Demon's Crest is my favorite game on the SNES. A spinoff of Ghosts n Goblins that places the player in the role of Red Arremer (or Firebrand), who when he isn't being a horrible pain flying over Arthur's head, is in more of a Stone Cold Steve Austin anti-hero in his solo adventure.

Demon's Crest incorporates many of the elements of the best video games on the console into one delicious experience. Like Capcom's own Mega Man X, you can acquire different physical forms that grant you feats and abilities to circumvent various enemies and obstacles and proceed further. There's a great emphasis on exploration and pathfinding, akin to Super Metroid or Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past, that can aid in boosting your health and magic bar, as well as purchasing potions with various recovery/assisting effects to survive the brutal challenges. And a vast open world that you can venture through, almost at your discretion, much like Final Fantasy 6. You even get a world map in all its Mode-7 glory.

The graphics are incredible and the soundtrack, while perhaps a touch too gloomy, sets the tone magnificently. The controls are very good. Firebrand doesn't quite boast the same agility as X or Samus, but that places great importance on the skills he can gain with the various crests, like breaking statues or improved flight.

Demon's Crest may not have been the hit Capcom expected, but it's a fantastic game that's earned a retrospective reputation. Prices for loose authentic copies have gotten expensive in recent years on the re-seller market, but it's worth tracking down reproduction carts if you're looking for something to add to your shelf.