When Nintendo announced that people would be getting free games as part of their Switch Online subscription, everyone immediately got excited over the possibilities of what classic games we could play on the go. Then they revealed that it would only be NES games, and you could practically hear every Nintendo fan's excitement dissipate at once.
But now rumors are running rampant that Nintendo is looking to finally add SNES games to the service, which is a much more exciting proposition. While NES games do hold some appeal, many SNES titles still stand up to even some of the best games released in recent years.
Of course there are some obvious titles that will likely be added once SNES games come to Switch Online: Super Mario World, A Link To The Past, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, etc. These games kind of have to show up, but what about some of the lesser known SNES games? The ones that may be amazing, but barely anyone has heard of? Here are a few titles that we think should be added so many Switch users can experience them for the first time.
Terranigma
The SNES was well known for its classic JRPGs. Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Secret Of Mana, Final Fantasy 6, and Super Mario RPG are just a few of the more well known games. So with no many RPGs on the system, it makes sense that some would fall through the cracks. Terranigma is often considered the best RPG to never be released in North America, and it's about time that it crossed the ocean.
What makes Terranigma stand out from a lot of RPGs is its amazing story. It tells such an incredible tale about a hero trying to reawaken a destroyed Earth, and has a lot of shocking twists and turns. Seriously, it's a story so good that it easily stands up there with RPGs like Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy 6. Plus it has action RPG gameplay that's both very fun, and quite challenging. North Americans haven't gotten a chance to experience Terranigma, and Switch Online could finally be the platform to let us play it without having to use an emulator.
Shin Megami Tensei
Speaking of games that didn't release in North America, it's not surprising that the first Shin Megami Tensei never made it out of Japan. Aside from it being a heavily Japan-focused title, it told a story that involved murder and a lot of disturbing religious imagery. Nintendo was so squeamish about releasing anything even remotely mature in the US, that it would make developers tweak their games to turn pubs into cafes, or make blood appear to be white or green. Needless to say, a game where people are crucified was probably never making it to American shores.
But games have grown up, and so have we: we can probably handle Shin Megami Tensei. It plays very similarly to the other Shin Megami Tensei games, with a first person dungeon-crawling view, and the ability to recruit demons to fight for you. Combined with its bizarre story, everyone on this side of the pond deserves a chance to be weirded out.
Goof Troop
There was a surprising amount of good Disney games on early consoles. Aladdin, Ducktales, Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers, and The Lion King all had pretty solid games based on them (although screw that second Lion King level and its dumb monkeys).
One of the shows that most people didn't realize got a game adaptation was Goof Troop. It's a cooperative game that lets you and a friend control Goofy, and his son Max, as they fight off a bunch of non-threatening pirates. It plays like a kind of Zelda-esque game, with lots of key collecting, and pot throwing. It's completely solid, and while a little too short, it never hurts to have a little Goofy on your digital platform.
Tinstar
Now if you want to get really obscure, there's a very strong chance that 90% of the people reading this article have never ever heard of Tinstar. It's a bit of a weird game, as you don't actually control the lead character Tinstar. You actually control an aiming reticle, and go around the level shooting any bad guys that dare to threaten our mechanical hero.
The game also has a surprising sense of humor, with the whole story getting kicked off by Tinstar arriving into town and then accidentally destroying the main bad guy's prized geraniums. It feels like something that could have easily been turned into a Saturday morning cartoon. Practically no one has played this one, and it definitely deserves some wider exposure.
Saturday Night Slam Masters
There isn't a ton of options for good wrestling games on the SNES, with only a handful of WWE games on the system. Saturday Night Slam Masters is basically Capcom's only foray into wrestling games, but it also might be the best one on the Super Nintendo.
It basically plays like a fighting game, only it takes place in a ring and you need to pin your opponent to win. Plus, it has Mike Hagar in it, which means you can finally see him in his wrestling glory instead of his usual political attire. If it can be somehow configured to have four player functionality, this could be a really fun game to play with friends.
Space Megaforce
Space Megaforce is the best schmup on the SNES, and may be among the greatest schmups of all time. You can take your Gradius, your R-Type, your Ikaruga, your Space Invaders, shove them in a box, and place Space Megaforce on the tippy top of your gaming shelf. It's that good.
It just has such a good balance of challenge and fun, and has an incredible variety of weapons. It's truly fun to play, and could even be considered one of the best SNES games, period. It's a crime that not enough people talk about this game today. Put this on Switch Online, and people will instantly be converted into fans, and Space Megaforce will have the love and adoration it truly deserves.
These are just a few of the lesser known gems that should definitely be considered for Switch Online. Sure, we'd all be happy to get Kirby SuperStar, or Starfox on our Switches, but throwing some truly obscure games onto the service is a good way to get us to continue ponying up our twenty bucks a year.