Highlights

• The Super Nintendo offered a rich library of immersive RPGs that have aged better than early 3D offerings.
• Picking the best SNES RPGs is no easy task, as the console offers versatility and consistency.
• Some standout SNES RPGs include Secret of Evermore, Bahamut Lagoon, and Soul Blazer, each with its own unique features and gameplay mechanics.

The Super Nintendo produced 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 the best SNES RPGs is 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 February 10, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The Super Nintendo might be very old news by this point, but the console's library has aged well all things considered. In fact, out of all the '80s and '90s systems, the SNES and Genesis have arguably stood the test of time the most. That extends to the system's vast collection of role-playing games, with the greatest SNES RPGs being all-time masterpieces.

21 Secret Of Evermore

Gamefaqs Score: 3.98

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.

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.

20 Bahamut Lagoon

Gamefaqs Score: 3.97

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.

19 Soul Blazer

Gamefaqs Score: 3.95

Soul Blazer is 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 Blazer is still fun today, even if this type of RPG has been replicated ad nauseam over the last two decades.

18 Illusion Of Gaia

Gamefaqs Score: 4

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.

17 Live A Live

Gamefaqs Score: 4.11

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.

16 Star Ocean

Gamefaqs Score: 4.04

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.

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.

15 Breath Of Fire 2

Gamefaqs Score: 4.05

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 several 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.

14 Tales Of Phantasia

Gamefaqs Score: 4.11

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 dropping in 2021 to a positive reaction.

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.

13 Shadowrun

Gamefaqs Score: 4.05

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.

12 Final Fantasy 5

Gamefaqs Score: 4.1

The SNES has some awesome Final Fantasy games, but they all exist in the shadow of the sixth entry. Even though that title is comfortably the franchise's peak on the console, the rest of the games are still worth playing. Final Fantasy 4 tells a very good story and has a fine combat system; if someone is looking for a project similar to Final Fantasy 6, they should start with that RPG.

Final Fantasy 5 almost feels like the antithesis of its immediate predecessor and successor. While those games weave epic and ambitious tales that follow largely linear structures, FF5 takes things back to basics with a fairly run-of-the-mill adventure devoid of much complexity or narrative nuance. That's not to say the campaign is devoid of charm since the writing is generally enjoyable, but the overall story is forgettable.

So, why does FF5 deserve a mention? Well, it has one of the best class systems of any SNES RPG. The four playable characters can be assigned two jobs from a selection of roughly 20, allowing them to access abilities from both classes. This mechanic provides an incredibly wide range of party customization options, and the game encourages players to constantly experiment.

11 Ogre Battle: The March Of The Black Queen

Gamefaqs Score: 4.1

Along with Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, Ogre Battle: The March Of The Black Queen is rightfully regarded as one of the best tactical RPGs ever made. Rather than exploration, Ogre Battle focuses on war management, as the player seeks to build an army consisting of various units of up to five fighters. Battles are strategic in nature, with units being assigned tactics to follow when they come up against an enemy group.

Ogre Battle features an impressive array of unlockable classes, an effective morality system, and branching storylines leading to over 10 alternate endings. While Tactics Ogre is primarily a traditional grid-based tactical RPG, Ogre Battle incorporates real-time strategy elements as well.

10 Romancing Saga 3

Gamefaqs Score: 4.21

Initially associated with Final Fantasy, SaGa garnered its own identity during the SNES era, producing the Romancing SaGa trilogy 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 original Romancing SaGa has 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 3 is comfortably the best, offering deep and engaging combat, fantastic music, and plenty of variety courtesy of its characters. That said, complete SaGa newcomers might want to consider starting with the Frontier games as they are more accessible.

9 Lufia 2: Rise Of The Sinistrals

Gamefaqs Score: 4.32

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.

8 Terranigma

Gamefaqs Score: 4.34

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.

7 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

Gamefaqs Score: 4.35

In the realm of tactical JRPGs, few games are held in as high esteem as Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. Originally released on the SNES, the game was later ported to the Sega Saturn and PS1. Eventually, a remake was also created for the PSP. Nowadays, players can pick up Tactics Ogre Reborn on modern consoles if they would like to experience this '90s classic.

The game's grid-based combat was very good for its era, although it has aged somewhat over the last 25 years. However, Tactics Ogre's mature storytelling and world-building hold up beautifully.

6 Dragon Quest 5

Gamefaqs Score: 4.15

Dragon Quest 5 was not officially released outside of Japan until 2009's Nintendo DS version, a practice that was unfortunately quite common for the franchise's SNES offerings. It should go without saying that Dragon Quest 5 is a great RPG, as the license's main entries seldom put a foot wrong.

As this is Dragon Quest, the game is about as traditional as they come; however, Chunsoft spiced up the formula by including a fun monster-taming system and slightly speeding up the combat.

5 Secret Of Mana (& Trials Of Mana)

Gamefaqs Score: 4.22

Alongside the Ys series, the Mana franchise played a leading role in establishing real-time action RPGs as worthwhile alternatives to turn-based games. Although Trials of Mana is arguably better, Secret of Mana deserves this spot as it was more readily available due to actually being released outside of Japan before 2019.

Featuring three playable characters who complement each other perfectly and visuals that are still gorgeous, Secret of Mana can even be played in multiplayer, a feature that elevates a great RPG into a masterpiece.

4 EarthBound

Gamefaqs Score: 4.35

EarthBound subverts elements of other RPGs while simultaneously offering a thoroughly enjoyable experience that makes great use of the genre's staples. Rather than a fantasy setting, EarthBound takes place in a (relatively) realistic American-esque town and features a cast of relatable children.

While hardly lacking in humor, EarthBound's story is also introspective, mature, and thought-provoking. It is one of those games that leaves a permanent impression.

3 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars

Gamefaqs Score: 4.46

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​​​​​​.

By adding button prompts to an otherwise typical turn-based battle system, Super Mario RPG injects an element of immediacy to combat that complements the game's heavy focus on adventuring and platforming.

2 Final Fantasy 6

Gamefaqs Score: 4.55

Despite being overshadowed by its successor, Final Fantasy 6 is frequently cited as the franchise's best entry. While perhaps not as groundbreaking as Final Fantasy 7, 1994's RPG embodies the perfected form of the license's pre-3D era. If it had a job system akin to Final Fantasy 5, Final Fantasy 6 would be untouchable.

Final Fantasy 6's Active Time Battle system almost represents the pinnacle of turn-based combat, the 14 playable characters offer a ton of customization options for the party, and the story is the strongest in the franchise. Newcomers to the series should consider starting with Final Fantasy 6.