5 Video Games From The 1990s That Aged Flawlessly

Given how rapidly video game technology has advanced since the ’90s, many games from the era haven’t quite stood the test of time. To be less charitable, there are games from the ’90s that have aged terribly, either from poor control mechanics, dated technical presentation, or questionable subject matter. While it’s only natural that decades-old games won’t maintain the cultural relevance and perceptions of quality over time, there are titles that prove the exception to that rule. Even as gaming sensibilities and technical capabilities have evolved, there are a handful of games whose appeal remains eternal.

Whether it’s pixelated games that aged far better than their 3D counterparts or PC titles that have endured, there are ’90s games that are still well worth playing now. Fortunately, these titles are all available on modern platforms, ready for those who missed them the first time around. And for those revisiting these games, they’ll be surprised how well the appeal and the experience holds up. Here are five video games from the 1990s that have aged flawlessly — and are just as enjoyable now as they were 30 years ago.

When Mario made the jump to 16-bit gaming with 1990’s “Super Mario World,” it was a huge leap from his previous appearance in 1988’s “Super Mario Bros. 3.” The game has Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach vacationing in Dinosaur Land, only to find that Bowser and the Koopalings have set up base there. After Peach is kidnapped, the Mario Bros. are assisted by Yoshi, in his video game debut, in rescuing her. Players traverse Dinosaur Land, starting at Yoshi’s Island, as they defeat each of the Koopalings, save Yoshi’s friends, and face Bowser for a rematch at his castle.

“Super Mario World” became the best-selling game on the SNES for good reason: it’s arguably Mario’s best side-scrolling adventure. The gorgeous 16-bit redesign of Mario and his friends, along with the game’s level and sound design, were especially impressive for a launch title. The game offers plenty of depth, with many of its levels containing secret exits, including through the game’s system of shortcuts along Star Road. “Super Mario World” and its aesthetics set the template for “Super Mario Maker” and the franchise’s return to 2D gameplay, but the original 1990 game remains its high-water mark.

In between developing installments of its long-running “Final Fantasy” franchise, Square also created the stellar RPG “Chrono Trigger.” The 1995 game takes place in a fantasy world, with Crono and his friends discovering time portals allowing them to travel to the past and future. While exploring the distant future, Crono learns that a villain named Lavos is destined to cause the apocalypse. Determined to prevent their land from becoming devastated, Crono recruits a team of heroes from throughout the timeline to effectively alter future history.

One of the best games that Square ever made, “Chrono Trigger” is a ’90s RPG that aged surprisingly well. The game’s sprite-based character designs hold up better than the early polygonal art style Square employed for its later games, while the gameplay remains intuitive and accessible. Depending on player decisions, “Chrono Trigger” also featured an impressive number of endings, encouraging multiple playthroughs to see them all. An enduring RPG triumph, “Chrono Trigger” is Square’s ultimate ’90s masterpiece and set a bar for the genre that’s rarely been exceeded.

After Blizzard Entertainment popularized real-time strategy games with its fantasy series “Warcraft,” 1998’s “StarCraft” beautifully translated this experience to the science fiction genre. The story of “StarCraft” takes place in a distant future when humanity has begun to colonize the cosmos and encounters several hostile species. These include the ravenous Zerg and the psionically evolved Protoss, each with their own formidable technological innovations. The game’s story mode features campaigns for each of these factions as they fight for interstellar supremacy.

Blizzard has been very careful not to upset the “StarCraft” brand, with even its 2010 sequel not straying too far from the original’s presentation. That includes a 2017 remaster of the game that preserved the original gameplay and story content, while subtly improving its technical elements and online functionality. As popular as “StarCraft II” is, the original game has remained a consistent draw for fans, boasting a robust active player base. A cornerstone for real-time strategy titles and Blizzard’s library of properties, “StarCraft” is one of the best games the venerable studio has ever made.

Capcom’s iconic fighting game franchise “Street Fighter” not only dominated the industry for much of the ’90s but helped popularize the entire genre. The series’ last major entry of the decade was 1999’s “Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike,” the concluding installment of “Street Fighter III” trilogy. Continuing the story from previous “Street Fighter III” games, the characters participate in a global martial arts tournament before facing the villainous demigod Gill. Joining the fray this time are five additional characters, including Chun-Li, making her big return since “Street Fighter II” and “Street Fighter Alpha.”

At a time when so many gaming franchises were turning to 3D art styles, Capcom maintained sprite-based designs for the eclectic characters in “Street Fighter III.” Compared to “Street Fighter II” and preceding “Street Fighter III” titles, “3rd Strike” offers fast-paced gameplay with its parry system adding more strategy to each skirmish. Fighting mechanics aside, the game’s art design is absolutely breathtaking, from the individual character animations to its variety of levels, while the soundtrack is among its all-time greatest. A key turning point in the stunning transformation of “Street Fighter,” “3rd Strike” is still one of the best games in the series.

Microsoft’s “Age of Empires” launched to a solid reception with its debut title on PC in 1997, covering humanity’s prehistoric development into the Iron Age. The game’s 1999 sequel, “Age of Empires II,” took things to the next level, both in terms of gameplay and historical context. The real-time strategy game covers the Dark Ages to the early Renaissance period, with players controlling factions from historical civilizations of the era, like the Byzantines, Celts, and Japanese. Each civilization comes with its own unique units, while the campaign mode covers several historical figures from the period covered by the game, chronicling their exploits.

From refining its community-building mechanics to significantly expanding upon the game’s combat strategy, “Age of Empires II” remains the game against which all other titles in the franchise are judged. Recognizing its enduring appeal and player base, Microsoft has supported the game with additional content for decades, providing new factions and campaigns to the experience. Apart from an HD remaster in 2013, updating the game’s technical presentation and online multiplayer functionality, the original title remains largely intact. Like “StarCraft,” “Age of Empires II” has maintained a strong player base for years and remains just as immensely enjoyable years later.