SNES Games for a Rainy Day

In Korea its rainy season. This means two things, always carry an umbrella and stay indoors as much as possible. While staying indoors, why not kick back and play a few SNES games?  Here are some recommendations that can be beat during a rainy afternoon...

Earth Defense Force

This is a solid SNES shooter from Jaleco. While the SNES isn't known for shooters, this game stands up pretty well to other games in the genre, and the graphics are quite nice. It is a fairly obscure gem that doesn't take too long to master and defeat, but I think it is worth a few playthroughs.

Illusion of Gaia

One of my favorite SNES action RPGs is also a fairly short one. The graphics are top-notch and the music is also catchy. If you like Ys or Zelda, try this classic. It is best to play this one in short bursts, but if you have one whole day to relax, you could certainly find worse ways to kill time.

Mega Man X

This is the penultimate Mega Man experience. It takes all the stuff that worked well in the NES games and builds on it to make a great action game. Everything about this game is awesome, so if you haven't played, clear out your schedule and get to it...rain or shine!

Cybernator

Cybernator is for people that love awesome 2-D action and robots. If you fall into this cateogory (and who doesn't) then play this game. It has not been re-released on a virtual service, which is unfortunate, but track it down for a rainy day by legal or shady means. You will not be disappointed. This one also has a fan-made patch that re-implements the Japanese character art and infamous suicide scene for those interested in seeing the original version fully intact.

Violinist of Hameln

The final game I will mention is a Japanese exclusive. It is based on a manga about a girl that can change into animals that is practically unknown in the US. However, this is a wonderful puzzle filled platformer with cute characters and a charming theme that should appeal to anyone with a weakness for retro games. There is an English patch available (http://superfamicom.org/translations/info/violinist-of-hameln-english) so now you can enjoy the story.