The Super Nintendo Entertainment System followed up the NES with a spectacular lineup of 16-bit games from all over the map, including simulation, RPG, sports, adventure, and of course platformer titles. With the exception of the many licensed greats that are unlikely to ever be offered on such a service, Nintendo’s Switch Online service has brought back many of the greatest hits from the SNES library, and they’re now available to play as part of your subscription. Despite its growth, thoughHowever, there are 10 essential SNES games still missing from Switch Online. Here they are, ranked from 10 to 1.
10
Axelay
Released: September 1992
Axelay was one of the premier SNES shooters of the 16-bit era, and exclusive to the hardware. Players who loved the genre tended to find their needs best served on the Genesis, but Axelay stood apart from the pack by offering a pleasing mix of sidescrolling and vertical stages, like Konami’s own Life Force before it. Players could select special weapons between stages, based on what they knew of the challenges ahead, then battle swarms of enemies and spectacular bosses. The visuals were spectacular for the time, offering effects that seemed almost 3D in a 2D generation. Kazuhiko Ishida, who worked on the game, went on to co-found Treasure, where he programmed the Genesis classic Gunstar Heroes.
9
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
Released: October 1992
By the time Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest arrived in 1992, the JRPG had shown signs of life in the United States and Europe. Eager to reach more of that potential audience with the genre it knew best, Squaresoft developed Mystic Quest as a friendlier Final Fantasy. The hero found gear and used it to interact with dungeon environments, such as when he used an ax to clear out trees in a forest. Parties contained a maximum of two characters at once, who could restart a battle from the beginning if an enemy killed them. But most mobs were pushovers for a properly leveled hero, visibly falling apart after sustaining damage. Dungeons were also simpler than the ones featured in other games from that era, containing save points and visible enemies instead of random mobs. A surprisingly powerful soundtrack, filled with upbeat tunes, gave the game’s adventure the perfect musical accompaniment. Some of us didn’t appreciate getting Mystic Quest when what we really wanted was Final Fantasy 5. But anyone who got over that initial disappointment could find a lot to enjoy.
8
Super Off Road
Released: December 1991
At a glance, there’s not much to Super Off Road, which was based on the arcade hit from Leland Corporation. It drops four trucks in mud-soaked arenas, viewed on a single screen. They drive around a variety of tracks, picking up cash drops, nitro and winning prize money they invest in their vehicles between races. Although there aren’t a lot of unique tracks, the events recycle and keep things going as long as the player endures and continues placing in top spots. The game arrived on a variety of platforms, including the NES, but the SNES version felt deluxe and provided hours of repetitive but fun racing fun for two players. It made the ideal rental, and it’s still fun to play with retro-loving friends, if only for a few tense rounds at a time.
7
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja
Released: July 1991
In Japan, Ganbare Goemon Daishuugo released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC this past summeron Jul. 2, 2026. It collects a variety of games in the popular Goemon franchise. There’s been no word of a US release for that compilation just yet, which is disappointing news for those of us who remember the great times we had with The Legend of the Mystical Ninja on the SNES. In the hardware’s early days, that classic title provided a robust adventure for two players, featuring imaginative stages and loads of mini-games (with a playable stage from Gradius available at an in-game arcade). Levels included overhead exploration, like in a Zelda game, as well as difficult sidescrolling stages. It’s a perfect sampling of old school conventions, with gameplay that remains engaging more than three decades after its initial launch. Unless something changes, the closest modern players can get is 2023’s Bakeru on Switch and Windows PC.
6
SimCity
Released: April 1991
SimCity is an enjoyable game no matter where you play it, but the SNES version holds a special place in history because Nintendo handled the port. SimCity ran beautifully on the hardware, offering tremendous depth and a compelling gameplay loop that made it easy to spend days turning vacant prairies, forests, and waterways into a bustling metropolis. Players got a practical civics lesson along the way, and other titles in the overall franchise also joined the system library in following years. But none of those games could match the might of the original. Licensing difficulties might make availability on Switch Online difficult, but keep in mind that Nintendo did offer the game on Virtual Console at one point. Hope springs eternal.
5
Robotrek
Released: July 1994
Developed by Quintet, a studio that frequently collaborated with Enix throughout the 16-bit era, Robotrek is another RPG made for younger audiences. It tells the story of a young player who is the son of a renowned inventor. He spends his time building robots that battle for him in the game’s futuristic world. The gameplay feels a bit like Pokémon, because the player character isn’t the one doing the battling. Instead of building up a massive team, the hero works with a few designs that he tweaks so they can meet the increasing demands of his quest. Visually, the game is a bit bland but still effective, featuring vibrant colors and simple menus that keep the experience pleasant. The musical compositions were handled by composer Yuzo Koshiro. Unfortunately, the game didn’t get a lot of attention at launch, with so much competition from more established names. It could still be the perfect discovery today for people who missed out the first time around.
4
Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen
Released: March 1993
Many of us didn’t have the money to buy a lot of SNES games back in the day. To stay busy, we looked for the ones that provided lasting value over numerous replays. Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen was up to the task. Its beefy campaign featured multiple endings, lengthy stages, deep party customization, and secret events based on the hero’s alignment. There’s a lot of depth that might feel unintuitive to some players. The pace sometimes feels glacial, especially for those who progress cautiously. And it could really use a remake to introduce some quality of life features, but probably won’t get one. Still, the game would make a perfect Switch Online addition, with the potential to entertain the right players for dozens or even hundreds of hours.
3
Uniracers
Released: December 1994
DMA Design, which would eventually develop the Grand Theft Auto games, wasn’t always focused on muggings and carjackings. Sometimes, it explored interesting things like unicycle races. Uniracers thrilled players by offering high-speed races through simple courses, and might easily have become a franchise if it caught on well. It never got the chance, though, because Nintendo pulled it from stores. Whatever happened behind the scenes supposedly involved lawyers and possibly Pixar, but concrete details are sketchy. The contentious history makes a release on Switch Online highly unlikely, but if the right people were to have the right conversations, it might still happen. Then modern players would have the chance to try a classic experience they didn’t even realize was classic.
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2
Illusion of Gaia
Released: November 1993
Nintendo published Illusion of Gaia in North America, where it was one of the most ambitious action-RPGs available and got treated as such. It even came bundled with a collectible T-shirt and a guide handbook to walk players through the campaign. Developed by Quintet, the title shares similarities with its other most popular titles of the era, Soul Blazer and Terranigma. The quest is both lengthy and memorable, leading a small group of friends through spectacular locations set within an alternate version of Earth. The result is a polished Zelda-like adventure with a more narrative focus, although exploring some of the dungeons could get tedious if the player got lost. With an updated Terranigma on its way, right now could be the perfect time for Illusion of Gaia to finally join the Switch Online library.
1
Chrono Trigger
Released: March 1995
Chrono Trigger is perhaps the ultimate example of a dream team of developers coming together to make something special from top to bottom. At the time, the mere fact that some of the most talented individuals from both Squarsoft and Enix were even collaborating on a single project was reason enough for excitement. The two companies hadn’t merged yet, making them fierce competitors right up until they weren’t. Despite the caliber of talent involved in the project, there was no guarantee the end result would be worthwhile… but it absolutely was. To convincingly tell the story of a hero who travels through time in a battle against the dreaded Lavos, the game offered stunning visuals, a first-rate soundtrack, compelling character design, and a world that was loads of fun to live in, whatever the era. Chrono Trigger was ported to the DS, and also joined the Virtual Console lineup on Wii for a few years, but that’s the last time one of the true greats was officially available to own and play on Nintendo hardware. It’s time for it to return.