Best Super Nintendo action games
The Matrix has 342 action games on file for the Super Nintendo, released between 1990–2018. 150 of them support multiplayer, including 17 with co-op. They're ranked below by legacy score, so the games that shaped the genre on the SNES come first, with lesser-known picks further down.
Action games test reflexes and nerve. Expect fast enemies, tight controls and stages you clear by reacting quickly and learning enemy patterns.
Typical commitment: an evening or two (roughly 1–6 hours to see it through). Tip: Retro action games are often short but tough. Treat early deaths as practice runs; every attempt teaches you where the next threat comes from.
Super Mario All-Stars Classic
Mortal Kombat 3 Classic
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Classic
Worms Classic
Doom Classic Co-op
Earthworm Jim Classic
Mega Man X Classic
Blackthorne Classic
Kirby Super Star Classic Co-op
ActRaiser Classic
Contra III: The Alien Wars Classic Co-op
Mega Man 7 Classic
Super Castlevania IV Classic
Live A Live Classic
Mega Man X2 Classic
Street Fighter Alpha 2 Classic
Terranigma Classic
The Lion King Classic
Mega Man X3 Classic
Aero the Acro-Bat Classic
Aero Fighters Classic
Earthworm Jim 2 Classic
Final Fight 3 Classic
Mr. Do! Classic
RoboCop Versus The Terminator Classic
Super Adventure Island Classic
Toy Story Classic
Axelay Classic
Prince of Persia Classic
Shaq Fu Classic
Super Bomberman 3 Classic
Super Star Wars Classic
The Chaos Engine Classic
ActRaiser 2 Classic
Batman Forever Classic Co-op
Castlevania: Dracula X Classic
ClayFighter Classic
Demon's Crest Classic
Frogger Classic
Goof Troop Classic Co-op
Justice League Task Force Classic
Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow Classic
Mortal Kombat Classic
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure Classic
Primal Rage Classic
Super Bomberman 2 Classic Co-op
The Adventures of Batman & Robin Classic
Arkanoid Classic
More SNES action games
- Undercover Cops (1995)
- Virtual Bart (1994)
- Another World (1992)
- Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage (1994)
- Ms. Pac-Man (1996)
- Pocky & Rocky (1993)
- Rise of the Robots (1994)
- Super Bomberman (1993)
- Super Bomberman 4 (1996)
- Super Double Dragon (1992)
- Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1991)
- The Death and Return of Superman (1994)
- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1995)
- Addams Family Values (1995)
- Arkanoid: Doh It Again (1997)
- Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (1993)
- Bubsy 2 (1994)
- Casper (1996)
- E.V.O.: Search for Eden (1993)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Kid Klown in Crazy Chase (1994)
- Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems (1996)
- Super Adventure Island II (1995)
- Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1994)
- Taz-Mania (1993)
- The Flintstones: The Treasure of Sierra Madrock (1994)
- U.N. Squadron (1991)
- X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)
- Ys IV: Mask of the Sun (1993)
- Captain Novolin (1992)
- Flashback (1993)
- Judge Dredd (1995)
- King Arthur & the Knights of Justice (1995)
- Mr. Nutz (1994)
- Nosferatu (1994)
- Pac-In-Time (1994)
- Paperboy 2 (1991)
- Pocky & Rocky 2 (1994)
- Prehistorik Man (1996)
- Run Saber (1993)
- Sparkster (1994)
- Super 3D Noah's Ark (1994)
- Super Battletank (1992)
- Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose! (1993)
- X-Kaliber 2097 (1994)
- Xak: The Art of Visual Stage (1993)
- Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel (1994)
- Barbie: Super Model (1993)
- Battle Clash (1992)
- GunForce (1992)
- Hook (1992)
- Killer Instinct (1995)
- Last Action Hero (1993)
- Legend (1994)
- Metal Warriors (1995)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1994)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
- Plok (1993)
- Radical Rex (1994)
- Revolution X (1995)
- Samurai Shodown (1994)
- Spider-Man Animated Series (1995)
- Spirou (1996)
- Stargate (1995)
- Super Godzilla (1994)
- Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (1993)
- Super Turrican (1993)
- Super Turrican 2 (1995)
- Asterix & Obelix (1995)
- B.O.B. (1993)
- BioMetal (1993)
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1993)
- Captain Commando (1995)
- Chester Cheetah: Too Cool to Fool (1992)
- Congo's Caper (1993)
- Cutthroat Island (1996)
- Daze Before Christmas (1994)
- Doom Troopers: Mutant Chronicles (1995)
- Fatal Fury 2 (1993)
- Fatal Fury: King of Fighters (1992)
- Harley's Humongous Adventure (1993)
- Phalanx (1992)
- Ranma ½: Chōnai Gekitōhen (1992)
- Rendering Ranger: R2 (1995)
- Speedy Gonzales: Los Gatos Bandidos (1995)
- Super Back to the Future Part II (1993)
- Super Scope 6 (1992)
- Sutte Hakkun (1998)
- The Flintstones (1995)
- The Pagemaster (1994)
- The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang (1994)
- Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1994)
- Wayne's World (1993)
- Wolfchild (1993)
- Young Merlin (1994)
- Accele Brid (1993)
- Astral Bout (1992)
- Battle Blaze (1992)
- Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure (1995)
- Captain America and The Avengers (1993)
- Claymates (1993)
- Cliffhanger (1993)
- Darius Force (1993)
- Fatal Fury Special (1995)
- Hagane: The Final Conflict (1995)
- Hyper Iria (1995)
- Hyper Zone (1991)
- Imperium (1992)
- Kendo Rage (1993)
- Knights of the Round (1994)
- Lester the Unlikely (1994)
- Lethal Enforcers (1994)
- Mazinger Z (1993)
- No Escape (1994)
- Pinball Dreams (1994)
- Pop'n TwinBee (1993)
- Popeye: Ijiwaru Majo Seahag no Maki (1994)
- Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday (1995)
- Power Piggs of the Dark Age (1996)
- Psycho Dream (1992)
- Realm (1996)
- Sky Mission (1992)
- Skyblazer (1994)
- Smash TV (1992)
- Snoopy Concert (1995)
- Space Ace (1994)
- Super Genjin 2 (1995)
- The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes (1995)
- The Firemen (1994)
- The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey & Minnie (1994)
- The Incredible Hulk (1994)
- The Lawnmower Man (1993)
- The Peace Keepers (1993)
- Timecop (1995)
- Ultima: Runes of Virtue II (1994)
- Waterworld (1995)
- Xardion (1992)
- James Bond Jr. (1992)
- Alien 3 (1993)
- An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1994)
- Bebe's Kids (1994)
- Big Sky Trooper (1995)
- Bonkers (1994)
- ClayFighter 2: Judgment Clay (1995)
- Dennis the Menace (1993)
- Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1994)
- First Samurai (1993)
- King of the Monsters (1992)
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
- Metal Morph (1994)
- Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City (1994)
- Nightmare Busters (2013)
- Nobunaga's Ambition (1993)
- Operation Thunderbolt (1994)
- Outlander (1993)
- Panic in Nakayoshi World (1994)
- Parodius! From Myth to Laughter (1992)
- Phantom 2040 (1995)
- Rocky Rodent (1993)
- Ruin Arm (1995)
- Soccer Kid (1993)
- Sonic Blast Man II (1994)
- Spindizzy Worlds (1992)
- SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron (1995)
- Tetsuwan Atom (1994)
- The Blues Brothers: Jukebox Adventure (1993)
- The Combatribes (1992)
- The Incredible Crash Dummies (1993)
- The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse (1992)
- The Tick (1994)
- Tin Star (1994)
- Toys (1993)
- WarpSpeed (1992)
- WeaponLord (1995)
- X-Zone (1993)
- Bazooka Blitzkrieg (1992)
- Lucky Luke (1997)
- Socks the Cat Rocks the Hill (2018)
- Acrobat Mission (1992)
- Battle Zeque Den (1994)
- Carrier Aces (1995)
- Cool World (1993)
- Coron Land (1995)
- Doomsday Warrior (1992)
- Firestriker (1994)
- Galaxy Wars (1995)
- Ganpuru: Gunman's Proof (1997)
- Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit! (1994)
- Incantation (1996)
- James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (1994)
- Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (1994)
- Lagoon (1991)
- Lethal Weapon (1992)
- Libble Rabble (1994)
- Magical Pop'n (1995)
- MIDI Maze (1992)
- Mohawk & Headphone Jack (1996)
- Natsume Championship Wrestling (1994)
- NBA Give 'n Go (1995)
- Otoboke Ninja Colosseum (1995)
- Out to Lunch (1993)
- Popful Mail (1994)
- Putty Squad (1994)
- Shien's Revenge (1994)
- Sküljagger: Revolt of the Westicans (1992)
- Spark World (1995)
- The Adventures of Mighty Max (1994)
- The Itchy & Scratchy Game (1995)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show: Fire Dogs (1994)
- Time Slip (1993)
- True Lies (1995)
- World Heroes (1993)
- World Heroes 2 (1994)
- Ninja Gaiden Trilogy (1995)
- Power Instinct (1994)
- RoboCop 3 (1992)
- Super Dany (1995)
- The Pirates of Dark Water (1994)
- The Smurfs Travel the World (1996)
- Battle Submarine (1995)
- Brandish (1994)
- Chibi Maruko-chan: Mezase! Minami no Island!! (1995)
- D-Force (1991)
- Dream TV (1992)
- Feudal Bros: Tonosama #1 (1995)
- Fighter's History (1994)
- Magic Boy (1994)
- Oscar (1996)
- Power Soukoban (1999)
- Spanky's Quest (1992)
- Super Chase H.Q. (1993)
- Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World (1994)
- Super Ninja Boy (1993)
- The Ignition Factor (1994)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show: Veediots! (1993)
- The Wizard of Oz (1993)
- Time Trax (1994)
- Wagan Paradise (1994)
- Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits (1996)
- Dragon's Lair (1992)
- Q*bert 3 (1993)
- Sanrio World Smash Ball! (1993)
- The Adventures of Dr. Franken (1993)
- Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1993)
- Art of Fighting (1993)
- Ballz 3D: Fighting at Its Ballziest (1994)
- Chuck Rock (1992)
- Eek! The Cat (1994)
- Family Dog (1993)
- Final Fight Guy (1992)
- Garry Kitchen's Super Battletank (1993)
- Gradius III (1990)
- Hurricanes (1994)
- Izzy's Quest for the Olympic Rings (1995)
- J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1 (1994)
- J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: Volume One (1995)
- Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues (1994)
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness (1994)
- Outer World (1992)
- Pink Goes to Hollywood (1993)
- Power Rangers (1995)
- Prince of Persia 2 (1996)
- Rockman X2 (1995)
- Rockman X3 (1996)
- S.O.S: Sink or Swim (1994)
- Spider-Man: X-Men: Arcade's Revenge (1992)
- Star Fox: Super Weekend (1993)
- Super Chinese World (1991)
- Super Chinese World 2: Uchuuichi Butou Taikai (1993)
- Super Chinese World 3: Chou Jigen Daisakusen (1995)
- Super Valis IV (1993)
- Super Widget (1993)
- The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (1992)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show: Buckeroo$! (1995)
- The Smurfs (1994)
- Thunder Spirits (1991)
- Ultima: The Black Gate (1994)
- Ultraman (1991)
- We're Back!: A Dinosaur's Story (1993)
- Whizz (1996)
- Zool: Ninja of the 'Nth' Dimension (1994)
- Whirlo