10 Best Games From the 1990s -

The best 90s games helped shape our best childhood memories. Or, if you’re too young to have grown up during the days of the PS1 and N64, they’re the retro games you fell in love with while being disenfranchised by the state of modern gaming.

Maybe you were already in adulthood in the 90s and enjoyed late-night Doom or StarCraft sessions. Either way, the 90s gave us an incredible slate of games.

Super Mario World

While Super Mario 64 is arguably more influential, Super Mario World is the superior title, thanks to how gracefully it’s aged.

The platforming controls still feel smooth like butter, allowing players to flow through each level.

Super Mario World is the culmination of everything that made the franchise great. It still serves as the foundation for today’s platformers.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Like the previously mentioned Super Mario World, A Link to the Past isn’t as groundbreaking as Ocarina of Time but is arguably a far superior game.

Everything holds up well even today, over three decades later. As the Zelda franchise evolves, you can argue that the games still chase the high from Link to the Past‘s gameplay.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

From one console mascot to another, Sonic the Hedgehog helped establish the Sega Genesis as a force to be reckoned with.

Sega would release several Sonic the Hedgehog games over the years, but none were as good as Sonic 2. The music, incredible level design that balances platforming patience and high speed, and the surprisingly enjoyable multiplayer proved that Sega does what Nintendon’t.

Follow us on MSN for more of the content you love.

GoldenEye 007

Halo would perfect the console FPS, but GoldenEye is arguably the OG console shooter. Were the controls perfect? Absolutely not, but we still lost countless hours playing the game anyway.

When the game was released for modern consoles, refined controls made it shine in ways we didn’t think possible. This game was never meant to be played on a Nintendo 64 controller, but it handles so fluidly with a modern Xbox controller, and the campaign is still an absolute blast to play today.

Follow us on MSN for more of the content you love.

Doom

The father of the FPS genre, Doom blew us away on day one by showcasing what was possible in a video game. It truly felt ahead of its time.

Once the iconic guitar riff kicks in and we start shooting, we’re hooked. Its fast-paced gameplay and revolutionary design continue to influence not only the genre, as well as its own franchise when the series returned to its roots in 2016, but also the industry as a whole.

Yes, you better believe we’re still doing Doom speed runs even today.

Half-Life

From one revolutionary shooter to another, Half-Life is an example of what happens when you balance a story, proper pacing, and perfect gameplay.

Widely regarded as the best FPS since Doom, Half-Life forever changed the genre and industry, setting the gold standard for all future games.

StarCraft

Blizzard‘s iconic real-time strategy game may currently be on the sidelines, but we’ll always have the memories from playing StarCraft and Brood War.

The classic RTS keeps things simple with just the three factions, allowing the intricacies of each faction to add complexities to each match rather than bogging it down with bloated features and playable races.

Final Fantasy VII

Square Enix is currently working on remaking the iconic JRPG into a modern-day trilogy, but it will never match the heights of the original Final Fantasy VII.

The epic PS1 game succeeds not due to its mature story but because it doesn’t force it down your throat. It balances its more serious moments with a lighthearted nature that, at times, delivers some of the best humor ever seen in a video game.

Banjo-Kazooie

While Super Mario 64 revolutionized the 3D platformer, Banjo-Kazooie perfected it.

Its clever writing, brilliant characters, and adorable charm complement some of the best platforming controls and gameplay the genre has ever seen. Most importantly, unlike its bloated sequel, it shows restraint and does not overstay its welcome.