Great Role-Playing Games – Super Nintendo (SNES)
RPG's, Traditional Turn Based Action, Intelligent Plots, Music
Sep 19, 2009
While the RPG may have gotten some great games out of the capabilities of the NES and the Sega Master System (as well as enjoying a large library of DOS based games / Commodore 64 titles) the SNES was the system when RPG's truly came into their own.
Featuring titles like Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III, Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and Super Mario RPG alongside more obscure titles such as Enix's 7th Saga, Soul Blazer, Secret of Evermore, and Lagoon – the SNES was replete with excellent choices when it came to the roleplaying genre.
Final Fantasy II (or Final Fantasy IV in Japan)
Square's hallmark series, Final Fantasy produced two excellent installments on the SNES platform.
Final Fantasy II follows the adventures of dark knight Cecil and his band of associates – from the karate fighter Yang to the legendary dragoon, Kain. Filled with a hitherto unheard of degree of political intrigue and emotional cutscenes,
Final Fantasy II was an enormous hit in the North American market and guaranteed the proliferation of RPG's for years to come. Simple and intuitive turn-based combat was a primary feature of the game – although Final Fantasy II also garnered a reputation for difficulty, especially when contrasted with current generation games which are, by and large, noticeably easier.
Final Fantasy III (or Final Fantasy VI in Japan)
Final Fantasy III expounded on the successes of its predecessor and provided remarkable graphics, and an orchestral score that remains memorable to players a decade later.
A distinct and compelling narrative following a war between magic and technology – culminating in the ruination of the world and continued gameplay throughout the remains of what was once a healthy planet – was extremely novel and well-executed.
Final Fantasy III remains a staple in the Square catalogue and produced a variety of memorable characters – from Cyan the principled knight to Kefka the insane warmonger and politician.
Cult Classic SNES Games, Other Great and Memorable SNES RPG's
Enix's 7th Saga is an RPG that normally escapes notice – and perhaps that is due to its rather steep difficulty as well as its very traditional combat system, rooted in turn based strategy. A few particular innovations made 7th Saga stand out from the rest, however, including the ability to choose from eight protagonists as well as the ability to fight the other major characters for their runes, and to partner up with a select range of other characters – supposing the player can convince them to join forces.
Secret of Evermore was another interesting gem that seemed to have been overshadowed by other titles. Very reminiscent of Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore is an action RPG that spans not only the atmosphere of place but also of time – the player character and his pet dog being transported to prehistory, ancient Egypt, and even the future.
Blending the genres of fantasy, historical fiction, and science fiction into an extremely interesting an unique narrative, Secret of Evermore is a game that should be played by all fans of the RPG genre.
Other Articles Pertaining to Video Games and Gamer Culture
Those interested in next gen RPG titles such as Fallout 3 or Lost Odyssey might be interested in a round up of the greatest RPG's for the Xbox 360.
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