8 SNES Games That Were Ahead Of Their Time

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Sometimes, a sequel can be much better than the original – think of games like *Street Fighter 2*, *Assassin’s Creed 2*, and *Silent Hill 2*. This also happens with game consoles; often, the newer version becomes more popular than the one before it, and the Super Nintendo (SNES) is a great example of that.

Many classic games from the 90s, like *Final Fantasy III* and *Super Mario World*, remain enjoyable today. Beyond just being fun, some of these titles also helped pave the way for popular gaming trends we see now. While they didn’t necessarily invent these ideas, they definitely helped popularize and develop them.

Battletoads & Double Dragon – The Ultimate Team

Crossing Over Franchises

Battletoads & Double Dragon – The Ultimate Team combined the worlds of two popular fighting game series into a single game. Players could choose from five different characters and play through the levels either solo or with a friend. While a strange pairing for its time in the 90s, it gained a dedicated following. More importantly, Battletoads & Double Dragon – The Ultimate Team was one of the first Western games to try this crossover concept, potentially paving the way for later, more successful series like Marvel vs Capcom and Kingdom Hearts.

Dark Half

Playing Both Sides

  • Developer: West One
  • Publisher: Enix
  • Released: May 31, 1996 (Japan)
  • Platform: SNES

Dark Half is a little-known RPG for the Super Nintendo because it was only released in Japan. Its unusual gameplay might have been why – players controlled both the villain, Rukyu, and the hero, Falco, who were at odds with each other. While it featured classic RPG elements like character progression and turn-based combat, the idea of playing as both sides wasn’t typical then, and remains fairly uncommon. Though The Last of Us Part 2 offers a somewhat similar experience, more games should explore the unique concept Dark Half introduced.

Dragon Quest 5: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride

Before Pokemon There Was…

Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride was the first major Dragon Quest game released on the Super Nintendo. It introduced several new concepts to the series, including beginning the story with a young hero and eventually progressing to marriage – a key element reflected in the game’s title.

In 1992, the Japanese role-playing game *Dragon Quest 5* let players team up with monsters like Slimes instead of traditional party members – a concept that would later become popular in the U.S. with the release of *Pokémon* six years later. However, American players didn’t get to experience *Dragon Quest 5* until its release on the Nintendo DS in 2009.

BS The Legend Of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets

An Early Version Of DLC And Streaming

  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Publisher: St. GIGA
  • Released: March 30, 1997 (Japan)
  • Platform: SNES

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was incredibly popular on the Super Nintendo, and Japanese players received even more Zelda content for the console. In 1995, a device called the Satellaview was released, allowing SNES owners to download and play games directly on their console. Some of these games, like BS The Legend of Zelda (a remake of the original NES game) and BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets, were only available during special broadcasts, which included live music and commentary. Ancient Stone Tablets felt like a bridge between A Link to the Past and a full sequel, reusing elements from the previous game. This system of downloadable content and limited-time broadcasts may have even influenced the development of DLC as we know it today.

Mario Paint

Getting Creative On Consoles

When *Mario Paint* came out for the SNES, it wasn’t a hit in the way most *Mario* games are. Instead of being a traditional platformer, it was a collection of tools for creating art and music. Looking back, it was actually ahead of its time! As the internet grew, people began sharing their *Mario Paint* creations online-artwork on message boards and music on platforms like YouTube. In fact, you can even find surprisingly creative covers of modern songs, like a *Mario Paint* rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.”

Michael Jordan: Chaos In The Windy City

Celebrity Endorsed Games Beyond Their Range

  • Developer: EA
  • Publisher: EA
  • Released: November 1994
  • Platform: SNES

Back in the 80s and 90s, featuring a famous athlete in a sports game like *Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball* was a common marketing strategy. While we still see athletes endorse games today, in 1994, they were finding other ways to get involved too.

The 1994 game *Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City* was an action-packed platformer where Jordan faced off against bizarre, sports-themed monsters. Interestingly, it was created by Amy Hennig, who later became known for her work on the *Legacy of Kain* and *Uncharted* series. That same year, *Shaq-Fu*, a fighting game featuring Shaquille O’Neal, was released, marking the beginning of a trend. Today, celebrities are commonplace in gaming, especially in ongoing, service-based games. Stars from music, sports, and film regularly appear in major franchises like *Call of Duty* and *Fortnite*.

Super Mario All-Stars

Remakes “R” Us

Super Mario All-Stars brought together four of the original Mario games for the NES, but with updated 16-bit graphics and slightly improved gameplay. It’s one of the first games to be considered a remake or remastered collection. That same year, in 1993, Japan saw the release of Dragon Quest 1 & 2, a 16-bit refresh of the first two Dragon Quest titles. While collections like Super Mario All-Stars didn’t become truly popular until the HD era, they’re now incredibly sought after by fans.

Torneko’s Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon

Roguelikes In Their Testing Phase

Torneko’s Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon started as a side story from the fourth Dragon Quest game, focusing on the character Torneko. It was also the very first game in what would become the Mystery Dungeon series. Interestingly, the first Mystery Dungeon game released in North America wasn’t the original Torneko title – it was Chocobo’s Dungeon 2 in 1999, which came six years after Torneko’s debut. Both games are similar to classic computer games like Rogue and NetHack, but designed for consoles and updated for a modern audience.

Although the *Mystery Dungeon* games have been moderately popular in Japan for years, roguelike games didn’t become widely popular until *Rogue Legacy* came out in 2013. *Rogue Legacy* was one of the first indie games to achieve major success.

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2025-09-19 06:05