It’s a bit of an understatement to say that the NES Classic; Nintendo’s miniaturized version of their namesake debut console: the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was a smashing success.
The end is nigh for the NES Classic
The release of the novelty was met with instant sell-outs at every retailer who carried the device, and subsequently led to ridiculous prices being charged by scalpers on the secondary markets like Ebay.
But as everyone knows, the good times can’t last forever, and Nintendo has announced that the NES Classic was coming to an end – not because they didn’t think they would be unable to sell more: quite the contrary. They’ve decided to call it quits on the NES Classic simply because they can.
This has led to consternation from all corners of the gaming spectrum. “What are you thinking Nintendo!!??” come the frenzied cries of those who must now face a bleak, NES Classic-less future.
While on the surface, ending shipments of a product that would undoubtedly continue to sell well does feel like a contradictory exercise in sanity, a new report from Eurogamer may have shed some light on the actual reasoning behind Nintendo’s seemingly cruel move.
They’re working on a SNES Classic!
While the reports of an impending SNES Classic edition have not been confirmed, its existence and eventual release shed the light of reason as to why the NES Classic is going bye-bye: they don’t want either of the two products to cannibalize each other.
The natural progression to a SNES Classic edition also opens the door for Nintendo to annualize their retro plug-and-play line. It’s feasible to imagine that a Game Boy Classic, Game Boy Color, N64, Game Boy Advance – all of those could be in the works and released each year now that the NES Classic has paved the way.
That re-release progression through Nintendo’s storied history is still a ways off, so let’s talk about the immediate future.
The SNES Classic!
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) is, in my opinion, the best console Nintendo has ever released, and was a seminal moment for the gaming industry as a whole.
Where the NES could be described as the point where developers learned the art of making games – the SNES could be considered the point where developers learned how to create art.
The SNES was the canvass upon which so many of the styles and tropes that we still see in modern games got their start. Glixel’s Keith Stewart laid things out perfectly in an August 2016 article for that publication, entitled: Why Super Nintendo Is The Reason You’re Still Playing Video Games.
“The SNES was a platform for experienced Nintendo craftspeople. It teased miracles from old cohorts like Capcom (Street Fighter II, Breath of Fire, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts) and Konami (Contra III, the Castlevaniatitles, International Superstar Soccer), and it opened up fresh avenues for Western developers like Acclaim, Interplay and Rare.”
So with the holiday arrival of the SNES Classic almost a sure thing, let’s take a look at the 30 games that should be included on the device. Keep in mind that I’m listing 30 games here because that was the amount that was included with the NES Classic. It’s highly likely that we won’t see that large of a number included in an SNES Classic upon release – but we can dream, can’t we?
So here are 30 games that I’d like to see included on the SNES Classic, if and when it comes out
- NBA Jam: Tournament Edition – A classic arcade hit and one of the best sports games to grace the SNES. NBA Jam: Tournament Edition perfected the 2-on-2 arcade basketball formula, with its fast, addictive gameplay.
- Super Punch Out – Although its 1994 release would eventually be overshadowed by Super Metroid and Donkey Kong Country, Super Punch Out expanded on everything that made the original NES game a classic.
- Super Star Wars – An action-platform game that was famous for its unforgiving difficulty. A quarter of a century later and Super Star Wars is still one of the best Star Wars games ever released.
There might be a small riot if an SNES Classic edition releases with the omission of Earthbound.
- Earthbound – One of the plethora of amazing RPG’s that released on the system, Earthbound’s charming, quirky story and characters have earned it a fanatical following throughout the years.
- Contra III – How could you not include Contra III? It’s only the defining action masterpiece of the SNES era!
- Lufia 2 – Another classic RPG on a system filled to the brim with classics.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time – Still one of the best beat-’em-up’s ever made, TMNT IV still holds up incredibly well today.
- Secret of Evermore – The only title produced by Squaresoft’s USA office, Secret of Evermore offered a modern twist on the gameplay first introduced in its more famous cousin: Secret of Mana.
- ActRaiser – God-like world building sim and platform action game, all in one game! There really isn’t anything else quite like it in the SNES’ extensive library.
- ActRaiser 2 – This one was a bit more controversial because it eschewed many of the original title’s unique city building aspects, and focused squarely on platforming.
- Breath of Fire – Sure, it may have stuck to RPG convention’s a little too closely, but that doesn’t mean that Breath of Fire wasn’t a good game. Breath of Fire was a solid first effort and featured memorable cast of shape-shifting characters.
ActRaiser 2 was a radical departure from its predecessor.
- Tetris Attack – A revamped version of Panel de Pon, Tetris Attack’s frenetic, strategic gameplay keeps it firmly planted at the top of my list of favorite puzzle games. This game has been re-released over the years; most notably as Pokemon Puzzle League.
- Secret of Mana – One of Squaresoft’s absolute best titles ever, Secret of Mana featured deep RPG mechanics wrapped in a blanket of real-time-combat gameplay. Up to three players could team up on this epic quest!
- Zombies Ate My Neighbors – A zany top-down, zombie-shooting action for one or two players. Zombies Ate My Neighbors married it’s fun level design and shooting action to a B horror movie aesthetic that made killing zombies cool before Resident Evil.
- Super Castlevania IV – Simon Belmont returned in one of the final lead up’s to the series renaissance in the PlayStarion classic, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Super Castlevania IV was the grandest adventure yet in the Belmont family saga, and a fantastic addition to the SNES library.
- Mega Man X – Although there were countless Mega Man games before and after, Mega Man X represents the
Mega Man was never better than in his SNES debut: Mega Man X.
pinnacle of the Mega Man series. Great graphics, memorable level and enemy design, an all-new story, and one of the greatest soundtracks in gaming history make the blue bomber’s SNES debut one of the best titles for the system.
- F-Zero – F-Zero captivated early SNES adopters with its unbelievably fast speeds and snazzy Mode 7 graphics effects, giving birth to the granddaddy of the futuristic racing genre.
- Star Fox – The Super FX-powered series debut is still the best! Star Fox had an insanely eclectic cast of characters, a great soundtrack, and fantastic 3D space shooting action.
- Super Mario RPG – Here’s a fun fact: did you know that Super Mario RPG is the most highly regarded SNES game among the NerdBacon staff? It’s true! Nintendo and the guru’s of RPG’s, Squaresoft, teamed up to bring Mario into the realm of role-playing. Super Mario RPG melded many aspects of the RPG genre with more action-oriented sensibilities to craft the last truly great game for the SNES.
The only dreadful news would be if Super Mario RPG was not included on a SNES Classic.
- Donkey Kong Country – This rebirth of Nintendo’s original mascot was once again, a turning point for the company. Developed by Rare, this was the first Nintendo title to utilized the then extremely high-tech graphics rendering capabilities of Silicon Graphics workstations. The result was a fantastic platformer that looked impossibly good for a 16-bit game. Thanks to Donkey Kong Country, Nintendo was able to pull ahead of its rival, Sega in the home console race.
- Donkey Kong Country 2 – A year after the smashing success of Donkey Kong Country, a sequel was born! Donkey Kong Country 2 expanded upon the great gameplay of the original, introduced the plucky Dixie Kong, and delivered one of the finest soundtracks in the system’s history.
- Pilotwings – Another example of Nintendo’s willingness to innovate, Pilotwings placed players in the role of students trying to pass their flight exams and earn their wings. Pilotwings focused on the joy and skill of flight, rather than the combat mechanics found in nearly every other flight game of the era.
- Street Fighter II Turbo – Street Fighter II was the “big bang” moment that precipitated the entire fighting game genre. Street Fighter II Turbo for the SNES turned everything up a notch by providing faster speeds and the ability to play as the original’s four boss characters. Street Fighter II Turbo was the measuring stick by which all other fighting games for the system would be judged.
- Super Mario Kart – For many, the memories of many an after school after noon playing Super Mario Kart
If you had a SNES, chances are you had Super Mario Kart.
are synonymous with the SNES itself. Yet another genre that saw its birth on the SNES, the brilliance of Super Mario Kart is only now being eclipsed with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island – On a system beset by various platformer’s, Yoshi’s Island provided a brilliant breath of fresh air. Steering away from the normal conventions with its focus on exploration and item collection, Nintendo created an absolute masterpiece that laid the ground work for the shift to 3D that would come later.
- Final Fantasy III – Known as Final Fantasy VI in Japan, Final Fantasy III is still regarded by many fans as the best in the series. It was a magnum opus that pushed the boundaries of narrative and laid the groundwork for every subsequent Final Fantasy entry.
- Chrono Trigger – My personal favorite game of all time, Chrono Trigger was a dream project between the studios behind the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series’. Featuring an unforgettable cast, gorgeous artwork, and a truly inspired soundtrack, Chrono Trigger took players on an RPG adventure through time!
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – The SNES entry in the Legend of Zelda series was one of the most important games that Nintendo ever developed, bringing the series back to its roots, while setting the conventions for the series that would be followed for two decades.
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was a definitive title for the series.
- Super Metroid – A crowning achievement that continues to top many “best of” lists for the SNES, Super
Super Mario World was nothing short of a masterpiece.
Metroid wowed gamers with its uncharacteristically moody atmosphere and visuals. Its method of tantalizing players with new areas that could be explored only after finding required upgrades is still inspiring game developers to this day.
- Super Mario World – No discussion of the SNES is complete without its fantastic launch game: Super MarioWorld! Featuring an epic world with 96 levels, new gameplay mechanics, and the introduction of dino-pal, Yoshi, Mario’s first foray into life after the NES was a profound experience.
There you have it. The 30 titles I’d most like to see on the SNES Classic.
Is there a game that you think I’m completely off about, or one you would like to see included? Hit us up with your super classic comments in the comments section below.
Written by The Watchman
He’s also an actor, a reporter, a pro wrestling connoisseur, and some say he’s a cat whisperer.
If you have any questions or just want to drop me a line, hit me up at thewatchman@butthole.nerdbacon.com
Or follow me on Twitter @DavetheWatchman
You can also game with me!
Look me up on Xbox Live @ DJKhadoken
Or on PlayStation Network @ Eaglevision_dl
