat 6 week break that lasted between mid December to late January. It’s always a nostalgic time of the year for me, as it invariably brings back to mind all those fond college memories of just hanging around at home bumming around and doing much of nothing. Just binge watching (horror) movies and playing video games galore until 3 AM almost every night. It was during the winter break of late 2004/early 2005 that I first had the thought of getting back into the Super Nintendo…

One day in the middle of January 2005, I revisited my childhood Hollywood Video. At the time many Hollywood Video stores had a Game Crazy hub inside the store, which served as a video game center where you could buy current and older games. That day I spotted the SNES and some of the juice started kicking up. Also, my Saturn passion was starting to wane during this time period. It had been a strong 5+ year run with the Saturn but I was starting to run out of steam. Somehow, the SNES seemed awfully inviting but for whatever reason I just could not pull the trigger.

Just one short year later, I decided to pull the trigger. The following winter break, I was completely out of the Saturn scene. The SNES drum began beating loudly in my heart, and this time I decided not to ignore it. The desire to play all the SNES games I loved during my childhood as well as all the countless ones I missed but always wanted to play became way too overwhelming.

During my Sega Saturn run, I had a secret weapon. A sort of Weapon X, if you will. My guy, Mike, from Collector’s Cards and Games. He owns a real life store but you can buy online as well. It’s awesome to see that he’s still living the dream, as his website is still up and running to this day. Even better, he hasn’t changed the graphics from the mid 2000s, almost 20 years ago!

Even still uses that same photo from way back when — Even still uses that same pic from way back when!

I sent my guy Mike an email late Tuesday morning (my God, I was up at 3:42 AM… damn, those 6 week college winter breaks were the freaking best). January 17, 2006 is the fateful day I officially got back into the Super Nintendo. As the email stated, I thought my game buying days were over. Little did I know!

The very next day I enthusiastically shared my news with the good folks over at Digital Press. The stage was set for my greatest gaming adventure yet. I was so ready to revisit what I’ve always considered, and still do as a matter of fact, the best damn gaming era that ever existed.

These were among the first SNES games I bought. As you can see, back in early 2006, most of these games were only $5. Some as cheap as $4 or even $3. 2006 was truly a golden age where for the price it would cost to rent these games back in the ’90s, you could now own it for just as much.

My original display. 90 of these were from Mike! — My collection circa January 2006. 70% came from Mike!

I was Stephanie and Mike was Austin :P — I was Steph, he was Austin

Unfortunately, Art of Fighting was purchased from his store so we removed that from the list. On the bright side, I looked at the list again and added Great Circus Mystery and Joe & Mac. My wife and I actually replayed Joe & Mac earlier this month. Crazy that the SNES port just turned 30 years old. We enjoyed it a lot and I think it holds up pretty well, in spite of the slowdown.

January 26, 2006, was another unforgettable day for me. It was a cold and rainy Thursday night. My SNES package had yet to arrive from Mike, but it was only a short handful of days away. Feeling nostalgic as well as curious as to what SNES gems I might find waiting for me, I decided to drive to my old hometown and revisit my childhood Hollywood Video. Did I also mention that this fateful day was the 10 year anniversary of the day I moved? Yep, the stars were all aligning…

I’ll never forget being at a red light, with the rain dancing down from the heavens, and seeing this glorious lit up sign emblazon the night. This was back in 2006 where, even though the video store was quickly going the way of the dinosaur, you could still find them kicking and clawing to the very bitter end. You knew it just couldn’t last forever, so you cherished the moments you had left. It was a wonderful time in my life where I was getting ready to embark on my teaching journey while revisiting my gaming past. A special time in life where I was existing in multiple planes constantly. Part of me was looking back just as much as I was looking to the future. It’s hard to describe, but I love balancing those two dichotomies.

Game Crazy did a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal on retro games back in those days. That night I picked up Art of Fighting (the game I wanted from Mike but someone beat me to the punch — how quickly that was set straight), Clay Fighter, Mortal Kombat II and Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 (which I got for free). All 4 games for just $16 or so. Like I alluded to many times in the past, 2006 was a gold mine for SNES fans as most of the games were dirt cheap to acquire.

Right afterward, I revisited my childhood home. My parents rented the place out to some tenants. I wasn’t close to them, but they knew I was the son. I share all this because in the summer of 2020, after my wife and I got married in July that same year, we took over the house. That’s right. I currently live in my childhood home with my wife, and we have our first kid due in June of 2022. It’s a boy! Super excited to start that adventure of parenting alongside my wife. And in my childhood home no less. We remodeled it so it doesn’t look too much like the home I remember living in 25+ years ago, but that’s even better because we’ve upgraded and modernized it to a fair degree!

Speaking of boys, Mike’s SNES deluxe package arrived only 4 short days later. It arrived on a Monday. January 30, 2006. Another super nostalgic day for me. Unfortunately, it was my first day back at University, so I had to wait until class was over to dive in. But man, I waited this long so what’s a few more hours?

Backtracking a bit, one of my biggest regrets with my Sega Saturn fandom was that I never really documented my Saturn journey. With the SNES it was a chance at redemption. So I started a journey to do just that! My wife chuckled when she read it…

Shout out once again to my man, Mike! He was my guy and helped fed my Saturn and SNES passion in the early-mid 2000’s. Crazy that his website today looks the same as it did 20 years ago…

And here’s the beautiful day that my SNES baby arrived. And I still get that lovely feeling these days seeing the mailman stroll up to my door. Except instead of video games, it’s now books

Oops, that should say January 30, not the 31st

Damn, less than 3 weeks in and I already amassed 85 SNES games. I was a beast in those days! Hunting and buying games left and right. Like I said, most were $5 or less back in those days, so it was hard to pass up!

I remember gamers and collectors lamenting the price of SNES games around 2011 or so. I was super lucky in that I beat much of the crowd and was bit by the SNES bug years before the scene got super crazy. But as you can see from Mike’s email above, the SNES was “real hot” in early 2006. But luckily for me, prices had yet to skyrocket through the roof like they would in the years to come. As always, life is always about timing!

As an aside, years and years later, I hit up Mike again to buy a few more SNES items to round out my collection. This was his reply:

It’s always nice to be remembered. As Mike shared here, a lot changed between 2006 and 2014. SNES was in ultra high demand and the nostalgia bug was hotter than ever, with many 30 something year olds longing for the past and having a larger disposable income. Mike used to sell me SNES boxes and manuals by the boatload for $1 each. Not no more! And you can’t blame him. Sellers change their prices as items change in terms of supply and demand. I’ll always look back fondly on those early years. In particular, 2006. That’s where it all started (again) for me.

In the fall of 2006, after being back in the SNES scene for 9 months, I started a topic on various gaming forums entitled Steve’s Obscure Super Famicom Impressions Thread. Every 2-3 days, I updated the topic with my thoughts on the more obscure Japanese only Super Famicom games. It ran through December and was a major hit, stirring much retro gaming discourse. Eventually the topic became such a monster that loading a page became very cumbersome as I often posted hundreds of photos and the thread was starting to grow too big for its own good. I never considered a website, not because I didn’t want one but because I don’t have a lot of technical know-how. That’s when a Digital Press member by the name of Pete Whitley gave me the ultimate encouragement to push forward.

And that’s when the wheels started churning. And sure enough, guess what. it was winter break of University again. And as such, big moves happen during those glorious 6 weeks off. With many friends and colleagues cheering me on, I tinkered with a website during those late December nights in 2006. I kept tinkering and tinkering, realizing that a website IS possible…

Opening on January 7, 2007, the first day had a little note welcoming readers. The next day I posted my first review in the form of Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen. It was only fitting since that was the first game I highlighted in my obscure Super Famicom topic. After clicking on PUBLISH, my dad called to ask if I could drive him down to the auto repair shop to pick up his car. There was a light rain that Monday night as I recall the vigor of knowing that someone somewhere was viewing my content and among the first visitors to do so. I was floating on cloud 9 as I drove my dad on that wet drizzling freeway. It’s a moment in time that I remember fondly to this day, even 15 years later.

WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS…

MarioQ

Since 2020 or so, my SNES updates have been fairly sparse. Most of my work these days revolve around book reviews and remembrances. I’d like to get back to writing more SNES reviews and articles. But with a boy due in June (our first baby!), I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to update. I’m going to push forward however and keep RVGFanatic alive one way or another. Here’s to another 15 years, right? But in all seriousness, there is something I’ve been wanting to do for over 16 years now. And it’s a promise I fully intend to see through…

Some of my long time readers may recall that over the years I’ve stated that my ultimate goal with RVGFanatic has always been to publish a personal top favorite SNES list. It’s something I’ve been working on and tinkered with since January 2006. In fact, a few of you may even remember that I teased the launch way back in the summer of 2017, saying that it would come online October 2017…

Damn, couldn't quite make that deadline :P — Damn, couldn’t quite make that deadline

Better 5 years late than never, right? I was hoping maybe last August for the Super Nintendo’s 30th anniversary in North America, but that didn’t work out. So maybe third time’s the charm. Also, I’m putting it out there in the universe. It’s going to finally happen at some point in 2022. I even have a teaser promotional ad ready for your viewing. Drum roll, please…

It's coming! Keep your eyes peeled in 2022! — It’s coming! Keep your eyes peeled in 2022!

Being an ambitious nut and wanting to show off as many viable titles as possible, I’m not aiming for a top 100 list. Not even top 150. But 200. TWO HUNDRED. Are there even 200 SNES games worth playing? In my book, obviously yes. Maybe the backend selections are merely for the diehard SNES fans out there, but I have a list of 200 SNES games I consider to be my top favorite on the system. And I shall reveal those entries as 2022 progresses. I’m excited to finally share my SNES list with you all. And I appreciate the support and love you’ve given me over the past 15 years!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I can’t believe RVGFanatic is now 15 years old and counting. I’ve had the gaming time of my life collecting and playing the Super Nintendo for nearly 2 decades now. Although my passion for it burns differently today than how it did from 2006-2018, I’ll always fondly remember all the good times I’ve had with the SNES over the years. I’m excited to eventually introduce it to my son. It’s also been an absolute blast having a platform where I can share as well as document my random nostalgic thoughts on books and gaming. I very much see RVGFanatic as that local mom and pop store still standing on the corner chugging along year after year. And I hope to update it over the next 15 years! Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and prosperous 2022. Until next time, take good care!

My son and I playing the SNES 10 years from now... — My son and I playing the SNES 10 years from now!

Top 20 Most Wanted Arcade SNES Ports

This past November the Super Famicom (SNES as it’s known over in Japan) turned 30 years old. But on the North American side, it was on this day 30 years ago (August 23, 1991) that the Super Nintendo made its debut. Naturally, you’re going to see a lot of tribute pieces and articles praising the system’s amazing library of games, as well as plenty of retrospectives sure to bring a virtual nostalgic tear to your eye. Heck, you might even see some Top 30 or Top 100 lists floating around in celebration of the big 3-0. But I’m going to do something a little different. As great as the SNES has been these past 30 years, I can think of more than a few games that never made it to the SNES that would have made the console even stronger had they been. Specifically, I’m talking about 20 arcade ports the SNES should have received but, for one reason or another, never did.

Arcade gaming in the ’90s was a magical thing to experience as a young kid. There was something intoxicating about being in the thick of an arcade hall, with the flickering lights and glowing screens all vying for your quarters, iconic gaming sound effects galore blasting your ears, the alluring aroma of a cheese pizza wafting through the air. It was a social playground and THE place to be on Friday nights and weekends. All you needed were a few friends and a few quarters and you had a one way ticket to gaming nirvana.

MWAG11-1

But it was impossible for all my favorite arcade games of my youth to make the home leap. For many, it was like two ships passing in the night. Never meant to be, never saw the light of day. However you want to put it, these ill-fated arcade greats never made their way home to a Super Nintendo. But first, let’s examine the thrill of arcade to home ports back in the early-mid ’90s…

THE MAGIC OF 16-BIT ARCADE PORTS

Super Street Fighter II was an amazing port — *Super Street Fighter II* was an amazing port

One of the best aspects about growing up as a gamer during the early-mid ’90s was hyping yourself up about all the arcade ports that companies would develop for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Playing the arcade game, loving it, dreaming about a Genesis or SNES port, then reading a few pages (sometimes less) about said port in EGM or GameFan Magazine (or both), and letting your imagination run wild as you studied the small grainy screenshots 20 times over. Rinse and repeat. It was a tried and true formula of that era! You knew both systems lacked the horsepower to replicate an arcade-perfect translation, but you were ecstatic if the home port captured the essence and spirit of its arcade counterpart. And sometimes, there was just enough magic out there in the moonlight for that to ring true.

Nic, most of us are right there with ya... — Nic, most of us are right there with ya!

The gaming world changed when Capcom unleashed Street Fighter II on the SNES in the summer of 1992. Capcom blew everyone’s minds by how well the home port looked, sounded and played. Sure it wasn’t arcade perfect, but it was more than good enough. It was, for its time, phenomenal. It truly felt like a piece of the arcade game was right there in your very own living room.

You didnt need quarters at home ;) — No quarters at home needed

As a kid I remember telling my best friend Nelson, “Man, a quarter per play? If we play the home port of so and so at least 240 times, we’ll match the value of what my mom paid, and eventually get more than her money’s worth!” Because SNES games cost around $60 and 240 multiplied by 25 cents is $60. Ah, the innocence of youth…

Arcade ports on the SNES, especially those of arcade fighting games during that Golden Age of 2D fighters, became all the rage in the early-mid ’90s. Gamers couldn’t get enough and wanted more and more. If you played a game in the arcade circa 1992 or ’93, chances were that a 16-bit home port was inevitable the following year.

But that wasn’t always the case. There were many awesome arcade games that never saw a Super Nintendo conversion, for one reason or another. Here are my top 20 arcade games that sadly never saw the light of day on the Super Nintendo.

HONORABLE MENTION: TIME KILLERS

What would a list be without an honorable mention? I’ll keep it to just one this time, however. Time Killers, admittedly, wasn’t a good game even in its original arcade form. I’m not citing it for its quality of play. This is based upon pure curiosity and nostalgia.

Released in November of 1992, Time Killers is a weapons-based fighting game with buckets of blood for days. Players can aim specific body parts and cut them off. It didn’t play very well but it was like a 9 year old boy’s perverse dream come to life.

Almost every fighting game back then had your prototypical Ryu clone, but Rancid was in a class of his own. A punk rocker type wielding a chainsaw. Yeah, he was my guy whenever I plopped a quarter into this vile game.

A Sega Genesis port was planned but scrapped. Then in 1996, for some inexplicable reason when the Genesis was on life support, Time Killers finally came out. It received overwhelmingly negative reviews (EGM gave it scores of 5, 3, 3 and 3). As bad as the Genesis home port was, part of me still wanted to see a Super Nintendo conversion.

James Severin from Michigan City did as well!

According to this response, it appears as though there MIGHT have been plans for a Super Nintendo release but alas, it was never meant to be.

I suppose the world shall never know — The world shall never know… *[Thank God -Ed.]*

#20: THREE WONDERS

Released in May of 1991, Three Wonders features, not shockingly, 3 games in 1. The winner of the lot is easily Midnight Wanderers. It’s so good that it could have been a standalone game.

Midnight Wanderers is one of Capcom’s best lesser known games for my money! There was a Sega Saturn version of Three Wonders released, but only in Japan. Still, I would totally have loved this on the SNES!

The same protagonists return for a shooting game in the vein of Gradius. Chariot is fine but nothing special.

The third and final game in the package is a puzzle game by the name of Don’t Pull. It’s definitely NOT Don’t Play as it is perfectly playable and entertaining, but much like Chariot it’s nothing particularly memorable. Three Wonders didn’t make this list for the last two games. Consider those two as the appetizers and the main course being Midnight Wanderers (which has got to be one of the most underrated badass video game titles of all time).

Speaking of never seeing the light of day, Nightmare Busters was clearly inspired by Midnight Wanderers. Sadly, its planned SNES release was canned and even sadder, it’s an incredibly disappointing game. Although never officially released, there are ways to experience this game. You can if you want out of wild curiosity, but I was crushed by the broken mechanics of this game.

#19: SHOGUN WARRIORS

One of the earliest arcade games I can recall playing, Shogun Warriors is a massively nostalgic game for me. It features 8 generic characters who don’t even have proper names! They simply go by Geisha, Samurai, Ninja, Sumo and so on. I love the game’s exotic Japanese atmosphere. I was obsessed with Kappa, the green turtle-like creature who could stretch his limbs like Dhalsim and hurtle himself into a rolling attack like Blanka.

Developed by Kaneko and released in April of 1992, Shogun Warriors was one of the earlier Street Fighter II clones to hit the market. And it plays exactly like how you would expect a fighting game from early 1992 to play. 8 characters, all with 2-3 special moves each, bonus rounds and 4 bosses to battle. There’s a certain charm to how simple this game was. It certainly was inferior to Street Fighter II but I always appreciated the underdogs and had a good time whenever Shogun Warriors and I linked up.

I remember hoping that I would be able to play this game on my SNES either by Christmas of ’92 or spring of ’93 by the latest. Sadly, as is the case for every game on this list, that wasn’t meant to be. And unlike some of the other games on this list, there’s absolutely no question the SNES could have handled a very spot-on port of this arcade game.

Instead, Kaneko gave us Power Moves on the SNES in early 1993. It was bleh. Should have given us Shogun Warriors! But I digress…

#18: MARTIAL CHAMPION

For years Capcom and Konami battled it out for supremacy. Both companies were wildly beloved, produced seemingly an equal amount of fan favorites and were often cited as the top two developers in the industry. Konami dipped its fingers in the fight game with the release of Martial Champion in early 1993.

That US artwork... wow. Lets move on — That US artwork… wow. Let’s move on

The year was 1993. Every week it seemed as though a new fighting game came out. It was the very height of the 2D fighting game boom. Martial Champion was one of my guilty pleasure favorites that year. I say guilty pleasure because deep down I knew it wasn’t the best. It was decent, but nothing special. I really dug how huge the fighters were, though. And the bright vibrant visuals were always catchy whenever I walked by the arcade cab. I just think it would have made for a fun SNES home conversion. But Konami clearly had other plans.

I was all about Titi — I know that sounded funny but how can you NOT love a Chinese hopping vampire?! Honestly, I wanted a home port just so I can play as him.

Never seen a hopping vampire movie before? You’re missing out! I highly recommend Mr. Vampire (1985). It’s essentially the one that started it all, and has never been outclassed. To me it’s the Halloween (1978) of hopping vampire films.

A home port of Martial Champion was released, but only for the PC Engine. It looked drastically different from the arcade game. I like to believe a Super Nintendo port would have been more faithful.

Instead of working on a port of Martial Champion, Konami gave SNES fans Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters. That game rocked, but I still wish we got Martial Champion as well. But if I had to pick one, Konami made the right call for sure.

Made the loss of Martial Champion more palatable — Made the loss of *Martial Champion* more palatable

#17: WORLD HEROES 2 JET

For a long time, if you’d asked me for my all-time favorite gaming franchise, my answer would have been World Heroes. Both SNES ports of World Heroes and World Heroes 2 were top-notch. So when World Heroes 2 Jet hit the arcade scene in April of 1994, I figured I would be playing it on SNES at some point in ’95. Nope!

Yes, I’d argue it was the sleeper hit of 1994. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, as seen above. But despite the positive reviews and desire for a Super Nintendo translation, it never materialized. Possibly it was because it would have been released a little too late in the system’s life span — the 32-bit “next gen” consoles were fast on the move by 1995. The other reason could be perhaps sales of World Heroes 2 on the SNES indicated diminishing returns.

It’s a shame it never came out because Jet introduced faster gameplay (hence the name), 2 new playable characters (Jack and Ryofu) and brand new special moves for certain fighters. Janne for example now has a stunning phoenix attack. Jack, by the way, was based off the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.

For fans of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ryofu was based off legendary warlord, Lu Bu.

Fuumas new explosive attack fits his personality — Fuuma’s new explosive attack fits his personality

Brokens electric attack now can extend — Brocken’s electric attack can now extend

Who doesnt want to play as Hulk Hogan? — Who doesn’t want to play as Hulk Hogan?

World Heroes will forever hold a special place in my gaming heart. Oh, and oddly enough, there WAS a port of World Heroes 2 Jet… on the Game Boy of all systems!

Its actually pretty damn impressive — It’s actually pretty damn impressive

The fighters have adopted a cute chibi look. Surprisingly, all 16 characters remain intact. For a Game Boy port, it plays amazingly well. It makes me only wonder even more how great a Super Nintendo port would have been. But hey… technically… you can hook this game up to a Super Game Boy and play World Heroes 2 Jet on a Super Nintendo. Fact: I have done that before and it is quite a damn good fighting game. I just wish it received the full 16-bit SNES treatment!

#16: TOP HUNTER

A delightful 2 player romp, Top Hunter is unique among its peers for a few reasons. The first being that you can execute special moves with Street Fighter II-esque commands. There are also super special moves because it was 1994 and why not? Another cool feature is the ability to switch between the foreground and background. These aspects added some depth to what would have otherwise been another side-scrolling co-op action platformer. Oh, and some of those bosses are crazy!

The SNES has its fair share of fun co-op games; Top Hunter would have fit in beautifully. The graphics are quite detailed so there definitely would have been a dip there. But I like to think the SNES could have handled some version of this game in a satisfying manner.

It did come out in the summer of 1994 though, and that period seems to be a cut-off point for the SNES. By virtue of the fact that by the time a port of a mid ’94 arcade game is ready for release on the SNES, it’d be spring or even summer of 1995. By then the 32-bit monsters were already gnawing at the door. Perhaps developers and publishers alike knew it did not make sense from a cost-effective perspective.

Whatever the reason may be, I think we can all agree Top Hunter would have been a welcome addition to the Super Nintendo’s amazing library!

#15: BUCKY O’HARE

As a kid growing up during the peak of Saturday morning cartoons, I was lucky to witness many fantastic shows. From Transformers to ThunderCats, I gobbled them all up like a sugary bowl of frosted cereal. There were many lesser known and underrated cartoons that flew under the radar, however. In late 1991, I was introduced to Bucky O’Hare. Based off a comic series in the mid ’80s, I fell in love with the quirky characters and space-based battles. Not surprisingly, like many cartoons during that time, someone snatched the right to make a video game out of it.

Even better, that company was Konami. In such reliable hands, Bucky O’Hare was a terrific 4 player shoot ‘em up that would have been great on the SNES, even as a 2 player game. But, we all know how that turned out…

Curiously, Konami did release a Bucky O’Hare game on the 8-bit NES in early 1992. It’s often cited as one of the system’s best “hidden gems.” While I’m happy Konami gave us that stellar game, I’m also a bit saddened that they never made a Super Nintendo version of any kind. Bummer indeed!

#14: WILD WEST C.O.W.-BOYS OF MOO MESA

They say the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Add to that Konami making badass games out of cartoon IPs during the early ’90s. The cartoon series made its debut in September of 1992; the arcade game came out only 2 months later. I remember watching the cartoon. It was one of those shows I always wanted to like more than what I actually did. The arcade game, on the other hand, did not disappoint whatsoever.

With up to 4 player simultaneous mayhem, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa was a rollicking good time. It plays similarly to Konami’s other run and gun, Sunset Riders. Some people even see this as sort of a spiritual successor. Alls I know is it’s yet another stellar Konami game from the early 1990s. What else is new?

The fact that Sunset Riders (September ’91) received a SNES port (October ’93) and a DAMN GOOD one at that… makes this omission a harder pill to swallow. But it makes sense when you factor in that the show went off the air in late ’93, and a port would have been released no earlier than ’94. Unless it’s a super popular IP, such things can have a short shelf life with only a small window to capitalize.

“This town ain’t big enough for both of us,” the old saying goes. That rang true as only Sunset Riders saw a SNES home port. Forced to pick one, I can’t argue with Konami. I just wish there was room for both.

#13: BASEBALL STARS II

One of the most beloved baseball games of all time, Baseball Stars II is loads of fun. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball is my favorite baseball game of all time, but Baseball Stars II gives Griffey a run for its money.

We loved the 8-bit NES version as kids — My brother and I loved the 8-bit NES version

We could only imagine how awesome a 16-bit port would have been. Sadly, that was a swing and miss… [I see what you did there -Ed.]

#12: CADILLACS AND DINOSAURS

In the early ’90s Capcom could seemingly do no wrong. That continued with Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, a wild beat ‘em up that, much like the name suggests, affords you the opportunity to drive fancy Cadillacs and beat up agitated dinosaurs. It was simple and so, SO ’90s. It was perfect.

Capcom converted many of their early ’90s beat ‘em ups to the SNES. Games such as Final Fight, Knights of the Round, The King of Dragons and Captain Commando all received ports that ranged from pretty good to very good. Major bummer that this wasn’t one of them!

#11: CYBER-LIP

There are few things I enjoy more than some classic run and gun action. Contra was always one of my favorite NES games. And Contra III: The Alien Wars was perhaps even better! Cyber-Lip is definitely no Contra, but man would I have loved to play this in the comfort of my living room back in the early ’90s.

Released in November of 1990, this is the oldest game on my list. The Super Famicom just made its debut over in Japan during that time. Imagine Cyber-Lip as an early launch title to go along with the Super Nintendo in North America circa September 1991! The units it would have sold… what a missed opportunity.

Featuring some of the most memorable and craziest looking bosses I’ve ever seen, Cyber-Lip left a definite impression on me. More than 30 years later, some of those unforgettable visuals are still vividly seared in my mind. Seriously, whoever created that boss design above is one sick and twisted individual. There are better examples of this type of game out there, but to me few are as nostalgic!

#10: SPINMASTER

Ever since playing NES games such as Rygar and Yo-Noid, I’ve always been a fan of games where your main weapon is either a yo-yo or a boomerang-like weapon. Data East’s Spinmaster satisfied that itch and more!

I couldn’t help but stop and gawk at this game anytime I came across it in the arcades back in late 1993. The graphics were so rich and colorful. It looked like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. There’s something about the aesthetics of Spinmaster that really speak to me. And it just looks like the kind of game that would have fit perfectly on the SNES! Toned down of course, as was always the case with arcade conversions, but still capturing the essence of the arcade original.

Data East was a solid company back in the ’90s. They weren’t on that magical Capcom or Konami tier, but you could almost always count on them to deliver something worth your precious quarters.

While Spinmaster may not top many people’s minds when talking about favorite arcade games from the ’90s, it’s one of those games that I always had to plop a quarter (or two) into whenever I spotted it in the wild. Be it some random pizza joint or even a laundromat, it was always fun to play especially with a friend fighting the good fight right beside you.

#9: NIGHT SLASHERS

Speaking of ~~the devil~~ Data East, in early 1993 they combined two of my most favorite things: horror and beat ‘em ups. And it was, as you can surmise, glorious. Who didn’t want to dispose of rotting zombies and various monsters of all sorts? It was bloody, brutal and simply splendid.

Unfortunately, like all games on this list, Night Slashers and the SNES were like two ships passing in the night. This was before Nintendo loosened up on their family friendly image circa mid-1994, allowing SNES games to take on more of a violent nature if need be. What a shame too, as this would have been a hell of a fun game to play at home with a friend.

Thankfully, the selection of excellent beat ‘em ups already on the system softens the blow of missing out on this port. Games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, Return of Double Dragon and Final Fight 3 are all great examples of the genre. Still, none of those games stand up to Night Slashers in the way of offering gruesome and visceral satisfaction. A shame we never saw a SNES port, indeed.

#8: VENDETTA

One of my favorite arcade games in 1991, Vendetta by Konami is often times the game I have in mind whenever I think about beat ‘em ups. To me there’s just something quintessential about Vendetta that warms my beat ‘em up loving heart. For one, I love being able to play as either the clone of Mr. T or Hulk Hogan. Right off the top, you simply can’t beat that.

Another huge win for Vendetta were all the cool weapons littered throughout that you can use to even the odds. Knives, guns, spiked baseball bats, wooden crates, garbage cans, whips, beer bottles, chains, barrels, hell even bags of flour! As a kid it blew my mind the insane number of weapons available at your disposal. Vendetta was all about having a good time.

Up to 3 friends can join you for the mayhem and destruction. A Super Nintendo port would surely have been reduced to just 2 players, but it still would have been a blast. I loved all the locales too, with my favorite being a goddamn grocery store of all places. That’s the kind of ingenuity I want in my beat ‘em ups!

#7: SUPER PUZZLE FIGHTER II TURBO

Arriving in arcades in May of 1996, the SNES was already nearing life support in North America at that time. So one might think a conversion of Puzzle Fighter to be highly unlikely. I would agree had it NOT been for Capcom releasing an amazingly competent port of Street Fighter Alpha 2 on the SNES in late ’96. I could easily envision Capcom doing the old 1-2 punch combo releasing BOTH titles that holiday season as one last hurrah, but perhaps they decided instead to put all their SNES eggs into one basket. Puzzle Fighter pits Street Fighter and Darkstalkers characters against one another, all in the name of gem smashing supremacy.

Each of the 8 characters have their own gem patterns, which added to the game’s strategy and replay value. Chibi renditions of the fighters stand center stage and perform their special moves on one another when players execute big combos. It all added to the fun and charm of Puzzle Fighter. It’s one of those simple games that is easy to pick up but hard to put down.

And not being a particularly demanding game in terms of graphics and specs, I’m sure Capcom could have easily converted this for a quick buck for those still clinging to their SNES that holiday season of 1996 (surprisingly more people than you think because some were not ready, for one reason or another, to move on to the 32-bit systems just yet). I sure wish that were the case, because Puzzle Fighter would have given Tetris Attack a good run for its money as best puzzle game on the SNES!

#6: SAMURAI SHODOWN II

Samurai Shodown (known as Samurai Spirits in the Land of the Rising Sun) made waves when it landed on the arcade scene back in the glorious summer of 1993. Similar to Shogun Warriors (featured earlier on this list at #19), Samurai Shodown is set in feudal Japan with a focus on weapon-based combat. It caught many an eye with its unique aesthetics and atmosphere. The sound effects of swords clanging and slicing flesh were haunting! Even the smallest details, such as the whipping wind sound effect of Haohmaru’s tornado projectile, is seared in my memory bank nearly 30 (!) years on. A scaling effect had the camera zoom in when combatants were in proximity of each other, and would pull back to show the scope of the battlefield when the fighters were farther apart. Either view was awe-inspiring and further helped to separate Samurai Shodown from the rest of the fighting game pack.

With a fantastic foundation already in place, the sequel blew the door off the hinges with 4 new fighters, more special moves (including super special attacks with the RAGE meter), advanced techniques such as ducking and rolling, and easter eggs just to name a few. Samurai Shodown II was the pinnacle of fighting game nirvana in late 1994. That was around the same time the SNES received a decent (but not spectacular) port of the first Samurai Shodown. Gone was the scaling and humongous fighters. The fighters were sadly reduced to a pint size, and some censorship issues marred the SNES port. Still playable, but definitely missing some of the key aspects that made the arcade original so fun and special.

But as we saw with the SNES ports of Fatal Fury 2 and King of the Monsters 2, there are some examples of mediocre (or even awful) first ports in a series that received a far superior sequel port. I am of the mindset that Samurai Shodown II would have been one of the best fighting games on the SNES. Alas, the world shall never know.

#5: ELEVATOR ACTION RETURNS

Most of us who grew up gaming in the late ’80s are likely to remember Elevator Action on the 8-bit NES (although it began its life in the arcades in 1983). An interesting game in theory, I never quite liked it as much as I was hoping to. More than 10 years later (1994), Elevator Action Returns rectified all of the previous game’s shortcomings. The game I always pictured in my mind wanting the NES version to be finally came to fruition, and it was nothing short of amazing.

Taking on a grittier atmosphere, as one of 3 agents you navigate the various stages shifting elevators, blasting bad guys and blowing shit up. The game tickles the imagination in a way that most games can only dream of doing. Among the many things I love about this game are all the little touches, such as graffiti sprawled on the walls. My favorite being CRUSH THE OLD ORDER!! It really transports you to a far-flung dystopian world that’s corrupt beyond repair, dripping with evil and decay at every nook and cranny.

Few things are as satisfying as blowing up a box of explosives in a hallway and seeing a bad guy come out of the door right on cue, thereby setting himself aflame. Even better? Seeing his friends follow suit one after another, lighting each other up like a trail of birthday candles! Elevator Action Returns has a subtle sense of dark humor that adds to the overall enjoyment and really elevates it (sorry) above the rest. Who knew crushing enemies underneath an elevator could be so much damn fun?!

Best of all, you can save the world with a friend in tow. Each of the agents have their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as a special attack, to increase replay value. The game is short and sweet, and one I often revisit. Sega Saturn owners were lucky enough to receive a flawless port. It’s one of my top 10 Saturn favorites — I replayed it so much in the early-mid 2000’s and still play it once in a while to this very day.

Still, I would have loved to play Elevator Action Returns on the SNES back in the ’90s with my gaming pals. There aren’t enough quality 2 player run ‘n gun experiences on the SNES, and EAR would have been a much welcome addition.

#4: WWF WRESTLEFEST

I grew up watching the WWF religiously with my uncle, brother and best friend. I loved the larger than life characters and the zany circus world of professional wrestling. In the summer of 1991, we were graced with the presence of WWF WrestleFest at our local arcade. The huge sprites, the insanely colorful visuals and the ability to play as the heroes of my childhood (such as Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior) made WrestleFest a damn near religious experience.

WrestleFest quickly took on sort of a mythical status within my gaming crew in the early ’90s. As ardent wrestling geeks, we poured countless quarters into the machine as we punched, kicked, scratched and clawed our way to the top. It’s one of those special games that’s definitely in my Mount Rushmore of “Oh man, how I wish this came out on the SNES!”

It has some of the greatest aesthetics I’ve ever seen in any game, ever. The wrestlers were big and beefy just like they were in real life. The blue mats with the classic old school WWF logo really popped, and the short yellow energy bars (with red indicating the damage inflicted) made it visually very satisfying to look at. It’s exactly how I picture a WWF arcade game to look like (don’t get me started on the crappy aesthetics of WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game…)

MWAG5-9

Sadly our hopes and dreams were crushed when a home translation never materialized. Instead, SNES owners were “treated” to the very forgettable WWF Super WrestleMania. Some small form of redemption appeared in 1993 with WWF Royal Rumble and WWF Raw the following year, but neither could hold the jock strap of WrestleFest.

A Super Nintendo port would come with much (graphical) sacrifice, but I bet it would have been a competent effort easily worth one of our birthday or Christmas bullets. Alas, CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE…

#3: THE SIMPSONS ARCADE GAME

In 1991, both The Simpsons and Konami were on fire. Neither could seemingly do any wrong. So when the two mega brands joined forces, you knew the end results would be nothing short of phenomenal. And that’s exactly what eager arcade goers got with (un)arguably one of the most memorable arcade games of all time.

Playing as one of either Homer, Marge, Bart or Lisa, The Simpsons Arcade Game perfectly captured the zaniness and wacky appeal of the popular cartoon show. Few things could rival corralling 3 buddies and bashing your way through Springfield.

I can’t tell you how many quarters my friends and I ~~wasted~~ lovingly spent on this game. It was just one of those games that whenever you saw the arcade cab, you JUST had to play it. There’s an instant pick up and play factor to it that reminds you of why you love video games so much. At their core, video games should be fun distractions that help to take your mind off the real world and transport you to a magical land where clogged six lane highways and bills don’t exist. Few did that better than The Simpsons Arcade Game.

Obviously, a SNES port would require some scaling back. No 4 player mode. Less animations. Lower quality of sound and visuals. All perfectly acceptable. My buddies and I were ready for the “inevitable” home port. Therefore, a small part of us collectively died when it sadly never did.

As much as never being able to play this on our SNES crushed us, there was another Konami brawler based off another highly popular IP that cut us even deeper…

#2: X-MEN

In 1991 my friends and I were absolutely obsessed with Marvel’s 1991 trading cards. We bought packs like crazy at a local card shop by the name of Triple Play. Each pack, costing only $1, contained 12 cards. It was awesome because $1 was easy enough to wrangle from your parents on any given day. Then you’d head to Triple Play, buy a pack or 2, check out your new goodies and negotiate to trade away your doubles for that elusive card still missing in your ever growing collection. This, mind you, was all conducted while waiting excitedly for the Street Fighter II line off in the corner to die down. It was a foolproof recipe for a perfect lazy Sunday.

In early 1992 Konami dropped yet another gem, this time featuring the incomparable X-Men. To say that my friends and I were over the moon would be the understatement of the year. Up to 6 players can team up and take out Magneto and his vile lackeys. My ride or die character? Colossus. Always Colossus!

Confession time: There was a time in 1992 when I was being an outright prick. My friend and I used to cruise the arcade hall, and whenever we saw a little kid playing X-Men, I would walk right up to his control panel and spam the special attack button. This unleashes a powerful attack BUT at the expense of a little health. So I would basically drain the poor guy’s health bar to zilch and then he’d die in quick fashion. I remember doing this maybe 2 or 3 times, and laughing with my friend as we ran off. I don’t know why I did that — I’m certainly not proud of it and usually was a goody two shoes by all accounts. I guess it was a phase I went through and I just had to get it out of my system. To this day I can still see Colossus spamming his special attack. Poor kid. If you’re reading this, I apologize for being an asshole. I know it’s an apology 30 years too late, but yeah.

So I’ll take ownership and full responsibility. My terrible actions led to some bad karma, which then nixed any chance of a Super Nintendo port. At least Capcom gave us X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse in late 1994. It’s nowhere the same as the X-Men arcade game in terms of quality, but it was at least pretty solid in its own right. Hey, sometimes you gotta take what you can get, right?

#1: DARKSTALKERS

The year was 1994. I was in the 5th grade and at the height of my childhood prime. Fighting games were still on top and my love for monsters and all things macabre were at an all-time high. So it was a match made in heaven (er, hell?) when Capcom released Darkstalkers in the summer of 1994. Featuring 10 monstrous characters, ranging from clones of Dracula to Frankenstein to a werewolf and more, it was a true monster mash of epic proportions.

To simply label Darkstalkers as “Street Fighter II but with monsters” would be doing it a gross disservice. It has its own distinct feel that made it so fun and unique to play. The visuals and aesthetics were all top-notch as we came to expect from Capcom in the ’90s. Hell, I can still hear the memorable music and sound effects loud and clear in my head to this very day.

Like many of the other games on this list, a SNES port would have been scaled down by a great degree. Fewer frames of animation, less vibrant colors and other sacrifices would have been necessary to fit it all on one tiny 16-bit cartridge. But I believe it could have been done successfully. The monsters would be smaller and the speech samples would have less impact but man would I have loved to play this on my SNES in 1995!

Some of the more gruesome parts, like Bishamon slicing his opponent in two, would need to be cut (sorry, no bad pun intended). But especially knowing what Capcom managed to pull out of the SNES with their stellar port of Street Fighter Alpha 2, Darkstalkers would have been a cinch for the Big C.

Capcom didn’t do much wrong in the ’90s or on the Super Nintendo, but never releasing a Darkstalkers port tops my very short list of things they misfired on. But given all the great SNES titles they bestowed upon us, this glaring omission is a forgivable sin. Still, a competent Darkstalkers port would probably have been one of the top 5 fighting games on the SNES.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Thankfully, many of the games on this list has been made playable on the Nintendo Switch. And there are few, if any, imperfections. Still, there’s no accounting for how priceless it would have been if all these games came out on the SNES when we were kids in the ’90s. Because even though all Super Nintendo ports of arcade games had some degree of flaws and warts, a good number of them managed to capture the feel and essence of what made their arcade counterpart so much damn fun to play. And it was that special feeling of bringing them home from the rental store (or Toys R Us) for the first time and being blown away that you were playing a variation of the arcade game you loved so much in the comfort of your very own living room. There was something pure and magical about that. It’s a time capsule to what is a very nostalgic period of our lives for many of us reading this. So long as the home port represented the arcade game moderately well, we were as ecstatic as vampires crashing a bloodmobile. So here’s to 30 years of the Super Nintendo kicking ass and taking names. What a damn fun journey it has been. But as great as it was, it would have been even better had these 20 games come out. Yet for all the great home ports we missed out on, let’s remember how lucky we have been over the past 30 years. To this day, the SNES for my money still boasts one of the best gaming libraries ever assembled. Happy 30 years, SNES!

We shall never forget those halcyon days... — We shall never forget those halcyon days…

Craigslist Memoirs

Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re now in the year 2020, and even harder for me to fathom that RVGFanatic turned 13 years old earlier this month on January 7, 2020. My baby is now a teenager! But in all seriousness, with well over 200 SNES reviews and a slew of random articles written over the past 13 years, it’s been quite the ride. Usually, I would probably roll out some kind of retrospective, but there’s been plenty enough of those over the years! Instead, I’m going to repost (and slightly retweak) one of my earliest articles from my original site: Craigslist Memoirs. There will be a small update at the very end, because just earlier today, January 30, 2020… I had my first Craigslist transaction for the first time in over 12 years! Enjoy this trip down memory lane…

1. OLD FRIENDS AND OLD GAMES
Saturday, March 25, 2006 @ 12:27 PM

Timing is everything... — Timing is everything…

In January 2006 I was struck hard by an overwhelming desire to revisit my childhood in the form of one, the Super Nintendo. There were so many great games from my youth I wanted to play again and even more that I always wanted to play back in the ’90s but never did. Early 2006 was a special time. Most SNES games sold for a measly $5. There was a paucity of nostalgic collectors back then; the market had yet to explode. It was a classic case of right place, right time. I acquired most of my SNES games on the internet, but I also bought more than my fair share in real life. And there’s something special about that. It’s kind of like playing a video game with your buddies in the same room rather than online play. There’s a purity to the real life exchange that simply can’t be beat. I’ve had some great deals and met some interesting cats in those early days of 2006. One of my favorite memories was the day I ran into an old college acquaintance while out hunting.

March 25, 2006. 12:27 PM. Two months into my SNES resurrection, I left my house that Saturday afternoon full of hope and optimism. Burnt out on Saturn gaming, it was during a long University winter break that the urge to play my childhood favorites, and discover the gems that I missed back in the day, hit me like a ton of bricks. But I digress. Back to March 25. The night before I made my local rounds on Craigslist and found an ad of some guy liquidating all his old 16-bit games. I emailed him and he promptly replied, asking me to come visit his store (a good 45 minute drive both ways) on Saturday to browse his selection. He promised to give me a good deal.

And so the next morning I was off on yet another trek. I fondly recall those early hunting days. There was sort of a magic to it all… like the possibility that anything could happen and any game on my want list was lying out in the open. Having a want list of literally hundreds meant a good chance I was always going to find something. It was a peaceful spring Saturday morning. Listening to my blaring music, windows rolled down, driving all over town to reclaim bits and pieces of my childhood… there was something very ‘romantic’ about those early days.

Upon my arrival I met Aaron, the guy whom I had been in contact with. He looked oddly familiar… I couldn’t escape the feeling that I’d seen this fool somewhere before. As I browsed his SNES offerings it suddenly hit me. I had a college class with him back in the spring of 2002! In fact, we were groupmates for the final! How’s that for a weird little story? It had to be destiny.

He was looking at me sort of funny too. It had been four years since we seen each other. As we looked at each other my memory started flowing back to me. For our Final we had to share with the class something we were passionate about (it was a rec class). I talked about my love for playing basketball. At that time my love with the game was at its peak (thanks largely to Coach Butler and 9/11). Meanwhile, Aaron shared with the class his passion for video games, which included Nintendo, Sega and even the Atari Jaguar.

As I stood there recalling to myself exactly who this guy was, as if on cue, he came over to break my train of introspective thought.

“Finding everything good?”

I answered his question with a question of my own. “Hey man, didn’t we take a rec class together in college like four years back?”

“Man, I knew you looked familiar! … Steve, right? Yeah I totally remember that class… easiest A+ of my life! How the hell ya been?”

We chewed the fat for a while. So random and crazy! Turns out Aaron’s dream has always been to own his very own game store. And at just 22 years young, he was the manager of this little gaming store. I was happy for him. We were never best buddies in college but we were cool, and just seeing him randomly on this day and finding out that he achieved his dream at just 22 years old, that was sweet. It’s always nice to run into an old face and find them doing well in the game of life.

Found my shining knight... — Found my shining knight…

I eventually brought these four games to the counter. I was so excited to dig up Knights of the Round; it was my first time in two months spotting a copy in the wild. Such good childhood memories spent playing it and Super Baseball 2020, which I also bought and ironically it’s now actually the year 2020 — hey where are my robot baseball players?! Never got to play the SNES port of Power Instinct but I always wanted to. Aaron gave me a good deal. Knights of the Round was priced at $8 but he sold it for $6. Power Instinct was $8 but he took $4. Super Baseball 2020 went for just a measly $1 (!) and Super Soccer Champ ran $2.

What a wild trip, all courtesy of my checking Craigslist the night before. Little did I know I would run into an old face from my early college days, see that he was doing well and that life had been good to him, and get a nice little deal in the process. Driving home that Saturday afternoon, I rolled down the windows with the radio blaring. There was such a feeling of excitement in the air back in those early days of retro game hunting. It was a fascinating time in my life; I was getting ready to wrap up college and look to the future, yet at the same time I was also looking to the past. Glancing over at the four games sitting on my passenger seat, a big fat smile crossed my face as old fond memories of playing them began surfacing. It was the perfect drive home. Those early hunting days… man, I’ll never forget those exuberant days. The feeling of excitement in the air… reclaiming my childhood… running into old faces… crossing want after want off the list. Good times indeed they were.

2. MY NEXT (SHADOW)RUN
Sunday, March 26, 2006 @ 4:45 PM

No rest for the nostalgic! The very next day I drove out 45 minutes to meet a guy for Shadowrun. At the time it was going for about $15-$20 and the guy was offering it for $10. It wasn’t the greatest deal factoring in gas, so why did I do it? It was a lazy Sunday late afternoon and I felt like going for a drive, hitting up the local Game Crazy stores in that region and looking for more SNES games to add to the ever growing library. At that time, I was just a couple months into my Super Nintendo resurrection. There were two Game Crazy locations near his place, and I knew even if I found nothing, I still had Shadowrun to come home with. Good stuff, I figured. At the second Game Crazy I bought Inspector Gadget for $5.39, which was a harder to find game and a decent deal at the time. It wasn’t mint but that was alright by me. I was just happy to cross off yet another want.

Then I drove to his place to pick up Shadowrun. His house was on this lone stretch of road, kind of isolated and in the middle of nowhere. I was a bit paranoid at first naturally, but at no point did my “alarm in my gut” go off. Thus, I kept proceeding… of course, maybe I was just young and (game) crazy. Just normal slight paranoia, I told myself. But it was getting dark…

As I pulled up this long stretch of road, I saw him walking out of the driveway. He looked nothing like what I imagined, based on our phone calls. Scruffy looking fella in his mid 20s. I handed him a $10 bill, he handed me Shadowrun (which was in great condition), we thanked each other and I drove away, happy to be heading home at long last. It was a scenic drive and I had no idea that first weekend of Craigslist dealings would lead to a spring and summer full of them…

3. RAINING GHOULS ‘N GHOSTS
Friday March 31, 2006 @ 3 PM

Less than one week removed from my first Craigslist dealing, I was back at it again. This time it was a 20 minute drive. I was going to meet Kevin to buy some Genesis games for $20. Based on the titles he had, it was a hell of a deal. In February 2006, I bought a Genesis to complete my 16-bit journey. I felt it was only natural. However, no sooner than 7 months later, I sold my Genesis and all 130 games. I just couldn’t get back into it like I hoped — not like how I did with the SNES. The last Genesis game I sold? Ghouls ‘N Ghosts — one of the games Kevin sold me. I suppose it was only fitting. But I digress.

Kevin and I met up at a local grocery store. I remember it well. It was 3 PM on a Friday afternoon, and it was raining cats and dogs (or ghouls and ghosts, if you will). I met Kevin in the parking lot. He waved over to me as he sat in his red Toyota pick-up. I suppose he could tell who I was based on my nostalgic (and searching) eyes. Standing outside his truck, umbrella in hand, I watched as he spoke fondly of the games he was selling to me, mentioning how they had been sitting up in his attic for years and years now, and how they were all purchased brand new back in the day. A small cute beagle stood on the passenger seat, its head tilted as it looked at me quizzically. I bought all five games for $20.

Kevin told me these games were bought back when they first came out. He told me how much he loved them but alas it was time to move on. He picked up Ghouls ‘N Ghosts specifically and said, “This is one of the best games I’ve ever played.”

It was this experience that really tuned me into what Craigslist was all about. There are a ton of older guys out there, who still have their old games lying around in the attic somewhere. They just don’t have the time or energy to list them on eBay, so instead dump them on Craigslist in hopes of selling them off quick and easy. Usually looking for the first suitor. And not really looking for equal value either.

So there I was, holding an umbrella as the rain was cascading like crazy. As I handed him a twenty, he told me how happy he felt knowing that no longer would these games collect dust and someone was finally going to play these masterpieces once again.

I’ll always remember this because it was a great deal, sure, but it was nice to meet the people behind the games as well. It’s the human element — something you can’t get through eBay.

Two days later… I had my fourth Craigslist experience, and boy… was that one something else…

4. THE PAUL GIAMATTI EXPERIENCE
Sunday, April 2, 2006 @ 2:25 PM

Around this time I was going through the final stages of getting rid of some excess Saturn games. 23 American games in their bulky cases to be precise. Saturn fans KNOW what a big pain in the butt such an ordeal would be. 1). These largely common and unwanted games have a value of very little 2). Their bulky fragile cases make it a bitch to ship and not break.

So after my three successful Craigslist romps, on Saturday April the first I posted an ad of said undesirable games. Chris called me Sunday morning around 10. He and I agreed on the price of $125. I was pretty shocked, because that was WAY better than I was hoping for! That meant I would get about $5.43 per title. Factoring in 1). he’s coming here 2). I don’t have to spend time packaging the games 3). or spend money on shipping — I was over the moon with his offer. I don’t know why he wanted such bad games, but he was clearly a Saturn fanatic who wanted to round out his collection with the more fringe titles of its library. AKA exactly who I was back in the early to mid 2000’s.

I was waiting outside my house talking to a friend on the phone. At 2:25 he pulled up with his girlfriend. She stayed in the car while he walked up to my porch to greet me. Wow. He looked EXACTLY like the actor Paul Giamatti. In fact, I was almost expecting Thomas Haden Church to come popping out of the backseat going, “C’MON MILES! LET’S GO FIND SOME CHICKS!”

I had the box of 23 Saturn titles lined out for him. As he sat down to further examine the box, he and I chatted about the Sega Saturn. He asked if I had Panzer Dragoon Saga — assuming I might be one of those ex-gamers with “gold in the attic.” I told him I had it but it wasn’t for sale At the time it was going for around $150 for a complete mint copy. I just did a quick eBay check and in 2020 it goes for around $850!

Halfway through the process he told me, “Wow you’ve kept these in great shape.” He looked like a kid in a candy store as he was opening each case, removing the disc and examining them up to the light.

I just love when everything fits perfectly, like those games did in that box. I threw in some extras for him. He asked if I had any blank cases for sale with no cracks. I had five, sold him each for a buck. So in all, I walked away with $130, a lot less clutter off my mind and another memorable experience courtesy of Craigslist.

Before he left, I asked him if the lady waiting in his car was his wife. He looked at me and said with a smile “I’m hoping so.” I wished him the very best and watched as he carried the box to his trunk. His girlfriend waved at me and I waved back. What nice people.

Another awesome Craigslist deal in the books. It’s more than simply exchanging goods, although that is the main goal. The rest is a mere bonus if you meet a guy as nice as Paul, er, Chris!

"What can I say Conan, I just love the Sega Saturn!" — *“What can I say Conan, I just love the Sega Saturn!”*

5. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW ~~MASS…~~ MAGAZINES
Sunday, July 23, 2006 @ High Noon

That's a nutty day I'll never forget! — That’s a nutty day I’ll never forget!

Looking back on it all, I definitely wouldn’t do that today. I think it had a lot to do with being young and dumb. I was a lot bolder then, willing to drive long distances and meet God knows who in the name of immortalizing my childhood. It was just the excitement of getting back in the fandom, getting out there and reclaiming bits and pieces of my childhood. Safety was not a priority — getting the goods was. Like I said, there was an energy and buzz to those early hunting days that will never be replicated, and I’m glad those days are over with. I’m so happy to be retired from collecting video games. I got back at a good time too, when things were still cheap and affordable. Prices these days are outrageous!

Here are some of the magazines and guides the guy sold me:

He wrote one of my favorite childhood books!

Ah, good times — Of all places, my dad bought me that book here!

Back in the late ’80s to early-mid ’90s, Suncoast was a staple of my childhood. It was always the first store I visited whenever my mom or dad took me to the local mall. It was en route to other classics such as SOFTWARE ETC., Walden Books, B. Dalton, Sam Goody, and of course, the awesome CYBERSTATION arcade hall on the upstairs wing.

This was THE place to be on a Saturday night back then — This was *THE* place to be on a Saturday night back then

Upon hitting Suncoast, I would raid their vast horror and Sci-Fi section, drooling over the mesmerizing horror movie boxes and reading the back of every Godzilla VHS box I could find. There was a definite sense of idyllic innocence to those olden days that a small part of me still misses to this day. Jeff Rovin’s Monsters book was one that my friends and I devoured each time they visited my house. Fun times

We probably memorized the book word for word!

So many cool vintage ads. It blew our little minds

Can't beat this stuff, no sir — Can’t beat this stuff, no sir

The seller and I flipped through each guide as we reminisced about the good old days. We exchanged shared memories and the like. It was an incredible stroll down memory lane. The final guide at the bottom of the box was Chrono Trigger. He flipped his lid when he saw it, admiring it for what felt like an eternity.

“A whole decade ago,” he started. “A whole summer bro. Summer of ’96… was totally devoted to this game. This guide helped me like you wouldn’t believe. Have you played Chrono Trigger before?”

“Not yet…”

“WHAT?! Oh man, are you in for a treat. Damn. I’m jealous. I wish I could play this again for the very first time. You’re gonna have a blast with it.”

We stood there further recollecting past gaming memories, and how fast the years go on by. Finally, the discussion of price came up.

“I tell you what, you can have everything for twenty five bucks.”

Twenty five dollars?! Nice.

“Wow, that’s a great deal. Thank you bro.”

“Ah don’t worry about that. I know they’re going to a good home, and that’s all I could ever ask for them,” he smiled. “Someone who will love ‘em as much as I once did. That’s what it’s all about.”

Hell! The Chrono Trigger guide, which I was looking for at the time, one ended at $40 on eBay a few weeks earlier! He helped me carry the two boxes to my trunk, which included the crapload of Nintendo Power magazines from their glory 16-Bit days (not shown).

We chatted for another minute before I told him to enjoy the surprise birthday party later tonight which he had mentioned during our conversation earlier. He told me to take care of the guides. It was another great Craigslist story.

I cannot begin to describe what it was like driving home that day. It wasn’t just the incredible deal he gave me… it was the sheer experience itself. You definitely can’t get that human connection through online purchasing. Oh, and I finally did play Chrono Trigger not that long after. What a game indeed…

6. THE GREAT EGM SCORE
Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 4 PM

This was it. The final Craigslist transaction of my career (or so it was for 12+ years). I owned all the EGM issues from 1992-1994 but was missing much of 1995. Randomly one night I decided to browse Craigslist. As luck would have it, I found a guy selling off his old EGM issues, all of which were mint and even still had the wrapper. He sold me 16 issues for $29. I was happy and at this point in mid 2007, I was pretty much done with my collection. It was a good way to go out.

EGM’s quality started to decline in 1995, but they were still a decent read. I actually thought they were decent up through 2003. But I digress. I bought this lot mainly for the ’95 issues, but I didn’t mind the mint ’94 doubles.

7. THE REUNION
Thursday, January 30, 2020 @ 4:30 PM

As readers may know, I’ve been on a major book binge as of late. I’ve always loved books as a kid and last year, I rekindled that love. So one night I decided to hit Craigslist randomly to see what books I might find. I found someone selling the Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs. It’s a popular series for middle grade readers. We agreed to meet outside a local post office.

She was a nice lady and the transaction took all of 15 seconds. We greeted briefly, I handed her a 20 and we thanked each other. It was a crazy day because my girlfriend JUST moved in last night. I wanted to get home to make sure she was adjusting OK but she told me to take my sweet time and do what I need to do. There was a local bookstore nearby that I hadn’t visited yet, and it advertised used books for cheap. I spent about an hour there and by the time I drove back in town it was dark already. I decided to buy pizza for me and my girlfriend. Getting out of the car, I saw a lady in her mid 30s disciplining her son, who looked to be 7 or 8 years old. She was laying into him pretty harshly, and I remember thinking to myself, “DAMN. I wonder what that kid did to deserve that!”

I head into the store and the cashier tells me my pizza is about 5 minutes away. Then the door opens and in walks the same lady who was yelling at her son just half a minute ago. She looked oddly familiar, and the pizza place has a screen where their patrons’ names are listed. She was listed as “Judy.” Oh my gosh, could it be? Judy from high school?! My biggest crush senior year!?

I looked at her. “Judy??”

She looked back. “Yeah… hey! Oh my God, Steve!?”

What followed was a lot of life updates and reminiscing for the next 5 minutes that we both waited for our pizzas. It was our first time seeing each other in damn near 20 years! She married her high school sweetheart, has two kids and the whole nine. I was so happy for her, and she was so happy for me that my girlfriend just moved in last night. What a random and crazy experience! What a way to close out my Craigslist career. You really can’t top that one!

Thanks for the memories, Craigslist.

And glad you didn’t kill me

RVGFanatic Retrospective

It was on a cold and rainy Sunday night 12 years ago that RVGFanatic first opened its doors. As cliché as it may sound, I remember it like it was only yesterday. January 7, 2007. As I write this, it’s January 7, 2019. Wow. RVGFanatic is 12 years old. Come next January, it’ll officially be a teenager! That’s crazy, but I digress. I remember thinking two years ago what a huge milestone the 10 year anniversary was. Very few gaming fan sites last a few years, let alone a decade or more. For a myriad of reasons — whether the webmaster burns out, loses interest or both — this kind of longevity is rare. As you may well know, I can be very sentimental and nostalgic. With that in mind, there’s no better time than now to reflect back on the past 12 years and the history of RVGFanatic.

GOING BACK… WAY BACK

I fell in love with Goosebumps on a fateful late afternoon in the fall of 1993. We had to write book reports. Once completed, your classmates could then read your thoughts on any given book. My classmates would often tell me how much they loved reading my reviews. The reviewing craze began…

THE INTERNET AGE

I first used the internet in 1996. Remember AOL? [LOL -Ed.]. I grew up on horror films so one of the first things I did online was sign up to post on the forums over at horrormovies.com. It wasn’t long before I joined video gaming forums. I always had a blast sharing my thoughts with random strangers. It paved the way for what would eventually become RVGFanatic.

THE BIG VIDEO GAME COMEBACK

Not an uncommon sight on any given day back in 2006

The late ’90s saw a departure from video games for me. But I came roaring back in early 2001. That began my run with the Sega Saturn — I amassed 350 Saturn games through the summer of 2005. Then in early 2006 I returned home to the Super Nintendo. Receiving packages of games left and right from various places all over the internet, I was a man on a mission to reclaim bits and pieces of my childhood. I had a burning desire to preserve the memories for myself, and hopefully one day my future children.

I had plans to create an all-encompassing Saturn topic on various forums featuring pictures, reviews, related stories and memories. But I burned out on the Saturn in the summer of 2005 and the topic was never meant to be. So when I began my SNES resurgence in January of 2006, it was a chance at redemption! I regretted not tallying a record of my Saturn buys: dates of purchase, prices and any interesting stories. My SNES comeback gave me a chance to do things right second time around. I charted every SNES purchase and had plans to launch a topic in the near future detailing my SNES reviews, memories and stories.

By the summer of 2006, roughly 6 months into my SNES renaissance, I had acquired 400 (!) SNES games. There was just SO much to play. The timing to launch my SNES topic didn’t feel right but still I wanted scratch that itch and create a series of SNES-related impressions in one fashion or another. Thinking back to how much fun I had writing about obscure Sega Saturn imports earlier in the decade, it hit me like an ACME 16-TON weight.

And so I launched a topic dedicated to reviewing obscure Super Famicom games that came out only in Japan. It was a win-win. The topic gave me a creative outlet and served as a stopgap, giving me time to play through my SNES library on my own terms rather than feeling rushed.

Furthermore, what I didn’t realize at the time was that the obscure Super Famicom project was the impetus to launching RVGFanatic. The insane amount of unique content I had ready to go was key in spurring me along. It’s always harder to start from scratch than it is to have a bunch of content already waiting in the wings.

TAMING THE BEAST

Launched on September 8, 2006, my obscure Super Famicom topic became a bigger hit than I anticipated. It stirred a ton of retro gaming discourse. Originally I’d planned for my topic to go no further than Halloween 2006. But I kept buying more obscure Japanese games and the thread became so popular I didn’t want the ride to end. Around October someone suggested I compile everything and put it on a site. I didn’t give it much thought at the time as I was content posting my reviews on various forums. But then came the fateful evening of December 16, 2006. Digit Press member Pete Whitley had these inspirational words for me.

For some reason, those string of magical words resonated deeply with me. I didn’t know anything about designing a site. Posting on message board forums was easy and good enough for me. But Pete Whitley made a damn good point. I spent hours gathering hundreds of screenshots and reviewed so many obscure games that a website — something more permanent and prominent than a message board topic that was bound to fade to obscurity over time — made perfect sense. With that firmly in mind, I spent that holiday season of 2006 tinkering around until finally deciding Pete Whitley was right. But there was only one problem left: what the HELL do I name this sucker?!

NAMING THE BEAST

I was stumped on what to call my pending site so I asked around. My buddy JVGFanatic had 3 suggestions. The first was Retro Fire. It had a nice little punch but it didn’t quite gel for me. His second was Obscuretro. I initially thought it was a clever mashup of “obscure” and “retro.” But thankfully I slept on it and decided not to. The spelling was funky and although my site would be heavily built around obscure Super Famicom impressions, I knew the main bulk would eventually consist of SNES reviews. Super Metroid isn’t exactly obscure! His final suggestion was tongue-in-cheek but right away it clicked. JVGFanatic, AKA Japanese Video Game Fanatic, suggested RVGFANATIC (Retro Video Game Fanatic). Done!

LAUNCHING THE BEAST

RELAUNCHING THE BEAST

Spread the word around. Guess who's back in town! — Spread the word around. Guess who’s back in town!

BEASTLY DIFFERENCES

The last lost review! — The ~~last~~ lost review! *Blackthorne* on October 15, 2015

My original site had text that would wrap around the pictures. I was always fond of that, but my OCD often kicked in and I kept editing reviews and articles until they aligned perfectly with the margins. That I do *NOT* miss! I’m a lot less OCD with WordPress

BYE BYE TEXTING

I did a lot of text-embedded shots on my old site. They were fun but it took a lot of extra work. Once I moved to WordPress I was able to use PNG images instead of JPG. It saves me a ton of time and while part of me misses the text-embedded shots, ain’t nobody got time for that!

The quality difference between JPG and PNG images is stark.

JPG. Colors all washed out. Ew — JPG. Colors all washed out

Wow, it's not even close — PNG. Night and day difference!

RVG’S DIGEST
~THE BEST OF RVGFANATIC~

Everything I’ve written since 2007 has meant something to me in some way, but certain ones have resonated more with me than others. With over 300 reviews and articles written over the past 12 years, narrowing it down to just 35 favorites wasn’t easy…

ADVENTURES OF HOURAI HIGH

Laced with some of my most memorable high school memories, this isn’t just a review of an obscure Japanese RPG but rather an inspired look back at our formative years. Sometimes you hit lightning in a bottle and Adventures of Hourai High is a classic example of everything coming together just right.

BRET “THE HITMAN” HART

One of my childhood heroes, I honored Bret Hart on his 60th birthday by recapping his unforgettable 2006 Hall of Fame speech. Join us for a magical evening where Bret will regale you with legendary tales from a bygone era. From epic stories involving Mr. Perfect, Owen Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret’s speech is more than a celebration of wrestling — it’s a celebration of the indomitable human spirit.

CHRISTMAS MEMOIRS

When you’re a kid, video games and Christmas just go hand in hand. I’ve had some great experiences through the years that I recollected here.

COLLECTION Q&A

I answer questions about my collection as well as share some old war stories from the early days of hunting and what buying SNES games back in 2006 was like.

CONTRA

The game that cemented me as a gaming fan for life, I can’t count the number of times my brother, uncle and I alternated turns to save the universe by blasting alien scum to Kingdom Come. Growing up in the late ’80s was a glorious time thanks to iconic hits like Contra.

CONTRA III: THE ALIEN WARS

Few sequels ever live up to the hype, but this one does. Featuring a reimagined plot inspired by 1987’s Predator, Contra III proves that if it bleeds we can kill it.

CORRIDOR 7: THE ALIEN INVASION

From the Alien Wars to the Alien Invasion we go. A Wolfenstein 3D clone, Corridor 7 was a guilty pleasure childhood game and likely would have found more success had Doom not come out months prior. I was lucky enough to score an interview with the game’s programmer, Les Bird, and ask him some burning questions I had been curious about for nearly 25 years.

EARTHBOUND

Whimsical and profound, EarthBound is one of the best experiences I ever had on the SNES. Expressing my thoughts in a way that would do even a modicum of justice to this coming-of-age adventure was a tall task. Fortunately, I felt I somehow captured the game’s essence and spirit. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi to it that makes it my favorite review of all time.

FOR WHOM THE BELCH TOLLS

Have you ever had a best friend that you just grew apart from? Find out what happens when Stu Cutler, Tim Taylor’s old best buddy from college 15 years ago, hits town for an impromptu reunion. Will the good times roll on, or will the past be the only remaining bond?

GOOSEBUMPS

Goosebumps cemented my love for literature and things that go bump in the night. This article highlights my journey with R.L. Stine’s best selling series and all the fun spooky memories forged along the way.

GUNMAN’S PROOF

One of my favorite SNES games that doesn’t get enough love, this review was a massive labor of love and came out better than I could have hoped for. Gunman’s Proof is what you’d get if you merged EarthBound with the Wild West.

HALLOWEEN

Halloween is an iconic franchise and easily my favorite horror movie (series) of all time. Join me for a nostalgic jaunt down memory lane where the Boogeyman could be lurking behind any corner…

HALLOWEEN MEMORIES

This article highlights some of my fondest Halloween memories. From a nod to John Carpenter’s Halloween to a full breakdown of Doug’s Halloween Adventure to one of the greatest nights of my life… Halloween 1994.

HARLEY’S HUMONGOUS ADVENTURE

As far as SNES action platformers go, this one is just alright. But as far as reviews I’ve written go, this is hands down one of the most memorable. That’s thanks in large part to Brian Greenstone, who programmed Harley’s Humongous Adventure and was kind enough to answer some questions.

HUNTING THE BOOGEYMAN
ADVENTURES WITH MY BEST FRIEND NELSON

Nelson and I were best friends growing up and have known each other for 30 years. This article highlights our various adventures through the years, including that fateful weekend I spent at Nelly’s in the summer of 2016. Our hope was to catch up and hang out at Disneyland with Mickey Mouse. Instead, in a moment of pure serendipity, we unexpectedly found ourselves a boogeyman — THE BOOGEYMAN — as we ran around Haddonfield (AKA South Pasadena) chasing a ghost from our past.

JESSE’S GIRL

Women. For thousands of years these perplexing and complex beings have mystified many. Since the dawn of time man has struggled to find the right partner in the game of life. This classic tale from the early days of Full House epitomizes man’s search for such; full of wonder, hope and heartbreak.

MEAN GENE OKERLUND

For anyone who grew up with the WWF during the late ’80s to early ’90s, Mean Gene Okerlund was an iconic fixture and a comforting voice in our lives. Recently, Mean Gene sadly passed away at the age of 76. To honor and commemorate his life and legacy, I transcribed his 2006 Hall of Fame speech.

MY SNES COLLECTION

Celebrating RVGFanatic’s big 10 year anniversary (January 2017), this article features an in-depth and comprehensive look at my Super Nintendo library. It’s full of stories, recommendations and so much more. This is my favorite piece ever written (so far) in the 12 year history of RVGFanatic.

MY SNES COMEBACK

January 17, 2006 was the day I bought a Super Nintendo and began my SNES resurrection. I had one in the ’90s so this was a homecoming for me. 12 years later, here I highlight those early days of 2006 and what it was like to get back into the fandom. Spoiler alert: it was fucking glorious

NIGHTCRAWLER

X-Men: The Animated Series ruled the ’90s. Sure the animation was a little awful at times but it had serious heart. Perhaps nowhere was that more apparent than the surprisingly-deep-for-a-Saturday-morning-cartoon episode of Nightcrawler, where Wolverine encounters not only the titular mutant but his own faith as well.

OF MASTODONS AND MEN

My favorite TV show of all time, this Wonder Years episode is all about identity. Being self-aware in whatever stage of life you are is the key to growth, peace and happiness. Relationships can be a beautiful thing… provided that both parties are ready and compatible. Kevin Arnold and his newly minted girlfriend, Julie Aidem, finds out the hard way that sometimes… LOVE HURTS.

REMEMBERING 9/11 AND COACH BUTLER

In the face of tragedy, everyone grieves in their own unique way. Some people eat. Some focus on material possessions. Some cry and mourn. Others play basketball. This is a harrowing account of my experiences surrounding 9/11, the day after and one unforgettable teacher that left a lasting imprint.

SNES HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Halloween and Super Nintendo are two of my favorite things, so mashing them together only makes sense. The SNES is often perceived as a “kiddy” system with very few dark and mature titles. I attempt to bust that myth by highlighting 35 SNES games that, although some are more kid friendly than others, are all perfectly suitable to play during the month of October.

SNES PARTY GAMES

Back in the old days there was nothing more thrilling than huddling around a TV playing video games with some of your best friends. The SNES is home to a plethora of party games. From the usual suspects to the more obscure, I hope this list inspires you to try out a new game or two the next time you have some buddies over.

SUPER MARIO KART

A true classic through and through, Super Mario Kart is one of the best 2 player games on the SNES. The added text in the screenshots turned out really well too, which is something I used to do during the earlier days of this site.

SUPER MARIO WORLD

Originally published on “Me-Mario Day” 2012, Super Mario World was an intensive labor of love. It took me painstaking hours to embed all the text into the game’s screenshots, but it was worth it. Because in the end you have a quirky and unique review of a masterpiece that has been reviewed a thousand times over. I always try to make my work stand out from the pack. After all, have you ever been coinblocked before? It’s the pits, really.

SUPER PLAY’S TOP 100 SNES GAMES

Super Play Magazine was a British publication (1992-1996) dedicated solely to covering all things SNES. Essentially, it’s sort of like the “SNES Bible.” In issue #42 they listed their top 100 SNES games. I replicated that list so that everyone could read it. And apparently everyone did; this is one of the most popular links here.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST

Originally published in May of 2007, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was one of my earliest and biggest reviews. Much like the timeless game itself, this review (I dare say) has stood the test of time. On cold nights if you listen quietly enough, they say it’s still raining something fierce in Hyrule…

THE MODE 7 YEAR ITCH

Last January I celebrated RVGFanatic’s 11th anniversary by reposting this from my first site. It details 7 reasons why I love the SNES now as much as I ever did at any point in history. How the hell did I avoid burning out these past 13 years? Besides being mental, this article perfectly explains why I still love the SNES so much even to this day.

THE SUMMER OF IMPORTS

The summer of 1994 was one for the ages. Particularly that one innocent weekend in June where my best friend Nelson and I discovered some amazing Super Famicom imports. The rest, as they say, is history.

THE TALE OF THE LONELY GHOST

Are You Afraid of the Dark? (I wasn’t until I watched this show, thanks Nickelodeon!) is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. This is a spooky tale about a prank gone horribly wrong and the sins that trap us. But what can set us free is L-O-V-E. The Tale of the Lonely Ghost is as much terrifying as it is touching.

TOP 50 OBSCURE SUPER FAMICOM GAMES

As September 2016 was rapidly approaching, it dawned on me that my topic about obscure Super Famicom games was about to turn 10 years old. To honor the occasion I decided to rank my top 50 favorite obscure Super Famicom games. I had a blast doing this and received a ton of positive feedback. This is the most viewed link on RVGFanatic!

WOLFCHILD

Similar to Harley’s Humongous Adventure, Wolfchild is a classic case of average SNES game but memorable review. This is thanks to Simon Phipps, Wolfchild mastermind, for participating in an exclusive interview I was lucky enough to conduct.

WWF MEMORIES

It’s no secret that I’m a huge wrestling fan. Or as I like to joke with my girlfriend, I’m just a slight fan. I grew up watching the WWF and looked up to larger-than-life icons like Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Throughout my life, wrestling has always been there for me in one fashion or another. I’ve been a fan for over 30 years now, and although the product fluctuates in terms of quality, I’ll be a fan for life. This article delves into my epic WrestleMania 31 weekend, my top 10 favorite wrestlers and my favorite wrestling moments of all time.

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD NINTENDO MAN

The late ’80s was such a different and innocent time. I’ll never forget all those weekends my dad took me out to rent the latest video games. My go to spot was classic Evergreen Video. It was the quintessential mom and pop shop. Tom, the owner of Evergreen, was like an uncle to me and my brother. Tom lived the American Dream until one day he, along with Evergreen Video, mysteriously vanished. But I’ll always have the memories. Tom, I hope you’re doing well, wherever you are.

FEEDBACK OVER THE YEARS

Thank you Allistair for advocating for me! It means a lot and I am humbled. I’m not as well known as HG101 or Sega-16, but I think I did pretty well these past 12 years.

—

JANUARY 10, 2007

Love the site Steven! You’re gonna drive me to the poor house trying to find all these obscure games, lol.
~Pete Whitley

My man, Pete! Thanks for the inspiration to start this site. I might have never done it if it weren’t for your encouraging words back in December 2006.

—

Ah yes, the Sega Saturn Saga. Thanks for the support William!

—

JANUARY 24, 2007

Hey Steven, nice place you put up here. Once I get the OPCFG back up and running, I’m definitely linking to you. Nice work!
~Rob Strangman

Rob! Thanks for inspiring me with the OPCFG. That was one of the earliest gaming fansites I can remember and it left an impression on me for sure.

—

Why thank you, Lis. Glad I was able to open you up to some of the “forgotten” games of the vast SNES library, such as Brandish and Hook. As long as I keep writing, I’ll maintain the passion!

—

FEBRUARY 14, 2007

I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you that I think your work so far is amazing. Your reviews are refreshingly free of laziness, even if the game isn’t particularly deserving of such overwhelming effort. Further, real life blog-ish entries like Jessie’s Girl and the second half of Santa Haas are truly touching. It’s always one of the highlights of my day when I can come home from work and find a juicy update or two.

Keep it up and please try to not get bored.
~Mercatfat

Brother, it’s now been 12 years. Guess I didn’t get bored after all

—

Thank you Rich for the heartfelt message. I’m glad you’re able to relate and that so much of RVGFanatic resonates with you. I think there’s a bunch of us who grew up during the late ’80s to mid ’90s who share similar childhood memories. Ah yes, my Memories of Renting article was one of the earliest articles I wrote (March 2007) and remains a popular one to this day. Good times indeed.

—

MAY 10, 2007

Hi. Not sure how I stumbled across this site but bloody hell I’m glad I did. Kinda reminds me of a time in gaming when magazines like Mean Machines and Super Play were big, and sarcasm and humor played a big part of gaming journalism, before the 32-bit boom when everything started to get all serious. Good times. Anyways, rad site dude. Got it bookmarked.

Cheers.
-Butane Bob

I’m bloody hell glad you did as well

—

Wow Mike. Bro, you and I go way back. Your sincere and genuine praise means a lot because I know you’re one that’s hard-pressed to impress. I’m glad RVGFanatic resonates so deeply with you. As I’ve found out through the years, although these stories are mine, many others have had similar experiences that helped to shape who they are as well. Rock on, brother.

—

JULY 28, 2008

I don’t know if I told you how much I love RVGFANATIC, but I’ll say it again if I hadn’t before. Even though they are your stories and memories, they really do evoke the nostalgia of my own SNES experiences. Thanks and keep the site going!
~Garin

Thank you Garin. I feel like we all had that one best friend, that one crazy uncle, or that one classic mom and pop shop where we rented games each weekend. Writing about such memories helps to keep them alive for not only myself and my readers but future generations as well.

—

Nice, a shout out from London! Ah yes, the long lasting summer evenings of childhood. There’s something profoundly serene about those magical nights from long ago. I’m glad my work is able to capture some of that!

—

Appreciate the kind words, Will. I’ll try to update even more frequently in 2019!

—

Hearing that my work reminds people of the glory days of EGM brings a virtual tear to my eye. I loved EGM and those old gaming magazines. If my work encapsulates even just a TINY bit of that ’90s magic, then mission accomplished!

—

I’m flattered. Thank you. Your compliments read just like an Amazon review!

—

We made it, Rob! 10 years, now 12 and counting. Where does the time go? It’s nuts that RVG is older than the 2009 photo challenge going around!

—

VKC, you’ve been my biggest advocate (especially on Reddit) and I appreciate your support. It’s one thing to amuse and entertain, but it’s another to lift someone up. I can’t believe my gaming stories and memories have the power to do that for you but I am so happy that they do. Keep on trucking, bro!

—

Thanks Dale for the amazing support! I’m glad RVGFanatic resonates with you and I’m humbled that you ranked it 9th on your top gaming highlights of the year.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

12 years in the game and counting — it’s been an incredible ride! So what’s next? The obvious answer is more SNES reviews and articles! I’m hoping to add some Switch reviews in 2019. I also want to write some more reviews for the Genesis, Saturn and Dreamcast even. But as always, the vision remains the same: commemorate the SNES by sharing my reviews and remembrances. The ultimate goal is launching my own personal SNES top list. It’s been 13 years in the making and I see myself hopefully getting that done in the next couple years or so. I’m really excited because it’s been my longest term project to date and has been my biggest goal with RVGFanatic since day one. I can’t wait to eventually share it. I also want to write more SNES articles in 2019 and beyond as those are always fun to write and read back. Here’s to another 12 years of RVGFanatic, and here’s to an awesome 2019

SNES Party Games

There's nothing like gaming with family and friends — There’s nothing like gaming with family and friends

The SNES is my favorite system of all time, and one of the many reasons why I love it so much is because of all the great multiplayer games. While there are a ton of amazing 2-player SNES games, the focus here is specifically on Super Nintendo titles that allow 4 (or more) players to duke it out (or in some cases, work together). There’s something about being in a room with a group of friends playing the same game together. There’s an innocence and magic to it that will never fade away.

Tangled cords and bruised egos... ahhh — Tangled cords and bruised egos… ahhh

I have so many fond memories of the many party sessions I’ve had over the years with the SNES. It’s fitting that I’m writing this article so close to Christmas as the holiday season tends to bring people together. It’s the perfect excuse to bust out the Super Nintendo and play some old (or newfound) favorites with your loved ones.

I LOVE ME SOME FOUR-PLAY

First, make sure you have one of these multitap adapters. There are lots of models but these are just a few examples.

You’ll need one if you wish to play any of the following games with 3 or more friends.

This is the one I use — The one I use personally

HONORABLE MENTIONS

There are many great 2-player SNES games out there, from Super Mario Kart to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. The list goes on and on. That’s a ~~story~~ article for another day. For now the focus is squarely on games that allow 4 or more to play. There’s always room however to quickly acknowledge those that didn’t quite make the cut but are noteworthy nonetheless. The following 3 games deserve a shout out since they each support up to 3 players. Not quite 4, last I checked anyhow, but close. Hence, my honorable mentions are as follows…

CRYSTAL BEANS: FROM DUNGEON EXPLORER

Funky subtitle aside, Crystal Beans is a simple and enjoyable overhead action RPG with elements similar to Gauntlet. It has 8 characters (of varying classes) to select from and best of all, it supports up to 3 players. It only came out in Japan but there’s an English translation patch available for those interested. Not the best game but it can easily eat up a weekend or two especially if you have a few buds willing to join in.

SECRET OF MANA

There’s a reason why Secret of Mana is so revered within retro gaming circles. Even 25 years later, it resonates with an entire generation that grew up glued to the screen vanquishing the latest creatures and critters. Doing it with 2 friends by your side, at a time where a 3-player mode in an action RPG was unheard of, made the experience even more irresistibly awesome.

SEIKEN DENSETSU 3

Seiken Densetsu 3, AKA Secret of Mana 2, came out exclusively in Japan. Thankfully, an English fan translation has allowed gamers worldwide to experience this phenomenal action RPG in all its glory. On top of that, a 3rd player option was graciously added in as well.

4 OR MORE

In this article (that I’ve wanted to write for over a decade now), I’ll share some of my favorite SNES party games. I’ll also list some I’m not too crazy about knowing that everyone’s mileage will vary. Some games listed are super well known while others are a lot more obscure. Not every 4+ player game on the SNES has been cited; the list is far too long so I’ve chosen only those that I wish to highlight. With that said, let’s dive in!

BAKUTO! DOCHERS

I remember seeing Bakuto! Dochers in the pages of EGM in 1994 and being excited. A Bomberman clone but with cute animals? Sold! It does some unique things: 3 hits to die, 20 battle zones (although many look samey) and cannon fodder enemies litter the field even in the 4-player battle mode. But sadly, it’s just not fun. It’s hard to botch the Bomberman formula but somehow Bakuto! BOTCHERS managed to do so

BARKLEY SHUT UP AND JAM!

A homeless man’s NBA Jam, Barkley Shut Up and Jam isn’t very good but it can be a guilty pleasure. If you and your buds have a burning desire to use Charles Barkley and a bunch of fictional playground legends, this could be your jam. Pun partially intended.

BATTLE CROSS

Bomberman meets Mario Kart… kinda. The closest thing to that on the SNES, anyhow. Battle Cross is a 6-player single screen racer, although only 5 humans can play (kind of a shame they didn’t take advantage of that sixth slot). There’s a lot to like here. Whether it’s the cartoonish graphics, the insane customization, or the pure satisfaction of placing a land mine underneath an overpass to blow up unsuspecting foes, Battle Cross is a hit at retro gaming parties.

BOMBERMAN B-DAMAN SERIES

The great Ric Flair once said, “To B-Daman, you gotta Beat-Daman! WOO!!” Many folks know about the great Super Bomberman titles on the SNES, but not many know about the B-Daman series which came out only in Japan. It deviates from the classic formula but still has its own 4-player battle mode. In the first B-Daman game, players can’t die. Instead, the goal is to score as many hits as possible within the time limit. It’s not nearly as fun as the classic Bomberman titles but that’s a given thanks to the restrictions at play here, such as being conformed to your side of the wall and having limited movement.

The sequel, Bakukyu Rennpatsu!! Super B-Daman, is an improved effort but still feels like a lightweight novelty. Players are no longer restricted to rails and can freely move about. The goal is to push all the other people off the field and be the last (bomber)man standing. It’s nice to see them try something different but you’re better off sticking to the classic Bomberman games.

BS OUT OF BOUNDS GOLF

Of all the games on this list, BS Out of Bounds Golf is perhaps the most fun and cutthroat party game of them all. It’s a blast and has to be experienced with 4 players. The amount of sabotaging and trash talking that naturally occurs is a thing of beauty. And because players take turns, there is ample opportunity to scout and plot out your plan of attack. It’s one of those special games that anyone can pick up and play, and it will appeal even to non-gamers. A magical unicorn, indeed.

CAPCOM’S SOCCER SHOOTOUT

Not the best soccer game on this list, but a very competent and enjoyable one. Most noteworthy of all, Capcom’s Soccer Shootout has an indoor mode where the arena is shrunken down and the ball bounces off the wall for continuous play. Intense mode, especially with 4 players!

CHIBI MARUKO CHAN: MEZASE MINAMI NO ISLAND

A strange 4-player game where you throw balls at the opposition in various arenas. Simple but loads of fun. Quirky games like this with oddball Japanese humor are always a guilty pleasure. Chibi Maruko Chan: Mezase Minami no Island is rather obscure and (sadly) rarely talked about. Check it out if you’re looking for something a little different for your next retro gaming party.

CORON LAND

Speaking of not getting enough love, Coron Land is another obscure Super Famicom oddity that rarely ever gets mentioned. Blow and throw bubbles. It’s quirky and charming in its own unique way.

DREAM BASKETBALL: DUNK & HOOP

If you’re like me and have fond memories of playing pickup basketball from way back in the day, then Dream Basketball: Dunk & Hoop is sure to take you right back to your blacktop days. There’s a clunky 5-on-5 full court mode but the 3-on-3 street ball mode, being half court and having less sprites onscreen, is where Dream Basketball shines brightest. A rare gem for those not opposed to playing arcade-like sports games that are a quarter of a century old.

FIGHTER’S HISTORY: MIZOGUCHI KIKI IPPATSU!!

This is the only fighting game on the SNES that allows 4-players to play with a tag out feature. Pretty neat! Besides, who doesn’t want to play as Karnov?

FIRE STRIKER

Part Zelda and part Arkanoid, Fire Striker contains a 2-on-2 mode where teams of two battle for supremacy. The physics are a little off but it’s still a blast.

AJ Styles recently snagged a copy on Up Up Down Down — AJ Styles recently sang its praises on *Up Up Down Down*

Shout out to Xavier Woods, AKA Austin Creed! I met him last week and he was a super cool guy. And speaking of professional wrestling... — Shout out to Xavier Woods, AKA Austin Creed!
I met him last week and he was super cool.
And speaking of professional wrestling…

GEKITOU BURNING PRO WRESTLING

With over 115 wrestlers ready to be used and 800 different moves at your disposal, Burning Pro Wrestling is quite the package. It features real athletes from many different styles such as Puroresu, Lucha Libre and K-1 just to name a few. Play as or beat up the likes of Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Sting, The Undertaker and many more. The Battle Royal features up to 18 wrestlers and a grand total of 6 wrestlers can litter the ring. Fun stuff!

GO! GO! DODGE LEAGUE

As if you can’t tell from the screenshot above, Go! Go! Dodge League is loosely based on dodgeball and doesn’t follow the conventional rules of the sport. It’s not the best game around but it has enough wacky Japanese charm to put a smile on your face.

HAT TRICK HERO 2

Originally set for a US release as Super Soccer Champ 2, it was eventually scrapped. Released only in Japan as Hat Trick Hero 2, this is a fast scrolling arcade brand of soccer that features super power kicks. Worth a look if you love retro 4-player soccer games.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR SOCCER DELUXE

The best soccer game on the SNES, hands (feet?) down, is made even better when experienced in glorious 4-player mode.

LOONEY TUNES B-BALL

Even more outlandish than NBA Jam and arguably just as fun, Looney Tunes B-Ball is a sheer blast. Name another zany basketball game where you can drop a 16 ton weight on someone’s head or summon lightning to zap suckers into smithereens… you can’t!

MADDEN SERIES

Madden Football isn’t the first game I think of when it comes to multiplayer affairs. But the ’94-’98 editions all allow up to 5 players. If you’re craving pigskin of the 16-bit variety, this might do the trick.

MICRO MACHINES SERIES

Race your favorite miniature toy cars around 28 different tracks. These include a pool table, the living room floor and even your neighbor’s flower garden. The sequel, Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament, featured even more vehicles and tracks and was released only in Europe.

NBA GIVE ‘N GO

NBA Give ‘N Go lacks blazing speed but makes up for it with an impeccable arcade-like feel. The presentation is a slam dunk and the wacky announcer will make you feel like you’re back at the arcades. Give ‘N Go is based after all on Run and Gun, Konami’s arcade smash hit.

NBA HANG TIME

If you can look past its terrible aesthetics, NBA Hang Time gets the job done in 4-player mode.

NBA JAM SERIES

BOOM SHAKALAKA! NBA Jam and more specifically, NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, rules the roost when its comes to 4-player basketball games on the SNES. Best of all, NBA Jam TE is just as fun to play today as it was 25 years ago.

NBA LIVE SERIES

The NBA Live franchise blends simulation and arcade-like play extremely well. The ’95-’98 editions allow up to 5 players, with ’97 and ’98 featuring 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 modes for more intimate contests.

NHL SERIES

NHL ’94 is the best of the lot and has 5-player capability. Oddly, only 2 players can play NHL ’95-’97. NHL ’98 went back to 5 players but stick with the original; it’s pure hockey bliss that can’t be beat.

N-WARP DAISAKUSEN

The only 8-player game (!) on this list, N-Warp Daisakusen is certainly a curiosity. Developed in 2008 as a homebrew title, this simplistic melee brawler sets out to see who will be the last man standing.

OTOBOKE NINJA COLOSSEUM

A Bomberman clone with a delightful twist. Rather than bombs, players set down capsules. Shurikens shoot out in all 4 directions. Get hit and you’re temporarily frozen. You lose only if someone hits you with their ball and chain while being suspended in animation. With a lens geared toward stealth and capitalizing on mistakes, Otoboke Ninja Colosseum makes for a fantastic 4-player romp.

PEACE KEEPERS

The only beat ‘em up on this list! But sadly, 4 players can only duke it out in a special self-contained mode. Give Peace Keepers some credit but it’s a limited novelty at best. It’s a shame none of the SNES beat ‘em ups allow for 4-player cooperative play but that’s understandable given the hardware limitations.

PIECES

Up to 5 people can work together to solve puzzles of various kinds. Pieces is perfect for younger and less experienced players such as little nieces and nephews.

PUZZLE’N DESU!

An adorable Bomberman clone where you push blocks to subdue your opponents. One of my readers recently dubbed this game “Gnome Squish” which fits it perfectly! An absolute blast in 4-player mode.

SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS

My friends and I spent so many Saturday nights back in the summer of 1994 playing this. Frenetic, chaotic and always entertaining, Saturday Night Slam Masters was born to be a 4-player slobber knocker.

SHIN NIPPON PRO WRESTLING ’95: TOKYO DOME BATTLE 7

Not as good or fun as Saturday Night Slam Masters but not a bad alternative. The visuals are on point and it’s always fun to kick some ass with either Great Sasuke or Jushin Thunder Liger!

SPARK WORLD

Bomberman but with cars. It’s super blatant but also super fun. A few slight tweaks here and there, like 2 hits to die, help to make it not a complete carbon copy. Sorry.

SPORTING NEWS BASEBALL

Sporting News Baseball holds the distinct honor of being the only North American SNES baseball game to support 4 players. You and a friend take turns batting on offense and on defense one pitches while the other plays defense. And hey, any excuse to play ball on the Field of Dreams cornfield sounds good to me!

STREET RACER

Street Racer is no Mario Kart 2 but it’s an admirable effort. 24 tracks, 8 drivers and plenty of zany 4-player modes!

SUGOI HEBEREKE

Smash and bash your way to victory in Sunsoft’s melee brawler. Sugoi Hebereke is a bit like Super Smash Bros. in some ways and is worth checking out, especially if you have retro gaming buddies to play it with.

SUPER BOMBERMAN SERIES

Super Bomberman is the classic and quintessential party game on the SNES. All you needed back in 1993 was a copy of this game, a multitap, 4 controllers and 3 friends. My friends and I spent countless Saturday nights back in ’93 blowing each other up and loving every second of it.

Super Bomberman 2 included a tag team mode. I prefer the original but you can’t go wrong with this one.

Super Bomberman 3 came out only in Europe and Japan. It’s most notable for introducing mad bombers, animal friends (granting you an extra life and special abilities) and raising the player count from 4 to 5.

Super Bomberman 4 was released only in Japan. Like pizza, you really can’t go wrong with any of the 16-bit Bomberman games.

Super Bomberman 5 is my favorite of the 16-bit Bomberman games that didn’t come out in North America. And overall, I’d rank it second only to the classic original.

SUPER BOMBERMAN PANIC BOMBER WORLD

Did you know there was a Bomberman puzzle game on the Super Famicom? And of course, it naturally features a 4-player mode. As the cool kids might say, this game is lit yo. Geddit? Sorry.

SUPER FAMILY TENNIS

I love this game so much that I ranked it #2 on my top 50 favorite obscure Super Famicom games list. Super Family Tennis is full of charm and never fails to leave me feeling satisfied. 4-player doubles is where it’s at!

SUPER FINAL MATCH TENNIS

Developed by HUMAN (creators of the beloved Fire Pro series), Super Final Match Tennis nails down the presentation but something about the gameplay is slightly off. There’s still some merit here but you’re probably better off playing Super Family Tennis instead. Still, it’s nice to have options.

SUPER FIRE PRO WRESTLING X PREMIUM

Speaking of which, Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium is the final and best Fire Pro entry on the Super Nintendo. For the past 20+ years, the fabled Fire Pro franchise has been a staple among wrestling video game fans. While this edition may be primitive by comparison, it was revolutionary back in 1996 and remains just as enjoyable today.

SUPER PUYO PUYO TSUU REMIX

There’s nothing like an intense 4-player Puyo Puyo match. This has the potential to ruin relationships, so proceed with caution.

SUPER TEKKYU FIGHT!

On the surface it looks like yet another Bomberman clone. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find an interesting alternative. Flip tiles and jump on opponents to stun them, and then attack them with your trusty spiky ball. Super Tekkyu Fight! is an obscure hidden gem worthy of a spot in your retro gaming party collection.

SUPER TETRIS 3

4-player Tetris, bitches. ‘Nuff said!

TINY TOONS WACKY SPORTS CHALLENGE

Due to the hodgepodge of mini games, some have likened this as a precursor to Mario Party. You’ll like this if that’s your thing.

TOP GEAR 3000

Many folks are familiar with Top Gear as it was one of the earlier SNES hits back in the day. Top Gear 3000 on the other hand is fairly obscure, receiving a quiet release with very little fanfare in early 1995. It’s most notable for its quirky 4-player split screen.

WORMS

Released only in Europe, Worms is classic turn-based artillery multiplayer tactical warfare at its finest. Randomly generated deformable landscapes only add to the fun and strategy of it all. Sure, this first entry in the longstanding franchise may seem a bit outdated to some, but it’s where it all started. I can appreciate that. Besides, who can say no to blowing up worms via TNT?

WWF RAW

Earlier this year Monday Night Raw celebrated 25 years. I remember those early Raw episodes well; every Monday night was must-see TV. But I digress. An improvement over WWF Royal Rumble, WWF Raw is the best WWF game on the SNES. But that’s only because we never got WWF WrestleFest!

ZEN NIPPON PRO WRESTLING 2: 3-4 BUDOKAN

The Zen Nippon series gets forgotten about at times, and in my book is right up there with the fabled Fire Pro franchise as far as great wrestling games go. This is the last and best of the Zen Nippon series on the SNES. The Fatal 4-Way match is an absolute riot. Lots of fun await if you and your buddies enjoy classic retro wrestling games.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Nothing will ever replace the sheer joy of playing a game huddled around your buddies in the same room. Not to mention all the silly trash talking and good-natured taunting that comes with the territory. It’s all part of the charm! There’s something special and magical about those gaming sessions that I recall with a deep fondness, and I always look forward to future gaming gatherings. The SNES has plenty of great 4-player games that would steal the show at any retro gaming party. I hope this list serves you well and gives you some new games to try out with your loved ones. Feel free to comment below too — glaring omissions perhaps or games you enjoy best from this list. Happy gaming, and happy holidays!

Let the good times roll :) — Let the good times roll

Collection Q&A

Warriors fan since 1995; no bandwagon hopping here! — In front of Michael Myers’ house from *Halloween* (1978)

On the eve of the NBA Finals, which will pit the Golden State Warriors against the Cleveland Cavaliers for the fourth consecutive year, I can’t help but think back fondly to May of 2015. Not only did my Warriors secure their first Finals berth in 40 years but I also had the honor of being interviewed and having my SNES collection featured on RetroNick.com. I’ve been wanting to transfer that Q&A over to RVGFanatic in addition to updating it. The following is an updated version of that interview. This Q&A will touch on my SNES collection, my memories and the history and future of RVGFanatic.

How big is your SNES collection?

About 550.

When did you start collecting?

January 2006, so over 12 ½ years ago now.

What was the SNES scene like back then?

I was lucky the SNES bug bit me back in January of 2006. I beat a majority of the crowd by a good couple years. Back then, 75% of SNES games went for $5-$10. Only a small handful consistently commanded $30+ such as Castlevania: Dracula X, Mega Man X³ and Ninja Gaiden Trilogy just to name a few.

Consider this: the first iPhone was a year away and YouTube was barely two months old. There were no viral videos increasing the awareness and desire of a particular title. It was a golden time where you would find lots of SNES games in the wild and for cheap. It goes to show you how times have changed and how different things are today. Hagane, for instance, went from a $5 game in 2006 to $500 in 2016. Life is all about timing, and I definitely lucked out as the nostalgia bug bit me a lot earlier than it did many others.

The Final Conflict in your marriage, perhaps... — The Final Conflict in your marriage, perhaps…

Did you love the SNES prior to 2006?

I grew up on the 8-bit NES in the late ’80s, the Sega Genesis in the early ’90s and then the Super Nintendo. So it felt like one massive homecoming in 2006 when I got back into all things Super Nintendo. It was my favorite system then and it remains so now.

The late ’80s to mid ’90s was the best time to be a kid, wasn’t it?

I’m biased but I definitely think so. We were so lucky. Just growing up during the rise of arcade and console gaming was something special. Renting video games. Having Saturday morning cartoons to watch and some awesome toys to play with. I’m grateful I got to experience those wonder years as a kid.

Why is the SNES your favorite system?

Many of my best gaming memories involve the SNES, so the nostalgia factor certainly doesn’t hurt. But of course it goes beyond that. What really stands out is how deep the library is and how well the games have aged. The SNES has stood the test of time!

Speaking of the library, what are some of your favorites?

Of course you have the usual suspects…

These classics have, justifiably, been lionized. But I’ve always enjoyed championing the more obscure titles that aren’t often as recognized. Titles such as…

BS Out of Bounds Golf is a cutthroat 4-player mini golf game that was sadly never released in North America. It’s brilliant for its sabotaging opportunities and heavy dose of schadenfreude.

Demon’s Crest in my opinion is Capcom’s finest hour on the SNES not named Street Fighter. Sorry Mega Man X — you’re #2!

DoReMi Fantasy is perhaps the best platformer on the system not named Mario.

Gunman's Proof is Zelda + EarthBound + the Old West — The Wild West + *EarthBound* + *Zelda* = *Gunman’s Proof*

I could go on and on. And I pretty much did in My SNES Collection if you want an extended version of my recommendations.

Speaking of the Old West, any interesting acquisition stories to share from those early days of collecting?

Yeah... I didn't want to be that guy... — Yeah… no thanks…

Hey, better safe than sorry!

Right?! It was a sign of the times. I was young, “invincible” and eager to reclaim bits and pieces of my childhood no matter the circumstances. Looking back, I wouldn’t do half the stuff I did! But that’s what makes those old collecting stories fun and memorable. It was the feeling of getting back into the fandom, having a want list in the hundreds, a wallet stuffed with dead presidents and the thrill of heading out on a crisp Saturday morning knowing you were likely coming home with at least something. It’s a feeling that, much like beating a game for the very first time, can’t be replicated.

So what prompted you to get back into the SNES in 2006?

I found myself longing for the great games of my youth during my 2005 winter break from college. In particular, I was craving platformers. The SNES had so many great ones and tons more I always wanted to play but never did. It was a chance to quell longstanding childhood curiosities and it was a shot at gaming redemption. The rest is history. See My SNES Comeback for more.

Nothing beats quelling a childhood curiosity at last!

After a dozen years of owning over 500 SNES games, have you played them all?

No, I have 150-200 left to go. Maybe by 2025!

Such a blessing to be able to play these when I want — One day I’ll finally play all these games. One day…

Your SNES passion has lasted more than most marriages! Do you feel you’ll ever burn out?

I doubt it. There may be seasons where I’m not playing it as much because life gets hectic… but I know I’ll always be a fan. Not only do I have a lot of history and memories with these games, but there are so many more I want to play one day. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. It’ll probably take me 20 years to fully explore my entire library. I also look forward to playing it with my future children and seeing their joy of discovering these classics for the very first time. I’m a bit sad they won’t be able to experience what it’s like to walk in a store to rent a game for the weekend but this will be the next best thing. I’ve already introduced my girlfriend to quite a few 2-player games!

That's going to be me down the road — That’ll be me down the road

What’s your crown jewel?

My complete set of 47 Super Play issues. Super Play was a UK publication (1992-1996) that some have deemed the “SNES Bible.” It’s the perfect companion piece to any SNES collection. It was hands down the best eBay win of my life, though it was not without some tension and drama! I love pulling a game off my shelf to play then afterward reading the review in Super Play to compare viewpoints. It’s all part of the fun.

So freaking glorious :) — I still flip through them randomly to this day

Any other notables in your collection?

This might sound a little weird… but bear with me. I actually really cherish my SNES shelves. Not only do they fit the game boxes perfectly, as if they were made to hold SNES boxes, but the shelves have been in my family since 1985. In a funky sort of way, it’s almost like I’m carrying on some kind of family heirloom. I just love knowing the history behind the shelves and I also think it looks sick with the SNES boxes stacked inside it.

It all began one hot August summer night back in 2014. I sat there wondering my games would look nice there... Amazingly, it was a perfect fit. Meant to be! — *It all began one hot August summer night back in 2014.*
*I sat there wondering my games would look nice there…*
*Amazingly, it happened to be a perfect fit. Meant to be!*

Uncle Jimmy preparing his wedding... December 1986! — Uncle Jimmy preparing his wedding… December 1986!

Preparing my SNES collection September 2014... Nearly 30 damn years later! — Prepping to display my SNES collection September 2014.
Nearly 30 damn years later!

It was an epic weekend that Labor Day Weekend of 14! — It was an epic weekend. See The Lost Weekend for more

It even fits my complete set of 62 Goosebumps books! — It even fits my complete set of 62 *Goosebumps* books!

RVGFanatic — why did you start it?

Back in 2007, there really wasn’t a dedicated fansite representing the Super Nintendo. Genesis fans had Sega-16 but SNES fans didn’t have much. I wanted to change that.

That and I just love sharing my two cents, or one cent... — That and I just love sharing my two cents, or one cent…

What do you hope to achieve with RVG?

I hope RVGFanatic resonates with readers in a way that takes them back to a simpler time — a time in our lives when games stood center stage during lazy weekends and idyllic summers. I hope readers enjoy my work, perhaps even learn a useless fact or two along the way, but mostly, to just be entertained on our stroll down memory lane. If my work encapsulates even just a tiny bit of that ’90s SNES magic, then mission accomplished. I also occasionally reminisce about random non-gaming items. For example, I wrote an article about R.L. Stine’s GOOSEBUMPS and the impact those books made on my generation. You never know what you’ll see but whatever it is, expect plenty of nostalgia and pictures.

Any plans for a TOP list at some point?

Ever since I got back into the Super Nintendo in early 2006, my goal has been to compile and eventually share a list of my favorite SNES games. I originally teased an October 2017 release, but the reality is, there are many more games I still want to play first before releasing such a list. But rest assured, it’ll happen one of these days. If I’m lucky, maybe 2020? We’ll see. I’ve always been a fan of top lists and look forward to the day I can finally share mine.

I didnt make it but one of these days... — Sorry, Arnold. I didn’t make it. But one of these days…

Looking forward to it! Any final words?

I appreciate all the love and compliments I’ve received over the years. It means a lot to me that others enjoy my work. Thanks for your support. I look forward to creating more SNES content this summer and in the years to come. Until next time, game on!

June edit: Warriors swept the Cavs! GO DUBS! :D — June edit: Warriors swept the Cavs!

My SNES Comeback

Today marks 12 years since I got back into the Super Nintendo. January 17, 2006. Who would have guessed that I would still be going strong with the SNES a dozen years later? It either speaks to my insanity or to the clout of the SNES. Hopefully the latter but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. I can’t help but grow nostalgic around this time of the year as it brings back to mind some truly great memories. This is the story of how I began my SNES renaissance. It’s a look back at that fateful first month of January 2006 and all the different crazy stories that came along with it. So kick back and join me on this jaunt down memory lane. This is my story. This is… my SNES comeback.

IN THE BEGINNING…

There was nothing like playing SNES with your buds

My brother and I had a Super Nintendo from early 1992 to 1998 or so. We owned about 20 games over that time and we loved it. It took everything awesome about the 8-bit NES and injected it with steroids. There were so many great memories forged, from renting SNES games to midnight sessions with your friends on Saturday nights to the simple joy of eagerly anticipating the next arcade translation. It was a great time to be a kid growing up.

Always fun anticipating the next arcade to home port

But as it is with these things in life, my bro and I eventually moved on. The system was donated to our cousin, David, in the late ’90s. My brother moved onto the PlayStation and aside from a few select titles, I really didn’t care a whole lot for Sony’s new machine. I was a disenchanted teenage gamer secretly longing for the glory days of 8 and 16-bit.

In 1999 I found myself venturing onto planet Sega Saturn. As detailed in my Sega Saturn Saga, I acquired 350 Saturn games from 2001 to 2005. Speaking of 2005…

JANUARY 15, 2005

On this day I found myself at the local Game Crazy by my childhood home. Some guy was playing Super Mario World on the SNES and I stood there watching him play. I still vividly remember he was right at this spot in the picture above. And I stood there thinking to myself, “Should I buy a Super Nintendo?”

Later that night I made a post on a video game forum asking for opinions.

I ended up not buying it. So I carried on sans SNES and concentrated on finishing my Sega Saturn collection in 2005. Then a funny thing happened. My Saturn passion, which at one point seemed endless, gradually faded. In late 2005 I found myself playing it less and less but even more telling, my heart was no longer in it. The burnout was real.

CHILDHOOD DREAMS REALIZED

As a young child growing up in the late ’80s to mid ’90s, I was fascinated by sitcoms such as Full House, Home Improvement and The Wonder Years. I found the art and magic of acting to be really intriguing. In fact, one of my dreams was to one day be in a movie.

FALL 2005

September 2005 I made my on stage acting debut

That fateful semester in college I saw a dream of mine come true when I was cast in my very first University play. It was the thrill of my collegiate career. Those late night rehearsals, dressing room ribbing and performances will live on forever in my soul. It was everything I expected and more. The cast got along like we had known each other our whole lives. We went out clubbing, grabbed dinner after shows, and even had a sleepover party. I’ll never forget the rush coursing through my veins when I finally made my acting debut on the big stage. I burst out of the curtain with a vengeance and knocked my opening monologue out of the park. I never felt more alive during my college years than those three weeks in late 2005. I’ll always look back on those days with a real deep fondness.

I drove all over town like a mad man just to audition

Riding the huge wave of momentum following my performance in the play, along with a renewed sense of self-confidence, I drove three hours to audition for an independent movie in December of 2005. It was a childhood dream of mine to one day be in the movies.

Long story short, I was cast two days following my audition. I remember that time well. It was an exciting time that felt like anything could happen. I only had a few speaking lines but I was thrilled for the opportunity. I was only 22 at the time and not many of my peers could claim IMDB.com credit like I could. It made for a great icebreaker!

One of my favorite things about college were those fat six week winter breaks. I’ve always joked that there’s something about those long lazy winter weeks that does things to a man. During this time my cousins came over a lot and we found ourselves playing a shit ton of 10-player Saturn Bomberman. It was a blast, pardon the pun. Prior to these sessions though, my Saturn laid dormant for a few months thanks to my crazy rehearsal schedule for the play, my independent movie role and also, like I said earlier, I could feel my Saturn passion waning. But all those epic Saturn Bomberman sessions definitely got me in the mood to dig back into my Saturn library.

After my cousins left one night in late December, I had the strongest urge to play a platformer. I looked at my Saturn collection and saw some potential choices: Tryrush Deppy, Keio Yugekitai, Steamgear Mash and Willy Wombat just to name four. Yet none of them met my need for a pure old school traditional hop ‘n bop. I suddenly realized precisely at that moment what I had secretly been yearning for. And right on cue, that’s when an old friend from the past came roaring back to mind…

Now that's more like it! — Now that’s more like it!

JANUARY 2006

I still had about three weeks until the Spring semester would begin. I started entertaining thoughts (again) about whether I should buy a Super Nintendo or not. I had my doubts — was it worth it? Perhaps this was all just a nostalgic trip best kept locked in my box of memories. That’s when fate decided to step in. By mid January I decided I was all in. I posted the following on a gaming forum, coincidentally, almost one year since my last SNES post (as shared earlier).

January 17, 2006. It was just another ordinary Tuesday night, or so I initially thought. I logged on eBay following dinner. Just for fun, I typed in SNES. And the VERY FIRST item I saw ending was none other than Power Moves. I couldn’t believe it — what were the odds? Power Moves and I go way back; it was the first import game I ever rented back in late 1992. It was ending in 38 seconds. I didn’t even have the system yet but I knew this was no mere coincidence. Nope, this was fate. The very first import I ever rented back in the day would now become the very first game purchase of my SNES resurrection. It was meant to be.

I didn’t have long to just sit there and get all mushy. Clicking on the seller’s other items, I also won Prehistorik Man, Ignition Factor and Fatal Fury Special all within the next 10 minutes. Now that I had time to digest things a bit, my mind was running at 200 MPH. I really did it. I was back in! One minute I went from having zero SNES games to having four! The next day I bought five more titles. Not one to stop there, I was back at it again two days later with five more. The games were a mix of childhood favorites, games I missed out on, or games I always was curious about but never got to play. It was an exciting time with a want list literally in the hundreds, left-and-right buying and building up my brand new SNES library. But there was one slight problem you see — I didn’t buy the system itself yet! That’s when I found a friend online to sell me one for $39. He also had over 20 games I was interested in, so it became a bulk buy of epic proportions. The final damage? $192. YOU DAMN RIGHT it was worth every last dime!

It all began with this... — It all began with this…

What started out as “Should I or shouldn’t I?” ended up in one simple impulse buy (Power Moves), opening up the flood gates completely. In 72 hours I went from zero SNES games and no SNES to having the system and 38 (!) games. There was no turning back now… a monster was born.

I posted the following on a gaming forum the next day on January 18, 2006.

Saturday night fever? Psst, I had SNES fever!

Like I said, I don’t know what it is about mid January but those long six week winter breaks does things to a man

SCHOOL’S BACK IN SESSION

Wednesday. January 25, 2006. It was the first day of my Spring semester at University. I only had one class that day (from 9 to 10:15 AM). My SNES was still in transit but that didn’t stop me from buying even more games. After class that day I had a couple girl friends go buy some books with me at the campus store. We ate brunch and talked excitedly about the future. All the while I was thinking about the past in the back of my mind, and what SNES games I might find later that morning to add to my rapidly growing collection. It was an exciting time in my life — an odd but irresistible clash of looking toward the future while also looking back.

A most welcomed sign — A most welcomed sight in those days of 2006

Afterward it was 11:30 and I decided to drive to a nearby Game Crazy to see what SNES goodies they might have that day. Game Crazy was a hub attached to Hollywood Video back when these relics existed. Game Crazy used to carry a solid variety of SNES games in early 2006.

The actual location I went that fateful morning

On this particular morning, much to my delight I found The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues and The Lost Vikings. I got The Lost Vikings free as part of Game Crazy’s buy 2 get 1 free deal. Talk about starting off my final undergrad semester with a bang!

Hard to believe it's been nearly 12 years — Hard to believe it’s been nearly 12 years

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Thursday. January 26, 2006. This was a big day for me. It marked 10 years since I had moved from my childhood home. After my classes ended that late afternoon, I decided to stop by my old stomping grounds for a reunion tour. I loved my old hometown. We lived there from mid 1985 to January 26, 1996. 10 and a half years of my life. From infancy through childhood. Some of my best memories came in my old hometown, my old house and that old neighborhood.

Ah, the vintage train tracks of my childhood :) — Ah, the vintage train tracks of my childhood

So off I went, revisiting the old sights and sounds. I stopped by my childhood Toys R Us. I dropped by a few Game Crazy locations in the area but found no SNES games of interest. Finally I arrived right around my old house roughly at 6 PM, and I headed straight to my childhood Hollywood Video.

The actual "scene of the crime" in all its glory — The actual “scene of the crime” in all its glory

Added Art of Fighting, Clay Fighter, Mortal Kombat II and Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 to the collection. These games represented the crux of my SNES comeback well — two games I loved playing as a kid and two I always wanted to play but never did.

They had a glass full of SNES goodies but I decided I’ll just pick these four for now and come back later for the others…

With another bag full of old childhood favorites and memories, courtesy once again of Game Crazy, I made a beeline toward my old house. There was no way I was ending this 10 year reunion trip without seeing my old house.

By now it was 6:30 and darkness had devoured my old hometown. Driving by I took full inventory of all that assaulted my senses. I remember those old roads… that old street corner… the little hill where my brother, our friends and I used to play tag and flag football. The smell of the crisp cool night air. And the soothing sounds of the grass and leaves swaying gently in the calm of a quiet January evening.

This was more than just a Super Nintendo comeback! — It was more than just a Super Nintendo comeback…

I spotted my house at long last. Memories came flooding back like a tidal wave crashing over me. It was an ordinary house, like any other house in America, in a suburban neighborhood just like any other. But it was home. My home. Or at least, it once was, anyhow. Somewhere in the depths of my heart though, it will always be to some degree.

I took a minute to take it all in — I took a moment to take it all in

I turned off the engine and radio. I sat there for a couple quiet minutes, admiring my house from across the street in the dead still of the night. Has it really been 10 bloody years?! Gawd DAMN.

There she is. Still as pretty as ever, too

I was lost in a trance admiring the sight that stood before me when suddenly I had a crazy idea. Now I’ve had a few crazy ideas in my life before but this one… THIS ONE might be the craziest of them all…

Before I knew it, I found myself standing at the front door. Like a man possessed, I rung the doorbell before I could talk myself out of it.

Well, it certainly helped that my parents still owned the place and rented it out to some tenants. I wasn’t close with them but they knew who I was. So when a lady opened the door I asked if I could use the restroom since I was passing by the ol’ neighborhood.

Its the home where my bro and I fought, played and loved — It’s the home where my bro and I grew up

All the birthday parties and fun we shared. Priceless!

Using my old bathroom for the first time in 10 years was a little surreal, as was being back in the house I grew up in. After using the facilities, I thanked her for her generosity.

The house was still in good shape. I couldn’t help but glance around fondly. The lady and I spoke for a good 15 minutes or so about the house and my memories there.

And that opened up a 10 minute conversation! — And that opened up a 10 minute conversation

We talked about how cold the house gets during the night time, like really REALLY cold. We talked about my old room where her daughter now occupies, and so forth. It was a really nice conversation and an awesome way to end what had been a crazy reunion tour.

Time to head back home. My real new home... — Time to head back home. My real new home…

Finally, we bid one another farewell. I slipped inside my car, took a glance at the new SNES games resting on the passenger seat, cranked up the radio, stole one last glance at my old house and floored the hell out of there.

That night, driving home on the freeway with the windows down and the music blaring, was truly one for the ages. A tale to be retold to my future children. Daddy was a crazy kook [Wait, was?? -Ed.]

JANUARY 30, 2006

I remember this fateful rainy Monday afternoon quite well. It was around 12:45 PM. I was sitting at home waiting for my big SNES package as well as my Advanced Acting class at 1:30. I’ll never forget the sight of the UPS man carrying a huge box to my door through the whipping rain. My baby has finally come home! The raindrops pelted my window and looked like melting silverware. I had 45 SNES games waiting in the wings to be played, and now, after a good seven or eight years, I finally had a Super Nintendo again. Alas, with class beginning in less than an hour, I had no time to delve in. Oh how badly I wanted to just stay home and have one major binge session. Reasoning got the better of me when I decided if I already waited this long, then surely a couple more hours wouldn’t kill me, right?

My Advanced Acting class that day ran from 1:30 to 4. After class got out, I drove to Game Crazy by my old house once again to buy the other enticing titles I saw just a few days earlier on January 26.

The actual pic I took on that rainy Monday evening!

Game Crazy delivers again — Game Crazy comes through again

ActRaiser and Equinox are the best of this bunch — *ActRaiser* and *Equinox* are the best of this bunch

What a crazy time it was -- that January 2006 I tells ya! — What a crazy time it was — that January 2006 I tells ya!

Of these 51 games, which one to play first? — Can you guess which game I played first?

Arriving home late that Monday night, I had a whopping 51 SNES games from which to choose. Which one would I play first? It suddenly became clear to me that there was only one appropriate choice. It’s certainly not the best game, but for all intents and purposes, it had to be my first.

You win if you guessed Power Moves — You win if you guessed *Power Moves*

Yup, it had to be Power Moves. It was the first import I rented back in late 1992 and it was the first SNES game I bought during this whole comeback reunion tour. A reunion tour, mind you, that has now lasted for 12 years and counting. To say that I was nostalgic as Power Moves fired up would be a grand understatement. I felt like I had gone into a time machine and was transported back to my youth for a few minutes. Even though the game was kind of bad, I knew there were tons of great games to beat and that this was going to be a hell of a comeback. As it turns out, my gut was right.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

There is something special and sacred about the Super Nintendo. It reminds me of a simpler time in my life. A time in which playing games with your best bud took center stage on a lazy Saturday night. A time where damsels in distress must be saved and red shells and fireballs must be thrown with malice and joy alike. But perhaps best of all… a time where junk emails and bills didn’t yet exist.

My SNES comeback these past 12 years has been a fun-filled ride down memory lane and beyond. I don’t just play these games for nostalgia. There are many I have yet to play, so many are actually brand new experiences for me. Yes, even 25 years later in the year 2018. I’ve had a blast going through my SNES collection the past dozen years. With many more yet to go, here’s to 12 more years!

My dream is to one day pass my love of these vintage classics down to my son or daughter. Maybe they’ll never know what it feels like to stroll through a Hollywood Video on a rainy Monday night. But I hope they’ll get half the joy out of these games as they’ve given to me over the ~~years~~ decades. Call me corny but I like to think of this whole SNES comeback, which started way back 12 years ago in January of 2006, as more than just one big epic gaming adventure. I like to think of it as reclaiming bits and pieces of my childhood and one day being able to share that joy with my children. One thing is for sure… there’ll be no shortage of video games for them to play. Long live the Super Nintendo, indeed.

The Mode 7 Year Itch

Can you believe RVGFanatic turns 11 years old today? I remember that day like it were only yesterday. January 7, 2007. It’s hard for me to believe RVGFanatic is now 11. Most webmasters burn out in less than a year or two, so RVGFanatic’s longevity is a true testament to my passion for the SNES. To commemorate the occasion, I’m transferring (and slightly tweaking) an article I wrote on my original site about why my fire for the SNES still burns even after all these years.

Now 12 years and counting! — Now ***12 years*** and counting!

7 REASONS WHY I STILL LOVE THE SNES

There’s an infamous term known as “The 7 Year Itch.” Supposedly, it’s that point in some marriages where things head south and peter out. Well, it’s been about 7 years (12 years now) since I got back into all things Super Nintendo and quite honestly, I still love it today as much as I did then. As I approach yet another anniversary, I can’t help but think about why the fire still burns. What exactly is it about this system that has kept me coming back after all these years??

The first two things that came to mind? The library and the memories. The SNES has arguably the best gaming catalog of all time. It’s so stacked that you could take the best SNES games ranked #11-20 and they would stand up well against any other system’s TOP TEN. The top 25 SNES games alone include some of gaming’s best, period. So, there was that. And then there are my memories. The SNES came along during a special time in my life. Being a robust kid living in suburban America during the rise of the SNES was simply awesome. It was my favorite system of my childhood, and is now my favorite system of my adulthood. In some ways I feel like I’m fulfilling my childhood dreams, as corny as that may sound. But I digress. Let’s kick off the countdown!

BUT FIRST, LESSONS I LEARNED

Prior to my SNES resurgence in January of 2006, I was a huge Sega Saturn fan from 1999 to 2005. During those six years I built a collection of 350 Saturn games. I loved it.

Before I knew it, it sneaked up behind me

However, as much fun as I had with the Sega Saturn I fell into the trap of never beating the games. I’d play them for 30 minutes to an hour here and there but never commit to completing one. For me at least, I don’t do so well with such a disposable mindset. I am the kind of gamer who likes to keep playing the same game until I can beat it. So this casual reckless playing blindsided me and led to my burnout by the summer of 2005.

Casually playing the games led to my Saturn burn out — Casually playing the games led to my burn out

As I reflected on my Saturn journey during the late summer of 2005, one of my biggest regrets was never logging my Saturn experiences. From purchase dates to game playing notes, all my Saturn memories were relegated to my mind which is fleeting at best. My fire for the system was quickly waning and six years of undocumented memories were only going to fade away with time. But the funny thing about life is that sometimes you get a second chance when you least expect it. And that’s when the SNES came calling.

I kept a log of all my SNES buys — I kept a detailed account of all my SNES buys

As well as started and maintained a journal — As well as a journal

One of the best gaming-related decisions I made — I definitely did it right second time around

Thanks Sega Saturn for the memories and the lessons — Thanks Sega Saturn for the lessons and memories

SEVEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SNES

1. Beating the games
2. Discovering new gems
3. Replaying childhood favorites
4. Quelling 15 to 20+ year curiosities
5. Continuing to expand RVGFANATIC
6. Memorable multi-player SNES sessions
7. Being truly content with my collection

1. BEATING THE GAMES

There’s something to be said about beating a video game. As previously noted, I fell into a trap of casually playing my Saturn games never really sticking with one until I could squeeze it for all it’s worth. Getting back into the SNES I realized I wanted to right a wrong from my childhood, and that wrong was never beating many of its games. Too many as a child I didn’t even get a chance to (thoroughly) play. My SNES resurrection was a chance, then, at gaming redemption.

I typically pop in a game these days with the intent of beating it, or at least until I can no longer progress. It gives me a great feeling when I eventually swap it out for another game. It’s like only then am I able to put the game back on the shelf with a real sense of peace and fulfillment. What a concept right? PLAY THE GAMES. BEAT THE GAMES. I adopted that mantra for SNES round two and it made all the difference in the world.

I view beating games the same as watching a movie or reading a book. It would be silly to stop a quarter or three quarters through (unless it’s too boring or difficult). These days I always focus on playing (through) one game at a time. There’s something special about seeing a game through and not shelving it until you’ve maxed it out. I guess it reminds me of the good old days when I did just that with the limited number of games my parents bought for me. It’s the best of both worlds: owning a ton of games yet playing them as if you only had a few.

2. DISCOVERING NEW GEMS

Although I loved the SNES and had one from 1992-1998, there were still a ton of quality games I missed out on, or never really played. Since I missed out on them, even if those games are “old” titles from 1993 or ’94, they’re still brand new experiences to me. These past dozen years I have been able to experience many SNES games for the FIRST time. And there’s nothing like discovering new gems. Some of these games I never even knew existed back in the ’90s, like Super Famicom gem DoReMi Fantasy.

Always wear protection... — Always wear protection…

A stellar action game released in 1996, DoReMi Fantasy is undoubtedly one of the best platformers on the SNES. There’s nothing like uncovering a new game for the first time, seeing a few screenshots, getting super excited, finding it on eBay and then playing it only to discover that it’s awesome. Doing so only continues to further fan the flames.

Terranigma is another excellent gem that I discovered during my second SNES stint. It’s one of my absolute favorites and one of the best games on the entire SNES. Discovering and then beating games like Terranigma go a long way in keeping my flame lit.

3. REPLAYING CHILDHOOD FAVORITES

Nostalgia. Memories of a simpler time. I’ll never deny that one (small) reason why I love the SNES so much is how much history I have with the machine, dating back over 25 years to 1991. There were a handful of SNES games that I cherished for one reason or another as a child. Being able to play them again over the past 12 years has been a blast from the past. Some haven’t aged so well while others remain just as you remember them being. My brother and I used to play The Combatribes a ton back in 1993. It was a very surreal feeling when we played through it more than a decade later. For one brief moment we were kids again as we turned back the hands of time. The SNES gave me so many great memories. Whenever I play any one of my childhood favorites, I can’t help but get the warm fuzzies. And I’m instantly transported back to a time in my life where junk emails don’t exist and life was only as complicated as taking out the trash and doing homework.

Never fails to take me back to a simpler time in my life :) — *Never fails to take me back to a simpler time in my life*

4. QUELLING 15-20+ YEAR CURIOSITIES

There were many SNES games I wanted to play back in the day but never did. My SNES resurrection gave me a chance to rectify matters. I’ll never forget the night I first slayed Count Dracula in Super Castlevania IV back in April of 2006.

Remember seeing all those cool looking SNES games featured in small blurbs within the pages of GameFan or EGM? And then wondering for years on end how they might play? Being able to put those childhood curiosities to rest is simply the best. Even better yet is when the game instantly becomes one of your all-time favorites. One example is BS Out of Bounds Golf. I LOVE that game!

BS Out of Bounds Golf rocks and that's no BULL — *BS Golf* rocks and that’s no BULL

5. BIRTH + EXPANSION OF RVGFANATIC

For as long as I can remember, I love sharing (in written form) my opinions with others. Back in 5th grade I was writing book reviews for Goosebumps and having the time of my life knowing that my classmates would be reading my thoughts and possibly even basing their reading choices off my impressions. One of my deepest regrets with my Sega Saturn stint from 1999-2005 was my failure to document that whole experience. So I knew getting back into the Super Nintendo that I was going to do things right. Namely, I placed a focus on beating the games and documenting my journey somehow. I never dreamed that I would one day have my own website but sure enough that far-fetched fantasy suddenly became reality when I launched RVGFanatic 11 years ago today. I still remember that day vividly and recall it with a deep fondness. It was a cold and dark Sunday night. January 7, 2007. RVGFanatic was thrust into the vast wilderness of cyberspace.

The first day opened with this brief note to the reader

The next day I published my review of the Super Famicom exclusive brawler, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen. Immediately following this, my dad called asking if I could drive him to the auto repair shop to pick up his car. There was light rain falling that Monday night as I recall the vigor of knowing that somewhere someone was viewing my content and among the first visitors to do so. It was quite a high for me knowing that as I drove my dad on that wet drizzling freeway. It’s a moment in time that I remember fondly even to this day 11 years later.

It’s crazy to think that my one man fansite has been around for 11 years now. Eleven! Gaming fansites usually have a limited shelf life. It’s not uncommon to see these sites either losing steam over time or flat out become obsolete. Whether the webmaster burns out, loses interest or gets caught up in life’s craziness, it happens far more often than not. Yet somehow, I’ve managed to buck the trend. I am still going strong 11 years and counting. My passion for the SNES and to continually expand RVGFanatic is as strong now in 2018 as it was in 2007. It’s crazy. The SNES is the system that just keeps on giving. Working on my baby RVGFanatic the past 11 years has been a blast, and one of the big reasons why I keep coming back to the SNES time in and time out.

6. EPIC MULTI-PLAYER SESSIONS

Nothing beats a good old fashioned gaming party

I’ve been fortunate enough to have some memorable multi-player SNES romps over the years, and they always leave me feeling recharged and re-energized.

Love mark of 5 years. Saturn getting dusty meanwhile — Taking my SNES instead proved to be the right call

While immersing myself in a classic one player quest is tough to top, perhaps there’s nothing better in gaming than an epic night of rollicking couch co-op. One session in particular: Christmas 2010. My cousins invited the family over for Christmas night. Normally I haul the Sega Saturn and Saturn Bomberman along with me, but that night I decided to take the Super Nintendo instead.

I picked up a PowerPak cartridge about a month prior. It’s basically a memory card capable of storing hundreds of SNES games. Talk about super convenient. I found the perfect box to fit everything. A nice snug fit!

Karen texted me earlier that night, pleading me to come over soon. In her own words, “STEVE! We need you to get your butt over here — we are in dire need for some entertainment!” That Karen, I tell ya, she always cracks me up. I busted out my Super Nintendo upon arrival and Karen nearly fell over. “OH MY GOD, I haven’t seen one of these babies in eons!” We set it up. She was stunned by the amount of choices available on my PowerPak. I let her browse the endless list of games and her eyes popped when she spotted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time. “I remember playing this back in the day!” Karen shouted, turning into a six year old kid before my very eyes. Karen and David started out on the first level and we rotated turns. We had a blast going down memory lane. Safe to say, the Ninja Turtles weren’t the only ones who went back in time that fine Christmas night.

After Turtles in Time, we switched over to Super Bomberman 2. It brought back so many rich memories of the early-mid ’90s when my old gaming circle would spend countless Saturday nights dunking on each other in NBA Jam and blowing up one another in the Super Bomberman games. It was, pardon the pun, an absolute blast.

Ah, New Year's Eve 2012 :) — Ah, New Year’s Eve 2012

Once again the SNES PowerPak proved its worth taking center stage when my cousins came over. We spent the night playing 4-player BS Out of Bounds Golf and 5-player Super Bomberman 5. Nothing screams quality family time quite like blowing up your brother or knocking your cousin’s ball out of bounds. We rung in 2013 laughing and roaring. Epic gaming sessions like these stay with you for the long haul and only help remind me of why I love gaming so much.

7. HAPPY RETIREMENT FROM BUYING

I acquired a whopping 51 SNES games that first month

It all started with one seemingly innocent impulsive buy on eBay nearly 12 years ago. I bought Power Moves, an old SNES fighting game my brother and I rented way back in late 1992. I was lucky. The SNES bug bit me earlier than most of my peers. Early 2006 was a grand time to be buying SNES games left and right as they were still dirt cheap a dozen years ago. My library steadily grew until it morphed into a massive monstrosity.

No rest for the weary, however. No sooner did I win Power Moves I also won Prehistorik Man. Ignition Factor and Fatal Fury Special all soon followed. The next day I bought Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Mega Man X, Plok!, NHL ’98 and Sky Blazer. Not one to stop there, I was back at it two days later with buys of NBA Give ‘N Go, Super Turrican, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Super Tennis and Kirby’s Avalanche. Ah, those were some Wild Wild West days!

Getting the best of both worlds... literallly — Getting the best of both worlds… *literally*

Not only was I buying the North American games but I was also buying the Super Famicom imports that never came out stateside.

Early on I didn’t care to get the manuals and boxes. I just wanted the cartridges. But I came across some cheap manual and box lots that I couldn’t pass up. Once they started coming in, the memories of reading these manuals and boxes as a kid once upon a moon came roaring back to me. And I figured why the hell not? Go big or go home!

I bought them by the stack loads — I was lucky I got back into it when it was still cheap

This was back when they were still fairly cheap — I’ll never forget that “lost weekend” I assembled them

My biggest stroke of luck came when I met an eBay seller from Minnesota by the name of Jenn back in 2007. She had a ton of SNES boxes and manuals she was looking to unload. I bought in bulk and she cut me a great deal. She sold me over 200! I doubt my collection would be what it is today were it not for Jenn.

Life is truly all about timing. Thanks Jenn!

My last huge get: the ultra rare *3 Ninjas Kick Back* box!

I finished off 90% of my collection by 2008. My final big buy was the 3 Ninjas Kick Back box which I acquired in 2012. I’ve pretty much been done buying SNES stuff for five years now, and THAT FEELS GREAT.

It's one of the rarest SNES boxes around. I lucked out! — It’s one of the rarest SNES boxes around. I lucked out!

Even got my email printed in Retro Magazine!

Got my collection featured in that magazine as well!

SNES games were incredibly affordable back in 2006. I really lucked out in terms of timing. The SNES scene didn’t explode until 2010 or so. Fortunately I was able to beat the rush. It’s only because of my early start that I have what I now have. If I started back in 2009? Forget it. These games now cost an arm and a leg!

Having a complete boxed collection of all the SNES games I ever wanted has unquestionably kept my passion burning all these years. Being able to play these games whenever I want and no longer worrying about getting sniped on eBay and what have you is simply priceless. I feel like I’ve come full circle in many ways and that I have fulfilled my childhood dreams, as corny as that may be to say. If you had told me 25 years ago when I was a kid in 1993 that 25 years later I would somehow own 500+ boxed SNES games… I would probably die laughing.

I just love walking into my game room randomly sometimes. I don’t even have to play a game. Sometimes all I do is stand back and admire it for a few minutes while taking a stroll down memory lane. The memories come rushing back and it’s almost therapeutic in some ways. It’s escaping from the real world for a brief moment to slip back to a time in your life where things were simpler and more “magical.” Having an awesome collection that you’re 100% content with helps keep the fire burning. Glad to be retired from collecting but definitely not retired from playing

A quick shout out to Super Play Magazine. My acquisition of the 47 issue publication in late 2006 is another highlight of my collection. It’s the perfect companion piece to any Super Nintendo collection. Every once in a while I still pick up a random issue to read.

Good to see the one-off reunion issue last year!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I can’t believe RVGFanatic turns 11 today, and it’s crazy that in 10 days I will celebrate 12 years since the day I began my SNES comeback. The Super Nintendo has always been in my life in one way or another. First when I was a kid and later as an adult. 12 years later the fire still burns. I’ve played so many great SNES games the past 12 years and I still have a truck load remaining. No matter what direction life takes me in going forward, it’s safe to say I’ll always carry a special bond with this system. And somehow, I suspect the SNES fire will always burn in the backdrop of my life.

8. SPECIAL LOVE FROM MY READERS

BONUS! If I had to cite an 8th reason why my SNES passion still burns, it’s whenever I hear from one of my readers that something I wrote touched a small part of their past. I think many of us can relate to my experiences growing up in the early and mid ’90s and what it was like growing up with a Super Nintendo and some good friends to play it with. There’s an unspoken special bond there that you’ll only know if you grew up in that era. Here’s some of the feedback I’ve received over the past 11 years.

—

If you haven’t read Steven’s stories about his collection, you’re missing out. The stories are fun and poignant, and it’s nice to know that other people have their memories and feelings from their history all tangled up with a video game background. The stories from his childhood, losing and making friends, and developing feelings that don’t always work out will make you feel like you know him a bit, even if like me you’re a guy from Missouri who couldn’t pick him out of a lineup.
~CeleryStalker

—

Hi Steve,
I stumbled across your site thanks to a strange detour thrown at my feet while I was checking up on the Sega Saturn (a console I never owned but want to know more about) and found myself reading and reading. It’s rare these days, when everyone and their dog has a website (often about their dog) that you find someone who captures your imagination so vividly. I can’t explain it honestly. I find it odd that I’m writing this… but we share a love of the SNES and the long lasting summer evenings of childhood, something you describe so perfectly. And also Super Play… it was the only magazine I ever bought every month. It looked like nothing else on the shelf and rewarded with each and every read. The Japanese focus was so rare back then and the oddities and the sense of humor still makes me laugh. Oh, and the [Oi! – Ed.] thing goes back a little further as many of the Editors and staff worked on the magazine issues for the ZX Spectrum and other early ’80s computers so the [ – Ed.] inserts you sometimes incorporate are close to my heart. It made me laugh when I saw them on your website.

There’s no real point to the email other than to say thanks for writing. Something in your writing connected with me here in London and threw me back to my old childhood, rekindled my love for the SNES and the obscure, and has propelled me onwards as I continue to check out what the Saturn has to offer.

Now I’ve got many more pages of your site to read. I plan on going through them all as I never know what bizarre retro games I’ll find, or what other long-forgotten nights from my childhood I’ll remember.

Once again, thanks.
~Jon L.

—

Hi Steven,
I’m an avid reader of your website. I can’t wait to read your next update on RVGFanatic. I’m a huge fan of your personal essays and memoirs, as well as the reviews. You have no idea how many times I’ve read your Sega Saturn Saga. If I ever launch a website, I hope it will be as emotionally evocative as yours!

OK, I don’t want to sound too much like a fanboy. I promise I won’t annoy you with any more praise, haha. Thanks again for your time.

Sincerely,
William D.

—

Wow man, been reading this site for a while now and thought I would comment. The stuff you’ve written on here is simply a gold mine of awesome stories and nostalgic memories. I swear you could have been a friend or close relative of mine back in the day. Some of these stories on here are literally pages right out of my childhood, from the renting stories, to stuff like replaying Contra with my uncle and brother time and time again, to loving shows like The Wonder Years, etc.

Incredible stuff. Also love all your “ramblings” as you call them. I just cannot get enough of this stuff, lol. Please, whatever you do, do not stop writing. I find myself coming back here time and time again to read through some of these articles and remember the good times. Keep up the amazing work!
~Rich

—

Hi Steve,
Your reviews and articles are a joy to read. I appreciate the passion you put into your work; it never fails to strike a nostalgic chord with me. Better still, you have opened my eyes to a few games I ignored during my 16-bit youth, such as Brandish and Hook, which I now enjoy greatly.

Keep up the great work. I’m looking forward to the next review.
~LisVender

—

Hey Steve,
Just sitting here, reading your site, throwing a few back, and I figured to myself, “Hey, I might as well give Steve some love here.” I’m sure you get a lot of praise, but I’m sure it never hurts to hear some more to let you know your hard work is not for nothing.

Steve, you kick ass. I love your site. So many fansites are advertised, and people say great things to just be nice, but I gotta say… RVGFANATIC is truly great. I find myself reading the reviews and articles over and over… it’s just like a good book where I just keep reading it and re-reading it. It’s written so well and very entertaining.

Keep up the awesome work!
~Mike

SNES Classic Edition

Yesterday news broke that Nintendo would indeed be releasing their SNES Classic Edition starting on September 29, 2017. Last year they released their NES Classic Edition for $60 and it was a smash hit. Rumors began swirling immediately that the SNES Classic Edition wouldn’t be far behind and sure enough, it’s almost here. For the low price of $80 here’s what you get:

HDMI support

SNES (super) mini

Two classic SNES controllers

21 classic SNES games preloaded into the system

Let’s take a closer look at all 21 games, in alphabetical order.

1. CONTRA III: THE ALIEN WARS

One of the most intense action-packed 2 player SNES games ever made. Contra III is classic run and gun mayhem. Best experienced with a friend in tow, there’s nothing like blasting alien scum to Kingdom Come as you navigate your way through some of the most memorable moments in 16-bit gaming.

2. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY

There were three DKC games released on the SNES, with many citing the second (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest) as their favorite. I actually prefer the first one. Call it nostalgia but it was fresh, mind blowing for its time and the difficulty was just right. A little on the easy side at times, but it cranked it up when it needed to. Mainly, I enjoyed using Donkey Kong in all his glory. Don’t forget those amazing tunes, either!

3. EARTHBOUND

Take The Wonder Years, Peanuts, Doug, The Goonies, Dragon Quest and put them all in a blender. You’d probably get something like EarthBound. Whimsical, unique and different, EarthBound is charming and captivating as hell. But there also lies some sneaky mature themes throughout, such as the loss of innocence in a corrupt world. A classic RPG any SNES fan should play through before all is said and done.

4. FINAL FANTASY III

Arguably the greatest 16-bit RPG ever made, Final Fantasy III is an epic adventure. It took me nearly 50 hours to beat back in 2008 when I experienced it for the first time, and I loved every second of it. Memorable characters, plot twists, haunting music… it has it all. It’s too bad the almost-just-as-good Final Fantasy II isn’t also included, though. But if you had to pick just one, they made the right choice here.

5. F-ZERO

It may seem a little outdated today, especially to F-Zero virgins, but this blew our minds back in 1991. It still holds up well, although it is a bit bare bones. Still a good choice. The music is awesome. You could say that for most of these games, quite frankly.

6. KIRBY’S DREAM COURSE

Of all the games featured on the SNES Classic Edition, this is the most surprising. I don’t say that disparagingly! Kirby’s Dream Course combines the best of Kirby and golf. It’s a blast to play and addicting as hell. Glad this made the cut. It doesn’t get the props it deserves. Now a larger audience will get to experience this for the first time. As well as SNES fans from the ’90s who somehow missed out on this back in the day. A definite dark horse candidate for “Game I Didn’t Expect To Sink So Many Hours On.”

7. KIRBY SUPER STAR

Rather than one grand adventure, Kirby Super Star is a compendium of nine standalone games. It’s vintage Kirby, and it’s loads of fun.

8. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST

A no-brainer. One of the best SNES games ever, nay, one of the best video games of all time. A masterpiece in every sense, this adventure will forever remain timeless and quintessential. Who could ever forget the first time they saw that rain come whipping down?

9. MEGA MAN X

The best Mega Man game on the SNES. Never before could the Blue Bomber move around like he does here. The ability to scale walls, ride armored machines and even throw a Hadoken made Mega Man X one unforgettable journey.

10. SECRET OF MANA

The first ever 3-player action RPG, Secret of Mana was a marvel for its time. It’s a great game but one that I do feel is slightly overrated. Still, the ability to play it with two friends made it something special. It’ll be interesting to see if Nintendo releases a multitap for the SNES Classic Edition. 2-player Secret of Mana is still awesome but it’d be a shame not to be able to experience it as a 3-player affair. On a side note, I much prefer the Super Famicom-only sequel, Secret of Mana 2 AKA Seiken Densetsu 3.

11. STAR FOX

Star Fox was pretty amazing back in 1993. It’s a little rough around the edges today in 2017, but hopefully people will be able to overlook the dated visuals which were considered fairly groundbreaking for its time.

12. STAR FOX 2

The biggest news of this SNES Classic Edition is the inclusion of never before officially released Star Fox 2. This game was programmed back in the mid ’90s but never saw the light of day as the N64 was looming over the horizon. Of course the repro of this game has been available for many years now, but it’ll be nice to have an official release (especially HDMI-supported).

13. STREET FIGHTER II TURBO

Some people argue Super Street Fighter II is better, but I’ll take Street Fighter II Turbo. Street Fighter II created a revolution, but it was Turbo that refined it. For my money this is hands down the best fighting game on the SNES. So many sore thumbs and even more sore egos courtesy of this game back in 1993. Good times.

14. SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV

It’s a little slow and the visuals are a bit outdated by today’s standards, but this was the definitive Castlevania game for many folks prior to Symphony of the Night. Being able to swing Simon’s whip in all directions made controlling him a breeze and loads of fun. There’s a beautiful simplicity to this game. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy taking down Count Dracula?

15. SUPER GHOULS ‘N GHOSTS

Probably the hardest game of this list, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts suffers from some slowdown but still provides one hell, pardon the pun, of a romp through some ghastly levels. I’m glad this game made the list. It’s a classic but often slightly overlooked in lieu of some bigger names such as Super Metroid and Contra III. Well deserved, Sir Arthur. Well deserved. You’ll terrorize a whole new generation of gamers. Congrats, good sir.

16. SUPER MARIO KART

The Mario Kart franchise is one of the most beloved of all time. It’s so good that it attracts even the most casual of gamers. There’s something very likable about the characters from the Mario universe, the various weapons and imaginative course designs that constantly bring people back for more and more. This is where it all started — it’s the granddaddy of all Mario Kart games. Still playable after all these years!

17. SUPER MARIO RPG: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN STARS

Mario in an RPG? Nuts. Bowser as a playable good guy? Even more nuts. Yet it all works, to no one’s surprise. Super Mario RPG brings timing to the RPG party as well as some wacky, lovable characters. A good time for sure.

18. SUPER MARIO WORLD

Released on the Super Famicom’s Launch Day of November 21, 1990, Super Mario World is still as playable today as it was nearly 30 years ago. Shigeru Miyamoto knows how to make a damn good video game, and his fingerprints are all over this one. Great visuals, amazing music and smooth gameplay. Can’t ask for much more.

19. SUPER METROID

If there were a Super Nintendo Mount Rushmore, anyone who doesn’t include Super Metroid automatically has their list disqualified. You just can’t talk about the very best SNES games without mentioning this 24 MEG GEM. Adventure, atmosphere, gun slinging, exploration, Super Metroid has it all. And that is all.

20. SUPER PUNCH-OUT!!

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! was one of the best NES games ever made. Its sequel, Super Punch-Out!!, is also an excellent arcade-like take on the sport of boxing. It’s all about patterns, timing, memorization and execution. While the new boxers here may lack the personality of the NES game, it’s still one of my favorites and I’m happy to see it made the list.

21. YOSHI’S ISLAND

Aside from baby Mario’s incredibly annoying crying whenever he’s dismounted, Yoshi’s Island is a daring and brilliant deviation from the standard Mario game formula. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I find it equally as splendid as Super Mario World — just in slightly different ways.

TOP NINE SNUBS

The NES Classic Edition had 30 games, but the SNES Classic Edition only carries 21. However, the 21 games here are obviously much lengthier than the ones found on the NES edition. While the 21 games represented are great choices, there are a few glaring omissions. Whether due to licensing or whatever, here are nine great SNES games (in alphabetical order) that are conspicuous by their absence.

Oh, and before we begin, I will refrain from including the following two titles due to the simple fact that it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any sort of multitap with the SNES Classic Edition. While both these games are still great as 2-player games, the real magic comes with a room of 4.

1. ACTRAISER

An early first generation title and a classic one at that. ActRaiser switches seamlessly between side-scrolling levels of good old hack and slash platforming and a simulation mode where you must help build the land and protect the people. It’s a little simplistic but it didn’t need to be complex.

2. CHRONO TRIGGER

Perhaps the most glaring omission of all, some believe Chrono Trigger to be the best SNES game ever created. Quite a loss, then, not to have one of the very best titles ever made in 16-bit history. Although I do understand at least a little bit since Nintendo already packed in three RPGs. Still, it’s tough losing out on this one.

3. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 2: DIDDY’S KONG QUEST

Although I prefer the original Donkey Kong Country, I’ll concede that this does play slightly better. If you had Yoshi’s Island to go along with Super Mario World, you probably should have added this as well. Alas, poor Diddy and newcomer Dixie Kong are left hanging… [HAR HAR -Ed.]

4. THE LEGEND OF THE MYSTICAL NINJA

Another classic 2-player SNES game from the system’s early days. Perhaps this was a little too offbeat for Nintendo to include for the mainstream, however. If that is the case, that’s a shame because the gameplay shines through and speaks for itself. Note: This game is included in the Super Famicom Classic Edition as Ganbare Goemon.

5. POCKY & ROCKY

Hard as nails, but also super fun with a friend right alongside ya! It’s too bad this got snuffed… it would have exposed Pocky & Rocky to a brand new generation of gamers.

6. SUNSET RIDERS

Vintage glorious 2-player gun slinging action. ‘Nuff said.

7. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES IV: TURTLES IN TIME

Next to Chrono Trigger, this is the biggest glaring omission. Not to mention it would have been the only beat ‘em up on the SNES Classic Edition. That makes its absence all the more egregious. No beat ‘em ups represented?! That’s a crime! But I totally understand it might have been a licensing issue and Nintendo simply not wanting to pay the extra cost for the Ninja Turtles brand. Whatever the case may be, it’s a shame. This defined many of our 16-bit childhoods and is arguably the finest beat ‘em up on the SNES.

8. TETRIS ATTACK

No puzzle games are represented either, and Tetris Attack is the best as far as I’m concerned. This inclusion would have provided endless hours of cutthroat competitive play, and it saddens me that it didn’t make the cut. Well, at least for the American release. The Super Famicom Classic Edition does include this game but under its Japanese title of Panel de Pon.

9. ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS

Come on, Nintendo. This is another classic childhood game for many of us who grew up in the early ’90s. Every kid played this game to death that holiday season of 1993. Sure, it may be a little overrated but it’s freaking ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS! Nintendo, you could have even tweaked it to make it better. Think about an easier difficulty setting, a strafe button, etc. A missed opportunity any way you slice it.

10. KEN GRIFFEY JR. PRESENTS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

This is my honorable mention. I love this game and it was also published by Nintendo. I see why it wasn’t included, though. Fake player names, outdated rosters and so forth. But damn is this game fun. Many people, even non baseball fans, still play it to this very day. It would also have been the only sports title featured in the package.

SUPER FAMICOM CLASSIC EDITION

I THINK I AM TURNING JAPANESE... — ***“I THINK I AM TURNING JAPANESE…”***

In Japan, the system will include Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack), Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, Ganbare Goemon: The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, Super Soccer, and Super Street Fighter II. These titles replace EarthBound, Kirby’s Dream Course, Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Castlevania IV, and Super Punch-Out!! from the US model.

Super Punch-Out!! was never released in Japan. Strange but true. I guess they’re keeping true to form 20+ years later…

CLOSING THOUGHTS

For $80 this is an insane bargain. Having 21 classic SNES titles, with HDMI support, in one tiny system is greatly appealing particularly to those who don’t already own these classics. You’re talking less than $4 a game, and that’s not including the system. Sadly, the NES Classic Edition suffered from lack of production and over demand, causing scalpers to swoop in and take advantage. Preorders for the SNES Classic Edition are going fast and resellers are everywhere posed to capitalize. $300 markups would be a safe bet. Of course, when you consider some of these games sell TODAY for close to $300 individually, $300 might still seem like a good deal for 21 games. And it is, at less than $15 a game. But it would be a shame to pay $300 for something that is retailing for just $80. As always, it’s a call only the individual can make. I already own all these games so I’d pass if the asking price is $300, but at $80 I would probably bite. But what are the odds I’ll be able to find one for $80? Probably not high.

But on a more happy note, I’m just ecstatic that my favorite console, the Super Nintendo, is back in the mainstream spotlight. I expect a ton of nostalgia to overcome young adults in their 30s who see this package and go “Oh wow, I haven’t played these games in 20, 25 years!” It just makes me happy knowing the SNES will once again bask in the glow of the spotlight. Nintendo plans to stop production of these Classic Editions at the end of 2017, so the spotlight will be short-lived, but it’s nice knowing come September a lot of casual people will be buying a Super Nintendo in 20-freaking-17. And who knows, it may lead to something bigger. At the very least, exposure never hurts and it thrills me that younger generations of gamers will have a chance to play and appreciate these classics. That’s a definite win in my book!

EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Speaking of SNES comebacks... — Speaking of SNES comebacks…

By the way, it recently came to my attention that BS Shockman is getting an official Super Famicom release June of 2017! Wow! The SNES scene is booming right now in a way we haven’t seen in a long time. BS Shockman is also known as BS Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman Zero. Check out my review for more info.

Rock on, SNES. Rock the f*ck on.