Snowball understands four file formats: ZIP (read only), GZ (read only), TAR, and SNO.
If your usual zip software has trouble with reading a particular zip archive, give Snowball a shot. You may get a different result.
The standard way to read a zip file starts at the very end, works its way to the start, and ends near the end. The file format is designed for that backwards process. But Snowball flips that script on its head. Snowball does it backwards by not doing it backwards. When reading a zip file Snowball starts at the start, travels through each entry in its natural order, and ignores the "central" directory at the very end. Even if the zip file's central directory is missing or corrupt, Snowball can still open and extract.
Snowball honors the same zip methods as Windows Explorer: Store, Deflate, Deflate64, and standard encryption (a.k.a. ZipCrypto).
If your usual tar software has trouble with reading a particular tar archive, give Snowball a shot. You may find that Snowball opens that tar without complaint.
Sno is Snowball's native format. They go together like spaghetti and meatballs.
At first I was like, "This is weird, where are the folders, why are the names like that, what is going on!?" Then I got used to it and actually now prefer it, seeing all the files listed at the same time. Sometimes I open ZIPs in File Explorer, sometimes in Snowball, depending on my mood.