Genre: Game Compilation

Players: 1-2 Competitive / Co-Op (Local / Online)

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Review:

I’ll start by saying that this isn’t going to be a normal review. You won’t find an overall grade at the end telling you what I think of this collection of classic Super Nintendo Entertainment System games ranging from the console’s original Super Famicom release in 1990 through to when the console was discontinued in 1999. This is for multiple reasons – firstly, the service is still receiving (increasingly sporadic) updates that add more content. Secondly, this is not a collection you can purchase and own – rather, this is an included perk of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and as such every player who subscribes to that service will have access to this compilation as long as they continue to have that subscription.

However, while that definitely places a lot of limitations on this compilation of games, one would be remiss not to consider what an amazing value this is, even with those limitations. Along with all of the other benefits of the $20 yearly subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, including the similar Nintendo Entertainment System app, this package currently provides access to 77 games, as well as 7 “SP” versions of games.

Well, almost the same as what originally released. I should note that all of the games in this collection have added display options, the ability to rewind or create multiple save states (super-important for those “Nintendo hard” games), and the games with multiplayer can now be played both locally and online. In addition, this collection allows players to sort games by title, release date, play time or last date played, or even create a custom order, which is pretty convenient given just how many games are here. And in 2025, Nintendo added the option to customize button inputs how you want as well.

Also added in 2025 is mouse support for games that support this control input (currently only 4: Mario Paint, Mario’s Super Picross, and Nobunaga’s Ambition, and Mario & Wario, with both Mario Paint and Mario & Wario requiring a mouse input to play). To play with this feature, you just need to use any standard plug-and-play USB mouse with your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, or on the Nintendo Switch 2 you can also use a Joy-Con 2 controller in mouse mode.

So… out of 77 games, what’s still worth playing today, and what isn’t? Well, here’s a rundown of what I thought of each and every one of these titles:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Score
Amazing Hebereke	Arcade	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	C+
tl;dr This previously Japan-only game is an arena based game that seems a bit like a cross between an Arcade Brawler and a Fighting game. It’s surprisingly deep given its cartoony nature, and it’s just a shame that this is undermined by the untranslated Japanese and the lack of the original game’s 4-player support. Still, it’s worth a look.
Baseball Simulator 1.000	Sports (Baseball)	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	C-
tl;dr This is a decent but unspectacular game of baseball, but it has some rough edges, like not clearly indicating where your outfielders are when needing to catch the ball, and stealing control away from your outfielders at inconvenient times. You could do worse with a Baseball game on Nintendo Switch, but you could also do far better.
Battletoads Double Dragon	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local / Online)	B-
tl;dr This crossover seems really forced, and it mostly plays like a Battletoads game with Double Dragon characters shoehorned in, but it’s a good Battletoads game, albeit a little creaky at the seams and a bit repetitive. Not a classic of the genre, but a game fans of the genre should check out.
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local / Online)	C-
tl;dr By today’s standards, Battlemaniacs lacks nuance in its Brawler gameplay, and it’s particularly frustrating how your attacks generally only affect one enemy at a time, making it far too easy for them to swarm you. And this game simply doesn’t have the classic feel of the original (which had its own flaws). This isn’t a terrible game, but it’s certainly not a very good one.
Bombuzal	Puzzle	1-2 (Local Alternating)	C
tl;dr Also known as Kablooey, this is a decent but unspectacular and slow-paced character-based Puzzle game where players are trying to explode all of the bombs on each level without getting caught in the blast or falling off the level. It’s made just a bit worse by its isometric view. It’s okay, but completely forgettable.
Brawl Brothers	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op / Competitive (Local, Online)	D+
tl;dr While on the surface this seems like a decent but uninspired brawler, after playing it for a short bit its major flaws become extremely apparent – the hit detection here is spotty, and even worse, characters are still vulnerable to attacks after being knocked down. This gives players the opportunity to score free hits on downed enemies, but it also means that gangs of enemies can pummel on you when you get knocked down without you having any recourse. If you can avoid these situations there’s still some fun to be had here, but there are countless better Brawlers on the Nintendo Switch, so don’t waste your time with this one.
Breath of Fire	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C-
tl;dr Breath of Fire is a classic JRPG, but by today’s standards its story and presentation are fairly generic, and it lacks a lot of quality-of-life adjustments we’ve grown accustomed to in more recent games, like the ability to compare equipment in shops. Plus, the game is overly hard. This one’s only for die-hard fans of the genre and those with a lot of nostalgia for the 16-bit era of JRPGs.
Breath of Fire II	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C
tl;dr This sequel improves upon the original in multiple ways, including its more interesting (though poorly localized) story, but it still requires a lot of grinding. Fans of JRPGs looking for something old-school may enjoy this.
Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind	Platformer	1	D+
tl;dr Claws Encounters is the first Bubsy game, and honestly after this start it’s difficult to see how the series ever got a second one. The loose platforming and faster movement speed feels a little reminiscent of Sonic, but the larger characters make it harder to see what’s coming up ahead, and the game is absurdly unforgiving when it comes to taking damage from enemies or even taking a fall from too high. Add in tons of leaps of faith, and this just seems like a very poorly thought-out Platformer.
Claymates	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr Claymates is a Platformer featuring characters made out of clay, with the player changing into various animals with different abilities. The game has really loose controls, at times absurdly-fast character speeds, and some poor level design with frequent occurrences of leaps of faith. If it wasn’t for these flaws, this would otherwise be a pretty decent Platformer.
Congo’s Caper	Platformer	1-2 Alternating (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr This caveman-monkey Platformer is largely uninspired. It’s not terrible, but there’s nothing here that isn’t done better in countless other games on the same app.
Cosmogang The Puzzle	Falling Block Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	C
tl;dr This Puzzle game is basically Pac Attack without the Pac-Man characters. Unfortunately, the difficulty ramps up way too quickly, making this worse than its more well-known substitute.
Demon’s Crest	Action-Platformer / Action-RPG	1	B
tl;dr The third game in the Gargoyle’s Quest series, this game follows in the footsteps of its predecessors by having players fight through Action-Platformer stages to gain new abilities that open up previously inaccessible areas, similar to a Metroidvania (though without Metroidvania-style world design). It’s a solid action game made much easier thanks to the rewind feature in this collection.
Donkey Kong Country	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local Alternating, Online)	A+
tl;dr While the graphics may not be as impressive now as they were when the game was first released, the game still looks good, and the gameplay is still as great as ever, with great controls, fast-paced and challenging platforming loaded with secrets, and an absolutely iconic presentation with one of the best videogame soundtracks of all-time.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local Alternating, Online)	A+
tl;dr While it may be slightly less iconic than the first game in the series, Donkey Kong Country 2 is in many ways a superior game, with another truly legendary soundtrack, even better visuals, and some truly fantastic gameplay.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Triple Trouble	Platformer	1-2 Alternating (Local, Online)	A-
tl;dr Nowhere near as good as Donkey Kong Country 2, and nowhere near as iconic as Donkey Kong Country 1, the third game in the trilogy is nevertheless a solid Platformer well worth playing.
Doomsday Warrior	Fighting	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	F
tl;dr This Fighting game is clunky, slow, the controls don’t seem responsive, the animation is bad, the sound is sub-standard… pretty much everything about this is terrible.
Earthbound	Turn-Based JRPG	1	B
tl;dr Earthbound bears many of the same flaws as its predecessor – some of its mechanics are dated and its visuals aren’t particularly great. However, its positive qualities are well beyond Origins’, with a delightful sense of humor, great characters, and an overall odd, offbeat nature that make it a delight to play despite its flaws.
Earthworm Jim 2	Action-Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr Earthworm Jim 2 has a lot going for it, and also a lot going against it. In the positive category, this game has a classic 1990s sense of humor (bizarre non-sequitirs, gross stuff, and lots of cows), wildly inventive level concepts, a great soundtrack, fluid animation, and some nice pseudo-3D effects. In the negative category, you have repetitive level design, poor hit detection, and plenty of blind jumps. On balance, this is still a solid game worth playing, but its flaws are much easier to see decades later.
F-Zero	Futuristic Racing	1	B
tl;dr Again, this was a lot more impressive when it was first released. The original F-Zero always felt a bit floaty to me, with too much inertia, which meant tighter turns could end up with you bouncing off the walls like a pinball machine. Also, the lack of multiplayer in a racing game seems like a huge oversight. However, despite these flaws, this is still a fun racing game, with an outstanding soundtrack.
Fatal Fury 2	Fighting Game	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	D
tl;dr Fatal Fury 2 is a Fighting Game that improves greatly on the first game in the series, but is still well behind modern standards for the genre. Its stiff controls and extremely limited roster of fighters just can’t compare with more modern entries in the genre, or even other contemporaries like Street Fighter II: Champion Edition.
Fatal Fury Special	Fighting Game	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	C
tl;dr Fatal Fury Special is a Fighting Game that is an iterative sequel to Fatal Fury 2, adding a few gameplay tweaks and almost doubling the playable roster of characters. Again, a huge improvement over prior games in the franchise, though the gameplay is still a bit stiff by today’s standards. I would argue this is only a game for series fans – everyone else is better off going for a more recent game in the franchise, or a more recebt Fighting Game.
Fighter’s History	Fighting Game	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr This Street Fighter II knockoff is as forgettable as it is shameless in how much it tries to copy Capcom’s fighting game.
Harvest Moon	Management Simulation	1	C-
tl;dr This is the first game in both the Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons franchises due to the odd history of copyright and ownership those two franchises share. The core elements of what this series would become are all in place here, but everything is quite primitive – the visuals and soundtrack are unimpressive, the variety of activities and different plants you can work with are extremely limited, and the game doesn’t even have menus or item descriptions. This makes for a fascinating look back at the birth of the “Farming RPG” subgenre, but it’s woefully outdated by today’s standards.
Jaleco Rally Big Run	Racing	1	C-
tl;dr This faux 3D Racing game has choppy visuals and does little to set itself apart from earlier entries in the genre, apart from the upgrade system. Not a horrible game, but it hasn’t aged well.
Jelly Boy	Platformer	1-2 (Local Alternating)	C
tl;dr Jelly Boy is a Platformer that has you playing an amorphous boy who can transform into various helpful things. This is a decent but unspectacular Platformer, with level design that spikes in difficulty at times and has some leap of faith moments. Overall not bad, but nothing special.
Joe and Mac	Action-Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	C+
tl;dr Known elsewhere as Caveman Ninja, Joe and Mac is a charming Action-Platformer with some good music, great dinosaur noises, and a cute cartoony caveman theme. However, the hit detection is a bit spotty and the controls aren’t as responsive as I’d like. On balance, it’s worth playing, but nothing truly extraordinary.
Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics	Action-Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr This is a pretty forgettable Action-Platformer, and its only distinctive features are its caveman theme and its power-up system that has you eating various things to spit out projectiles.
Killer Instinct	Fighting Game	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	B+
tl;dr Killer Instinct took the Fighting Game genre in a combo-crazy direction, something that may not appeal to everyone, but once you got a feel for the gameplay this was a unique and wonderful entry in the genre that should be considered a must-play for genre fans.
Kirby Super Star	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online), 2 Competitive Minigames (Local, Online)	A+
tl;dr This is a fantastic entry in the Kirby series that splits the game up into multiple “games”, expanding each of the copy abilities from earlier Kirby games into an entire move set, and overall this is just fantastic Platformer with a truly excellent soundtrack.
Kirby Super Star (SP)	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online), 2 Competitive Minigames (Local, Online)	N/A
tl;dr This SP version of the game unlocks all the game’s content rather than having players unlock it by completing the game.
Kirby’s Avalanche	Match-4 Falling Block Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	B-
tl;dr This is Nintendo’s Kirby-branded version of Puyo Puyo, a classic Puzzle game I tend to feel is overrated. This is a perfectly respectable version of it, but there’s not much more to say about it than that.
Kirby’s Dream Course	Sports (Mini-Golf) / Misc.	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	B
tl;dr Kirby’s take on Mini-Golf is nothing if not unique, tasking players with plowing through enemies before they can aim for the hole. This is a fun game, albeit not an especially deep one.
Kirby’s Dream Course (SP)	Sports (Mini-Golf) / Misc.	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	N/A
tl;dr This SP version of the game unlocks all the game’s content rather than having players unlock it by completing the game.
Kirby’s Dream Land 3	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	B-
tl;dr This game was the last game Nintendo published on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. While it adds an appealing new art style and unique combination abilities using the animal helper friends from Kirby’s Dream Land 2, it lacks much of the speed and nuance that was in Kirby Super Star. It’s still a decent Platformer, it’s just not quite as good as Super Star.
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (SP)	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	N/A
tl;dr This SP version of the game unlocks all the game’s content rather than having players unlock it by completing the game.
Kirby’s Star Stacker	Match-2 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	B-
tl;dr Western audiences previously only received the Game Boy Color version of this game. This Puzzle game combines a Match-2 gameplay with a “surround the stars” mechanic somewhat similar to Othello/Reversi. It’s frustrating to have to deal with the untranslated menus, but this may be the better version of the game anyway due to the improved presentation in the Super Famicom version. Worth a look for Puzzle Game fans, in any case.
Kunio-Kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen’in Shugo!	Racing	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	D-
tl;dr This game (the title translates to Kunio-Kun’s Dodgeball and Protect Everyone at Night!) is the successor to the NES “classic”, Super Dodge Ball, but this game has all of that game’s issues, plus no localized text in this version, which for a non-Japanese speaker means you’ll struggle to even get past the menus and get into a game. Really questionable choice for a Japanese-only port on Nintendo Switch Online, here.
Magical Drop II	Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	B-
tl;dr This is a solid Puzzle game where players grab multicolored balls descending from above and shoot them back up to match them, ideally creating chains. The voice clips during gameplay seem out of place, and the gameplay animation is a bit choppy, but otherwise this is a charming Puzzle game.
Mario & Wario	Puzzle-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr Never before released outside of Japan, this game requires either a USB mouse or a Nintendo Switch 2 with a Joy-Con 2 controller in order to play. This game bears some similarities to the classic game Lemmings, with players interacting with stage objects to help safely get a blind Mario to Luigi safely. It’s a tad fast-paced, and the stages can feel a bit cramped, but overall this is a clever take on the genre that’s fairly unique. Definitely worth a look!
Mario Paint	Art Application	1	B
tl;dr Mario Paint is pretty mediocre by today’s standards if purely judged as an Art Creation Application. However, it’s far more than that – an Animation Creation Application, a Music Creation Application, and even the catchy Arcade-style minigame “Coffee Break”. Be aware that you can only play this if you use a plug-and-play USB mouse, or if you use the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 controllers in mouse mode. However, if you can, it’s definitely worth a try, as it’s full of personality and variety.
Mario’s Super Picross	Puzzle (Picross)	1	D+
tl;dr This is an untranslated version of the Japanese game, meaning the most of the game’s text including menus and completed puzzle descriptions will be unreadable to most Westerners. Plus, the “stone carving” theme means it’s easy for boxes you marked as “clear” to blend in with unmarked boxes, and also sometimes makes the numbers for the puzzle hard to read. Plus, this is a pretty feature-poor version of Picross. There are countless better versions of Picross on the eShop, don’t bother with this one.
Natsume Championship Wrestling	Pro Wrestling	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online), Team Co-Op (Local, Online)	D
tl;dr I found the controls in this wrestling game to be unresponsive, and it is far too easy to force an opponent into a grapple when they don’t want to. Skip this one.
Nobunaga’s Ambition	Turn-Based Strategy	1-8 Competitive (Local Alternating / Online Alternating)	C-
tl;dr This game plays like a more complex version of Risk. Unfortunately, that complexity is not very well explained within the game itself – you’ll definitely want to seek out a game guide online to explain how to play this one. As such, this is going to be a pretty niche experience, but those who have the patience to learn the game systems for a game that has no interest in teaching you how it works, this game has some potential.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Lord of Darkness	Turn-Based Strategy	1-8 Competitive (Local Alternating / Online Alternating)	C-
tl;dr Like its predecessor, this game has zero intention of explaining anything about how to play it. Players who have a lot of patience, a wiki guide, and a great interest in the Japanese warring states period may find this fascinating, but everyone else will be absolutely bewildered by it.
Operation Logic Bomb	Top-Down Action	1	C-
tl;dr This game would be a fairly mediocre Top-Down Shooter already if it wasn’t constantly interrupting the gameplay with cutscenes that don’t really give you a good indication what’s going on, if the enemy AI wasn’t so terrible, and if your character didn’t take up so much space and move so slowly that avoiding enemy fire was difficult mainly because you feel like you’re too fat and slow to move out of the way.
Panel De Pon	Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	A+
tl;dr Players may know this game better as Tetris Attack or Puzzle League, and it is one of the greatest Match-3 Puzzle games ever made, with absolutely fantastic gameplay and a wonderful soundtrack. The only reason I don’t give this game a higher score is because it’s a Japanese-language release, meaning that players may need to consult an online guide to see what all the menu options are. If you are a fan of Puzzle games, you absolutely need to play this game.
Pilotwings	Flight Sim	1	B
tl;dr While the primitive graphics make it difficult to judge where things are, this is still a fun game that’s fairly unique and offers a fair amount of variety in different types of aircraft to fly.
Pop’n Twinbee	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	B
tl;dr While this Shmup released in Japan and Europe in 1993, its inclusion in this compilation is the first time this game has been playable in the US. Better late than never, though – this Shmup is a great improvement over prior Twinbee games, mixing up the series’ unusual power-up system with air and ground targets, as well as a unique cutesy presentation that really sets this game apart. Probably the game’s biggest flaw is just how busy the screen can get and how difficult it is to juggle power-ups while fighting two different kinds of enemies. Still, for fans of Shmups, this is definitely worth checking out.
Prehistorik Man	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This is a cute but largely unexceptional Platformer with somewhat loose controls. Not bad but nothing really worth seeking out either.
Psycho Dream	Action-Platformer	1	D
tl;dr This Action-Platformer has pretty terrible hit detection, a poor reach for its characters’ attacks, and not much variety. Pretty bad.
Rival Turf!	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op / Competitive (Local, Online)	D
tl;dr This is an absolutely terrible knock-off of Final Fight. Bad hit detection, limited move set, enemies that can take out most of your health with repeated attacks before you can do anything about it… this is a terrible entry in the genre.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire	Turn-Based Strategy	1-8 Competitive (Local Alternating / Online Alternating)	D
tl;dr This game is so inscrutable, you will need a game guide to play it. This is a game that doesn’t want to give newer players any indication how it works. Good presentation, at least, but that’s not enough for me to recommend it.
Side Pocket	Sports (Pool)	1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating, Online Alternating)	D
tl;dr While the presentation in this game was a bit ahead of its time, the options here are terrible. No AI opponents, no pause menu, no way to get out of the sound test screen without resetting. I don’t see any way to change the part of the ball you’re targeting. If you want pool on Nintendo Switch, you have plenty of better options.
Smash Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	1-2 Competitive / Team Co-Op (Local, Online)	C+
tl;dr This is mostly a decent game of tennis, but the game is very particular about when you press the button to swing, and the hit detection seems a bit unforgiving, making it somewhat difficult to play.
Spanky’s Quest	Action-Platformer / Arcade	1	C-
tl;dr This game has players bouncing a ball upwards to attack enemies in an Action-Platformer whose somewhat indirect method of attack takes some getting used to, and even when you do it’s slow-paced. Not a terrible game, but less patient players will want to skip it.
Star Fox	On-Rails Shooter	1	B+
tl;dr This game made history as the first accelerated 3D graphics game to grace a home console, and although the visuals look primitive by today’s standards, and the framerates are atrocious, it’s still a blast to play, with some really iconic battles and an excellent soundtrack.
Star Fox 2	Space Combat Flight Sim	1	B-
tl;dr Completed late in the life of the Super Nintendo but never released until it was included with the Super NES Classic. This game was far more ambitious than its predecessor, with free-roaming gameplay, a transforming ship, the need to strategically move around the solar system to defend your homeworld from attacks… however, the limitations of the Super Nintendo really show here, and the poor framerates and low-quality visuals make it too easy to get disoriented. Thankfully, most of the good ideas in this game would get reworked into other games in the series later on, rendering this a fascinating piece of history, but not quite as good of a game as the ones that came directly before or after it.
Stunt Race FX	Racing	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	D+
tl;dr While it was a technical achievement to have a polygonal racing game on the Super Nintendo, and this game has some really imaginative courses, it’s hard to appreciate all that when the framerates are this terrible and players are limited to a small window in the middle of the screen to view what’s going on. This may have been tolerable at the time, but it’s nearly unplayable now.
Super E.D.F. Earth Defense Force	Shmup	1	C+
tl;dr This is a decent Shmup, but not an especially memorable one, although it does have a few nice features, such as being able to select your main weapon before every level, and being able to alter your movement speed at any time.
Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts	Action-Platformer	1	A-
tl;dr This is notoriously one of the hardest games ever made, but it’s also extremely fun and wickedly creative. You’ll definitely want to make heavy use of the rewind feature, and probably save states too. Players who crave a challenging Platformer, this is the game for you.
Super Mario All-Stars	Compilation / Platformer	1-2 (Local Alternating, Online), 2 Competitive (Local, Online)	A++
tl;dr This collection includes the first three Super Mario Bros. Games as well as The Lost Levels (AKA Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2), with a bonus of a competitive version of the original Mario Bros. thrown in for good measure… all with upgraded graphics and sound. Even those who played these games on the Nintendo Entertainment System app will find them well worth revisiting here. These are some of the greatest platformers of all-time, and there’s an argument to be made that this is the best (though not technically 100% faithful) versions of them. Definitely a must-play collection.
Super Mario Kart	Kart Racing	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	A-
tl;dr While the physics of the first Mario Kart game and the pixellated graphics may take some getting used to for those more familiar with modern games in the series, Super Mario Kart is nevertheless still a blast to play.
Super Mario Kart (SP)	Kart Racing	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	N/A
tl;dr Super Mario Kart was previously available on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System App, but this version unlocks all of the game’s content, allowing players to race on any track at any CC speed right from the start. This is a nifty addition that makes a great classic game even more accessible.
Super Mario World	Platformer	1-2 (Local Alternating, Online)	A+
tl;dr While not as groundbreaking as Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World is nevertheless a massive, well-crafted Platformer that still stands tall as one of the greatest games to grace the genre, with superb level design and a fantastic soundtrack.
Super Mario World (SP) Special	Platformer	1	N/A
tl;dr This version of Super Mario World provides players with a game save where all of the game’s paths and levels are cleared and the game world has been transformed by completing all of the game’s extra-hard “Special” levels, and starting players off with 99 lives. Good for players who want to skip some levels, see all of the game’s secrets, or want to see the post-game transformation without having to struggle through the Special levels.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island	Platformer	1	A++
tl;dr This is for the most part a Mario game in name only – in actuality, this is Yoshi’s first starring role in a platformer, and it’s widely agreed to be his best still to this day. Featuring some uniquely colorful and expressive visuals, a wonderful soundtrack, wildly inventive game mechanics, and some of the best level design and boss design of any videogame ever made, this game is an absolute must-play.
Super Metriod	Metroidvania	1	A+
tl;dr This game is highly revered as one of the two founding fathers (or in this case, mother?) of the Metroidvania genre as we know it today, and for good reason – this is a master class in world design, with an incredible soundtrack, truly memorable boss fights, and a huge world to explore. Only a few issues keep this game from pure perfection – playing this game properly pretty much requires a Super Nintendo controller (using my thumb to hold down B and X while tapping A with the knuckle causes my hand to cramp when I try it on any other controller), and sometimes it’s unclear just where you’re supposed to be going in the game’s labyrinthine mazes. However, these are small complaints about what is unquestionably one of the greatest and most influential games of all time.
Super Metroid (SP) Special	Metroidvania	1	N/A
tl;dr This version of Super Metroid has players fully powered-up right before the final area of the game, and well under the 3-hour mark so they’re all set to finish the game with 100% and get the best ending. Great for those who just want to experience this game’s epic ending (perhaps before jumping into Metroid Dread)
Super Ninja Boy	Action-RPG	1-2 Co-Op (Local / Online)	C-
tl;dr This sequel to the NES game Little Ninja Brothers is an interesting blend of RPG structure with Action-RPG combat, and it has a really catchy soundtrack. Unfortunately the actual combat is extremely limited, hit detection is exceptionally poor, the visuals are primitive and dated, and the localization is severely lacking. The result is a game that certainly has its charms, but mostly isn’t worth playing today.
Super Punch-Out!!	Sports (Boxing)	1	A+
tl;dr This is a phenomenal successor to the original Punch-Out!!, with big, expressive characters and superb gameplay that, like the first game, turns every fight into a puzzle of sorts. Still every bit as fun now as it was when it came out.
Super Punch-Out!! (SP) Special	Sports (Boxing)	1	N/A
tl;dr This version of Super Punch-Out!! unlocks every one of the game’s circuits. I could see some arguing that this is for players who are struggling with earlier fights and want to see later ones, but if you’re having trouble with those earlier fights, the later ones are going to steamroll you. As such, the value of this “Special” version seems dubious.
Super Puyo Puyo 2	Match-4 Falling Block Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr The Puyo Puyo games are classic Puzzle games, but one wonders why Nintendo released this non-localized Japanese game on this compilation instead of their own Kirby’s Avalanche. In any case, I tend to think Puyo Puyo is overrated, and it’s inconvenient to have to look up a guide to understand the menus. It’s nice that it was included here, I suppose.
Super R-Type	Shmup	1	C
tl;dr A modified port of R-Type II, Super R-Type shares the issue of much of the series, having a nasty difficulty, but this is largely mitigated by the rewind function… and also the abundance of nasty slowdown this game suffers from, which actually manages to go from “helpful” to “annoying” pretty quickly. It’s still an enjoyable Shmup, but it’s a highly flawed one.
Super Soccer	Sports (Soccer)	1-2 Competitive / Team Co-Op (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr This seems like a decent soccer game, but the controls aren’t very intuitive.
Super Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	1-2 Competitive / Team Co-Op (Local, Online)	C
tl;dr This is a decent, but uninspired, tennis game.
Super Valis IV	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This is a decent (if a bit simple and straightforward) Action-Platformer where players work their way through the game’s levels as a woman with a sword and various special weapon pickups.
Sutte Hakkun	Puzzle-Platformer	1	D+
tl;dr This Puzzle-Platformer about grabbing and placing blocks to reach multiple gems in a level has some interesting mechanics, but the lack of an English localization means it’s hard to know what you’re doing, and there’s little here that’s actually compelling.
The Ignition Factor	Top-Down Action	1	C-
tl;dr This game has you as a fire fighter rescuing people and putting out fires. It’s a great concept for an action game, but the game doesn’t make it clear how to do anything, and the controls are frustratingly unresponsive at times.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past	Action-RPG	1	A++
tl;dr This has been named the greatest game ever made countless times over the years, and for good reason – an absolutely massive world with tons of secrets to find, superb gameplay with some excellent puzzles and epic boss fights, an amazing soundtrack, and a huge amount of items and abilities to find. Even to this day, this is an absolutely must-play game, and if you haven’t played it yet, you need to do something about that.
The Peace Keepers	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op / Competitive (Local, Online)	D-
tl;dr This is a sub-standard Arcade Brawler with extremely poor hit detection, and oddly lacking music. Don’t waste your time with this.
Tuff E Nuff	Fighting	1-2 Competitive (Local, Online)	D
tl;dr Slow, poorly-designed, and with only four selectable characters, this is a pretty terrible fighting game.
Uncharted Waters: New Horizons	Simulation / Strategy-RPG	1	C-
tl;dr This combination of a simplified Strategy-RPG and a trading Sim is really unique and ambitious, but the execution makes this an extremely niche game that only a small handful of players will appreciate. Apart from some decent writing, this game’s presentation is fairly dry and lifeless, and you’re expected to remember a lot of information without the game making it easy to access important info like what quests you’ve taken and the names of cities on the map. Despite its many flaws and frustrations, a select few will undoubtedly really enjoy the unique and thoughtful gameplay here, but most are better off skipping it.
Wild Guns	Arcade / Shooting Gallery	1-2 Co-Op (Local, Online)	D+
tl;dr This was an odd choice to include here, as a better version of this game is already available on the eShop. I previously reviewed that version, and most of my comments still apply here – Wild Guns is an Arcade classic Shooting Gallery game, where you target enemies onscreen while dodging bullets with your character. Unfortunately, the gameplay has not aged well, and frustration with the controls and punishing difficulty make it hard to recommend.
Wrecking Crew ’98	Compilation / Puzzle-Platformer / Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local / Online)	C
tl;dr This previously Japan-only sequel to the NES launch title (which is also included) plays very differently than the original, with Match-3 Puzzle elements. It’s kinda’ like a more awkward take on Panel de Pon, though nowhere near as accessible or fun. This is an interesting curiosity, but both Panel de Pon and Wario’s Woods offer better experiences than this, depending on what you’re looking for.

When it all comes down to it, the truly must-play games (A- grade or higher) in this list of titles are as follows: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Triple Trouble, Kirby Super Star, Panel De Pon, Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Super Punch-Out!!, Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts, and Super Mario Kart.

And in addition to that, the worthwhile games well worth playing (B- or higher) are Killer Instinct, Star Fox, Demon’s Crest, F-Zero, Kirby’s Dream Course, Mario & Wario, Pilotwings, Pop’N TwinBee, Battletoads Double Dragon, Earthworm Jim 2, Kirby’s Dream Land 3, and Star Fox 2.

Or, for those wanting a Top 10 list (because those are always fun), my suggestions would be as follows:

10. Super Punch-Out!!

9. Kirby Super Star

8. Panel De Pon

7. Donkey Kong Country

6. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

5. Super Mario World

4. Super Metroid

3. Super Mario All-Stars

2. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Of course, that’s just how it stands now – there’s always the possibility that Nintendo will update this list with additional titles later… and when they do, I’ll try to make it a point to update this list as well. In the meantime, if you have Nintendo Switch Online, you may as well get to playing some of these – these are some fantastic games, and the extra features added here make them even better.

tl;dr – Nintendo Switch Online members currently have access to 77 Super Nintendo games, including some true classics, and all of these games have added display options, save states, a rewind feature, and online play for those games with multiplayer. There’s definitely quite a few games here well worth checking out if you use this service.

Grade: N/A

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