Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great

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Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great

As a seasoned gaming aficionado with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that these three women have left an indelible mark on the gaming industry and continue to inspire gamers today.

As a gamer, I’ve seen quite a transformation over the years in how women are portrayed in video games. It used to be they were often stuck in castles or fighting in skimpy outfits, but thankfully, times have changed! While it’s true that some earlier titles, like those from the fourth generation of consoles, didn’t always get it right, there were still some fantastic female characters to be found as party members and playable protagonists.

On the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), women can take on a wide variety of characters, from heroines saving galaxies to survivors battling horror, as well as vigilantes in action-packed games. The possibilities are endless!

8 Princess Lufia – Lufia and the Fortress of Doom

An RPG Namesake With A Short Temper And Electrifying Magic

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great

  • Developer: Neverland
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: December 04, 1993
  • Genre(s): Role Playing Game

In her series, the sorceress named Lufia, who has blue hair and resembles a child, is playable only in the first game. However, this character, reminiscent of Zelda, is actually the namesake for the entire series, which started with “Lufia and the Fortress of Doom,” released in 1993.

The 2D RPG series’ history has so far ended with its 2010 reimagining of the second title, itself a prequel to the original game. However, Lufia has only ever appeared in future titles through name and brief cutscene cameos alone. As such, many fans of the series – and her depiction – have long awaited a return to the series. Bringing with her some powerful thunder magic, an endearing ‘will they, won’t they’ dynamic with The Hero, and amnesia after a near-death fall from Doom Island.

7 Morgan Adams – Cutthroat Island

An Acrobatic Adaptation Of A Swashbuckling Cinematic Heroine

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Software Creations
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: 1995
  • Genre(s): Action, Platformer

In the 1995 movie “Cutthroat Island,” directed by Renny Harlin, Captain Morgan Adams, played by Geena Davis, embodies the same spirited, daring, and swashbuckling qualities that are characteristic of any pirate.

With her father’s ship as her inheritance, Morgan embarks on a journey filled with looting and discovery. She offers the player thrilling acrobatics reminiscent of swashbuckling feats. Although the game’s cinematic origins hold the title for one of the biggest box office flops in Guinness World Records, her video game counterpart seems to fare slightly better. Nevertheless, Morgan is an undeniably adventurous and dynamic female protagonist.

6 Josephine – Kendo Rage

An Energetic Schoolgirl With A Thirst For Kendo And Monster-Fighting

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Affect
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: October 1993
  • Genre(s): Action, Platformer

As Jo, the spirited schoolgirl, I balance my studies with an exhilarating after-school hobby: vanquishing monstrous foes! Equipped with a Kendo stick and an arsenal of ranged attacks, I’m ready to take on anything that crosses my path, whether it’s at school or at home.

As a dedicated fan, I embarked on a journey back in 1993, taking a summer trip to Japan, where I enrolled in a specialized Kendo summer school to enhance my skills, as depicted in the English translation of “Kendo Rage”. Although the franchise continued with a sequel in 1995 for Super Famicom and PlayStation, and a 2010 re-release on the PlayStation Network, it’s been over two decades since we last saw Jo starring in an original title.

5 Jennifer Simpson – Clock Tower

A Survival-Horror Heroine With Cult-Classic Acclaim

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Human Entertainment
  • Platform(s): Super Famicom
  • Released: September 14, 1995
  • Genre(s): Survival-Horror, Point-And-Click Adventure

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the original “Clock Tower” wasn’t widely distributed beyond Japan, where it found its home on the Super Famicom. However, this geographical limitation hasn’t hindered its series from cultivating a dedicated cult following in the Western gaming community.

At first glance, Jennifer might appear as a tender, innocent young woman. However, having grown up as a foster child has given her a resilience that allows her to confront and ultimately defeat the Scissorman. In later games like the 1996 PlayStation sequel of Clock Tower, Jennifer was introduced to a wider audience. The series’ third installment in 2002, however, marked the departure of Jennifer’s strength and fading innocence from the franchise.

4 Rosa Felmonde – Undercover Cops

An Entry-Level Fighter Cleaning Up The Streets In Grief

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Irem
  • Platform(s): Super Famicom
  • Released: March 3, 1995
  • Genre(s): Beat ‘Em Up

Rosa Felmonde is a woman whose spirit has been tempered by sorrow following the brutal murder of her partner, Thomas. This tragic event led her to join the avant-garde group of vigilantes known as the ‘City Sweepers’.

As a devoted fan, I can share that at just 22 years old, I found myself embodying ‘Blue Gale Revenger’ in the classic arcade beat-em-up game ‘Undercover Cops’, released by Irem back in 1992. Remarkably, even when she made her transition to the Super Famicom port in 1995, she held onto her role as the quickest member of our team. With a fervor that matches the surge in crime within the city, I relentlessly subdued the unparalleled uprising.

3 Pocky – Pocky and Rocky

A Young Priestess With A Tanooki Companion And Mystical Powers

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Natsume
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: June 12, 1993
  • Genre(s): Scrolling Shooter

As a gamer, I’ve been following the Pocky and Rocky series since it made its leap from the arcade halls to the Super Nintendo console. Fast forward a few years, it landed on the Game Boy Advance, but through all these transitions, one constant remains – the enchanting Shinto shrine Maiden ‘Pocky’.

With their partner Tanooki ‘Rocky’, the main characters become playable in numerous side-scrolling shooter levels that draw inspiration from Japanese folklore. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) saw the most releases of the game “Pocky and Rocky”. The original game was launched in 1992, followed by its sequel only two years later. However, after a handheld pseudo-sequel in 2001, the series took a break until the 2022 remastered version of the original SNES game might have revived the series and the character Pocky once more into the spotlight.

2 Lena Brande – Super Valis 4

A Pacifistic Warrior Princess With A Courageous Heart

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Laser Soft
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: February 1993
  • Genre(s): Action, Platformer

As a dedicated fan of the Valis franchise, I must admit that Lena Brande may not have been the main character throughout its three-decade journey, but her role as the final leading lady carries a unique significance for me. It’s like she’s the swan song of the series, leaving an indelible mark that resonates deeply with me.

In the tradition of its platforming genre and magical girl motif, Super Valis 4 features Lena, who has been trained as a warrior, taking on the role of leading the rebellion against the malevolent Galgear. As the final standalone installment in the series, Laser Soft aimed to present a new heroine in Valis 4. With her bravery and disdain for violence, Lena offers an innovative viewpoint for players to embrace.

1 Annie – Wild Guns

A Gunslinging Gal Who Fights Thugs, Robots, And More

Forgotten SNES Female Protagonists Who Were Great
  • Developer: Natsume
  • Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Released: July 1995
  • Genre(s): Third-Person Shooter, Shooter

Initially introduced in 1994, Wild Guns stands out not just for featuring Annie, one of the console’s fourth generation’s most memorable female leads, but also for embodying a classic 2D third-person arcade shooter feel.

In a distinctive blend of science-fiction and the Wild West, the game Wild Guns doesn’t delve deeply into the backgrounds of its two playable characters. Yet, contrary to what one might anticipate from a shoot ’em up, Annie assumes the role of a cowboy with sharp shooting skills, targeting thugs and robotic adversaries while wearing a full Western outfit, complete with heels and a hat.

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2024-08-21 05:05