Pokémon Snap
Pokémon Snap was a hit on the Nintendo 64 when it came out in 1999, but only two of friends had actually heard of the game. It revolves around a character from the original animated series called Todd Snap. In the game you play as Todd and visit different zones on a rail line, taking pictures of all different kinds of Pokémon as you go. You get scored on the quality of your photos and can only progress after reaching a certain score.
Just in case the premise is losing you, each area you travel through is littered with secrets that can only be unlocked as you progress through the story, increasing the replayability of old zones tenfold. Though it can be annoying to have to re-run an entire zone just for one photo, it definitely makes it worth it once you finally snag the picture.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Tactics hits the nail on the head in terms of having a deep story, relatable characters, and solid gameplay with a whole load of replay value. When a group of children stumble upon a strange book they are suddenly transported into a strange land where magic rules all else. Working together with your friends you must form your own clan and find your way home through strategic battles.
Though it holds the Final Fantasy title, Tactics has remained under the radar for most people, which is a shame. The game is a stupid amount of fun and boasts a wide variety of classes – or jobs – for you to play around with and see which works best with what in order to dominate the field.
Earthbound
A monolith of a game that everybody has heard about, Earthbound revolves around a boy genius called Ness and his surreal and terrifying adventures to save his planet from an alien invasion. The gameplay was, and still is, completely superb; there still isn’t much else like it today. Earthbound has its own brilliant twist on the tried-and-true RPG formula, an interesting combat system, and a story that will invoke plenty of feelings.
Earthbound stands out in people’s minds for a reason. If you don’t fall in love with the characters, you’ll easily be captivated by its story.
Paper Mario
Bowser is at it once again, and Mario must scour the globe and collect stars to save the Mushroom Kingdom, but don’t be put off there. Hot on the heels of the super successful Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario takes the previous elements and improves on it by simplifying the party system, and implementing its theme of paper to the fullest, thus creating a truly mindboggling game which is a treat to explore. The combat system was borrowed from Super Mario RPG, and is the same ‘press A at the right time’ combat system we all know and love.
Don’t let the cutesy guise fool you, this game is chock-full of dark undertones should you go out of your way to find them. To this day, Paper Mario is still a fantastic RPG to play through, and will not disappoint in terms of story or gameplay.
Click on through to PAGE 3 for the final 3 games on our list.