The SNES console played host to some of Nintendo’s most memorable gaming moments. The Nintendo Virtual Console, available on the Wii, allows gamers to download and enjoy a host of these classics—here are five of the very best.
SNES on Virtual Console – Super Nintendo Platform Games
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country boasted some seriously impressive graphics for the era, with 2D platform action taking place over lush 3D backgrounds. Clearly, this graphical trickery is unlikely to seriously impress anyone over a decade later, but the game mechanics are still perfectly solid.
With a high difficulty level, requiring pixel perfect jumping, and a huge selection of secret areas to discover, Donkey Kong Country (not to mention the two sequels also available on Wii Virtual Console) has a lot to offer gamers, and is of particular interest since the 2010 release of its successor, Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Super Mario World
Nintendo fans enthusiastically debate which of the various 2D Mario platformers is the best, and the choice usually comes down to Super Mario World or Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES.
Super Mario World is a giant of a game and, at the time of release, managed to divert gamers’ attention away from the bright colours and fast action of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Secret levels, switch palaces and sparkly water levels abound in a game featuring a wide range of power-ups and routes to the finish. This games still stands up proudly amongst modern titles and is an essential SNES Virtual Console game.
Virtual Console Super Nintendo – Adventure Games
Super Metroid
Widely considered to be the highlight of the action-adventure Metroid series, this space-based game sees Samus exploring futuristic 2D areas.
Power-ups abound, including the famous morph ball, and the sheer size of the levels (which is initially bewildering) leads players to discover some of the numerous secret rooms and routes, while they are lost in the game world.
Super Metroid is a welcome change from cutesy Mario games and a worthy virtual console download.
Legend of Zelda – A Link to the Past
For some Zelda traditionalists, exploring the 2D dungeons and solving the plethora of puzzles in Link to the Past is the high-point of the Zelda range, and some prefer this to Link’s 3D adventures.
Link to the Past is a huge game, easily able to absorb 40+ hours of gaming time and contains a massive range of items, shortcuts and surprises, which gradually unfold and become accessible, in typical Nintendo fashion. Fans of the series should leap on this Virtual Console SNES download and see the Zelda series at its 2D best.
Virtual Console – SNES Super Mario Kart
SNES Super Mario Kart is the original and, for some, best game in the Super Mario Kart series. This light-hearted kart racing game with its range of power-ups was revolutionary on release and responsible for selling a vast number of Super Nintendo consoles!
Gamers downloading Super Mario Kart from the Wii Virtual Console will find a game that seems far more primitive than the later remakes, but which is not necessarily the worse for it.
Tight, unforgiving levels make for excellent time trial circuits, and the game still offers fantastic multi-player fun, even without the newer bells, whistles (and bikes) that some purists feel have spoiled the later versions of the game.
This selection of the best Super Nintendo (SNES) games on Nintendo Virtual Console is only the start. The SNES had a glut of great titles, and many more are also available for download.
The following links provide information on some of the other games available for Wii’s Virtual Console.
N64 – Nintendo 64 Virtual Console – The Best Games
Nintendo Wii Virtual Console – The Best NES Games
Nintendo Virtual Console – Nintendo Games on Wii
Ben Taylor - Ben is an aspiring travel writer, competent cook, Microsoft certified techno-geek, music obsessive, and recent migrant from rainy London ...
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