25 Games That Should be on the SNES Mini | List

It's heavily rumoured that a SNES Classic Edition (unofficially dubbed 'SNES Mini') is being developed by Nintendo for release this Winter. It wouldn't be surprising if they announced it at this year's E3 event for maximum exposure but we'll have to wait and see what they have up their sleeves. If such a device is in development then the discontinuation of the NES Mini would make slightly more sense from a business point of view, so the two 'Mini' consoles don't compete with each other or cause confusion as to which device is which.

Regardless of Nintendo's business practices, I can't help but be excited at the idea of a SNES Mini, the SNES library of games is huge, varied and features some of the greatest and most beloved video games ever made. As such, I've written a list of the top 25 games I would like to see featured on a SNES Mini, if most of these games make the cut, I think the device will sell extremely well (and hopefully this time Nintendo will see the demand coming and be able to make enough stock to satisfy everyone).

There are a few games that are missing from the list either because they are too unpopular and wouldn't appeal to enough people to sell the console or because they aren't quite good enough to make it into the top 25. One game I would like to see on the SNES Mini that isn't featured on this list is Wild Guns, but I doubt that will actually happen. Anyway, let's begin the list with number 25:

25

Final Fantasy (IV, V, VI)

I've never particularly been interested in the Final Fantasy series and I know very little about the earlier games in the franchise. However, I'm sure there are tons of people who would think any SNES collection without one of these games would be incomplete. With the popularity the series has today, featuring an older game on the SNES Mini may be a good way to introduce the past games to new audiences.

I'm unsure as to which of the SNES Final Fantasy games is considered the best, so rather than be specific about it I thought I would just put them all on here. Maybe one day I'll play through them but for now, let's move on to the next game on the list.

24

Secret of Mana

This is a little bit of a weird one to put straight after Final Fantasy due to the Mana series originally being a Final Fantasy spin off, but with Secret of Mana (the second game in the series) the Final Fantasy ties were broken and it became it's own entity. This is another game I've never played but one which I am more interested to try due to it not featuring typical SNES RPG combat.

Not only is the game multiplayer co-op, featuring three different characters to control with their own special abilities, but the combat is real time rather than being turn based which may be a common thing nowadays but in the SNES era, this was quite unique. If only for the fresh take on the RPG formula I would love to see Secret of Mana on the SNES Mini.

23

Mortal Kombat II

The Mortal Kombat series has to be one of the most iconic fighting games of all time (along with Street Fighter and Tekken) so clearly at least one of it's games has to be in a SNES compilation. It's debated as to whether the SNES version or Mega Drive (also known as the Genesis for you Americans) version is better but I personally think the SNES port is the highest quality of the two.

An obvious reason to not put Mortal Kombat II on the SNES Mini is because it's quite violent and features blood, guts and gore. Nintendo may want to keep the console kid friendly to some extent and this is one of the few games on the SNES which would stop that from happening if it was featured. It's unlikely we will see a Mortal Kombat game on the SNES Mini, but it would be a pleasant surprise if it was included in the library of games.

22

Kirby's Dream Land 3

If you've played a Kirby game before you know what you're getting yourself into with this. It's a cute 2D platformer aimed at kids and features a colourful hand drawn art style. The main gimmick of this particular Kirby game is that you can use animal friends to help you manoeuvre around the stages in different ways which does a good job of separating this game from the others in the series. It's not the best platformer on this list (it's not even the best Kirby game on this list) but it still deserves your attention.

21

Earthworm Jim

Unlike Mortal Kombat II, this is a game where the Mega Drive/Genesis version is generally regarded as being better, however that doesn't mean that the SNES version is bad by any means. No matter what system you play it on, Earthworm Jim is a great action platformer.

The thing that sets this game apart from the hundreds of others in the same genre is how strange and wacky it is. In what other game do you grab hoops and swing across gaps by using your head as a rope? None. It's worth playing just to see what ridiculous thing will happen next.

20

Chrono Trigger

I've put this on the list purely because I know how popular and highly rated it is. I actually know very little about the game but I do plan on trying it one day and what better way to play it than on the SNES Mini. I'm sure there are many others like me that want to give this game a go but haven't had the opportunity to do so.

Basically it's a typical style RPG which features a vast overworld and turn based combat. I think where this game is considered to become something special is in it's story, not only is the plot praised by tons of people but it features thirteen different endings and a new game plus option after beating the game which increases replay-ability.

19

Pilotwings

This is quite a weird game in the SNES library and the only one of it's kind on this list. Basically it's a flying simulator where you learn to control different air vehicles in order to get your flying license. The game is 3D which is unusual for a SNES game but still features 2D textures and sprites which makes it look slightly dated, however while it may not look amazing or sound amazing from my description it's actually really fun and addictive. It's probably one of those games which you can't do justice by describing it. You need to play it to understand.

18

Super Bomberman

I had no idea how many Super Bomberman games existed before doing research for this list, it's quite insane and most of them are exclusive to Japan or the EU which is quite odd too. Nevertheless the Bomberman game I want to see on the SNES Mini is the first Super Bomberman because of it's simplicity and the inclusion of a multiplayer mode.

This is an excellent party game that would make owning a second controller for the system worthwhile, it's fast paced fun that anyone can pick up and play.

17

Super Mario RPG

This is yet another SNES RPG I've never played. If you can't tell, I'm not the biggest fan of traditional RPG games hence me having never played Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger, however, Super Mario RPG has a distinct advantage over those other RPGs; it has Mario in it.

With it being a Nintendo owned game there's no reason this couldn't be featured on the SNES Mini, it's an interesting spin off to the Super Mario series and is the precursor to the Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi RPGs.

The biggest reason I would like to see this on the SNES Mini though is because it's never been released in Europe and would mark the first time it's officially been available here. I'm sure that would give people extra incentive to buy one of the consoles, especially if they're fans of the newer Mario RPG games.

16

Super Smash T.V.

This is perhaps one of the lesser known games on this list but that doesn't mean it's any less fun. Super Smash T.V. is a twin stick shooter where you control a character who takes part in a violent game show where the objective is to kill anything that moves. It's hectic, fast paced and keeps you wanting to beat your high score and get further into the game. The best thing about Super Smash T.V. though is the multiplayer mode that makes the experience infinitely more fun. Let's just hope Nintendo give this game it's time in the spotlight by featuring it on the SNES Mini so it can be introduced to new players.

15

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Despite the game's title, this actually isn't a Super Mario game, it's actually the first in the main series of Yoshi platformers and is very different to the Super Mario series. The main mechanic that separates the Yoshi games from the typical Super Mario games is how Yoshi can swallow enemies and turn them into eggs which can then be used as projectile weapons which adds a lot of potential for enemy and environment variety.

It's also a slower paced game than the Super Mario series and is quite substantially easier due to Yoshi's ability to endlessly flutter jump which with good timing will allow him to glide through the air for long distances. However, just because it's fairly easy doesn't mean it's bad. This is a great game with a really interesting art style and offers a new take on the Mario universe.

14

F-Zero

Fans of F-Zero have been asking for a new game in the series since the last release in 2004. Why not give those fans at least a little bit of something by putting the original F-Zero on the SNES Mini? Sure it won't be a brand new game but it might give the series some new fans who will join the existing ones to let Nintendo know people want a new game in the series.

Aside from that though, F-Zero is a great racing game that is almost a sort of precursor to the Wipeout series. What really separates F-Zero from other racing games on the SNES is the futuristic setting as well as the extremely fast paced gameplay. The emphasis on getting into the top position and staying there is massive due to the fact that the player in last place will be eliminated when the lap ends. In this regard it becomes more of a battle royale than a race in some ways.

13

Star Fox

This is one of the more unique SNES games out there because it actually featured fully 3D graphics in which you could also move in 3D space. While the game looks quite dated by today's standards, you can't argue that this style of game was way ahead of it's time, especially considering it came out on the SNES which normally only featured 2D graphics.

At it's core, Star Fox is a simple rail shooter but it has a few elements that separate it from other games in the genre, for example, crashing into obstacles will actually break different parts of your ship, affecting the controls and dealing damage which keeps things quite immersive. Not only that but the difficulty selection is more interesting than a standard game. Rather than selecting easy, medium or hard, the difficulty is determined by what paths you take to traverse the Lylat System which is not only interesting but offers a lot of replay value.

Even if it's just for the technical achievement, this game has to be included on the SNES Mini.

12

Contra III: The Alien Wars

This game would surely have to be included in a SNES collection, not only because it's a great game but because there's not that many side scrolling shooters (at least of this quality) on the SNES. Not only that but this is also a great co-op game which would give you a reason to get a second controller.

Contra III: The Alien Wars keeps the same style as the original games but also adds quite a few more gameplay sections into the mix, it's not only a side scroller but it's a top down shooter as well as featuring vehicle sections such as motorbikes and even riding on top of missiles. It's an action packed adventure that is enhanced greatly by the 2-player mode.

11

Super Street Fighter II

Doing research on Street Fighter is enough to give you a headache, as far as I can tell, the most upgraded version of Street Fighter II on the SNES is Super Street Fighter II. But aside from that version there's also Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, Street Fighter II: Championship Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II: Turbo, Hyper Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and finally Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers which is due to be released on the Nintendo Switch on the 26th May 2017. That is a ridiculous amount of re-releases of the same game and the thing that makes it even more insane is that they're still modifying it twenty six years after it originally came out.

 I'm not that into fighting games, but if I was to sit down and play any of them, it would probably be Street Fighter with it being slightly more accessible than the other big titles (in my opinion). Despite this being a classic SNES game, I actually don't think we'll be seeing this on the SNES Mini because of the new Switch version coming out so soon and neither Nintendo or Capcom will want sales to be reduced for the new Street Fighter II, by including the older one on another system.

If it was to be included though, it would be another awesome multiplayer game to sink your teeth into and I'm sure fans of the Street Fighter series would appreciate and play it too.

10

Mega Man X

Mega Man needs no introduction, but this is Mega Man X, not the tenth Mega Man game (that's called Mega Man 10, which is extremely confusing) but a sort of spin off to the main series of Mega Man games which featured the same core gameplay as the original NES games but gave this new rendition of Mega Man some new abilities (such as dashing and wall jumping) which not only speeds the game up but also introduces more technical platforming sections.

This is exactly the game you would have expected the Mega Man series to turn into after the jump to 8-bit to 16-bit consoles. Mega Man X doesn't disappoint it's old fans but it's also more accessible than the previous games in the series, making it so new fans will be able to quickly get into Mega Man X for the first time and experience the further adventures of the blue bomber.

9

Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts

This game is the third in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series and is probably the most popular out of all of the games in the franchise. Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts features some extremely difficult platforming in a similar vain to Castlevania (even sharing the horror/medieval themes) but where Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts separates itself is in it's zaniness. I don't think you would ever get hit in Castlevania and lose all of your clothes and have to resort to running around in your underwear but that's exactly what happens in Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts.

This is a very fun and challenging platformer that is sure to appeal to the more 'hardcore' gamers out there who are looking for something with more difficulty than a standard platformer.

8

Donkey Kong Country

This is a game that was released fairly late into the SNES lifecycle (although it did actually have two sequels that were released even later which also would be cool to see in the SNES Mini library) and as such it features some very unique visuals. Unlike most other SNES games which used a more pixelated art style, Donkey Kong Country actually features 3D models and a 3D world, the game is still a 2D platformer but there's a great sense of depth that makes the backgrounds feel a lot more alive than in most other games on the system.

Not only is Donkey Kong Country a technical feat but it's also a really good game generally, the levels are varied and interesting, the controls are some of the most responsive of any SNES game and the music is also some of the best on the system. Like so many other games on this list, it's an absolutely essential SNES game.

7

Earthbound

I feel like Earthbound and the Mother series have suddenly become popular in recent years, possibly due to the influx of some fantastic games coming out that have been inspired by Earthbound's gameplay, it's forth wall breaking and overall weird and whimsical style (such as Undertale and Lisa).

Regardless, Earthbound is a great game in it's own right. Admittedly I have hardly played any of it, but from what I have played I know it's something I would be very into if I invested the time into it. Fundamentally it's a simple turn based RPG, but the main difference is in how Earthbound is set in a normal modern day setting but adds some surreal elements to make things more interesting. There's no potions here to heal your health, instead you can eat a burger. It's an interesting idea that's incredibly executed and a short description of what the game is simply won't do it justice. It needs to be on the SNES Mini to be accessible to even more people.

6

Super Castlevania IV

This is probably the second best Castlevania game (at least out of the ones I've played) and absolutely needs to be included in this collection. If you've played any of the earlier Castlevania games then you know what to expect here. A difficult 2D platformer in a Gothic setting featuring famous horror icons as the main enemies.

Also it features some fantastic music and graphics that still sound and look good to this very day. A true classic for the SNES.

5

Kirby Super Star

I don't even know where to begin with this particular game. It's basically a compilation of lots of different platformer games and minigames which all feature Kirby as the protagonist. There's a remake of Kirby's Dream Land (originally released for the Game Boy), then there's Dyna Blade and Milky Way Wishes which are brand new Kirby games to play through and then there's a ton of extra games which feature more of an emphasis on racing, collectables and more.

The shear amount of variety in this one game could keep you entertained for hours so it's inclusion in the SNES Mini library would be incredible.

4

Super Mario Kart

Not only is Super Mario Kart interesting to play because it's the first ever Mario Kart game, but it's also still pretty fun even to this day and would be the absolute best multiplayer game on the SNES Mini if it was included.

While it lacks some of the more advanced mechanics in the later Mario Kart games (such as drifting) and the 2D sprites and assets can make the 3D aspect of the game look extremely dated, at it's core this is still a great game with some varied courses and fast paced gameplay. It's also got a Battle Mode just in case you want to take a break from the racing aspect.

3

Super Metroid

We have now entered the top three games on the list and what better way to start this section than with a game like Super Metroid. This game takes what made the original Metroid something quite special but then expands it, makes it look a lot nicer and most importantly gives you a map.

For those that don't already know, Super Metroid is a 2D exploration based platformer which features puzzles scattered throughout. There's a heavy emphasis on backtracking and finding secrets which is cleverly implemented into the game through all the different power-ups you collect which all have multiple uses. Not only that but Super Metroid is actually quite cinematic for it's time and was clearly inspired by films such as Ridley Scott's Alien (the main antagonist of the Metroid series is even named Ridley).

2

Super Mario World

This is probably the most popular and in my opinion one of the best platformers on the SNES, it's another obvious inclusion but it's an essential game to be in a SNES compilation.

At it's core, Super Mario World is basically just Super Mario Bros. 3 (released for the NES) but with a huge graphical upgrade and quite a few new features. Out of all of the 2D Mario games, this one is probably the best and also happens to be the highest rated too.

1

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

You probably could have seen this one coming from a mile away, but yes, the number one spot is taken by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, arguably one of the best Zelda games despite it's age. I've never finished this particular Zelda game so it would be nice for it to be included on the SNES Mini so I could finally get around to doing so.

If a SNES Mini ever gets developed, I don't think there's any chance that this won't be included in the collection of games, not only is it at the top of most best SNES games lists but it's also got insanely high ratings and is an essential game to have in any SNES collection.

That sums up my list of 25 games I want to see on the SNES Mini, what do you think? Do you agree with my list or think I've missed some games out? Let me know in the comments below and thank you for reading!