Top Ten Rainy SNES Games

April showers bring May flowers. A couple years ago, the rain in my town had been relentless for a few weeks. It was so much that I couldn’t remember the last time we had a nice day outside. As a gag, I had been posting screen shots on Facebook of games that were also rainy to compare them to the bleak days of our city. As the rain continued to pour on, it got me thinking about other games that also had rain in them. Sticking with the Super Nintendo theme, I thought for sure I could come up with 10 games that all featured rain in some form. So, here we are! This list is my top ten instances of rain in SNES games. Enjoy!

10. Castlevania: Dracula X (1995)

This game has a unique history in that the original version of the game was only released in Japan. In it, Richter can perform the “Hydro Storm” special attack which causes holy water to rain down on enemies from above. By doing so, Richter answers the great question posed by Matchbox Twenty where they “wonder what it’s like to be the rainmaker.”

9. The Lion King (1994)

If you’ve ever seen this screen, kudos to you! You have just completed a terribly difficult game! After Simba’s final battle with Scar, the great lion looks over the Pride Lands as rain begins to fall, dousing the fields that were engulfed in flame. Lets be real, though, you never made it past the stage with the monkeys.

8. Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)

Mario’s debut outing in the RPG genre takes him, for the first time, to a fully explorable Mushroom Kingdom. Having just met with the chancellor, he steps outside the castle and bears witness to a little cloud-like fellow, Mallow, giving chase to a crocodile who apparently has stolen an object of importance. When the croc gets away, Mallow cries so hard that it begins to rain. Same, buddy. Same.

7. Chrono Trigger (1995)

In the prehistoric era of Chrono Trigger, there’s an area called the Hunting Range where you can encounter this strange creature named “Nu.” However, he only appears when it’s raining. If you’re able to successfully locate him and defeat him in combat, he will drop some rare items. It’s a Nu dawn. It’s a Nu day. It’s a Nu life for me. And I’m feeling good.

6. Mega Man X2 (1994)

Wire Sponge, the robot Maverick of this Mega Man X2 stage, is in charge of the Weather Control Station. An accident during his creation, though, caused him to have the mind of a child who likes to play around for fun. This tinkering causes the weather to change every few seconds. What does Mega Man do to stop this? He destroys all the weather control stations, of course. Rust prevention?

5. Final Fantasy 6 (1994)

The city of Zozo in Final Fantasy VI is in a perpetual state of rain. The music and weather help set the tone as you walk the streets in search of your friend who had just turned into a pink thing and flew away in a screaming rage. It has been a long work week for her, apparently.

4. Harvest Moon (1997)

I loved waking up in this game and hearing the rain sounds on my virtual roof. A rainy day here means you finally get a day where you don’t have to water all your crops by hand! Here’s a chance to go into town to talk to the local people or stock up on supplies. Don’t forget to visit the weird sprites living in the nearby cave – just like real farmers!

3. Donkey Kong Country (1994)

It’s only the second stage of the game and it’s already raining. Ropey Rampage showed off some rather impressive graphics for the Super Nintendo at the time. The flashes of lightning in the background revealed the outlines of trees in the background while the rain hammered away in the foreground. Just be sure to look out for Army, the armadillo-type creature who can’t be defeated by your normal jump attack when playing as Diddy Kong, or you’ll bounce into the pit below. Donkey Kong Country really drew you in with its lush environments that featured all sorts of weather-related themes.

2. Super Metroid (1994)

This shot right here says so much about what your journey will be like in Super Metroid. Samus has just landed on the alien Planet Zebes in search of the captured baby Metroid. Everything is completely foreign and you are all alone. The rain only adds to the foreboding feeling that all the elements are against you as you explore the depths of this strange new world. Don’t forget to save the animals (or kill them if you’ve gotta go fast).

1.The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1992)

Perhaps my favorite start to any game ever, Link is awoken in the middle of the night by a strange telepathic message from Princess Zelda. Shortly after receiving this message, Link’s uncle leaves to go “out for awhile.” With curiosity getting the best of you, you grab a lantern and head out into the pouring rain to figure out what’s going on only to learn that your uncle was injured on his way to rescue the princess. Gifted with his sword, it’s now up to you to succeed where your uncle has failed. So much for a fun weekend with the extended family.

---

Making all of this content takes a lot of energy and work! If you’re feeling generous and would like to support my projects, consider “buying me a coffee” or two or ten from the following website: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/erichagmann

So, there you have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed my list! Can you think of any other games on the Super Nintendo that have some great uses of rain? Let me know in the comments!