Many of the most beloved retro games of all time were released in the ’90s for a reason. It was a golden age for anime, with technological advancements that allowed developers to create more complex gameplay mechanics and richer stories with more text. Many ’90s games, like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 7, are still beloved today, but other amazing games have been forgotten.
Some of the best games of the ’90s, like System Shock and Gex, are woefully overlooked even though they were hugely influential in their time. Decades later, these titles may have been forgotten by many gamers, but they’re still fantastic games that feel like they’ve barely aged a day.
Day of the Tentacle Is a Classic Point-and-Click Adventure Game
Day of the Tentacle is a 1993 graphic adventure game and the sequel to 1987’s Maniac Mansion. Bernard returns alongside Hoagie and Laverne, and the trio travels through time to stop the evil Purple Tentacle from taking over the world. The premise is as goofy as the game itself, packed with amusing puzzles that feel great to solve.
With classic point-and-click adventures becoming more niche, it’s a shame more people won’t experience quirky gems like Day of the Tentacle. Many older adventure games have obtuse puzzles and can be a headache to play without a guide, but Day of the Tentacle shows how good the genre could be at its best.
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The Need for Speed Is a Realistic Driving Game
The Need for Speed is a 1994 racing game where a series of events pit a driver against a smug rival across different settings. A selection of state-of-the-art supercars can be taken into each race, all while dodging hazards like traffic and police.
Thanks to its more realistic approach, The Need for Speed has held up surprisingly and stands among the best games of 1994. Unfortunately, because of its focus on realism, it was overshadowed by later entries, like Need for Speed: Underground, which leaned harder into arcade-style racing.
Beetle Adventure Racing! Lives Up to Its Title
Beetle Adventure Racing! is a 1999 racer that has players driving a Volkswagen New Beetle. Races pit one Beetle against another from start to finish. A vehicular combat mode is also included, offering a tournament that pushes the cars to their limits in one of the most unique games on the N64.
It isn’t the most realistic Beetle driving experience, but that doesn’t matter much. The game is simply fun, and that novelty still makes Beetle Adventure Racing! worth playing today, even if it isn’t as well-known as other racing games from the ’90s. It’s a charming game and is a blast to play today, especially in multiplayer.
System Shock Paved the Way for Modern Sci-Fi Horror Games
System Shock is a 1994 action-adventure game and one of the best survival horror games ever. The player character, known as the Hacker, has to stop a rogue AI from completely compromising a space station and killing everyone on board. Sadly, it often gets overlooked in favor of its better-known sequel, System Shock 2.
The first System Shock created a blueprint that many sci-fi survival horror games followed,and it helped shape the evolution of the genre. Even ignoring its influence, it’s as creepy now as it was back in the ’90s. If anything, its old-fashioned graphics only add to the game’s atmosphere.
Mr. Bones Is One of the Weirdest ’90s Games Ever
Mr. Bones is a 1996 platformer and rhythm game where the villain DaGoulian tries to revive an army of skeletons. One of them, Mr. Bones, catches on to the plan and decides to stop him. The result is a musical journey that kicks off in a cemetery.
It’s definitely a strange game, and it can be hard to pin down what Mr. Bones is trying to be. Platforming and rhythm sections are mixed with sequences that feel closer to something like Breakout. That mash-up is part of the charm, but it likely made the game harder for players to appreciate at the time.
Gex Is Tastefully Cynical
Gex is a 1995 platformer where the title character gets sucked into his own TV. He then has to work through levels based on different genres, from horror to sci-fi and more. All he really wanted was to relax and watch television, a motivation that’s as relatable now as it was in the ’90s.
The humor is so cynically funny that it can almost steal the spotlight from how easy the game is to pick up and play. In the end, Gex is a solid platformer that kicked off a niche series.The series definitely has its fans, but it never really rose above cult-classic status.
Columns Almost Plays Like a Modern-Day Mobile Game
Columns is a 1989 puzzle game that’s best known for its 1990 Sega Genesis port. At the time of its release, it was essentially Sega’s answer to Tetris, but instead of falling blocks, there are falling jewels, which are matched in groups.
Despite that, Columns wasn’t on the same level as the best Sega Genesis games, which is a shame for such a solid Tetris alternative. In its own way, it also helped lay the groundwork for modern match-style puzzle games, including mobile hits like Candy Crush Saga.
BattleTanx Was Famous for Its Commercials
BattleTanx is a 1998 action game set in the near future, after a deadly virus wipes out much of the world’s female population. The story follows a man trying to rescue his wife from the U.S. government, battling across America in a tank while taking on gangs that want her for themselves.
Today, most people who do recall BattleTanx remember it for its hilarious ad, which saw a teddy bear getting shredded to pieces. It’s a commercial worth remembering, but it’s a shame people don’t talk about the game itself, since BattleTanx is also a satisfyingly chaotic romp, letting tanks tear through buildings and blow each other apart.
Shadow Tower Is a Must-Play Action RPG
Shadow Tower is a 1999 action RPG set in an unnamed world on the continent of Eclipse. Ruus Hardy, a resident of Zeptar, descends after the city is dragged into the underworld, determined to destroy whatever is responsible. At its best, Shadow Tower is claustrophobic in a way that makes it feel as much like a survival horror game as it does a JRPG.
That mix creates a fascinating experience, and it’s easier to appreciate now than it was when the game first released. As an early FromSoftware game, it showcases some of the ideas that later appeared in games like Dark Souls, and it’ll definitely appeal to fans of the soulslike genre.
Cannon Fodder Should’ve Been Made Today
Cannon Fodder is a 1993 shoot ’em up where an ever-changing platoon is controlled while fighting El Presidente’s forces. Unsurprisingly, its missions involve mowing down enemies, though even civilians can get caught in the crossfire. Even now, Cannon Fodder feels as relevant as it did when it was released 33 years ago.
Its anti-war message still lands, and it arguably resonates even more today. Unfortunately, it remains a niche game, often overshadowed by bigger names from the era like Doom. If it had come out in the modern era, it might have been able to connect with a bigger audience.
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