Gaming as a whole has been growing steadily since the 1980s, with the 1990s arguably being its single most important decade so far. Not only were some of the best games in their respective genres released during the 90s, but the sudden arrival of 3D graphics also changed the video game industry forever.
The 10 Greatest Video Game Masterpieces Of The Last 15 Years, Ranked
We are living in the greatest era in video game history, and over the last 15 years, several outright masterpieces have hit the virtual medium.
To no one’s surprise, some of the greatest video game masterpieces ever made were released between 1990 to 1999. Even though every single one of them deserves recognition, only the following ten can be considered the absolute best titles in this historic decade. Additionally, this ranking has a list of Honorable Mentions at the very end, featuring those masterpieces that couldn’t quite make it into the Top 10.
10 Resident Evil
The Terrifying Game That Popularized The Modern Survival Horror Genre
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Horror games existed way before the release of the original Resident Evil. Even Capcom had previously dipped its toes into the genre with Sweet Home in 1989, and Infogrames changed everything with 1992's Alone in the Dark. Nevertheless, nobody can deny that Resident Evil single-handedly popularized the survival horror genre and introduced a groundbreaking formula that changed gaming forever.
Everything about Resident Evil works brilliantly in favor of its intense and thrilling horror gameplay, from its fixed camera angles and tank controls to its engaging resource management and over-the-top boss fights. While some of its sequels arguably feel more polished, the first game in this iconic series still has a unique atmosphere and story that has only been successfully replicated once: in its 2002 Nintendo GameCube remake.
9 Doom 2: Hell On Earth
The Perfect Sequel To The Most Influential FPS Ever Made
Doom 2
- Released
- October 10, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
In 1993, id Software introduced the world to Doom, which not only popularized the first-person shooter genre but also proved that personal computers could be easily used for gaming. To no one’s surprise, this is considered one of the best and most influential video games ever made, but its 1994 sequel, Doom 2: Hell on Earth, is superior in almost every single way.
Doom 2 possesses all the positive qualities of its predecessor, like its unique premise, its flawless shooting mechanics, and its impressive (for the time) graphics, but improves on them with more enemies, bosses, weapons, levels, and a lot more new content in general, not to mention that it got even bigger thanks to the numerous expansions and unofficial mods that it received in subsequent years. Doom may have introduced the FPS formula, but Doom 2 perfected it.
8 Super Mario 64
Nintendo’s Platformer Changed The Way Movement In 3D Games Is Designed
Super Mario 64
- Released
- September 26, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- 3D Platformer
A list of video game masterpieces released during the 90s can't be complete without Super Mario 64. This is the game that pretty much established how movement in 3D video games should be designed from that point onward. Super Mario 64 was a launch title for the Nintendo 64, which boasted a controller with an analog stick that allowed players to move Mario in any direction.
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Of course, Super Mario 64 wouldn’t be fondly remembered today if revolutionary mechanics were all it had going for it. The levels are large and creative, the music is absolutely beautiful, and it’s brimming with collectibles in every corner that are extremely fun to search for and find. This is such an incredible game that it eventually served as a major source of inspiration, not only to all future 3D titles in the Mario series, but to pretty much every other 3D platformer that came after.
7 Banjo-Kazooie
Perfected The 3D Collect-A-Thon Formula
Banjo-Kazooie
- Released
- June 28, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Rare
- Genre(s)
- 3D Platformer
The success of Super Mario 64 led to the creation of multiple high-quality 3D platformers throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, but Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie is arguably the only one that both replicated and improved upon its groundbreaking formula, resulting in one of the best 3D Collect-A-Thon platformers ever made.
This game is quite similar to Super Mario 64 in many respects, but it differs via even bigger levels — offering a lot more stuff to collect in them — and clever and more complex gameplay mechanics. On top of all that, Banjo-Kazooie is also brimming with personality (thanks to its hilarious comedic writing) and has an unforgettable soundtrack from legendary game composer Grant Kirkhope.
6 Super Metroid
The Game That Turned Metroid Into A Household Name
Super Metroid
- Released
- April 18, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Metroidvania
While the 90s were defined by the rise of 3D gaming, many high-quality 2D video games were also released during this decade. Without a doubt, Super Metroid is one of the most important and impressive examples. With its incredible soundtrack, beautiful sprite work, and immersive atmosphere, this title pushed the SNES to its limits and became one of the console's most critically acclaimed exclusives.
That’s not all. Super Metroid is now deemed revolutionary thanks to its extremely engaging gameplay that encourages exploration, and it’s full of intense encounters against powerful enemies, like Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain. The Metroid series was popular before the release of Super Metroid, but this is the game that both turned it into a gaming icon and partially inspired the creation of the modern "Metroidvania” subgenre.
5 Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
Konami Turned Castlevania Into An Ambitious 2D Action RPG
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Released
- October 2, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania, Action RPG
Needless to say, the other half of the “Metroidvania” name comes from 1997’s Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the game that changed the Castlevania series (and gaming as a whole) forever. Previous games in the series were simple, linear 2D sidescrollers, but Symphony of the Night took a page out of Super Metroid’s book and boasted a huge, interconnected map full of interesting locations to explore and useful items to find and collect.
However, what sets this game apart from its contemporaries is its flawless RPG mechanics. Alucard has various stats and can even level up, which adds even more depth to the gameplay. Of course, Symphony of the Night is also considered a cult classic due to its somber atmosphere, excellent music, and cinematic voiced cutscenes, which may feel a bit cheesy today but remain oddly charming. The fact that, despite receiving multiple sequels, many gamers still choose to replay Symphony of the Night regularly is a testament to its high quality and its nearly endless replayability.
4 Chrono Trigger
The Absolute Best 2D JRPG Square Made During The Decade
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The turn-based RPG really thrived during the 90s, with Squaresoft pretty much dominating the genre with multiple innovative SNES exclusives like Final Fantasy 6 or Secret of Mana. Nevertheless, the single most impressive and ambitious 2D RPG that the developer put out during this decade was Chrono Trigger. For starters, this game boasts excellent character designs by Akira Toriyama, highly detailed sprites, and a delightful 16-bit soundtrack, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg of reasons it is still so beloved to this day.
Chrono Trigger presents an inventive and captivating time travel story that not only felt very ambitious for its time, but also allowed the developers to create all sorts of unique characters, many of whom become party members. On top of all that, its Active Time Battle system helps the turn-based combat feel less tedious and more accessible than in other Squaresoft games, which made Chrono Trigger resonate with an even broader audience as a result.
3 Final Fantasy 7
The Best (And Most Influential) 3D JRPG Square Made During The Decade
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
With the arrival of 3D gaming, Squaresoft didn’t hesitate to adapt its classic turn-based RPGs into the third dimension. The studio's very first attempt, Final Fantasy 7, was so incredibly good that it single-handedly changed the genre forever. Like most innovative games, this title has been surpassed by many of its sequels and successors, and yet there’s something unique and special about it that has never been properly replicated.
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The lengthy story is emotional and endlessly fascinating (especially the intense rivalry between Cloud and Sephiroth), the graphics, while severely outdated now, are still colorful and charming, the soundtrack features some of the most outstanding work in Nobuo Uematsu’s career, and even the turn-based combat is surprisingly engaging and customizable thanks to the implementation of the Materia system. Needless to say, Final Fantasy 7 is one of those JRPGs that any fan of the genre has to try at some point in their lives.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
Often Considered The Best Video Game Ever Made, And For Good Reason
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Released
- November 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
Nintendo repeatedly innovated the gaming landscape throughout the 90s, but it finally reached the peak of its success in 1998, when it launched The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64. While the Legend of Zelda franchise was always synonymous with high-quality action-adventure games, its first foray into the world of 3D gaming took it to a whole new level, leaving a huge impact on the gaming industry.
Truth be told, Ocarina of Time is nearly perfect in almost every conceivable way: it tells a cinematic and epic story with high stakes, its open-world is huge, it's full of memorable characters and locations, its Z-targeting mechanic allows for precise and satisfying sword combat (and directly inspired the combat systems in many subsequent action games), and every single one of its dungeons are brilliantly designed, with the Water Temple (arguably) being the only exception. Ocarina of Time definitely deserves all of its praise and accolades, because modern 3D action-adventure titles just wouldn’t be the same without it.
1 Metal Gear Solid
Hideo Kojima’s Cinematic Masterpiece Is A True Work Of Art
Metal Gear Solid
- Released
- October 20, 1998
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
- Genre(s)
- Stealth
1998 was a truly incredible year for this medium. Two of the best gaming masterpieces were released, and both of them were exclusive to a specific console. While N64 users were enjoying Ocarina of Time, PS1 users were delighted by Hideo Kojima’s game-changing foray into the world of 3D graphics: the original Metal Gear Solid. While this wasn’t the first Metal Gear game, it sure felt like it, as it single-handedly put this brilliant series (and its director) on the map.
Metal Gear Solid ended the debate on whether video games could be art on the same level as movies. It tells a cinematic and complex story full of voiced dialogue and impressive cutscenes, and yet it never brings down its engaging and precise stealth-focused gameplay. At the end of the day, however, the thing that turned this game into an iconic masterpiece is its collection of bizarre but clever moments that only Kojima could come up with, like the call with Meryl that requires the player to check the back of the game box or the mind-blowing, fourth wall-breaking boss fight against Psycho Mantis.
Honorable Mentions:
- Super Mario World
- Super Mario Kart
- Mario Kart 64
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- Kirby Super Star
- Donkey Kong Country
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Crash Bandicoot: Warped
- Spyro the Dragon
- Super Castlevania 4
- Mega Man X
- Final Fantasy 6
- Final Fantasy 8
- The Legend of Dragoon
- Half-Life
- Street Fighter 2
- Tomb Raider
- GoldenEye 007
- Perfect Dark
- Diablo
- StarCraft
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