Originally released in 1990, the SNES was the second major home console released by Nintendo, and their first to feature 16-bit graphics. Home to a wide variety of classic platformers and RPGs, the SNES originated several classic titles. Many believe its games to be some of the greatest of all time, such as Earthbound and Chrono Trigger.
While there are quite a lot of impactful and well-known games of the SNES, there are just as many hidden gems that many have never experienced. As an example, here are some of the most criminally underrated games that released for the SNES.
10 Final Fantasy V
The SNES is home to several entries in the Final Fantasy franchise, with the most popular of the entries on the console being Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI. However, the less appreciated Final Fantasy V is an incredible entry in the series that fans often overlook.
With perhaps one of the most robust and customizable job systems of any game in the franchise, Final Fantasy V allows players to train their characters how they see fit. They can form their own strategies and play however they please.
9 Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War
The fourth entry in the Fire Emblem franchise, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War is a stellar tactical JRPG. However, those unfamiliar with the series' history have likely never heard of it. This obscurity is largely because Genealogy of the Holy War only ever officially released in Japan, greatly hindering its accessibility.
Its epic story spans two generations of characters. The game is often lauded for not just its fine-tuned gameplay, but its engrossing writing as well.
8 Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a cult-classic action game that doesn't get nearly as much attention as it deserves. Developed by LucasArts, the game takes the form of a run-and-gun in which two players must work together to fight off various classic horror monsters throughout suburbia.
Luckily for those who've yet to experience Zombies Ate My Neighbors, the game is set to be rereleased for the Switch later this June.
7 Kirby's Dream Course
The Kirby franchise is best known for its platformers such as Kirby Superstar and Kirby's Dreamland 3, both of which released for the SNES. Alongside these stands Kirby's Dream Course, an incredibly underrated game for the console.
A Kirby golfing game, Kirby's Dream Course is a deceptively hectic yet deep experience. It's filled with a variety of power-up and unique mechanics that make the most out of a Kirby game.
6 Joe & Mac
While there are several great platformers for the SNES, surprisingly few for the console outside of the Kirby series offer co-op gameplay. This title, though, is one of that does.
Released in 1991, Joe & Mac is a prehistoric platformer that can be played in its entirety with two-players cooperatively. With solid level design, Joe & Mac is among the most underrated platformers that was released for the SNES.
5 Saturday Night Slam Masters
Released by Capcom in 1993, Saturday Night Slam Masters is a pro-wrestling fighting game. It features character designs by Fist of the North Star artist, Tetsuo Hara.
This lesser-known title is set within the shared universe of Street Fighter and Final Fight, featuring Mike Haggar as one of its playable characters. The gameplay is a hybrid of what one may expect from a traditional wrestling game and a fighting game, making it an excellent pick for fans of either genre.
4 Goof Troop
Like Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Goof Troop is an incredibly underrated co-op game for the SNES. Based off the Disney television series of the same name, Goof Troop is an action game that is designed around cooperatively solving puzzles with another player.
Many gamers associate licensed games with low quality. However, Goof Troop doesn't fall into this trap, and is instead one of the best co-of experiences the SNES has to offer.
3 Captain Commando
Capcom developed a plethora of games for the SNES. Of the company's releases for the console, Captain Commando is easily one of the most under-appreciated. An arcade-style beat-em-up starring a short-lived former Capcom mascot, Captain Commando is a flashy and highly stylized affair, oozing comic book flair.
Set within the same timeline as Street Fighter, the game allows players to play as the namesake Captain Commando, a backwards-hat-wearing alien named Mack the Knife, a ninja named Ginzo, and a genius baby piloting a mechanized suit. Between its distinct characters and solid co-op gameplay, Captain Commando is one of the most underrated beat-em-ups for the SNES.
2 Weaponlord
Released for the SNES in 1995, Weaponlord is, without question, one of the most underrated fighting games of all time. While the roster size is rather sparse by today's standard's, Weaponlord features many mechanics that were before its time.
Like the previous entry, this weapon-based fighting game paved the way for games to come. It included innovative gameplay aspects for the time period, such as one's weapons sustaining damage over the course of a battle.
1 Sailor Moon S
Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Jōgai Rantō!? Shuyaku Sōdatsusen, is often called simply Sailor Moon S for short. This fighting game for the SNES was based on Sailor Moon, and never released outside of Japan. The game has garnered a cult following in competitive fighting game circles in recent years due to the game's balance (or lack thereof).
Modern fighting game design leads characters and gameplay to be as fair and balanced as possible. On the other hand, each character in Sailor Moon S is broken in their own special ways. Characters can access combos with terrifying damage scaling. Some projectiles deal incredible damage even when they're blocked. Other attacks can reduce half a player's HP in one hit. There is truly no other fighting game quite like Sailor Moon S.