SNES games worth collecting

[prismra]

So I have come to a couple of conclusions.

#1
Loose carts are nice and all but only complete cartridge-based games are really going to be super-collectible and genuinely rare down the line.

#2
Having a complete SNES collection would be amazing but ultimately a hollow victory (for me personally). Would anyone really be impressed by the 500-600 shit-to-mediocre games that make up the bulk of the SNES library? Most would say no. I also cannot justify the cost or shelf space for such an endeavor. Also how many of these B, C or D-list games would I EVER play for more than the 5 minutes allotted to satisfy morbid curiosity?

The impetus behind this post is not really to argue and debate the above suppositions but to get some genuine, experienced community feedback from you.

Out of the ~725 SNES games available, how many are worth the time, expense and shelf-space to collect complete?

I have a preliminary list. Included are, arguably, some of the best games in the Super Nintendo library. I tried to exclude any ports unless the port offers something significantly different from the original incarnation. There are a couple of exceptions (e.g. NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat II and Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Turtles in Time) that are great ports and will be played constantly so they were included in my list.

And without further delay...

The list:

7th Saga, The
ActRaiser
ActRaiser 2
Addams Family, The
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs
Breath of Fire
Breath of Fire II
Castlevania: Dracula X
Chrono Trigger
Contra III: The Alien Wars
Cybernator
Demon's Crest
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
E.V.O.: Search for Eden
EarthBound
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim 2
Equinox
F-Zero
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
Final Fight 2
Final Fight 3
Gradius III
Harvest Moon
Illusion of Gaia
Incantation
Joe and Mac
Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics
Jurassic Park
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby Superstar
Legend of the Mystical Ninja, The
Legend of Zelda, The: A Link to the Past
Lufia & the Fortress of Doom
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
Mario Paint
MechWarrior
Mega Man 7
Mega Man's Soccer
Mega Man X
Mega Man X2
Mega Man X3
Metal Warriors
Mortal Kombat II
NBA Jam Tournament Edition
Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen
Pilotwings
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky 2
R-Type 3
Rock 'N Roll Racing
Secret of Evermore, The
Secret of Mana
Shadowrun
Soul Blazer
Space Megaforce
Sparkster
Star Fox
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Future's Past
Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Adventure Island
Super Adventure Island 2
Super Bomberman 2
Super Bomberman Party Pak
Super Bonk
Super Castlevania IV
Super Double Dragon
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Metroid
Super Punch Out!!
Super Star Wars
Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Super Turrican
Super Turrican 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
Tetris Attack
Top Gear 3000
UN Squadron
Wild Guns
Zombies Ate My Neighbors

So, my fellow SNES addicts, what games are I missing? Pocky and Rocky would not have even made this list had I not picked up the first one (loose) at a swap meet. I know there are other gems out there. Help me find them!!!

I have attached a txt file with a list of the ~700 U.S. Super Nintendo games for reference. I may have some mistakes on there but it is pretty damn close to complete.

Thoughts?

Thank-you.

[Mason P.]

I think its a great list, and I was considering colleting some of the best games for the system. That said you should have Knights of the Round on that list. To me its one of the best games on the system.

[prismra]

Thanks, Mason!

Knights of the Round is kickass.

What about Magic Sword?

[Trebuken]

Aero Fighters
Axelay
Brandish
Donkey Kong Country 3 (You have 1+2 on the list)
Firepower 2000
Gemfire
Gradius III (you have V?)
Joe and Mac 1 + 2
Magic Sword
Out of this World
Pac-Attack
Paladin's Quest
R-Type 3
Super Smash TV
Ys III

Not sure if any of those are ports, except from the arcade, but maybe...

[Natty Bumppo]

Some others that might be worth your while:

Gemfire
Super Conflict
Paladin's Quest
Super Rampart
The Ultima games
Civilization
War 2410
War 3100
Metal Marines
Addams Family Values
Brainlord
Brandish
Super Battleship

Probably some others, but those come to mind for now.

[DigitalSpace]

You accidentally listed Gradius V instead of III.

I'd add these:

-Axelay (your list is lacking in shmups)
-Biker Mice From Mars (Rock N Roll Racing meets Mario Kart, developed by Konami)
-Dino City (One of the most underrated platformers on the system, and an R6)
-Firepower 2000 (another great shmup that was an SNES exclusive in the U.S.)
-Killer Instinct (COMBO!)
-Kirby Super Star
-On The Ball (You guide a marble through mazes in this underrated gem)
-Raiden Trad (okay, it's also on the Genesis, but it offers multiplayer)
-SimCity (has some unique Nintendo touches, such as Dr. Wright and the option to have Bowser stomp through your city)
-Space Megaforce (best vertical shmup on the system)
-Spanky's Quest (another underrated SNES game that nobody has seemed to play. Reminds me a bit of Bubble Bobble and Adventures of Lolo)
-Super R-Type and R-Type III
-The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang (another R6 worth hunting down, Action RPG)
-Uniracers
-Wario's Woods (better than the NES version)

[Atari 5200]

Rocky Rodent.

[Steven]

Rocky Rodent.


Speaking of which, I also recommend B.O.B. And who says you don't need a complete copy of Barkley Shut Up and Jam? ;) (I saw your post in Adol's thread).

[carlcarlson]

Excellent list. It looks like your tastes are very similar to mine, you've got about every game I would want. A few exceptions:

Mario All-Stars: If you aren't into ports then it's understandable to leave it off, but it does have Lost Levels which is worth it for some.

Blackthorne: I'll admit I didn't get very far into this game, but I thought it was a unique and enjoyable experience. It's also a Blizzard game (I think), which makes it almost instantly good in my book.

The Lost Vikings: I've actually never played this, but I've always heard it was great, and it's another Blizzard game.

[FrakAttack]

I would second Mario All-Stars and Metal Marines, and add Doom - surprisingly good for a 16-bit game, especially the music.

[Jackattack]

I like your style. Sadly my collection is far less impressive and of my 20ish SNES games only 1 is complete. :( On the bright side, 90% of them are on that list though. I wish it was reasonable for me to come across good SNES games complete but I've had no such luck. This is a fantastic list however and I will definitely look into these games and pick them up, if nothing else with the cart only. Thanks and good luck!

[outsider]

I don't see King Arthur's World on any of these lists. I have a complete SNES collection and it's one of the games I always seem to find myself replaying.

[Fuyukaze]

The problem I find is that from a collector's point, anything rare and complete would more often be thought of as more valuable then the more common games in the same shape. Take Chavez boxing II compared to Sim City. The first is a horrible game to most players but highly sought after by collectors where as the second is common as dirt so even complete is no wheres near as valuable to collectors as it is to game players.

If your wanting just the best games ever, you've got a good list I guess but then again there's a few on there I wouldnt consider that great either. Games like Mario Paint, does it realy qualify as a game? I'd add Ys to the list. Sure, it was also available for the Genesis as well but the SNES version always plays better in my opinion. Also, I'd recomend Arcana and Wizardry V.

[50TBRD]

Some of the games on your list are very good games but will never be worth anything becuase of number that were produced. The Star Wars games, SMW, SMK, Star Fox, NBA Jam, SF2 Turbo, Mario Paint and a few others.

There are hardly any truely rare games on your list. They gain value each year especially for complete.

If your only interested in playing good games why go throught the expense of buying complete, why not just get loose carts. I really can't see the values getting any lower and they're a fraction of the cost of complete.

I'd say that between 200-300 SNES games have with stood the test of time, but experiencing for yourself each game is priceless. It's kind of like movies; you really don't know how something is until YOU watch it.

[prismra]

To all, thanks for the ideas. I will have to play those on an emu and see if I agree with your recommendations. Many of those Koei strategy games are really dated (IMO) and never really interested me in the first place. In highschool, my buddy Dale played Romance of the Three Kingdoms religiously but I could never see the appeal. I always begged him to shut it off so we could play Wizardry V, Might and Magic III or Ogre Battle.

And just to clarify, by port I mean a game that was ported from the Arcade or PC/Amiga. I don't care much for those games unless the SNES version adds something missing in the orginal. Afterall, what are MAME and DOSBox for? Multiplatform games are fine by me!

So for now Doom, Lost Vikings and Blackthorne, Aero Fighters, Out of this World, Brainlord, the Ultimas and Flashback are out.

I tried Space Megaforce and I agree; it rocks my face off. I really dig it. I'm not sure what it is but it has a certain "je ne sais quoi". It's in.

Raiden Trad seems like a shitty port of the original Raiden from the Arcade.

I actually own Axelay (loose) and I can't really get into it. It seems like a mode-7 demo they made into a game. Blashphemy?

Rocky Roden is freakin' insane! You wield your finely sculped coiff to flip your enemies into the air like some kind of rhino beatle on PCP then fling yourself around by the head using said coiff to get "higher". What were they smoking when they made this game?

@outsider

You have a complete SNES collection? How long did it take you? Loose carts or complete games?

@Fuyukaze
@50TBRD

I think you guys hit the nail on the head. I guess I need to decide if I care more about being a "collector" or if I would be just as content being able to play these games on the original hardware. As it stands now I have a majority of the games on that list (including a complete Earthbound! --grin--) plus a few rares that NEVER get played. To go back and re-acquire the boxes and manuals for these games seems a daunting task but, for some inexplicable reason, I feel compelled to do so. Just seeing the carts piled up on my bookshelf is neato but you really have to squint to see how sweet my collection is!

[DefaultGen]

.....

[mailman187666]

Once you get all the good games listed, why not try and track down some of the really rare games also, games that are about an R6 or above, just for the fact that they are hard to find.

[CosmicMonkey]

The Firemen. Jp/PAL release only though.

[MachineGex]

I have found several good games (like "On the Ball') from recommendations in this thread:
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100657

[Adol]

I tried Space Megaforce and I agree; it rocks my face off. I really dig it. I'm not sure what it is but it has a certain "je ne sais pas". It's in.

It is a "je ne sais QUOI" :)

[bust3dstr8]

The Firemen. Jp/PAL release only though.

It got a US release as Ignition Factor.

I always like the SNES Mr.DO!, very good port.

[badinsults]

It got a US release as Ignition Factor.



Nope, that is a different game. In Japan, Ignition Factor is known as "Fire Fighting". Ignition Factor is more of a strategic game by Jaleco, while The Firemen is a top-down action game by Human. Admittedly, The Firemen is a much more fun game.

[prismra]

Doh! Always proofread your French! :)

[Mason P.]

Prismra,

are you going to update that list? I am courious what suggestions you are going to take and add to it?

[Natty Bumppo]

Another neat (and pretty unique) SNES game is SOS.

(Not the similarly titled "S.O.S. Sink or Swim" - totally different game.)

[prismra]

At this point I feel like there are so many subjectively "good" games being recommended that I am afraid to add any more at this point. Mostly because I feel uncomfortable being the arbiter of what is good or bad. My old highschool pal Dale, for instance, would be really pissed that none of the Koei stratagy games have made the cut. I'm sure at least someone out there thinks that Aerobiz is the bees knees! I happen to think that Axelay is kind of a pile but SHMUP fans love it! It is just so damn subjective. Perhaps there would be some way to create this list democratically. Like a poll or something.

I started out with the intension of building a complete SNES collection but the sheer amount of crap, shoddy ports and sports games has shaken my resolve. That was the idea behind this list. I wanted to make a list of SNES must-haves. Games that I would actually want to play.

Aero Fighters is the perfect example. I have it. I found it at a pawn shop for $4.00. Awesome, right? But I never play it. If I want some Aero Fighters action I'll play it on MAME. I also have No Escape. It is rare but it is also a piece of shit that is taking up space on my shelf and it will NEVER get played!

Aarg! I think I'm having some sort of existential crisis.

[Fuyukaze]

At this point I feel like there are so many subjectively "good" games being recommended that I am afraid to add any more at this point. Mostly because I feel uncomfortable being the arbiter of what is good or bad. My old highschool pal Dale, for instance, would be really pissed that none of the Koei stratagy games have made the cut. I'm sure at least someone out there thinks that Aerobiz is the bees knees! I happen to think that Axelay is kind of a pile but SHMUP fans love it! It is just so damn subjective. Perhaps there would be some way to create this list democratically. Like a poll or something.

I started out with the intension of building a complete SNES collection but the sheer amount of crap, shoddy ports and sports games has shaken my resolve. That was the idea behind this list. I wanted to make a list of SNES must-haves. Games that I would actually want to play.

Aero Fighters is the perfect example. I have it. I found it at a pawn shop for $4.00. Awesome, right? But I never play it. If I want some Aero Fighters action I'll play it on MAME. I also have No Escape. It is rare but it is also a piece of shit that is taking up space on my shelf and it will NEVER get played!

Aarg! I think I'm having some sort of existential crisis.

I think perhaps the biggest reasons that games like Romance of the Three Kingdoms was so popular was due to how the gameplay was. You ruled a country in every way. How your military was trained, how large, how it was armed, and who was in command. Also, you rulled the people the same. Their taxs, their fields, their dams, it could all be controled by you, the player. It played on the meglomenia mentality. You could play king. Also, it was nice that for the NES, Gen, and SNES games you could have multiplayer games with up to 8 players. To this day I still love the series and have bought nearly every single release for every single system domesticly. All I'm missing is RotK3 for Genesis, RotK 4 and 6 for PS1, and the disc for RotK 8 for PS2. Why go crazy over a crappy series like that? Perhaps it's just something I get that others dont. Or perhaps I realy do have bad taste in gaming.

I'll say this much, never EVER set out to get a complete colection of ANY gaming system unless you are willing to accept a few things.
1.You wont like every game released for it.
2.You'll gladly pay more then what's considered reasonable price for the more difficult or overly popular titles available for it.
3.You have the means to buy it atleast twice over and the dedication to buy it even if you never have the time to play it.