The SNES Rankings - Finished!

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

@Tanooki @Andy_Bogomil @peg @Splain @spacepup @JamesRobot @bronzeshield @Space Jockey @Kguillemette @Daniel_Doyce @a3quit4s @ICrappedMyPants @scaryice @Matchbook @Shmup @KokiriChild @ALTQQ @jonebone @Ausden @AstralSoul @Gaia Gensouki @doner24 @Foochie776 @guillavoie @glazball @profholt82 @TheBiRD @LHCGreg @Dr. Morbis @RetroMichel @MrWunderful @ChickenTendas  @niner @MagusSmurf @Jeevan @Deadeye


@Splain  @JamesRobot @diddles_mcbean @spacepup @bronzeshield

 

#100-51 are (finally) up.  A bit of a marathon, but I took a new job and it wreaked havoc with my schedule

Big thanks to @JamesRobot @Splain and @spacepup .  Really happy with how these ones read, and I'm giving them lots of that credit for making me look good.

http://snesrankings.com/games/100_076.html

http://snesrankings.com/games/075_051.html

Also, I demoted one new title to #125 and promoted Brandish.

http://snesrankings.com/games/125_101.html

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

...and I just realized my editors changed 'Best' to 'Best Buy' and I didn't catch it.

Best was a very real department store once upon a time 

[JamesRobot | 5,800]

Alpha II rank cracked me up.  Ken is better than Ryu btw.

[Tanooki | 4,933]

Oooh nice glitch, and Brandish gets promoted?  How far did 125 slide from to get there? Nice.  I've seen so much of it, yet aggravatingly still don't own it.  It's a fantastic game from the makers of more notable gems too.

 

Might want to correct Aerofighters sentence or two a bit.  Yes Aerofighters is an arcade game, but NO it is not a Neo Geo game.  Video System who made it did it on JAMMA on their own with nearly another 30 games to their name.  The two sequels were on Neo Geo (I own both.)  Mc O River whoever those one hit wonders are ported the video system game to SNES.

AES vs MVS -- Think Famicom vs NES.  AES has short pin rows with different pin outs like FC (60 pin) vs the MVS which has longer pin rows with different pin outs like the NES(72pin) did.  And yeah, you got off track.

I had the pleasure and displeasure too of owning the game, I love it, love I had it, disickens me going on 15 years now NOT having it being a victim of unemployment hard choices.  I want it back so bad, but at that price, I'll just enjoy the sequels, maybe a nice 1:1 repop as a middle finger to sharks would be a just reward.  Or to really match my 2 MVS games, get the Japanese version SONIC WINGS.   Though on MVS the BIOS sets the language, SFC Sonic Wings still would be in Japanese.

Edited February 6, 2022 by Tanooki

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

I'll probably leave it.  I like to keep my ignorance (and tendency to fly by the seat of my pants) in full public view 0

[Tanooki | 4,933]

I get it, I did find it funny, got done with that page now, and oddly the wrong one is called out as Neo Geo, then the right one doesn't mention it.  Bust A Move is a wholly faithful and exceptionally well done conversion of that Neo Geo cartridge (i own it and its sequel too.)   It has the least compromises of Neo Geo games on the SNES.  Not saying a lot though, the arcade fighters tended to scale the sprites which on SNES it doesn't do.  SFC doesn't hit your list or Magical Drop would be another brought over.

 

Also nice one...I agree with you on SF Alpha 2, that game needs to stand above the others just a little, what they pulled off there using the SDD1 chip was nothing but miraculous.  And even in the day when rated, it actually just eeked out the PSX for not being the worst (between those 2 and Saturn.)

Edited February 6, 2022 by Tanooki

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

Best line out of all of your reviews:

"If Rondo of Blood didn’t exist, or if Dracula X was some completely unrelated property, this is where I would stick it. Definitely in the top 100 of the library."

I'm really happy that you gave it a fair shake based on its own merit.  I would have ranked it much higher (above CV IV), while most other gamers would have said, 'nah it sucks' and ranked it lower, but the placing you gave it sort of splits the difference.... fair.

I also thought it was cool that you ranked the Lost Vikings games beside each other and most of the Street Fighters as well - they're basically twins anyway, so how you feel about one is essentially how you're going to feel about the others; I mean, yeah the sequels are going to have improvements, but it would have looked kind of contrived to place them all really far apart from one another.

I still don't get what everybody sees in Zombies Ate My Neighbors, but I guess that's a 'me' thing.

I can't wait to see your top 50, as I've only got about fifty SNES games in my personal library and I'm not really familiar with the full depth and breadth of it, so it'll be interesting to see what all is in there (aside from the usual stuff: FFIII, Earthbound and the like)...

Edited February 6, 2022 by Dr. Morbis

[spacepup | 2,404]

Yay! 

We are definitely getting down to the greats, so this and the next round are a lot more interesting for many!

In the final stretch yo! Keep up the great work!

[Tanooki | 4,933]

8 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Best line out of all of your reviews:

"If Rondo of Blood didn’t exist, or if Dracula X was some completely unrelated property, this is where I would stick it. Definitely in the top 100 of the library."

I'm really happy that you gave it a fair shake based on its own merit.  I would have ranked it much higher (above CV IV), while most other gamers would have said, 'nah it sucks' and ranked it lower, but the placing you gave it sort of splits the difference.... fair.

I also thought it was cool that you ranked the Lost Vikings games beside each other and most of the Street Fighters as well - they're basically twins anyway, so how you feel about one is essentially how you're going to feel about the others; I mean, yeah the sequels are going to have improvements, but it would have looked kind of contrived to place them all really far apart from one another.

I still don't get what everybody sees in Zombies Ate My Neighbors, but I guess that's a 'me' thing.

I can't wait to see your top 50, as I've only got about fifty SNES games in my personal library and I'm not really familiar with the full depth and breadth of it, so it'll be interesting to see what all is in there (aside from the usual stuff: FFIII, Earthbound and the like)...

I wholly could not agree more on that statement.  Dracula X on SNES takes so much unfair crap just for existing.  In Japan they were clearer about it, sensibly calling it a gaiden basically, a side story to the CD game Dracula X and as such call it Dracula XX (double X) there... which for idiot westerners looks like dracula porn.   The SNES clearly has no CD capability for audio let alone storage of assets, clips, etc.  SO the game isn't that, it's a side story scaled back but not crappily minimized adventure.  It's pretty high quality Konami, and in a SNES bubble, it's one of their better releases too.  It's sadly by dumb westerners picked on for being garbage and pegged with irrational unintelligent arguments why it is.

I feel largely the same on the clustering of the Vikings and SF titles, it needed to be as much as they're sequels and spinoffs more than entirely unique games and being so core similar beyond your usual sequels it fits.  Same reason why SFA2 needed to be broken off and put higher, it's a larger game, more technical achievement too, and a true ground up sequel unlike the SF2 trio which are patchy upgrades at best.

I don't get the love for ZAMN either, it's good, but not top 100 lose your mind excellent either.  So far largely I've agreed with most of where this list of them all has ranked stuff.  Very pleased to see a rational good point made about Final Fight 3 too as it gets stupidly bagged on as well.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

12 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Oooh nice glitch, and Brandish gets promoted?  How far did 125 slide from to get there? Nice.  I've seen so much of it, yet aggravatingly still don't own it.  It's a fantastic game from the makers of more notable gems too

It slid from around #99.  I couldn't honestly tell myself I enjoyed it more than Brandish, so I had to refine.

[WalterWhiteJr. | 1,162]

@Reed Rothchild you are a true hero! God I’ve been waiting for these to come out. Love these and all the hard work you’ve done is so very appreciated. 

[Tanooki | 4,933]

@Reed Rothchild I can understand that, relatable really.  Like I think going by personal knowledge and unfairly so comparing to the PC, while I would probably want to rate Wing Commander probably a little better than you did, because largely it is intact, there are gaping issues too.  While I'd want to put it in one spot I'd easily slide it 50-100 lower because of the not silky smooth turning and the idiotic password system.  Your boost of Brandish I'd compare with my total agreement (mostly assumed since you wrote nothing basically) with moving SF Alpha 2 over the others.  Why?  It's basically intact, a technical achievement, and really it is the best fighter on the system as far as characters, mechanics, moves possible.  Sure it has the 4sec decompression of audio after it yells 'FIGHT' before you move, and that is sucky, it's not game breaking either.  It is even more intact in many ways than the PS1 version with a very poorly rendered movie vs actual game content driven opening demo, less sparks (-1 to -2) when hitting people, and other weird bits which makes it all the more impressive.

[a3quit4s | 4,098]

Whoa the snub on Zombies Ate my Neighbors! Top 50 at least!

Keep up the great work man really enjoy reading these. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

2 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

Whoa the snub on Zombies Ate my Neighbors! Top 50 at least!

Keep up the great work man really enjoy reading these. 

That's 2 for having it too high and 1 for having it too low 

[Splain | 2,569]

[Splain | 2,569]

21 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

...and I just realized my editors changed 'Best' to 'Best Buy' and I didn't catch it.

Best was a very real department store once upon a time 

Lol whoops. To our credit, it's virtually un-googlable. Go ahead and try googling "best department store"

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

Just now, Splain said:

Lol whoops. To our credit, it's virtually un-googlable. Go ahead and try googling "best department store"

I actually did, just to be sure I wasn't Mandela Effect'ing myself 

Best Products aka Best

[Splain | 2,569]

3 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I actually did, just to be sure I wasn't Mandela Effect'ing myself 

Best Products aka Best

Oh snap, this is actually familiar to me, I remember the growing-letters thing, my family used to pronounce it accordingly. I thought maybe it was a regional thing. My brain just closed it all out. This is trippy.

[Philosoraptor | 468]

Glad to see another On the Ball fan! Such an underrated game. 

After going back and playing Super Mario Kart and F-Zero and without owning either as a kid, I actually prefer F-Zero. I know I'm in the minority, but the smooth controls of F-Zero are what do it for me. However, I also agree with there being a lot less content. No complaints on the placement.

This new batch of reviews is making me really want to play some of the SNES games that have been sitting on my shelf unplayed, like Brandish, Dragon View, and Pilotwings. I just beat Final Fantasy Adventure, so I'd like to give Secret of Mana another try, too.

Great writing as usual! My favorite review in this batch was your Harvest Moon one. The story you told was both heart wrenching and heart warming. I'm so sorry for your loss, and thanks for doing what you do.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

Once I finally finish I'll do the search and an index of everything so it can actually be found.  Something that's not so easy right now.

[doner24 | 1,196]

Damnit Reed, Lufia 2 that low is a travesty! 
 

 

[fox | 1,667]

King of Dragons has 5 characters (3 melee/shield and 2 ranged.)  You can enable blocking in the option menu, it isn't as essential as in Knights of the Round.  Levels are short and sweet, and the characters are all different enough with a slight upgrade system (mage gets a flamethrower mid game that is disgusting.)  One of the best brawlers on the system.

Going to have to read the rest of your reviews when I have more time

[MagusSmurf | 577]

4 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

Once I finally finish I'll do the search and an index of everything so it can actually be found.  Something that's not so easy right now.

noooooo

you CANNOT give in to the WHINY BABIES

if someone really wants to easily find the ranking of any particular game on the list they should put on their big boy pants and make their own damn spreadsheet!

[MagusSmurf | 577]

Anyone with sufficient cross-genre experience want to sell me on how the better SNES WRPGs compare to, say, Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei (decent I guess) and Shin Megami Tensei 1 (thought it was sort of good but had issues)? I've also played Phantasy Star 1 but I...don't like that game or think it is at all good so yeah. Also would the PC versions still be a serious option if I'm not willing to use keyboard and mouse?

yeah, Mega Man 7's final boss is probably too hard for it's own good. I'd never stoop to using an Energy Tank mid-boss on the NES games but had no guilt whatsoever about going deep into the Tank supply on that one! Maybe I'll git gud someday.

I'm not a racing game dude  and have only dabbled in F-Zero but I'm not sure "one (real) gameplay mode" does full justice to actually spelling out "single-player racing game." And...as much as people complain about Mario Kart's rubber band AI, the band in those only stretches so far. pretty sure it's not just my imagination and that F-Zero actually outright forbids the other racers from falling more than slightly behind you.

I'd bitch about Secret of Mana being high but you...really already covered most of it yourself. I don't even know what to do with THESE FEELINGS now. this is your fault you have DONE THIS TO ME. Only thing left for me to complain about is it being above Illusion of Gaia, which felt to me like the much more well-rounded game and it seems like your respective reviews would probably even support that.

Does Terranigma or Soul Blazer take your top spot for that series?

Think I'll agree on Lufia II feeling a little low but I haven't played a lot of the games above it and it's far enough into the "good games" section that it's hard to be too upset. And...for turn-based JRPGS there's only like...FFII, III, SMRPG, Earthbound, and Chrono Trigger above it. That's not bad company.

 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,528]

Terranigma gets my "best of the trilogy" vote.  Probably in the 20s or 30s if it got a US release.