20 Underrated SNES Games

With the availability of almost every game created for the SNES and other retro gaming systems, there is no better time than now to explore some of the titles you might have missed in your youth. Popular games got all the attention, and other excellent games did not. We didn’t have the time nor the capability as we do now to keep up with every release. Take a look at some of the most underrated games for the SNES you should go back and check out.

Saturday Night Slam Masters

Before maybe Wrestlemania 2000, there weren’t many good wrestling video games. However, one that stood out was Saturday Night Slam Masters. More than likely, you never played it, but you were pleasantly surprised if you were of the few that did. In reality, this was more like your typical brawling games, just held in a ring, but that’s what made it fun.

Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen

I’m an RPG fan, so many of the underrated games come from that genre. In my humble opinion, one of the best in a super competitive genre for SNES was Orge Battle. This game had it all: an incredible storyline, tons of characters, equipment, weapons, and skills to choose from. You could spend days just putting together your battalions for maximum strategy and efficiency. It was everything an RPG fan could want.

Weaponlord

Here's another title I don’t think many SNES fans play but is worth checking out now if you can. WeaponLord was more than your typically 2D battling game. There weren’t a lot of characters to play, but each had many fun combo moves, plus powerful special moves. On top of that, it mattered what you did in the game to get different endings that were practically unheard of.

The Adventures of Batman and Robin

The Adventures of Batman and Robin is everything a Batman game should be. Based on the show Batman: The Animated Series, the game features a more cartoonish look than other Batman games, but it works. All the good villains are there, and you have a plethora of bat gadgets to defeat them.

Boogerman

When SNES was at its height, I was a pre-teen to young teen, so let’s not be surprised that a game in which you burp, fart, and flick boogers on enemies made this list. There wasn’t much else to this game, but it was fun to play.

Cybernator

If video games are good for anything, they help bring some of the biggest fantasies to life. What better fantasy than hopping into a giant machine launching missiles at other giant machines? Cybernator offered level after level of awesome gameplay by blowing up everything in sight.

Metal Warriors

Although coming from a different developer as Cybenator, Metal Warriors was essentially its sequel. If blowing giant machines up is good, blowing up even more giant machines must be better, right? Absolutely! Metal Warriors showcased everything that made Cybernator fun and turned up its volume, including the fun.

Act Raiser

Warning! I’m about to go on an RPG tear here. First stop: Act Raiser. This is not your typical RPG, though. Level grinding is nowhere to be found here. Playing as an angel of sorts, you go from town to town, solving their problems with rain, wind, and even causing earthquakes. Eventually, you gain new skills and items to help you in past stages and grow stronger. The game included both town-building mode and action mode; both could entertain you for hours.

Secret of Evermore

Still going on the RPG tear here. The Secret of Evermore is basically a clone of the more popular Secret of Mana. Traveling through different time periods with a transforming dog makes each part of the storyline unique. There is no doubt in my mind that if you liked Secret of Mana, you’d have the same fun with Secret of Evermore.

Illusion on Gaia

Illusion of Gaia was another slightly different RPG than most of us were used to, but that’s what made it great to play. It was familiar enough were you knew you were playing an RPG, but a few wrinkles to make it stand out. The storyline was engaging, plus the gameplay and soundtrack were top-notch. It's definitely worth playing this title today.

7TH Saga

7th Saga might be my favorite RPG on this list. One reason is that it’s so hard to beat. And if you manage to beat it, there are six other characters you can play as, all with different endings. The replay value was great in an era where you couldn’t simply google the other endings.

Lufia Ii: Rise of the Sinitrals

As I said, I’m an RPG fan, so Lufia II makes my list. The original game was pretty good, but the sequel had even more going for it. The game was likely overlooked because it came out at the tail end of the SNES run, but it’s worth going back and playing now.

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja

Legend of the Mystical Ninja is just a flat-out quirky, totally wacky, and outrageously fun game. Being 100% emersed in ancient Japanese culture could have turned some gamers away, but it shouldn’t have. The game features ultra-fun characters, weapons, and gameplay.

Harvest Moon

On its surface, the premise of Harver Moon doesn’t sound like fun at all. You wake up early, work on a farm, sell your goods, rinse and repeat. Somehow, it works. You find yourself caring so much about this farm and getting all the work done. You can’t help it. Simple and fun to play, it should be easy to find this game as it’s spawned many titles since the SNES version, including in the Apple/Play stores.

Breath of Fire Ii

Breath of Fire II is another example of how much an RPG fan I am. It's another solidly made game that didn’t get much attention originally. Its storyline, graphics, gameplay, and characters all stand up to some of the more popular titles on the SNES. If you haven’t played this game and are an RPG fan, you should definitely get your hands on it.

Terranigma

Ok, here's the last RPG, I swear. Terranigma is a game like no other. If you are an RPG fan, you need to go back and play this game. The only thing you need to know is the premise of the game is that you are essentially molding the Earth’s rebirth. I will leave it at that.

U.N. Squadron

Oh, wow, was this an action-packed game. Flying through the skies as one of the multiple pilots, you're immersed in non-stop action. Enemy fire comes from all directions, including the ground. You earn cold hard cash to upgrade your wings, weapons, and even special weapons. Of course, there are insane powerups in each stage to help you get through the barrage of bullets and other weapons coming at you from the bad guys. Not enough gamers know about this game.

Goof Troop

Goof Troop didn’t get much love as a show, so it’s no surprise that the game for it didn’t either. What is surprising is how much fun the game was to play. Whether you watched the show or not, the game boasted some fun elements, including using your wits and objects you find on its island location to beat bad guys and bosses. It’s certainly worth checking out.

Uniracers

If there is one game on this list that you have to go back and play, it’s UniRacers. The premise doesn’t sound exciting, but this game was so fun. Racing on insane tracks as a unicycle, you practically needed to memorize the later stages to beat them. Perfect timing and execution of flips, spins and other tricks to boost your speed are necessary. The game is sometimes played at an insanely fast but incredibly fun pace and is challenging to boot.

Aero the Acrobat

I don’t know anyone else who ever had this game, and I have no idea how I came across it, but it was fun to play. Playing as a have man half-bat type character, you had to run, jump, fly and even unicycle your way through countless difficult stages. I doubt I ever beat this game, but I certainly had fun trying.