TheSuper Nintendoproduced a treasure trove of fantastic RPGs, a couple of which continue to be fondly remembered as some of the genre’s greatest masterpieces. The jump to 16-bit hardware allowed studios to craft immersive worlds capable of telling detailed storylines featuring expansive and personable characters. In some ways, many RPGs released during this era of gaming have aged better than the genre’s early 3D offerings found on the PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, and Sega Saturn.
Picking thebestSNESRPGsis far from a simple task, as the console offers versatility alongside consistency. The console is so stacked with quality that 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?
Updated June 02, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The SNES era might have ended roughly three decades ago, but its greatest projects have stood the test of time surprisingly well. An argument could be made that some of thebest SNES RPGsare easier to revisit than the genre’s strongest PS1 or PS2 offerings, largely thanks to the timeless nature of 16-bit graphics. The following games might not all be easy to revisit in 2025, but most of them are.
A spiritual successor toSecret of Mana,Secret of Evermorewas 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 bySecret of Mana.Secret of Evermorealso introduces Alchemy, a magic system that involves blending ingredients rather than using MP.
A difficult game that loves to periodically throw out an overwhelming boss fight,Secret of Evermoremight not reach the same heights as theManagames, but it comes very close.
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 Lagoonwears itsFinal Fantasyinfluence 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.
Soul Blazeris the quintessential action RPG. Assuming the role of a divine warrior, players must work their way through various dungeons to defeat a boss and free a soul that is being held captive.
The combat is quick, simple, and entertaining; while the story is nothing particularly special, it is satisfying to see the towns improve as more and more souls are released. There is a constant sense of progression. A tough game,Soul Blazeris still fun today, even if this type of RPG has been replicated ad nauseam over the last two decades.
Out of the “Gaia” trilogy,Illusion of Gaiatends to be overshadowed bySoul BlazerandTerranigma, games that were more innovative and ambitious respectively. WhileIllusion of Gaiais relatively linear, Quintet’s release is still a very competentaction RPGthat 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 reflectIllusions of Gaia’s streamlined nature, as it is an action RPG that stresses combat above everything else.
Square’s Japan-onlyLive A Livehas 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 Liveis 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 ofLive A Liveon the Nintendo Switch, finally making this RPG easier to come by outside of Japan.
Enix’s action JRPG franchise had to wait until the launch of its first sequel,Star Ocean: The Second Storyfor the PlayStation, to leave Japan. Released towards the end of the SNES' life, the originalStar Oceanshares similarities withTales of Phantasia, although the former has more than enough distinct features to stand on its own.
Beyond its refreshing sci-fi theme,Star Oceanboasts 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 Oceanis a fantastic game that launched a frequently awesome franchise.
Even though Capcom’sBreath of Fireseries never quite reached the same commercial heights asFinal FantasyorDragon Quest, the license’s Super Nintendo entries are among thebest RPGson the console. 1993’sBreath of Fireis worth a playthrough, but its sequel adds several quality-of-life improvements that have allowed it to age more gracefully.
The story is only serviceable, butBreath of Fire 2shines in its characters, town-building mechanics, the sheer quantity of content included, and turn-based battle system. Even all these years later, the game is still pretty fun, although the campaign has a few difficulty spikes that can be frustrating to overcome. As good as this SNES classic is, newcomers to the franchise should start withBreath of Fire 3, which is just overall a much better game. Honestly, evenBreath of Fire 4and5would be better picks for beginners than the first two titles. Furthermore, the GBA version ofBreath of Fire 2is better than the SNES original.
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 Phantasialaunched a series that is still going strong today, withTales of Arisedropping in 2021 to a positive reaction.
Tales of Phantasiagets 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.
Nintendo’s console amassed an impressive collection of JRPGs, but Western RPGs were somewhat rarer. Based on the tabletop game with the same name,Shadowrunplays 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.
Initially associated withFinal Fantasy,SaGagarnered its own identity during the SNES era, producing theRomancing SaGatrilogy in the process. All three titles are fairly experimental and, consequently, they are not the easiest games to appreciate or get into; however, they also have enough positives to warrant a recommendation. The originalRomancing SaGahas not aged particularly well, and the PS2 remake (Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song) is the version to play in this day and age.
The SNES sequels improve upon the first title’s formula, presenting a more enjoyable and complete overall experience. That said, players should 100% pick up the 2019 remasters and not track down the SNES originals. Of the three titles,Romancing SaGa 3is comfortably the best, offering deep and engaging combat, fantastic music, and plenty of variety courtesy of its characters. That said, completeSaGanewcomers might want to consider starting with theFrontiergames as they are more accessible.
