Based on previous advice, I'm going to split the 90's up. I'll do a list on console games and arcade games at some point. But I wanted to start with computer games because in my mind the 90's was the height of the computer game evolution.
At that time, PC's were more powerful, flexible and better performers then the Consoles in my opinion. Because of that you not only got incredibly good looking games at the time, but they were huge and always seemed deeper to me.
Now the one thing that's dificult is that there were a lot of series, so I'm going to combine series together.
This list is mostly my opinion and based around what I played. I'm also going to expand it because there were a lot of great games.
10) Wing Commander Series (1,2,3,4, Prophecy)
You can almost track the evolution of gaming with this series of games, and the key thing that carried it was that it always seemed to need on the edge high end PC's. On a personal side I loved this series of games because the story was so incredibly as you fought the brutal Kilrathi in a 30 year war.
Wing Commander 1 was an amazing game at the time, while the graphics were really good, what put it over the top was not only the story and character and that you could lose your wingmen, but that the flight engine didn't allow you to just turn and shoot, you had to use flight maneuvers that were covered in its amazing manual and become a pretty competent pilot. Plus I loved the cinematic of you running to your ship and strapping in, they improved it in the second game by having a launch officer pointing to the space lock.
Wing Commander 2 upped the ante on the story line as they made it a movie experience, and while the flight model wasn't as good there was something about sitting in a Broad Sword heavy bomber and using its turrets.
Wing Commander 3 and 4 really upped the ante going to a fmv story telling system and they bought in amazing talents like Mark Hamel, Malcolm McDowell and Tom Wilson. Wing Commander 4 featured an amazing story with a wicked twist in the end.
Prophecy was a unfinished technological marvel that takes place after the war. It was a game that could have been but was rushed, but it was still way ahead of the other games of the time and featured a strong flight and graphics engine.
9) The Star Wars fighter series (X-Wing, Tie fighter, X-Wing Alliance) - What better way to play in the Star Wars universe then to jump into a fighter and become the hero or the villain.
All the games featured good story lines and better flight models. Tie Fighter was probably the best of the lot as you basically flew for the evil Empire, and there was something about flying in a Tie Fighter that would be destroyed in one shot. X-Wing Alliance had an incredible flight model, and if you beat the game you got to boot Lando out of the Falcon and try to destroy the Death Star 2
8) Command and Conquer (Command & Conquer, Tiberium Sun. Red Alert) - Very cool RTS games that had one common thread between the two series and that was the villain. It was one of the first build your armies and crush your enemies. the C+C series was more serious while the Red Alert Series had a lot more comedy, but I think was an overall better game. These games would proceed into the 2000's but the original games of each series still stand out.
7) Civilization 2 - One of a lot of gather resources and take over the world, but this game was special because you got to fight other civilizations lead by historical figures all with unique personalities. Civ 2 was mind blowingly deep as you had to balance resources and building with defending and attacking. You really couldn't zerg rush the world. This game also stands out because a player took this game years into the future and found out that the world was doomed.
6) Doom - Surprise, this was a 90's game. But its a piece of gaming history as its the most significant fps ever made. With a creepy atmosphere and even creepier and fairly smart enemies it was tough to beat this game. It was smartly built for atmosphere and I dare you not to jump out of your seat when a demon jumps you and roars through your speakers.
5) Star Wars Dark Forces Series (1, 2 and mysteries of the Sith) - While Doom was one of the first amazing FPS, Dark Forces evolved it, with a story that you couldn't resist. From fighting off the empire in the first series, to finding out that you were force enabled in the second game and being able to use a light saber and force powers, you could also decide if you were a good or bad guy. This game improved on Doom by allowing you to crouch and aim with your mouse.
4) Star Craft - Like C+C this game was an important RTS, but it stood out for the ability to have multiple factions on the same battlefield at the same time, which completely changed how you played the game. Storywise it was incredibly deep and inspired a whole line of novels.
3) Duke Nuken 3d - One of the most addictive games ever made, and one of the first to blur the line in terms of adult content (Even though the boobs were pixelated. This game was flat out fun to play and ridiculous, and if I ask a lot of you will remember hauling your computers to a friends house for an afternoon of beer and networked duke multiplayer
2) X-Com UFO defense - While it wasn't RT but turned based, this was an amazingly deep title with a cool story that forced you to micro manage the defense of the earth from an alien threat. If you didn't do well, countries surrendered and collaberated with the aliens. The Combat was fun, and it made you feel the pain of loss when one of your team members who you developed is killed off. I spent a lot of time swearing at my screen when Sgt Clark Griswald had alien eggs planted in his chest and we had to kill him when he turned on us.
1) Age of Empires II - The 90's were full of RTS games, but age of Empires was one of the best, it was the total package of technology and concept as you were placed in medieval Europe and actually ended up fighting a lot of historical battles. The voice over work was a standout as well.
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God I wish someone would remake the x-wing and tie fighter games. I loved them so much.
The problem is if they remade them now, it would be about 6 campaign missions long, with a heavy focus on multiplayer, and loot boxes to get permanent upgrades to your shield/laser/ion cannon.
Counter-strike was developed in 99, with public beta releases that year, so I’m counting it.
I think Wolfenstein and Hunt for Red October were some of the first games to allow players to connect with old modems. It was really pretty cool at the time to play against a friend at the same time.
the list ends and begins with rogue spear for me. i burned so many hours of my life on it, and was ridiculously competitive. was #1 ranked on gamespy/mplayer for almost a year.
oh the bad old days of my life lol.
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This list does not feature Fallout, any of the Baldur's Gate games, and most egregiously, no Planescape:Torment (the best PC RPG ever and arguably the best RPG period).
This list is therefore wrong.
EDIT: Also, I feel less strongly about FPS, but it seems to me a no brainer that Quake 2 and Unreal Tournament should take the spots held by Doom and Duke Nukem. Doom is an important landmark game and DN3D is a novelty, but nostalgia aside, they can't hold a candle to their successors. Those are just better games.
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Last edited by CorsiHockeyLeague; 03-04-2018 at 12:46 PM.
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Red Alert 2 and Starcraft makes this list but not the OG RTSs that started it all? Dune 2, Warcraft 1 & 2,and C&C belong on their before those two, I would also put Total Annihilation before Red Alert 2.
Best Computer Games of the 90's
