6 Forgotten ’90s Games That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Video games changed dramatically in the 1990s with huge leaps in technology. Early games were short and pixelated, but by the end of the decade, they had become long, visually impressive experiences. A great example of this change is comparing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past from the beginning of the ’90s to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time released near the end.

Many great games came out of this period, but a lot of others were quickly forgotten. Even though games like ActRaiser and One Must Fall: 2097 still hold up well today, they’re often overlooked when people talk about popular games from the 1990s.

Myst Really Is a Beautiful Void

The game Myst begins with the player finding themselves inside a mysterious book. They arrive on an island that seems completely empty of people or animals, showing only signs of past inhabitants through its buildings and machines. As the game progresses, the player learns they aren’t alone, and two residents are searching for a missing page.

As a huge fan of both The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Myst, I always loved how Douglas Adams described Myst’s world. He called it a beautiful void, and that really stuck with me – it’s exactly how I feel when I play! It’s such a surprisingly peaceful game, too. You’re not really told what to do, you just wander around the island and all the incredible worlds inside it, and it’s just… relaxing.

Ultimately, Myst is still a game where you explore different books to find clues and locate the missing page. It offers a lot to do, with numerous puzzles and a vast world to discover. However, the game’s stunning visuals might be enough to keep players engaged for a long time.

The Lost Vikings Is a Neat Puzzle-Platformer

The game The Lost Vikings follows three Vikings – Erik the Swift, Baleong the Fierce, and Olaf the Stout – as they travel through time. They’ve been captured by aliens who want to exhibit historical figures like them in a galactic zoo, and the Vikings must find a way to escape and return home.

While many puzzle-platformers exist, this game offers a fresh take on the formula. Players control three different Vikings and can instantly switch between them. Each Viking has special skills – like speed or strength – that are essential for overcoming various challenges throughout the game.

When The Lost Vikings came out, it was available on nearly every gaming platform. Despite its release, the game hasn’t received much widespread attention until recently. Its fun and charming gameplay is something few other games have successfully copied since.

ActRaiser Is the God of All God Games

In ActRaiser, you play as a God who has lost most of his power after a battle with a powerful, Satan-like figure named Tanzra. To reclaim his strength and restore the world, this God – known as The Master outside of Japan – sends down heroes to help him.

This game expertly blends city-building with action RPG elements, offering a truly immersive experience. You’ll focus equally on developing your settlement and defending it from threats, balancing growth with combat to ensure your people thrive.

It’s surprisingly easy to get completely absorbed in building and protecting a civilization within the game, losing track of time as you pursue your goals. Over the past thirty years, few games have managed to capture the same level of detail and complexity.

One Must Fall: 2097 Is a Great Mech Fighting Game

Set in the year 2097, One Must Fall: 2097 takes place in a future where humanity has achieved a relative peace, settling conflicts through epic battles between giant robots called mechs. Players select one of five unique characters and pilot a mech, striving to defeat more skilled opponents and prove their worth.

Mechs, or Human Assisted Robots, aren’t directly piloted – they’re connected to their operators through a mental link, supported by physical connections. This creates surprisingly human-like fighting styles. Combined with unique mech attacks – like powerful scrap and destruction moves – it leads to incredibly exciting battles.

Originally envisioned for arcades, this game was ultimately released only on PC, potentially limiting its initial popularity. However, looking back, it’s clear how groundbreaking the game was, and its impact can still be seen in other fighting games like Tech Romancer.

Sanitarium Is Gaming’s Alice in Wonderland

After a car accident leaves Max in a deep coma, he finds himself in a bizarre and surreal sanitarium within his own mind. This strange place is populated by unusual characters, and Max must unravel the events leading up to the crash while also confronting painful memories of family tragedies.

This game is a horror adventure, but it’s more darkly humorous and melancholic than scary. Like many point-and-click adventures, it’s broken into chapters, each with a main objective for the player, Max, to complete. And, staying true to the genre, Max can die in many unexpected ways, so players need to be careful while exploring the strange world.

Sanitarium feels like a video game version of Alice in Wonderland, exploring the strange and unusual depths of the main character’s mind. However, unlike Alice’s journey, players can find themselves truly lost until the very end.

Cannon Fodder Is a Morbid Commentary on War

Cannon Fodder is a visually vibrant shooting game with a surprisingly serious storyline. It centers around El Presidente, a ruthless dictator from a made-up South American country, who threatens global stability. The player controls a nation that responds by invading his territory, deploying all available troops.

This game offers a commentary on the realities of war by highlighting both the ease with which lives are lost and the heavy emotional toll it takes on those who experience loss. The simple act of pressing a single button can eliminate entire groups of enemies, while the game visually represents fallen soldiers with crosses displayed before each mission, emphasizing the human cost of conflict.

The game didn’t gain much popularity outside of Europe for a long time, likely due to its dark and gloomy themes. However, its core message remains relevant even today.

2026-05-15 18:15