#01
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
An adventure about Link moving between the light world and a dark mirror of Hyrule.
1991
SNES
Platform
Super Nintendo
The 16-bit Nintendo console of Mario World, Metroid, and Chrono Trigger.
A ranking of the top games on this system, best first. A game that shipped on more than one platform keeps a separate place on each list.
Opened most here
Up to ten guides — the ones people open most often on Super Nintendo. The ranking further down is a separate list.
Now the full ranking
Ranked on SNES
The top games on SNES, best first.
100 ranked · #01–#100
#02
Chrono Trigger
A role-playing game about a group of friends who travel through time to stop a parasite from devouring the planet.
1995
SNES
#03
Super Metroid
An exploration game about Samus returning to planet Zebes to recover a stolen Metroid larva.
1994
SNES
#04
Super Mario World
A platformer about Mario and Luigi exploring Dinosaur Land on a dinosaur named Yoshi.
1990
SNES
#05
Final Fantasy VI
An RPG about rebels fighting an empire that drains magic from frozen espers.
1994
SNES
#06
EarthBound
An RPG about Ness and three friends crossing America to stop an alien invasion.
1995
SNES
#07
Super Mario RPG
An RPG about Mario, Geno, and Bowser repairing a star broken by a living sword.
1996
SNESSwitch
#08
Yoshi's Island
A platformer about Yoshis carrying Baby Mario across an island to save his brother.
1995
SNES
#09
Donkey Kong Country
A platformer about Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong crossing an island to recover a stolen hoard of bananas.
1994
SNES
#10
Mega Man X
A robot platformer about the armor-wearing reploid X hunting the renegade Sigma.
1994
SNES
#11
Super Mario Kart
A kart racer about Nintendo characters sliding on flat tracks and throwing shells.
1992
SNES
#12
Final Fantasy IV
An RPG about the dark knight Cecil leaving his king as the moon draws closer to the earth.
1991
SNES
#13
Donkey Kong Country 2
A platformer about Diddy and Dixie climbing Crocodile Isle to bring Donkey Kong home.
1995
SNES
#14
Contra III: The Alien Wars
A run-and-gun about two commandos fighting an alien army through a burning city.
1992
SNES
#15
Super Castlevania IV
A whip platformer about Simon Belmont climbing through Dracula's castle.
1991
SNES
#16
Street Fighter II Turbo
A fighting game about world warriors with faster movement and new special moves.
1993
SNES
#17
F-Zero
A future racer about hover machines on tracks hung over open cities.
1991
SNES
#18
Star Fox
A rail shooter about Fox McCloud flying an Arwing through the Lylat system.
1993
SNES
#19
Secret of Mana
An action RPG about three heroes rebuilding a sword that can reach the Mana Tree.
1993
SNES
#20
Kirby Super Star
A platformer about Kirby copying powers and calling a helper.
1996
SNES
#21
Super Punch-Out!!
A boxing game about reading each boxer's face and answering with the right punch.
1994
SNES
#22
Tetris Attack
A puzzle about swapping stacked panels to match colors before they reach the top.
1996
SNES
#23
Mega Man X2
A robot platformer about X hunting the X-Hunters who stole Zero's parts.
1995
SNES
#24
Donkey Kong Country 3
A platformer about Dixie and Kiddy searching the north for two missing Kongs.
1996
SNES
#25
Illusion of Gaia
An action RPG about a boy who changes into other forms while following a comet's path.
1994
SNES
#26
Soul Blazer
An action RPG about a servant of the gods freeing souls and watching towns rebuild.
1992
SNES
#27
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
An RPG about the monster hunter Maxim and the puzzles under an ancient war.
1996
SNES
#28
Breath of Fire II
An RPG about Ryu founding a town while a demon wears the face of his friend.
1995
SNES
#29
Secret of Evermore
An action RPG about a boy and a dog thrown into movies, prehistory, and a ruined future.
1995
SNES
#30
Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen
A strategy game about moving squads across a kingdom while your reputation changes the story.
1995
SNES
#31
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
A platformer about the knight Arthur crossing a demon realm in armor that breaks once.
1991
SNES
#32
Demon's Crest
A platformer about the gargoyle Firebrand taking magical crests back from other demons.
1994
SNES
#33
Alien vs. Predator
An action game about a Predator, a marine, or a hunter fighting xenomorphs in a city.
1993
SNES
#34
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
An action game about the turtles chasing Shredder through several periods of history.
1992
SNES
#35
Sunset Riders
A shooter about bounty hunters riding and running through western set pieces.
1993
SNES
#36
Cybernator
A side-scrolling shooter about a pilot in a government mech during a future war.
1992
SNES
#37
Metal Warriors
A mech game about pilots who can leave a ruined machine and steal another.
1995
SNES
#38
Axelay
A shooter that switches between a side view and a trench seen from above.
1992
SNES
#39
U.N. Squadron
A shooter about hired pilots buying planes and guns between missions over a war zone.
1991
SNES
#40
R-Type III
A shooter about a ship that docks a force pod on its nose or its tail.
1994
SNES
#41
Space Megaforce
A vertical shooter about a small ship collecting orbs that change its weapon.
1992
SNES
#42
Super Bomberman
A maze game about planting bombs and trapping other bombers before the fuse ends.
1993
SNES
#43
Earthworm Jim
A platformer about a worm in a stolen super-suit crossing hostile planets.
1994
SNES
#44
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
A top-down game about two kids rescuing neighbors from movie monsters.
1993
SNES
#45
Goof Troop
A puzzle adventure about Goofy and Max pushing blocks through a pirate ship.
1993
SNES
#46
Disney's Aladdin
A platformer, different from the Super Nintendo version about Aladdin crossing Agrabah and escaping the palace guard.
1993
SNES
#47
The Lion King
A platformer about Simba growing from a cub into the fight for Pride Rock.
1994
SNES
#48
Super Star Wars
A platformer about Luke leaving Tatooine and the Rebel attack on the Death Star.
1992
SNES
#49
Pilotwings
A flight game about passing licenses in a plane, a hang glider, a sky dive, and a rocket belt.
1991
SNES
#50
SimCity
A simulation with a guide character, about zoning a town that disasters keep testing.
1991
SNES
#51
ActRaiser
A game that switches between side-scrolling fights and growing a civilization from the sky.
1991
SNES
#52
Super Mario All-Stars
A platformer with save files.
1993
SNES
#53
Harvest Moon
A farm sim about restoring a weedy plot, keeping animals, and living out two years.
1997
SNES
#54
Breath of Fire
An RPG about a boy who becomes a dragon, traveling with a winged clan and a thief.
1994
SNES
#55
Lufia & the Fortress of Doom
An RPG about a descendant of Maxim climbing the fortress where four Sinistrals were sealed.
1993
SNES
#56
E.V.O.: Search for Eden
An action game about evolving one creature from the sea onto land and into the sky.
1993
SNES
#57
Shadowrun
An action RPG about a courier in Seattle who wakes with a datachip in his skull.
1993
SNES
#58
Arcana
A dungeon RPG about a student magician sealing elementals back into cards.
1992
SNES
#59
Equinox
An isometric puzzle game about a boy searching tombs for missing wizards.
1994
SNES
#60
Out of This World
A cinematic game about a physicist who is pulled into an alien prison.
1992
SNES
#61
Flashback
A cinematic platformer about an amnesiac agent on a moon of Saturn.
1993
SNES
#62
Rock n' Roll Racing
A combat racer about buying engines and weapons between laps.
1993
SNES
#63
The Lost Vikings
A puzzle platformer about three Vikings who must combine a shield, a sword, and arrows.
1993
SNES
#64
Blackthorne
A cinematic platformer about a shotgun outlaw stepping between the front and back plane.
1994
SNES
#65
Killer Instinct
A Game Boy fighting game about long combos that can be broken if you hit the button on time.
1995
SNES
#66
Mortal Kombat II
A fighter about kombatants competing in Outworld.
1994
SNES
#67
Super Street Fighter II
A fighting game that adds four fighters to the Street Fighter II roster.
1994
SNES
#68
Samurai Shodown
A weapon fighter about samurai who can be disarmed and still have to win the round.
1994
SNES
#69
Pocky & Rocky
A top-down shooter about a shrine maiden and a tanuki clearing a mountain path.
1993
SNES
#70
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja
An action game about two ninja traveling towns and dropping into side-scrolling fights.
1992
SNES
#71
Final Fight
A fighter about walking Metro City to find a kidnapped daughter.
1991
SNES
#72
Final Fight 2
A fighter about Haggar searching abroad for the gang that escaped Metro City.
1993
SNES
#73
Captain Commando
An action game about a commando and three odd partners clearing a criminal ward.
1995
SNES
#74
Knights of the Round
An action game about Arthur and two knights cutting through soldiers on the way to a crown.
1994
SNES
#75
The King of Dragons
An action game about five heroes crossing a kingdom a dragon has claimed.
1994
SNES
#76
Mega Man 7
A robot platformer about Mega Man facing four new masters after Dr.
1995
SNES
#77
Mega Man X3
A robot platformer about X and Zero chasing a reploid who infects other machines.
1996
SNES
#78
Kirby's Dream Course
A golf puzzle about rolling Kirby into enemies so he can copy a power and reach the hole.
1995
SNES
#79
Kirby's Dream Land 3
A platformer about Kirby and animal friends collecting stars under a dark cloud.
1997
SNES
#80
Super Bomberman 2
A bomber game with a short story mode and a battle mode for several players.
1994
SNES
#81
NBA Jam
An arcade basketball game about two-on-two matches and exaggerated dunks.
1994
SNES
#82
NHL '94
A hockey game known for a one-timer that scores from a clean pass.
1993
SNES
#83
International Superstar Soccer
A soccer game about tactical matches, set pieces, and a visible shot meter.
1995
SNES
#84
Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball
A baseball game about contact hitting and Griffey's swing.
1994
SNES
#85
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs
A brawler about two toads punching through surreal stages and vehicle runs.
1993
SNES
#86
Stunt Race FX
A polygon racer about stunt cars that have to land on their wheels.
1994
SNES
#87
Top Gear
A split-screen racer about fast cars, pit stops, and a nitro button.
1992
SNES
#88
Mario Paint
A simulation about drawing pictures and placing notes on a music grid.
1992
SNES
#89
Lemmings
A puzzle game about giving small walkers jobs so they reach an exit.
1992
SNES
#90
Tetris & Dr. Mario
A puzzle game about a cartridge that holds falling-block Tetris and Dr.
1994
SNES
#91
Wario's Woods
A puzzle about stacking same-colored creatures and dropping a bomb on the pile.
1994
SNES
#92
Populous
A god game about raising land so settlers can build and send knights at the other side.
1991
SNES
#93
Uncharted Waters: New Horizons
A sailing game about captains who trade, fight, and look for new ports.
1994
SNES
#94
Super Adventure Island
A platformer about Master Higgins throwing axes across tropical stages.
1992
SNES
#95
Sparkster
A platformer about a rocket knight with a sword and a burst of flight.
1994
SNES
#96
Super Turrican
A run-and-gun about a soldier with a freeze beam and a rolling attack.
1993
SNES
#97
Nosferatu
A platformer about a hunter climbing a vampire's mansion with a rope.
1995
SNES
#98
ActRaiser 2
A side-scrolling action game about an angel fighting demons, without the town building of the first.
1993
SNES
#99
Castlevania: Dracula X
A platformer about Richter Belmont crossing Dracula's castle to find two kidnapped women.
1995
SNES
#100
The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse
A platformer about Mickey changing outfits to rescue Pluto from a wizard.
1992
SNES