Japan was often ahead of the West in terms of major video game releases. That's just how video games worked in the 80s and 90s, but now most games are launched worldwide in most territories. It's fun to remember the simpler times of the 90s and how video games grew experimentally in such a short time between consoles like the NES, SNES and N64.
Games that everyone was obsessed with in the 90s
These may not have been the undisputed “best” games of the 90s, but they were undeniably the most popular, and their influence still lives on today.
Including the PS1, arcades, PCs and various other consoles, let's go through the best of the best that each year, between 1990 and 1999, brought to the table. Do these games last? Also of note, this list will go after the Japanese release dates as they were again ahead of the curve.
Mega Man 3
Rushing To The Stage
Fans debate which ones Mega man The game is better between the second and third games, but there are many positives Mega Man 3. It introduced Rush to the series, Mega Man's trusty robot dog, along with Proto Man as an antagonist along with Dr. Wiley.
More than anything, the music is still some of the best in the series, from Snake Man's stage theme to the Boss theme to the password selection jingle. All of these songs are still stuck in fans' heads decades later. In addition to the music, the different bosses and powers were also cool.
Super Mario World
Welcome to Dinosaurielandet
Super Mario World was released in 1990 in Japan, before North America in 1991, which made sense considering the SNES didn't even launch stateside until 1991.
This is still one of the most replayable 2D Mario game ever created, thanks to the world map, which allows players to enter levels an infinite number of times, and some even have secret exits that lead to new areas, like the various haunted houses. The biggest addition the game made to the franchise was introducing the various Yoshi creatures to ride and power up around Dinosaur Land.
Wolfenstein 3D
Looting Nazi gold
Wolfenstein 3D is considered one of the first great modern first-person shooters, which is wild given its predecessor Wolfenstein the games were more stealth based.
Even though there are more exciting FPS games now, there's still nothing wrong with walking around the maze-like levels looking for gold and hunting Nazis. It's an important step for FPS games, and Wolfenstein 3D might be worth popping in for a history lesson, along with a surprising final boss that's a bit surreal even by today's insane standards of twists.
Downfall
The first Metal FPS
Downfall was hot on the heels of Wolfenstein 3D 1993, and for many it was an even cooler game for an older audience on PC platforms. That's because it was an original sci-fi concept instead of focusing on past engagements like fighting the Nazis in World War II.
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The story found Doom Guy fighting demons on Mars after a portal to Hell was opened. It's an incredible metal soundtrack that increased over the game's campaign. The wild weapons and demons are what fans remember the most about this game, and if anyone is curious to play it, Downfall can be found on a variety of systems, including pregnancy tests.
Super Metroid
Mysterious and haunted
Super Metroid is an exciting journey from start to finish, featuring bounty hunter Samus Aran in yet another Metroidvania-like maze through an alien planet.
Players will find power-ups to open up new paths, from missiles to a freeze beam, and separating each biome is a giant boss that takes over the screen. There's something refreshing about being let loose in a game like Super Metroid without a story or much guidance, with players having to rely on taking notes themselves to remember which path they need to take to proceed.
Chrono Trigger
Time is on his side
Chrono Trigger is a miracle by any account, made by some of the best developers in the era between Squaresoft and Enix. In this early collaboration, they thought outside the box and tried to subvert RPG expectations by doing away with random battles and injecting more flavor into the combat system with combo attacks.
Additionally, the time travel feature and how it affected the world was unique, along with the multiple endings, and the inclusion of New Game Plus in one of the earliest cases, making Chrono Trigger even more important.
Super Mario 64
Mario Goes 3D
Super Mario 64 paved the way for all 3D platformers to follow, as Nintendo once again set the bar high. Mario could explore the Mushroom Kingdom castle, jump into paintings, which were the levels, and collect stars, which would unlock new areas of the castle to explore.
Mario controls much better in 3D games now, admittedly, but at the time this was a phenomenal breakthrough, and thanks to the inventive levels and cheerful music, Super Mario 64 is still a blast regardless of which version players check out.
Final Fantasy 7
PS1 has a winner
The PS1 showed steady growth between 1994 and 1997, but Final Fantasy 7 was like the turning point for the system and the Final Fantasy series overall. It showcased everything the N64 couldn't do in terms of power and RPG offerings, giving Sony the edge they needed.
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The gameplay was more mature than previous entries, the CG sequences were stunning, and the combat, along with the Materia system, was addictive to experiment with. What really sold the game was the marketing, making it something it was and wasn't. Overall, it was the reason to finally buy a PS1, and beyond the blocky polygons, Final Fantasy VII still banging.
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
A link to the future
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was another groundbreaking game from Nintendo for the N64, which pushed on Zelda franchise to 3D. The journey with Link as a boy is a bit slow, but when the time traveling aspect is revealed, things really heat up with Adult Link.
Slow starts aside, the ability to explore Hyrule on foot or on horseback was an incredible sight in 1998, along with an interesting cast of NPCs and well-designed dungeons that kept players thinking. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is still a treasure.
Pokemon Gold/Silver
A surprising ending
Pokemon Gold and Silver
- Released
-
October 15, 2000
- ESRB
-
All // Mild cartoon violence, simulated gambling
Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver released in Japan only in 1999 before lucky North Americans got their hands on them in 2000. It was all a Pokémon the sequel should be and more. There was a day/night cycle, the phone equipment, the larger world, and additional Pokemon.
The crowning achievement was the secret second campaign that took place after players defeated the Elite Four of Johto. Players could go back to Kanto from the first game and replay a remixed region. They were able to challenge gym leaders, leading to a confrontation with Red, the previous playable character, and it's still unbelievable that this secret happened.
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