Saturday Night Slam Masters

Also known as:  Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion (Japan)

Developer: Capcom

I LOVE THIS GAME. Yes, I yelled that. I screamed it at the top of my lungs, standing outside Slam Masters' bedroom window while I held a boombox over my head that's playing some sappy song by Michael Bolton or Anthrax or some other romantic-themed musical act. Saturday Night Slam Masters, in my opinion, is the perfect blend of fighting games and wrestling games, giving you great, fluid action that you'd expect from the Street Fighter series mixed with the mayhem you'd expect in a pro wrestling match like weapons and top-rope dives. The end result is a wrestling game that is extremely fun for both wrestling fans and non-fans alike. This is easily the best 16-bit wrestling game released in North America, and in my opinion. The Super NES version is the superior version overall, but the Genesis version does allow the player to pick the Scorpion and Jumbo Flapjack to be playable characters in the singles ranks, as well as the ability to play against a friend in a deathmatch. This Super NES version, however, allows you to play through with singles mode (with Scorpion and Flapjack as the final two bosses) and a tag team mode with Scorpion and Flapjack as playable characters. I have played this game regularly since I was a young’un, and I still love it just as much today as I did back then.

Review added: 12/23/2021

Secret of Evermore

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Square USA

In the Secret of Evermore, you play as a boy who follows his dog into an old mansion, which happens to have a laboratory within it. The dog winds up chewing on some cables, and the duo find themselves transported to a world called Evermore. Evermore, has four areas that you'll visit during the course of this game, with the dog transforming in each area to match the location. The combat is very similar to the Secret of Mana, though aside from the combat, the fact that SquareSoft made both, and that both games start with "Secret of," the two games are not related in any way. Anyway, like Secret of Mana, combat is done in real-time, but for your attacks to do any real damage, you'll need to wait for your power bar to fill between attacks. While I appreciate the game for what it is, and I somewhat like some of the humor found within the game, and I'm always fond of tales involving a person and their dog, I just wasn't a huge fan of the Secret of Evermore. It's fine for what it is, and I'm glad I played through it, but I just don't think that I'll ever find myself playing through it again. But, if you like the gameplay of the Secret of Mana, want to experience a completely unrelated story with very similar gameplay, and a little humor tossed in, then I think you'll enjoy the Secret of Evermore quite a bit. I'm disappointed to say that this game, while not bad, just simply wasn't for me.

Review added: 08/03/2022

Shin Megami Tensei

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Atlus

It’s not really much of a secret that I love the Megami Tensei franchise. When I began collecting import Super NES games, the first two that I nabbed were boxed copies of Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II. Anyway, I like this game quite a bit…but before I go too much more into it, I’ll be blunt – this is definitely not for everyone. It’s not an RPG for beginners. Navigation can take a while to get used to with the “auto map” rotating depending on the direction that you’re facing, making it pretty easy to get disoriented until you get used to it. Combat can also be either incredibly easy or incredibly hard depending on if you’ve got the right party members with you. It also takes a few hours before the story really gets interesting. Another potential negative would be that if you’re overly sensitive to religious themes, then you may get offended here…specifically since depending on the path that you take to get to the end, you may wind up seeing various Christian characters (and characters from various other religions and mythologies from around the world, for that matter) as either friends or foes. That’s probably why it never saw an official, translated North American release until it was released on iOS 20 years later. But all of that stuff said, I really enjoy this game. It’s not without its flaws, but as a big fan of the franchise, I really enjoyed the first entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series. Later games improve on everything found here, but this game still provides a solid RPG experience for folks that are willing to work a little for it.

Review added: 02/28/2021

The Sporting News Baseball

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Now Production

I have never before, and likely never will again, put as much time into a sports game in my life as I have with the Sporting News Baseball. It never got the attention of other games in the genre, but in the 16-bit era, it really was the ultimate baseball game. Everything that a baseball fan could want was in the game – real teams, real players, several modes including a home run derby, and a ton of customizable options, like the ability to create your own players, teams, or even edit the all-star teams to your liking. The gameplay was solid, the soundtrack still echoes in my head today, and when you’re playing a baseball game that allows you to play in a Field of Dreams-inspired field, how can you really go wrong? The Sporting News Baseball is a hidden gem in terms of sports games. I feel that it never really got the attention that it deserved by most folks – but it’s always been a personal favorite of mine.

Review added: 10/05/2019

Star Fox

Also known as:  Starwing (Europe)

Developer: Argonaut Games

While nowhere as good as Star Fox 64 or other rail shooters like Panzer Dragoon or Sin & Punishment, Star Fox is still worth playing for the fact that this 3D gameplay, as crude as it is, is playing on the 16-bit Super NES at a time where most home console games were only 2D. While everything looks very blocky and basic today, this was incredible for its time. Unfortunately, the gameplay wasn't quite as amazing as the 3D effects. The gameplay wasn’t awful, but it was quickly overshadowed on consoles in the next few years by games Panzer Dragoon, when 3D graphics became more sophisticated and gameplay in three dimensions was a little more common. While still a solid game, most people these days, especially youngsters used to seeing fancy, life-like graphics, probably won't find much in Star Fox to appeal to them. But, if you’re a young’un and want to see what 3D graphics looked like in ancient times, then Star Fox is still worth checking out today.

Review added: 08/28/2019

Star Ocean

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Tri-Ace

Back when Star Ocean: The Second Story was released on the original Playstation, I absolutely fell in love with it. Since it was called "The Second Story," I assumed that there was a game that came before it…but back in those days, when the internet was in its infancy and I didn't have access to it, it wouldn't be until years later when I would be able to find out that the original Star Ocean existed…but was exclusively released in Japan. Not knowing enough Japanese to understand the story didn't stop me from eventually purchasing a Super Famicom and an assortment of games, with Star Ocean included. For those that have never played the original Star Ocean on the Super Famicom, it really is an impressive game. Not only are there multiple characters to recruit and plenty of secrets to discover, but the skill system brings in a whole different layer of strategy to the game. Today, a crafting system is commonplace in many games, but back in 1996, Star Ocean was one of the only games where you could craft items, practice alchemy, do blacksmith work on your weapons, and even cook food to create better items than what you could find at a shop in most of the towns. The skills system could also be used to increase the stats of each character…and in some ways, if you focus on the right skills to upgrade, the game can actually get easier as you advance on in the game, instead of harder. All of that customization, along with the recruitable characters who may or may not join you, results in a game that you could play through over and over, change up your strategy, and essentially get a different game each time. It's also worth noting that the audio and visuals are top-notch for the Super Famicom as well. We eventually got this game ported outside of Japan in the form of Star Ocean: The First Departure on the Playstation Portable, but to really see how good this game was back when it originally released, I'd really recommend giving the Super Famicom original a try.

Review added: 11/16/2022

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Capcom

The fighting genre was around before Street Fighter II was released, but honestly, most of them were only passable at best...But Street Fighter II opened everyone's eyes that fighting games could actually be fun, excellent games when done right. And Street Fighter II was definitely done right - it's still just as fun to play today as it was back in 1992. The controls are still silky smooth and the graphics and music are still pretty nice to look at, too. It's a game that's easy to pick up and play, but it takes time to master, making it perfect for newcomers and veterans alike. To this day, Street Fighter II can hold its own against any other fighting game you throw at it and this Super NES port is just as good as the arcade game was. The other Street Fighter II games made minor adjustments to perfect the gameplay, mechanics of the game, and added more characters to play as, but the original is still absolutely fantastic and well worth revisiting whenever you want to toss a few fireballs at one of the most iconic cast of fighters in video game history.

Review added: 09/07/2019

Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Capcom

Street Fighter II was a huge hit and proof that fighting games could be incredibly fun when done well. After the success of porting the original release on the Super NES, Capcom decided to put out a port of the second Street Fighter II arcade machine - Street Fighter II Turbo, which allowed players to not only play as the original cast of playable fighters, but also play as any of the four final bosses. This game also allows you play as the same character against others, like Ken vs. Ken or Blanka vs. Blanka, so if you were playing against a friend and you were both Dhalsim experts, then you could both select that incredible Indian and Yoga Flame each other until you find out who the best really is. Once the fighting started, veterans of the original also found that the fighting was sped up to a near perfect speed, making the already near-flawless Street Fighter II that much closer to perfection in the process. To this day, there are still people that claim that this is the pinnacle of the Street Fighter franchise. While I don’t necessarily agree, I do believe that it’s near the top of the list.

Review added: 09/07/2019

Street Racer

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Vivid Image

Street Racer is an okay racing game that takes the Super Mario Kart formula and tries to make it better…failing while doing so, but it tries all the same. Ubisoft seemed to think it would work - this game was put out on pretty much every system, including the Playstation and Saturn. Unfortunately, like others have tried over the last few decades, it's seemingly impossible to knock that short, pudgy plumber off the top of the kart racing mountain. That's not to say that Street Racer is bad - it's not at all. It has some interesting tracks to race on, extra modes to play like Rumble Mode where it's like a vehicular sumo match, or Soccer mode, which may be the precursor to Rocket League, where you drive your kart into a ball in an effort to push it into a goal. These extra modes are fun with friends…but they’re also pretty boring if you're playing on your own. The races themselves are fine…good enough to keep kart racing fans playing through every track, but at the same time, it feels so similar to Mario Kart, yet inferior to Mario Kart, that you may find yourself wanting to put the controller down and switch over to Nintendo's game instead.

Review added: 09/10/2024

Stunt Race FX

Also known as:  Wild Trax (Japan)

Developer: Capcom

The graphics don’t look like anything special today, but back when this game was released, my friends and I were in awe of the 3D models in this racer. It was more than just a pretty face, though, the racing itself was fairly solid and the tracks were all loaded with personality, making this an entertaining experience all the way through. I’m also a cartoon fan, so giving the vehicles all cartoon-like aspects was also a plus in my book. And while Stunt Race FX lacks a bunch of modes, it does use a battery save to record all times, allowing you and your friends to compete over who has the fastest laps. That in itself, kept my friends and I playing this far longer than we otherwise would have when we were kids. They owned the game, but I would request to borrow it, just to see if I could take any of their times away. There are better racing games on the SNES, but Stunt Race FX is still a decent choice when looking for a racing title, especially if you’re alright with it having a little bit of a cartoony feel to it.

Review added: 07/28/2019

Super Castlevania IV

Also known as:  Akumajou Dracula (Japan)

Developer: Konami

Super Castlevania IV is a beautiful game, especially for one that came out so early in the SNES life cycle. It also has some very nice and interesting level design to go along with the pretty graphics. Top it all off with some of the most solid gameplay in the series, including fancier usage of the infamous whip, and you've got an extremely solid entry in this long-running franchise. If you’re someone that enjoys the level-by-level gameplay of the classic games, then Super Castlevania is considered by many to be at the top of that list. I, personally, consider Castlevania III to be just slightly better, but I also consider Super Castlevania IV to be a very, very close second place. If you prefer the Symphony of the Night-style exploration of Dracula’s castle, then this is still a very solid action game worth checking out, but you just may not be as enthralled with it as the rest of us are.

Review added: 10/31/2021

Super Fire Pro Wrestling

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Human Entertainment

Super Fire Pro Wrestling is the first of the Fire Pro games on the Super NES, and it's an okay entry in what I consider to be the best wrestling game franchise of all time. It lacks a lot of the polish that later games in the series would have, but when compared to other wrestling games of the time...Like the SNES version of Super Wrestlemania, for example...It's much more enjoyable than just about any other wrestling game that was available on the SNES around that time….unfortunately, unless you lived in Japan, you probably didn’t have access to it. Super Fire Pro Wrestling is not without its flaws, but wrestling fans (especially those familiar with puroresu of this time period) will likely be able to look past them to enjoy the wrestling experience found here. Besides, I don't think any other game back then would allow you to have a match between Bad News Brown and Jushin Liger....That's gotta count for something, right?

Review added: 03/20/2020

Super Fire Pro Wrestling 2

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Human Entertainment

While not celebrated in the same fashion as it is here in the West, Christmas of 1992 was a glorious Christmas day for the wrestling fans of Japan, for that was the day that Super Fire Pro Wrestling 2 appeared on store shelves. That’s the only present that I would’ve needed as a young’un. An improvement on the first Super Fire Pro Wrestling game in nearly every way, SFPW 2 was a big step towards the Fire Pro franchise being the professional wrestling game juggernaut that it eventually became. With a new roster of wrestlers, new dream matches were possible – I still kinda mark out about the possibility of seeing Terry Gordy and Steve Williams battle Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow in a hard-hitting tag match, which is one of the many possibilities here. While the series still hadn’t reached its full potential yet, the second of the Super Fire Pro games showed that the potential was definitely there and Human Entertainment was creeping towards it. If you’re a fan of the modern Fire Pro games and want to see where, I feel anyway, the series really started picking up steam, then check out Super Fire Pro Wrestling 2.

Review added: 05/17/2020

Super Godzilla

Also known as:  Chou-Godzilla (Japan)

Developer: Advance Communication Company

Super Godzilla is an odd game. On one hand, I really want to praise it and tell everyone that it's worth playing…on the other hand, there are aspects of the game that make it hard for me to recommend it to anyone other than fans of the Godzilla films. I'll start with the positives. Super Godzilla is a unique game where you're basically focused mostly on the grid at the bottom of the screen. Your goal is to find your target and/or discover how to pinpoint where they are and how to take them down. You can get hints by stepping on certain spots, or you can obtain energy. Likewise, by stepping on certain spots, you may wind up walking into a building, demolishing the building and reducing Godzilla's health. At the end of the level, you'll battle an opponent in a one-on-one 2D fight. The goal of the fight is to hit your opponent while your gauge is full, then back off and then try to stop the slot machine-like power wheel on the power that you want to use. If they hit you while that wheel is spinning, you've lost your chance to use that power and you'll have to try again…so it's a lot of hitting and moving. Eventually, you'll encounter random battles as you move around the grid…but I honestly found it a whole lot easier to simply walk Godzilla right into those enemies to end the battles quickly. Godzilla takes damage doing it this way, but you usually have plenty of opportunities to heal up before you need to battle a more formidable foe. The combat, while unique, is one of the flaws in this game…the fighting is clunky and simply feels like a chore. Movement on the grid takes getting used to as well - you'll likely walk into a few buildings on accident by the end of the game simply because you pressed a directional button too soon, turning Godzilla before you meant to. Traversing the grid can be very tedious as well. It would be nice if someone could teach Godzilla how to run. Still, though, even with its flaws, Super Godzilla feels like a passable game due to how unique it is. I feel like if this game concept was tweaked a bit and improved upon, it could have been a really good game…but for what it is, Godzilla fans may enjoy their time here…but I doubt that too many others will.

Review added: 03/06/2024

Super Mario Kart

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Nintendo

Super Mario Kart was a seemingly innocent Mario-themed kart racing game, that many likely thought was going to be a one-off game…and that “one-off game” wound up turning into an absolute monster of a franchise. Super Mario Kart was such a wonderfully designed racer that absolutely everyone seemed to love it – hardcore gamers, casual gamers, and even people who don’t really play video games…They all seemed to love Super Mario Kart. Each racer in this game has their own style of power-ups, like banana peels, fireballs, or eggs, along with power-ups that are universal among all players like koopa shells, speed boost mushrooms, and invincibility stars. This means that you could start the final lap in last place, but with some fancy driving and tactical use of your power-ups, you could still cross the finish line first…likewise, you could also drop from first place down to dead last before the race is said and done. This chaos is both what makes Mario Kart fun and frustrating. Later games in the franchise may have tweaked the formula, but the original still remains a fantastic racing game to this day. If you want a solid racing game on the Super NES, Super Mario Kart is always a safe choice.

Review added: 08/01/2019

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: SquareSoft

Super Mario RPG was a joint-effort by Squaresoft and Nintendo, and it was the last Square-developed game to appear on a Nintendo game system in North America until Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was published on the Game Boy Advance roughly 7 years later. It was also the game that laid the groundwork of what would become the Paper Mario franchise. In Super Mario RPG, you control everyone’s favorite Italian plumber as he explores isometric levels (that become frustrating at points – isometric platforming isn’t fun) and participates in turn-based, JRPG combat, where hitting the button at the right time during an attack deals extra damage. The story is filled with humor, along with a party that contains faces both new and familiar…who knew that Bowser was actually a pretty decent guy after all those kidnappings and such? Anyway, if you want a very solid RPG with a story that doesn’t take itself seriously, then Super Mario RPG is worth checking out. I personally enjoy what Nintendo did with this formula in their first Paper Mario game a little more, but Super Mario RPG is still a very close second.

Review added: 12/14/2020

Super Mario World

Also known as:  Super Mario World: Super Mario Bros. 4 (Japan)

Developer: Nintendo

Who is that blue-and-red clothed, caped fellow flying through the sky? Is that Superman? Nope, it’s just Nintendo’s beloved plumber in what many consider to be the best game that he ever took part in. Super Mario World introduced the world to a caped Mario that could basically fly through an entire level if the player was skilled enough. It also introduced the world to a loveable green dinosaur named Yoshi, who Mario could ride. Mario could have Yoshi eat most enemies, but eating specific-colored koopa shells would give Yoshi special powers. Super Mario World also let players explore a beautifully designed world with many levels having multiple exits, allowing the player to branch away from the normal path to discover hidden levels and shortcuts. Everything in this game was just so wonderfully and perfectly done. I honestly can’t even come up with a flaw to complain about. I think that Super Mario World may be as close to 2D platforming perfection that you can get. Some folks argue that Super Mario Bros. 3 is the best 2D Mario platformer. As great as that game was, I feel like Super Mario World surpassed it as not only the best 2D Mario platformer, but the best 2D platformer of all-time. It really is that excellent of a game.

Review added: 09/01/2019

Super Metroid

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Intelligent Systems

When I first received Super Metroid as a present from my uncle on Christmas, I was grateful but a little disappointed. It didn’t look like the kind of game that I liked to play at that point in my life. I hadn’t broadened my horizons in video games much yet and mostly stuck with platformers, fighting games, and sports games. That night I gave Super Metroid a try for the first time…and I wasn’t really impressed. I revisited it the next morning…and started to get a little invested. Then more invested. Then I began to get a little obsessed. The next thing I knew, I had fallen in love. The game is just so well designed…it’s about as close to perfection as it can get, in my opinion. The backtracking in the game, in particular, never feels like a chore because you’ve seemingly got a new toy on you when you do, giving you a new way to experience previously-explored areas and ways to open previously-inaccessible paths…and aside from the obvious-to-see secrets, there are also plenty of other, hidden secrets that are a blast to discover while the haunting melodies of the game's fantastic soundtrack play through your speakers as you traverse the various worlds found beneath the surface of the planet Zebes. For a while, Super Metroid didn’t have any contenders in my eyes. It was my absolute favorite game of all-time. In the decades that have passed, other contenders have stepped up to challenge Super Metroid for that title, and some have even taken it for periods of time…but Super Metroid has aged incredibly well, and revisiting it again for this website, I feel like it’s time for this game to once again take its place at the top of the mountain.

Review added: 12/14/2020

Super Punch-Out!!

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Nintendo

I love Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on the NES. I consider it to be near perfect in its simplicity. So, I suppose that it's only natural that I would then be somewhat disappointed in Super Punch-Out!! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Super Punch-Out!! for what it is and for some of the extra stuff if brings to the table…but at the same time, I found myself wishing that it had an option to do away with all of the extra stuff and just play this game like the original. Super Punch-Out!! also goes a little overboard with the goofy characters - I felt like every character in the NES game was likeable and unique. In Super Punch-Out!! many of them are still likeable, but many of them are also a little too over-the-top for me - if I'm boxing someone, I don't expect them to be able to legally kick me or use weapons. I'm no boxing purist, but I'd like to at least have a reason given to me why these folks are allowed to have that sort of advantage over me. The one thing that I do like is the power meter, which gives you a good visual as to how close you are to be able to land a devastating blow. If the meter is full, you have the opportunity to land some big hits. If you get hit, though, your meter will decrease, so it forces you to play smart rather than just mash buttons. Anyway, despite Super Punch-Out!!'s extra features and such, I'll still pick the NES version over this one every time I'm given the option. That said, I still don't mind going a few rounds in this game every now and then as well. It's still a very good game…it just lacks the charm that Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! had.

Review added: 12/02/2023

Super Star Wars

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Sculptured Software

Super Star Wars marks JVC's second attempt at publishing the Star Wars franchise. Their original attempt on the NES, with Beam Software as the developer, wasn't really anything to write home about...But JVC got a new developer, in the form of Sculptured Software, for their Super NES attempt at the beloved movie trilogy. And I’ve gotta say, they developed a fairly decent game here. It's not great by any means, but it's decent. I still prefer the Japan-only, Namco-published Star Wars game on the NES to this one, but this is still a solid title and worth playing if you're a Star Wars nut...or even if you're not. I'm not, and I enjoyed my time with this title. It’s a decent game with decent action, so even if you watch the films and feel like you become Star Bored, I think you’ll find something to enjoy in Super Star Wars.

Review added: 08/10/2019

Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Capcom

The first release of Street Fighter II was one of the greatest fighting games of all-time. The second release of Street Fighter II introduced the ability to play as the bosses, increased speed, and everything tweaked to near perfection. The third release on consoles for the Street Fighter II franchise was Super Street Fighter II, which maintains everything great about the previous two games, introduces four brand-new characters (including the lady that may be my favorite fighting game character of all-time, Cammy) and tosses some new modes in the mix to go along with the standard arcade and versus modes. The end result is, quite possibly, the best overall fighting game of the 16-bit era. While Super Street Fighter II doesn’t seem to get the same kind of love as Street Fighter II Turbo gets, I feel like it’s a slightly better game overall. The extra characters and modes help fend off repetition as you play, in comparison to the previous games, plus the inclusion of a re-vamped scoring system (that rewards players for first attacks, reversals, and combos) helps make this the better game for its time, in my opinion. But, honestly, no matter which Street Fighter II variation you prefer, they’re all great…but, like the title suggests, I happen to think that this one is super.

Review added: 09/07/2019

Super Tetris 3

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: TOSE

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for puzzle games like Tetris…sometimes, even when the formula is basic and bland, or when gimmicks are added that sometimes hinder the gameplay rather than enhance it. For a game like Tetris, which was basically near perfect when it was originally released, every time a "sequel" was made, it never felt like it was as good as the original, simple, pure Tetris. Super Tetris 3 falls into that category. While not a bad game by any means, Super Tetris 3 isn't as good as the original Tetris, in my opinion. Introduced in this game are some new shapes that will drop from the ceiling…which is nice if you want a challenge, but it also presents a new issue - in the original Tetris, the puzzle pieces fit together like a mosaic, so when you saw the game over screen, you felt like you could have survived, but you just didn't align things properly. In this game, that's not quite the case, so sometimes you feel like your success comes down to luck rather than skill. There are also challenges to complete in this game, so if that standard style of gameplay isn't your cup of tea, you can always try to solve the puzzles in those challenges…they're quite explosive. Anyway, while I don't think Super Tetris 3 is at the level of the original Tetris, or some of the other, great match-3 puzzle games, it's still a decent game overall, and I think most puzzle fans will find something to enjoy here.

Review added: 05/23/2024