Obviously the best SNES RPG is Final Fantasy III (aka Final Fantasy VI for you total nerds) and that is because Kefka done blew up the world. Seriously, how many games allow the bad guy to win?

Even though Canadians can’t actually win this, I’ll still post my favorite SNES RPG, which is Super Ninja Boy. It took the traditional RPG town, overworld, boss battles, and added action sequences to get through caves and dungeon hallways, with a co-op option for team battles.

BAM! Who can turn down the opportunity for free Breath of Fire eh?

It’s hard to choose, to be honest, given that the SNES is a literal GOLD MINE of genius RPGs, but if I had to pick one than it would have to be Chrono Trigger. Chrono Trigger had a fascinating story without becoming too complicated, fantastic graphics (definetly for the time) and I still think more games should implement a dual/tripple tech battle system like Chrono Trigger had. The music also helped, give that it was the first game soundtrack I actively seeked out. The memorable characters, the battle system, the New Game plus feature…Chrono Trigger was just classic and innovative to the genre and just about every way, and it is one of the few games I went back and played over and over again.

I cant beleive we have to answer a question like this. This is sucha hard ecision becuse there were thousands of amazing rpg’s on the SNES, and it is so hard to choose one.

I guess Front Mission 2, I played the translated version on an emulator and it rocked. Either that or Star Ocean or Chrono trigger.

NO I change my mind, to Star Ocean. Star Ocean had amazing graphics and I just loved the game to death, and it had a unique battle system.

Obviously the best SNES RPG is Earthbound (a.k.a Mother 2 for you guys in Japan) and that is because pop culture jokes are so awesome. Seriously, how many games make fun of itself anymore?

Super Mario RPG. When the game came out I rented it from Blockbuster and spent an entire weekend playing it. I think the quirkiness of the story is why I like it so much. RPGs with the typical fantasy setting are definitely fun, but Super Mario RPG — despite its origins — felt very new to me at the time. Good stuff.

this should be a monthly thing or something
if the gift function is still available after xmas of course

Chrono Trigger, hands down. The art design, character design, music, combat, and story were just all so spot on. Not to mention the 8,000 endings for infinite replayability. It kills me that they stopped the gorgeous looking fan-made 3D remake cold, and then didn’t do anything with the license.

There was some stiff competition on the SNES - FF III and Secret of Mana would both be easy winners on most consoles - but on the SNES Chrono Trigger wins in my book.

Andy, I hope you’ve played Contact on the DS. It’s got a very Earthbound feel to it (though not part of that series) and some quality in-jokes.

EarthBound.

It makes you happy to be praying for fictional people.

EarthBound, definitely. That game just emits a whole… soul that a cartridge has never been able to do before. The whole game is alive… But the best part is that I can’t really tell you what makes it do it. You can put together all of its elements, but it doesn’t mean your game will be nearly as alive as EarthBound. There’s just something special about it that you can’t get out of just any game.

I would have to say Super Mario RPG. Awesome story, gameplay, and graphics. Oh, and it’s Mario!

I would argue that Earthbound is not only the best RPG for the SNES, but the best game I have ever played.

I will keep the list short, but it should be more than enough to convince anyone crazy enough to still need convincing. The following exist in Earthbound, and therefore make it awesome:
- Blue Cow. ‘Nuff Said.
- “The New Age Retro Hippie Used Ruler! Now, he can figure out the length of things easily.”
- Mr. Saturn. BOING! (and Dr. Mr. Saturn in a trash can)
- Witness the Power of Being Third!
and finally:
- STONEHENGE!

It all comes down to Super Mario RPG: the Legend of the Seven Stars.

this game would be my first RPG, and would set the standards for other RPGs to come. that i would play at least. (and i’ll stick to my guns about it beating FF VII any day)
with its simplistic leveling design and basic battle mode, it would introduce gamers o fall ages to a world they otherwise would be intimidated by. the world of RPGs.

it was also the first time you could play as peach or bowser… awesome…

and it introduced us to timeless characters, like mallo, and geno, and smithy…

oooh. smithy. never before has there ever been a villain so evil, so conniving, so powerful! he is by far the best merio villain ever.

this game will forever stand out in my mind as a bookmark to the beginning of a new era of gaming.

an era of awesomeness.

I never owned an SNES, so I can’t say much for favorite games for the system. Not even a Genesis.:(

I’m gonna say Super Mario RPG. I wasn’t much into Final Fantasy as a young’in, and the colorful worlds of yet another Mario game drew me in with their cutesyness.

I remember playing that game at my cousin’s house alot. Good times.

My favorite is actually Breath of Fire 2.

I picked it up out of the bargain bin at a grocery store when I was eight. When I went home, there was no manual so I just started a new game and was left utterly confused. It was my first RPG ever so I had no idea what I was doing. I saw Ryu fighting the Gonghead and I couldn’t understand why we were taking turns attacking.

Eventually though,I picked up more on it. It’s this game that taught me all I know about RPGs. Grinding, talking to every NPC, checking every dresser, and more lessons were all taught to me by this game. Over the years I realized why this was my favorite RPG. With the turn-based battles, counter attacks, shaman system, Township, transforming into creatures in the overworld, and just about everything else in this game, what’s not to love?

Final Fantasy III (VI) is still one of the best games ever made. The story trumps any FF to date, INCLUDING 7. I remember putting away my N64 in college and playing FF3 for the 5th time all the way through, and still getting teary eyed at Celes’ solo @ the opera.

Amazing.

Seeing as i can’t win due to being in Australia land, I’ll give my two cents. Terranigma, BOF II and secret of evermore were my favorites. Breath of fire 2 was one of the first big rpgs i got engrossed in. Secret of evermore had a kind of lonliness to it with its soundtrack that i still of remember strongly. and terranigma (i think) was the one where you helped evolve the world which i thought was cool.
Honourable mention goes to Lufia 2 as my mum and i used to take 4 hour shifts trying to get to the bottom of the ancient dungeon, oh how save states baby people now-a-days

I have to say Chrono Trigger of course. In my opinion, it’s not only the best SNES RPG but the best RPG of all time. The story is just so entertaining the and the characters are all unique and memorable. Anything with time travel is usually awesome too. The battle system is fun, and holds up well even now with the lack of random battles and no transition to a detached battle screen. The music is absolutely incredible and the replay value is great, even for an RPG, with all the multiple endings and the New Game+. Really wish this would come out on VC.

earthbound!!!!!!!

Super Mario RPG.

with this game it was like Square creating the most amazing piece of mario fanboyism. (and yes fanboyism is a word! ) It was the inclusion of some of the best characters in the marioverse and introducing some new faces that made it such an amazing romp. definitely my all time favorite SNES RPG. I also loved the introduction of action commands. They made battes so much more engaging!

Probably Super Mario RPG because it was the only one I was able to play not having a Super Nintendo back in the day. I had wanted one, but my parents had felt the need to overlook that system. As to why Super Mario RPG was my favorite was not only for the simplistic controller layout but in-depth button timing combos that made the layout so complex.

For me it would be Earthbound.

I remember the day I got the game right when it came out for my birthday. Funny thing is I remember hating Dragon Warrior and other RPG’s at that time and I didn’t have a clue at all what this game was about, but it had a big box and scratch and sniff cards in the players guide so I wanted it. Very risky and a shameful secret to my mother. I was young.

However I did play it and was shocked myself at how I enjoied it. The story, humor, the real life”-ish” setting, and graphic style drew me in. As well as the soundtrack. Some other things about it’s charm I can’t explain even to this day. (Yes I still do play it). One thing I do thank for is after playing I enjoied other RPG’s after that, but no RPG has left me with as many fond moments like Earthbound has.

God, what a tough choice. I think I’m going to have to go for Chrono Trigger simply because it was (I think) the very first RPG I ever played, and the one that got me started on playing RPGs. That and the music was (and is) glorious. Of course, FFIII is also amazing, if not only for the music. I think I have at least 2 different arrangements of the music from that game. Mmmmmm, tasty music.

im sorry, i dont know what made me do it

lol @ “Andy”

Has to be Final Fantasy 3, Kafka’s laugh haunts me until these very nights.

I thought “oh, this will be easy….” Then realized. Earthbound..wait…No…Chrono Trigger! Wait! Mario RPG!

If I HAD to pick one….erg…It’s between Chrono or EB…I’d….erg…have to say…Chrono Trigger. Only because I have yet to own that game personally and play it as much as I have played EB. Although I’ve played Chrono Trigger TONS.
There is just so much content to Chrono trigger, it’s baffling. I could play it all day. And the sound track is amazing.

Earthbound is my favorite. Did I win?!? Damn you Orange Kid!! You said this contest was in the bag! I want my investment back!

I’d have to say Earthbound, with Chrono Trigger close behind, because being able to ride a bike in an RPG is pretty sweet. It also has the best side quest ever, I went back to Onett and bought the house that was for sale there.

My favorite SNES RPG, and favorite game of all time, is Final Fantasy III (FF6). I like it because it has one of the best stories ever, along with some of the greatest characters from any video game. The gameplay is awesome, as well. I like everything about it.

Super Mario RPG

-The game is just great. Being able to play in the Mario World in the form of a Square RPG was just a very special treat. Here’s hoping they will release that on VC as well.

Earthbound. Not only does it touch on the much-neglected concept of an RPG set in modern times and pull it off excellently, but it tells an amazing story with compelling characters, while keeping a fantastic sense of humor. Plus the final battle kicked all kinds of ass.

Very, very close second and third choices for me would be LiveALive (Japan-only release, played the translation) and Chrono Trigger.

Yeah, I have to go all cliche here and pick Final Fantasy III (VI). I played that game through completely at least 6 or 7 times, with strategy guide, getting all extra characters etc etc etc.

Though, I still loved Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy II (IV), and definitely Shadowrun (we’ll say action RPG).

I’ve actually never got the chance to play the Breath of Fire series. I know of them, but never had the opportunity. One day, either on VC or the DS or break out the old systems and EBay it up.

MAI FAV RPG EVAR IS POKEMANZ LOL

But seriously, this one is a huge toss up for me. Earthbound and FF3 (6) were really good, but I never got all the way through them (I know, I know, I’ll be getting to it this break, calm down)… Mario RPG and Chrono Trigger are my two favorites… and for different reasons.

I guess that I will go with Chrono Trigger because, as is the case with many people here, it was my first RPG that I enjoyed. When I was around 5 years old, I remember trying to play my friend’s copy of FF3 and not being able to figure out how to beat the giant snail boss at the beginning (please don’t tell anyone else, I’m embarrassed enough already), and for some reason it really turned me off to all RPGs… until I gave Chrono Trigger a shot. The game was able to open my eyes to how immersive and wonderful this genre can be, and captivated me with it’s amazing graphics, engaging battle system, lovable characters, and above all the incredible music (which was one of my biggest inspirations to start composing myself). In short (well, not that short), the game was literally life changing, and I’ll never forget about it.

Zelda: A Link to the Past, Final Fantasy VI, and Super Mario RPG are truly excellent games, but my favorite RPG of all time is Final Fantasy IV. The music is beyond excellent, and is one of the reasons that the game is so fantastic; it has a certain timelessness to it that is not easily matched. In addition to the music, there’s the engrossing storyline coupled with a wide variety of characters. When all of these elements intersect, the emotions conveyed are genuine and make me feel like Sebastian from The NeverEnding Story - like Cecil is my Atreyu. No other game has impacted me in quite the same way, and I am so looking forward to the DS remake.

As for NES RPGs, that award is tied, with honors going to Zelda (of course) and Shadowgate - another game with excellent music that (literally) haunts you.

Last thing - jodyisawesome.org isn’t real! LIAR! jk

Super Mario RPG is my favorite SNES RPG. I never actually asked for the game as a child, it was bought for me simply because it had Mario on the cover. I’ve never been happier with receiving a game that I didn’t ask for.

I had played a small amount of Dragon Warrior around that point in time, but it was obviously not as geared towards young children. (Actually, at this point in time, I was probably 5 or so, I couldn’t even read!) Obviously, when I first tried to play the game, I didn’t get very far.

Regardless of having no reading skills, I kept attempting to get somewhere at this game. At some point in time, I actually started to pick up on some of the dialogue! -Yes, Super Mario RPG was actually teaching me out to read! (Interesting note, nobody in my family actually can remember when I learned to read, I just apparently “picked it up” one day. Thanks Mario!)

I can’t remember the exact details of how long it took me to get through this game, but I remember that it took a very long time. Remember that riddle? in the Sunken Ship? I actually recruited my Mom (A rather avid non-gamer) to help me with it. I was, needless to say, very happy when I discovered PEARLS to be the answer.

I will admit that as a child, the fact that the entire game was Mario-themed was probably the reason I played through the entire game. I did have a lot of fun with it, but when your reading skills are actually being developed by the game itself, it’s kind of hard to sit through an entire RPG, especially being so young.

And I still remember the first time I beat Smithy. Thinking back on it now, Super Mario RPG may have been the very first game that I had actually beaten. Upon dropping to the “Hellish” part of the final battle, I can actually remember my heart just stopping. I will always remember that battle as THE final boss battle in an RPG. Everything from that game is still ingrained in me. I remember actually going “WOW!” when I saw Bowser throw our favorite plumber at an enemy, I remember wanting Luigi in the game after I read his wish, and I loved having my Mario Dreamteam take down an Evil, Giant Sword embedded in a castle.

With so many great RPGs on the Super Nintendo it is ridiculously difficult to choose just one. So, I’m just going to cheat and list the two that I can never choose between: Earthbound & Illusion of Gaia.

Earthbound is a given. When it came out it was such a breath of fresh air for a genre that was (and still is) laden with self-righteousness and over dramatization. Yet, for all of its jokes and lighthearted nature, Earthbound never seemed to lose any of the epic appeal that draws you in to those other, more serious adventures.

Illusion of Gaia on the other hand was one of the more traditional narratives, but it still remains very special to me, and I play through it once every year or so. It’s not a very difficult game. However, the story and characters are tremendously engaging, and the mood and atmosphere are so artfully crafted that they really pull you in. When you get to the end of your journey it really feels like you’ve travelled and grown. It’s a bittersweet ending, too. Yes, you have succeeded in beating the ultimate evil that would destroy your world, but much of its damage had already been done. When the dust settles you find yourself very much a stranger in a changed world.

I guess it’s just satisfying to think that with the limited technology of the time that you could get this level of emotional connection to these kinds of fiction, and these two games have stuck with me more so than many other, more obvious, choices.

My favorite snes rpg? having owned quite a few, it is difficult to say. So, I will pick two. Zelda, because the feeling of playing it was out of this world. And chrono-trigger, for having a unique story and beautiful graphics. The runner up would be Secret of Mana. Seriously, i think snes still is the pinnacle of what nintendo can do. It was technically superior to mega drive (genesis for you) and had the best games. It is a shame that Wii is such a compromise in power.

Chrono Trigger, natch.

The game is just amazing, great battle system, amazing story, sweet characters. If the game wasn’t so hard to find/so expensive I would probably buy copies for all of my friends.

It’s a tie between Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG. While I loved chrono trigger for its story, art, etc. Getting to play as bowser was just so much fun in SMRPG.

Super NES had so many AAA RPGs. From Earthbound, to Chrono Trigger, to Super Mario RPG, to Secret of Mana. Above all though, and I expect to see many people choose this one, is Final Fantasy III (or VI). The cast, the story, and the gameplay, which involved different play styles in the middle of the same old turn-based battles. Add to that the Final Fantasy touches like Moogles, Airships, Cid and Chocobos, and you’ve got a top level game in every aspect. Of course, The Opera scene alone would make this my top SNES RPG, but that’s just one small part of such a huge reason why my Genesis loving friends were so jealous. Their little Blast Processing-equipped black box just didn’t cut it when my pastel purple and grey machine was churning out so much incredible RPG goodness. They had no choice but to realize Super NES is what Genesisn’t. Plus, it had Breath of Fire II! I hear it’s pretty good. I hope to find out.

My favorite SNES RPG would have to be Tales of Phantasia. I just love its real time battles, which make the battles much more enjoyable. Also, I really like the art style of the game, and the sound track is fantastic.

It’s gotta be Earthbound, just for the whole postmodern vibe. One of my all time favorite games, hands down. Plus who didn’t love Dungeon Man’s yellow submarine?

My favorite SNES RPG is, undoubtedly, Earthbound. What other game contains a dog possessed by the spirit of a game designer?

Wow, this made me think, but it has to Earthbound. It was the first RPG that had some real humor in it. It had quirky graphics and quirky grasp on reality. It was perfect!

For the SNES I’d have to say that Chrono Trigger was my favorite. I’ve never been able to complete however, and my attempts to finish it up on the PSone version have been unfulfilled. Yet, even though I haven’t beat doesn’t mean I haven’t enjoyed it.

The characters are all well rounded, battle system keeps you on your toes, and the worlds/times vary. I love this game.

don’t really have a Wii, but I just thought I’d give my 2 cents. my first reaction was “Crono Trigger of course!” I have such good memories of playing that game. it’s just 16bit RPG excellency. you can’t get better than that. then I thought “oh snap I forgot Earthbound”. Earthbound is… that game is just love. there’s no other game like it, period. both games complement each other very well, in a yin yang sort of way.

During the SNES’s lifespan, it had a handful of great RPGs. My favorite one would have to be Final Fantasy V. Why is it better than Chrono Trigger, Tales of Phantasia, and even Breath of Fire you say? It’s pretty damn engaging. It re-implemented Final Fantasy III’s job system, and the soundtrack is memorable. One of the main characters actually dies, which is pretty damn cool too. All in all, it makes out to be one kick ass game.

Secret of Mana, because it was pretty much my first RPG.

Now my favorite turn-based SNES RPG would have to be Super Mario RPG, because come on, Geno rocked.

Beside Chrono Trigger, which is obvious, it would be Secret of Evermore. Not because it is the best or even second best, but because the guitar music in the merchant area is awesome.

Definitely Super Mario RPG.
I have fond memories of playing through this game at a friend’s house. This was before we were any good at games hwoever, so when we finally finished off Smitty (after many attempts) we felt like we actually accomplished something.
I also have this game to thank for developing my interest in RPG. It led me into playing the other great RPGs the SNES had to offer, but this game I will always be most fond of.

I would have to go with Super Mario RPG. It was my first RPG and I loved that a story could be created based on such a 2d character. It was fun to actually be in mario’s “world” in this way. I love Super Paper Mario and the Mario & Luigi Series because of Mario RPG.

Terranigma - Most underrated SNES RPG.

Zelda LTTP is my favorite, although I usually consider it more of an action/adventure game than an RPG. LTTP was awesome though: the puzzles, light world, dark world, the story.

Chrono Trigger is not only my favourite SNES RPG, but also my favourite game of all time. Character design, art direction, music, battle system, story, characters, everything is perfect in my book. And let’s not forget the cinematic intro sequence when you wait on the title screen: it still sends chills down my spine everytime I see it.

It’s so hard to pick when there are so many greats on the SNES, but I’d have to say Breath of Fire (the first one). Sure, there are better RPGs, but Breath of Fire has a special place in my heart since it was the first RPG I ever played (unless you count Castlevania 2 as a true RPG). I have so many fond memories with the game, so it wins hands down for sentimental and nostalgic reasons.

Chrono Trigger. For some odd reason, I didn’t play RPGs during the SNES era until later. (even though I loved Dragon Warrior during the NES days) Plus, CT came out late in the SNES life cycle and I was already saving my money for a Playstation. I found CT used at a video store for sale for $3. (this was pre-Playstation rerelease days). I bought it (it came with the box, too!) and went home, dusted off the SNES, and played through it. Man, great game. It reminded me how great of a system the SNES was. I’m always a sucker for Time Travel stuff, and having that in an RPG was a ton of fun. Great music, too.

While Final Fantasy III (VI) is a close second, the best RPG on the SNES has to go to Chrono Trigger. Although you can’t really go wrong with any Square RPG during this era - they were definately at their finest during the SNES days.

I never played breath of fire. If I win I’ll be happy. If I don’t…well I’ll never experience breath of fire at all. Think about the childrens!!

Chrono Trigger. Why- because its the best that’s why! Honestly though I fell in love with every character in the game (who didn’t like the frog….his name slips my mind as of this writing). The gameplay was top notch and for the era, the graphics were fantastic.

I really ejoyed the “tag team” aspect that the game had gamers doing throughout the entire adventure. It’s a gameplay mechanic that has not been reproduced but needs to be addressed. Something about lighting my sword on fire and strking down my opponents made me filled with joy and getting all 3 members involved in the attack was pure genious.

Also, to add more to this growing list, my experience with the title was great. Basically my best friend would come over every night and we would play until the “wii” (sorry I couldn’t resist) hours of the morning and really brings back fond memories of my best friend. We are still friends to this day and still talk about how we made it all the way through Chrono!

Earthbound, hands down. I mean… the T. Rex bat and the Zip Gun as equipable weapons? A boss named Diamond Dog? How much cooler can a game be?

Final Fantasy II was my favorite. FF3 was fun but I loved the music and story line of FF2. I can’t wait until it comes out on the DS.

While I have much love for Final Fantasy 3(6), nothing tops Chrono Trigger in my book. Final Fantasy 6 is great for an epic story and tons of excellent characters, but Chrono Trigger does everything just right. It’s just long enough that you can play it through in a weekend and don’t mind playing it multiple times to get the extra endings, but it’s also not too short. The characters all work well with each other, meaning everybody can have their own preferred party. The graphics are detailed and colorful. Plus, it has an excellent, classic battle system that’s nothing like the phoned-in “innovative” system that Square implemented in the game’s sequel.

Gotta go with FFII. It was the 3rd game I got for the SNES(after Mario Kart and Mario World). I had rented it 3 times, each time making it to the tower of Babil, only to run out of rental days when I reached the 3 sisters. So I finally saved my pennies, waited for weeks until the next time we went to the city and payed $80.00 for it! Crazy, I know. But I played the crap out of it. Eventually, I sold it to a friend for $50.00.

Years later we ended up being room mates, and I got to play my cartridge again! I was in university, so I had plenty of time to kill . I finished it every way possible. Speed runs, maxing out characters . . .playing in one sitting . . I love that game. Now, I eagerly await it to come out on the DS.

As much as I love Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and the other Final Fantasies, FF5 is my favorite SNES RPG. The depth of the class system really did it for me. At first I was just playing it, and then one day everything just clicked. I knew I wanted to get the best class for all my characters. I was so happy when they brought over the class system for Final Fantasy Tactics. All of them are such great games.

it’s such a toss up. I loved Final Fantasy II (aka IV), i skipped school for a week to beat that when it came out, it changed my damn life. Secret of Mana was great, I just wish they would stop mucking with perfect and make a good sequel to it.

Chrono Trigger, without a doubt!

It’s probably the only RPG that I really loved, aside from the Mario RPGs. I guess it was because of the great caracters, story, locations… and, of course, the unique combat system.

Show me that Breath of Fire II is a good RPG too!

breath of fire 2
is a game i haven’t played
please gift me this game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earthbound is the best
Great music, trash can burgers
Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo
Dealing with cults and zombies
Killing off Giygas with prayer

:) _>
Chrono Trigger? Final Fantasy III? Secret of Mana? Super Mario RPG? Tough Choice. If I had to pick my favorite, it’d be:
Deep Commitment 1P - Final Fantasy III
Pick up for fun 1P - Super Mario RPG/Chrono Trigger
Party Multiplayer - Secret of Mana (Technically, there’s multiplayer on FFIII also, but *shrugs*)
I like them all for different reasons, but if I got a party of 3 and the system and such to go with it, I’d definitely throw down on Secret of Mana. Otherwise, any other game on the list is fun, super fun happy fun time!
Also, someone mentioned Super Ninja Boy and I have to hug this guy because I’ve been looking for the name of this game for YEARS, since it came out and totally forgot about it, only had brief images in my head. Thank you! _>

Xenogears because after some 70+ hours of questing (or more specifically, exploring the recesesses of Fei’s mind) you are rewarded with the nudest ending for any videogame ever.

Oh, SNES RPG… Heh, well that is Chrono Trigger of course.

I regret that my first RPG was Pokemon but than I corrected myself with FFV and FFVI. That great story, characters, and music is wonderful.

Let’s see…so many awesome SNES RPGs. I think I have to say though Final Fantasy IV is my favorite. The gameplay is good, but honestly it’s the characters and the story that give the game a warm fuzzy as far as I’m concerned.

Cecil’s quest for redemption, the comrades he meets along the way (why don’t all RPGs have the kind of interesting backstory for their characters these characters have? Too often the characters aren’t fleshed out very much, but here there’s enough for you to really get to love the characters), and of course his fight against the once proud empire he used to represent.

And who can forget Golbeze? I mean, I love Kefka, but man, Golbeze is awesome. Anyway, to me this game is truly an adventure!

Regret that your first RPG was Pokemon? The cartoon might be dorky and make me cringe, but I still have to say that Pokemon was a fun and addicting game.

I know I don’t post much, but I’ve been a longtime fan of 4CR >w> I really wanna share two stories of two of my favorite SNES games. It’s a really hard choice because I was so inspired and drawn in by both Chrono Trigger and Earthbound.

Nothing will beat my childhood memories of opening my (lightly used) copy of Earthbound for christmas that year and playing it for months afterwards. It truly captured my imagination with all the awesome and creative ideas >w

*heheh whoops posting failure! It’s been awhile xpx*

I know I don’t post much, but I’ve been a longtime fan of 4CR >w> I really wanna share two stories of two of my favorite SNES games. It’s a really hard choice because I was so inspired and drawn in by both Chrono Trigger and Earthbound.

Nothing will beat my childhood memories of opening my (lightly used) copy of Earthbound for christmas that year and playing it for months afterwards. It truly captured my imagination with all the awesome and creative ideas. When I wasn’t playing the game too death, I was laying on the floor in my room drawing pictures of all the characters and enemies, from the guidebook. I’d go on to carry that guide book with me all the time, constantly looking at it for inspiration. I can definitly say it was pinicle in me ending up in going into the field of illustration and art, and to this day my game and guide is still in excellent condition, as it’s probably one of the things that I value most about my childhood. To this day like Chrono Trigger I’ve always had one file going on no matter what in Earthbound, even though I don’t even need to look at the guide to remember every step, the game brings back happy memories.

Chrono Trigger on the other hand, I was so captivated by too, although unlike Earthbound I never was able to buy it as a kid. I remember seeing it new in stores, and having read about it in Nintendo Power, I really wanted it badly. Sadly by the time, I had finally amounted the money to buy the game, it was long gone. I’d spend most of that money constantly renting it out from my local gamestore. I think because of renting it so much and having it only for a limited time each time, I was so much more focused and drawn in by the game. It’s characters, it’s worlds, the story of each era, everything was perfect, I fell in love with it all. I began to pick up writing along with my drawing, I wanted my drawings to have stories, and a world. Chrono Trigger in my eyes and still to this day is nothing short of perfection, which few games have come close to. It was almost it’s own adventure just searching every game store’s used games displays for Chrono Trigger, but I never had any luck. I’d saved as much money as I could just to buy it when I did find it. I bought the PS1 remake when it came out, but it was nothing compared to the SNES original, terrible load times felt like it had marred CT’s perfection – I still searched for the SNES original. It wasn’t until over 10+ years later that I’d eventually discover eBay and would save my first two and a half pay cheques from my first job and spend it all to buy a near mint copy of Chrono Trigger. It was one of the happiest momments of my life, finally after years of searching for a the game that had inspired me so much, and captured my heart, too finally have it in my hands.

To this day I play both games over and over — maybe some of the memories of what make both games so incredible stand out in my mind isn’t from the games but the stories I experienced with them which makes it a hard choice. I love both a lot, but if I have to pick one I’ll pick Chrono Trigger, it took over 10 long years to find the game, which I think it made it feel that much more when I finally had it too myself.

xpx; okay maybe this was all a little long *scratches neck* lets chalk this up to pent up posting xpx

For my own personal sake, I’ll go with Chrono Trigger. It was one of the most enjoyable games of my younger years. I didn’t know any of the hype about it, I just found it, played it, and loved it. I got involved in the story and genuinely loved the gameplay. Earthbound comes in close 2nd for it’s entertainment factor, but Chrono definitely took the cake for me. It’s so well-rounded.

My favorite SNES RPG is Final Fantasy II (4) because the story was so well writen and I have fond memories of playing it with my friend !

Ogre battle hands down

RTS games were always really fun but there was no incentive to keep your troops alive or take care of them. Once you add rpg elements such as parties,levels,classes and equipment, with an incredibly awesome development tree for characters you’ve easily got the best rpg(srpg I guess) on snes.

Awesome characters, a really good soundtrack, minimized text and interface, that game did everything right, I think it’s better than the n64 one.

Robotrek and 7th Saga were also really good.

U.N. Squadron! Don’t think it counts? Check this out…
http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Games/UNSquadr on
I think it counts! Go Capcom!

Easily the best SNES RPG is Final Fantasy III (or Final Fantasy VI). I am one of the purists who gets upset when people tell me FFVII is the greatest and then I find out they have never even played FFVI. It is so good I still go back and play it from time to time. Can’t say that about FFVII.

Crono Trigger is the best Super Nintendo RPG, for two simple reasons:

I. It is the best console RPG ever made, ever.
II. It is the first console RPG I ever played, ever.

Take that, Final Fantasy XII.

Im a Sega fan, and they do not drool. Blast processing makes the world go round.. dang it! xD
Actually unless its the wonderboy in monster land games I was never into any real Genesis RPG anyway. Though Wonderboy isnt technicly an RPG. Though theres Phantasy Star but I kinda liked the Master System one best.

Though for SNES RPG games my first thought is Chrono Trigger, that was a fun smooth style RPG where you had to actually RUN into enemies in order to fight them. There was that new timer bar that each char had to wait for to fight so things had that sorta exitment to them even thogh it boiled down to classic RPG battles anyway.
Plus you could go through time. I mean come on, what game did that? Er, did that and let you actually transverse through it later on. Plus have multible endings.

However, I cant call it my all time favorite SNES RPG as I think I have to give that spot to Seiken Densetsu 3 or also known as Secret of Mana 2 if it were ever released in the US.
You start the game with a selection of six charecters and choose two alternate charecters right off.
The order you do it in decides when you meet up, but each main charecter starts off with their story and you go from there.
So reply value is pretty much added right there.
I usually play as the werewolf guy though, eh, Im better with the fighter style chars.
The story puts everyone together at their own pace and sets everyone fourth to save mana, like most “of mana” games seem to be. My favorite parts though would be the fighting system, the fast selection menus that pop up and rotate, the stradegy selection menu for changing it when ya need it, plus the treasure trap roulette was always a fun thing to worry about.
I got to a point where I predicted it rather easily.
The fighting system was also live action, so things dont boil down to slow battles too much. (I hate slow x-x)
Best of all though, multiplayer.
Nothing I hate more than playing a good RPG then having a frriend over and trying to find that save point really quick so you can play a multiplayer game.
I beleive you could do it in Secret of Mana as well, but Seiken Densetsu 3 was a little better.
Just throw the controller and off ya go.
Not to mention the music does a good job and can be relaxing at times. It fits well with the art of the game wich I think is one of the ones that started the whole soft artistitic like art form the “of mana” games carried on later.
I should be honest though as I played the translated version and never played a REAL cartridge of in unfortunitly.
Though SD3 is fun as an online game and theres even a three player hack out there. ;P

Real cartridge wise I go back to Chrono Trigger.
Wich I have to say I loved the team up special moves. :3

Also to be fair Ive played Breath of Fire two before, though Ive only gotten so far in it and never could reach far enough to get to play as the dragons.
I may have to pick up the GBA port again.
RPG games take up too much of my time, I play most half way. Thoug some Ive made it through to the end or close. Like Skies of Arcadia, made it to the end almost then relized I wasted an important item wich basicly ruined my chances of winning and I had to restart. >.

Phantasy Star 4! That’s right. I had a Genesis, and I played the crap out of that game. I made a mistake when playing it and was never able to beat it, but I loved it. Someone was just telling me how awesome Breath of Fire II is, so here’s hoping!

SNES had so many great RPGs. My favorite would have to be Super Mario RPG though. Can’t wait for the Virtual Console release.

Breath of Fire II was great but if I had to pick only one SNES RPG it would have to be Chrono Trigger because I got so addicted to it. Terranigma would be a runner-up but there are soooooo many good RPGs for that system it’s really hard to just pick one!

Hmm, difficult descision. But my favorite RPG would have to be Castlevania:Dawn of Sorrow. I dunno if many would classify this as a RPG, but it is greatly in my eyes. It was one step ahead of Aria of Sorrow, and its later DS predecessor. Great game, and I missed the Souls on the more recent game. Im still waiting for a 3rd DS and possibly a Wii title. I suggest everyone play it, for it is a great game.

Wow I Guess My Favorite Would Have To Be Super Mario RPg Secret Of The Seven Stars…it was just soo different and kinda goofy which was a cool change from the usual heavy RPGs

Well, the only one I’ve played is Super Mario RPG, because it’s the only one for the SNES I’ve played so far. =^u.u^=

oops, i mean “it would have to be Super Mario RPG”… woo! redundancy!

Secret of Mana; nothing can beat a Zeldaish, FFish, real time, multi-player, co-op, action RPG.

Super Mario RPG easily, I have great memories playing through it as a kid, I would say Zelda LTTP (I must have played through that about 5 times) but I hardly count it as an RPG.

I could never save my allowance. I would spend my few dollars weekly on comics and low-ticket consumables. For the holidays I’d get a nice cash infusion, which I would usually spend on the latest or greatest video game machine. What this means is that although my family had a Nintendo, a Genesis (mine), a SNES, a TG-16 w/cd (sister’s), and eventually PSX, Saturn, etc., I owned few, few games for each machine.

My mom would let me rent a video game each week. So, for a few glorious days, I would have a new game. There were a few games that I loved enough to rent time after time. Shining Force was one of those. Another was Breath of Fire II.

I think I rented Breath of Fire II about 5 or 6 times. I loved building up my town and that it was populated by characters I met throughout the game. The party characters had so much personality. The story had me hooked. But I never owned it. It was never really mine. Eventually I wanted to try other games and I stopped renting it. But my heart could not be healed. Breath of Fire II, unfinished, was the one that got away.

Is Breath of Fire II my favorite SNES rpg? It’s hard to say. I’ve never been the type to play favorites. But as amazing as Final Fantasy III was, and as nifty as Chrono Trigger was, neither game hooked me in the same way as Breath of Fire II. Both of those other games were so very popular and several of my friends owned copies. I could borrow them and play at my leisure for more extended periods of time. Maybe that’s why Breath of Fire II still seems so special to me. It felt like my own special experience. I would love to own a copy for the first time in my life.

Final Fantasy 6. And here’s why…

Owning only the family computer when I was young, I skipped everything until GameCube, when I had enough money to buy stuff myself. My first RPG was Pokemon Yellow so you can imagine how much I missed.

In fact, it’s just with the release of FF6 on the GBA that I felt a need to finaly try those FinalFantasy-stuff. And wow, was I impress! Especially with the splitting story and everything.

So yeah. Pretty non-original and stuff but hey, better late (and classic) than never!

I would go with both Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG. Both were, for its time, rather different from the usual RPG SNES offering.

I don’t think I could pick a single overall favorite. From the more mainstream (if there was such a thing for SNES RPGs) I’d go with Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. On the other end of the spectrum, I really enjoyed both Earthbound and Robotrek.

There’s no way I’m passing up the opportunity for a free VC game!

Well, of my three favorite SNES RPGs (Chrono Trigger, Earbound, and Super Mario RPG) I’d have to say that Chrono Trigger is my favorite. The game had a fantastic storyline (it was one of the only games to actually pull off a storyline involving time travel), good graphics for its time, good music, and a very cool and innovative battle system. I played that game for hours and completed every thing there was to do in it. I love it so much, in fact, that its probably my favorite SNES game overall!

Now hurry up and pick me as the winner so I can get mah game! >:D

Even though I am Canadian and can’t win this prize anyways(unfortunate). Well anyways; my favourite RPG would have to be Chrono Trigger. The game provided hours of gameplay with multiple endings. It really paved the way for games like Bioshcok, Kotor, and Fable. Chrono Trigger had great art direction and certainly pushed the limitations of the SNES hardware.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say Shadowrun for SNES! The genesis version wasn’t that bad either.

I play through FFIV at least once a year still. So that’s my favorite.

FFII (/FFIV) will always hold a very special place in my heart — it remains one of the most epic games I ever played…

-Zach

Favorite SNES RPG?

That’s got to be Secret of Mana. Sure, it may not be a convential RPG ala Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy II or even Super Mario RPG, but it is far and away the role playing game that most defined my Super Nintendo experience.

Having initially borrowed the title from a friend, I remember when I first discovered that Secret of Mana was actually capable of multiplayer (I had no manual to direct me otherwise). Needless to say, a great game went to amazing in an instaflash.

Secret of Mana. Play it. Love it. Now.

I know everybody and their brother will say this is their favorite, but for me the greatest SNES RPG will always be Chrono Trigger.

I came into gaming late, and didn’t actually own a SNES of my own until 2001 - yes, well into the time that Gamecubes and Playstation 2’s roam the earth. And while the game was available on the Playstation system, I had chanced upon a copy in a used game store and purchased it based on its legendary status.

A status, I learned, that it had earned well. The music, the characters, story - all had reached such a perfected level that still has not been seen since. It was clear this game was made by programmers and artists who truly crafted love and dedication into the game. It’s conventions are one that I’m frankly shocked that every RPG developer hasn’t learned - but perhaps that’s because they lack the love and care the developers put into this project.

Chrono Trigger. Always and forever.

The best SNES rpg is hands down LTTP. It set the bar for pretty much every other Zelda game. Koji Kondo’s score was top notch. Who can ever forget the thrill of walking into Hyrule Castle for the first time? It was truly an epic experience.

Now gimme BOF!

I also say Earthbound. It’s quirky. Plus, I like to dig through trash. And there are hippies.

bahamut lagoon

the first strategy/rpg i ever played

its sort of like advance wars with dragons

Gotta say Earthbound, even though it’s so hard to choose. SNES really was the best system for RPGs. Back in the day, my brother and I would stare longingly at the super huge box on the top shelf of Blockbuster, wondering what sort of wonderous suprises it contained. We rented it a million times before one of us finally saved enough money to buy it. Last year my brother bought me the guide with the smelly stamps on ebay and it was like being 10 again. (But I still have no idea what the mystery smell is.)

Clearly it’s TLOZALTTP, for all the nubs out there that’s, The Legend of Zelda a Link to the Past.

BECAUSE… it was the first link game for many as I was too young to enjoy the 1st and 2nd.

LoZ a Link to the Past is my favorite probably, but I only played recently on the GBA. One that I do own for the SNES is Soul Blazer (I think that’s an RPG) from Enix. Very similar to Zelda, but a pretty good game.

i was never a big RPG player so if you really want to “introduce at least one more person to the glory that is Breath of Fire II”

then im your man! =)

I have a few favourite RPGs on the SNES, like Super Mario RPG and Final Fantasy VI (or III, depending on how you look at it). But the one that takes the cake would have to be Earthbound. The combination of fun graphics, excellent game play, wicked humour, and references to pop culture makes it enjoyable to play over and over again.

I mean, one of the main character’s names is Poo! How much better can you get to that? Out of all of the places I loved to venture to, however, my favourite was the tripped out version of Fourside. For a while when I was younger, I would always knock on walls of cafés and the like just in case. If it worked for Ness, why not me?

All I’m hoping for now is that Mother 3 gets translated and brought over here very soon, because I can’t wait to see the next installment.

My favorite RPG on the SNES was also my first. Secret of Mana. My mother, in some sort of twisted delight, purchased an SNES as a “Family” Christmas present in November of 1994. Of course we couldn’t play it until Christmas, but I knew it was there just waiting for me. In my mind I was thinking of Super Mario World, Link to the Past, Mega Man X, or the (shortlived) promise of Dragon Warrior 5, continuations of my favorite NES series. When the (far too long) wait was finally over I tore into the present with such ferocity that I practically tore the box itself to shreds. And there it was, our brand new (used) SNES, along with Link to the Past and… Secret of Mana? Apparently my mother had played the game previously and enjoyed it, so she bought her own copy. Whatever, I was fine so long as I had Zelda.

Unfortunately (at the time), my mother boggarted the system in order to play *her* game leaving me to stare at the object of my desire with great longing (incidentally, there was already a saved game present implying that she had been playing with the system before Christmas… damn her). I sat watching the game, intent on disliking it fiercely, but given my elation over the fact that we now had an SNES at all, I warmed up to it quickly. Besides, I was already used to my mother and sister hogging the NES, why should this be any different? Anyway, it wasn’t long before my mother asked my sister if she wanted to play as well. After my shriek of outrage (as well as their cackling) I was surprised when my sister took up the other controller and started playing (a little too well, I may add. Was I the only one who didn’t get to play with the system before Christmas?). A two-player RPG? Weird. Despite my earlier distaste, I have to admit I was intrigued by this game. It seemed to play like a mix of Dragon Warrior and Zelda (I was unfamiliar with Final Fantasy at that point being as there was only the one title on the NES in the states). The graphics were amazing, the music catchy, the bosses large and cool looking, and there was ample violence (not to mention the coolness of candy as a healing item). I demanded my turn. Then I was hooked.

We played for months, even going out and buying a multi-tap so we could all play at once. It became sort of a family activity. We could all play the game at once progressing through the game as a group rather than one person and two-spectators. In fact, to this day it’s my best “family” memory, the time we spent on the game. It’s a feeling I really do miss, as there hasn’t been much afterwards that really captures the feeling of Secret of Mana. Sure the story is nearly non-existent, and the combat isn’t as tight as more modern action-RPGs. But still, how many games are as FUN as Secret of Mana (certainly none of the sequels past Seiken Densetsu 3)? I’m not saying it was the best RPG on the SNES. I think Chronotrigger, Final Fantasy 6, Earthbound, or Dragon Warrior 5 could take that title, but to me nothing will ever beat the feeling of extreme elation after my mother, sister and I finally took down the Mana Beast.

I never played a lot of RPGs as a kid. It was a genre I always wanted to get into, but never got past Pokemon and Dragon Quest 3 for the GBC. So if I had to pick my favorite SNES RPG it would be:

Super Godzilla.

Yes, I know, not technically an RPG but it’s the closest I ever got to one. It features a sort of RPG-like combat system. I could only ever afford a few SNES titles so I picked the one with my favorite green monster-machine on it. It’s blasphemy, I know, so I hope you will be able to reach into your pockets and help me out with this dire situation. Thanks!

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars FTW!
(Disclaimer: “FTW!” is not part of the actual title of the videogame ^^)

Good luck everyone!

Earthbound or Chrono Trigger, fo sho. Both of them are super-amazing in their own ways.

Secret of Mana, because Edgar has a funny accent

Secret of Mana, because Edgar has a funny accent

The best SNES RPG? Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Is it easy? Yes.
Is it interesting? Yes
Is it fun? Heck yes.

The game that got me into RPGs and interested in this mysterious little device known as the SNES. SMRPG still holds a place near and dear to my heart. I make sure to replay it every year or so.

Its a hard question to answer, but I would have to say Chrono Trigger. It was the first RPG I ever played, and after playing that, I got madly addicted to them. Almost to the point where I couldn’t appreciate other games if they didn’t have an RPG aspect.

I have since grown into liking other genres but CT and RPG’s in general hold a special place in my heart.

Final Fantasy II: Great story and graphics. The template for all 16-bit RPGs.