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There’s something remarkable about the 1990s gaming era. It was a time when every game seemed to transition from 2D to 3D versions, and it was also the time when today’s multi-million-selling games and most iconic characters were developed.
It was the turning point for video games and an exciting turn in the technological era. The 90s also saw the birth of PlayStation and Game Boy.
Those who grew up during this era saw a massive boom and growth in the gaming world like never before. Relive those moments with these iconic, legendary video games since the 90s.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Sonic, the iconic blue hedgehog. A video game series and media franchise created and owned by Sega.
Since its release, many Sonic games have been created, but the best one is Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
In this game, Sonic’s sidekick, Miles “Tails” Prower, was introduced, controllable by a second player, and two of Sonic’s signature moves, the Spin Dash and Homing Attack.
This game encapsulates everything about Sonic and has established a legacy for it. Sonic also has animated films and has announced that they will have multiple new Sonic games coming this fall.
Tekken 3 (1998)
Tekken is a series of fighting video and arcade games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
Tekken 3, initially released for the PlayStation in 1998, is noted as one of the first and best fighting 3D games of the time. It was released in arcades in December 1994 and on the PlayStation in 1995.
The game has about 23 characters, each having 100 moves to let you create a chain of combos of throws, grabs, takedowns, and heavy hits to your heart’s desires.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
It is an update of Mortal Kombat 3, a fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, developed and released by Midway to arcades in 1995.
This game introduced moves that let you make brutal, over-the-top attacks, such as uppercutting your opponent through a ceiling, the signature move Dial-a-combo, return of favorite characters that were previously missing on Mortal Kombat 3, as well as 2-on-2 and tournament modes.
With this release, the game earned its place as one of the finest of all time.
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
Also known as Street Fighter II, a genre-defining game that started it all.
It is a competitive one-on-one fighting game developed by Capcom. Initially released for arcade systems in 1991, it is considered the best-selling franchise since the golden age of arcade gaming.
You can choose between 8 different fighters, each with its unique fighting style and arsenal of moves.
Pokémon Red / Blue (1996)
From the opening moments in Pallet Town to choosing your first starter, battling gym owners and collecting gym badges, and defeating the Elite Four, Pokémon Red and Blue feel right.
We can never forget our first Ash’s adventure. Pokemon is a series of video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
Pokemon has also been made into animated series and movies. Something about this game always brings a smile to our faces.
SimCity 3000 (1999)
A simulation and city-building personal computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts.
This ambitious, full-3D renovation of the series includes the concept of waste management and the ability to choose from three zoning densities.
Also, farms could appear in certain industrial zones. With added disasters that can strike anytime, such as power plants and water pumps will break down.
Or worse yet, the guise of a tornado, earthquake, fire, or alien attack made this game phenomenal. This game evolved from 1989 to 2014.
Half-Life (1998)
The first game Valve has ever developed is a first-person shooter video game that was released in 1998. Half-Life changed the way we experience video games.
Its narrative-heavy gameplay, punctuated with more than a few terrifying moments controlled by an AI enemy, provides a realistic, compelling gaming experience from the 1990s.
Road Rash PC (1995)
It’s probably the most aggressive motorcycle racing game of the 90s, with its unique and funny feature: you could punch, kick, hit with a bat, or chain the police, fellow race drivers and people as you drive past them (it could even help you get ahead).
The game is equipped with different characters and upgrades on your motorbike. Road Rash is created and published by Electronic Arts (EA).
Counter-Strike – Beta (1999)
The most famous multiplayer first-person shooter video game was developed by Valve. Also known as Half-Life: Counter-Strike.
It was initially developed and released as a Half-Life modification, and it is still in beta. The first full release of the mod was published in November 2000.
The game revolves around teams of bad guys battling to perpetrate an act of terror (bombing, hostage-taking, assassination) while counter-terrorists try to prevent it (hostage rescue).
Counter-Strike has been played by millions of gamers across the globe, has influenced countless games, and will be played for generations to come.
Warcraft: orcs and humans (1994)
The first game in the Warcraft series was developed by Blizzard Entertainment, which quickly became the best-selling game and was one of the original Real-Time Strategy games.
The multiplayer game is set in the mythic kingdom of Azeroth. Players must create a thriving economy while building a war machine to destroy the enemy.
Today, Warcraft is a massive franchise, with its latest version, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.
Tomb Raider (1996)
The rise of the female icon, Lara Croft. A 1996 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive.
The game follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft, hired by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla, to find an artifact called the Scion of Atlantis.
Super Mario Bros 3 (1991)
Playing Super Mario feels like reconnecting with a best friend you haven’t seen since childhood—one of the best 2D games ever.
The game’s large, colorful map was perpetually moving. Nintendo developed and published this legendary Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game.
It was released in Japan in October 1988, North America in February 1990, and Europe in August 1991. Since then, it has become the best-selling non-bundled video game ever.
The best representation of the Mario universe to come from the NES.
Grand Theft Auto (1997)
GTA (Grand Theft Auto) is an action-adventure game that became popular in the 1990s. It involves carelessly driving a stolen car while being chased by the police. The game was developed by DMA Design and published by BMG Interactive for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows in October 1997.
It is now considered by many reviewers to be one of the greatest video games ever made.
The game involves players playing the role of a criminal who conducts jobs for various syndicates in three fictionalized US cities.
Starcraft (1998)
A piece of PC gaming history owned by Blizzard Entertainment. This sci-fi, real-time strategy game changed the landscape of online and competitive gaming forever.
Set at the beginning of the 26th century, it centers on a galactic struggle for dominance among 3 species: Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss.
The game involves collecting resources to build your base and ultimately conquer opponents. Its expansion pack, StarCraft: Brood War, was released in 1998.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
1997, the world was introduced to one of the first fully 3D Final Fantasy games. — Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy has been one of the best-selling video game franchises ever.
A role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It features some of the most beloved characters in the entire history series. It was a state-of-the-art RPG at that time.
A Remake of the game was released last April 2020. – Final Fantasy VII Remake.
See Also
Best PS4 Games for 12-Year-Olds