Kirk's BestOf Series: SNES

[+kisrael]

Not that I expect other people to care too much about my subjective "best games" lists, but...

it's...

KIRK'S BEST OF SERIES: SNES

 

Tetris Attack

The best head to head "puzzle" game I've ever played. Lots of games let you send garbage blocks over on the other player, but few make those garbage blocks the key to turning the tables and getting sweet, sweet revenge. Nintendo not bringing its GameCue Puzzle Collection (including a 4-player version of this game) to the USA is a misdemeanor against humanity.

 

Donkey Kong Country

People who dismiss this game as shallow eye candy probably haven't had the pleasure of walking a newbie gamer through all its well-designed levels and boss fights.

 

Super Metroid

One of the pinnacles of 2D gaming, a great feeling of exploring an alien world.

 

MicroMachines

Fun 4 player 2D racing with amusing board design, taking toy cars around real world environments.

 

StarFox

Stunning (for the time) polygon graphics and solid rail gameplay, but I think hampered by the crosspad.

 

Super Mario Kart

I want to like this game more than I actually do...like StarFox, I really played more of the N64 version first and like it better, but I have to give this game its props.

 

Super Punch-Out

Great big wonderful cartoony graphics...a worthy followup to everyone trying to beat up Mike Tyson on the NES.

 

Smash TV

Excellent port of Robotron's spiritual descendent

 

Rampart

A decent head to head game, with elements of Tetris and those Artillery Duel games...lacking of the arcade's 3 player support hurts it.

 

Super Mario All-Stars

Sure it's just prettier versions of NES games, but those are some great games..."2" is the only non-Gameboy 2D Mario I've ever beaten.

 

Honorable Mentions:

F-zero / Super Mario World / Pilotwings

[madmjennifer]

Here's my top 10 SNES list:

1. Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past - my 1st Zelda game. Ah what memories!

2. Sunset Riders - a pretty game in the less popular western genre.

3. Super Pinball - A really good pinball game.

4. Super Black Bass - Not very realistic but it's fun to catch 20lb. bass.

5. Lester the Unlikely - I like it that the "hero" doesn't start off all buff and brilliant.

6. F-Zero - Really cool graphics for the time. I'm still a bit disappointed cars aren't like this now.

7. Clayfighter - Certainly a different version of a fighter.

8. Paperboy 2 - Taught me to avoid sewer grates.

9. Super Mario Kart - a fun game by yourself or with friends.

10. Top Gear - pretty cool racing game.

 

Honorable mention:

Final Fight - I thought Cory was kinda cute.

Lost Vikings 2 - haven't played this much as it is a recent acquisition but it looks like fun. Wings 2 - I liked flying the old planes although the missions were a little too hard sometimes.

[DriftChamp]

Tetris Attack

The best head to head "puzzle" game I've ever played. Lots of games let you send garbage blocks over on the other player, but few make those garbage blocks the key to turning the tables and getting sweet, sweet revenge. Nintendo not bringing its GameCue Puzzle Collection (including a 4-player version of this game) to the USA is a misdemeanor against humanity.

 

I agree. Tetris Attack (Panel de Pon) ranks as my favorite puzle game on any console. If anyone's got an N64, check out Pokemon Puzzle League. It's from the same series as Tetris Attack but with the Pokeomon license thrown in. It's also only 2-players though.

[Emehr]

Tetris Attack

The best head to head "puzzle" game I've ever played. Lots of games let you send garbage blocks over on the other player, but few make those garbage blocks the key to turning the tables and getting sweet, sweet revenge. Nintendo not bringing its GameCue Puzzle Collection (including a 4-player version of this game) to the USA is a misdemeanor against humanity.

 

I agree. Tetris Attack (Panel de Pon) ranks as my favorite puzle game on any console. If anyone's got an N64, check out Pokemon Puzzle League. It's from the same series as Tetris Attack but with the Pokeomon license thrown in. It's also only 2-players though.

862660[/snapback]

I really enjoy Tetris Attack but there's one problem with the game play that bothers me. When things get really hectic and the tiles are piling to the top of the screen, all you really need to do is start randomly moving the D-pad and jamming the button. I've saved my own skin (and racked up a decent amount of points) many times doing this when things started heating up but it just feels so wrong.

 

- Jason

[keilbaca]

I agree about Top Gear. One of the best racing games for the SNES, lotsa fun, fuel guages, the different cars and the countries, ahh the memories.

 

I'm surprised no one mentioned Chrono Trigger

[DriftChamp]

I agree about Top Gear. One of the best racing games for the SNES, lotsa fun, fuel guages, the different cars and the countries, ahh the memories.

 

I'm surprised no one mentioned Chrono Trigger 

863642[/snapback]

 

Top Gear is a lot of fun. I rank it 3rd in terms of my favorite SNES racers (Mario Kart and Rock n Roll Racing being 1 and 2).

 

I really enjoy Tetris Attack but there's one problem with the game play that bothers me. When things get really hectic and the tiles are piling to the top of the screen, all you really need to do is start randomly moving the D-pad and jamming the button. I've saved my own skin (and racked up a decent amount of points) many times doing this when things started heating up but it just feels so wrong.

 

- Jason

863027[/snapback]

 

That's true, but it only works so often. More often than not, the player who's skilled with setting up combos and chains will win out.

[+uosipa llamxew]

Action / Platform: Super Metroid, Super Mario World

Ahhh... Super Metroid + a bag of Doritos + ice cold Coca-cola = Heaven.

Fighting: Street Fighter II* - Turbo, Killer Instinct*

Killer Instinct is looking pretty dated; back in the day I must have rented the cartridge a couple of dozen times so that my friends and I could spend sleepless weekends beating eachother senseless. IMO, Street Fighter II still looks good. I paid 70 dollars when it was first released and another 60 when they released the Turbo edition. I have no regrets.

Multiplayer: Super Bomberman 2*, Smash TV*, Zombies Ate My Neighbors*, Mr Do*

Whoever argues that Super Bomberman is not the best party game ever manufactured, please step up. C'mon! I feel like a fight!

Miscellaneous: Zoop

Simple gameplay, great music, doo-doo-doo!

Peripheral: Super Gameboy w/ Donkey Kong 95 Gameboy cartridge

Thought I'd throw this in here.

Puzzle: Lemmings*, Tetris Attack*, Wario's Woods*

*sniff* Nobody wants to play Lemmings with me.

Racing: Super Mario Kart*, Rock 'N' Roll Racing*

Super Mario Kart is my very favoritest SNES game ever baby! I think I've actually played more games of the fighting mode than actually racing though.

RPG: Legend of Zelda 3, Wanderers from Y's III

Shooter: Axelay, U.N. Squadron

I absolutely love the music in both of these games; They each have beautiful graphics and challenging gameplay. FUN!

Sports: Super Punchout, Looney Tunes Basketball*

 

(*) = good multiplayer game.

Edited May 29, 2005 by mojofltr

[madmjennifer]

Not that I expect other people to care too much about my subjective "best games" lists, but...[/b]

849648[/snapback]

 

I like subjective best games lists. They give me suggestions to put on my wish list .

[+kisrael]

I really enjoy Tetris Attack but there's one problem with the game play that bothers me. When things get really hectic and the tiles are piling to the top of the screen, all you really need to do is start randomly moving the D-pad and jamming the button. I've saved my own skin (and racked up a decent amount of points) many times doing this when things started heating up but it just feels so wrong.

 

I was playing Pokemon Puzzle League last night.

 

I was doing well against my usual game buddies so I didn't try out your strategy, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say you haven't REALLY gone deep into the game. I don't KNOW that your spazz strategy wouldn't win against me or my buds, but here's my story...

 

Historically, I'm better at games then my Aunt or my mom...except for the puzzle games that they really get into, and one of those games was Tetris Attack. They could beat me like I was their redheaded stepchild.

 

But then my friend Evil B and I got really into. We'd play it two or three times a week. Over a period of months we got pretty decent, gradually cranking up the difficulty. It's an interesting game, as you get better, you start to see things that were previously invisible...you start just going for 4s, but then you can master the secrets of other moves and combos.

 

(Interestingly, though, my friend's "smart" strategy of trying to do massive combos over the long haul proved inferior to my "speed bitch"strategy of just going for cheap-and-cheerful and only gradually try to work in fancy stuff.)

 

So I went back to see how I was against my family members, and just kicked their butt. I would play at 8 or so and they would play about 2 or 3, and that was about an even match.

 

So I thought I was pretty hot stuff when I went to Philly Classic (4 I think) -- they had a Pokemon Puzzle League contest and I thought I'd try my like. I knew I wouldn't win, that there'd be some hard core guy there who could beat me no problem, but still. (Also that year they were slow to set up the contest right, thinking it would be smart to start people at level 1...making the games last FOREVER)

 

So. I sat down and played. And got beaten soundly in the first round. By a guy who got schooled in the second. (The guy I lost to, I guess it was the game of choice at his frat or dorm or something.)

 

The level of play of this game is amazing...the great players, including the gal who won it all, just SEE things, chances for weird freaky piled on combos, that are invisible to normal people. I have never been part of a game where I could so clearly see that some people had just taken it to a ninja like level, and NO amount of button mashing is going to work against something like that.

 

So that's my Tetris Attack story. What a game, and I CURSE Ninendo for not bringing its puzzle collection stateside...even if it was fairy-riffic "Panel de Pon", I WANT IT.

[+kisrael]

Side note, are Donkey Konk Countries 2 and 3 around as good and as veteran/newbie pair friendly as the original? I haven't seen any co-op game as newbie friendly as that...it doesn't sound like it should be so fun, since only one person is playing at a time, but the ability to swap in and out really lets the newbie get in some good playing time without ever feeling too frustrated because they can always hand control over...