Summary
- The 1990s saw Capcom release several iconic games, including Mega Man 3, Street Fighter 2, and Resident Evil, which showcased the company's talent and diversity in the gaming industry.
- Mega Man 3 introduced new features like Rush, the robo-dog, and sliding abilities, making it a top entry in the classic Mega Man series.
- Street Fighter 2 revolutionized the fighting game genre and became the benchmark for future fighting games with its iconic characters and fast-paced gameplay.
The 1970s saw video games take over the arcades with Pong and Space Invaders. Then, the 1980s saw the birth of classic gaming icons like Pac-Man and Mario, who led the rise of Nintendo worldwide. But the 1990s were arguably more explosive for games. It saw multiple machines try to take Nintendo’s crown, with only Sega managing to take hold of it with the Genesis.
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At least until Sony’s PlayStation came along and turned things upside down with its affordable and groundbreaking 3D games. But they didn’t do it alone. Many game companies spurred this boom, and Capcom in particular was on fire throughout the decade, as these games show.
1 1990 – Mega Man 3
GameFAQs Score: 4.18/5 Stars
Mega Man 3
- Released
- September 28, 1990
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, PS1, Mobile
Usually, Mega Man 2 gets plaudits as the "best classic Mega Man game." However, many prefer Mega Man 3 and what it brought to the table. It built up the story as Mega Man’s mission to stop a fresh set of Robot Masters and the Doc Robots would get periodically interrupted by the mysterious "Break Man" (aka Proto Man). Players had to hone their jumping and shooting skills and beat the game to find out just why they kept appearing.
In turn, MM2’s plain Items were replaced with Mega’s pet robo-dog Rush, whose Rush Jet gave players a way out of tricky pitfalls and disappearing blocks with a flying platform. MM3 also let the Blue Bomber slide to make it through narrow passages to escape danger or get items, encouraging exploration. Whether one prefers it or its predecessor, MM3 is still a top entry in the classic series.
2 1991 – Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior
GameFAQs Score: 4.22/5 Stars
Street Fighter 2
It’s tempting to give the nod to more underrated games like Knights of the Round or Captain Commando. Especially as Capcom's biggest game of that year, Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior, was superseded by its remakes like Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo. But it was the game that essentially made the genre what it is today. Mortal Kombat, Tekken, King of Fighters, etc., have more SF2 in their DNA than Karate Champ or Barbarian.
Its original roster became some of the most iconic characters in video games too, with Chun-Li becoming especially popular as the First Lady of fighting games. The music was also brilliant, showcasing Yoko Shimomura’s talents well before her work with Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. It was the perfect package, albeit one Capcom would rework for years to come.
3 1992 – Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting
Metascore: 76
- Platforms: Arcade, SNES, Saturn, PS1, Evercade, CPS Changer
- Release: December 1992
- Genre: Fighting
Case in point: Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting (aka Street Fighter 2 Turbo). Coming out right at the tail end of the year, the game improved upon SF2’s first revision, Championship Edition. The characters could move faster and had new moves. For example, Chun-Li got her Kikōken fireball, and Dhalsim could teleport back and forth across the screen.
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As players got used to the speed, the game’s "Hyper Fighting" became the norm for the genre. But it took some time to get there. Capcom would surprisingly slow things back down for Super Street Fighter 2. Then they would make the speed (Normal or Turbo) an option for their subsequent fighters until later in the decade when they finally got the hint that players preferred hyper fighting to placid battling.
4 1993 – Breath Of Fire
Metascore: 79
- Platforms: SNES, Game Boy Advance
- Release: April 1993 (SNES), July 2001 (GBA)
- Genre: RPG
With Super Street Fighter 2 being slower, and fans getting a little tired of seeing the same old game over and over again, Capcom had some nice alternatives. There was the underrated brawler Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, and the wrestlefest Saturday Night Slam Masters. Even their Disney licenses bore fruit with their take on Disney’s Aladdin and Goof Troop.
But 1993 was also when Capcom gave RPGs a try with the first Breath of Fire, where Ryu, the sole survivor of the Light Dragon Clan, seeks to save his sister Sara from the Dark Dragon Clan. He joins forces with allies he meets on the way and can swap out in real-time, like the Windia Princess Nina, if the heat turns up in combat. With its stunning graphics and music, it showed Capcom could do RPGs just as well as Square or Enix.
5 1994 – Mega Man X
GameFAQs Score: 4.38/5 Stars
Mega Man X
1994 was a particularly busy year for the company. Darkstalkers made its debut alongside X-Men: Children of the Atom, the first of Capcom’s Marvel games. Breath of Fire 2 kept up the first game’s momentum, while Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo practically perfected SF2. But they didn’t change things as significantly as Mega Man X did from the classic series.
Instead of the happy-go-lucky look of the regular Mega Man series, MMX was moodier as its hero, X, hunts down Mavericks, robots that have gone rogue against humanity. The levels were more exploratory, as X could jump up walls to avoid pitfalls or find new items like Heart Tanks and Armor Pieces. It spiced up the classic formula enough to produce its own dynamic, more modern series for the time.
6 1995 – Marvel Super Heroes
GameFAQs Score: 4/5 Stars
Marvel Super Heroes
1995 was the year of fighting games for Capcom. By its end, it was possible to enter an arcade and see Cyberbots, Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, Street Fighter: The Movie, and Mega Man: The Power Battle cabinets standing by each other. But most attendees were likely spending their spare change on their top games, Street Fighter Alpha and Marvel Super Heroes.
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SFA1 finally saw Capcom move past SF2, but it was still slow and floaty compared to MSH. The game was much faster and flashier, featuring Marvel’s top heroes and villains, from Spider-Man to Dr. Doom, battling each other for the Infinity Gems. They could even use the gems in-game for power-ups and other effects. Most players prefer its tag and trio-based sequels today, but as a one-on-one fighter, it still holds up well in the 2020s.
7 1996 – Resident Evil
Metascore: 91
Resident Evil
- Released
- March 22, 1996
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
1996 showed more variety, as top fighters like Street Fighter Alpha 2 and X-Men Vs Street Fighter rivaled the gem-smashing tactics of Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo and the brawling flash of Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara. However, 1996 was also the year the PlayStation showed its dominance, aided in no small part by Capcom’s Resident Evil.
Though like SF2: TWW, the survival horror genre has evolved past RE1, which lives on more through its hilarious voice acting. But at the time, its gameplay was a new experience. They had to think more carefully about their movements, save their ammo and items for the right threats, and know when to fight off the zombies or flee. As tactical as it was, it offered new thrills that were only improved by its sequels and rivals like Konami's Silent Hill series.
8 1997 – Mega Man Legends
Metacritic User Score: 7.0
Mega Man Legends
If RE1 didn’t show a power shift to consoles, Capcom’s 1997 output would. Street Fighter 3: New Generation faltered next to the PS1’s Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha. Battle Circuit came and went, while Breath of Fire 3 arguably became the best entry in the series. Though not quite enough to get 1997's top spot, which only just goes to Mega Man Legends thanks to its December release in Japan.
The two got similar critical acclaim on release, though MML would become more divisive over time. On the one hand, its 3D controls haven’t aged too well. But on the other hand, the anime-inspired graphics have held up over time, and its open-world gameplay brought Kattelox Island to life. Its cast of characters became popular too, with antagonist Tron Bonne even managing to get her own game in The Misadventures of Tron Bonne.
9 1998 – Resident Evil 2
Metascore: 89
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 21, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Chances are that, if players weren’t spooked by RE1, they were by its sequel. Resident Evil 2 stepped things up by moving the action to Raccoon City itself. The bigger setting brought a bigger story, as rookie cop Leon and Claire, sister of RE1’s Chris, try to find a way out of the zombie-infested city alive. As they do, they get pulled further into the plot by the mysterious Ada Wong and corrupt police chief Brian Irons.
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That's without mentioning the more dangerous foes hiding in the shadows. If the Lickers didn’t get players, the stalking tyrant Mr. X would. The terror didn’t stop with the main game either, as "The 4th Survivor" gave fans a new campaign where players had to get HUNK to the escape helicopter before the time ran out, and without dying. Even with its remake, the original RE2 stands up well on its own today.
10 1999 – Street Fighter 3: Third Strike
Metascore: 86
Street Fighter 3: Third Strike
- Released
- June 8, 1999
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Arcade, Switch, PS4, PC, Xbox (Original)
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
The last year in the decade saw some big releases, with Resident Evil 3 continuing the terror from RE2, and Dino Crisis replacing the zombies with dinosaurs. Cult games like Giga Wing and Power Stone were also released and got some keen fans. Yet, after SF3: New Gen faltered in 1997, and SF3: Second Impact improved things a touch, Capcom's sequel series got it right the third time.
Street Fighter 3: Third Strike is considered one of the best fighting games ever made, if not THE best. Its smooth gameplay, quick parrying mechanics, and eclectic cast of characters made it a must-have for fighting game fans. It took a while to catch on, but its reputation grew thanks to tournaments, particularly Evo 2004's Moment #37. The game is still exciting players today, thanks to its upcoming return to the scene at Evo 2024.
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