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 the USA in 1992. Snakes in isometric view collecting colored balls to grow and obstacles to avoid. An original isometric Rare platformer on NES.
The US NTSC NES version of Rare's isometric platformer, never released in Japan. The title was far more widely distributed in the US than in Europe, making this the most common and most affordable version. The local interest rests less on rarity than on the technical curiosity of that unusual isometric perspective on NES and on the game's place in the US Rare line, prized by fans of period console experiments.
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.
