There’s a good reason people have fond memories of ’90s video games. It was a period of growth for the industry, as games moved beyond simple arcade experiences and started focusing more on storytelling – allowing them to rival movies and TV shows in terms of engagement.
Many seemingly small games from the 1990s were initially very popular, but unfortunately, a lot of them aren’t remembered much anymore. Titles like Gex and Day of the Tentacle don’t receive the recognition they deserve now, and they still hold up incredibly well, even when compared to today’s games.
Released in 1994, The Need for Speed is a racing game where players compete against a boastful opponent in various locations. Players can choose from a range of high-performance sports cars and must avoid obstacles like other cars and the police during each race.
Despite being older, The Need for Speed remains impressive due to its focus on realistic driving. However, it didn’t achieve the same popularity as later Need for Speed games, like Need for Speed: Underground, which prioritized fun, arcade-style racing over realism.
Okay, so Beetle Adventure Racing! came out in 1999, and it’s exactly what it sounds like – you race a Volkswagen New Beetle! It’s a pretty straightforward racing game where you compete against other Beetles, trying to be the first to the finish line. But it’s not just racing – there’s also a battle mode where you can really push your car to its limits in a tournament. It’s a lot of fun!
While it doesn’t perfectly recreate the feeling of driving a real Beetle, that’s not really the point. Beetle Adventure Racing! is just a genuinely enjoyable game, and that unique fun still makes it worth playing today, even if it’s not as famous as other racing games from the nineties.
Released in 1994, System Shock is a classic action-adventure game. Players take on the role of a Hacker who must prevent a dangerous artificial intelligence from taking over a space station and eliminating its crew.
While most people talk about the sequel, the first System Shock often gets forgotten when discussing the history of survival horror. However, the core elements of the genre are already present, and even without sound, it can still be incredibly unsettling to play today.
I absolutely loved Day of the Tentacle! It came out in 1993 and it’s actually a sequel to Maniac Mansion from 1987. You play as Bernard again, along with Hoagie and Laverne, and the three of them have to travel through time to stop this seriously creepy villain, Purple Tentacle, from conquering everything!
The story is just as silly and fun as the game, and the puzzles are really satisfying to figure out. It’s too bad more people won’t get to enjoy unique adventures like Day of the Tentacle, since this style of game isn’t as popular anymore.
Mr. Bones is a fun platformer and rhythm game from 1996. In the game, the villain DaGoulian is trying to raise an army of skeletons, but one of them – Mr. Bones – decides to foil his plans. This sets off a musical adventure that begins in a spooky cemetery.
Okay, so this game is weird in the best way. It’s hard to even describe what it is! You’ve got platforming, then suddenly you’re doing rhythm stuff, and then it feels like you’re playing Breakout. It’s a crazy mix, and honestly, that’s what I love about it. But I can see why it might’ve confused people when it first came out – it’s not easy to categorize, that’s for sure.
Gex is a fun platforming game from 1995 where the main character, Gex, is pulled inside his TV! He then has to play through levels inspired by different types of shows and movies, like horror and science fiction. All Gex wanted to do was sit back and enjoy watching TV!
The game’s humor is so sharp and sarcastic, it almost overshadows how simple it is to learn and play. Ultimately, Gex is a good, though somewhat forgotten, platformer that started a small but dedicated series, but it never became hugely popular.
Columns is a puzzle game originally released in 1989, but it became popular with the 1990 Sega Genesis version. It was Sega’s take on the popular game Tetris, but instead of arranging falling blocks, players match groups of falling jewels.
Even though it was good, Columns didn’t quite reach the heights of Tetris, which is unfortunate. Still, it played a role in creating the puzzle games we enjoy today, like the popular mobile game Candy Crush Saga.
Released in 1998, BattleTanx is an action game set in a post-apocalyptic future. A devastating virus has drastically reduced the world’s female population, and the game centers on a man’s desperate journey to save his wife. He drives a tank across the United States, fighting both the government and rival gangs who are also after her.
Man, whenever anyone mentions BattleTanx, they always bring up that crazy commercial with the teddy bear getting blown to bits! It’s a classic ad, for sure, but it’s a real shame because the game itself is genuinely fun. It’s just a total blast tearing around in tanks, smashing buildings and blowing up your friends – seriously, it’s chaotic in the best way!
Released in 1999, Shadow Tower is an action role-playing game set in the mysterious world of Eclipse. When the city of Zeptar is pulled into the underworld, its resident, Ruus Hardy, ventures forth to find and defeat the source of the disaster.
When it truly shines, Shadow Tower feels incredibly tense and isolating, blending the atmosphere of a survival horror game with the mechanics of a Japanese role-playing game. This unique combination makes for a compelling experience, and it holds up remarkably well even today.
Released in 1993, Cannon Fodder is a fast-paced action game where you command a constantly rotating group of soldiers battling the army of El Presidente. The game primarily involves defeating waves of enemies, but unfortunately, innocent bystanders can sometimes be harmed in the chaos.
Even after 33 years, Cannon Fodder feels surprisingly modern. Its message about the futility of war is still powerful, and perhaps even more relevant now than it was when it first came out. It’s a shame it hasn’t reached a wider audience, as it’s often overlooked compared to more popular games of the time, like Doom.
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2026-03-03 05:15