Monday, July 13, 2009

Nintendo Power Charts - SNES Index

Below you'll find links to every month's chart.

The Power Charts were a regular feature in Nintendo Power magazine starting with the first issue in mid-1988. Initially, every month there was a list of NES games ranked in order, aka the Top 30. Several months after the introduction of the Super NES, it was reduced to a top 20 for all three Nintendo systems at the time (NES, SNES, Gameboy). That change occurred in January 1992. The SNES charts were published for 7 years, although for the final two they were reduced to a top 10.

Only 15 games reached #1 over those 84 months, with Zelda: A Link To The Past leading the way for 19 of those months.

I found it strange that they continued the SNES charts into 1998, when only one game was released for the system. The NES charts ended the same month the final game was released (in 1994). It just seems like they went a year too long, especially when you look at how little changes there were in those final charts.

How were the charts compiled? The old issues with the top 30 show exactly how it worked. There were three separate rankings for players, pros, and dealers; when the the points were added up for those categories which gave us the final rankings. Issue 50 explains the process clearly:

"Each month we collect information from three sources to find the Top 20. The Players' Picks come from the Player's Poll cards sent in each month, the Dealers' Picks are based on retail sales reports, and the Pros' Picks are collected from game evaluators at Nintendo. All three sets of votes are set at equal weight, then averaged to find the point total a game receives."

The old issues (before 1992) where that additional data was displayed were nice, because it let you see how much of each game's total was in each category. It also allowed for some double checking. Unfortunately, once the SNES charts were introduced they didn't show all three categories. Only on a few occasions did they mention how a certain game was doing in a certain category. So because of that, there's no way to know if any of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System charts had errors in them. After 1994 (the third year), they stopped publishing the total amount of points altogether.


Total Points Ranking 1992-1998


Each Month's SNES Power Chart

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 115 (December 1998)

The last chart for the SNES.

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Donkey Kong Country
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 WWF Raw
10 WWF Wrestlemania Arcade

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 114 (November 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Donkey Kong Country
5 Donkey Kong Country 2
6 Final Fantasy III
7 Super Mario Kart
8 Chrono Trigger
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Yoshi's Island

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 113 (October 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Yoshi's Island

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 112 (September 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Yoshi's Island

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 111 (August 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Donkey Kong Country
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Yoshi's Island
10 Star Fox

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 110 (July 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Harvest Moon
9 Super Mario Kart
10 Final Fantasy II

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 109 (June 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Donkey Kong Country
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Yoshi's Island
10 Star Fox

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 108 (May 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Harvest Moon

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 107 (April 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Yoshi's Island
10 Final Fantasy II

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 106 (March 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Super Mario Kart
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Star Fox

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 105 (February 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Chrono Trigger
8 WWF Wrestlemania Arcade
9 WWF Raw
10 Kirby's Dream Land 3

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 104 (January 1998)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Donkey Kong Country
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Donkey Kong Country 2
8 Final Fantasy II
9 Harvest Moon
10 Yoshi's Island

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 103 (December 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country
7 Donkey Kong Country 2
8 Harvest Moon
9 Super Mario Kart
10 Final Fantasy II

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 102 (November 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Donkey Kong Country
8 Earthbound
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Harvest Moon

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 101 (October 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Super Mario Kart
7 Donkey Kong Country
8 Star Fox
9 Final Fantasy II
10 Harvest Moon

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 100 (September 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Donkey Kong Country 3
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Donkey Kong Country 2
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Super Mario Kart
7 Donkey Kong Country
8 Chrono Trigger
9 Star Fox
10 Yoshi's Island

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 99 (August 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Donkey Kong Country 3
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Super Mario Kart
8 Donkey Kong Country
9 Yoshi's Island
10 Super Metroid

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 98 (July 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Donkey Kong Country 3
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Super Mario Kart
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Donkey Kong Country
7 Chrono Trigger
8 Donkey Kong Country 2
9 Super Metroid
10 Lost Vikings 2

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 97 (June 1997)

1 Zelda: Link to the Past
2 Donkey Kong Country 3
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Final Fantasy III
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Super Mario Kart
8 Donkey Kong Country
9 Super Metroid
10 Lost Vikings 2

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 96 (May 1997)

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Zelda: Link to the Past
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Super Mario Kart
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Yoshi's Island
9 Tetris Attack
10 Donkey Kong Country

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 95 (April 1997)

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Zelda: Link to the Past
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Super Mario Kart
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Donkey Kong Country 2
8 Tetris Attack
9 Super Metroid
10 Donkey Kong Country

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 94 (March 1997)

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Zelda: Link to the Past
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Tetris Attack
5 Donkey Kong Country 2
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Super Mario Kart
8 Final Fantasy III
9 Donkey Kong Country
10 Killer Instinct

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 93 (February 1997)

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Tetris Attack
3 Zelda: Link to the Past
4 Super Mario RPG
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Donkey Kong Country 2
9 Super Mario Kart
10 Super Metroid

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 92 (January 1997)

The chart was reduced from 20 games to 10 for the final two years.

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Zelda: Link to the Past
3 Super Mario RPG
4 Tetris Attack
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Super Metroid
7 Killer Instinct
8 Final Fantasy III
9 Super Mario Kart
10 Winning Run

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 91 (December 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 3
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Tetris Attack
4 Zelda: Link to the Past
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Donkey Kong Country 2
8 Final Fantasy III
9 Winning Run
10 Super Metroid
11 Donkey Kong Country
12 Super Mario Kart
13 Lufia 2
14 Earthbound
15 Final Fantasy II
16 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
17 Killer Instinct
18 Earthworm Jim 2
19 NHL 97
20 Mortal Kombat 3

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 90 (November 1996)

1 Super Mario RPG
2 Donkey Kong Country 3
3 Tetris Attack
4 Chrono Trigger
5 Zelda: Link to the Past
6 Donkey Kong Country 2
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Killer Instinct
9 Winning Run
10 Yoshi's Island
11 Super Metroid
12 Super Mario Kart
13 Donkey Kong Country
14 Mortal Kombat 3
15 Mega Man X3
16 Lufia 2
17 Earthworm Jim 2
18 Ogre Battle
19 Kirby Superstar
20 Williams Arcade Classics

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 89 (October 1996)

1 Super Mario RPG
2 Zelda: Link to the Past
3 Donkey Kong Country 2
4 Chrono Trigger
5 Tetris Attack
6 Super Metroid
7 Winning Run
8 Yoshi's Island
9 Final Fantasy III
10 Donkey Kong Country
11 Killer Instinct
12 Super Mario Kart
13 Mega Man X3
14 Earthbound
15 Lufia 2
16 Final Fantasy II
17 Mortal Kombat 3
18 Breath Of Fire 2
19 Ogre Battle
20 Secret Of Mana

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 88 (September 1996)

1 Super Mario RPG
2 Chrono Trigger
3 Donkey Kong Country 2
4 Zelda: Link to the Past
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Winning Run
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Super Metroid
9 Tetris Attack
10 Killer Instinct
11 Donkey Kong Country
12 Super Mario Kart
13 Secret Of Evermore
14 Final Fantasy II
15 Mortal Kombat 3
16 Breath Of Fire 2
17 Secret Of Mana
18 Uniracers
19 Aerobiz Supersonic
20 Earthworm Jim 2

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 87 (August 1996)

1 Super Mario RPG
2 Donkey Kong Country 2
3 Chrono Trigger
4 Zelda: Link to the Past
5 Winning Run
6 Yoshi's Island
7 Tetris Attack
8 Super Metroid
9 Final Fantasy III
10 Super Mario Kart
11 Killer Instinct
12 Ken Griffey
13 Donkey Kong Country
14 NHL 96
15 Earthbound
16 Earthworm Jim 2
17 NBA Live 96
18 College Slam
19 Mortal Kombat 3
20 Earthworm Jim

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 86 (July 1996)

1 Super Mario RPG
2 Donkey Kong Country 2
3 Zelda: Link to the Past
4 Chrono Trigger
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Killer Instinct
7 Yoshi's Island
8 Donkey Kong Country
9 Winning Run
10 Super Mario Kart
11 Earthworm Jim 2
12 Super Metroid
13 Secret Of Evermore
14 Final Fantasy II
15 Ogre Battle
16 Breath Of Fire 2
17 Civilization
18 Mortal Kombat 3
19 Mega Man X3
20 Earthbound

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 85 (June 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 2
2 Super Mario RPG
3 Killer Instinct
4 Zelda: Link to the Past
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Chrono Trigger
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Donkey Kong Country
9 Mortal Kombat 3
10 Winning Run
11 Super Mario Kart
12 Super Metroid
13 Earthworm Jim 2
14 Final Fantasy II
15 Mega Man X3
16 Secret Of Mana
17 Breath Of Fire 2
18 Ogre Battle
19 Mortal Kombat II
20 Doom

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 84 (May 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 2
2 Chrono Trigger
3 Zelda: Link to the Past
4 Yoshi's Island
5 Final Fantasy III
6 Super Mario RPG
7 Super Metroid
8 Killer Instinct
9 Donkey Kong Country
10 Earthworm Jim 2
11 Mega Man X3
12 Super Mario Kart
13 Mortal Kombat 3
14 Civilization
15 NBA Jam TE
16 Earthbound
17 Secret Of Evermore
18 Uniracers
19 Ken Griffey
20 Secret Of Mana

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 83 (April 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 2
2 Yoshi's Island
3 Killer Instinct
4 Zelda: Link to the Past
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Donkey Kong Country
7 Earthworm Jim 2
8 Mega Man X3
9 Final Fantasy III
10 Super Metroid
11 Mortal Kombat 3
12 Secret Of Evermore
13 Super Mario Kart
14 Earthbound
15 Final Fantasy II
16 Earthworm Jim
17 Secret Of Mana
18 Mortal Kombat II
19 NBA Jam TE
20 Ken Griffey

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 82 (March 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 2
2 Killer Instinct
3 Chrono Trigger
4 Yoshi's Island
5 Zelda: Link to the Past
6 Donkey Kong Country
7 Final Fantasy III
8 Secret Of Evermore
9 Earthworm Jim 2
10 Super Metroid
11 Earthbound
12 Doom
13 Final Fantasy II
14 Breath Of Fire 2
15 Sim City
16 Ken Griffey
17 Ogre Battle
18 Super Mario Kart
19 Mega Man 7
20 Secret Of Mana

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 81 (February 1996)

1 Donkey Kong Country 2
2 Yoshi's Island
3 Donkey Kong Country
4 Killer Instinct
5 Chrono Trigger
6 Zelda: Link to the Past
7 Mortal Kombat 3
8 Final Fantasy III
9 Earthworm Jim 2
10 Super Metroid
11 Secret Of Evermore
12 Earthworm Jim
13 NHL 96
14 Super Mario Kart
15 Mega Man X3
16 Judge Dredd
17 Ken Griffey
18 Mortal Kombat II
19 Earthbound
20 Secret Of Mana

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 80 (January 1996)

1 Killer Instinct
2 Chrono Trigger
3 Donkey Kong Country 2
4 Mortal Kombat 3
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Zelda: Link to the Past
7 Donkey Kong Country
8 Super Metroid
9 Final Fantasy III
10 Secret Of Evermore
11 Earthworm Jim 2
12 WWF Wrestlemania Arcade
13 Doom
14 Super Mario Kart
15 NHL 96
16 Ken Griffey
17 Mortal Kombat II
18 Civilization
19 Earthbound
20 Mega Man X3

SNES Power Charts - Vol. 79 (December 1995)

1 Killer Instinct
2 Chrono Trigger
3 Donkey Kong Country
4 Donkey Kong Country 2
5 Yoshi's Island
6 Zelda: Link to the Past
7 Mortal Kombat 3
8 Final Fantasy III
9 Super Metroid
10 Ken Griffey
11 Mortal Kombat II
12 Earthworm Jim
13 Earthworm Jim 2
14 NBA Jam TE
15 Mega Man 7
16 Batman Forever
17 Doom
18 Earthbound
19 Illusion Of Gaia
20 NHL 96