Mention the SNES, and many classic games will automatically come to mind. Games such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Final Fantasy III, Donkey Kong Country, and many others are timeless and influential gems. However, some gems aren’t as iconic. With over 700 games in the SNES library, some haven’t gotten as much attention as they deserve. Let’s look at ten such games.
The first Breath of Fire was a charming RPG with memorable characters and a vast world to explore. However, the sequel took everything the first game did right and did it better. It introduced memorable new characters like Kat, the warrior catgirl. In addition, you can invite people to work at Township, a flying town that you build from scratch. This is just one of the many great, overlooked RPGs on the SNES.
The American version of the Japanese puzzle game Panel de Pon has nothing to do with Tetris. It also features an adorable Yoshi aesthetic. The concept is simple: you match colored blocks to make them disappear before they can reach the top of the screen. The process of doing so is extremely satisfying, making you always want to try again. With bright, colorful graphics and beautiful music, the atmosphere enhances the gameplay, making it a perfect game to lift your mood.
This is the third entry in the Gargoyle’s Quest series, which stars Firebrand the demon from the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series. As convoluted as that sounds, you don’t need to have played any of the other games in either series to enjoy this one. It has a wonderfully spooky atmosphere and open-ended gameplay. There are different demonic forms you can shift into, and it is an overall unique experience for the SNES or any console.
Also known as Bombuzal, this puzzle game is freakishly addictive. You wander through isometric planes, and you have to detonate all the bombs without getting blown up yourself. The puzzles get harder and harder the further you advance, to the point where you have to apply real brain power to get through the higher levels. If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you.
The Super Star Wars trilogy ends up on a lot of people’s “Hardest SNES Games” lists, but their difficulty might have overshadowed how they are genuinely great games. They perfectly capture the look, sound, and feel of the movies. You can play as multiple iconic characters, each of whom has different abilities. Also, the 16-bit renditions of John Williams’ classic tunes are amazing.
While Kirby is a beloved Nintendo icon, most people remember Kirby Super Star as his main SNES game. Kirby’s Dream Land 3 was released after the Nintendo 64 came out, meaning that many gamers didn’t notice it. It’s a shame, since this is a charming entry in the Kirby series. In addition to the pastel color palette and charming animal friends, each level has a unique mission to complete.
This innovative puzzle platformer was only released in Japan during its initial run. However, now it can be enjoyed on Nintendo Switch Online. You’re a bird who must move blocks around a set of platforms to collect all the rainbow crystals. You can also fill the blocks with different colored ink that gives the blocks different powers. The game is incredibly charming, and it’s a shame that it didn’t get an American SNES release back in the day.
This colorful, humorous platformer has a lot to love. You’re a caveman named Sam who must save his tribe from starvation. In addition to fun platforming, you can ride a hang glider and use spears to bounce up to seemingly unreachable areas. The graphics are beautifully cartoony, and the levels have just the right level of challenge. Oh, you can also collect hamburgers and cakes.
This unique little game gets almost no attention, which is, once again, a shame. Set in a medieval fantasy world, you’re a knight who must bounce a fireball to break through fortresses in Breakout-style gameplay. However, you have the ability to move all around the screen, adding extra strategy that goes beyond simple back-and-forth. This pick-up-and-play SNES adventure is simple to learn, but difficult to master.
This is one of the more ambitious games on the SNES. You begin as a fish, living billions of years ago when life started to appear on the planet. Your task is, simply, to evolve. You can choose different body parts to concentrate on as you make your way through the sea and eventually to land, eating weaker prey as you go. It might seem slow, but if you enjoy games that reward your sense of discovery, this game is for you.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
The Michigan football QB room will look a whole lot different in 2025 than it did in 2024. Out of the five QBs the Wolverines had in 2024, only two return this upcoming season. With both Davis Warren and Jadyn Davis back in Ann Arbor, Michigan lost the trio of Jack Tuttle, Jayden Denegal, and Alex Orji. Both Denegal and Orji left for a chance to start, and according to On3's Pete Nakos, it sounds like at least one of the two is about guaranteed that chance in 2025. Denegal, the 6-foot-5 signal caller, transferred to San Diego State, where he is expected to start in Year 1 with the program. Denegal never had much of a chance in Ann Arbor, but for most of his career, he was behind J.J. McCarthy. It was telling, however, in 2024, Denegal was the only Michigan QB to not get any snaps. In his Wolverines career, Denegal went 4-for-5 for 50 yards and a touchdown -- all coming in 2023 in mop-up duty. As for Orji, he's in a battle -- like he was in 2024. The dual-threat signal caller opted to transfer to UNLV to play under offensive guru Dan Mullen. But according to Nakos, he will have to battle former Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea for the starting gig. Colandrea has the most experience and impressed during his time at UVA, throwing for 4,083 yards and 26 touchdowns. Orji began the 2024 season battling for the job, and most thought he would win it, but it was Warren who got the start. After struggling to start the year, Sherrone Moore inserted Orji into the starting lineup. But Michigan used Orji as a one-trick pony. The Wolverines showed their hands by consistently running the football and not giving Orji much time to gain any sort of consistency throwing the football. After Orji's trial as a starter ended, it was Tuttle and then Warren who started the rest of the season. In 2024, Orji threw for 150 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 269 yards and a score. It will be interesting to see how Mullen utilizes the 235-pound quarterback.