Picking the best SNES RPGs is far from a simple task, as the console offers versatility alongside consistency. The console is so stacked with quality, someone could spend years playing nothing but SNES RPGs and still find something new to try. What are the top-tier role-playing games on the Super Nintendo?
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Updated November 16, 2022 by Mark Sammut: The SNES concluded its run over two decades ago, yet the console continues to influence the gaming industry. In 2022, two of the best SNES RPGs – Live A Live and Tactics Ogre – found their way onto modern systems, showing there is still interest in revisiting these genre classics.
28 Dragon View
Release Date: November 1994 (NA)
Also known as Drakkhen 2, Dragon View makes more sense as a title since the sequel largely ignores its predecessor in order to craft an experience better suited for the Super Nintendo. This franchise’s selling point was its first-person view while traversing the overworld, which provided quite an immersive experience for its era. Nowadays, these sections are not particularly impressive, but the game stood out on the SNES.
When exploring dungeons, the game shifts to a side-scrolling angle that allows for simple but satisfying real-time combat. The same thing happens in towns, minus the hack and slash action. Dragon View is a decent SNES game that was well worth owning during the console’s lifespan, even if it is difficult to recommend for a contemporary playthrough.
27 Robotrek
Release Date: October 1, 1994 (NA)
The best SNES RPGs are the most renowned, as the console’s greatest creations generally received the recognition they deserved. While the likes of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, and Dragon Quest 5 are fondly remembered, the same cannot be said for every worthwhile RPG available on the SNES.
Robotrek didn’t perform brilliantly open its release and the JRPG has been largely forgotten since then. While the game lacked the polish and mainstream appeal of some of its contemporaries, Robotrek’s customization options were ahead of the curve in many ways. While not Quintet’s greatest SNES RPG, Robotrek is better than average.
26 Eye Of The Beholder
Release Date: April 1994 (NA)
An Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, Eye of the Beholder started life on PC systems, and that version is the most highly regarded. A few years following its debut, the RPG made its way to the SNES, being one of the console’s few entries in the genre to not be developed by a Japanese studio.
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Eye of the Beholder is a first-person dungeon crawler predominantly set in a sewer system. With four main characters and the option to add NPCs to the team, the game’s best asset is the variety it provides in terms of party creation and formation. Eye of the Beholder feels more of its era than some of the better RPGs on the SNES, however, it was a solid option for D&D fans who owned Nintendo’s console.
25 Brain Lord
Release Date: October 1, 1994
Brain Lord might just be the most unfairly forgotten SNES RPG. Produce!’s game takes a page from The Legend of Zelda’s playbook, particularly when it comes to its action gameplay. However, Brain Lord doubles down on RPG elements, including more quests, combat options, and an interesting system involving monsters that aid the protagonist, Remeer.
Brain Lord plays well, has a lengthy campaign that doesn’t lose momentum along the way, and features dragons. While not the best RPG on the SNES, Brain Lord is a very good game.
24 Ultima 6: The False Prophet
Release Date: 1993 (NA)
Three Ultima games were released for the Super Nintendo, and they are all better on other systems. The SNES’ Runes of Virtue 2 is widely different from the Game Boy version, and except for a more colorful presentation, the handheld release is superior. Ultima 7: The Black Gate sacrificed a lot of content and features to make the jump from computers to the SNES, resulting in an underwhelming experience.
While by no means perfect on Nintendo’s platform, Ultima 6: The False Prophet does a serviceable job of adapting the PC game for the console. The RPG is a fun dungeon crawler with laid-back pacing and quite a lot of NPCs. Is this the ideal way to experience Ultima 6? Obviously, the answer is no. Nevertheless, this port was a respectable option for SNES owners who did not have a computer.
23 Treasure Hunter G
Release Date: May 24, 1996 (JP)
A very late addition to the SNES’ library, Treasure Hunter G was developed by Sting Entertainment and published by Square. The latter’s influence shines through as the tactical RPG shares a few things in common with titles such as Final Fantasy Tactics. While never reaching the heights attained by that PS1 classic, Treasure Hunter G does a competent job representing its genre.
As it was never released outside of Japan, this tactical RPG has been largely forgotten to time, which is a shame as the game has its share of positives. The grid-based combat system is enjoyable and accessible, while the adventure has charming characters.
22 Ys 4: Mask of the Sun
Release Date: November 19, 1993 (JP) North American Debut: Never, but Ys: Memories of Celceta was released on November 26, 2013 (PS Vita)
Nihon Falcom’s Ys is one of the most decorated JRPG franchises of all time, even if the series had to wait decades to really catch on outside of Japan. While three entries were released on the Super Famicom, only Ys 3: Wanderers from Ys made it to North America, and it wasn’t a great representation of the franchise.
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None of the SNES games rank among Ys’s best, but Mask of the Sun is the pick of the bunch. It features a solid rendition of Ys’s polarizing early combat system along with an engaging story. This storyline was recreated as Ys: Memories of Celceta, which is far better than Mask of the Sun.
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20 Lagoon
Release Date: December 12, 1991 (NA)
Debuting on the SNES just a few months following the launch of Nintendo’s console in North America, Lagoon has the distinction of being one of the first RPGs on the platform. Conversely, this also means Lagoon has aged poorly compared to quite a few other SNES RPGs, particularly when it comes to its visuals and melee combat.
Lagoon’s lackluster story and unsatisfying swordplay hold it down, but the game delivers in terms of exploration, music, and progression. While a basic game that shows its age, Lagoon was a solid release for its era.
19 Bahamut Lagoon
Release Date: February 9, 1996 (JP)
As the release of Nintendo’s 16-bit console approached, publishers grew less interested in localizing games, particularly a niche genre like JRPGs. Consequently, a lot of SNES titles that were released in 1996 are still stuck in Japan today.
Developed and published by Square, Bahamut Lagoon wears its Final Fantasy influence on its sleeve, especially when it comes to its story. Narratively, the game is surprisingly complex and engaging, with strong characters who develop well throughout the campaign. The combat system combines turn-based and tactical elements, with the latter largely taking the form of trainable dragons that have to be carefully evolved.
18 Live A Live
Release Date: September 2, 1994 (JP) North American Debut: July 22, 2022 (Nintendo Switch)
Square’s Japan-only Live A Live has an intriguing central concept; play through multiple scenarios featuring different heroes before assembling them for one last adventure. This freedom allows for a wide variety of settings and tones, although the scenarios vary considerably in terms of quality. Consequently, Live A Live is an uneven experience that can also be frustrating.
A solid grid-based battle system keeps things interesting in the combat department, adding an element of strategy to fights. In 2022, Square Enix released a remake of Live A Live on the Nintendo Switch, finally making this RPG easier to come by outside of Japan.
17 Star Ocean
Release Date: July 19, 1996 (JP) North American Debut: October 21, 2008 (PSP)
Enix’s action JRPG franchise had to wait until the launch of its first sequel, Star Ocean: The Second Story for the PlayStation, to leave Japan. Released towards the end of the SNES’ life, the original Star Ocean shares similarities with Tales of Phantasia, although the former has more than enough distinct features to stand on its own.
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Beyond its refreshing sci-fi theme, Star Ocean boasts a combat system that bridges the gap between action and turn-based battles. With a large roster of recruitable characters, great visuals, and a stellar soundtrack, Star Ocean is a fantastic game that launched a frequently awesome franchise.
16 Tales Of Phantasia
Release Date: December 15, 1995 (JP) North American Debut: March 6, 2006 (GBA)
Although later versions of the game did eventually make it to the West, Tales of Phantasia’s SNES iteration was a Japanese exclusive. Developed by Wolf Team, Tales of Phantasia launched a series that is still going strong today, with Tales of Arise expected to drop in 2021.
Tales of Phantasia gets a lot of things right: The story is epic, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the visuals are quite gorgeous. It also does not hold back on additional content like side quests. Unfortunately, this entry can be somewhat difficult to revisit in this day and age due to its brain-dead partner AI, which is a problem when the combat system requires three party members to pull their own weight in battle.
15 Shadowrun
Release Date: November 1, 1993 (NA)
Nintendo’s console amassed an impressive collection of JRPGs, but Western RPGs were somewhat rarer. Based on the tabletop game with the same name, Shadowrun plays out more like a ‘90s PC title than something typically found on the SNES.
Controlling like a point-and-click adventure and featuring a slow progression system, Shadowrun’s combat and gameplay are nothing more than serviceable and would kill most games with mediocre plots. Fortunately, Shadowrun’s world-building, cyberpunk aesthetic, and storytelling are top-notch, as the RPG crafts a universe bustling with personality and intrigue.
14 Secret Of Evermore
Release Date: October 1, 1995 (NA)
A spiritual successor to Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore was made by SquareSoft’s North American team and centers around a boy and his dog who end up in a world with four unique regions. While the plot is nothing to write home about, the gameplay is very solid, mostly because it sticks close to the formula defined by Secret of Mana. Secret of Evermore also introduces Alchemy, a magic system that involves blending ingredients rather than using MP.
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A difficult game that loves to periodically throw out an overwhelming boss fight, Secret of Evermore might not reach the same heights as the Mana games, but it comes very close.
13 Illusion Of Gaia
Release Date: September 1, 1994 (NA)
Out of the “Gaia” trilogy, Illusion of Gaia tends to get overshadowed by Soul Blazer and Terranigma, games that were more innovative and ambitious respectively. While Illusion of Gaia is relatively linear, Quintet’s release is still a very competent action RPG that makes its simplicity work in its favor.
The game follows Will, a boy tasked by Gaia to visit various ruins to collect ancient dolls. In return, the deity grants Will the power to occasionally transform into Freedan or Shadow, who each come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Leveling up is also stripped down to simply defeating all the enemies in a dungeon’s room, which grants a jewel that can be used to improve one of three stats. These systems reflect Illusions of Gaia’s streamlined nature, as it is an action RPG that stresses the former over the latter.
12 Lufia 2: Rise Of The Sinistrals
Release Date: August 31, 1996 (NA)
A prequel to 1993’s Lufia & the Fortress of Doom, which is also a very solid JRPG, Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals explores the onset of the conflict between humankind and the titular gods.
Lufia 2 incorporates a turn-based battle system that, while relatively conventional, is implemented about as effectively as any JRPG from this era. Even if the game’s presentation and animation might not blow anyone away, Lufia 2’s puzzles, varied dungeons, fascinating storyline, and memorable soundtrack will.
11 Terranigma
Release Date: October 20, 1995 (JP)
Released towards the tail end of the SNES’ life span and only in Japan and PAL regions, Terranigma is a fantastic action RPG that might not be all that familiar to North American players. In this alternate reality, Earth has essentially been reduced to a frozen wasteland, except for a solitary village. After an incident leaves nearly everyone in the town frozen, Ark – the youthful protagonist – heads out to resurrect the world and save his people.
Terranigma’s combat uses a variant of a rock-paper-scissors system, albeit one that is not all that punishing. While there is magic in the form of consumable items, the RPG avoids bogging itself down with too many stats and spells, opting for a fast-paced battle system instead. The story is also pretty great.
10 Breath Of Fire 2
Release Date: December 10, 1995 (NA)
Even though Capcom’s Breath of Fire series never quite reached the same heights as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, the license’s Super Nintendo entries are among the best RPGs on the console. 1993’s Breath of Fire is worth a playthrough, but its sequel adds a number of quality-of-life improvements that have allowed it to age more gracefully.
The story is only serviceable, but Breath Of Fire 2 shines in its characters, town-building mechanic, the sheer quantity of content included, and turn-based battle system.
9 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
Release Date: May 13, 1996 (NA)
For a mascot that defined platformers, Mario has quite an impressive track record when it comes to RPGs. Developed by Square and serving as a precursor to the Paper Mario series, Super Mario RPG might just be the greatest entry-level SNES RPG, as it is far more enjoyable than Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.
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By adding button prompts to an otherwise typical turn-based battle system, Super Mario RPGinjects an element of immediacy to combat that complements the game’s heavy focus on adventuring and platforming.
