20 video games that were all the rage in the ‘90s

Mario and Luigi have proved that no matter what game they’re in, it’s going to be fun. Super Mario World is one of the most popular Nintendo games, and it stayed popular throughout the entire ‘90s decade. 

Those funny little plumbers are an endless source of fun, especially when they’re racing their friends. Super Mario Kart started one of the best racing franchises in video game history. Everyone who played this in the ‘90s still can name their favorite track from the game. 

The Legend of Zelda is a classic RPG that follows Link and Zelda as they embark on a journey to save their world. The game was such a hit throughout the ‘90s that it continued racking up spin-offs and is still sold today. 

John Madden Football is one of the longest-running video games in history. Its staying power is nearly unmatched as generations continually discover the fun of playing football with their favorite real-life players on a game console. 

Resident Evil was so successful in the late ‘90s that it became one of the first video games to be adapted to film. For many, Resident Evil is still the best horror video game, and it’ll always have a special place in zombie lovers’ hearts. 

At the end of the millennium, RollerCoaster Tycoon was released and instantly successful. That same year, an expansion pack was released for the game, so players could have even more crazy roller coasters. It was a great game idea that proved to be even better in real life. 

Mortal Kombat was one of those video games that parents worried would have a negative effect on their children due to graphic violence. Despite the parental disapproval, the game was incredibly successful in the ‘90s, as were its successive releases, and the franchise is still super popular today. 

In the ‘90s (and before), Nintendo was obsessed with giving all of its favorite characters their own games. In addition to Donkey Kong Country (many people's favorite), there were games for Luigi, Wario, Yoshi, and, of course, Mario. Donkey Kong Country was especially exciting as it was a reboot of the Donkey Kong series that had previously gone on hiatus. 

Crash Bandicoot followed a shirtless bandicoot as he explored the Wumpa Islands, trying to evade Doctor Neo Cortex. He ascended levels and collected fruit along the way. Did anyone else’s game glitch when the fruit count reached 99?

Putt-Putt was one of the best games for little video gamers. No, the game had nothing to do with golf. It was all about the character Putt-Putt, a small purple car that traveled around. In later games, he did things like save a zoo and go to the moon. 

Sonic the Hedgehog took the gaming world by storm in 1991. That little blue dude ran his way into homes across the world and got players to help him save animals from becoming robots at the hands of Doctor Robotnik. 

Kirby was another Nintendo character who got his own game series in the ‘90s, but he’s too special to be lumped in with the others. Kirby’s Dream Land introduced players to Kirby and kicked off his video game series. Suddenly, players felt like every character should be able to inhale enemies while fighting. 

In the real world, we would be told to steer clear of tomb raiders. But in the ‘90s, people were lining up at the store to buy Tomb Raider and play as Lara Croft as she searched tombs for hidden treasures in different parts of the world, including Atlantis. 

The video game Alone in the Dark is much preferable to actually being alone in the dark. The game was wildly popular in the ‘90s, and players had to escape a haunted Louisiana mansion. It has been popular for decades now, and a reimagining of the original was released in March 2024. 

Killer Instinct is another game that started as an arcade game and transitioned into an at-home game on various consoles. Similar to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, players got to fight opponents to the death and said players absolutely loved it.

Speaking of Street Fighter, this video game was first released in the late ‘80s, and its first few sequels came out in the ‘90s, making it a wildly successful franchise throughout the decade. Street Fighter II was so influential that it made its way into the music of rappers like Nicki Minaj and Lupe Fiasco. 

At the intersection of gamers and sports lovers will always be a sports video game. NHL Hockey was super popular in the ‘90s, with NHL ‘94 having particular success. It’s pretty obvious what this game series is about, and it’s still releasing new versions to this day. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time also started as an arcade game and eventually made its way to Nintendo. Players choose one of the four turtles and battle against classic TMNT enemies like Metalhead and Shredder. 

In the early ‘90s, Tecmo Super Bowl took cues from John Madden Football and gave gamers another option for a football video game. It was incredibly expensive and wasn’t sold for too long, but it had ardent fans while it was available. 

Diablo first came to audiences in the late ‘90s, and players became obsessed with defeating the eponymous character. Some critics have gone so far as to call Diablo one of the best video games of all time.