10 Forgotten Gaming Masterpieces From the ’90s That Aged Perfectly

Video gaming really hit its stride in the 1990s. Games started the decade with basic graphics and sounds, but by 1999, they had become much more sophisticated. Many games from that era, like Final Fantasy VII and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, are still beloved classics today.

While many classic games are still celebrated, others have been sadly forgotten. There are some truly brilliant games from the 1990s that deserve a second look today, like Myst and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. They shouldn’t be lost to time.

Lemmings Should Be a Classic Puzzle Game

Released in 1991, Lemmings is a puzzle game where players lead groups of lemmings to safety by giving them different tasks. It was very well-received when it first came out, but its popularity decreased towards the end of the 1990s and it’s now largely forgotten.

There’s debate over why Lemmings isn’t as popular today – some think its slow gameplay was a mistake, while others believe Sony didn’t support the game well enough. Regardless, Lemmings hasn’t become a classic like Tetris and Dr. Mario, but it still deserves recognition as a significant game.

Full Tilt! Pinball Is Pure Pinball Goodness

Released in 1993, Full Tilt! Pinball is a video game with three unique pinball tables – Space Cadet, Skulduggery, and Dragon’s Keep. The gameplay is similar to traditional pinball: players try to achieve the highest possible score.

While Space Cadet is the most popular table – largely because it was included with many versions of Windows in the 1990s, especially Windows XP – the entire Full Tilt! Pinball game is worth playing again. Skulduggery and Dragon’s Keep actually have more complex gameplay and features than Space Cadet in several important areas.

Myst Played An Important Role In Gaming History

Myst is a puzzle-filled adventure game where you explore the strange and deserted island of Myst, found within the pages of a magical book. You’ll need to solve puzzles and uncover clues about the people who used to live there to understand the island’s secrets.

Compared to today’s games, Myst feels very much like a game from its time, which is probably why it’s not talked about much anymore. However, it’s still worth playing because of its immersive and beautifully designed world. It was also remarkably ambitious in how it told its story and how you played the game, and it deserves recognition for that.

Postal Is Overshadowed By Its Sequels

Released in 1997, Postal is a shooter viewed from above where you play as a character called the Postal Dude. The game involves a spree of violence, and players are asked to eliminate everyone on screen – even children. The Dude’s motivations for this rampage are never really explained.

Comparing the original Postal to its better-known and more comedic sequels isn’t a fair comparison. The first game lacks the humor of its follow-ups and takes itself much more seriously. This seriousness actually makes Postal surprisingly interesting and worth playing.

Zool Is Too Cool to Be Remembered

Released in 1992, Zool is a platforming game where you play as Zool, an alien ninja who comes to Earth to become a fully-fledged ninja. The game has a fun, candy-filled atmosphere thanks to a collaboration with Chupa Chups, featuring bright, colorful levels themed around sweets.

Despite its quick action and fun fighting, Zool isn’t as well-remembered as other platforming games from that time. It offered a lot, but has unfortunately been mostly forgotten.

Day of the Tentacle Is One of the Funniest Games of the ’90s

Day of the Tentacle is the follow-up to Maniac Mansion, and it once again features Bernard Bernoulli alongside new characters Hoagie and Laverne. The three friends team up to prevent a sinister purple tentacle from conquering the world. Like other adventure games from LucasArts, Day of the Tentacle is known for its humor and bizarre situations.

Day of the Tentacle is full of clever historical references and challenging puzzles. However, because it’s a sequel to the lesser-known adventure game Maniac Mansion, it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves alongside other popular LucasArts titles.

Nights Into Dreams Shouldn’t Be Forgotten

Released in 1996, NiGHTS into Dreams is an action game created by Sonic Team, and it’s one of the few games they’ve made that isn’t part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. In this game, you play as NiGHTS, a magical jester whose job is to prevent bad dreams from happening to children.

Because it came out on the often-overlooked Sega Saturn and wasn’t a traditional Sonic game, NiGHTS into Dreams has unfortunately faded from many people’s memories. This is a shame, as it’s a genuinely fun game, especially when you’re gliding through its imaginative levels – and even more so when using the Saturn’s unique 3D controller.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Is Extinct From Public Imagination

Released in 1997, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a fast-paced, first-person shooter where players take on the role of Turok, a time-traveling Native American warrior. He journeys mostly to the dinosaur era to prevent a worldwide disaster. The game was highly influential in the first-person shooter genre, especially in its unique way of displaying information to players.

The game’s impact is particularly noticeable in its heads-up display, which shows health and ammunition together, and in how weapons appear from the player’s point of view. Many subsequent shooters, like Half-Life, clearly borrowed ideas from Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, and its contributions shouldn’t be overlooked.

System Shock Is Incredibly Influential

Set in 2072, System Shock puts you in the role of a player trying to break into the headquarters of a dangerous corporation secretly plotting to take over the world. The game is incredibly important, not only for first-person shooters, but for the history of video games in general.

What made the original System Shock so special was its mature and realistic atmosphere, which was very different from most games at the time. Many newer games, like Dead Space, have clearly been influenced by it, so it’s surprising it doesn’t get more attention now.

Cannon Fodder Was Overlooked Outside of Europe

Released in 1993 for the Amiga, Cannon Fodder is a fast-paced action game where you lead a squad of soldiers through a war-torn, fictional South American country. You’ll battle enemies and avoid dangers while under the rule of the evil dictator, El Presidente.

The game Cannon Fodder’s cynical and dark humor might explain why it’s not as well-known outside of Europe, where it was first created. This is unfortunate, because its message about the futility of war is still relevant today. If Cannon Fodder came out now, it would probably get much more recognition and be considered a strong statement against war.

2025-12-14 07:12