On April 19th, gaming website Eurogamer.com got some information from “sources close to [Nintendo]” that the company would be releasing a mini version of the well-loved Super NES (SNES) at some point near Christmas this year. According to that same source, Eurogamer also stated that production on this console is already under way.

Just to get it out of the way, let’s all hope that if this is indeed a reality, and that Nintendo will ensure that they have enough stock to handle demand (unlike what happened with the Nintendo Classic Mini ). So, that being said, a couple of us gamers here at Pop Culture Uncovered were discussing what we wanted to see for a SNES Classic Mini (continuing on with Nintendo’s branding nomenclature). Check out our picks for what we’d like to play on this alleged system.

Doug:
Super Metroid: This game is on my list because let’s face it, Samus Aran is a badass, and the game was LOTS of fun. This game really gave you the feel of being a super-cool space bounty hunter, while being able to blast aliens and traverse weird dungeons. The translation from the original NES to the SNES just blew me away as a kid, and I played the hell out of Super Metroid.

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage. What an awesome game. If you weren’t a huge fan of the comics, then you might not appreciate how massive the storyline with these three characters was. It. Was. HUGE, and it was amazing. For me, one of the best parts of this game was how it played out just like scenes from the comic arc; which, to a comic book guy, was fantastic.

Earthworm Jim: If you played this game back in the day, and DIDN’T love it? I don’t know that we can be friends. It was so fantastically weird, with colors that popped and graphics that were pretty groundbreaking on the SNES. Plus, the comedic aspect of the game was just what a kid like me (who had an obsession with fart jokes & silly humor) needed after a long day at school.

Harry:
Street Fighter II / Turbo Edition: These games were the reason why I got an SNES in the first place. When SFII originally hit the arcades in the 90s, it was virtually impossible to play because either the machines were hard to find where I lived or if you could find one, the pros were playing and your quarters were gone in the blink of an eye. SFII was among the first nearly arcade perfect games released and if you wanted to play it non-stop without losing quarters (while being embarrassed) this was the only place to play as Sega didn’t get it for the Genesis for nearly 2 years.

Contra III: The Alien Wars: For its time, Contra III was a game that showed early what the SNES could do. I loved it for the frenetic action and the ability to go from sidescroller to top-down view as well. This is another classic that deserves to be on the Mini SNES should it ever appear.

Donkey Kong Country: Close to the end of the SNES life cycle, DKC really pushed the boundaries of the SNES. Graphically, it was one of the best games to have ever been released for the system. It was also very player-friendly, and offered an alternative from Mario stomping turtles. The franchise itself also got cooler in later iterations when it introduced Dixie, Cranky and Swanky Kong.

DJ Manny:
Aerobiz: Next to RPGs, simulation and strategy games are my favorite genre. This game put you in control of a fledgling airline. As CEO, you had to decide where to open routes, purchase aircraft, negotiate with airports, control budgets, and set up ancillary businesses to your airline. It doesn’t sound like much fun, on the surface, but my brother and I were up late many a night with this game. We still reminisce over it.

F-Zero: I LOVE racing games. I find them to be a good way to meditate and zone out as you play speedy tracks time after time. This game had plenty of speed and an awesome soundtrack. The big technical thing about this game is that, just like Pilotwings, it used Mode 7 scrolling to rotate the background and help give it a sense of movement. You needed to develop lightning fast reflexes with this game. There were other race games out for SNES, but none as good as F-Zero.

NBA Jam: While today’s sports games (I’m looking at you FIFA, Madden, and NBA Live series) are built around realism, NBA Jam was purely built on fun and “what if”. It featured 2v2 play and was one of the first real playable basketball arcade games. It was also one of the first sports games to feature NBA-licensed teams and players, and their real digitized likenesses. Every time I hear “He’s heating up”, “He’s on fire”, and “Boomshakalaka!”, I can’t help but think of this game and how much fun my friends and I had playing it.

Kurtis
ActRaiser:  This one has always been a personal favorite, the game was a gem that blended a few different genres; hack n’ slash, city development, shoot ‘em up and pulled it off well. Plus the sound track was the cherry on top.

Mega Man X: Seeing the Blue Bomber’s transition from 8-bit to 16-bit blew my mind as a younin’. Starting off in the ruined cityscape really added to the sense of drama and the little details just did it for me, like seeing X’s helmet sensor flashing red as he gasped for breath at low health. But, what I enjoyed most was that story elements followed you through the game instead of just at the start and end. Though to be honest, I’ve always preferred Vile over X.

Star Fox: As wee pup I just thought the FX chip was some gimmick, so I didn’t appreciate what they were trying to do. Who knew that this title would stick around for years to come? What’s more surprising is that Slippy is still around too, if being an incompetent pilot wasn’t enough, me shooting lasers and bombs at him certainly should have grounded him for good. Yet that little frog lives on to disappoint me. One of these days, Slippy. One of these days…

What do you think about the prospect of a SNES Mini, dear readers? Would you go out and get one for yourselves, or do you think this might not be worth it? Let us know in the comments!