Video games really started in the 1980s, but some of the 1990s games really helped to define a generation. These iconic games were the stories and battles that many adults today grew up on, so we’re taking a little trip down memory lane. Check out these most iconic video games from the ‘90s.
Final Fantasy 7 – 1997
The reason why so many people love role-playing games at all is thanks to this installment in the Final Fantasy series. Gamers played as Cloud as he fights against the Shinra Electric Power Company, with some help along the way with the friends he makes. When it first came out on PsOne, it required multiple discs to complete because the game was so big. This game wasn’t a quick story, it was an investment of time, and it was worth every second.
GoldenEye 007 – 1997
Perhaps one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time, GoldenEye 007 had everything a ‘90s gamer could possibly want. As it came out on the Nintendo 64 four players could face off against each other on one map, and chaos was guaranteed. It might not hold up to today’s Call of Duty standards, but during the 1990s every gamer had to get their hands on a copy of GoldenEye 007.
Doom – 1993
People would spend hours in the dangerous pixelated world that Doom created for gamers in 1993. The game is seen as one of the most important games in the history of video gaming, and some believe it is the greatest game ever made. Doom put first-person shooters on the map, and without it, we might never have had some of the biggest gaming franchises in history. Games like Halo, Battlefield, Destiny, and FarCry might never have even been dreamt up if Doom hadn’t given the genre the boost it needed.
Metal Gear Solid – 1998
If someone told you sneaking your way around a video game avoiding detection and any action was fun in 1998, they would have looked at you with confusion. But when Metal Gear Solid came out, it was clear that there was much more to this game than that.
Sneaking was an option, but it wasn’t a necessity, and you could choose to play the game however you wanted. This freedom of choice wasn’t something that many people were used to, but there was more still. The cinematic cutscenes made Metal Gear Solid feel much more like an interactive story than many titles before it did.
Sonic the Hedgehog – 1991
Sonic the Hedgehog is possible ‘the’ game of the 1990s. It was so iconic that practically everyone played it during the decade. The action was fast-paced, and you barely had time to blink before you fell onto a bunch of spikes, hit a robotic ladybug, or faced off against Dr. Robotnik.
Pokémon Red and Blue – 1996
This game inspired so many people, and Pokémon remains one of the biggest in gaming history. There have been a ton more sequels to the franchise, but Pokémon Red and Blue kicked off the series on the Gameboy all those years ago. Now we couldn’t imagine a society without Pokémon in it, so much that we even have an app to make them appear in the real world.
Street Fighter II Turbo – 1992
The 1990s really saw the explosion of several genres, and fighting games would be nothing if it wasn’t for the universal appeal of Street Fighter II Turbo. Not only did all of the characters have their own unique special moves, but the gameplay was so addictive you could lose a couple of hours in what felt like minutes. Arcades were filled with gamers battling it out for supremacy on the Street Fighter II Turbo machines, and it helped create one of the biggest gaming genres.
There possibly was no better decade for gaming than the 1990s. So many iconic games came from it, and these classic games are still fond memories for millions of gamers.
