5 Forgotten SNES RPGs Almost No One Remembers

Highlights

• Illusion of Gaia’s
  unique approach to RPG mechanics was groundbreaking, but it didn’t resonate with players at the time.
• Arcana’s
  simple graphics and gameplay couldn’t compete with the vibrant visuals of classic SNES RPGs.
• Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals,
  a hidden gem in the SNES RPG library, added new elements to traditional turn-based gameplay.

The SNES library is a goldmine of timeless RPGs that are fondly remembered to this day. Such classics include gems like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and Earthbound. The SNES also included early entries from long-running series like Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem.

However, in this deluge of 16-bit creativity, not every RPG entry rises to the top. Some games, while not necessarily bad, just didn’t make enough of a cultural impact to stick in the public’s mind. This is especially true in the later years of the SNES’ lifespan, when gamers were looking toward the future of gaming through handheld consoles and 3D graphics.

5 Illusion Of Gaia

Too Experimental For Its Time

The golden age of SNES RPGs helped to set in stone what players came to expect from the RPG genre. The most popular titles would go on to become the blueprints for later generations. That being said, games with less conventional RPG systems tended to swept aside. So it was with Illusion of Gaia.

This RPG about a young boy saving the world throughout history has some noticeable deviations from the RPG formula. There are no experience points, no equipment, and no currency. Instead, the player character gets a permanent increase to one of their base stats every time they clear a room. Despite this unconventional setup, however, the game was received fairly well upon release, with critics giving the story in particular glowing praise. The game was just too experimental for players at the time.

4 Arcana

Simple Card-Based Visuals That Couldn’t Compete With Beautiful Spritework

Most classic SNES RPG’s are known for balancing their challenging gameplay with charming graphics. Character artwork, monsters, and the world map are typically rendered in bright popping colors, with brief animations for dealing and receiving damage.

Arcana really pumps the brakes in terms of graphical intensity. Characters are relegated to profiles on the sides of the screen, with the center focusing on the first-person POV whatever dungeon the party is crawling through. Aracana still has the strategic gameplay that hardcore RPG players might be looking for, but graphically, it’s easy to understand why it didn’t grab much attention.

3 Robotrek

Ground-Breaking In Theory, Underwhelming In Practice

Robotrek was published by Enix, the same company behind the now universally acclaimed Dragon Quest series. But while both games held great ideas, it’s clear that only one was able to execute them fully.

Robotrek is chock-full of originality. It centers on raising a team of robots with fully customizable stats, and plenty of challenging boss fights to test them out on. However, despite this new take on classic RPG gameplay, and some seriously fun visuals, most critics found the game lacking. Its sound design and overall presentation failed to make a lasting impression.

2 Secret Of Evermore

Riding The Coattails Of Secret Of Mana

This game and Secret of Mana has a lot more in common than just a name. Secret of Evermore also shared a similar real-time combat system, menu design, and other core gameplay mechanics. Unlike Secret of Mana, however, Evermore’s story centers on a boy and his dog, traveling to different fantastical realms based on real-world historical eras.

It’s fascinating how two games can be so similar and well-reviewed, but only one reaches cult status while the other fades into obscurity. That said, many retro gamers have been revisiting Secret of Evermore, thankful to have something similar to one of their all-time favorites.

1 Lufia II: Rise Of The Sinistrals

A Hidden Gem That Truly Deserved More Recognition

The Lufia series is as classic as SNES RPGs get. A troupe of legendary pixelated heroes, wandering between points on a map, fighting monsters with spells and weapons, all trying to prevent some evil god-like entities from destroying the world. In both style and substance, the games are very similar to other RPG franchises that went on to become legends themselves.

This sequel to Lufia & The Fortress of Doom took the classic turn-based RPG gameplay and added new elements to keep things interesting, such as Capsule Monsters (no relation to certain other pocket monsters, probably). Its story is also a prequel, making it a good entry point for new fans to the series. Lufia II sold decently well and received great reviews at the time, so it’s anyone’s guess why the franchise never reached Final Fantasy status. Perhaps some legends were just meant to be forgotten.