For most gamers the Super Famicom is the platform for which they first played import titles. That’s because Final Fantasy V was one of the first big fan translations ever released. The platform itself was an absolute hit worldwide. Unfortunately role playing titles, and anime art styles weren’t super popular in North America yet. Because of this many Japanese publishers left some of their most ambititous and high profile titles in the land of the rising sun. With so many huge Super Famicom imports left behind I thought it would be interesting to highlight some of my favorites today. There are a ton of great Japanese Super Famicom games so it was hard to limit this list to just twenty five. With that out of the way let’s get started! These are the top 25 best Super Famicom import games!
Before we begin here are a few rules I gave myself for this list.
- The games in this list are playable with no knowlege of Japanese. This means they either have very little text, translation guides, or fan translations available. If you’re willing to put in the work you will find that all of these are playable for English speakers.
- Because I live in North America PAL releases are fair game. You’ll find a few here that were released in just Europe and Japan.
With that out of the way it’s time to really get started. As Mario would say, here we go!
#25. – Romancing SaGa
There’s something downright magical about the SaGa series in my opinion. It’s crazy and off the wall by bucking traditional RPG norms. That’s a big reason why I like it so much. Romancing SaGa is the fourth installment in the main series and the first to release on home console. The first big change is the fact that you start out by selecting one of eight different protagonists. You can select their job, and the jobs of their parents. All of this determines their stats. The battle system is pretty traditional turn based fair, but the formation options are interesting, and you don’t gain levels. Instead your stats boost based on how you perform in battle. The most interesting element here is that the game is semi-open world format. There’s a ton of side quests to complete, and characters to recruit as well.
#24. – Rockman & Forte
In the West this is known as Mega Man & Bass. It’s also one of the few titles in the series that wasn’t initially localized. The reason we didn’t get it on the Super Nintendo is because it was a super late release for the platform. It actually came out in 1998, and was one of the final titles on the system. Regardless it’s a spin-off of sorts but plays like a traditional Mega Man title. The big difference is that you can choose between the two characters to play as. The main difference comes in their weapons. Additionally Mega Man can shoot while moving, and Forte can only fire stationary but in all directions. Rockman and Forte is very difficult, but a super cool installment in the franchise.
#23. – Super Chinese World 2
We’ve gotten a few different installments in the ‘Super Chinese’ series, but these were localized as either Little Ninja Brothers or Super Ninja Boy. Regardless, developer Culture Brain stopped caring at some point and left the sequels in Japan. This follow up plays in a similar fashion to the last. It’s an action RPG beat ’em up mish mash. You wander the world from a top down perspective ala early Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. You purchase items and equipment in towns, but on the world map and in dungeons you encounter enemies at random. These fights are real-time like a beat ’em up title. What makes this one particularly interesting is the fact that it supports two player simultaneous action. This means you and a friend can tackle this quest together, and even independently explore the world on the same screen.
#22. – Tales of Phantasia
The Tales of series was super different from most RPGs released in the 90s. On it’s surface it looks like a traditional role playing adventure. You unravel a story set in a fantasy world, explore from an overhead perspective with a world map, towns, and dungeons. The major difference is the battle system. This is displayed from a side view on a 2D plane and you can freely move your character with the AI in charge of the other members of your party. Attacking will cause you to dash forward and strike the foe with your weapon, but you can close the gap yourself should you so choose. It’s pretty neat, and although clunky still quite playable even today. The graphics are easily among some of the best on the platform. It’s definitely one of the best Super Famicom imports of all time.
#21. – Super Chinese Fighter
This is a spinoff in the Super Chinese series. Instead of being an RPG or beat ’em up this is, you guessed it, a fighting game. It’s largely a Street Fighter clone. Gameplay is strictly 2D without any new gimmicks or twists. The reason I like it so much is because it contains all of the quirky humor and stylings of the franchise. It also plays quite well. Gameplay is pretty standard. You perform most special moves with sweeps on the directional pad with an attack button. There are some light combo elements and these are pretty neat to learn. It’s pretty much the same as in Street Fighter II though. If you want a fighting game and are a fan of this franchise then there are few better choices. Super Chinese Fighter is a great Super Famicom import.
#20. – Dragon Quest I & II
Normally I try to steer away from compilations and remakes in these lists. In the case of Dragon Quest I & II I just couldn’t resist. This is a compilation of remakes of the original two games in the franchise. They not only look much better visually, but have been rebalanced. The original Dragon Quest benefits quite a bit taking a lot of the grinding out of the equation. Unfortunately that means it can be beaten in just a few hours, but it’s a fun time. The original release of Dragon Quest II was just short of broken in terms of difficulty. This has been changed, and all for the better. It’s one of the few cases where I would recommend skipping the original release entirely and instead play this remake. Thankfully it’s not nearly as frustrating this time around so you can actually enjoy the adventure.
#19. – Ganbare Goemon: Kirakira Dochu: Boku Ga Dancer ni Natta Wake
That title sure is a mouthful, am I right? Many just refer to this one as Ganbare Goemon 4 so that’s what I’ll call it. This is the final Super Famicom game released in the series, and it’s amazing. I absolutely love the franchise and it contains most of my favorite staples from it. At it’s heart this is a 2D action platformer with co-op play, and a variety of characters to choose from. The format however is a little different. This game takes place on multiple planets and each has their own map of levels. The main characters are assigned a planet to save, so by selecting which one to play as you can tackle the worlds in any order. It’s interesting, but personally I wish I could just play as Goemon the entire time.
#18. – Super Bomberman 5
When I first started out this list was full of Bomberman titles. Honestly they aren’t that dissimilar to one another so I tried myself to just one here. This is an overhead action puzzle game. What’s interesting is the fact that the single player mode consists of remixes of maps from the previous installments. There is of course one world that’s entirely new, and it’s the best one in my opinion. Multiplayer is where it’s at, and this game contains one of the best multiplayer modes in the franchise. You can even customize your character which is neat, and a clear foreshadowing to the aforementioned elements in Bomberman 64. If you want to play one Bomberman game for the Super Famicom make sure it’s this one.
#17. – Wonder Project J
Now for something completely different. Wonder Project J was an original title from Enix and it’s pretty clear straight away why it was never released outside of Japan. This is a life simulation game where you’re tasked with raising a robotic boy. It’s a point and click adventure where you form his personality and teach him things. It’s a pretty neat concept and the execution is absolutely on point. Wonder Project J is a clear step above other similar titles of the time like Princess Maker. I absolutely love the level of care put into the animations. They add a ton of personality to the experience and go a long way toward selling you on the concept of the boy (named Pino) being a living thing. If you want something a little different then Wonder Project J is the perfect choice.
#16. – Super Chinese World 3
Okay I promise that this is the last Super Chinese game on this list. Here we have the final console installment in the series. Right out of the gates we have a new storyline, improved graphics, and some new features. It’s a traditional installment in the series. This is an action RPG with co-op play both in and outside of battle. This means you and a friend can explore the world map, towns, and dungeons together and then use teamwork inside of battle to win. The big new feature here is the ability to play this one either as a turn based RPG or in classic mode which is functionally similar to a beat ’em up. It’s a major change to the franchise and I absolutely love the change up. Super Chinese World 3 is one of the most unique games for the platform, and it’s downright amazing.
#15. – Romancing SaGa 3
By now you know that I love the SaGa series. Romancing SaGa must have been a hit because Squaresoft followed it up almost immediately. This third installment is where they really got things right. It allows for the same open ended storytelling where you can choose some events to participate in. This makes for some pretty big changes in the scenario. You also have the choice between one of eight starting characters, and the formation system returns, as does the strange method of making characters stronger. What makes this one different from the others is the LP system. As characters die they lose LP, and when this is drained they’re taken out of your party. Most can be recruited again thankfully. It’s a great RPG that goes beyond traditional trappings.
#14. – Tetris Battle Gaiden
Everyone loves Tetris, right? Personally I can’t get enough of it. I do like some diversity in my Tetris games, and Battle Gaiden offers just that. At it’s core the gameplay is the same as it always was. You have a side view of the playfield and guide differently shaped falling blocks. Lining them up across the screen eliminates them. Tetris Battle Gaiden refines the experience by adding more interaction. You can charge up and then use a character’s magic ability. This rains a variety of different effects down on your enemy. Additionally you and the other player share the same upcoming piece via the display. This means you can mess with them by taking extra time putting down your block. Truth be told it’s just Tetris, but the changes here alter the gameplay in some great ways.
#13. – Dragon Quest VI
It’s such a shame that Enix ignored the North American Dragon Quest fans during the 16-bit era. These were some of the best RPGs of their time, and I am disappointed I didn’t get to play them until years later when fans finally translated them. Dragon Quest VI is pretty traditional by franchise standards. Combat is strictly turn based, and at random in dungeons and the world map. The generation system doesn’t return here, and instead it focuses on the concept of a mirror world ala Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I really enjoyed the story and combat scenarios in this game. The graphics are also amazing with this being the first major jump in visuals the franchise experienced. Had this been released in the West I’m sure it would be held in such high regard as classics like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.
#12. – Clock Tower
Point and click adventure games didn’t work well on consoles back in the 16-bit era. Still, you have to respect the effort put into some developers to create these titles. Clock Tower is one of these such games, and it’s also one of the earliest survival horror releases. You guide a girl named Jennifer across a sprawling estate as she solves light puzzles while uncovering the secrets of the mansion. Oh, and there’s a deformed man armed with a giant pair of scissors tracking you down. Did I forget to mention that fact? It’s pretty important. Jennifer has no offensive abilities of her own and must hide and hope he doesn’t find her. The game is downright startling and scary. My only complaint is that the game doesn’t have support for the SNES mouse. This seems like a no-brainer, and so it’s puzzling why they didn’t go this route.
#11. – Tengai Makyou Zero
The Tengai Makyou series was absolutely huge on the PC-Engine CD in Japan. At one point it was sold on par with Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, at least in Japan that is. Because the platform was kind of a flop in North America we never got the original nor any of its sequels. The developers actually released a side story for the Super Famicom and this too was left in Japan. Tengai Makyou Ziria has all the elements that make the originals so fun; classic turn based battles, a fun and over the top story, and excellent dungeon designs. They really upped the ante with this release however. The graphics are among the best on the platform with some really neat animations. In addition Tengai Makyou Zero tracks the time of day and calendar in real-time! It’s a very advanced role playing game by 16-bit standards.
#10. – Dragon Quest V
This marks the first time Enix didn’t localize a mainline Dragon Quest title for North American audiences. Unfortunately this also started a trend of leaving these titles in Japan only status. On the surface Dragon Quest V appears to be a half step from the last iteration. Despite the more powerful hardware the graphics are pretty lackluster. You can also only have three party members at a time. The game does however have a few new elements. First of all at a certain part of the story you gain the ability to recruit monsters. This was years before Pokemon hit the scene so it was a pretty big deal. Secondly, the story takes place over multiple generations and decisions you make affect the outcome. In this regard it’s like Phantasy Star III, but much better. While I consider this one of the more overrated Dragon Quest titles it’s still amazing.
#9. – Gunman’s Proof
If ever there was a game that could be accurately called a Link to the Past clone then this is it. Gunman’s Proof is a top down action adventure game featuring an overworld, dungeons, and of course tools to open new paths. Thanks to the similar graphics this could in passing be mistaken for a 16-bit Zelda title. What sets this one apart is it’s setting and sense of humor. It has a lot of elements of Earthbound with its wacky over the top antics. Gunman’s Proof takes place in sort of a spoof of the old Wild West. I really love the crazy style here, and the classic action adventure gameplay is amazing. This was a late release for the Super Famicom so it’s no surprise it was left in Japan.
#8. – Ganbare Goemon 3: Shishijurokobe no Karakuri Mangi Gatame
Ganbare Goemon got the shaft in the West. We only got the first 16-bit release, and the other three were left in Japan. This third installment marks the point at which Konami really began experimenting with the franchise. There has always been a sense of exploration with RPG elements in Ganbare Goemon, but they kicked things up a notch here. While the classic 2D action platformer stages return you explore the world outside of these via a top down action adventure perspective. It feels vaguely similar to the likes of A Link to the Past, but only slightly. Because of the new perspective there’s a lot more to see and do here, with a lot more gameplay diversity making this the most ambitious title in the franchise up to this point. Some don’t like it, but I find it’s one of the best Super Famicom imports of all time.
#7. – Seiken Densetsu III
The Mana series has a really interesting history in the West. We got the first two installments (on the Game Boy and Super Nintendo respectively) but not this one. It has finally been re-released for modern consoles, but for decades this was a Japan exclusive. It’s easy to see why considering it was one of the company’s most expensive and biggest titles up to this point. When it was released Seiken Densetsu III could have easily passed for an early PS1 or Saturn game. It’s really that impressive. It also features the ability to play through multiple scenarios for the first time in the franchise, and offered one of the absolute biggest overworlds of any game of this era. The reason it wasn’t localized was the vast amount of text along with next generation consoles being just on the horizon. If you haven’t played Seiken Densetsu III then please do.
#6. – Violinist of Hameln
This one is kind of an oddball. It’s a side scrolling puzzle platformer from Enix. The kiss of death for this one’s localization was likely the fact that it was based on a popular anime series of the time. Violinist of Hameln has you play as the titular character who is accompanied by a girl. This is important for gameplay because you can put this secondary helper in a variety of different suits that become available throughout the quest. These offer her a number of different abilities. You’ll need to make use of just about all of them throughout the adventure. They’re required sometimes to get past obstacles, and other times for the light puzzles sprinkled throughout the quest. Violinist of Hamlen is amazing with it’s colorful graphics and fantastic gameplay.
#5. – Marvelous: Another Treasure Island
This game took me completely by surprise. It looks remarkably similar to the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but with many stylistic differences. This game was actually directed by Eiji Aonuma who would later become a central figure in the Zelda franchise. What’s interesting is that despite the similarities there’s almost no combat here. Instead gameplay is focused almost entirely around puzzle solving. You have three different characters you can switch between, and they each have different abilities. These are needed for many of the puzzles, and it’s very rewarding to figure these out. Marvelous is also very goofy and filled with Earthbound-esque humor throughout. There are few action adventure games that are better than this one. Sadly it still has not received an official translation from Nintendo.
#4. – Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu
Are you tired of hearing about Ganbare Goemon yet? Well this is the last one on the list. I promise. Ganbare Goemon 2 is the closest one to Legend of the Mystical Ninja thus making it my favorite installment left in Japan. It plays in a very similar fashion to the last release. You fight your way through side scrolling platformer stages (with co-op play if you have another player), face off against massive bosses, and more. The level design is absolutely on point with a ton of diversity and well thought out obstacles. It’s a little on the difficult side but the adventure is so fun you won’t mind dying a few times. This one features a level select via a world map which makes things nice allowing you to return to previous towns to stock up on items. It definitely deserves a play.
#3. – Final Fantasy V
As I mentioned earlier in this article this was likely the first import game most people played. That’s thanks to it being one of the first rom translations available on the internet. It looks very similar to Final Fantasy IV and it’s clear that a lot of sprites were re-used. Unlike that title however this brings back the classic job system last seen in the third installment. Everything in this regard is kicked up a notch. You can learn new abilities by changing each characters’ class, and retain their abilities when you switch around. The game will require a lot of experimentation in this regard because it plays off of these different strategies. Because of this the game is quite a bit more difficult than any of the other 16-bit Final Fantasy titles. Final Fantasy V is an amazing game that I’m thankful to announce is available in English now.
#2. – Terranigma
Terranigma is the third installment in what is unofficially referred to as the Quintet trilogy. This is named after the developer of said titles. The first two, Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia, saw worldwide release and are often heralded as some of the best action RPGs on the platform. It’s unfortunate then that Terranigma was not released in North America. It did come out in PAL regions which means there’s an official English translation thankfully. This game is a top down action adventure RPG where you play as a young lad set out to restore the world from being sealed away. It features absolutely amazing dungeon designs, and a fun and fantastic world based off of the real one. Combat has been upgraded in many ways and it’s a ton of fun to battle against monsters in real-time here. Even the storyline is fantastic.
#1. – Dragon Quest III
This is another Dragon Quest remake, but it’s more special than the last ones for a number of reasons. The first is that the third installment on the NES is, quite honestly, the best game in the entire franchise. This remake adds a tremendous amount of visual flair, and new gameplay elements. It has to be seen to be believed; this game competes quite favorably with the likes of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI in terms of graphics. You can now customize your characters more significantly, and the class system has been revamped as well. All of these additions fit the experience surprisingly well and make this the definitive version content-wise. Gameplay holds up remarkably well. It still uses the same classic turn based battle system of it’s predecessors. A port of this was released for the Game Boy Color, and it’s one of the best games there too.
