Great 1990s Video Games That No One Remembers

The 1990s was an incredible time to grow up developing a lifelong passion for gaming. It was a decade forever marked by the release of some of the greatest games of all time, from Super Mario 64 to Metal Gear Solid and from Final Fantasy 7 to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. True 90s masterpieces. We continue to wax lyrical about these titles, and quite rightly so, but there were so many excellent games released over these years that have, tragically, been largely forgotten today.

From a great Batman title to the adventures of the wonderfully puerile Boogerman and a racer starring the Volkswagen Beetle, here are some great titles from the 1990s that many of us sadly missed out on.

10

Gargoyle’s Quest

Quite The Quest For The Humble Game Boy

Now, Nintendo’s original Game Boy isn’t exactly a technological powerhouse. Though its limitations in this area surely held back developers who worked on it, the system still packed a wide catalogue of excellent games at the end of its life cycle. It was a natural home for some great platformers, in particular, and Gargoyle’s Quest is just one example.

It may not look like much, but this Capcom title blends platforming action with RPG elements like skill upgrades, making for a deeper experience. The plot revolves around Firebrand, the titular gargoyle, who is on a quest to end the threat of the Destroyers. Where a lot of genre entries (especially at the time) never really evolved their characters’ abilities beyond running and jumping, Firebrand’s limited ability of flight and combat prowess mean that greater variety in environment design is possible, and there’s much more of an action focus too. An often-overlooked gem.

9

Chuck Rock

A Rock-Throwing Good Time

As already noted, the 1990s was a fantastic era for platformers. Some genre icons of the time, such as Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog, are still starring in great titles, while others, like former Sega superstar Alex Kidd, have been all but forgotten. Another example of the latter is Chuck Rock, whose prehistoric world is a joy to explore in his eponymous debut, which arrived in North America in 1992 for the SNES, Sega Genesis, and other systems.

In this action platformer, Chuck’s wife Ophelia has been kidnapped by a villainous rival, and he must work his way through some wonderfully cliched worlds (jungle, fire, and so on) to rescue her. There are lots of platformer conventions at play here, then, but Chuck Rock separates itself from them by making great use of its setting, wonderfully absurd animation style, and Chuck’s unique moveset. His signature attack is his belly bounce, which he can supplement by throwing rocks and larger boulders found in the environment. The latter can be used to attack enemies, reach higher spots, or provide stepping stones through otherwise hazardous terrain. Finding clever ways to reach secrets and generally traverse levels can be a lot of fun, and there’s a solid, enjoyable, and varied challenge to be had here.

8

Fantastic Dizzy

Egg-celent Platforming From Another Forgotten Genre Star

You may not remember Dizzy, the curious little egg mascot who debuted in 1987’s Dizzy: The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure. Created by the Oliver Twins, these platformers are known for their fun puzzling element, and Fantastic Dizzy was perhaps the best example of what the series was all about. “Our hero,” as the game’s intro proclaims, must leave the village of the Yolkfolk in pursuit of the nefarious wizard Zaks, collecting a great wealth of stars (250 in the Sega Genesis edition) to ultimately gain access to his lair. They’re found on different screens throughout the game, beginning in the village itself, before expanding into a surrounding forest, an obligatory minecart-riding area, underwater (complete with Super Mario-esque swimming mechanics) and more besides.

Without conventional level beginnings and endings, there’s a sense of freedom to Fantastic Dizzy. Though it’s not very long, it gives the feeling of an unbroken adventure across a large world as a result, something that some platformers struggle to convey. The controls are simple, but item collection lends some variety, and the wonderfully earwormy music complements the visuals nicely.

7

Gauntlet 4

An Evolution Of A Classic Hack And Slash

Gauntlet is one of gaming’s most iconic adventures. As with a title like Rogue, it’s a brilliantly simple and utterly engaging concept that has inspired countless games that came after it. You just choose your character and embark (alone or in a party) on a journey to cut your way through hordes of enemies, making your way through dungeons by clearing out foes and solving simple puzzles. First arriving in North American arcades in 1985, there have been several sequels and attempts to bring Gauntlet back to prominence, and perhaps the best of these was 1993’s Gauntlet 4.

A Sega Genesis exclusive, this title is a very substantial package for series fans, offering the chance to play against friends (in a Golden Axe-esque fashion) as well as alongside them. On top of that, there’s quest mode, which ties a narrative into the action more closely and tasks your hero (/band of heroes) with traveling to different regions to vanquish a series of dragons that seal away a special treasure. Controls and combat are accessible enough to be welcoming, but not so simple as to quickly become too shallow and repetitive, which is the perfect balance for an arcade action title like this. As is often the case with such games, it really shines in multiplayer, and minor additions like character progression lent an additional depth to the quest that would be expanded on further in later titles. An important moment in the series’ history that so many didn’t experience at the time.

6

Boogerman: A Pick And Flick Adventure

A Fascinating And Enjoyably Absurd Time Capsule

Gross-out humor and eye-catching animation is what a lot of 1990s animated entertainment was all about. Interplay Productions’ Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure, which hit the Sega Genesis in North America in 1994 and the SNES the following year, embraced those concepts vigorously. It’s an almost perfect title in that it knew exactly what it set out to be and to do, and had a lot of success achieving it.

Within the first few seconds of booting up the game, Boogerman has thrown a snotty projectile at the screen and climbed out of a toilet, which both perfectly sets the tone for what to expect throughout this adventure and explains why he hasn’t joined the ranks of beloved gaming mascots. The plot revolves around a device invented by Professor Stinkbaum, which can purportedly end humanity’s garbage problem by sending all that matter to a different dimension. Boogerman himself is transported by it, taking him on a gross journey from the Flatulent Swamps to the Mucous Mountains. You can think of them like Zones in Sonic titles, only with much more toilet humor. Boogerman travels through toilets like Mario travels through pipes, for instance, and can throw snot balls and flatulence of his own at enemies.

With his limited jetpack-style ability, our hero is very mobile, and the levels are full of toilet plungers and silly collectibles to hunt for. It could have just been a silly, throwaway affair with no substance, but there’s actually quite a solid and enjoyable platformer beneath that sticky facade.

5

Batman: Return of the Joker

A Triumph For The Caped Crusader

The Arkham games performed a huge public service, reassuring gamers around the world that licensed titles really could be solid adventures that do these beloved characters justice. Almost two decades before Batman: Arkham Asylum‘s release, though, 1991’s Batman: Return of the Joker first hit the NES. Sunsoft had given itself quite a challenge, delivering a satisfying encounter between these two comic book icons, but it really did an admirable job.

Presentation-wise, it was a stunning title for its time, and it’s arguable that there was never an NES game to match it in the graphics stakes. The music, too, is energetic and hum-worthy in that classic chiptune way. The story of a high-profile metal theft perpetrated by the Joker is a suitable backdrop for the stages, which range from a cathedral to a facility. Each, naturally, incorporates platforming sections and obstacles, like pesky conveyor belts and descending spike traps, and the NES version in particular has a real action platformer leaning because of Batman’s guns (a significant change from the hand-to-hand combat often associated with him in games). Ports and the Game Boy adaptation may not have hit the same heights, but this is a quality adventure in Batman’s back catalog that sometimes doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Even if it can veer more towards frustrating than challenging at times. There have also been some distinctly questionable Batman games, but even they had their redeeming qualities.

4

Wild Guns

An Arcade Shooter That’s A Real Blast Of Creativity

There have been some excellent western games, and some of them have added a touch of the supernatural or futuristic to proceedings. Shooter Wild Guns, which arrived in North America in 1995, certainly did just that. From the first stage in Carson City, the western-themed locales and enemies are joined by anachronisms like giant mech bosses and other heavily-armored threats. Fortunately, protagonist Clint or Annie (or both in multiplayer) can move freely along the 2D plane in the foreground, with dodge rolls and such maneuvers keeping the action relentless and engaging. A clever mechanic involving ‘deflecting’ enemy fire to fill up a power meter just makes play even more exciting, while lending a degree of strategy that prevents it becoming too samey.

The story of revenge against vicious bandits isn’t the most revolutionary, but nor did it need to be. Blasting your way across varied environments is a lot of fun, and there’s so much personality and detail in the animation and spritework. Though it has resurfaced in the years since release through Wild Guns Reloaded, it remains a title that lots have never played.

3

Alien Soldier

Treasure’s Gem That Was Only Available Digitally In North America

Gunstar Heroes is fondly remembered as one of the greatest run and gun shooters on Sega Genesis. In 1995, two years after its release, came another genre entry from Treasure that hit all the same high notes. Alien Soldier also boasts chaotic action, excellent spritework and animation, and the freedom to make weapon combinations on the fly in order to customize your weapon to your playstyle and the enemies at hand. The deep space setting and gleefully absurd boss designs and attack patterns are par for the Treasure course too.

As Epsilon-Eagle, leader of the Scarlet organization who was lost somewhere in time and space after being brutally attacked, you must fight your way through a continuous sequence of 25 levels, broken up by only a brief Stage Clear/Bonus screen after defeating a grotesque boss. From floating giant worm-esque beasts to huge creatures wielding blade-arms, you’ll see absolutely everything here, and because some boss encounters are moving to boot (having you hop between platforms over damaging water as you blast away), there’s barely any respite at all. Epsilon-Eagle is constantly moving, and mastery of their moveset, which includes brief flight and hovering as well as a highly damaging warp move, is essential to survival. While all of these aspects set Alien Soldier apart as a forgotten classic, another fascinating thing about it is that it wasn’t physically released in North America. In the region, it was accessible only via the Sega Channel digital service.

2

Betrayal At Krondor

Sorely Underappreciated Outside The RPG Faithful

In the early-to-mid 1990s, the RPG genre was still finding its groove. This means that, particularly when looking back today, they can have some rather clunky mechanics and obtuse puzzle solutions that aren’t so common today. This doesn’t mean, though, that there weren’t some excellent games among them. Many didn’t really venture into RPG/JRPG territory before the launch of the legendary Final Fantasy 7 in 1997, and this meant excellent games like Betrayal at Krondor didn’t get the broader attention they deserved.

Set in the Riftwar Universe of author Raymond E. Feist, this CRPG begins in the region of LaMut, where party members Gorath and Seigneur Locklear must move to thwart an impending assault from the moredhel forces. Across nine chapters of this narrative-focused adventure, you’ll gain and lose allies, develop your team’s abilities, and adapt battle strategies to the opponents you face and your current roster. The character growth system is reminiscent of a title like Skyrim, in the way that characters develop their proficiency in certain tasks, and the storytelling is tied into the action brilliantly (think Baldur’s Gate 3 or similar). Fans of fantasy adventures like this will still find a lot to enjoy in this one all these years later, which is a testament to its design. With its dialogue-heavy presentation and first-person perspective in exploration, it’s as gripping as a classic text adventure, but with a visually-realized world.

1

Beetle Adventure Racing!

An Excellent Racer N64 Owners Left Standing On The Starting Line

There aren’t many vehicles that approach the iconic nature of the Volkswagen Beetle. As beloved as the model is, then, it’s a shame that a game all about it, Beetle Adventure Racing!, isn’t better known. Launched in 1999, it is perhaps one of the Nintendo 64’s best racing games. It ties in the single-player and multiplayer action well, with a Championship mode for the former that unlocks content for the latter, and it looks great by the 3D standards of its day. Tracks, crucially, are well-designed and varied with carefully placed shortcuts, embracing the classic racer themes like snow, a lava-filled cavern, and a winding route along a desert path.

Though it takes a turn more to the realistic, there’s definitely a kart racer influence about Beetle Adventure Racing. The crates to smash through for bonuses are very reminiscent of Crash Bandicoot, and the upbeat music reminds the player that this is no super serious sim. Released in Australia as HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) Adventure Racing!, it’s an excellent racer, with the Beetle Battle mode in particular being a real blast. Perhaps it isn’t one of the best racing games of all time, but it’s a superb genre entry all the same.