1993 saw a lot of advancements in technology. Intel introduced the Pentium processor, Microsoft released Windows NT 3.1, and the World Wide Web was born. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System was the premiere console at the time, with people enjoying video games like Super Mario World and Final Fantasy 3.
However, 1993 saw the release of some new video games that would be replayed and talked about for years to come. It's difficult to tell when a piece of media will make a cultural impact, but a handful of video games fit the bill from 1993. 30 years is a long time for video games to be remade, discussed, and reimagined. Here are a few of the most impactful.
10 Star Fox
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System was met with high praise upon its release, and that praise didn't slow down for a long time. A little game with polygonal graphics by the name of Star Fox launched in March of 1993, and it was the second 3D Nintendo game after X for the Gameboy. Star Fox was a sci-fi shooter that followed Fox McCloud and his anthropomorphic team of fighter pilots as they fought off the invading forces of Andross. Fox McCloud's popularity would earn him multiple sequels to the Star Fox series as well as a role in the Smash Bros. lineup.
9 Myst
Myst was a different kind of game that became a surprise hit on Macintosh computers. It eventually made itself over to non-Macintosh platforms and has since been considered one of the best video games ever made. Myst was the best-selling PC game until 2002, when The Sims knocked it off its throne.
The game follows an unnamed character who reads a book that transports them to the island world of Myst. The player goes on to solve puzzle after puzzle on the island, revealing more of the island's backstory. Several sequels and remakes were created, but none were as successful as the original.
8 Mega Man X
The series that began on the Super Nintendo's predecessor returned with a reimagined look and a more mature storyline. It takes place in the future of the original Mega Man world, where an archaeologist discovers Dr. Light's laboratory along with a preserved android subsequently named X. It follows the same formula as previous Mega Man installments, where you fight one minor villain at a time (eight in total) before taking on the big baddy. Unlike the previous games in the series where Dr. Wily was the mastermind behind everything, X has to go up against a fellow Reploid named Sigma.
7 Sim City 2000
SimCity truly paved the way for life simulation games. Before The Sims became a household name, there was SimCity. SimCity 2000 burst onto the scene on Macintosh computers and eventually made its way to other platforms like SNES, Sega Saturn, and Playstation. This second iteration of the series built upon the success of SimCity Classic by adding exciting new structures, diverse landscapes with varying elevations, and even underground layers for creating all sorts of infrastructure. Simply put, SimCity 2000 took the city-building simulation game to new heights.
6 The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening
You can't talk about popular video games without mentioning the Legend of Zelda series, and you can't mention popular Legend of Zelda games without bringing up the first one created for a handheld console. Link's Awakening was created for Nintendo's Gameboy, but that wasn't the only thing different about this installment.
Unlike previous Legend of Zelda games, Link's Awakening didn't feature Zelda, Hyrule, or the Triforce, which are three mainstays in the rest of the series. Despite these changes, it went on to be the best-selling Gameboy game in August 1993.
5 Secret Of Mana
If you are a fan of the Final Fantasy franchise, then Secret of Mana would be right up your alley. Not only was it developed by Squaresoft (now Square Enix), it plays similarly to most Final Fantasy games. However, it does not use the turn-based fighting Final Fantasy fans are accustomed to. Secret of Mana follows a trio of protagonists trying to stop an empire from conquering the world. While the game sold exceptionally well in Japan, it received little to no marketing in North America. Despite this, it became the second top-selling SNES game, with Mortal Kombat beating it for the top spot.
4 Disney's Aladdin
You knew it was going to be here. Sure, nobody beat the dreaded magic carpet level in the Cave of Wonders, but that's why you loved the Aladdin game. It was challenging, and no matter how many times the lava caught up to you, you continued playing the game, even if it meant starting from the beginning again. There was something enjoyable about throwing apples at the Agrabah palace guards that made it hard to put the controller down. If you managed to escape the Cave of Wonders, you belong on a leaderboard somewhere.
3 NBA Jam
Some of the best video games were the ones you could enjoy in the comfort of your own home as well as at the pizzeria arcade. NBA Jam was the game of games to compete against friends with back in 1993. There was nothing like rubbing it in your friend's face when you were on a roll and caught on fire just before leaping from the opposite end of the court for a slam dunk.
It was the party game before Mario Party that you invited your friends over to play after school. You got to play as your favorite NBA player on your favorite team.
2 Super Mario All-Stars
Mario the plumber is up there with Mickey Mouse in terms of popularity. He had a number of excellent video games before the Super Nintendo launched and what better way to boost sales than to put those games on the SNES too? All-Stars compiles four Mario games from the original Nintendo onto one console. The compilation consisted of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3. The remakes featured bug fixes, updated music, and modified game physics.
1 Doom
Did you know that the game that could run on a toaster came out in 1993? That's right, the original Doom is turning 30, so it's time to dust off this relic from your childhood and wish it a happy birthday. This is a milestone. Continue fighting against hordes of demons and undead for the Union Aerospace Corporation in celebration. Doom is one of the original first-person shooter games in existence with new installments still being developed.