'90s Gaming as a '90s Kid

The '90s brought about a whole new era in video games. From the jump to 3D to the rise of couch multiplayer, it was a truly remarkable decade, especially if you were growing up right in the middle of it. Invisible Gamer's Austin Clark reminisces about growing up in the '90s with video games and why it was such a special time in the medium's history.

[Relientk77]

90's gaming was the best

PlayStation 1 and N64 FTW

[DarkOcelet]

JRPG games were plenty back then. Vagrant story, legend of Dragoon, Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, etc etc etc.

[TheFirstClassic]

Don't forget about platformers, Mario 64, Glover, Banjo, Conker, Crash, and Spyro to name some of the best.

[cd1]

Don't forget Secret of Mana!

[ThunderPulse]

Quest 64 don't forget that one.

[3-4-5]

NES + SNES + Sega Genesis + Sega Saturn + N64 + PS1 + Arcade games + Gameboy + Gameboy Color + Sega Game Gear + Sega Dreamcast = Tons of Awesome games

[rainslacker]

PC-Engine/Turbo Duo + Turbo Express never gets any love.:(

[Pogmathoin]

Back in England, it was Amiga or St..... Cannon Fodder...!

[rainslacker]

Those were the days when I just played games. Before I got wrapped up in all the politics and bickering. Even the playground(well...lunch table since I was in high school by then) were so much more fun versions of the console wars, because we'd bicker, act all superior, then go to each other's houses and play on the hated console and just have fun.

Thinking back, while I was on the playstation day one it released in Japan(import w/ Toshinden), I was actually mad at Sony because I was such a huge PC-Engine fan, and NEC decided to abandon it and not bring the PC-FX to the west. Funny the things I thought back then. Wonder what I'll think in another 25 years.

[ApolloTheBoss]

I grew up with the N64 with DK 64, Aerogauge, Pokemon Stadium 2, and Superman 64(Yes, superman. I actually thought this game was good as a kid. What was I smoking?) and Smash bros. I regret not getting a ps1 and it's plethora of jrpg's.

[DarkOcelet]

Well, when we were kids. Most games were amazing. Even the $hitty ones.

[Shnazzyone]

aerogague... shudder. I got that thinking it was n64's wipeout. How wrong i was.

[ApolloTheBoss]

Lol well it was alright in my book.

[jc12]

God did I have a blast with San Francisco Rush 64, Waverace 64, Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye etc...

[Paytaa]

Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Mortal Kombat, Hydro Thunder, Nights Into Dreams, Slave Zero, Crazy Taxi, Sonic Adventure, and Goldeneye 64 were the standout titles of the 90's for me.

Gaming back then was so different and I would kill to relive playing all those games for the first time again.

[StormLegend]

I remember playing Spyro The Dragon and staying up to 6AM with my brother.
Best gaming Gen ever!

Our dad made us go to bed lol

So many awesome memories

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Yup best era. With all the amazing 4 player multiplayer N64 games and great single player experiences!

had a PS1 as well but didn't had interest in many of the games we had other than Final Fantasy VII-IX. But I am using my PS Vita to play and get PS1 games now.

[ZeekQuattro]

The N64 is still my favorite system to date and it is also home to a game that basically got me into the Star Wars franchise and that's Shadows of the Empire. Playing that game and later the original Rogue Squadron made me fall in love with a franchise I didn't care for initially for whatever reason. I just remember getting a promotional VHS from Nintendo Power that showcased SOTE and other N64 releases and I knew I had to have it.

[ironcrow2386]

Back in 93 was my very first console with the master system, moving onto the megadrive then of course the ps1 come decade end..Nintendo can kiss my canoodle coz those 3 gave me the best years of my life 😃

[ZaWarudo]

I was playing SNES and Genesis during the late 90s and PS1/N64/Saturn during the early 2000s.

Got a PS2 on 2005...

My parents were cheap :|

[DivineAssault]

The best era of video games to me.. No DLC, season passes, or microtransactions. Just great and complete software.. The 90s rocked!!!

[Lennoxb63]

I wish people would stop saying that all DLC and season passes are bad. It all depends on the amount/quality of content and the dev.

[DivineAssault]

Your right! It used to be worth it and sometimes still is but you have to admit that its abused these days.. The witcher & bloodborne DLC was awesome and really expanded the game.. Others back in the beginning like red dead & gta 4 also had great DLC for $10 that added 15+hrs of story content.. Nintendo does a good job too..

However, most of the time its just a few maps/weapons for shooters that shouldve been in there from the start.. Even fighting games abuse the hell out of it.. Just have to be smart about it but a lot of people encourage devs to abuse it by buying crap tons of BS & microtransactions so its seen as a quick buck on the side for stuff thats all been planned out..

My point is FINISH making the game with as much content as possible, then add to it for players who want more.. Dont hold back really awesome stuff just to milk customers for it.. Gaming is an expensive habit i can afford, but i dont like being d*cked over with a bare game only to find out the cool stuff is DLC.. Games these days can hold MASSIVE amounts of content and they dont even use the blu rays to their potential.. Theres so much space left over its insane.. In the 90s, cartridges needed expanded chips and games had multiple discs because they were filled to the brim with content.. You got your money's worth when buying a game...

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Doom, Mortal Kombat, Castlevania series (NES), Super Mario Bros. 3, Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Wolfenstein 3D, Friday the 13th, Beavis and Butt-Head, Monster Party, Rise of the Triad, Quake, Street Fighter II, Snatcher, Resident Evil.. Just to name a few (I started with the NES and ended with the N64 / PS1 .. Didn't game much again after that until 2007 with the PS2 then 2008 when my life changed and I got a PS3)

[GriffinCorp]

Very True! 90's had it all.

[Bebob]

Great read! And indeed the 90s where good times. Nostalgia!

[BootHammer]

Great article! For those that gamed actively in the 90's, this will definitely hit home with them. How very much I miss the cartridges, box art, thick colorful manuals and of course couch co-op. Goldeneye pretty much started it all for the multiplayer FPS scene, as Mario 64 opened players up to the first truly immersive 3D gaming world which was one of the biggest game changers in history.

I'm with you in hopes VR and Hololens make that next true jump for gaming (as big as going from 2D to 3D) that give players an experience that they have only dreamed of. I'm very optimistic for what's to come in 2016 for gaming.

[beef3e]

Recently, I got to try Playstation VR at PSX and I'm even more hopeful than when I started writing this piece. I'm right with ya, very excited for 2016!

[rainslacker]

I wonder what the kids of today will think of gaming 20-30 years from now. Do you think they will have the same nostalgic feel for gaming that us 90's kids have for those that stuck to the hobby, or will they just be cynical and think that everything was bad?

[BootHammer]

Good question. I think the 90's was the golden age of gaming. Budgets weren't bloated, gamers weren't so sour and ready to complain about everything, arcades were still rocking, Sega vs Nintendo, all good stuff and fun times!

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

It was all about the arcades for me because I was (and still am) a huge SNK fan but NeoGeo was way too expensive back in the day. That being said Sega Genesis was a great substitution due to it introducing to great titles such as Ghouls and Ghosts, Mortal Kombat II, Splatterhouse III, the list goes on.....

Don't let me get started on Playstation.............

[Ninver]

Snowboard Kids 64 was the business!

[brando008]

The nostalgia is strong right now.... Born in '93 and I remember all of these gems