The most notorious unreleased SNES game was, for a long time, the completed-but-never-released Star Fox 2. Cancelled due to the impending release of the Nintendo 64 - with Nintendo fearing it would compare unfavourably to the better-looking N64 3D games - it went on to achieve legendary status in the intervening years. And then they put it out as part of the Super NES Mini bundle, and everyone realised it hadn't been worth the wait.
But what other SNES games might still languish in an unreleased state? Imagine there was a listicle which revealed some of them... Now imagine no longer, child: for that listicle shall unfurl itself below.
Oh - and one more thing. Also included in this list are several dogs who appear to be saying "No!". It seemed like a funny idea when I started doing it yesterday, but now that I look again... I'm not entirely sure what I was going for. Enjoy! Very cool.
But what other SNES games might still languish in an unreleased state? Imagine there was a listicle which revealed some of them... Now imagine no longer, child: for that listicle shall unfurl itself below.
Oh - and one more thing. Also included in this list are several dogs who appear to be saying "No!". It seemed like a funny idea when I started doing it yesterday, but now that I look again... I'm not entirely sure what I was going for. Enjoy! Very cool.
SUPER MARIO FX
The Super FX chip - developed by the UK's very own Argonaut Software - was unveiled to the world alongside Star Fox, bringing polygons to the Super NES... like a party guest rocking up wearing a crazy new hat with the word "SEEDS" written on the front in sequins.
Arguably, Star Fox remained the best use of the in-cartridge chip (though the otherwise 2D Yoshi's Island found some clever ways to utilise it), but that could've been different had Nintendo ever finished Super Mario FX. If, indeed, Super Mario FX ever even existed. And if it did, it might not have been a game at all, but a type of "chimp harness" (the work-in-progress codename for the Super FX chip).
Alas, it remains the stuff of myth that there was a 3D Super Mario game in the works for the SNES, with the most popular rumours suggesting that development shifted to the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64.
In an interview with IGN, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto claims he first had the idea for a 3D Mario game while working on Starfox - a full five years or so before Super Mario 64. Even though many see this evidence as circumstantial, it's hard not to imagine that at least some explorative SNES work would've taken place.
Arguably, Star Fox remained the best use of the in-cartridge chip (though the otherwise 2D Yoshi's Island found some clever ways to utilise it), but that could've been different had Nintendo ever finished Super Mario FX. If, indeed, Super Mario FX ever even existed. And if it did, it might not have been a game at all, but a type of "chimp harness" (the work-in-progress codename for the Super FX chip).
Alas, it remains the stuff of myth that there was a 3D Super Mario game in the works for the SNES, with the most popular rumours suggesting that development shifted to the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64.
In an interview with IGN, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto claims he first had the idea for a 3D Mario game while working on Starfox - a full five years or so before Super Mario 64. Even though many see this evidence as circumstantial, it's hard not to imagine that at least some explorative SNES work would've taken place.
KID KIRBY
Had it ever been completed, Kid Kirby would've been the only Kirby game at that point not to have been created in-house by Nintendo. DMA Design - later Rockstar North - apparently spent years on the game, which reportedly used the SNES Mouse to stretch Kirby, and "twang" him through the levels. You know: a bit like "twanging" an elastic band at a horse's face.
Unfortunately, poor sales of the mouse - despite being bundled with Super Mario Paint - appeared to put an end to the game and its novel control method. Observe this image above: one of the level maps.
Unfortunately, poor sales of the mouse - despite being bundled with Super Mario Paint - appeared to put an end to the game and its novel control method. Observe this image above: one of the level maps.
FINAL FANTASY VII
Pre-PlayStation, the Final Fantasy series was pretty much synonymous with Nintendo. In fact, the groundbreaking (but actually a bit boring) Final Fantasy VII did indeed begin life as a SNES project.
Reportedly, the SNES incarnation would've been an isometric game, but was redeveloped when its creators' ideas became too swollen for a simple SNES cartridge to handle.
Development moved briefly to the N64, before a further rethink took place. Additionally, Square felt that releasing games on cartridge - under Nintendo's draconian licensing stipulations - was hurting its bottom (line), and ultimately needed to find a CD-ROM-based system that could do justice to their game. After considering the Sega Saturn, the game eventually ended up on the PlayStation. History, as they say, was "made".
Reportedly, the SNES incarnation would've been an isometric game, but was redeveloped when its creators' ideas became too swollen for a simple SNES cartridge to handle.
Development moved briefly to the N64, before a further rethink took place. Additionally, Square felt that releasing games on cartridge - under Nintendo's draconian licensing stipulations - was hurting its bottom (line), and ultimately needed to find a CD-ROM-based system that could do justice to their game. After considering the Sega Saturn, the game eventually ended up on the PlayStation. History, as they say, was "made".
"NO!!"
GOLDENEYE 007
James Bond: The Duel for the Mega Drive
Following the success of its Donkey Kong Country, Rare found itself in a position to do pretty much whatever it wanted, and that thing was wanting to do this: develop a game based upon the upcoming movie Goldeneye, featuring James Bond - the famous guy!
Initially, it was conceived as a side-scrolling shoot 'em up, using similar graphics rendering techniques to Donkey Kong Country. However, when Rare got wind of the specs for the N64, it was suggested that the game could instead be in 3D - finally giving consoles a firm shout in the first-person shoot 'em up stakes.
Initially, it was conceived as a side-scrolling shoot 'em up, using similar graphics rendering techniques to Donkey Kong Country. However, when Rare got wind of the specs for the N64, it was suggested that the game could instead be in 3D - finally giving consoles a firm shout in the first-person shoot 'em up stakes.
"NO!!!!!!"
STAR WARS: DARK FORCES
After Doom and Wolfenstein 3D had arrived, relatively successfully - if somewhat hobbled - on the SNES, it was revealed that the next big PC shooter to make it over to the Nintendo system would be Star Wars: Dark Forces.
It isn't recorded why the game was never released, but given an early press report that the graphics were "unimpressive", it's likely that - even if they had wheeled out the Super FX chip - it was simply too much for the SNES to stretch its lips around.
It isn't recorded why the game was never released, but given an early press report that the graphics were "unimpressive", it's likely that - even if they had wheeled out the Super FX chip - it was simply too much for the SNES to stretch its lips around.
SOUND FANTASY
Sound Fantasy would've been a collaboration between Nintendo and Japanese installation artist Toshio Iwai. Based around a piece by Iwai entitled "Music Insects" - which ran at the San Francisco Exploratorium in the early-90s - Sound Fantasy was developed with the SNES mouse in mind.
It was a compilation of several different games - loosely resembling early arcade titles such as Breakout and Q*Bert - which featured the player controlling insects to create music. After playing a demo, Electronic Gaming Monthly described it as "essentially, a music-focused version of Mario Paint".
It was a compilation of several different games - loosely resembling early arcade titles such as Breakout and Q*Bert - which featured the player controlling insects to create music. After playing a demo, Electronic Gaming Monthly described it as "essentially, a music-focused version of Mario Paint".
"N-NOOO!!!"
SUPER KID ICARUS
Kid Icarus on the NES
Famously derided for being insanely difficult when it was release on the NES In 1986, Kid Icarus nevertheless developed something of a cult following. You know: like Jesus!
Though he got a Game Boy sequel in 1991, and a new 3DS game a few years back, Kid Icarus has only ever made cameo appearances in other Nintendo games across the decades.
There have been rumours that the character was at one point due a bona-fide SNES outing, either called Super Kid Icarus or Kid Icarus: Angel Land Story. There were whispers of Nintendo unveiling the 32-meg game at the 1995 E3 show, but it never materialised. Speculation suggests that Nintendo dropped development of the game to focus on the upcoming Nintendo 64.
Though he got a Game Boy sequel in 1991, and a new 3DS game a few years back, Kid Icarus has only ever made cameo appearances in other Nintendo games across the decades.
There have been rumours that the character was at one point due a bona-fide SNES outing, either called Super Kid Icarus or Kid Icarus: Angel Land Story. There were whispers of Nintendo unveiling the 32-meg game at the 1995 E3 show, but it never materialised. Speculation suggests that Nintendo dropped development of the game to focus on the upcoming Nintendo 64.
"...NOH??"
FX FIGHTER
Remember when polygon-based fighting games first happened? That was good wasn't it? It was good. It was smooth.
Due to be published by Nintendo, and developed by Argonaut - yes: the creators of the Super FX chip - FX Fighter was intended to be the first proper 3D fighting game for the SNES.
Unfortunately, though FX Fighter did eventually get a release on the PC, Nintendo cancelled the game to avoid competition with the SNES release of Killer Instinct. Which is probably for the best. You see, it was well rubbish, brah. FX sake.
Due to be published by Nintendo, and developed by Argonaut - yes: the creators of the Super FX chip - FX Fighter was intended to be the first proper 3D fighting game for the SNES.
Unfortunately, though FX Fighter did eventually get a release on the PC, Nintendo cancelled the game to avoid competition with the SNES release of Killer Instinct. Which is probably for the best. You see, it was well rubbish, brah. FX sake.
RAYMAN
Rayman - the armless Frenchman - was originally intended to appear in a Super NES game, but after more than a year of development, it was felt that the SNES couldn't do him justice.
Ubisoft briefly explored moving development to the proposed Super NES CD-ROM - then being developed in conjunction with Sony. When that project fell apart, and Sony reconfigured the PlayStation into a standalone console of its own, Ubisoft and Rayman jumped ship, baguettes and all.
Ubisoft briefly explored moving development to the proposed Super NES CD-ROM - then being developed in conjunction with Sony. When that project fell apart, and Sony reconfigured the PlayStation into a standalone console of its own, Ubisoft and Rayman jumped ship, baguettes and all.
"WHAT? NO!"
PROJECT DREAM
Rare's Dream: Land of Giants was originally a SNES platformer featuring a young pirate boy called Edison and his dog Dinger.
It went through several iterations of the basic idea, before the concepts outgrew the capabilities of the SNES. Project Dream - as it was by then known - was reworked as 3D RPG for the Nintendo 64, before being re-envisioned as the Super Mario 64-a-like platformer Banjo-Kazooie.
Several assets and designs from the previous versions made it into the final game, including a troll model, which was apparently used as a (door)knocker.
It went through several iterations of the basic idea, before the concepts outgrew the capabilities of the SNES. Project Dream - as it was by then known - was reworked as 3D RPG for the Nintendo 64, before being re-envisioned as the Super Mario 64-a-like platformer Banjo-Kazooie.
Several assets and designs from the previous versions made it into the final game, including a troll model, which was apparently used as a (door)knocker.
"NO!"/"NO!"
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