Best 1990S Retro
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a classic action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Developed by Nintendo in 1991, it established many conventions of the series including its expansive world map and focus on sword combat. The game remains notable for its influe...
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior was released by Capcom in 1991 as a sequel to Street Fighter. Developed by Yoshiki Okamoto and Akira Yasuda, it utilized the CP System arcade board and featured expanded gameplay mechanics like command-based moves and a wider roster of characters. The game’s desi...
Street Fighter II Turbo, released in 1992, is the third arcade iteration of the popular fighting game franchise developed by Capcom. It served as an enhancement kit for Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and featured a faster pace alongside new special moves for select characters. The title refined...
Super Mario All-Stars is a 1993 compilation for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It comprises remakes of four classic NES and Famicom games: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3. These remakes include enhanced graphics, altered p...
UFO: Enemy Unknown is a strategy game developed in 1994 by Mythos Games. Players manage an international organization, X-COM, tasked with defending Earth against an alien invasion through turn-based tactical missions and strategic base management. The game combines real-time simulation elements with...
Mega Man X is a 1993 Super Nintendo platform game originating from the Mega Man series. Set one hundred years after the original, it features an android named X and his partner Zero battling Reploids, robots with human-like qualities. The narrative centers on X’s mission to thwart Sigma, a Maverick...
Gunstar Heroes is a 1993 Sega Genesis action platformer developed by Treasure. It’s notable for its intense run-and-gun gameplay and innovative weapon combining system, allowing players to create dynamic attack patterns. The game offers challenging level design and precise controls appealing to expe...
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge is a celebrated 1991 adventure game developed by LucasArts. Players control Guybrush Threepwood as he searches for the legendary Big Whoop treasure while battling the vengeful ghost pirate, LeChuck. The game's intricate puzzles and humorous storytelling have made i...
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 1994 platform game featuring Sonic and Tails as they pursue the Chaos Emeralds. Doctor Robotnik launches his Death Egg from a crashed space station on a floating island. The game introduces Knuckles the Echidna, who acts as an antagonist by setting traps for the protagonist...
Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 Genesis platform game where players control Sonic or Knuckles to thwart Doctor Robotnik’s plans. The game involves navigating side-scrolling levels to stop the Death Egg launch and combat Robotnik's minions, such as EggRobo. Players collect rings and defeat enemies during...
Garou: Mark of the Wolves is a 1999 fighting game developed by SNK, following events ten years after Real Bout Fatal Fury. The game centers on Terry Bogard and Rock Howard’s participation in the Maximum Mayhem tournament, introducing fourteen new characters. It utilizes unique mechanics including T....
Chojin Sentai Jetman was a Japanese tokusatsu television series produced by Toei Company, debuting in 1991 and running for 51 episodes on TV Asahi. It succeeded Chikyu Sentai Fiveman and preceded Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger within the Super Sentai metaseries, incorporating elements from *Science Ninja T...
Samurai Shodown II is a 1994 fighting game developed by SNK. It distinguishes itself with its focus on traditional Japanese samurai and their weaponry rather than fantastical elements common in other titles of the era. The game’s roster includes iconic warriors like Haoumaru, appealing to players in...
Super Castlevania IV is a 1991 platform game created by Konami for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The title was subsequently released in various editions, most notably through the Super NES Classic Edition. It features gameplay centered around navigating castle levels and battling enemies.
Master of Orion is a turn-based strategy game where players control one of ten alien races within a procedurally generated galaxy. Gameplay focuses on expanding influence through exploration, colonization, technological advancement, and strategic interaction with other civilizations. The objective i...
Doom II is a groundbreaking 1994 first-person shooter developed by id Software. It established a new standard for action games with its intense, brutal gameplay and atmospheric horror elements set within a science fiction narrative of Hell on Earth. Originally released for MS-DOS and subsequently po...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is a 1991 beat 'em up developed by Konami for arcades and based on the 1987 animated series. It followed the original TMNT arcade game and was initially released in Europe as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Turtles in Time. A Super Nintendo port, titled Tee...
Streets of Rage 2 is a 1992 beat 'em up for the Sega Genesis. It continues the story featuring Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding alongside three new playable characters: Max Thunder, Eddie "Skate" Hunter, and the return of Adam Hunter’s younger brother. The game expands upon the original Streets of Rage...
System Shock is a 1994 first-person action-adventure game set on a space station in 2072. The player controls a security hacker tasked with disrupting the actions of the AI, SHODAN. Developed by LookingGlass Technologies and Origin Systems, it features a cyberpunk setting and an attempt to thwart a...
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a 1999 third-person platform game developed in France. It centers on Rayman’s quest to liberate the Fairy Glade from robotic pirates led by Admiral Razorbeard. Notable for its innovative level design and challenging gameplay, the title remains popular with fans of class...
Secret of Mana is a 1993 action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed by Square. It serves as a sequel to Seiken Densetsu, initially marketed under the Mana series name. The game centers on three heroes battling an empire threatening to conquer the world using a fly...
Duke Nukem 3D is a first-person shooter released in 1996. The game established itself as a landmark title within the genre due to its immersive 3D environments and interactive level design. It’s notable for its over-the-top protagonist, Duke Nukem, and remains popular with fans of classic action gam...
Terranigma is a 1995 Super Nintendo RPG where Ark guides the Earth’s rebirth from primordial life to its current state. Developed by Quintet with character design by Kamui Fujiwara, it follows this narrative progression. The game expands upon the established series initiated by Soul Blazer and Illus...
Contra III: The Alien Wars was released in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Developed by Konami, it is the third installment in the Contra series featuring Bill and Lance battling an alien invasion across six stages. The game incorporated cinematic elements and tighter stage design,...
SimCity 2000 is a city-building simulation developed by Maxis in 1993 for Macintosh and MS-DOS. It expanded upon the original SimCity with releases on Sega Saturn, SNES, and PlayStation platforms during the mid-1990s. The game focused on managing infrastructure and resources within a simulated urban...
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap is a platforming action-adventure game initially released for the Master System in 1989. Multiple ports exist across various systems including the TurboGrafx-16 and Game Gear, with one version featuring characters from the *Turma da Mônica* comic series. A remake wa...
Gimmick! is a 1992 platform game developed by Sunsoft for the Famicom/NES. The game centers on Yumetaro, a small green creature who pursues a girl transported to another dimension after her toys animate. Players control Yumetaro, utilizing his star-shooting ability to navigate levels and overcome ob...
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is a 1996 fighting game developed by Capcom, serving as a direct sequel to Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams. The title expanded upon the original with new content including attacks, stages, and gameplay mechanics. It was released on multiple home consoles following its i...
Wipeout 2097 is a fast-paced arcade racing game released in 1996. Developed by Psygnosis, it established itself as a landmark title for the PlayStation with its innovative anti-gravity gameplay and futuristic setting inspired by 1990s science fiction. The game’s distinctive polygon graphics and inte...
Shining Force II is a 1993 tactical RPG for the Sega Genesis featuring expansive exploration and freedom of movement compared to its predecessor. The game lacks a chapter system, allowing players to revisit areas as desired. It includes character promotion options, though it’s not directly linked to...
