The 1990s, a decade often defined by its television and film, not to mention the countless musicians who owe their success to the period, including the likes of Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins. For some, the 90s is considered a particularly fervent time for artistic expression, and gaming too excelled throughout much of the decade.
For many, the 90s were a period of time defined by gaming, with numerous prominent franchises finding their beginnings on the Playstation, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast. In fact, the 90s helped introduce the world to everyone from Spyro the Dragon to Lara Croft, and from Sonic the Hedgehog to Crash Bandicoot. It was a decade of cartoonish mascots and pixelated visuals, in which storytelling was finally becoming a priority for the medium.
So, if you were unfortunate enough to have been born after the 90s, or you somehow missed out on everything the decade had to offer, here are 10 games that deserve your time and money...
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, a game that improved on the original in numerous, incalculable ways. For one thing, the stakes were higher; the story was grander, and the environments were somehow more suffocating and impressive, despite their increase in size. In fairness, Resident Evil 2 was simply expanding on an already perfected formula, but it managed to introduce a plethora of new ideas, more than justifying its existence.
In the game, players take on the role of Leon S. Kennedy – a fledgling cop, arriving in Raccoon City for his first day on the job, and Claire Redfield – a college student desperately searching for her missing brother, Chris. Separated, the pair are forced to fend for themselves in the city of the undead, and somehow navigate themselves out of harm’s way.
Released in 1998, Resident Evil might not be considered as important as the original, but it was the best sequel anyone could have possible asked for at the time. It was bigger, prettier and more intense. In fact, to this day, the game is considered an absolute standout of the genre, and has influenced everything about the way we think about survival horror.
Spyro the Dragon
Spyro, a forgotten mascot from a bygone era, abandoned in the early 2000s following numerous failed attempts to rejuvenate the character. In 1998 however, Spyro was introduced to the world in tremendous fashion, which is why his very first outing is still considered one of the most influential platformers in history, and a true standout on the original Playstation.
In the game, players take on the role of the titular protagonist, a young dragon tasked with rescuing his people from imprisonment at the hands of Gnasty Gnorc, a magical creature capable of turning dragons into living crystals. Aided by his dragonfly companion, Spyro must explore multiple dimensions in order to save his friends, somehow finding a way to defeat his dreaded nemesis in the process.
Unfortunately, Spyro is no longer around, but his legacy remains. The character is utterly iconic, and while subsequent sequels have failed to impress, you simply can’t fault the character’s very first adventure, providing you can get past the visuals.
Final Fantasy VII
Released in 1997, Final Fantasy VII is the seventh instalment in the series, and was considered a critical and commercial success upon its release. It features turn-based combat, and takes place in the fictional universe of Gaia, a diverse world consisting of three separate, and utterly dissimilar land masses. In the game, players take on the role of Cloud Strife, an operative for Shinra's SOLDIER unit, as well as nine other playable characters.
Often considered the greatest instalment in the franchise, Final Fantasy VII is an undeniable classic, and a triumph in videogame storytelling. In 1997, the game was awarded countless accolades, and has only continued to appreciate in value. In just three days, the game managed to sell 2.5 million copies in Japan, going on to sell 10 million worldwide. Almost as a direct result, Final Fantasy VII is synonymous with the 90s, helping to revolutionise the way we think about gaming.
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie was released in 1998, four years prior to Microsoft’s acquisition of Rare. The title character is one of the most recognisable mascots in gaming history, and one of best platformer games to ever grace the Nintendo 64, which is saying a great deal. In reality, Banjo-Kazooie is considered a standout of the system, and has forged a legacy that endures to this day, with the eminent release of Yooka-Laylee, a spiritual success developed by numerous ex-employees from Rare.
In the game, players must explore various worlds, collecting musical notes and jigsaw pieces, solving puzzles and defeating enemies in order to defeat Gruntilda, an evil witch responsible for the kidnapping of Banjo’s younger sister, Tooty. Aided by his best friend and talking breegull, Banjo must explore nine themed stages, and platform his way to victory.
Today, Rare is a shadow of its former self, but Banjo-Kazooie represents the company’s best work, the pinnacle of their achievements. To this day, the game completely holds up, and you’d be hard pressed finding a better collect-a-thon anywhere, on any system. Next year, Yooka-Laylee could usurp the throne, but until then, Banjo is the king.
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot was doomed to perish in the 1990s. He was an unfortunate product of his time, a symptom of the period who lacked the timelessness of Mario, or Sonic the Hedgehog. In fact, Crash Bandicoot was unable to deliver even one noteworthy title throughout the 2000s, and would eventually expire in 2008 with the truly abysmal Mind Over Mutant.
In 1996, Crash Bandicoot was the closest thing Sony had to an actual mascot. He wasn’t as universally recognisable as Mario or Sonic, but he had a distinctive personality, a unique appearance and a platform from which to shine. Over the next several years, Crash would spawn two sequels, as well as numerous spinoff titles, firmly cementing his legacy as one of the most recognisable stars of the 90s.
Currently, there are no plans to revive the character, making him a true relic of the decade.
Pokémon Red & Blue
Pokémon is a commercial juggernaut that has somehow survived multiple console generations, and only continues to appreciate in value. In fact, if Nintendo went bankrupt tomorrow, and were forced to sell everything apart from Pokémon, they’d still make enough money in a week to purchase a small country off the coast of the United States.
In 1996, Pokémon was a relatively modest concept, a game about catching pocket monsters, defeating trainers and exploring the Kanto region. At the time, there were only 150 Pokémon, which was a relatively achievable goal, and while there were two separate versions of the game, the entire experience seemed quaint, and innocuous. Today, Pokémon is a commercial juggernaut, a powerhouse dominating the entire industry, and singlehandedly keeping Nintendo afloat.
Don’t get me wrong: Pokémon was always a product, it just felt more harmless back in the 90s, which is probably why so many people considered the series synonymous with that particular decade. It was a more innocent time, and Pokémon defined that innocence for an entire generation of younglings, myself included.
Metal Gear Solid
In comparison to the original, MGSV is almost completely unrecognisable, sharing exceedingly few similarities to the original. In many ways, The Phantom Pain is a wholly different experience, prioritising open-world exploration, as well sandbox style gameplay. In 1998, Metal Gear Solid was something altogether dissimilar, a stealth game that pushed the boundaries in terms of both storytelling and technology.
In the game, players take on the role of Solid Snake, a secret operative tasked with infiltrating a military base known as Shadow Moses, which has recently been hijacked by an elite terrorist organisation calling themselves FOXHOUND. Inside the base, a mobile nuclear weapon is being prepped to launch, ghosts from the past are resurfacing, and precious little times is remaining to prevent total, global destruction.
Finally returning to a series that he started in 1987, Hideo Kojima shocked the world with Metal Gear Solid, cementing a legacy that would endure for almost two decades. To this very day, Metal Gear Solid is considered a classic, and while the pixelated visuals are downright distracting, the core appeal of the series is timeless.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
In 1998, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron outperformed all expectations, somehow managing to sell over a million copies worldwide, and securing itself two sequels on the Nintendo GameCube, as well as a spiritual successor based on The Phantom Menace.
In the game, players take on the role of Luke Skywalker himself, commander of an elite unit of X-Wing fighters known as Rogue Squadron, who have been tasked with the destruction of numerous outposts scattered around the galaxy, outposts belonging to the sinister, and surprisingly unproblematic, Galactic Empire. Gameplay involves piloting young Skywalker around various environments, destroying enemy ships and fulfilling numerous objectives.
Star Wars is singlehandedly responsible for countless unique series, but Rogue Squadron might be one of the most easily recognisable. After all, the game was a huge success, and offered a style of gameplay yet to be perfected. It was fast-paced and exciting, and while it lacked multiplayer, it made up for it with numerous stages, and plenty of content.
Super Mario 64
Published in 1996, Super Mario 64 was considered a huge success upon its initial release, selling over ten million copies worldwide, and winning countless awards in the process. To date, the game is considered remarkably influential, helping to pioneer 3D platforming almost an entire decade before it would become an otherwise refined genre.
As well as being one of the first genuine 3D platformers, Super Mario 64 was also the first instalment in the franchise to be designed entirely in 3D. In 2016, Super Mario 64 is considered one of the most influential games in history, and while many prefer Mario’s 2D excursions, his first foray into 3D was an undeniable classic. For one thing: it was the first game to be composed entirely using 3D polygons, which allowed the game a considerable degree of freedom, particular in regards to emphasising open exploration, as well numerous, distinct environment types.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Arguably the greatest game in the series, and an undeniably classic, Ocarina of Time was released exactly eighteen years ago, in 1998. It was the first attempt at a 3D Zelda game, and despite a handful of niggling drawbacks, was considered a tremendous success, selling almost ten million copies worldwide, and a million copies in the week of its release.
Surprisingly, Ocarina of Time was released in November, meaning it was only around for a relatively small fragment of 1998. Regardless, the game is synonymous with one of the greatest ever years in gaming, helping to cement ‘98 as a standout year in the history of the entire medium. Sure, looking back in retrospect, Ocarina is hardly perfect, and there are those who prefer the likes of A Link to the Past, or even Majora’s Mask, but neither could claim to have been more influential, or remembered with the same degree of fondness.
The 90s was a fantastic period for gaming, and Ocarina of Time was a huge reason for that. The decade produced some undeniable classics – many of which didn’t quite make this list, but could have easily been included. With that said, Ocarina of Time is undoubtedly the biggest standout, which is saying a lot when you consider how irrefutably awesome a decade it was.