Play Snake Rattle n Roll Online

Snake Rattle n Roll came out on the NES in 1990, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo. It was part of that late-era push on the system where developers were trying more unusual ideas, often with a focus on co-op. You don't see many games where you control a snake trying to get to the moon, and it definitely stood out on the rental shelf next to all the platformers and RPGs.

You control one of two snakes, Rattle or Roll, and your goal is to eat enough colored orbs to weigh down a scale, which opens a door to the next level. The main mechanics are all about movement; you slither around these single-screen 3D isometric stages, using your head to butt enemies and your body to climb ledges. You have to be careful not to fall off the edge of the world, and the perspective makes judging jumps surprisingly tricky. The pacing is fast and the difficulty is pretty unforgiving, especially in later stages where the platforms get smaller and the enemies more aggressive. It feels like a constant, jittery scramble to stay alive and find the next orb before something knocks you into the abyss.