10 Best Video Games Ever Made (1990 – 2000)

While the best video games ever made from 1980 to 1990 were influential, known as the “golden age of arcades,” as well as when home video gaming emerged, the 1990 to 2000 period saw the transition from 2D to 3D graphics. Moreover, new consoles populated the market, including PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64. PC gaming, meanwhile, was making serious strides as well, launching some industry greats like Doom and Quake. And then there was online gaming with friends, admittedly still in its infancy. 

It’s during the years 1990 to 2000 that gaming genres expanded to include fighting games, RPGs, survival horror, RTS, and, of course, platformers. And along with varied genres, also the launch of several franchises that are still iconic cult-classics today. Shall we see which of these rank among the best video games ever made from 1990 to 2000?

10. SimCity 2000 (1993)

The second time around, SimCity 2000 came back stronger. It has no solid story, really. Just build a city, that’s it. However you choose to go about building the roads, railways, power plants, prisons, hospitals, subways, and more facilities required to run a city is up to you.

You might think that, based on the release date, this game didn’t come out swinging. But its art style, features, the different designs and buildings, and level of fun were unmatched by most. You could even preselect built cities or scenarios and go wreak havoc, just to see what an unstable civilization might look like. 

9. Half-Life (1998)

As FPS go, Half-Life was among the best ones ever made in the ‘90s. Even though the protagonist scientist, Dr Gordon Freeman, never says a word, the world design and environments themselves are enough to relay the urgency and importance of the mission at hand.

A portal into an alien world drags you to face dangerous monsters and government forces in the name of saving humankind. Stunning visuals, creative levels, and a compelling story helped propel Half-Life to winning Game of the Year.

8. Wolfeinstein 3D (1992)

Another FPS to wow fans is Wolfenstein 3D, especially with its blend of action and horror. Highly regarded as one of the pioneers of FPS games, you enjoy a chilling atmosphere, trapped in a Nazi experimental facility. You’re forced to carve out an escape plan through anxiety-inducing mazes and surviving trigger-happy Nazis.

7. F-Zero (1990)

With the recent launch of F-Zero 99 on the Nintendo Switch 2, the original F-Zero is springing back to the minds of ‘90s gaming kids. It stood among the early racing games for its hot take on futuristic gameplay, featuring hovercars as your automobiles.

The graphics were impeccable, showcasing sci-fi features, but more so the high speeds the hovercars had. It indeed felt thrilling to race against pilots from across the galaxy, and to a bombastic soundtrack to boot.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1999)

Most known for introducing 3D graphics to the series, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remains regarded as one of the best Zelda games and best video games ever made from 1990 to 2000 overall.

But the story, too, does most of the heavy lifting, with lore adapted in future releases. That and time-travel added more engaging gameplay, in addition to the excellent enemy variety and smooth combat system.

5. Lemmings (1991)

Lemmings has an interesting gameplay concept of guiding helpless creatures called lemmings through obstacles and puzzles. They just keep walking forward until they hit a wall and make a turn.

It gets even cooler when you assign jobs to them like climbing, digging, and more. With over 100 levels, catchy music, and a time limit, you easily get lost in the moment, challenging yourself to guide every last lemming to safety.

4. Super Mario World (1990)

Super Mario as a franchise is already a big deal in the platforming gaming genre and beyond. But among them all, Super Mario World is regarded as one of the best video games ever made from 1990 to 2000.

The content here is simply huge, with even more characters, abilities, and secrets added to the franchise. Exploring Dinosaur Land is intuitive and smooth, with lots of replayability.

3. The Secret of Monkey Island (1990)

On the adventure gaming front, The Secret of Monkey Island stole gamers’ hearts. It doesn’t just tell an engrossing story about wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood but also adds neat puzzles. The way of the pirate isn’t always straightforward anyway. But at least you can rest assured of some genuinely funny jokes in this entry and a protagonist you can relate to.

It helps that exploring Monkey Island is a delight, with its beautiful and fantastical locations. And of course, the “insult sword fighting,” which had surprisingly nothing to do with combat or violence but wit and memory. 

2. Crystalis (1990)

Although after release, Crystalis didn’t instantly become a massive hit, it has, over the years, claimed the “cult-classic” title. The story itself grabs your attention, waking up from a cryogenic chamber 100 years after the end of the world. So now, you have to unlock weapons and armor and upgrade and master them to save the world.

So many interesting takes on a fantastical and magical story with rich lore. It’s also further strengthened by an intricate inventory system, great graphics at the time, and a complex and engaging swordplay RPG combat system.

1. Final Fantasy VI (1994)

Final Fantasy’s strength has always been its characters, their backgrounds, personalities, and depth. And their place in the rich settings of the franchise has evolved over the years. With Final Fantasy VI, you enjoy a melodramatic story featuring unique and compelling characters.

Their pixel art models may not blow your mind away. But their complex relationships more than make up for any faults in graphics. And the combat takes advantage of Final Fantasy V’s deeply customizable RPG system, giving you lots of versatile skills and equipment to rank this at the top of the best video games ever made from 1990 to 2000.