10 Games Still Stuck on Super Nintendo

Key Takeaways

• Nintendo's Virtual Console is only a temporary solution, but it promises to bring back old games.

• Many iconic SNES games are locked to the original console and require permanent ports.

• Terranigma, Lufia II, and Shadowrun are just a few of the underrated SNES RPGs that are still legally inaccessible.

The Virtual Console was Nintendo's promise to all its older fans that they could enjoy games from their childhood. The NES, SNES, N64, and more were all at your fingertips when the Wii launched in 2006. Of course, not everything was available right away and it actually took some time to update.

Unfortunately, with the closure of the Wii store, the Virtual Console disappeared, as did the Wii and 3DS stores. So all these emulations are great, but they are only a temporary solution to a problem that needs a permanent answer. Imagine being able to play these amazing SNES games as much as you want without worrying about the service hosting them shutting down.

Updated November 4, 2024 by Hilton Webster: Nintendo has made some progress in providing original versions of older SNES titles through emulation, but this is only a temporary band-aid in favor of permanent ports. And despite all that, there are still plenty of iconic SNES games that are locked on the console and can't be experienced by any legal means. Here's a fresh look at some of them.

10

Evermore's Secret

Although this is not technically part of the Mana series, it is a spin-off in a sense. After the release of Secret of Mana, Squaresoft's North American branch at the time decided to develop the game as a sort of spiritual sequel.

At the time, this was almost unheard of, as Squaresoft was a Japanese company and had more branches outside of it for localization. Because of this, many people may consider this game to be less than a SNES RPG, but it still has that Squaresoft quality to it.

9

Terranigma

Seen as part of an unofficial action RPG trilogy, Terranigma follows the aptly named Ark as they bring a planet back from the dead, and watch as the process of evolution restores Earth to its former self.

It's a very unique story, and it also has great music that Square pushed a lot for during the SNES era. Unfortunately, unlike Square's other popular series, Terranigma's unique combination of real-time combat and puzzles never had a chance to shine again after its initial release.

8

BS: The Legend of Zelda

There are actually two Zelda games locked away on the SNES. In Japan, there was a service and plugin for consoles called Satellaview. With this download feature, Nintendo released a remake of the first game, but with new 16-bit graphics.

The other game, Ancient Stone Tablets, was a pseudo-sequel to A Link to the Past. Both of these games were played live with commentary and a live band that people played for the allotted time. It was so far ahead of its time that it was difficult to re-release it.

7

Sparkster

Sparkster has a confusing legacy. It is the sequel to the Sega Genesis exclusive Rocket Knight. That platform has a game of the same name, almost called Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2. All three of these titles are different, and all three are about foursomes who are knighted with rocket packs. It's essentially an action platformer from Konami. Does that all make sense?

All three games follow the same character, Sparkster, but are otherwise quite different. What all three share is that they still agree with the console that launched it in the first place.

6

Lufia II: Rise of Sinistral

Technically, Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals left the SNES in 2010 with a remake for the DS. Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals is based on that game, but it's completely different and, like a remake, it's more like a reimagining. Final Fantasy VII is also more of a broader re-imagining.

It's a shame, too, because Lufia II is one of the most underrated RPGs on the platform. The game is right up there with Final Fantasy VI.

5

Gaia's Vision

Illusion of Gaia is similar to Zelda, but with more RPG elements. Players go through dungeons, gain magic, solve puzzles, and fight numerous monsters. Created by Quintet and distributed by Enix before its merger with Squaresoft. It wasn't that big at the time, but I still had some jewelry left in my hand.

The game takes place in a version of a world that is not at all different from our own. Although it's a relatively simple combat experience compared to other Square RPGs, you'll visit plenty of real-world locations like the Great Wall of China on your epic journey.

4

shadowrun

Shadowrun is based on the popular tabletop RPG. The series is similar to Dungeons and Dragons, but with a Bladerunner cyberpunk motif. Who needs Cyberpunk 2077 when it's available to Nintendo owners right now?

The graphics may be low, but considering it's basically an open-world RPG for the SNES, the ambitions were pretty high. Players can avoid collisions, pick locks, hack computers through dialogue, or choose to fight if all else fails.

3

Magical Pop'n

Magical Pop'n is a fascinating game with a unique legacy, not on its own merits. In this game, you take on the role of a princess who must retrieve a powerful gem from an evil demon king to save her kingdom. It's a simple platform game with simple controls and simply designed areas. It looks great, but it's not exceptional in any special way.

What's really interesting is that publisher Pack-In-Video and co-producer Yasuhiro Wada created the hugely successful Harvest Moon. This caused the price of Magical Pop'n to skyrocket, making it one of the rarest and most expensive SNES games you can acquire today.

Another bizarre aspect was that the game had no save feature at all and was very difficult.

LucasArts made many point-and-click adventure games for the PC platform in the 80s and 90s. Plus, there's a lot of Star Wars content. They had some original ideas for the console, including this mech shooter Metal Warriors. It's a very basic action game, but one that still looks and plays great even decades later.

The game takes a lot of inspiration from mecha anime and games of that era, and even if your current mech is destroyed the game doesn't end and allows you to find a new mech. It's a shame we didn't get the chance to attract a new generation to Mecca.

1

Gunple: Gunman's Proof

Lastly, we have Gunple: Gunman's Proof. This is the answer to your question. What if someone combined the gameplay of A Link to the Past and the brutality of EarthBound, all with a Western motif? Well, the answer is this.

Unfortunately, it was never released in Japan, so you're doubly stuck on the console. Thankfully, fans have patched it in English so they can play it right now if they want. As cool as that is, we're looking forward to an official release in the future. That applies to everything else here too.