The Super Nintendo is one of the most beloved video game consoles ever made. And although the system has a truly immense library of great games, narrowing that list down to, say, 30 entries, could be quite difficult.
But that’s probably what Nintendo will have to do, if reports of a Super Nintendo classic version are true.
If Nintendo indeed is working on a SNES classic, it likely will mimic what it did with the recently discontinued NES Classic Edition, which came with 30 pre-installed games. Although most of the games Nintendo selected were excellent, naturally there were some choice games that unfortunately didn’t make the cut.
Here are seven games we hope will make the cut on the SNES classic, but more likely than not will be left behind:
“Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars”
A cult classic among Mario fans, “Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars” is a truly unique entry in the Mario canon. In addition to being the first role-playing game in the series, this game broke “Super Mario Bros” tradition of featuring Bowser as the primary villain. That role instead is filled by Smithy, a robotic blacksmith from an alternate dimension who wants to control the world.
If that character description alone doesn’t show you how unique this game is, nothing will.
“Aladdin”
Based on the movie of the same name, this 2-D side-scrolling game is a favorite among Super Nintendo owners, but likely isn’t popular enough to make it on the classic edition. In addition to featuring awesome music, graphics and gameplay, the game used apples as primary weapons, which surprisingly were effective.
“Super Double Dragon”
This underrated beat-em-up game often is forgotten among other “Double Dragon” entries, but we hope it doesn’t get left behind by Nintendo. As usual, gamers control martial artists Billy and Jimmy as they take on the evil Shadow Warriors gang. Like the other games in the series, this version’s combat is as addictive as it is challenging.
“The Adventures of Batman & Robin”
In all seriousness, this might be the best “Batman” game other than “Batman: Arkham Asylum.” The sound and graphics are almost identical to the ones found in the classic cartoon, which is pretty remarkable considering this game released in 1994. While the Batmobile stages are a little frustrating, the rest of this game is great.
“The Legend of the Mystical Ninja”
This role-playing game is both hilarious and utterly ridiculous. The series was a much bigger hit in Japan than it was in the United States, which unfortunately could keep it off the SNES classic. Players have a wide range of weapons and abilities to choose from, and the strategy that goes into navigating the game’s many levels is pretty impressive.
“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition”
We’re not sure a game featuring the Power Rangers would be much of a hit nowadays, but that doesn’t diminish how awesome “Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition” is. The game’s combat is surprisingly smooth, and the characters and sounds all are faithful to the popular TV series.
“Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen”
We said “The Legend of the Mystical Ninja” had one of the greatest names in gaming history, not the greatest. That’s because that distinction goes to “Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen.” This game is so much more than a flashy title, though.
In this bizarre role-playing adventure, players must build armies from humans, imps and other ridiculous creatures. With your army, you set out on a quest to free various towns from evil emperor lords. Badass.
