A Rare isometric 3D platformer on NES. Snakes eating balls to grow longer. Original and fun concept. Much better than it looks. Overlooked but genuinely recommendable.
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Category
Platformer1 player3+
Co-op
Description
Platformer featuring two snakes Rattle and Roll eating balls to grow and reach an elevator. Published by Rare, released in Europe in 1992. Snakes in isometric view collecting colored balls to grow and obstacles to avoid. An original isometric Rare platformer on NES.
The European PAL NES edition of Rare's 3D-isometric platformer, never released in Japan. The PAL cart is rarer than the US version, and the unusual isometric perspective on NES makes it an identifiable piece among Rare NES PAL titles. PAL boxed CIB in the original cardboard box climbs steadily, sustained by the coherence of a complete Rare PAL collection and by technical curiosity for the few isometric attempts on the console.
An underrated gem
Made by Rare, this isometric platformer pits two gluttonous snakes hunting for balls to swallow so they can grow and reach the exit, in a ballet as colorful as it is demanding. Its disorienting perspective cooled some players. But its humor, pace, and co-op make it a treat for fans of singular 8-bit challenges.
Is Snake Rattle n Roll still worth playing in 2026?
Snake Rattle 'n' Roll is a Rare isometric 3D platformer on NES where snakes eat balls to grow. An original, fun concept, inventive mechanics mixing exploration, beam balancing and combat. The Rare title is much better than first looks suggest. Overlooked but truly recommendable. A genuinely excellent detour today.
