Okay, so you’re one of the lucky few who managed to get hands on a SNES Mini, a feat that, in old Nintendo fashion, was quite the task to do. So, well done! But now, I can imagine, you’re beginning to wonder and fret over where to begin your 16-bit gaming odyssey. How does one go about dipping toes into Nintendo’s finest hour and some of gaming’s best titles, and then attempt to translate the same joy back to a younger generation that is better used to the Call of Duty franchise or a spot of ‘Minecraft’?
Well, calm down and keep your head, gamer, because that’s where this post comes in handy! Take a leap of faith with me now as I ruminate on…
The 7 Best SNES Mini Games To Enjoy With The Family
I’ve gone ahead and included the cheapest prices you can pick up each game on eBay, just in case you fancy going full fat and purchasing the real thing. So, without further ado, let’s start with an old favourite to kick off your SNES Mini adventure.
Super Mario World
Cheapest eBay Price – $17.50
[Image Credit: Nintendo]Naturally this title needs no explanation. Arguably the best side-scrolling platformer ever made, Super Mario World took Mario’s wonderfully idiosyncratic cast of characters and gameplay to whole new levels. Quite literally too. It must have been a tough ask to better the brilliant Super Mario Bros. 3, but with new powerups, greater graphics, a brilliant new score and Yoshi(!!), Super Mario World will keep you and the kids entertained on the SNES Mini for months upon months to come.
Donkey Kong Country
Cheapest eBay Price – $57.88
[Image Credit: Rare]For sheer high-jinks and laugh-a-minute moments, look no further than Rare’s seminal two-player adventure through the world of Donkey and Diddy Kong. The SNES’ second biggest-selling game was also a monumental first for the console, due to the fact it was one of the first video games to use pre-rendered 3D graphics. And, don’t let Donkey Kong Country’s cutesy characters fool you, this is a pretty tough game to master, but wholly rewarding! Plus, it’s not every day you get to ride a rhino in a platformer!
Kirby Super Star
Cheapest eBay Price – $84.49
[Image Credit: Nintendo]Otherwise known as ‘Kirby’s Fun Pack’ in Europe, this magnificent little title brings together eight of Kirby’s finest game modes on one cartridge! Produced by the daunting paring of Shigeru Miyamoto and the late Satoru Iwata, take Kirby into battle with Dyna Blade, King Dedede and Meta Knight across multiple challenging, colourful and downright crazy missions. And don’t forget to have a little fun whilst you’re at Kirby Super Star! The kids definitely will.
Super Mario Kart
Cheapest eBay Price – $51.00
[Image Credit: Nintendo]Timeless and just as tough as you remember, the first instalment of Nintendo’s long running friendship killer is a total no-brainer inclusion on this list. Switch’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe may have taken the series to a whole new level of seamless graphical fidelity and sick drifts, now go back to the SNES, where it all started, and have your butt handed to you by some of the trickiest tracks in gaming history, all thanks to Nintendo’s glorious and ground-breaking Mode 7 graphics mode.
Super Punch-Out!!
Cheapest eBay Price – $54.99
[Image Credit: Nintendo]Simple, sensational and infinitely replayable, SNES Mini’s Super Punch Out!! is a treasured inclusion on this list. Step into the ring once again as Little Mac, and smack a vibrant array of pugilists in the face in one of the most fun titles to come out of Nintendo’s pool of imagination. Though this game lacks a multiplayer feature, take it in turns to take down the swift-fisted obstructions standing between you and the World Video Boxing Association championship.
Street Fighter 2 Turbo
Cheapest eBay Price – $22.45
[Image Credit: Capcom]Arguably the king of console beat-em-ups, Street Fighter 2 Turbo was the reason all of us SNES-fans had callouses on our thumbs (HADOUKEN!!). Fighting across iconic locations dotted around the globe, with some of the greatest characters in video games like Ryu, Dhalsim and Guile, touch up on your Spinning Bird Kicks and Tiger Uppercuts and introduce the kids to what was, and still is today, the cutting edge of 2-player entertainment.
Secret of Mana
Cheapest eBay Price – $20.50
[Image Credit: Square Enix]Just ahead of its 25th anniversary (and remaster), one of Square Enix’s (née Squaresoft) many JRPG masterpieces will be on hand to whisk you and the littles ones away on a timeless adventure. Heralded as a cult classic by Nintendo fans, Secret of Mana was one of the biggest selling and highly awarded SNES JRPGs to release in the West. Why? Well, it has a wonderful narrative, beautiful graphics and a breathtaking score! It even has 3-player co-op and real-time battles. What more do you need?
What do you make of this list? Let us know in the comments below! And keep an eye out for more SNES Classic Mini-shaped posts that will be coming your way from us lovers of some things retro and all things Nintendo.
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