Poll: Best SNES JRPG?
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Surprised how little SMT2 has been mentioned (not at all I think?) considering stuff I'd say is even more obscure has been namedropped a few times.
I do think EB is the best JRPG on the system but SMT2 is probably the best JPRG on the system that never left Japan.
I do think EB is the best JRPG on the system but SMT2 is probably the best JPRG on the system that never left Japan.
FF6 is my favorite for the depth. 20 year after I was still discovering secrets.
Chrono Trigger is objectively the game that aged the best from that era so its not a surprise it is winning.
Earthbound has many excellent parts about it and the coolest boss fight ever, but it kinda drags at the end and has many QoL issues.
My most played JRPG from that era SINCE that era is easily FF5. The job system and Superbosses (something both FF6 and CT lack in their SNES versions) keep me coming back for more.
Chrono Trigger is objectively the game that aged the best from that era so its not a surprise it is winning.
Earthbound has many excellent parts about it and the coolest boss fight ever, but it kinda drags at the end and has many QoL issues.
My most played JRPG from that era SINCE that era is easily FF5. The job system and Superbosses (something both FF6 and CT lack in their SNES versions) keep me coming back for more.
CT is as close to perfect a game as it gets so that's it for me. It's nearly flawless and still a joy to play. No annoying random battles. Isn't ungodly long and bloated. Sprites are gorgeous. Music evokes all the appropriate emotions for the scene. Doesn't need tons of grinding. Allows for enough variation depending on your party comp. I just love it.
As a big fan of Nocturne, i couldn't really play SMT I for long because of the presentation, so i also never tried II.
The first person navigation is kind of headache inducing, while also being just too abstract lol Something like Soul Hackers is good enough to me already, though.
But i know i'll get used to it sooner or later, unless there's a remake for them...
It's not on SNES. It's on the Super Famicom.
It's predecessor (Ogre Battle March of the Black Queen) IS though.
That would be my nomination for best. Chrono Trigger is WILDLY overrated for what it is.
I voted Chrono Trigger (surprised there's no Terranigma, as that's my 2nd) , but here's some lesser known RPG's on the system that I think are worth a look if you've never heard of them before.
Last Bible III - one of my favourite stories on the Super Famicom with a very involved narrative and a huge cast of characters - it goes in some unique directions and has a lot of memorable twists and areas. It can get quite heavy at times. It also has some of the best music on the system too, since it really pushes the sound hardware. The gameplay is fine as it's a Shin Megami Tensei game at heart with the time cycles and demon recruiting. There's one big issue, though, which prevents this from being my favourite RPG on the system full-stop... the encounter rate is some of the worst you'll ever find on the system, worse than even many Famicom RPG's.
Dark Law - a scenario based RPG where you deal with lots of self contained stories in the form of quests, which eventually leads to the main story. It's an adventure game too since there's a lot of environment interaction to proceed through the stories and some light puzzle elements, but the game has a lot of missables that can prevent the better endings (if I recall correctly). The stories are good, memorable and I really liked my time with it. Combat and dungeon design can be a massive chore, however, which makes me hesitant to truly recommend it unless there's some way to mitigate that.
G.O.D - a bizarre RPG that's about an alien invasion on earth and goes in some interesting directions. It's a narrative driven game with some unique characters and enviroments as you traverse across the globe, but can also feel a little aimless near the end since it continues to add more elements and twists to its story. It makes for some cool situations, though. I think the combat and gameplay are fine, perhaps a little simplistic, but I think it's a unique RPG for the system that not many people know about, and I had fun with it.
Shin Megami Tensei II - okay, so while this isn't as lesser known, I do think it still deserves a mention since it is a great RPG. The game plays well, demon recruiting is fun, the difficulty isn't too bad and there's a really nice sense of progression too. It also has a lot of story moments that stick with me even a decade after playing it. The first person dungeon design is mostly good, but the only thing that let this game down for me was the backtracking and general vagueness during some events that required use of a guide.
Last Bible III - one of my favourite stories on the Super Famicom with a very involved narrative and a huge cast of characters - it goes in some unique directions and has a lot of memorable twists and areas. It can get quite heavy at times. It also has some of the best music on the system too, since it really pushes the sound hardware. The gameplay is fine as it's a Shin Megami Tensei game at heart with the time cycles and demon recruiting. There's one big issue, though, which prevents this from being my favourite RPG on the system full-stop... the encounter rate is some of the worst you'll ever find on the system, worse than even many Famicom RPG's.
Dark Law - a scenario based RPG where you deal with lots of self contained stories in the form of quests, which eventually leads to the main story. It's an adventure game too since there's a lot of environment interaction to proceed through the stories and some light puzzle elements, but the game has a lot of missables that can prevent the better endings (if I recall correctly). The stories are good, memorable and I really liked my time with it. Combat and dungeon design can be a massive chore, however, which makes me hesitant to truly recommend it unless there's some way to mitigate that.
G.O.D - a bizarre RPG that's about an alien invasion on earth and goes in some interesting directions. It's a narrative driven game with some unique characters and enviroments as you traverse across the globe, but can also feel a little aimless near the end since it continues to add more elements and twists to its story. It makes for some cool situations, though. I think the combat and gameplay are fine, perhaps a little simplistic, but I think it's a unique RPG for the system that not many people know about, and I had fun with it.
Shin Megami Tensei II - okay, so while this isn't as lesser known, I do think it still deserves a mention since it is a great RPG. The game plays well, demon recruiting is fun, the difficulty isn't too bad and there's a really nice sense of progression too. It also has a lot of story moments that stick with me even a decade after playing it. The first person dungeon design is mostly good, but the only thing that let this game down for me was the backtracking and general vagueness during some events that required use of a guide.
The first post delivers! I said this exact thing out loud word for word when I saw the thread title. It must be true then.
Played them all, beat them all during that era. It's hard to pin-point "Best" JRPG.
JRPG's during the 16-bit era were very expensive, and one of the single best attributes to any game, especially for a JRPG, for me and my friends whom I shared the games back and forth with, was replay value. Even though a reason could be because it certainly helped getting my moneys worth, that wasn't the reason why I listed replay value, it was because the games were really, really fun to play. The worlds were whimsical, as was the adventure, characters and style, it was just FUN to replay the game for the soundtrack, story and emotional beats.
Now of course story and scenario, soundtrack, characters, art and style, graphics, gameplay, systems and fun are all essential, and for that era many games honestly fit that criteria. Which is why, for me, replay value due to all these attributes, is most important, and why I feel Chrono Trigger best exemplifies the title for "best" JRPG. Not just for that era, but for ALL eras.
There hasn't been a game like it since, though very few have come close, last being Dragon Quest XI S. Honorable mention to Final Fantasy VI as that would be my personal 2nd best JRPG of all time, not just SNES.
JRPG's during the 16-bit era were very expensive, and one of the single best attributes to any game, especially for a JRPG, for me and my friends whom I shared the games back and forth with, was replay value. Even though a reason could be because it certainly helped getting my moneys worth, that wasn't the reason why I listed replay value, it was because the games were really, really fun to play. The worlds were whimsical, as was the adventure, characters and style, it was just FUN to replay the game for the soundtrack, story and emotional beats.
Now of course story and scenario, soundtrack, characters, art and style, graphics, gameplay, systems and fun are all essential, and for that era many games honestly fit that criteria. Which is why, for me, replay value due to all these attributes, is most important, and why I feel Chrono Trigger best exemplifies the title for "best" JRPG. Not just for that era, but for ALL eras.
There hasn't been a game like it since, though very few have come close, last being Dragon Quest XI S. Honorable mention to Final Fantasy VI as that would be my personal 2nd best JRPG of all time, not just SNES.
If I have to pick 1, I'd say Chrono Trigger.
But you can easily make an argument for every single game on this list. That's how incredible they all are.
But you can easily make an argument for every single game on this list. That's how incredible they all are.
I'm surprised Earthbound isn't getting more votes, even if I voted for Chrono Trigger myself. It's just like, the quintessential JRPG to me. It's the perfect example of what a traditional one should be like.
That's how I feel as well. What an era for creativity, quality, and fun.
Agreed. Earthbound really was an amazing, fresh, fun experience, and absolutely deserves not just mentions, but adulation. So here I am adding praise to a game that completely took me and my friends by shock and awe.
Call me crazy but I think the limitations of the SNES sound hardware actually enhance this track, the muffled sound the SNES chip was known for gives the tune a hazy, dream-like quality that really works.
I voted Chrono Trigger, it's literally my all time favorite game but there's just something about Secret of Mana. It totally encapsulates the concept of something being a "vibe" with it's whole audio/visual presentation. Easily one of the most charming video games ever made. Few things are so effective at transporting me back to a time of lazy early teenage days with little to no responsibilities.
I DARE people not to listen to Zue and tell me it's not a bangerThere is a blatant lack of Terranigma chatter here.
And how dare any of you speak here if you haven't played it --- it should be a qualifier lol (or Illusion of Gaia I guess but not really)
(and this is just the first half hour)
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAXD8GjvcFw&list=PL9365F3B91898B280&index=30
My pick and sadly I don't see any love for it is Trials of Mana / Seiken Densetsu 3. If you're a big fan of emulation back in the day in the scene, this was the game that was hotly desired that never came over.
A bigger story, multiple characters to choose from, and a class system on top of everything else that made Secret great? It was my desired game for YEARS.
Yeah, it's amazing how easy that game is to pick up and play and put down and come back to every couple of years. No surprise Nintendo gave it the remake treatment; minor QoL is all it needed after 27 years.
Most of these games aged well except Secret of Mana. That did not age well (probably why I'd say it's a distant 5th of these 5 choices).
Of the US releases, Lufia 2 is my favorite, followed by Chrono Trigger. Underdog JRPG that I love on the system is Paladin's Quest. If you add Japanese games as options, FF5 and Dragon Quest 6 are super good.
For 16-bit JRPGs in general, Lunar: Eternal Blue is my favorite. And Phantasy Star IV & Shining Force 2 are fantastic.
For 16-bit JRPGs in general, Lunar: Eternal Blue is my favorite. And Phantasy Star IV & Shining Force 2 are fantastic.
FF6 got me into RPGs in the first place. I remember thinking it was so cinematic when Edgar, Terra, and Locke jumped from the castle onto chocobos to escape Kefka.
i think this changes with the times.
back then, i'd probably say it was FF6. about 10 years ago, i would have said Chrono Trigger. Nowadays i might say Super Mario RPG because of its uniqueness.
i dont think i would ever say Secret of Mana for story, but it might have the best gameplay from the era.
back then, i'd probably say it was FF6. about 10 years ago, i would have said Chrono Trigger. Nowadays i might say Super Mario RPG because of its uniqueness.
i dont think i would ever say Secret of Mana for story, but it might have the best gameplay from the era.
Fair, I also played SMT1/2 after Nocturne and it was a rough adjustment at first.
FWIW I think SMT2 is a decent amount better than SMT1 though.
Chrono Trigger easily. Honestly it has a solid claim to the best game of that whole generation, regardless of genre.
I might be one of the few people that likes FFIV more than V or VI (nostalgia plays a role, it was my first FF). There's something about Cecil's journey from darkness to light that still captivates me. (The game isn't perfect obviously and relies too heavily on faked deaths, but still there's a charm to the characters and the way the relationships grow; though it's pretty obvious that Square was still working through how to get party members in and out of the story).
SMT1 is downright busted at times, yeah. Meanwhile, SMT2 feels like a functional game.
I snagged a copy to play on original hardware, since I realized that gets me more invested in giving games a fairer shot than how most people encountered it after it went in and out of stores, and I've developed a soft spot for it. The magic xp system is a great idea for a game of that vintage.
I voted Chrono Trigger, as it's my first pick for any "Best of" poll. I think that Earthbound, Final Fantasy VI, and Super Mario RPG are all great, too. The only dud on the list for me is Secret of Mana, which I've never really liked. Other people here have mentioned a number of other good SNES RPGs, like Trials of Mana, Terranigma, Dragon Quest V, etc.
I'm not being pedantic here. The SNES isn't the SFC. If you were a US owner buying something labeled SUPER NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM then half the games in this thread did not exist for sale where you were.
If the intent of the thread is to include titles released in JP that were never localized for the SNES, then just say that- but otherwise the SFC library is WAY better.
Edit: also noteworthy when we talk about SNES vs SFC is the occasional completely busted localization that DID end up on the SNES that wasn't relevant for the SFC. FFII US and 7th Saga US are the best examples of this. The SNES versions were TERRIBLE in a way the SFC versions weren't.
I like that, and I think I've agreed on a few low-bit era music tracks that just don't remaster quite the same, it's hard to replace certain qualities of certain sounds..
Like, there's something sweet about the 16-bit bag pipe sound in the SNES version of Relm's theme that made the orchestral version with a real bag pipe....a lot less adorable and loud 😅 😂
View: https://youtu.be/Cj1TftEQGVA?t=25
View: https://youtu.be/SehTRLyb_QM?t=30
I DARE people not to listen to Zue and tell me it's not a banger
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAXD8GjvcFw&list=PL9365F3B91898B280&index=30
My pick and sadly I don't see any love for it is Trials of Mana / Seiken Densetsu 3. If you're a big fan of emulation back in the day in the scene, this was the game that was hotly desired that never came over.
A bigger story, multiple characters to choose from, and a class system on top of everything else that made Secret great? It was my desired game for YEARS.
Thank you, I bounced to the Zue theme playing while I typed the above, and I enjoyed seeing nice thigs said about Trials of Mana (and damn the game's graphics are so darn pretty still).