The best SNES DS games that never were

Those of you old and crusty enough to remember the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (better known by the acronym SNES) will no doubt possess a strong affection for the machine, and with good reason. Only the most die-hard Sega fan would have the temerity to dispute the fact that the SNES' catalogue of games was simply unmatched during the infamous 16-bit war of the early '90s.

If you require solid indication of how astonishingly brilliant some SNES titles were, you need only observe the manner in which many companies are tripping over themselves to remake these classic games for modern machines; for example, there's the recent spate of DS remakes such as Final Fantasy IV, Shiren the Wanderer and Front Mission, not to mention the almighty kerfuffle surrounding the upcoming releases of fan favourites Chrono Trigger and Fire Emblem, both of which promise to improve and expand on the near-mythical status of their illustrious 16-bit forebears.

However, in our opinion this policy of updating classic titles doesn't go anywhere near far enough, and being the hopelessly nostalgic retro-heads that we are here at Pocket Gamer, we've decided to compile a definitive list of the classic SNES titles we'd like to see resurrected on the Nintendo DS. Developers – take note.

The best SNES DS games that never were

Actraiser Developer: Enix Publisher: Enix Released: 1990 An early SNES release, Actraiser was a curious mixture of God-sim and action platforming that left many onlookers open-mouthed thanks to its sumptuous visuals and gorgeous orchestral soundtrack. These days it naturally looks a lot more ordinary (although it still sounds fantastic) but the core concept is still solid as rock. It's little wonder that this tricky genre medley hasn't really been attempted since (even the official sequel decided to jettison the town-building sections and focus on pure platform action – to its detriment, it should be noted) but with the right combination of developer talent, judicious utilisation of the DS dual screens and the addition of stylus control, we think this would make for a truly mouth-watering gaming occurrence.
Cybernator Developer: NCS Corp Publisher: Konami Released: 1992 Known as Assault Suits Valken in its native Japan, this explosion-filled action platform title found a sizable worldwide following despite its reliance on the typically Eastern preoccupation with massive 'mecha' robots – something that usually spells commercial disaster in the west. Showcasing gritty and detailed visuals and a pleasingly weighty sense of scale (your robot avatar hulks around the screen with all the lumbering grace you'd expect from a three-story high piece of war machinery), Cybernator also featured a mature and engaging plotline that set it apart from its cutesy 16-bit contemporaries. In fact, it was probably a little too mature, with the western release undergoing censorship for violence before it was eventually published. While it would be difficult to see how the unique features of the DS could be used to augment the already compelling experience, the ability to retain the striking 2D visual style and expand it across two screens would make this an ideal choice for a DS upgrade.
Super Metroid Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Released: 1994 Given the recent releases of Metroid Fusion and Metroid Zero Mission on the Game Boy Advance (not to mention Metroid Prime: Hunters on the DS) it's fair to say that this franchise is still very much alive in the realm of the portable console, but until we get a comprehensive re-imagining of Super Metroid, we won't be satisfied. If you've never played this title before but consider yourself to be a keen DS gamer then the best way to explain the appeal is to point out that Konami's recent DS Castlevania titles owe a massive debt to the sole SNES Metroid release – so much in fact that both Portrait of Ruin and Dawn of Sorrow (as well as the upcoming Order of Ecclesia) are affectionately branded 'Metroidvanias' by hardcore fans of the vampire-hunting series. Mixing platforming action with exploration and item collection, Super Metroid redefined what the genre could offer, steering away from traditional level-by-level linear progression towards a truly open-ended proposition. It also came in a gigantic box when it was released in the UK, which contained an oversized instruction manual that doubled as a guide book and also ensured that you couldn't fit it on the shelf next to your other SNES games. Bah.
Wild Guns Developer: Natsume Publisher: Natsume Released: 1994 We're entering obscure territory here as this excellent Cabal clone was released to hardly any fanfare in 1994, which is puzzling when you consider how absolutely fan-bloody-tastic it is. Assuming the role of a cowboy (or cowgirl) it's your job to rid your Wild, Wild West-style world (where cattle ranchers and massive robots rub shoulders) of the various nefarious forces that threaten its security. As a title that arrived fairly late in the life span of the SNES it's unsurprising to see that the visuals are impeccable – some of the end of level bosses practically fill the entire screen – and thankfully despite this graphical opulence the action never dips below the 'fast and furious' level. A criminally underrated release, we'd dearly love to see this reach a larger audience via a DS remake. You can never have enough games that star robot cowboys, as they (don't) say.
F-Zero Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Released: 1990 After enjoying some excellent updates on the N64 and GameCube the F-Zero series has found itself stalled on the grid of late. The recent Game Boy Advance outings have been less than impressive, which is why it's high time that Nintendo made amends by hitting us with a truly stunning remake on the Nintendo DS. Call us old-fashioned but we'd really love to see the company be brave enough to revisit the first game and give us a faithful recreation rather than a spruced up embellishment; although the subsequent sequels have built on the core principle excellently, we always seem to find ourselves returning to the very first title whenever we need a serious sci-fi racing fix.
Super Tennis Developer: Tokyo Shoseki Publisher: Nintendo Released: 1991 Prior to the emergence of Sega's superlative Virtua Tennis, fans of Wimbledon had another champion to fawn over: Tokyo Shoseki's brilliant Super Tennis. Offering a degree of control that has arguably never been matched (not even by Sega's swanky 3D title), Super Tennis made use of all four of the SNES pad's fascia buttons, each of which would result in a different shot – ranging from slices to drop shots and lobs. Naturally the visuals are a little rough around the edges now (nothing that a bit of spit and polish wouldn't remedy) but the fact that we can return to this almost 20 years on and still come away thoroughly entertained speaks volumes.
The Firemen Developer: Human Publisher: Human Released: 1994 Considering that the fairer sex seem to swoon over any man dressed in fire-fighting gear, it's somewhat puzzling that there haven't been more video games based on the concept of being a fireman. This sterling effort from '94 did a pretty excellent job of recreating the sheer terror of being stuck in a burning building with nothing but some H20 and an axe at your disposal, and is rightly regarded as something of a hidden gem in the SNES library. It's also the perfect candidate for a DS remake – imagine aiming your trusty hose using the touchscreen and monitoring your progress through the rapidly disintegrating tower block via the second display. Sadly, with developer Human now defunct, the chances of seeing a 'reboot' is slim – but we can still dream, can't we?
Stunt Race FX Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Released: 1994 The second game to use Nintendo's 3D-focused Super FX chip (the first being Starfox), Stunt Race FX proved that the company had the Midas touch when it came to addictive game design. Racing titles were certainly nothing new back in '94 but when you added the Nintendo factor what you were left with was one of the most compulsive and titles speed freaks could lay their hands on. Naturally a DS remake would benefit from the additional 3D clout possessed by the handheld, but we'd be perfectly content to replay those classic courses from way back when. We just hope that in the unlikely event that someone at Nintendo reads this and responds to our request, they make sure they don't tinker with the core concept too much (Starfox Command, we're looking at you).
Secret of Mana Developer: Square Publisher: Square Released: 1993 Technically the Secret of Mana series (known as Seiken Densetsu in Japan) has already enjoyed instalments on the DS in the form of Children of Mana and Heroes of Mana, but neither of these games can be counted as true canonical sequels to the magnificent SNES original. What we want – nay, demand – is a faithful remake using slightly improved 2D artwork (none of your 3D nonsense here, please) and retaining the same glorious music and gameplay. The fact that Secret of Mana regularly tops polls for the greatest RPG of all-time should serve as a fairly solid indication to Square Enix that there is most definitely a market out there for this – hopefully when the upcoming DS version of Chrono Trigger sells by the bucket load it will convince the company to do the same thing with this title, too.
Pilotwings Developer: Nintendo EAD Publisher: Nintendo Released: 1990 If there's one game that proved beyond all doubt that the SNES was a technological force to be contented with, it's Pilotwings. Another early release in the life of the machine, this blissfully playable recreation of a zany flying school that lets you take the controls of James Bond-style jetpacks and military helicopters really pushed the console's innovative rotation and scaling capabilities (known as Mode 7) to the limit and proved that such features weren't mere gimmicks; they could result in fresh and exciting gaming experiences. It's astonishing to think that it's been more than ten years since Nintendo last attempted to update the concept of Pilotwings; the N64 version was stunning and we can't fathom why Nintendo hasn't tried to bring the franchise even more up to date. The short-burst challenges would be perfectly suited for a portable console such as the DS.