Although the 1980s had a boom in the gaming industry, the '90s arguably were where the medium came into its own. With the introduction of new hardware, games, genres, and characters, the world saw a new 16-bit age of heroes, villains, and challenges on the home console. Gamers were playing with super-power.
The age was littered with various games that revolutionized the industry, some iconic titles even creating new genres and subgenres in their wake. Thanks to Nintendo's eShop and Nintendo Online service, many of these famous titles can be played and thoroughly enjoyed from the comfort of the Switch by a new generation of gamers.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors (Zombies Ate My Neighbors And Ghoul Patrol)
A cult classic, but one that helped influence many isometric games that came after. Lucasarts's Zombies Ate My Neighbors put a more colorful spin on the horror genre by including toys and squirt guns along with the zombies and monsters.
The aesthetic alone is saturated in '90s cheese with bright neon colors and an over-the-top art style like something out of a Saturday morning cartoon. While action games of this kind were nothing new, the difficulty and detail were certainly remarkable for the time.
Final Fantasy VII (Eshop)
16-bit hardware wasn't the only thing introduced in the '90s, as any PlayStation owner will know. The decade also marked the introduction of fully rendered CGI graphics. While they might have been crude at the time, the deeper hardware helped bring in a new breed of virtual storytelling, and Final Fantasy VII was one such example.
At the time, the saga of Cloud Strife and his companions was downright cinematic as the series went from pixelated sprites to fully rendered characters and cutscenes. Gripping, emotional, heartbreaking, and moving, this tale was one that the decade would never forget.
Doom (Eshop)
Although not the first FPS of its kind, it was one of the first to help perfect the formula. For a time, many FPS games like Hexen, Heretic, and Duke Nukem 3D all bore the name of Doom-clone. Although tame by today's standards, the original demonic shooter was is one of the most graphic titles available.
Even though Wolfenstein-3D came first, more players wanted to step into the boots of the Doom Slayer rather than BJ Blazkowitz. Often imitated but never duplicated, it helped shape the FPS archetype seen countless times over.
Super Mario Kart (Nintendo Online)
Although the version released on the N64 is arguably the more popular entry of the '90s, the series as a whole wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for this NES classic. Although the graphics are a tad pixelated, the game still holds up remarkably well.
Sometimes less is more, and that can certainly be said for the original kart-racing title. While it might lack a few bells and whistles seen in other entries in the series, the first Mario Kart game still has the core elements that make the games great, even without that infamous blue shell.
The Lion King (Disney Classics Games: Aladdin And The Lion King)
The decade wasn't just a good period for video games, but for Disney as well. Before movie-based games were somewhat of a laughingstock, there were actually several decent titles based on beloved films in franchises. And one such example of this meeting of the mediums was Disney's The Lion King on SNES and Genesis.
Since Virgin Studios had the help of Disney and their animators in getting the title off the ground, the game was just as great as the movie that inspired it. Although, that watering hole level is not for the faint of heart and remains difficult to this day.
Sonic The Hedgehog (Sega Genesis Collection)
For every red-suited plumber, there's a spiky blue hedgehog running right beside him. Sonic the Hedgehog was practically the mascot of video gaming in the '90s. He wasn't just a video game character, he was a blue dude with attitude.
While the Eshop is full of Sonic games, one of the preferable methods is the Sega Genesis Collection containing all of his greatest hits, including his breakout original title. With enough loops, rings, and robotic enemies to make a player's head spin, there's a reason the franchise went back to basics with games like Sonic Mania.
Super Mario 64 (Super Mario 3D All-Stars)
The iconic Super Mario 64 gave everyone's favorite plumber a whole new dimension as Mario broke out of the side-scrolling platformer formula and into a fully-realized 3D world. Mario's new adventure helped shape modern platforming games for the better, allowing them more beautiful and vibrant worlds to explore.
Without this game, players might not know the joys of Banjo-Kazooie or even the Assassin's Creed series. The game allowed for worlds to be bigger and more expensive, allowing for more interesting ways of play. At the end of the day, there was no one better fit to explore them than Mario.
Super Metroid (Nintendo Online)
One of the first games to usher in the title of Metroidvania, Super Metroid was a deep, dark, immersive exploration of an isolated alien world. With sprawling maps, unlockable weapons and upgrades, and monsters around every corner, Samus Aran definitely had her work cut out for her.
Some have called it one of the greatest games for the SNES, and on some levels that might be true. It practically reinvented Metroid as a whole and shaped the series for the better.
Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (Nintendo Online)
Some have suggested that A Link To The Past helped lay the foundation for games like Ocarina of Time, but it might be more factual to say that it helped shape top-down action games in the long run. Its formula of collecting weapons and beating the bosses definitely has a familiar ring to it.
That all being said, it was one of the more popular adventures on the SNES and helped shape future games like Bastion and Hyper Light Drifter. It was certainly a new way of rescuing the titular princess with new visuals, treasures, and an entirely different side of Hyrule to explore.
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64 might have brought Mario into the third dimension, but Super Mario World was arguably the definitive Mario title for the '90s. Essentially bringing together the best elements from his three core games along with new and improved mechanics, there were more than a few reasons this game was the SNES launch title.
Considered by many to be the sharpest 2D Mario title, the game offered multiple worlds of fun and surprises all throughout Dinosaur Land, there were few that truly captured Mario's simple but effective essence.