The 90s have some of the best video games that still hold up today, with very few caveats. There were also a lot of systems to admire, including the NES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, and PS1, just to name a few. Among all of the heavy hitters like Final Fantasy 7, Super Mario 64, and Pokemon Red/Blue, there were lesser-known titles.
The Greatest Video Game Of Every Year Of The 1990s
From 1990 to 1999, there was a groundbreaking game each year. Here are the titles that left a permanent mark in gaming history.
While the following games are less impactful today, they are still solid experiences that are fun to play. Some are easily accessible while others require a bit more digging. Either way, these gems shouldn’t be forgotten just because they aren’t the immediate first games players think of when they remember the 90s.
Shatterhand
The God Hand
Most have probably never heard of Shatterhand, and that’s a shame because it is one of the coolest action platformers of the NES era. Released in 1991 in North America, players had a Mega Man-style stage selection screen.
Players were gifted with fists of steel, the primary way in which players could destroy enemies, but there were power-ups along the way, including ways to gain robot allies. With amazing pixel art, a good difficulty balance for this era, and a hypnotic soundtrack, Shatterhand still rules.
The Legend Of The Mystical Ninja
A Silly Action-Adventure
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja was released in 1992 in North America for the SNES, and it was the first major console release in Konami’s Ganbare Goemon series outside of Japan. As either Kid Ying or Dr. Yang, players will roam around various biomes in each chapter with a semi-open structure.
For example, in the first stage, players can explore a village, fight enemies, save up money, and then buy gear before venturing into the 2D dungeon. It’s a bit like a Zelda experience but one with more RPG elements, different perspectives, and a wackier sense of comedy.
Super Punch-Out
Mac Goes Super
Super Punch-Out was released in 1994 in North America for the SNES, and as a fun fact, Japan didn’t get to play it until 1998. Release times aside, like the NES game, players will go from circuit to circuit, fighting oddball boxers all of whom have a weakness.
For example, Bear Hugger looks like a giant and unbeatable man, but if players time their punches correctly, he’ll go down fast. What sets the Punch-Out series apart from other boxing games and fighting games in general is that matches are more like puzzles. Plus, the big, detailed sprites in Super Punch-Out are some of the best on the system.
Front Mission
Metal Gear Tactics
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Strategy
Front Mission was released for the SNES in 1995 in Japan, but the West would not get it until a DS port was released in 2007. Regardless, this was a huge step forward for the tactical and mech community, and its importance cannot be overstated.
9 Most Influential FPS Games From The 90s
The dawn of the FPS took the gaming world by storm in the 90s, with the influence of this games still being felt in gaming today.
Players would go down a linear campaign of missions, gaining allies as they went. Battles were conducted on grid-based maps, with characters piloting mechs called Wanzers, which players could customize in-between missions. The customization level of detail players could get into for an SNES game is still astounding.
Bushido Blade 2
One Hit Kills
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Bushido Blade 2 was released for the PS1 in 1998, and it’s the final game in this short-lived series. Technically, it’s a fighting game, but the twist is that all characters will die in one hit.
Between the various samurai and ninja characters, players could equip different weapons and go into campaigns that were more insightful than most fighting games at the time. Because players could die in an instant, this created a greater sense of immersion, whether they were fighting the computer or a friend on the couch.
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash Of Super Heroes
The Beginning Of Capcom’s Dominance
Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
- Released
- January 23, 1998
- ESRB
- T For Teen
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Of the 90s era, most tend to think about Street Fighter 2 dominating the scene. In terms of the Marvel vs Capcom series, the second and third games are dual-linked as the best of the best, but mad props have to go out to Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes.
It was released first in 1998 in arcades before making the leap to the Dreamcast in 1999. The novelty of matching up Spider-Man vs Mega Man or Gambit vs Chun-Li is still something that is astounding to think about. Novelties aside, the actual fighting and artwork are top-tier and a big reason why this is a classic.
Syphon Filter
Give Me A Sitrep
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Animated Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Stealth, Third-Person Shooter
Syphon Filter was released for the PS1 in 1999, seemingly as Sony’s answer to Metal Gear Solid and James Bond games. This game’s spy, Gabriel Logan, along with his partner Lian Xiang, was working with a counterterrorist unit to stop a deadly disease from breaking out. Missions varied from all-out action to stealth experiences wherein getting caught wasn’t an option.
Among the many features of the game, the one that sticks out the most is the taser weapon, which could launch from afar and went so hard that it would set enemies on fire and burn them to a crisp.
Policenauts
Lethal Weapon
Policenauts was released for an obscure Japanese computer, the NEC PC-9821, in 1994 before making the leap to the 3DO in 1995. After that, it was released for the PS1 and Sega Saturn in 1996, and none of these versions were ever released outside of Japan. That said, there is a good English fan translation for the PS1 version.
Games Everyone Was Obsessed With In The 90s
These may not have been the undisputed "best" games of the 90s, but they were undiniably the most popular, and their influence is still around today.
This is an old-school point and click adventure game set in the far future, wherein players are an investigator, Jonathan, who is looking into a series of incidents relating to his past. This is one of the few adventure games that Hideo Kojima directed, so Metal Gear fans shouldn’t pass it up.
Tomba
Get A Load Of That Hair
Tomba!
- Released
- December 25, 1997
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PS Vita
Tomba was released in 1998 for the PS1 in North America, which was a year after Japan. It starred a pink-haired caveman-looking hero, Tomba, who goes on a Metroidvania-like adventure following a request to stop evil pigs from taking over the land.
The 2.5D perspective still looks great as players can hop in and out of environments. The music is chill, and the NPCs are weird but genuinely fascinating to talk to. Best of all is the platforming and Tomba’s oddball mannerisms, like biting enemies before tossing them aside.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
A Hidden Persona
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
- Released
- June 24, 1999
- ESRB
- Teen // Drug Reference, Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Atlus
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, RPG
Persona 2: Innocent Sin is part one of a two-part series that was released for the PS1. The second part, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, was released in North America, while the 1999 original game would not reach Western shores until it was remade for the PSP.
When it comes to the Persona series, Persona 3 is where the turning point happened, but that shouldn’t deter fans from wanting to check out Persona 2: Innocent Sin. It is linear, but it doesn’t have a day-to-day structure, and it’s more challenging between combat and figuring out what to do next. This challenge may be what entices players to check it out the most.
The Most Replayable Video Game Of Every Year Of The 2010s
These games from the 2010s offered the best bang for your buck in each year, as they could be frequently replayed without losing any of their appeal.