The Super Nintendo was designed from the ground up to be the ultimate RPG machine. Its main processor was only half the speed of the rival Sega Genesis, but its graphics, colors, sprite handling, and sound chip were all superior. "Slow but beautiful" was the unspoken design ethic, an aesthetic ideal for the menu-driven, meticulously crafted 2D RPGs of the era.

Nintendo had not only the hardware, but also the software (and software companies). The Enix and Square juggernaut brought their flagship Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series to Nintendo's console. In Japan, this RPG alliance was nothing short of unstoppable. (The subsequent loss of the two series to Sony's PlayStation was a blow from which Nintendo has yet to fully recover.)

The two RPG titans were soon followed by a bevy of smaller (but no less talented) RPG developers, and a Silver Age of RPGs was ushered into the world. The Turbo Duo and Genesis each had their share of undeniable classics, to be sure, but the Super Nintendo saw more titles - and more titles released in the US - than either.

Our exploration of the Super Nintendo's library begins with a trio of classics released near the end of the series' lifecycle...

Now show me Chrono Trigger