Screen Rant argues that three SNES turn-based RPGs still hold up in 2026: Super Mario RPG, EarthBound and Chrono Trigger. The piece says their design, humour and pacing make them worth revisiting decades later.
01Summary
- 01The article says the SNES remained one of the greatest RPG systems of all time, despite many games having high encounter rates and other rough edges.
- 02Super Mario RPG was described as a surprising SNES release that mixed Mario with story-led, turn-based combat and timing-based attacks.
- 03EarthBound was presented as a more approachable 2026 recommendation than the first Mother game, with a suburban setting, eccentric characters and humour.
- 04Chrono Trigger was highlighted for its Active Time Battle system, pre-selected fights, strong pacing and a play time of roughly 25 hours.
- 05Final Fantasy 6 was also mentioned as another strong SNES Active Time Battle game, though the article’s main focus was on the three listed titles.
02Why it matters
For readers interested in retro games, the piece points to SNES RPGs that are still easy to recommend today rather than only as nostalgia picks. It also shows how these games influenced later series and modern indie titles.
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