With each video game generation, we all get more and more nostalgic for the simpler times. Back when not every game wanted us to dedicate hours to a battle pass or spend our entire bank accou🍃nt for the chance to get a 0.0008 percent chance character, it was perfect.

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Nowhere is this more clear than with the joys we feel when playing Nintendo's 16-bit console, the SNES. The games of this era were gems and to this day many of them still holꦺd up incredibly we🍰ll. If you are bored with every other modern game being a battle royal or an open-world soulslike clone, look no further than these classics.

12 Kirby's Dream Course

Two-Player Chaos Never Gets Old

Kirby on hole two of course one about to take a shot in Kirby's Dream Course inside of a CRT TV.
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Kirby's Dream Course
Sports
Systems
Released
September 21, 1994

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
E for Eve🦄ryone
Developer(s)
𝓰 HAL Laboratory, Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
🐼 Special Tee Shot 🌃
Franchise
Kirby

This unique title puts the little pink puff ball Kirby and his forgot🐭ten yellow friend Keeby against one another in a golf-like game. Kirby's Dream Course has you launching your puffball around, utilizing abilities from the Kirby series to defeat more enemies on the board before entering the hole to end the stage.

Multiplayer titles in the online era of gaming often lack the pure chaotic fun that older ones, such as Kirby's Dream Course have, and it's a shame. This game can ruin friendships just as easily as a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mario Party title, but even worse, as you can directly mess with your friend at any time, and ꦐit never gets old, even with the limited board choices.

11 🎃 Super Castlevania 4

Putting The "Vania" In Metroidvania

Simon Belmont using his whip to defeat a skeleton enemy in Super Castlevania IV inside of a CRT TV.
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Super Castlevania IV
Action-Adventure
Systems
Released
December 4, 1991

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Konami
Platform(s)
PC, SNES, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Unfortunately, outside the wonderful animated Netflix shows, the Castlevania series has been dormant for a long time, with only rereleases ever gracing modern platforms. Despite thi✅s, fans still want a new entry in the series as these games are unlike any other and Super Castlevania 4 is one of the best.

Even with the surge of the Metroidvania genre, Super Castlevania IV holds up great against its modern counterparts with its retro pixel art and soundtrack. While other titles in the series, such as 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Symphony of the Night, are incredible,🌜 there's something special about Super Castlevania 4 that no other Metroidvanias can reproduce.

10 🍰 Final Fantasy 6 (3) ℱ

A Masterclass Of Its Series

Terra, Edgar, Sabin and Banon in a battle in a cave in Final Fantasy III inside of a CRT TV.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Final Fantasy VI
Released
April 2, 1994

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

ESRB
Teen // Fantasy Violence, Part🐈ial Nudity
Developer(s)
Square
How Long To Beat
34 hours

While Square Enix has continued to produce entries in the Final Fantasy series, few have 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:felt all that special. The modern entries especially lack th𒐪e charm and spark of the earlier entries, and with that in mind, we need more people to experience the classic that is Final Fa▨ntasy 6.

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Final Fantasy 6 features a fantasy steampunk world filled to the brim with life and classic RPG elements that we sorely miss. Whil🔥e modern games have realistic tones, ones like FF6 give you an imaginative, gripping adventure. Alongside a visual identity as strong as Final Fantasy 6's, it becomes more apparent that retro games are better in many respects.

9 𒁏 Super Metroid 🍷

Out Of This World

Samus Aran facing off against Kraid in Super Metroid inside of a CRT TV.
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Super Metroid
Action-Adventure
Metroidvania
Systems
Released
April 18, 1994

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Franchise
Metroid
Platform(s)
SNES
How Long To Beat
8 Hours

This legendary title is one that helped inspire so many of t๊he now iconic Metroidvania genre games to flourish, and to this day, it still stands above even the best of them. Super Metroid has you adventuring through the planet Zebes as Samus Aran, looking for a stolen Metroid baby.

With a perfectly sized map and a good mix of progression, secrets, and backtracking, Super Metroid shows why it deserves to have an entire genre half-named after the series. The world is so open and distinctly alien, and it shows the perfect example of how to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:do a Metroidvania right.

8 🏅 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars 𒅌

An Unlikely Collaboration

Mario jumping to reach a Hidden Treasure Chest Block in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars inside of a CRT TV.
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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven ꦑStars
Released
May 13, 1996

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
♚ E For Everyo🌟ne
Developer(s)
Square
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Franchise
🌳 ⭕ Super Mario
Platform(s)
SNES
How Long To Beat
18 Hours

Back in the early days of gaming, developers were a lot less protective of their brands, and this included Ninten𝓰do, which partnered with Square (now Square Enix) to create the first Mario RPG title. Super Mario RPG is a cult classic for a reason, as it combines two of the SNES era's greatest development teams into one unforgettable title filled with '90s charm.

Despite having a remake on the Nintendo Switch, we can't help but still love the original release as the sprites and music are just too iconic. The way the game has almost 3D visuals on such a limited system will always be impress⛄🐲ive and if you want a charming classic Square Enix RPG instead of its modern serious direction, there is no better title.

7 ༒ Earthbound 🔯

A Journey Like No Other

Ness, Paula and Jeff walking around Onett Town in Earthbound inside of a CRT TV.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Earthbound
Systems
Released
June 5, 1995

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

ESRB
T For Teen due tꦡo Fantasy Violence,☂ Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Crude Humor
Developer(s)
🦩 HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc.
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Franchise
EarthBound ܫ
How Long To Beat
28 Hours

This Nintendo-developed turn-based RPG is a classic that deserves more recognition and love in the modern era. Earthbound isn't just your average RPG. With a quirky, lovable cast and a deep story, there is plenty to love, and it is super uꦡnique, breaking multiple genre stapl🐼es unlike any other title.

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2

So many modern indie RPG games are heavily inspired by Earthbound's creativity and charm, such as 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Undertale and Omori, but stand on their own footing with more mature tones and themes. Even despite more modern titles pushing the RPG genre to marvelous heights, the more grounded yet creative gameplay and narrative of Earthbo🦹und are simply incredible to this day.

6 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Blissful And Stressful Fun

Yoshi carrying Baby Mario on his back and about to enter a Pipe in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island inside of a CRT TV.
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Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Platformer
Systems
Released
October 4, 1995

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
🎃 ൲ E For Everyone
Developer(s)
N🦹intendo EAD
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
How Long To Beat
8 Hours

Shortly after his debut in the Mario series, our favorite green dinosaur woulওd swiftly get his title in Yoshi's Island. This 2D platformer is filled with soft, beautiful pixel art that is surprisingly challenging despite its children's picture book theming and baby-centric plot.

The art style of Yoshi's Island is like a hug from a loved one, and the pleasant music is fꦯittingly bouncy. The game does sometimes reflect the opposite of this with tricky platforming and the stress of Baby Mario crying whenever you are hit. However, everything all together makes for one of the most distinct games out there that modern games wish they could be.

5 Kꦕirby Super Star

One Small Package, Many Big Surprises

Fighter Kirby exploring the Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star inside of a CRT TV.
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Kirby Super Star
Platformer
Systems
Released
September 20, 1996

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

ESRB
e
Developer(s)
🧸 HAL Labor෴atory
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Franchise
Kirby
Platform(s)
SNES
How Long To Beat
4 Hours

With games i🔯n the modern age, we are lucky enough if a game comes with one fleshed-out mode, let alone a whole pack of variety, and that's what makes Kirby Super Star so special. As the European name suggests (Kꦿirby's Fun Pak), this game is packed with modes, so even if you get bored with the platforming, there are tons of things that can keep you busy for hours.

Combine this with very solid mechanics and iconic music, and you have a game that feels like Christmas every time you unlock a new mode. From the deep, open-ended collect-a-thon Great Cave Offen𒊎sive to the progression-based cosmic adventure in Milky Way Wishes, Kirby Super Star is bite-sized fu𝔉n in many sweet packages.

The Legend Lives On

Link angering a Cucco outside of his house in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past inside of a CRT TV.
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The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Action-Adventure
Systems
10.0/10
Released
April 13, 1992
ESRB
❀ E For Ever𝐆yone Due To Mild Violence

Developer(s)
🐼 Nintendo EAD 𝓀
How Long To Beat
15 Hours

The prestigi♛ous The Legend of Zelda series has been standing tall over nearly every generation of gaming, and it may have been at its best on the SNES with A Link To The Past. This 2D adventure has you venturing across a detailed, beautifully-filled Hyrule that has things to do all over.

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With a long main quest, you will get many hours of fun as you lose yourself in this 🎐retro world. While modern Zelda titles have big, empty open worlds, A Link to the Past has love crafted into every inch of its Hyrule. With a stunning art style to boot, nothing beats a trip back to Hyrule's past if you're looking fo൲r a timeless adventure.

3 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest

Going Bananas

Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong at the end of a ship themed level in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest inside of a CRT TV.
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Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest
Platformer
Systems
Released
November 20, 1995

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL

Modern games often try to tell grand narratives with deep and emotional characters that, while great, can take away from the game itself. That's why many SNES games rock. Ones such as Donkey Kong Country 2 have very simpl🎃e plots, allowing the brillia𒉰nt platforming gameplay to be a focus rather than a poorly written movie.

While its high difficulty levels can be frustrating, it's the good kind of difficulty that modern games lack, and not a single level feels boring. Nothing feels unfai♊r and if you want to feel genuinely challenged, any of the SNES DKC titles will be a barrel blast.