Super Nintendo (SNES) games

Super Nintendo (SNES): history and collecting

Launched in Japan in late 1990 (as the Super Famicom) and in the West in 1991-1992, the Super Nintendo ruled the 16-bit era. Its rivalry with Sega's Mega Drive became one of the most memorable in gaming. With its famous Mode 7, a rich color palette and a sound chip designed by Sony, it pushed 2D to its peak and sold close to 50 million units.

Its library is a pantheon: Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Country set timeless benchmarks, while Star Fox, F-Zero, Secret of Mana and above all Chrono Trigger defined the RPG and action games of their day. Many of these titles still rank among the finest ever made.

For collectors, the Super Nintendo is a cornerstone of the retro market. Complete boxed cartridges with manuals are in high demand, and rarities such as EarthBound (sought after with its large box and guide) fetch spectacular sums. Cartridge condition, region (NTSC/PAL) and late production runs all shape values. On RomWize, every Super Nintendo game is retested and re-rated for 2026, with its rarity index and collector value (loose, complete and new) by region, to tell the essentials from the curiosities.