How Super Nintendo CRUSHED 1994

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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

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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.

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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…

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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…

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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!

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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…

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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.

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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).

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Blaze Processing!
Blaze Processing!

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

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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…

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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.

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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!

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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See what I mean?!

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

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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!

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

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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 :P

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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

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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

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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!

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

Still just as fun 30 years later!
Still just as fun 30 years later!

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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.

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

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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.

Pretty badass!
Pretty badass!
Almost every boy's childhood crush
Almost every boy’s childhood crush…

OCTOBER 1994

From beauty to beast!
From beauty to beast!

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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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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!

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

DECEMBER 1994

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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!

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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!

B.O.B. (SNES)

Pub: EA Sports | Dev: Gray Matter | June 1993 | 8 MEGS
Pub: EA Sports | Dev: Gray Matter | June 1993 | 8 MEGS

I vividly remember seeing the box of B.O.B. at local game rental stores as a kid and always wanting to rent it. Alas, as readers of Memories of Renting may recall, my older brother called the shots back in those days. As such, B.O.B. became one of countless SNES curiosities that would elude me until much later in life. I recall being shocked seeing the name of Electronic Arts slapped on the box. EA Sports was known for their sports titles. Only years later did I realize EA Sports was the publisher. The developer was actually Gray Matter, who developed shitty SNES games like James Bond Jr., Wayne’s World and Incredible Crash Dummies. In fact, B.O.B. is based off the game engine of Wayne’s World. So right away things aren’t looking good for B.O.B. but somehow, Gray Matter managed to get this one right. I suppose even a broken clock is correct twice a day, eh?

The back of the box was so damn cool
Click on this if on desktop or zoom in if on mobile

I remember flipping the box over and gawking at the back cover in awe. Most SNES boxes had fairly decent back covers but B.O.B. raised the bar considerably, not wasting an inch of real estate. The back was splattered with color and action, and it even featured a badass logo of our newly minted hero on the sides of the box. Oh how badly I wanted to rent it then and there but the last thing I wanted was a pissed off older brother who could beat the snot out of me :P

The Sega Genesis box was damn cool in its own right
The Sega Genesis box was damn cool in its own right
The cartridge had that cool yellow EA tab gimmick, too
The cartridge had that cool yellow EA tab gimmick, too
You just don't see back covers like this any more
You just don’t see back covers like this any more
Looks familiar, EA...
Looks familiar, EA…

On a side note, EA Sports did develop their own action platformer a year later when they released Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City. Now that I think about it, it does have a few similarities to B.O.B. Makes you wonder if publishing B.O.B. inspired EA to eventually develop their own action game. Chaos in the Windy City isn’t shabby, but B.O.B. is the better of the two.

A LOADED ARSENAL

BOBWeap

Pick from six guns and six gadgets to help even up the odds. There’s a bit of added depth thanks to these tools, and you can either pause the game to switch or switch on the fly with the shoulder buttons. Gotta love the SNES controller! :)

(MOSTLY) GUNS

BOBWea

If Doom were made into a cartoony side scrolling action platformer, it would look a lot like B.O.B. Use the fist to conserve your ammo. It really packs a, er, punch!

BOBWea1

Your standard single shot is the weakest gun you have and since it doesn’t have unlimited ammo, you’ll probably end up using this one the least. Your punch is actually stronger than this!

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The triple shot gives you great coverage with medium power. I use this the most.

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Rockets seek out the nearest target and is handy for when you’re trying to duck and dodge while simultaneously shooting like a mad man.

BOBWea3

The flame thrower eats up a lot of ammunition fast and has limited range, but it’ll burn up the bad guys in a hurry.

BOBWea4

Think of the bolt shot like the single shot, only 20 times stronger.

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The wave shot is essentially the BFG of this game. Ammo is limited, it cuts a huge swath and does a stupid amount of damage. Save it for the bosses…

GADGETS

BOBTool

Be like Mary Poppins and glide gently to safety.

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The flash sends the screen into a frenzy and affords you roughly eight seconds to safely sneak through any scenario. The enemies will be too blinded to attack!

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The almighty shield grants eight seconds of invulnerability.

BOBTool4

For a much needed boost, bust out the trampoline. It can also be done in mid-air.

BOBTool5

Floating bomb destroys (or damages) every enemy on screen.

BOBTool6

Use the helicopter hat to reach new heights and places. Avoid touching ceilings or else!

THE STORY GOES…

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Rather than saving the world, our hero just wants to meet his hot date on a Saturday night. Of course, before he can leave, his old man gives him a lecture.

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Fathers know best, right?

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Teenagers can’t always see it though, because they’re young and, well, 17.

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WHEW! A couple close calls there but all is good…

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OOPS… I spoke too soon! THE END IS NEAR indeed.

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There’s a bit of a comedic touch to this game. The map screen kind of takes me back to the days of ToeJam & Earl!

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Interestingly enough, the game came out first in North America. It was released a good six months later in Japan (December 22, 1993) and was rebranded as Space Funky B.O.B. Pretty strange if you ask me!

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Ammunition is limited in this game so conserve your ammo whenever possible. Thankfully, the punch is actually fairly potent and useful. The acquisition of the triple shot does make life a lot easier, though.

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Weapon and gadget icons are sparingly placed throughout the levels. Always search them out and don’t run straight for the exit. Doing so will only hurt you later when it counts. And yes, because B.O.B. came out in 1993 during the mascot rage, our hero has his own antics and ‘tude.

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“Gnarly” lingo is sprouted off at the start of each stage. That was 1993 for ya. I love seeing his fingers ripple up and down as he slides from point A to point B. The sound effect adds to the fun of it.

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Careful! He can’t fall great distances without sustaining some damage.

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Reminiscent of Alien the movie as well as Alien³ the game. Fry those little suckers! Spotting the exit within reach is always nice, but if you have time be sure to check out the surrounding nooks and crannies…

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Goodies (and danger) lurk just around the corner!

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Totally (1993) indeed. Love the visual effect of leaving a level.

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Ammunition is fairly scarce so grab every single one you can. And use the punch whenever you can. You’ll need to conserve your ammo if you want to make it far.

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Wrenches fully recover your health. It’s great seeing one especially when you’re just about to die! Watch out for the various stage hazards as well.

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Creatures and critters abound. Love the nasty mess they leave behind when you kill them. A nice squishy sound effect makes it twice as fun.

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Grabbing on to a pipe or vine and then sliding through following a fall is inexplicably satisfying, and something you’ll do a lot of. There is a nice flow to B.O.B. and this aspect contributes to said flow.

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Certain stages will deviate from the norm and put you in a B.O.B.sled sort of affair. It’s a nice break from the usual. Avoid hazards and make it safely to the end. It can get quite dramatic as you can see above — super low health and out of time! The cool thing about running out of time is you don’t automatically lose. Once the clock hits 0, your health will drain. So it gives you a little grace period and sometimes you’ll need it to win!

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Facehugger, much? The Alien homages are cool to see.

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Jumping to catch the tip of a ladder is super satisfying, but jumping from tiny ledge to tiny ledge can be a bit of a frustrating experience. B.O.B. doesn’t have the best control in the world. It’s manageable, but rather loose.

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Rockets come in handy against the first boss, the gigantic Borg Snake. Your rockets will take out his rockets, and since you can fire more at once than it can, you’ll be able to inflict damage in the process.

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Occasionally it will stretch its neck out in an attempt to knock you back but other than that, it’s easy pickings.

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Sometimes you’ll run across a health chamber. Enter it to fully recover your health. It’s reminiscent of the health chambers from Corridor 7, although B.O.B. came out first. Occasionally you’ll need to use your helicopter hat to reach the exit.

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Destroy the pods first and then the vile creature will drop to fight you, pissed off that you killed its detestable babies.

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Mutant maggots launch an airborne attack. Tired of dicking around, you bust out the great equalizer — the BFG! It’s time to exit this god-forsaken planet of Goth and go meet your girl!

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Finally, you’re on your way to meet your hot date…

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DAMN!! Way too close for comfort but you’re OK…

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Naturally, it had to be a small piece, no? First goes the top…

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Followed by everything else. And you thought your Tinder date was a disaster!

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Arriving on the planet of Anciena, there are booby traps galore that will kill you instantly. Anciena is much tougher than Goth was.

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Crouching and punching is the way to go sometimes. The enemies get harder and harder as you go deeper in the game.

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Gliding down slowly and safely via the umbrella is a satisfying technique that you don’t see nearly enough of in other similar games. But one thing that is universal… the thrill of reaching level’s end with hardly any health remaining!

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Creepy indeed! It almost feels satanic… in a cartoony way, of course.

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Eroding platforms make their mark here. Fire birds try to subdue you, but send their asses back to the fiery pits of hell.

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Nothing tops seeing a wrench when you’re on the verge of dying. They’re perfectly placed too, which speaks to the diligent efforts of Gray Matter (a shocker, I know). Little details, such as being able to see the rocket when equipping the rocket gun, make for a nice visual touch.

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Sometimes, the exit can be seen early on but it’s just a tease — it’s nowhere near as accessible as it appears to be. B.O.B. quickly becomes a tough test of brutality. Just how hard? Sometimes you’ll finish a stage with no time left and barely any health!

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Beware of Mr. Potato Head’s evil twin. One punch from him sends you flying back a great distance. Here’s another stage where you must use the helicopter hat to reach the exit. Thankfully, the items you need are often placed nearby. But you’ll still need to be stingy with your inventory as you never know when you might really need something and resources are scarce.

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Helicopter hat and the umbrella add such great versatility and depth to B.O.B., making it a cut above your typical SNES action title.

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B.O.B.sled stages are simple and fun to navigate, adding value to the game. They’re also infrequent enough to never wear out their (novel) welcome.

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Something bad definitely happened!

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Beware its acidic tongue.

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Konami would be proud of this boss design. I love how the bosses flash orange-red when taking damage. Takes me back to the NES days of gaming! :)

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They’ll even flash blue, too. Give ol’ Lava Lord the BFG treatment.

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Memorable boss fights is key to a quality action game, and B.O.B. definitely check marks that box. Love the way Lava Lord dies, exploding one body part at a time!

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Spoiler: Red Skull takes a break from guarding the Soul Stone to make a cameo in B.O.B. I guess you could say overly positive fan reaction to his scene in Infinity War has left him feeling a little… big headed. Moving on, watch out for the cloaked wizards who can electrocute your ass.

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Anciena is guarded by a big bad beetle bot. It’s pancake city and auto death if his fist connects.

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Thankfully, one shot of the BFG will take out its arms. This boss killed me 30 times before I thought of switching to the BFG. D’oh!

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Killing bosses in B.O.B. feels super satisfying.

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Alright, it’s time to meet your hot date! You zoom by a gas station and think to yourself, “Nah, I’m good!”

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Riding along, singing your stupid song, you come to a most disturbing sign.

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GAWD DAMNIT! Not this shit again!

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Crashing on the strange and dangerous planet of Ultraworld, only the toughest weekend warriors will make it out alive.

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Definitely WEIRD that no one over at Gray Matter did a spell check! Ultraworld is ultra tough. You’re walking along when all of a sudden something barfs on you and a chunk of your health goes missing!

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Glancing back, you see it’s some kind of nasty parasite. A lot of B.O.B. is level memorization and repetition. It’s the only way to advance. Go a bit further, die, learn from your mistakes and repeat. A certain enemy on this stage will release bullets even after being killed. This world is TOUGH.

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Annoyingly not something you can kill, this obstacle will send you flying back a great distance if you get too close. Mercifully, smashing against a wall is only a sight gag; it doesn’t sap your precious health. However, any threat that you touch while flying backward is fair game!

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Damn… even the ladders aren’t safe anymore! Make sure you look before you leap. Lots of weird and tough enemies here that will tax you to your limit.

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Poisonous jellyfish zoom by turning our hero into Skish KaB.O.B. Expect to see that death animation over and over again… Ultraworld will punish even the most skilled players.

RUTHLESSLY BRUTAL

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Hardcore players need only apply. B.O.B. will chew you up and spit you out. Whether enemies kill you or you get crushed or you simply miss the exit by a split second, B.O.B. is one of the hardest action games on the SNES. Goth starts out easy enough. Anciena kicks it up a notch but is still quite manageable. But then Ultraworld comes and kicks your teeth down your throat. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya…

GENESIS VS. SUPER NINTENDO

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Having played both versions extensively, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the SNES version is far superior. Better graphics, control and sound. It’s not even close. Plus being able to switch guns and gadgets on the fly via the shoulder buttons makes SNES B.O.B. so much more enjoyable.

Super Play Magazine issue #8 June 1993)
Yeah, about those B.O.B. reviews…

Mark Lewis, the UK boss of Electronic Arts, had this to say about B.O.B. in an interview conducted by Super Play Magazine (issue #8, June 1993). It’s interesting that they dropped the “Search For Ultraforce” subtitle. B.O.B. made a little history when it became the first EA-published game to appear on the SNES before the Sega Genesis. Sadly for Mark and others, B.O.B. was a bit of a critical flop and things never quite panned out for our bug-like bot.

Sadly, it just wasnt meant to be
Sadly, it just wasn’t meant to be

MISCELLANEOUS

Hey, speak for yourself!
Hey, speak for yourself!
I love the fact that B.O.B. is such a bizarre game
I love the fact that B.O.B. is such a bizarre game
The CyberDemon would be proud
The Cyberdemon would be proud

BOBBoss

I’ll never forget the barrage of ninja skeletons. After you kill all of them, their heads will lift off the ground and attack you!

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The last boss, appearing on stage 47, has three or four forms. I kind of freaked out the first time I saw him. It was a combination of finally making it all the way to the end and the wickedly memorable design. He was like an abominable cross between a mutant spider, elephant and octopus. The stuff nightmares are made of. Thankfully, you get helpful items appearing on either side of the screen to aid you in the final battle.

I remember my palms were all sweaty as I neared victory
I remember my palms were sweaty as I neared victory
One final gasp...
One final gasp…
Sheer euphoria the moment he came bursting apart
Sheer euphoria the moment he came bursting apart

I remember sitting in the dead still of a hot August night as I vanquished the nightmarish final boss. Months of perseverance, repetition, level memorization and proper resource conservation all led to this glorious moment. B.O.B. is a satisfying conquest to those who can persist with the game’s brutal (yet fair) difficulty.

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13 years after being curious about B.O.B. as a kid, I finally got to play it on June 10, 2006. It was a quiet Saturday night and the desire to at long last quell this childhood curiosity overtook me. As a kid staring at the tantalizing box at my local game rental store, I thought B.O.B. looked like it could be a good under-the-radar sort of game. It’s always nice when your gut turns out to be right so many years later. Childhood curiosities don’t always have a happy ending so it’s awesome when one does. On a side note, it blows my mind that it’s almost been longer since I beat B.O.B. in the summer of 2006 than it has been when I first wondered about the game in the summer of 1993. Frightening! It’s like the realization you have at 35 that you’ve been out of high school longer than how old you were your senior year! My, how time flies…

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

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Sadly, B.O.B. was mostly a flop with gaming magazines of the time. EGM gave it scores of 7, 7, 5 and 5. GameFan gave it ratings of 80, 70, 67 and 64%. Super Play buried it, rating it 54%.

Ouch
Ouch

But GamePro was a fan. I mean, take that for whatever it’s worth… :P

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GamePro, however, wasn’t the only supporter. B.O.B. has a decent to solid fanbase as it turns out. Check out what some gamers have had to say over the years.

  • I always loved the game. I’m surprised that it never got a sequel -IronDraggon
  • It’s a decent game. I like the crouching and ways of shooting because games like Mega Man lacked that back then. I wouldn’t say there’s anything too special about it but it has its fun -cyberfluxor

BOBCrit4

  • I like just about everything about B.O.B. except for its hardcore difficulty once you reach the middle stages of the game. B.O.B. is resplendent with early nineties pop culture. You get a lot of funkadelic synthesized music that actually fits the foreign backdrops perfectly. I could rock out to the boss theme for a good ten minutes or so. B.O.B.‘s music and sound effects fit it like a glove -Snow Dragon
  • The graphics in this game were pretty darn good. The bug-like main character was chock full of detail. All the enemies were just as good as B.O.B. himself. The environments had a ton of detail drawn into them. B.O.B. was never a game that was really heard of a lot, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not good -BrakZero

BOBCrit

  • The graphics of the game are pretty good. There’s good use of shadow, and B.O.B. looks excellent, as do most of his enemies. The animation also flows smoothly. The sound is good too, but not excellent. This game is worth a play. Although it’s mostly just an average shoot ‘em up side scrolling game, the humorous plot and difficulty will keep you coming back for more -Hiryuu
  • I really liked it. Really unexpectedly good game -PWHerman

BOBCrit2

  • Great game. I still play it now and again. If I recall right it flopped pretty hard critically since it was dismissed as just another SNES platformer. Dismissed as pedestrian and derivative when it is in fact a pretty fun refinement of this type of game -Neo Rasa

Well said, guys! I absolutely agree with Snow Dragon — I too could rock out to the boss theme for a good 10 minutes or so!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

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The term “hidden gem” gets thrown around a lot, and many of yesteryear’s hidden gems no longer qualify as such because of people’s affinity to constantly mention them. Games like Demon’s Crest, Goof Troop and Run Saber have received more than their fair share of praise over the years, and deservedly so. However, B.O.B. even after all these years still does not receive the level of credit that I feel it should. Granted, it’s less appealing than those aforementioned titles due to a number of reasons. The control, while manageable, could have been tightened up. And the difficulty halfway through becomes downright borderline insane. But patient and persistent gamers seeking a stiff yet fair challenge are in for a treat. The exit for certain stages requires some thought. Some even require usage of the trampoline or helicopter hat. Speaking of which, the various gadgets give the game a more versatile scope as compared to others of its ilk. The many guns add to the fun as well, even though ammo is limited. Don’t expect a blazing run and gun affair. It’s more of a thinking man’s action game with deliberate pacing. Also, his ability to do simple things such as shooting up and crouching made B.O.B. rise above your average SNES action game.

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Kudos to Gray Matter for skipping the played out hop ‘n bop routine. It’s a blast eviscerating bugs with the flame thrower or taking down massive bosses with the BFG. Aside from some minor control flaws (floaty jumps and control not being very crisp from a standstill point), B.O.B. is a well made game in many facets. Some stages have multiple routes, and while they’re very basic, the different routes are there at least. B.O.B. reminds me of some of the old classic 8-bit action games. There’s an old school back-to-the-basics feel, and this isn’t meant to be interpreted as a bad thing at all. Success largely comes down to repetition, memorization and proper management of limited resources. It’s very much trial and error like a lot of vintage NES games were. There’s an oddly addictive quality to see what the next level in B.O.B. will bring, despite a lot of them being somewhat similar. The B.O.B-sled levels do help break up the action, though, and those are well implemented both in terms of design and level placement.

Where's my long overdue sequel eh? Hello, Switch?!
Where’s my long overdue sequel eh? Hello, Switch?!

One random guy on the internet over a dozen years ago once eloquently stated, “Dude, this game is like… a retarded Metroid.” A backhanded compliment if there ever was one but HEY, you’ll take any Metroid-related compliments you can get! I really like B.O.B. a lot. Everything from its cheesy early ’90s atmosphere to the abundant amount of humor hits a sweet spot for me. With over 45 levels of ball-busting intensity and thankfully a password system, B.O.B. will provide hours of challenging gameplay and could easily occupy you for a few hardcore weekends. It isn’t the best SNES action game around but it truly is one of the more overlooked ones, even still to this day 25 years later. I once said B.O.B. is probably what Doom would be if Doom was ever made into a cartoony side scrolling blaster, in Ultra Nightmare mode mind you. So if that sounds appealing to you, do yourself a favor and check out B.O.B. the next chance you get. Besides, he needs your help to make it to his hot date. Forget saving the princess or the world, he just wants to get some. What a respectable lad :P

Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 8
Longevity: 6

AwardsOverall: 8.0
Silver Award

 

Eat your heart out, Ripley :P
Eat your heart out, Ripley :P

My SNES Collection

The current banner from 2014-present
Celebrating TEN YEARS!

It’s January 7, 2017. RVGFanatic launched on January 7, 2007. Wow, where has the time gone? I celebrate 10 years today. 10 years later my Super Nintendo passion still burns as brightly as it did a decade ago when I first started RVGFanatic. What was the world like 10 years ago?

  • YouTube was still in its infancy
  • George W. Bush was US president
  • Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone

To celebrate this milestone, I figure it’s a good time to finally reveal my Super Nintendo collection in-depth. Most of my 400+ boxed SNES games were acquired from 2006-2008. I was lucky the nostalgia bug bit me several years before it did many others. It’s the only reason I have been fortunate enough to amass the collection that I did.

stevesnesco

Each shelf will have certain games highlighted by these categories:

Best Game — What I consider to be the best game on that shelf.
Worst Game — What I consider as the worst game on that shelf.
Guilty Pleasures — Games that I enjoy but aren’t necessarily good.
Unsung Heroes — Overlooked games that I find to be high quality.
Most Disappointing — Games I thought I would like a lot but don’t.
Most Surprising — Games I didn’t expect much from but delivered.
Most Wanted — Games I’ve still yet to play but most excited to play.
Miscellaneous — Random notes on other games not yet highlighted.

Without further ado, let’s get this party started :)

SHELF ONE

zsteverow

BEST GAME
ActRaiser
HONORABLE MENTION
Axelay

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ActRaiser is an excellent first generation SNES game that alternates between side scrolling platforming action and build-a-city simulation. The two parts mesh well together like a perfectly constructed puzzle.

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Speaking of alternating, Axelay does that masterfully as well, switching level to level between horizontal and vertical shooting nirvana.

WORST GAME
AAAHH!!! Real Monsters
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Adventures of Mighty Max

SteveColl222

Incredibly tedious and annoying.

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Mighty Max was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. The game? No.

GUILTY PLEASURE
An American Tale: Fievel Goes West

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Nothing fancy here. Just simple, basic platforming with decent visuals.

UNSUNG HEROES
Aladdin
Alien³
Arkanoid: Doh It Again!
Blackthorne

Aladdin is often overshadowed by its Genesis counterpart but I love the brilliant animation and colors of the SNES edition. That and its dramatic hanging-on-a-ledge-by-the-tip-of-your-finger gameplay was so satisfying.

Alien3-Ex3

Alien³ is a solid movie licensed game in an era where many of these games weren’t very good. Try playing it with all the lights turned off…

stevecoll7

Arkanoid: Doh It Again! is an underrated 2 player gem. It’s so simple that even non gamers can jump in and have a blast. Highly recommended!

stevecoll8

One of the most atmospheric games on the SNES, Blackthorne proves there’s nothing like blasting goblins and trolls in a desolate mine with a sawed off shotgun. You can even “accidentally” kill innocent prisoners ;)

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs

stevecoll9

Way too hard for its own good.
It just didn’t click with me.

MOST SURPRISING
3 Ninjas Kick Back

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The box of 3 Ninjas Kick Back alone commands $500+. The game itself surprised me as being a decent (2 player) action platformer with three different characters to choose from. Surprisingly competent!

MOST WANTED
Adventures of Batman and Robin

The GameFan previews back in the day made it look BEAST.

MISCELLANEOUS

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The most unique game here, The Adventures of Hourai High, was never officially released in America. It’s a fan translation of a Super Famicom RPG import that captures the spirit of EarthBound. I bought it from Time Walk just mere weeks before they folded.

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Adventures of Kid Kleets isn’t half bad. It stands out a bit from the other me-too SNES platformers on account of having to kick a soccer ball at bad guys in order to subdue them. The ball physics made it a quirky, interesting experience.

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Aero Fighters is a quality 2 player shooter.

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Konami developed many classic SNES games in the ’90s. Animaniacs wasn’t one of them, and probably stands as Konami’s weakest SNES effort.

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Ardy Lightfoot is a curious oddity for me in that part of me wanted to put it in the unsung hero class, but there’s another part of me that considered it for most disappointing. Worthwhile, but it’s not great like I had hoped.

Battletoads & Double Dragon wasn’t as good as I hoped, but it gave me some fond memories. One of the earliest crossovers I can remember, it was a huge deal in my gaming circle back in ’93!

Ah, the memories…

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Biker Mice From Mars is a nice Rock ‘N Roll Racing clone.

SHELF TWO

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BEST GAME
Chrono Trigger
HONORABLE MENTION
Contra III: The Alien Wars

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As much as I love Contra III: The Alien Wars, I have to give the nod to Chrono Trigger. No SNES collection is complete without them.

WORST GAME
Capcom’s MVP Football
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Chuck Rock

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It’s shocking to see the words “Capcom” and “worst” in the same sentence, but MVP Football was actually developed by Equilibrium.

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Chuck Rock certainly has some early generation SNES charm to it, but compared to the other titles on this shelf it’s definitely a weak link.

GUILTY PLEASURES
The Blues Brothers
The Combatribes

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The Blues Brothers may look like a typical platformer on the surface but it’s not without some neat tricks. For example, you can carry and throw one another in the 2 player co-op mode. Oddly enjoyable for what it is…

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The Combatribes was the second import game I ever rented back in late 1992. My brother and I loved beating up Martha Splatterhead and her delinquent gangs, all in the name of saving the Big Apple.

UNSUNG HEROES
B.O.B.
Brawl Brothers
Bust-A-Move
Captain Commando

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I went through all 40+ levels of B.O.B. in the summer of 2007 and had an absolute blast. If someone turned Doom into a 2D side scrolling action platformer, it might be this. Someone once called it “retarded Metroid:D

Brawl Brothers has always been a bit underrated in my book. It’s a big improvement over its predecessor, Rival Turf. My brother and I had a lot of fun with it back in the day. Doesn’t really get the props that it should.

There are better versions of Bust-A-Move out there, but that doesn’t take away from the first game still being a competitive 2 player barn burner!

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Captain Commando was a late port job — it came out in the arcades in 1991 but didn’t make it over to the SNES until August 1995. It was odd to see that large a gap, but I’m glad Capcom did it. Captain Commando is far from perfect but something I’ve enjoyed revisiting over the years.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Clay Fighter

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A classic case of excessive hype.

"What could possibly go wrong?"
“What could possibly go wrong?”

Yeah, I’m looking at you too, Bubsy.

MOST SURPRISING
Brandish

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I went into Brandish with low expectations in 2006. I ended up loving the atmosphere, music and a more cerebral style of play. The underground labyrinths are crawling with monsters galore, from T-Rex to Death itself!

MOST WANTED
Cybernator

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Another sin I need to wipe clean.

MISCELLANEOUS

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Brain Lord is a rock solid action RPG.

Breath of Fire is a good old school JRPG.

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Breath of Fire II kicks everything up a notch. My copy is a retranslation repro. The US translation of BoF II was sloppy. The repro fixes that :)

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Capcom’s MVP Football was a fumble but Capcom’s Soccer Shootout scored a goal. Developed by A-Max, Capcom once again slapped their name in the title. And you thought Tecmo was vain!

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SNES Castlevania: Dracula X is often bashed, but I found it to be solid.

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ClayMates is a worthwhile platformer. You shape shift into various animals with varying skills. The level designs are based around certain skills so you had to make the appropriate switch to progress.

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Congo’s Caper is a fun platformer.

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Cool Spot, based upon the 7 UP mascot, is better than it had any business being. It earned mostly positive reviews back in the day for a reason!

SHELF THREE

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I like how this shelf ends with the Final Fantasy trilogy. Always nice when the end of a shelf concludes with the last game in a particular series.

BEST GAME
Final Fantasy III
HONORABLE MENTION
Donkey Kong Country

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These two epic games made 1994 Super Nintendo’s year.

A shining example of greatness
A shining example of greatness

WORST GAME
D-Force
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Doomsday Warrior

Things start out kind of OK. But then the scrolling gets choppy and there’s some slowdown. Not to mention the atrocious sound. Not a completely worthless game, but it does put the “D” in D-Force.

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Doomsday Warrior tried really hard at least. There may even be some merit to be found but it’s pretty underwhelming even by 1992 standards.

GUILTY PLEASURES
Dirt Trax FX
Double Dragon V
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest

My brother and I played the hell out of the rag tag mode in Dirt Trax FX. It wasn’t the greatest game around but damn did we enjoy it.

Double Dragon V often gets crapped on, but I don’t think it’s THAT bad. Not the Double Dragon sequel we hoped for, but it’s not unplayable.

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Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest has a negative reputation, but as a starter kit RPG it’s really not that bad. Plus the music absolutely kicks ass.

UNSUNG HEROES
Demon’s Crest
Equinox
Fatal Fury 2
Final Fantasy II

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A ghoulish atmosphere, detailed visuals and a slick Super Metroid-esque style of play makes Demon’s Crest one sublime adventure.

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Colorful visuals in some highly bizarre worlds with masterful sound by the one and only Tim Follin make Equinox worth checking out. A “save-almost-anywhere-you-go” system helps keep the difficulty in check as well as encourage repeated attempts to finally snag that elusive key.

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Fatal Fury 2 certainly redeemed Takara in my eyes. Fatal Fury on the SNES was the absolute pits. But this one hit the mark with much better control, gameplay and even an option that lets you play as the bosses.

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Some would say Final Fantasy II gets plenty of love. But there are times where it seems to get lost in the shuffle especially when people are quick to bring up the “big three” of Chrono Trigger, EarthBound and Final Fantasy III. Don’t forsake this amazing early RPG!

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Fatal Fury Special

Whereas Fatal Fury 2 excelled in smooth control, Fatal Fury Special did not. It’s a shame because otherwise it holds up fine for a 32-MEG port.

MOST SURPRISING
Doom

It’s surprising that it even runs on the SNES!

MOST WANTED
E.V.O.

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One of the last remaining SNES RPGs I’ve yet to beat.

MISCELLANEOUS

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Demolition Man is surprisingly decent.

Dino City is a nice little platformer.

Many view Donkey Kong Country 2 as the best DKC game.

Donkey Kong Country 3 is sometimes overlooked because it came out late in the SNES’ lifespan (November 1996) and wasn’t quite as epic as the first two DKC games. It’s still very, very good in its own right though.

The Earthworm Jim games are completely bonkers.

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F-Zero — forever a classic.

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Fighter’s History is an underrated arcade translation that doesn’t get much love. And hey, it’s the only way to play as Karnov on your SNES.

Damn fine job, Data East ^_^
Damn fine job, Data East ^_^

SHELF FOUR

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BEST GAME
Gunman’s Proof
HONORABLE MENTION
Illusion of Gaia

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My copy of Gunman’s Proof comes courtesy of Time Walk just mere weeks before they closed their doors. Gunman’s Proof is criminally underrated. Think a combination of Zelda, EarthBound and the wild west. It’s a Zelda clone with guns and bazookas! ‘Nuff said, really.

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A spiritual sequel to Soul Blazer (which some fans prefer), I love the improved visuals and shape shifting shenanigans of Illusion of Gaia.

WORST GAME
Home Improvement
DISHONORABLE MENTION
The Incredible Crash Dummies

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Watching Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor break things and bumble around each week in the mid ’90s was awesome. The game? Not so much.

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In the early ’90s I had a weird fetish for the Crash Dummies. Imagine my sadness then when I rented this game one dark October night of 1993…

GUILTY PLEASURE
First Samurai

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Not your typical SNES game filled with bright and bold colors, First Samurai is something of a quirky guilty pleasure for me. I kind of like the foreboding visuals and atmosphere. And the sound effect “OH NO! MY SWORD!” is typical of its cheesy goodness, er, mediocrity.

UNSUNG HEROES
Final Fight 3
Fire Power 2000
FireStriker
Goof Troop
Hook

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Final Fight 3 is the best of the SNES Final Fight trilogy. Special moves, multiple branching paths and super specials make it a treat to play. It was roasted back in early 1996 when it came out, but became one of those games people grew to appreciate only after the passage of time.

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With such a lame generic name, I didn’t expect much from Fire Power 2000 back in the day. A 2 player co-op mode helped for sure, but it was the overall smooth gameplay that made this an absolute winner.

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FireStriker takes the classic Pong/Arkanoid style of play and infuses it with heroes and monsters. Quite an interesting mix.

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It even sports a spiffy 4 player battle mode!

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Goof Troop is a fun 2 player overhead action puzzle game. Goofy and Max complement each other extremely well — Goofy is stronger while Max is faster. One of the better 2 player titles from the 16-bit generation.

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Hook plays a bit on the slow side, but I love its visuals and haunting soundtrack. A whimsical atmosphere adds to its overall appeal.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Ghoul Patrol

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Remember how cool Zombies Ate My Neighbors was? And remember how good Ghoul Pa… oh wait, no one ever said that. It’s adequate, but considering it’s a spiritual sequel of ZAMN, damn was I disappointed.

Talk about jumping the shark...
Talk about jumping the shark…

MOST SURPRISING
Harley’s Humongous Adventure

The idea of playing a shrunken protagonist navigating everyday objects and environments has greatly appealed to me ever since I saw Honey, I Shrunk The Kids in 1989. Harley’s Humongous Adventure may not have the most appealing aesthetic but it is rather surprisingly decent.

MOST WANTED
Hagane

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It’s been over 10 years since I bought it and sadly I’ve still yet to play it. The only thing more mind blowing? I bought it back in 2006 for $5! :D

MISCELLANEOUS

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Just as how it was nice that shelf three ended with the three Final Fantasy games, I love how shelf four begins with the Final Fight trilogy.

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A classic early SNES shooter, Gradius III is plagued by bouts of slowdown but it’s got an amazing soundtrack and that vintage Gradius gameplay.

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Few companies did bosses like Konami!

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Konami also makes a mean soccer game — International Superstar Soccer Deluxe is arguably the best 16-bit soccer game ever crafted.

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Harvest Moon is a cute little farming simulation.

SHELF FIVE

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BEST GAME
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
HONORABLE MENTION
Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball

Who could forget the rain?
Who could ever forget the rain?

Well, that was easy. Not only is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past considered arguably the best Super Nintendo game of all time, but it’s also widely regarded as quite possibly the best video game ever created. It’s a timeless, quintessential adventure that never fails to leave a mark.

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My all-time favorite baseball game.

WORST GAME
Izzy’s Quest for the Olympic Rings
DISHONORABLE MENTION
King Arthur & the Knights of Justice

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Ironically, these were the last two games ever reviewed by Super Play Magazine. I guess they were so bad that even Super Play had to stop and ask themselves “What are we doing with our lives?”

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GUILTY PLEASURE
Lagoon

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Released December 1991, Lagoon has that first generation SNES charm. Many hated it but once you work out the kinks and quirks, the game can become oddly enjoyable.

UNSUNG HEROES
Joe & Mac
Joe & Mac 2
Judge Dredd

King of Dragons
Knights of the Round

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Sure, it’s a bit slow in places but it’s tremendously fun to throw stone tires and boomerangs at all sorts of dinosaurs, all in the name of saving your special cave lady. Best of all, you could do it with a friend.

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Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics is a damn fine sequel. It refined a few things from the first game and makes for a worthy addition to any SNES library.

I didn’t expect much from Judge Dredd but was pleasantly surprised by how well it plays. Shoot, punch and kick bad guys into oblivion. Not great but good for a movie tie-in.

Capcom delivered SNES owners with two of the better beat ‘em ups in the form of King of Dragons and Knights of the Round. Now that’s how you do King Arthur justice!

Blocking and leveling up added depth.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
King of the Monsters

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When you take out the game’s best mode (the tornado tag team bedlam mode) and gut two of the six monsters, you’ve earned this “award.” King of the Monsters was as big a disappointment as the monsters themselves.

MOST SURPRISING
Killer Instinct

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Given how much had to be sacrificed!
Wow, what an effort!

MOST WANTED
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja

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I know, I know.
This WILL change in 2017.

MISCELLANEOUS

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The Jetsons is a childhood curiosity I still need to quell.

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Ditto The Jungle Book.

Still waiting for it patiently...
Still waiting for it patiently…

If you spotted Side Pocket and wonder what the hell it’s doing there, good eye. It’s a placeholder for Justice Beaver. I funded it back in 2015 and am still waiting for the product to be finished.

I hope it plays as nice as it looks
I hope it plays as nice as it looks!

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King of the Monsters 2 was an admirable port.

Kirby's Avalanche
Kirby’s Avalanche
Kirby's Dream Course
Kirby’s Dream Course
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby’s Dream Land 3
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star

All of the Kirby games are terrific.

SHELF SIX

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I love how the second row of this shelf begins with the Mega Man quintet. And the first row opens with both Lemmings 1 and 2.

BEST GAME
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
HONORABLE MENTION
Mega Man X

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From recruiting monsters to the IP system, Lufia II rocks!

X marks the spot indeed.

WORST GAME
Lester the Unlikely
DISHONORABLE MENTION
The Mask

"Aw c'mon, I'm not THAT bad..."
“Aw c’mon, I’m not THAT bad…”

Lacking in self-esteem, Lester’s courage and abilities increase as you progress through the game. It sounds intriguing on paper but unfortunately it lacks in execution what Lester lacks in confidence.

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To its credit, The Mask was faithful to source material and tried to be different from your typical movie licensed platformer. But its ugly animations and terrible aesthetic brings it down a notch or two.

GUILTY PLEASURES
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

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They won’t make any top 50 lists but they’re decent.

UNSUNG HEROES
Looney Tunes B-Ball
Lost Vikings
Lost Vikings 2

The Magical Quest: Starring Mickey Mouse
Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems
Mega Man 7
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition

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NBA Jam meets Looney Tunes.
Great 4 player fun!

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Using three vikings’ specialized abilities to reach the stage exit, The Lost Vikings was both innovative and refreshing.

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The sequel introduced Fang the wolf and Scorch the dragon. These were fairly underrated titles that got a bit lost [har har -Ed.] in the fold.

Magical Quest’s classic “take-a-block-from-the-sky-and-use-it-on-bad-guys” system, along with costumes that altered Mickey’s abilities, made it such a bloody good time.

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Similar to X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, I prefer this game due to its roster (Iron Man, Spider Man, Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine). Plus you can select any superhero for any stage whereas in X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse you couldn’t. Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems came out October 1996 so it’s often forgotten. Give it a shot!

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Mega Man 7 divided the fanbase. His homecoming was met with mixed reviews but I find it akin to slipping on an old comfortable pair of jeans.

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The best Power Rangers game ever.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Mortal Kombat

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Iffy controls hurt it more than a lack of blood.

MOST SURPRISING
Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City

Michael Jordan in a platformer beating up bad guys with a basketball? That’s as crazy as him retiring from the NBA in his prime to go pursue a baseball career. Both happened, but only one turned out to be any good.

MOST WANTED
Metal Warriors

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Shame shield activated.

MISCELLANEOUS

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Mega Man X² was not the leap over Mega Man X like many of us hoped, but it’s a quality sequel nevertheless.

Mega Man X³ introduced Zero as a playable character. The Mega Man games are a bit like pizza. When it’s good, it’s really good. But even when it’s a bit eh, it’s still alright. Mega Man X³ falls somewhere in the middle.

Can’t go wrong with the Blue Bomber!

The SNES port of Mortal Kombat II spelled vindication and redemption. The blood and Fatalities were both retained in this second go-round, surprising the hell out of everyone back in 1994.

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This shelf ends with two “Mr.” games.
The next begins with “Ms.”
Amusing coincidence :P

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This shelf segregation is NUTZ! [… -Ed.]

SHELF SEVEN

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BEST GAME
NBA Jam T.E.
HONORABLE MENTION
NBA Live ’96

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NBA Jam T.E. is a riot with 4 players.

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Balances arcade style with simulation well.

WORST GAME
The Pagemaster
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Pinocchio

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Generic, dull, repetitive and bad control plagued both these platformers. On a system littered with memorable ones, these two missed the mark.

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GUILTY PLEASURE
Ninja Gaiden Trilogy

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Many Ninja Gaiden fans have been vocal about the mishandling of this SNES port. So vocal in fact that I almost feel guilty enjoying it as much as I do. Such a shame there was never a proper 16-bit sequel.

UNSUNG HEROES
Natsume Championship Wrestling
Operation Logic Bomb
Pieces

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From a pure wrestling standpoint, NCW > Saturday Night Slam Masters.

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A quietly solid top-down shooter, Operation Logic Bomb is a one man wrecking crew of a good time.

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Pieces is an underrated quirky game. You wouldn’t think assembling pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to be that much fun, but it somehow is. Throw in a nifty 2 player mode and you have a surprisingly competitive affair.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Nosferatu

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Nosferatu was previewed in 1992 but didn’t come out until late 1995. With that much time you would expect a highly polished game. Instead, its broken difficulty past level 3 makes it a waste of massive potential.

MOST SURPRISING
Phalanx

"JIMMY CRACK CORN AND I DON'T CARE!"
“JIMMY CRACK CORN AND I DON’T CARE!”

How did this cover get the green light?!

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The actual game isn’t too bad

MOST WANTED
Ninja Warriors

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Man, I really need to fix this. And soon.

MISCELLANEOUS

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I like how the previous shelf ended with two “Mister” games and this one began with Ms. Pacman :D

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NBA Give ‘N Go can be a lot of fun.

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Can’t go wrong with EA’s NHL series.

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The Peace Keepers was a disappointing follow-up to Brawl Brothers. The US version was “Americanized” and to no one’s surprise, these changes were to the detriment of the product.

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Phantom 2040 is said to be pretty good.

SHELF EIGHT

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BEST GAME
Pocky & Rocky
HONORABLE MENTION
Rock ‘N Roll Racing

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Pocky & Rocky is tough but it’s one of the better 2 player SNES games.

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I remember renting Rock ‘N Roll Racing back in the day and loving its music and violent racing. Born to be Wild never gets old.

WORST GAME
Realm
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Power Moves

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Released in December 1996, Realm had a chance to be a sleeper hit. It’s a run ‘n gun featuring some nice visuals and unique creature designs. Unfortunately, the broken difficulty renders it nearly unplayable.

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Power Moves was the first import I ever rented back in late 1992. Even then as kids we knew it was a bit lacking. Don’t even bother unless you’re going for a complete collection or for the sake of nostalgia.

GUILTY PLEASURES
Radical Rex
Rocky Rodent

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Radical Rex is the very definition of fair to middling. But there was something about controlling a skateboarding t-rex with ‘tude that I found somewhat appealing.

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Speaking of mascot platformers, Rocky Rodent was hard as nails but I liked how collecting different hairdos gave Rocky different powers.

UNSUNG HEROES
Plok
RoboTrek
Run Saber

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Plok is a criminally underrated platformer where you control a strange bloke who fires his limbs at enemies, way before Rayman did it. It looks like a “kiddy game” but don’t be fooled, it’s tough as nails.

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RoboTrek’s unique combat system, ability to customize robotic allies and the zany universe made it such a blast to play. Love the art style, too!

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SNES fans got gypped when it came to Strider. However, Run Saber is a solid consolation prize. It’s a short, easy and fun 2 player hack ‘n slash.

Creepy and loads of fun!
Creepy bosses abound!

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Prehistorik Man

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Slippery control derailed this promising platformer.

MOST SURPRISING
Rival Turf

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For all the hate Rival Turf gets — some have called it Rival Turd — I was pleasantly surprised by how decent this turned out to be, especially for April 1992. It was the first SNES beat ‘em up to feature a 2 player mode.

MOST WANTED
R-Type III

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Said to be one of the best SNES shooters.
Why haven’t I played it yet?

MISCELLANEOUS

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Pocky & Rocky 2 was a worthy sequel.

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Prince of Persia is an interesting little game.

Not counting the orange box of Final Fight Guy, Riddick Bowe Boxing is the only North American SNES box that doesn’t have the traditional black side. Instead it’s gray, white and red; it sticks out like a sore thumb.

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Another box that stands out on this shelf is Robocop vs. Terminator. It’s the only SNES box that is a hard clamshell and has no title on the side. The game itself can be fun in a dumb, violent kind of way.

SHELF NINE

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BEST GAME
Shadowrun
HONORABLE MENTION
Secret of Mana

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Shadowrun is a unique action RPG set in a futuristic cyberpunk world. The game opens with your character awakening from his slumber atop a cold steel slab. It hooked me right away and didn’t let go until the game’s satisfying finale. A sequel was hinted at during the end credits that we sadly never got.

Secret of Mana was an innovative action RPG that allowed 3 players to go at it. This was unheard of back in 1993. Mana may be a little overhyped in some circles but it’s still a quality adventure worth venturing through.

WORST GAME
Speed Racer
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Spider-Man & the X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge

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Speed Racer switches from side scrolling platforming to a racing game. The former is barely passable but the latter is absolutely atrocious.

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Spider-Man & the X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge was way too hard and while not without some redeeming qualities (the music rocks), overall it falls shy of the mark. Not the worst game ever, though.

GUILTY PLEASURES
Snow White: Happily Ever After
Sporting News Baseball

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Yes, I own a Snow White video game and yes, I kind of dig it. What the hell am I doing with my life?! The platforming is surprisingly competent. Just not the thing you go ’round talking about, not even on the internet :P

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Sporting News Baseball isn’t the greatest baseball game around, but it features the iconic baseball field from my favorite film, Field of Dreams.

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UNSUNG HEROES
Secret of Evermore
Skyblazer
Soul Blazer
Space Megaforce

These may not be upper echelon but they’re close :)

Secret of Evermore
Skyblazer
Skyblazer
Soul Blazer
Soul Blazer
Space Megaforce
Space Megaforce

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Sparkster

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It’s actually pretty good.
I was just expecting a lot more.

MOST SURPRISING
Street Fighter Alpha 2

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Amazing what Capcom squeezed into a Super Nintendo cartridge!

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MOST WANTED
Star Fox

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Hopefully I appreciate this in 2017 as I would have in 1993…

MISCELLANEOUS

Some under-the-radar titles from this shelf:

Smart Ball
Smart Ball
Soldiers of Fortune
Soldiers of Fortune
Sonic Blast Man II
Sonic Blast Man II
SOS
SOS
Spanky's Quest
Spanky’s Quest

While none of those titles will appear on any top 10 list, they kind of typify a good portion of the SNES catalog. Ranging from decent to very solid, while they’re not essential, they sure round out a collection nicely.

 Saturday Night Slam Masters is classic 4 player mayhem.

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S.O.S: Sink or Swim, not to be confused with SOS, is a pretty cool action puzzler. 100 levels of fun that will work the brain muscles!

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If you love beat ‘em ups, Stone Protectors is worth a look. Nothing spectacular, but it quietly gets the job done.

SHELF TEN

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BEST GAME
Super Metroid
HONORABLE MENTION
Super Mario World

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This shelf, man. This f*ckin’ shelf.

WORST GAME
Super Godzilla
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Super James Pond

Boo!
Boo!
Yay!
Yay!

Thank God for Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen!

A small 'stretch' to call this awful
Not a stretch to say this isn’t that bad at all

But yeah. This shelf is stacked.
Someone had to bite the bullet!

GUILTY PLEASURE
Super Adventure Island

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Basic. Bare bones. But that’s the charm.

UNSUNG HEROES
Sunset Riders
Super Baseball 2020
Super Baseball Simulator 1.000
Super Bases Loaded 2

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Sunset Riders is flat out awesome.

stevecoll147If you like your 16-bit baseball, Super Baseball 2020 is an entertaining futuristic take on the sport. For another outlandish quirky baseball title, be sure to check out Super Baseball Simulator 1.000. It’s outta this world!

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[I see what you did there… -Ed.]

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Looking for a more traditional baseball game? Then check out the quietly stellar Super Bases Loaded 2. A bit slow but super fun.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Super Bonk

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Not bad but not as good as I hoped.

MOST SURPRISING
Street Racer

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Has tons of heart plus a 4 player mode!

MOST WANTED
Super Adventure Island II

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Please forgive me, Master Higgins.

MISCELLANEOUS

You know a shelf is stacked when you can’t even list the following as honorable mentions:

Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II Turbo
Sunset Riders
Sunset Riders
Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman 2
Super Bomberman 2
Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV
Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Super Punch-Out!!
Super Punch-Out!!
[More like Yoshi's Island -Ed.]
[More like Yoshi’s Island -Ed.]

Hey, I’m just going by the box title!

SHELF ELEVEN

zsteverow11

BEST GAME
Tetris Attack
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Super Street Fighter II
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time

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Mega addicting. Bloody brilliant.

Way too close a call between Super Street Fighter II and Turtles in Time. To exclude either would be downright wrong.

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WORST GAME
Time Slip
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Tom & Jerry

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It wishes it were a homeless man’s Contra.

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Not horrible but never passes mediocrity.

GUILTY PLEASURES
SWAT Kats
Tecmo Super NBA Basketball

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Reminds me of a 1990 NES game.
And I say that affectionately!

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Outdated but still kind of fun.

UNSUNG HEROES
Super Smash TV
Super Turrican
Super Turrican 2
Tecmo Super Baseball

Tecmo Super Bowl
Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose

TMNT: Tournament Fighters

Ranging from pretty good to excellent, any of these games would do well to round out a strong Super Nintendo collection.

Super Smash TV
Super Smash TV
Super Turrican
Super Turrican
Super Turrican 2
Super Turrican 2
Tecmo Super Baseball
Tecmo Super Baseball
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose
Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose
TMNT: Tournament Fighters
TMNT: Tournament Fighters

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Thunder Spirits

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Thunder Force III eats it for breakfast.

MOST SURPRISING
Super Slap Shot

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I really thought this game was going to suck but it ended up reminding me of a 16-bit version of Blades of Steel. Let me pump the brakes because I don’t want to overstate this game’s stock — but it’s surprisingly decent!

Blades of Steel (NES)
Blades of Steel (NES)

MOST WANTED
Super Star Wars
Super Empire Strikes Back
Super Return of the Jedi

Super Star Wars
Super Star Wars

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I played the first one very briefly. It’s time I rectify this and play the other two. R.I.P. Carrie Fisher :(

Super Empire Strikes Back
Super Empire Strikes Back
Super Return of the Jedi
Super Return of the Jedi

MISCELLANEOUS

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Time Trax isn’t too shabby.

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Can’t go wrong with the Top Gear trilogy.

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Closest thing to Out Run on the SNES :)

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I had an odd fetish for Top Gear 3000

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It even sports a quirky 4 player mode!

SHELF TWELVE

zsteverow12

The box of EarthBound is so big it needed its own shelf!

Love, LOVE this wacky game!
A classic coming-of-age adventure!

BEST GAME
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
HONORABLE MENTION
Wild Guns

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Two of the best SNES games to play with a friend.

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WORST GAME
Ultraman
DISHONORABLE MENTION
Wild C.A.T.S.

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Ultraman was one of the earliest SNES games my brother and I rented. Even back then we knew it sucked. I keep it for the sheer nostalgia…

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Wild C.A.T.S. isn’t awful. Just eh.

GUILTY PLEASURE
Wolfchild

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The old man’s been kidnapped and it’s up to you to save pops. Luckily, you can turn into a werewolf as well as use a wide variety of firearms. Nothing special, but it’s enjoyable enough, especially on a rainy day.

UNSUNG HEROES
The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang
True Lies
U.N. Squadron

World Heroes
World Heroes 2

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Vladamasco is being ruled under the iron fist of the diabolical General Von Hesler. As young Spike, a junior magician and vampire in training, you must traverse many strange lands to put an end to Von Hesler’s wicked ways. Attack with your trusty cape and hat (which can be upgraded) in this short but sweet action RPG. It can be beaten in three measly hours, but what fun you’ll have!

Worthy of the Arnold name, True Lies is barbaric and one of the best 16-bit movie licensed games. Few SNES games can match its sheer brutality.

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U.N. Squadron is loads of fun.

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I’ve always found the SNES port of World Heroes to be underrated and faithful. Easy to pull off combos, vibrant visuals and those oh-so-vicious Death Matches make this one a winner in my book. Besides, where else can you knock someone into burning ropes?

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16 fighters, 24 megs and 32 fists (plus a sword and bearded axe) to contend with, World Heroes 2 is everything a sequel should be: bigger and better. The home port adds in a speed option and the ability to play as the two bosses, bringing the count to a whopping 16. Only Super Street Fighter II had as many at that time. Truly an unsung hero. Pun intended.

MOST DISAPPOINTING
Total Carnage

Total Carnage is a semi-sequel to Super Smash TV that fails to recapture the magic of the original. This is further exacerbated by a somewhat shoddy home port.

MOST SURPRISING
Wolfenstein 3D

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I saw Wolfenstein at a friend’s house in 1992 but my first time ever playing it was with the Super Nintendo in early 1994. And I freaking loved it. I was surprised by how smoothly it ran, relatively speaking of course. In my book, it stands as a stunning, underrated achievement.

MOST WANTED
Ys III: Wanderers From Ys

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It will be my first Ys game! :)

MISCELLANEOUS

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Tuff E Nuff is kind of odd, from the energy bar placement to the title printed on the box, which reads in full: Hey Punk! Are You Tuff E Nuff? It’s fairly decent for a homegrown SNES fighter, however.

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Speaking of homegrown fighters, WeaponLord is very deep.

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X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse was a step in the right direction.

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Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is worth a look.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

stevesnescol

Super Nintendo games represent a sweet spot in gaming for me. It was during a time where games weren’t overly simplistic yet they weren’t yet too complicated, either. It just strikes that happy medium for me. I also find that many SNES games have aged extremely well. Many are as playable and as enjoyable today as they were 20, 25 years ago. It’s a true testament to the timeless quality that many of these games exude.

Playing beats quelling a childhood curiosity at long last!
Nothing like quelling a childhood curiosity at long last!

One of my favorite things to do is come home on a Friday night after a long grueling work week, head to the game room and finally playing that one game that I’ve been wondering about ever since the ’90s. Finding the game on the shelf, opening it up, reading through the color manual, and popping it in to at long last quell a 20+ year curiosity. One guy said it best years ago when he said “It feels like I’m fulfilling my childhood dreams.” Aside from your SNES classics and gems, I find there are also over 100 games that are perfectly playable and enjoyable. Maybe they’re nothing to write home about necessarily, but they can certainly entertain you for a weekend or two. I own over 400 boxed Super Nintendo games and I’d say only a small handful of them are bad. It really blows my mind how deep the SNES library is. It’s probably why I find myself coming back to the system time after time. It’s been a great journey these past 10 years!

Here's to 10 more!
Thanks for the memories, SNES :)
Here's to 10 more years! :D
Here’s to 10 more years!  :D