The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!

Post by **strangenova** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:54 pm

My fondest memories of gaming are with the Snes. When I was just a kid my dad went and bought it and got Super Mario All Stars, Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Donkey Kong Country. My mind was blown, up til then I only played video games at my uncles on his nes.

I still remember getting up early on the weekends, and grabbing some wild berry pop tarts, and sitting on the floor with my dad to play donkey kong and street fighter. This would continue on even once we got the genesis. Which my dad got from a guy who had just bought a ps1.

So I got the snes and played it everyday for years, even once I got a 64 I would go back to the snes. I remember the local video store decided to sell off their rental games and I picked up mario kart, mario world, mortal kombat 1-3, and NBA jam all for about 3 dollars a piece. Sadly Final fantasy and mario rpg had already been sold. Anyways, yeah I love the system and still do.

Post by **Tanooki** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:29 pm

SNESdrunk wrote: Some people that know me like to poke fun at the fact that I don't pay much attention to modern gaming, and say the only reason I stick with the SNES is because I'm "hooked on nostalgia." I suppose that's always going to be part of it, but the truth is I just never stopped playing my Super Nintendo since the day I got it.

I think a fairer argument is that it had around 600 games, 1500 total if you take the SFC library. What person could really even in that many years find time to buy let alone play all that? We get so hung up on sticking with progression, being part of the me-too peer pressure circuit gaming has become. The SNES sits in this odd little valley (along with the GBA since they're fairly comparable game output wise 2D at least) where the visuals, the audio, the controls are timeless. Not overly simple, not overly complex. The style stays fresh as it's not too lacking in colors, audio, or capability to do quality but not overbearing game and challenge. The model of the SNES lives on still with how much of those 2D pay to play titles are on Android and IOS that people nerd over being indie retro stuff. They can poke, but you got more than enough to keep busy with.

I feel bad keeping my SNES back in its original box, but it's damn near unused in quality with a Retron5 here eating up its space for better or worse.

I'm curious what some other peoples favorite non-christmas, not day one buy memories they have around it, kind of like my thomping that Gradius III compo. I tried a year later with Starfox, I would have knowing the turf on it and how I was playing, easily could have won it locally if not better (good enough for a jacket.) Of course that morning I wake up with a 103.? fever, sneezing and shaking...I still went, couldn't keep focus, but still was able to get into the upper middle scoring. Total downer, but damn it was fun playing that competition cart.

Truth be told between their later in life chips (SA1, SDD1 in particular) along with their Rare buddies concocted Advanced Computer Modeling (ACM) graphics with the DKC and KI titles I never felt like I was playing old hat. Take those, then you have Kirby's Dream Land 3, Super Mario RPG, and Street Fighter Alpha 2 and I saw no reason to tolerate the FMV and shitty load times and memory card buys for CD systems. I didn't even get a CD system until around 1997-98 and it was a Turbo Duo. I didn't get into serious CD systems until 2001 with the PSOne+LCD combo and PS2 the same year due to my then job. SNES held me over well enough through the 90s with something to do.

Post by **Exhuminator** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:09 pm

SNESdrunk wrote:I just never stopped playing my Super Nintendo since the day I got it.

Yesterday I tallied up a SNES bucket list for myself, that is a list of games I want to at least try out, if not beat. I came up with over 400 games. Now, that includes Japanese games too, but still, the SNES library is immense. Across all regions GameFAQs lists over 2400 unique games for the system, and that's not even a comprehensive tally.

Tanooki wrote:I'm curious what some other peoples favorite non-christmas, not day one buy memories they have around it, kind of like my thomping that Gradius III compo.

Back in 1996, I was browsing a Roses store to see what SNES games they might still have. Turns out they still had a sealed copy of Prince of Persia for SNES. I figured it was just going to be a port of the DOS version, but I bought it anyway for $20, because I loved the DOS version and thought it'd be novel to play it on SNES. Little did I know the SNES version of Prince of Persia is actually the superior version.

SNES PoP has totally remade graphics and audio, way tighter controls, and nearly twice as many levels as the original PoP. I was totally thrilled when I found that out. I then spent weeks getting good enough to beat it, but when I finally did I felt like quite the badass. It was an awesome SNES experience and was totally happenstance.

Another memory...

In 1998, I was browsing a used game shop in Tallahassee Florida, just seeing what they had. I saw two used SNES games called "Cybernator" and "Demon's Crest". I had no idea what those were (just loose carts), but their labels looked cool. So I put down $20 and got them. Let's just say when I got home and fired them up, I was totally blown away by what I'd found. Anyone who's played those games knows what I'm talking about. Now imagine it's the late 90's, and having no idea what you were about to play for $10 a piece.

Epic weekend, it was.

--

In memory of the SNES, earlier tonight I played some Super Mario Kart and Super Double Dragon with my daughter, and then Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 with my wife. We all had a good time. Thank you Super Nintendo. You are a timeless joy of a machine, the likes of which we no longer receive in today's gaming climate.

Post by **Tanooki** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:51 pm

Got that right, but it's our fault as much as the industry. It's a total circle jerk that has screwed things up. How many people take risks anymore compared to back then both with the big and little fish...few. No Man's Sky would be a good modern example on large scale to Shantae on the small end of things. We all fed into the hollywood budget bullshit, the high risk, do or die by the game line of budget busting, and in turn we've had a huge narrowing of played up genres, overall style...this generation is the saddest yet as it's just a moderately prettier version of the last gen as they did those up so well jumping to HD. Things have gone from big wow and pop factor into nudging the needle so it's not as noticed.

I too forgot that PoP on SNES was unique. I should do something about that. To your POP I'd give you my find. Went into a that friends shop maybe a year after it came out, tucked on a high shelf sideways saw this large box with odd print. Asked what it was and how much, said it was $20. I thought it a bit much, but found the box held things...Earthbound related things. Hell of a ride for someone who knows FF1-3 and the DW1-3 games best at that rate. The games I'd pull off the shelf there I didn't have the money at the time for or was under the belief they were shit thanks to canned Nintendo Power reviews (de-views?) or being familiar with counterparts. DOOM, Lost Vikings, Blackthorne, Flashback, Out of This World -- stunningly well done on SNES, even Wing Commander with the odd button combos (for the HUD) and stupid password system.

Since you liked POP so much, I know you have to know this, got one word for you to research: Nosferatu. Get it. And to your animated duo just above, I sold both those off in the last year and a half. DC I didn't like feeling lost on the map, and C -- I never liked the controls, felt like I was fighting the game more than playing it compared to Metal Warriors.

Post by **benderx** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 5:31 am

I can't believe SNES cpu was a under powered console, no wonder it was not capable of adding more on screen sprites characters. I prefer the super famicom design anytime, looks awesome. The cartridges could have been slimmer instead of bulky. I got a snes at the very end, and it was harder to find good games in the wild.

Post by **Exhuminator** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:06 am

Tanooki wrote:Since you liked POP so much, I know you have to know this, got one word for you to research: Nosferatu. Get it.

I am familiar with Nosferatu. It's not entirely unlike PoP, except with a beat 'em up twist. It's also a really tough game for sure.

Post by **Ack** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 9:35 am

Exhuminator wrote:
SNESdrunk wrote:I just never stopped playing my Super Nintendo since the day I got it.
Yesterday I tallied up a SNES bucket list for myself, that is a list of games I want to at least try out, if not beat. I came up with over 400 games. Now, that includes Japanese games too, but still, the SNES library is immense. Across all regions GameFAQs lists over 2400 unique games for the system, and that's not even a comprehensive tally.

Now I'm curious, what are the NTSC-U titles still in this list?

Post by **Exhuminator** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 10:07 am

Ack wrote:Now I'm curious, what are the NTSC-U titles still in this list?

As far as NTSC-U goes, I'll post the entries. Some of these I've played before, just not long enough to really make an opinion. So the goal of the bucket list is to spend significant time with each entry, to determine if they are worth beating or not. And of course beat them if so.

NTSC-U:

I've got even more Super Famicom games in the bucket, and a few PAL exclusives.

Post by **Tanooki** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:12 am

I've played half that list give or take, and a few there I'd tell you to swear off of right now they're just awful. Carrier Aces, the only game in many years that I willingly got so fed up with it being so awful I snapped the damn thing in half in my bare hands because I felt I would be doing the next gamer a public service NOT reselling it or leaving it in circulation.

The controls are god awful, the setup in general is a tad confusing to combat stuff properly, the AI is stupid yet predatory but had the controls even worked partly well it would be more interesting at least. Avoid it.

Speed Racer while decent is an acquired taste of being a fan. The Mode 7 racing is a bit lagged, but if you can get used to it it's fine and fairly fun. The platforming stages, they're a bit grating, but you can do them if you're determined. Buy it cheap if you get it, or part of a lot and this is from a Speed Racer fan.

I could go into a good many of those, but it's best you do your own research and I don't end up writing a few dozen micro reviews.

Post by **Sarge** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:41 am

Usually my stories can be at least somewhat interesting, because I can only think of a few SNES games that I was able to buy brand new. I was a thrift store/yard sale/pawn shop guy, because I had to be.

Anyway, I vividly remember finding my copy of Chrono Trigger back in the day. The local pawn shop pretty much sold SNES games at the time for a set price, no matter what it was.

So my brother goes by the pawn shop, and sees a few games. He talks to me a little later, and says, "Hey, I saw a copy of Chrono Trigger in the pawn shop. Did you want it?" Needless to say, I was like, "Why didn't you buy it right then?! Hurry, let's go back!" We did, it was still there, and $15 later, I had a complete copy of Chrono Trigger. I still have it, too. And it's still my favorite RPG of all time.

That game is the very reason I was a bit disappointed in Final Fantasy VII when I finally got it. Although, to be fair, I'm not sure anything would have lived up to the sort of excitement I'd built up over the game. I had to wait for years and years before I could actually play it, because my PC wasn't fast enough to run the PC port, and I didn't get a PlayStation until deep into its lifespan. (And no, this anecdote has nothing to do with SNES, but in a way, with the "Nintendo PlayStation", it kinda does.

)

The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!

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Re: The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!

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Re: The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!

Re: The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!

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Re: The SNES and you, 25 years of SUPER POWER!