Super Castlevania IV
Castlevania’s Super Nintendo debut felt like déjà vu for a lot of players. That’s due to the 1991 release being largely based upon the 1986 original, which saw players take control of Simon Belmont and defeat Dracula. Familiarity isn’t a bad thing, though, and this remake did enough to make things feel fresh thanks to its more refined gameplay.
Super Mario Kart
Nintendo probably didn’t know they were starting one of the most successful gaming series of all time when they released a go-kart racing game starring Mario and friends in 1992, but the goofy spin-off proved to be quite the hit. The accessible racing game found success due to its unique usage of items while racing, and fantastic multiplayer modes. The series would continue to evolve from here, but it’s always fun to see where everything started.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Nintendo didn’t let third-party developers handle their major properties often, but Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars showed just how memorable such an occasion could be. Final Fantasy developer Square took Nintendo’s iconic plumber and had him star in his first role-playing game. It was a new look at the Mushroom Kingdom, and the game’s hilarious script and action-oriented combat became key components that would later be used by both the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series.
Super Mario World
The SNES was a must-own console from the very first day it was available thanks to Super Mario World. Mario’s first 16-bit adventure is a fantastic one, and one that is arguably the best platformer ever made. It managed to take the series to new heights thanks to some incredible art design, the stellar cape power-up, and a series of levels that are just as fun to play in 2017 as they were in 1990.
