Music and fashion were important to many during the 1990’s but for the more geekier elements of society it was video games that set the scene.
1. Super Mario Bros 3 : NES
The fact that this is the single biggest selling game of all time says a lot more than i can say here. This game managed to net $500 million dollars for Nintendo and is still selling well on many of the retro gaming sites. This version of Mario saw the inclusion of Bowser as well as being a larger game overall. Like the other games in the Mario series, saving the princess was still the main aim of the game.
2. Syndicate
As one reviewer said:“…it’s bloody, it requires you to be ruthless, and some people may take issue with the use of drugs to control your agents. But it’s a ball to play.”
This game had a real dark element that fitted the modern society emerging during the early 1990’s. You played the Marketing Director of a large corporation and your job was to “control” the competition. Your character used far more direct techniques than billboard advertising with most missions requiring the total eradication of all human life. The dark sci-fi setting matched with a detailed RPG engine means this game easily makes it to my top 5 games of the 1990’s.
3. Sim City 2000
This game first appeared in 1993. I had already played the original version but this game was a real major improvement. I argue some of the best video games are those that do not require an end goal with Sim City being the most famous. You could literally spend hours just getting your initial design right. I don’t like to think about how many hours I have put into this game.
4. Duke Nukem 3D
This first person shooter was the first decent FPS that I played since doom 2 and it came out in 1996. When I first saw this game it was not the game play that impressed me but the fact that it had strippers! I had never seen any game that allowed you to pay strippers to see their breasts - nipples and all! Duke Nukem’s graphical engine was also a major step forward over previous shooter games with mouse aiming being a major breakthrough. I argue any game that has porn shops and an electric chair level has to be in any top video game list.
5. Baldurs Gate
Released in 1998, this game singlehandly made RPG’s games popular again! You play the character of an adopted child who has to survive in a strange world when you are forced to leave your home after watching your step father die. One of the reasons I love this game is due to the amount of freedom you are given. Once you leave your beloved Candlekeep you have total control on what you do next - no other game had ever given me that freedom and been so fun! Please play this if you missed it the first time round, it will change your life!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Baldur’s Gate had me up until 4 am drinking with a buddy. We could not stop until we finished it. We had started at noon.
I can totally relate! Its such a good game.
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super mario bros. iz the best game in the 1990’s
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I remember waiting for Super Mario 3 when it first came out, it took me about 3 months to get it because of the hype that movie gave it. It was definitely worth the wait though. Mario 2 was an under-rated game too.
Super Mario 3 brought the mario games to the next level, with all the extra cool power ups like the racoon tail and such. Took me forever to beat that game but it brings back some great memorys.Never really got into the other 4 games except sim city
Super Mario Brothers 3 was the first game that addicted me to video games. That and Donkey Kong. Just LOVED those games.
Sup mario 3 was the bets game ever. I staid up for hours playing this game. Never beat as a kid but when I got older I owned this game .
I agree with your inclusion of Super Mario 3 on the list. It really was one of the best video games in the 90s, if not ever. You couldn’t find someone with an NES that hadn’t played it and loved it. However I am disappointed to see the 007 Goldeneye for Nintendo 64 did not make the list. In my opinion that game was one of the best FPS of all time, and did a great job of pioneering the 4 player FPS multiplayer mode that so many games nowadays use.
Super Mario Bros 3 is at the top of my list too. I would also have added Super Mario Kart 64 also unless it came out in the 2000’s.
That Super Mario 3 takes me back awhile. I loved that game.