Super Nintendo and Super Famicom RPGs

[Ack]

As noted in my recent collection thread, quite a few of you guys are interested in the various collections of RPGs for the Super Nintendo and Super Famicom. So I figured we could create a thread to discuss the topic, consider the "essential" domestics and imports, as well as the lesser known hidden gems, and speak as collectors on what games should be sought out. To start off, I figure I'll go ahead and point out what I have in my collection:

NTSC-U RPGs:


7th Saga, The
Arcana
Breath of Fire
Breath of Fire 2
Chrono Trigger
Drakkhen
Eye of the Beholder
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
Illusion of Gaia
Lagoon
Lufia II
Robotrek
Secret of Evermore
Secret of Mana
Super Mario RPG
Super Ninja Boy
Ys III

Import RPGs:
Final Fantasy V
Live A Live (via a repro with translation patch applied)

Now obviously I am only going for NTSC-U games as part of my collection, and there are some rather large holes, such as Lufia, Dragon View, Ogre Battle, Soul Blazer, the Ultimas, etc. But what are some lesser titles I'm also missing? Inindo, Obitus, and what else?

[Opa Opa]

EB.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Hey good topic!

I'm actually working on a "Complete SNES RPG Guide" right now that states which games have translations, retranslations, ROM hacks/alterations, and repro carts + summaries of every game. Now that I'm done with my Tandy Guide, I hope to have this finished within a month.

I am big into RPG collecting as everyone knows, and the SNES is my favorite console.

Collecting Super Famicom-only games is fun, but they're virtually unplayable without knowledge of Japanese.

The Translation Nation site has a great list of games that have 100% complete fan translations, as well as games in progress. Many of the completed games have repros as well.

Ack, if you liked Ys III, check out IV and V. I believe IV has a complete fan translation. Interestingly, V also has an "Expert" version as well - it's basically a hard mode on an entirely separate game cartridge. Brandish 2 (another Falcom game) also has normal and Expert carts.

[Ack]

So, what would you guys consider to be the main RPGs of the console? The way I see the essentials for an NTSC-U collection:

Breath of Fire
Breath of Fire II
Chrono Trigger
Earthbound
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy III
Secret of Mana
Super Mario RPG

I consider games like the Lufias, Secret of Evermore, and Illusion of Gaia to be inessential but still excellent examples. But my list skews heavily to the JRPG style and doesn't include things like Might & Magic III.

And what do you consider to be the "essential" imports?

And I did like Ys III, though I hear it's not the best version of it!

[MrPopo]

Essential imports are easily:

Final Fantasy V
Seiken Densetsu III
Bahamut Lagoon
Fire Emblem Seisen no Keifu
Terranigma

[Ack]

Essential imports are easily:

Final Fantasy V
Seiken Densetsu III
Bahamut Lagoon
Fire Emblem Seisen no Keifu
Terranigma

Really? Why Fire Emblem over, say, Tactics Ogre? And what about the SaGa series or Front Mission? Tales of Phantasia or Star Ocean?

[BoneSnapDeez]

SNES Ys III is the worst version released in the US!

I actually consider Secret of Evermore to be better than Secret of Mana. Evermore, of course, is a "JRPG" developed in the West.

My favorite imports are Dragon Quest V/VI, Dragon Knight 4 (sequel to Knights of Xentar), Terranigma, Mystic Ark (sequel to 7th Saga), Treasure Hunter G, Sailor Moon RPG, Front Mission, Alcahest, Bahamut Lagoon, Tales of Phantasia, Star Ocean, Seiken Densetsu 3, Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes, and Lennus II (sequel to Paladin's Quest). Some of those I own, some I have played on SNES9X and plan to own someday.

[MrPopo]

Essential imports are easily:

Final Fantasy V
Seiken Densetsu III
Bahamut Lagoon
Fire Emblem Seisen no Keifu
Terranigma

Really? Why Fire Emblem over, say, Tactics Ogre? And what about the SaGa series or Front Mission? Tales of Phantasia or Star Ocean?

FE vs. TO, that's personal opinion; I vastly prefer the FE style of SRPGs over the Tactics style. Front Mission is decent but I don't think the series hits its stride until the PSX era, so I'd put it in the Lufia II category of essentialness. I've only played Romancing SaGa III, and while the game has some interesting ideas its incredibly rough in the execution. Shame on me for forgetting Tales and Star Ocean, though. Those two should definitely go on the list of essentials. I forgot about them because I have the portable versions of each in my collection, so I didn't see them on the shelf with the other SNES games.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Funny how Romancing Saga III has a fan translation but the first two don't. I, like most folks, have only played the third.

Terranigma, as y'all probably know, was released in Japan and Europe but not the US. Nearly everyone I know who's played it simply downloaded the PAL ROM. It's called Tenchi Sōzō in Japan.

[ExedExes]

I see Terranigma was listed -- my work is done Heck, that entire trilogy. Soul Blazer/Illusion of Gaia/Terranigma. The latter is import, but the other 2 are NTSC-U.