Summary

  • SNES RPGs stand out for their depth, plot, and accessibility, making them a delight for gamers to explore.
  • Super Mario RPG introduced interactive combat mechanics, while Earthbound wowed with humor and challenge.
  • Live a Live offered diverse gameplay styles, inspiring games like Octopath Traveler, showcasing the SNES RPG prowess.

Few consoles can claim to have as many highly rated RPGs as the SNES. The juggernaut of the 90s was known for its platformers in America, but in Japan it was praised ওhighly for its stellar RPGs. Years after the SNES reign, Western gamers consistently revisit the SNES to explore its ocean of quality RPGs.

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Part of what makes SNES RPGs so great compared to other consoles is that, unlike the🌠 NES, the RPGs had depth, less abstract maps, and more plot. Compared to the PlayStation, the SNES games were not nearly as convoluted or time-consuming to complete. The SNES hits the right balance of accessibility without being too easy, making its RPG library a delight to play through.

10 ⛎Super Mario RPG: Legend Oܫf The Seven Stars

Geno turning a goomba into a sheep in Super Mario RPG.

Released
May 13, 1996 ❀
Developer(s)
Square
How Long To Beat
18 Hours

In the 90s, it was shocking to see the platforming hero Mario in an RPG. Square created an original world unique to Mario, along with one-of-a-kind graphics and art style. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Super Mario RPG𝐆: Legend of the Seven Stars features a similar sense of humor to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Earthbound in its ability to not take itself too seriously.

Super Mario RPG:🤡 Legend of the Seven Stars popularized the mechanic of pressing the attack button at the right time to do more damage, thereby making turn-based combat more interactive. While Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars lacks in party size, it is filled with memorable villains and boss fights.

9 Front Missiℱon ༺

Mech customize screen in Front Mission
Front Mission

Released
February 24,♍ 1995

With most RPGs on the SNES taking place 🌟in medieval-ins💧pired settings, Front Mission is a breath of fresh air with its focus on a dystopian, mech-dominated world.

Front Mission leverages its mech-centric setting by offering players﷽ the ability to upgrade and customize their mechs to their liking. The characters' backstories and development are also diverse, with many party ꦉmembers having in-depth backgrounds, a rarity even in strategy RPGs today.

8 Earthbound ꩵ

Earthbound party going into a department store

Released
June 5, 🅺1995
Developer(s)
🉐 HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc.
How Long To Beat
28 Hours

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Earthbound, the second game in ဣthe Mother series, has garnered one of the largest cult followi🧸ngs among SNES RPGs. It contrasts with other RPGs of its era through its cutesy art style and the unconventional setting of an American suburban environment.

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While Earthbound's battle system is relatively simple, its writing remains ahead of its time. The game is known for having 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the most hilarious dialogue in th𝕴e genre and a plot that never overstays its welcome. Furthermore, Earthbound features sections that are notably challenging, contributing to its re💝putation as one of the more 💫difficult flagship RPGs on the SNES.

7 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Live A Live

Giant robot launching missiles in Live a Live
Live A Live

Released
🦋 September 2, 1994 ꦏ
Developer(s)
Square
How Long To Beat
20 Hours

Many of the best SNES RPGs were originally launched exclusively on the Super Famicom, but in 2022, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Live a Live was officially ported to the West. Live a Live stands out because players choose between 7 different characters and experience their individual s💟tories instead of following a single central protagonist.

After completing one character's story, you move on to the next. Each character in Live a Live has a unique background, and the game features completely different gameplay styles and narrative approaches for each storyline. Live a Live was ambitious in its design and is believed to have been an inspiration for 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Octopath Traveler.

6 F🅺inal Fantasy 6 💦

Sabin about to blitz in Final Fantasy 6
Final Fantasy 6
Released
October 11, 1994 💃
Developer(s)
ಞ Square Enix, Square 𝓰
How Long To Beat
35 Hours

168澳洲幸运5ဣ开奖网:The most ambitious of the 2D Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy 6 expanded upon the narrative elements💫 introduced in Final Fantasy 4 and 🤪elevated them to new heights. Recognized for its grand scale and remarkable soundtrack, Final Fantasy 6 was among the earliest titles to deliver storytelling through an epic narrative.

Final Fantasy 6 stands out for its distinctive feature of having a set cast of characters, though pinpointing a single protagonist can be challenging. The game is lauded for its memorable💮 characters, steampunk-inspired world, and expansive map, setting it apart from its contemporaries. However, in terms of gameplay, Final Fantasy 6 did not introduce particularly groundbreaking mechanics compared to other turn-based RPGs on the SNES.

5 Fire Em🎶blem Geneꦜalogy Of The Holy War

Alec striking a grunt with his sword in Fire Emblem Genology of The Holy War
Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War
Tactical
RPG

Released
𓃲 May 14, 1996
How Long To Beat
50 Hours

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War was the first game in the series to dramatically increase its scale. 𒁃It presents a multi-generational war epic where players engage in battles on expansive maps populated with numerous units.

An enjoyable feature introduced in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, which has become a staple in modern 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Fire Emblem gamesꦛ, is the ability for characters to marry and have children who inherit their parents' attributes. Despite its wealth of mechanics, one unique aspect of the game is the possibility for characters to be permanently killed in unexpected ways, adding a layer of unpredictability to gameplay.

4 ൲ Final Fantasy 4

Cecil fighting a bird in final Fantasy 4

Released
🤡 July 19, 1991
Developer(s)
Square
How Long To Beat
22 Hours

Before Final Fantasy 4, most people's perception of RPGs 💎involved minimal plot and characterization. Final Fantasy 4 revolutionized RPGs by elevating production values and ꦛintroducing a structured story that played out like an interactive movie.

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In terms of gameplay, Final Fantasy 4 did not innovate significantly, but it featured a familiar cast, each character possessing distinct attributes in both gameplay me🎶chanics and personality. While other SNES RPGs may have had more complex plots, Final Fantasy 4's straightforward narrative approach protected it from becoming overly melodramatic or convoluted.

3 Ogre Battl💖e: The March Of The💯 Black Queen

Doing a slice attack in Ogre Battle The March of the Black Queen
Ogre Battle: The March Of The Black Queen
RPG
Real-Time Strategy

Released
🗹 😼 March 12, 1993
Developer
Quest Corporation 𓂃 ♊
How Long To Beat
27 Hours

The Ogre Battle series is probably more famous for the Tactics Ogre games which have inspired 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy Tactics, but♛ the series started on the SNES as a real time strategy meets RPG hybrid game. Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen is a sprawling game featuring numerous characters, items, and classes.

The game boasts a relatively complex political plot, though it lacks in-depth character de♑velopment for most of its 🥂roster. Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen can surprise newcomers to 16-bit gaming with its substantial depth, which surpasses that of many other games from the 1990s.

2 ♐ Chrono Trigger

Robo doing a sand cyclone attack in Chrono Trigger.

Released
March 11, 1995 ꧑
How Long To Beat
23 Hours

Widely regarded not only as the best RPG on the SNES but also a consensus pick for the best R🌜PG of all tim🥀e, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Chrono Trigger excels without relying on gimmicks, executing every aspect with exceptional quality. The game features a distinctive art style, with cha💯racter designs by the late Akira Toriyama, yet manages to avoid being distracting or gimmicky.

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Chrono Trigger's battle syste𝓀m, while not the most complex, is praised for its brilliant pacing. The game never dwells excessively on one dungeon or plot point, seamlessly propelling players through different eras to interact with its vibrant cast and explore multiple p🅘lot threads.

1 ♔ Final Fantasy 5

Faris launching a fire spell in Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 5

Released
🐻December 6, 1992
How Long To Beat
32 Hours

Often overshadowed by Final Fantasy 4 and Final Fantasy 6, Final Fantasy 5 was originally a Japanese-only release during the SNES era. The game expanded upon Final Fantasy 3's job system,🌊 creating one of the most dynamic combat systems in any turn-based RPG.

While Final Fantasy 5 may not feature the memorable characters or𝔉 ambitious plots of its SNES counterparts, it compensates by offering a wide array of class🥂es that players can mix and match within their party. The ability to transfer unique skills between classes allows for countless combinations and strategies in battle.

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