It’s been nearly 25 years sinceNintendolaunched the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, and since then, the console has carved itself a significant legacy in the world of video gaming. A successful follow-up to the NES, the Super Nintendo is home to countless quality games that cover a wide range of genres.

While there are many SNES games worth playing, we have picked out 10 that are essential, must-play SNES titles for any gamer. These 10 SNES games everyone should play were chosen based on the lasting impact they had on the industry, how their quality holds up today, and how critically-acclaimed they were at the time of release.

Without further ado, this is Game Rant’s 10 Super Nintendo games everyone should play.

11Chrono Trigger

One of the most critically acclaimed games of all time,Chrono Triggeris a timeless gaming classic. Featuring an emotionally-charged story populated by well-crafted, memorable characters, there’s a reason whyChrono Triggeris often listed as one of the best JRPGs ever made. The game is possibly the best JRPG available on the Super Nintendo, which is saying a lot, as the system had no shortage of quality titles in the genre. Despite its popularity, however, Square Enix has yet to pull the trigger on a direct sequel toChrono Trigger, but aspiritual successor calledI Am Setsunais set to launch this summer on multiple platforms.

10Donkey Kong Country

It’s a testament to the talent at Rare in the 1990’s that Nintendo entrusted one of its most recognizable IPs to the studio. Nintendo’s gamble paid off in a big way, withDonkey Kong Countrypraised at the time of its release for unique graphics that pushed the Super Nintendo hardware to its limits, and for standing as one of the strongest platformers available on the system. TheDonkey Kong Countrylegacy is still felt today, with Retro Studios taking over for Rare with the latest entries in the franchise.

9EarthBound

While fans are still waiting for an officialMother 3localization, they can always revisit the game that marked the franchise’s debut outside of Japan.EarthBound, as it’s known stateside, is a quirky RPG from Nintendo, and it earned high marks at the time of its release for its emotional storytelling and strong sense of humor. Even today, there are few games likeEarthBound, which makes it one of the most remarkable titles developed for the Super Nintendo, and a game worth checking out for both fans of the genre and gamers in general.

8Secret of Mana

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Secret of Manareleased at a time when JRPGs were a dime a dozen, yet it still managed to stand out from the pack by employing innovative gameplay mechanics. For example,Secret of Manais an action-RPG that allows up to three players to play through the adventure in co-op, thanks to the Super Multitap accessory for the SNES. This combined with otherSecret of Manainnovations - such as its groundbreaking visuals for the time - make it a game worth adding to anyone’s SNES library.

6Star Fox

For Nintendo fans, it can be interesting to see where iconic characters began their legacy, and for the mercenary Fox McCloud and his band of anthropomorphic teammates, that legacy began withStar Foxon the Super Nintendo. Notable for being the first Nintendo game to use polygonal graphics,Star Foxwas a visual marvel at the time of its release, and that combined with its solid on-rails shooter gameplay makes it an SNES title that’s worth checking out.

5Super Mario Kart

WithMario Kart 8the best-selling Wii U game, it’s clear that theMario Kartfranchise isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. While fans have more modern versions ofMario Kartat their disposal nowadays, it’s still interesting to take a look back at the game that started it all:Super Mario Kart.Super Mario Kart’s Mode 7 graphics are still impressive, as is its gameplay, which fans will discover hasn’t been changed much in subsequent entries in the series.

4Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

What happens when JRPG giant Square teams with Nintendo? The answer isSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, a JRPG for the ages that helped spawn two ongoingSuper Mariosub-series, in the form ofPaper MarioandMario & Luigi.Super Mario RPG’s soundtrack, story, and unique gameplay elements helped it become one of the highest rated JRPGs of the era, and that high quality content is why the game is still worth playing today.

3Super Metroid

While theMetroidfranchise has become dormant - outside of an ill-conceivedMetroid Primemultiplayer spinoff game- there was once a time when the series was in the business of providing meaningful innovation to the industry. The firstMetroidgame is notable for putting a female character in the lead role, a rarity for the time, andSuper Metroid, the SNES followup, is notable for creating a brand new genre of action-platformer games.Super Metroidreally kicked off the “Metroidvania” style of gameplay that has spawned countless copycats over the years, but few can do it as good as the SNES original.

2Super Mario World

AfterSuper Mario Bros. 3,Super Mario Worldhad a lot to live up to, and few would argue that it failed to meet the lofty expectations set by its predecessor.Super Mario Worldintroduced a slew of new gameplay mechanics to the long-runningSuper Mariofranchise, and also was the first game to feature Yoshi, Mario’s trusty dinosaur friend. Its importance in Nintendo’s history aside,Super Mario World’s tight level design, fast-paced platforming gameplay, and catchy tunes make it an SNES title everyone should play.