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20 of the Most Popular Video Games from the 1990s

Gaming Nostalgia June 10, 2025

Last Updated on June 10, 2025 by Patrick Nichols

These vintage video games from the 1990s defined the new era of gaming. The digital age was relatively new, and people were flooding stores to get their hands on the latest games. Timeless classics like The Legend of Zelda or Doom still come up in conversation today. We hope you’re ready to travel back to see the greatest games of the 1990s, because that’s what we have for you. Here are 20 vintage games from the ’90s.

1. Super Mario World

A pixelated video game map with green hills, forests, bridges, ladders, caves, and a central area surrounded by water and rocky terrain, resembling a classic Super Mario World overworld map.
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2. Golden Eye 007

Action-packed "GoldenEye" movie poster featuring James Bond aiming a gun, flanked by two women, with explosions, jets, a car chase, and a 007 logo in the background.
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3. Doom 64

A promotional poster for "DOOM 64" features the game’s logo, a brief description, and in-game screenshots, set against an orange rocky landscape with a blue sky. The Nintendo Power logo appears in the bottom left corner.
comedianregular8469

4. Street Fighter II

Colorful cover art for "Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers," featuring the game's logo and several iconic characters, including Ryu, Chun-Li, and others, posed together in combat-ready stances.
asad_farooqui

5. The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Cover art for "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening" featuring a cartoon-style Link holding a sword and shield in a vibrant, colorful landscape with a mountain and giant egg in the background.
cabestho

6. Sonic The Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog, a blue, spiky-haired character, runs toward the viewer in a lush, green landscape with ruins. The "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" logo appears at the bottom of the image.
hashbrowntheperson

7. Donkey Kong Country

Cover art for Donkey Kong Country on Super Nintendo, showing Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and animal friends in a jungle. Text reads, "An Incredible 3-D Adventure in The Kingdom of Kong!" and "Only for Nintendo.
hard2dac0re

8. Metal Gear Solid

Stylized illustration of a serious-looking man with messy hair and intense features, highlighted with red and gray brush strokes. Above him, bold red text reads "METAL GEAR SOLID: Tactical Espionage Action.
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9. Fallout

A video game character stats screen showing attributes, skills, perks, and karma for a female character named Julie, age 25. Attributes, health, skills percentages, and a Strength description are visible on the display.
xuwoid

10. Quake

A dark, textured background featuring the word "QUAKE" at the top and a large, rusted metallic logo resembling a circle with a vertical spike in the center.
salem1690s

11. Crash Bandicoot

Cover art for the PlayStation game "Crash Bandicoot," featuring an orange cartoon bandicoot running through a jungle, with the game's title above him. PlayStation and rating logos are shown along the edges.
saddoughnut264

12. StarCraft

Three armored StarCraft characters—a Terran marine with a gun, a glowing blue Protoss warrior, and a Zerg figure with claws—stand ready for battle in a futuristic, war-torn setting. The StarCraft logo appears below.
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13. Half-Life

A man in futuristic armor holding a shotgun stands in front of an orange background with a large Lambda symbol. The man has glasses, a goatee, and is wearing a suit with an orange logo on the chest.
turbostrider27

14. Final Fantasy VI

A stylized cover for Final Fantasy VI showing a white-haired character in red armor riding a black mechanized creature above a detailed, industrial cityscape with a floating airship. The game title is at the top.
fantasyful2

15. Mario Kart 64

Cover art for Mario Kart 64 featuring Mario racing in a go-kart, with Wario, Donkey Kong, Peach, Bowser, and other characters behind him. Nintendo 64 branding and game info are visible on the right.
patricknails

16. Pokémon Gold and Silver

Split image of Pokémon game covers: left shows Ho-Oh on the Gold Version with a gold background; right shows Lugia on the Silver Version with a silver background. Both covers feature the Pokémon logo and "Gotta catch ’em all!" slogan.
futureguardian

17. Lemmings

Cover art for the Super Nintendo game "Lemmings" featuring cartoon green-haired creatures in blue outfits, with one large lemming in the foreground and several smaller ones in the background.
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18. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge

A pirate with a skeletal face and tattered hat stands on a ship, holding a small monkey. Behind him, two men look surprised. The title reads "LeChuck's Revenge: Monkey Island 2" by Ron Gilbert.
deviantart

19. Resident Evil

Two armed characters in tactical uniforms stand ready inside a grand, dark mansion. The text "Resident Evil" is displayed across the image, referencing the popular survival horror video game series.
thelostquest

20. Mortal Kombat

A group of Mortal Kombat characters, including Raiden, Scorpion, and others, stand in dynamic poses on a fiery, red background with the Mortal Kombat logo in the top left corner.
goodfon

Want to see more 1990s content?

Check out 40 Vintage Photos of the Early 1990s, or take a look at 20 Things Only 1990s and 2000s Kids Will Understand. Finally, if you want to check out the bikes of the ’90s, take a look at 15 Legendary Motorcycles That Made People Dream of the Open Road (1990s).

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