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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Was the SNES era the peak of Nintendo software development?

The Super Nintendo is one of the most beloved consoles ever created. Even more than 20 years after release, people still play SNES games and still clamor to play those games again on their Switch. And for a very good reason. The Super Nintendo IMO, was when Nintendo was at a creative and commercial peak with their software. Other platforms brought some interesting ideas and success to the table, but no Nintendo console before or since has been able to balance creativity, profitability, and critical acclaim in such perfectly balanced harmony with first party games as the SNES accomplished.

The SNES saw 2D Mario and Zelda at their peak, refining and building on the mechanics introduced by their 8-bit counterparts. New Faces like F-Zero and Star Fox helped diversify Nintendo's portfolio as well as use the hardware to create new ways to play. SNES saw typical oddball Nintendo experiments like the Super Scope and SNES Mouse paired with equally strange games like Battle Clashers and Mario Paint. Nearly all of Nintendo's studios at the time contributed to the console from EAD, R&D1, R&D2, Intelligent Systems, HAL, etc. Donkey Kong made its triumphant comeback with Donkey Kong Country, a game that delivered the Final Blow to Sega, extended the SNES' lifespan, and established Nintendo's partnership with developer Rareware all in one swift strike. And the majority of these games were met with rave reviews and record sales numbers.

I Feel Nintendo consoles afterward haven't been able to strike such a perfect balance as the SNES had done. The N64 had revolutionary games, but lacked both variety and quantity in games from Nintendo, with the only new IP from EAD being a Snowboarding game. The GBA had half its first party titles being ports, with all of the original stuff coming from non-EAD developers within Nintendo. The GameCube was when Nintendo started taking their games in weird directions, and not everyone was a fan of that. The Wii and DS gained the non-gamer audience with unconventional new concepts, at the cost of vocal hardcore fans who wanted a focus on more traditional games for longtime players. 3DS had a lot of games, but didn't have a ton of creative or groundbreaking concepts. The less said about the Wii U, the better.

But I think so far, the Switch might dethrone the Super Nintendo in the long run. I've mentioned this before, but Nintendo's Switch lineup thus far feels like a culmination of everything Nintendo has learned since the SNES days, creating what is perhaps its most varied, dynamic, successful, and potentially largest first party slate in the company's entire history. If Nintendo keeps up the pace, the Switch could replace the SNES as Nintendo at its creative and commercial peak.



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Well let's see...

Great SNES games developed by Nintendo or close partners...

Super Mario World
Yoshi's Island
Super Metroid
A Link To The Past
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario Kart
Starfox
Kirby's Dreamland 3
Earthbound
Kirby Super Star
F-Zero
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2
Donkey Kong Country 3
Super Punch Out!

Am I missing any Nintendo developed or sponsored games on the system?

Now, how many does Switch have so far?

Edit: I forgot about...

Pilotwings
Super Scope 6
BattleClash
Tetris and Dr. Mario
Wario's Woods
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
Killer Instinct
Tetris Attack
Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War
Fire Emblem Thracia

Last edited by Cerebralbore101 - on 29 January 2019

Cerebralbore101 said:
Well let's see...

Great SNES games developed by Nintendo or close partners...

Super Mario World
Yoshi's Island
Super Metroid
A Link To The Past
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario Kart
Starfox
Kirby's Dreamland 3
Earthbound
Kirby Super Star
F-Zero
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2
Donkey Kong Country 3
Super Punch Out!

Am I missing any Nintendo developed or sponsored games on the system?

Now, how many does Switch have so far?

For Switch:

Breath of the Wild

Mario Odyssey

Mario Kart 8 DX

ARMS

Nintendo Labo

Snipperclips

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Captain Toad

Kirby Star Allies

Mario Tennis Aces

Super Mario Party

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Pokemon Let's Go!

and those are just a few examples. I'd say the Switch is off to a good start so far. 



Switch feels like Snes + Gameboy Color merged together.



No way, the SNES generation was good but so was the NES along with the N64. The GCN generation was their weakest, but picked back up during the Wii era. RIght now could possibly be Nintendo at their best.

NES
SMB 1-3
Zelda 1-2
Kirby Adventures
Earthbound
Punchout
Excite Bike
Duck Hunt
Metroid
Adventures of Lolo 3


However, the SNES took many of these games and just made them better. Was Nintendo at their most creative? One could argue and say that the NES was far more creative as all the games listed above would not exist if it where not for the NES.

If you look at Nintendo their games have alwasys gotten better, alwasys... Especially Mario games. The only time Nintendo games as a whole took a back step was during the GCN era and part of that was because most of their major franchies just felt unfinished...

Super Mario Sunshine
Zelda: The Wind Waker
Wave Race Blue Storm
Mario Party 4-7 (overkill)
StarFox Adventure
Kirby Air Ride
Mario Kart Double Dash

Not saying any of these games are bad, as a mater of fact most of their are really really good. However, when you compare them to their N64 entries, they just dont have that Nintendo overall polish. Most of the games I listed above just feel like they are missing something.



我是广州人

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Lryu222 said:
Switch feels like Snes + Gameboy Color merged together.

Gameboy didn't really take off until the N64 had already came out. So in a way SNES was the last time Nintendo really truly focused on a single system at once. 



For me Mario + Zelda is the barometer

Super Mario World + Link to the Past > Super Mario 64 + Ocarina of Time > Super Mario Odyssey + Breath of the Wild > Super Mario Galaxy + Twilight Princess > Super Mario Bros + Legend of Zelda > Mario Sunshine + Wind Waker 



I'd go with either N64 or Wii era.

N64:
- Super Mario 64
- Mario Kart 64
- GoldenEye 007
- Ocarina of Time
- Majora's Mask
- Star Fox 64
- Smash Bros.
- Pokemon Stadium
- Diddy Kong Racing
- Banjo Kazooie
- Banjo Tooie
- Donkey Kong 64
- Conkur's Bad Fur Day
- Mario Party 1-3
- Kirby 64
- Paper Mario

Wii:
- Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2
- Mario Kart Wii
- Twilight Princess
- Skyward Sword
- Xenoblade Chronicles
- Metroid Prime 3
- Smash Bros. Brawl
- DKC Returns
- Animal Crossing: City Folk
- Super Paper Mario
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii
- Return to Dreamland
- Mario Strikers Charged
- Radiant Dawn
- Wii Sports



Hard to say. While I certainly played Nintendo games during the NES and SNES era, I preferred games from other companies. It wasn't until the N64 that I really appreciated how good Nintendo was. Same with Sony on the PS1 and PS2.

Still, looking at the list, it's hard to argue that Nintendo wasn't on top of their game during the SNES era. Certain games aren't as great as we make them out to be, even back then (ie: Pilot Wings) but they are certainly solid.



All comes down to personal opinion/taste. But the SNES was easily Nintendo's best console in my opinion... I still go back and play it to this very day.



--::{PC Gaming Master Race}::--