If you maintain even a passing interest in retro gaming news, then Analogue's new Super Nt can't have escaped your attention. This HDMI-equipped, USB-powered microconsole is essentially an HD SNES, using Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chips to replicate the classic 16-bit console's performance on a hardware level rather than through emulation. Even Nintendo's own SNES Classic doesn't do that, and the result is an absolutely flawless, lagless, beatific new way to play genuine SNES cartridges on modern televisions. It even has an interface designed by Fez genius Phil Fish and jingles by Squarepusher! Retro hipsters, sell your grandmothers and plonk down $190 without delay.
That price tag is definitely on the hefty side though - especially for the early months of the year - and given that a wireless 8BitDo controller will run you an extra $40 or so, that doesn't leave a lot of room to build out a games collection if you don't have one already, especially with second-hand prices creeping ever higher. So, as dedicated retro collectors ourselves, we thought we'd put together a list of the best SNES games you can buy for the Super Nt that won't break the bank. That means we're foregoing classics like Chrono Trigger ($90) and Final Fantasy III ($50) in favor of things that leave you with some beer money.
Oh, and if you're curious about how much your old favorites might cost to reacquire, we recommend using pricecharting.com to look up prices. Their database tracks auction sale prices for games in loose (i.e. cartridge only), complete-in-box and brand new categories, and is always a handy reference tool. All the prices below are for loose cartridges.
1. Super Mario World ($15)
Retro games can be expensive, but first-party games are usually on the cheaper side due to their ubiquity. The same isn't true for the SNES, where even multi-million-selling Nintendo titles like Super Mario Kart and Yoshi's Island still run you close to 30 bucks. There are a few exceptions though, and Super Mario World at $15 is a welcome one, because it's no exaggeration to say this is one of the finest 2D platform games ever created. This game is such a deftly harmonious creation - it has a simple but deceptively elaborate structure, pitch-perfect controls, inventive level designs, and timeless visuals and audio. Whereas later Mario games focused on collectables, the mystery in Mario World is how to find all 96 levels, and that's pretty fitting, because getting to play more of it is better than any shiny reward.
(If you want to walk a little further down memory lane, Super Mario All-Stars - featuring NES titles Super Mario Bros 1, 2, 3 and The Lost Levels - is around $19.)
2. Pilotwings ($10)
One of the earliest SNES games, Pilotwings' Mode 7 visuals were groundbreaking at the time but certainly look of their time nowadays. It's still a lot of fun to play, however, and takes the form of a sort of flying school where you have to master planes, hang gliders, skydiving and a rocket belt. Riveting and yet pretty sedate, this is great for a bit of informal pass-the-pad multiplayer, too, as the challenges lend themselves very well to taking turns.
3. Gradius III ($11)
There are better side-scrolling shooters on the SNES - R-Type III is a personal favorite - but for just over 10 bucks you can't really argue with Gradius III, which has all the trappings of Konami's best work of the era - fantastic sprite-based 2D visuals, brilliant music, and of course a rock-hard difficulty level. Shmups of this era required a certain kind of bloodyminded determination to succeed in, with none of the checkpointing and save-game stuff you might see in modern interpretations, but if you like the idea of mastering a difficult but beautiful dance through space, this is a cheap and cheerful way to get that hit.
4. Illusion of Gaia ($19)
There are a ton of killer RPGs on the SNES, from Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Secret of Mana, but while they were popular enough to make Squaresoft (as it was then) rich in the 90s, they weren't as ubiquitous as platform games and they are also very desirable to collectors, so most of them are pretty expensive. Illusion of Gaia from Enix (also pre-merger) is a very playable exception, however, with a large cast of memorable characters, a gripping story and lovely visuals. Its relatively simple leveling system and combat give it a very different feel to Square's epics, but unless you're a real snob then this should give you enough of what you want.
5. Star Fox ($13)
The overhyped addition of Star Fox 2 to the recent SNES Classic may have left us a little sad - having it as a legend turned out to be better than reality - but it did at least encourage us to pick up the original game again, and it remains a fantastic achievement. Judged against modern 3D games it obviously cannot compete, but its rudimentary polygons, courtesy of the nascent Super FX chip, give it a very likable aesthetic, and it's impossible not to enjoy the company of Fox McCloud, Peppy and co - accompanied by another excellent SNES-era soundtrack - as they blast their way through the galaxy to defend Earth.
6. F-Zero ($11)
Another early Mode 7 classic, F-Zero remains incredibly playable. We picked it up again quite recently and ended up racing through every championship in sequence without taking a break. The speed and handling of the futuristic racing craft gives the game a unique feel and the simple, elegant track design, visuals and audio come together brilliantly. F-Zero has aged every bit as well as Super Mario Kart, and while we have a lot of time for later installments - particularly Amusement Vision's GameCube-era re-imagining in F-Zero GX - the original is still the best in our view.
7. Plok ($13)
A bit of a cult classic at the time, this British 2D platform game saw its harmonica-playing hero hurling his limbs (we can't remember why) to take down enemies and activate switches. Interestingly, Plok has to then collect his missing limbs from as far as several screens away. Plok can also power himself up with flamethrowers, pistols and other weapons, and there are vehicular diversions too like jetpacks and helicopters. The visuals are super sharp and look unbelievable in high definition nowadays, while a Tim and Geoff Follin soundtrack certainly bolsters Plok's retro cred. A hidden gem, and one of the best-value SNES platform games.
8. Donkey Kong Country ($19)
Sometimes unfairly maligned by purist snobs who preferred Nintendo's Japanese titles, Donkey Kong Country is one of our favorite 16-bit platform games ever. This may even be Rare's best ever game, combining beautiful rendered 2D visuals - as opposed to the more common sprites - with an endlessly catchy soundtrack, some great game mechanics and collectables, and truly timeless level design. The larger sequel was tougher and never felt quite as good to us, although it was still fantastic and costs just $18 second-hand, so if you finish the fairly slight original and need to keep the buzz going, it's there for you too.
9. Street Fighter II Turbo ($15)
There are more than enough Street Fighter variants and spin-offs out there to keep you playing Capcom's quintessential fighting game series for the rest of your life, but SF2 Turbo is probably the most iconic edition. Essentially a speed-boosted version of Street Fighter II with the four boss characters (Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M. Bison) made playable, the expanded 12-fighter roster and simple but deep gameplay still feels perfectly balanced to this day. Whether you're a hadoken-spamming Ken scrub, a master of Dhalsim's gangly limbs, or you have a soft spot for the hairy colossus Zangief, there's a play style to suit most people, and those richly detailed backgrounds look extraordinary through HDMI.
It's also worth noting that Super Street Fighter II - arguably a slightly lesser game, but a great one nonetheless - is also only $18.