Top 10 Most Iconic Video Games of the 90s

1990s was the third decade in the video gaming industry’s history: It was a decade of marked innovation in video gaming and a transition from sprite-based graphics to full-fledged 3D graphics. The ’90s gave rise to several genres of video games, including first-person shooter, real-time strategy, survival horror, and multiplayer online games. While arcade games were still prevalent in the early 1990s, the arcades that hosted them declined as home consoles became more common. With the rapid development and access to the internet, the 1990s saw the expansion of online games.

Playstation, one of the first home consoles, was released in 1994 with 3-D hardware. Super Mario 64 (1996) was considered one of the most revolutionary games, praised for its 3D environments of wide open spaces and graphics at the time. Gaming systems also began to move away from CD-ROM tech. They utilized ROM cartridges until the use of memory cards by SONY PlayStation introduced new memory cards that stored saved game data. The platform game genre evolved even more through the subsequent phases of the fifth generation in the early 90s to the sixth generation by the decade’s end. Overall, the ’90s saw one of the most significant leaps in technological achievement and rapid expansion and access to video games. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite video games that dominated the era.

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (1998): The Legend of Zelda offered exploration and boss fights, a gripping story, and puzzles that add layers of enjoyment to the game. Ocarina of Time’s soundtrack is considered one of the best. This, combined with one of the most recognizable protagonists in gaming, led to the title receiving a great deal of praise and a sizable cult following.

GoldenEye 007 (1997): GoldenEye is easily one of the greatest games of the ’90s. We played it at sleepovers, and we played it on our own, but the real juice in this game is its fantastic multiplayer feature, which revolutionized console gaming. Throw this game on now and you’ll have a blast. Whether you want to spend the evening slap-fighting your friends or just have fun sniping them, you’ll forget the odd graphics and transport back to the ’90s.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (1999): The tail end of the 1990s saw the release of one of the best “sports” games ever to hit the market: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The game developed a cult following over the years and even spawned a remake of the original trilogy, thanks to an outpouring of fan support. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater was fast-paced, fun, and outrageous at times and featured one of the best soundtracks of any video game released during the era.

Super Mario World (1991): Many consider Super Mario World one of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System’s best games. The ability to complete any given level in myriad ways made the title stand out easily. It has a significant learning curve, but overcoming obstacles in Super Mario World is the focus of its enjoyment. As usual, Princess Peach plays the damsel in distress as Mario tries to save her. The introduction of Yoshi, the iconic green dinosaur, was also a revolutionary change for the series.

Final Fantasy 7 (1997): Heralded for its turn-based combat system, Final Fantasy 7 is now more popular than ever because of its remakes. The legendary game featured an intriguing story, arduous turn-based battles, and significant exploration opportunities. Final Fantasy 7 came out in the late ’90s and harnessed the full power of the Sony PlayStation.

Donkey Kong 64 (1999): Donkey Kong 64 took things to the next level by turning its 3D offering into a collect-a-thon. It gave players access to various characters with different abilities. The game likely helped inspire some of the vast content and collectibles in today’s open-world games.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (1992): This game has been ported numerous times because of its replay value. The level designs offer a near-perfect mix of challenge and enjoyability. Sonic 2 proved that this series about a speedy rat is a major franchise and it made Sega a company to compete with during the console wars of the 16-bit era in the early 1990s. Throw this game on and you’ll see why it’s one of the best side scrollers to ever do it.

Metal Gear Solid (1998): Metal Gear Solid is recognized for its leaps and bounds in the stealth genre. Many consider the game way ahead of time because of its technically impressive gameplay.

Half-Life (1998): The original Half-Life was first released in 1998 as a PC exclusive. The game later moved to consoles like the PlayStation 2 and other computer operating systems like Linux and OS X. As dated as the game may look today, it revolutionized the genre, and people are still playing it today.