Best Video Games of 1990

The SNES launch game that defined the 16-bit era. Super Mario World introduced Yoshi, expanded Mario's move set, and delivered 96 exits across a vast, joyful world that remained the gold standard for platformers for years.

ActRaiser is one of the SNES's most original games — alternating between side-scrolling action stages and top-down city-simulation, with a god-like protagonist restoring civilization against demons.

Mega Man 3 introduced Rush the Robot Dog and the Slide move while delivering a massive adventure with 24 stages. A strong entry that many fans consider the series' most ambitious NES installment.

The best Ninja Gaiden on NES — Ryu Hayabusa's second outing introduces shadow clones, longer stages, and better cutscene storytelling in a game considered by many to surpass the acclaimed original.

The SNES launch title that demonstrated Mode 7 racing at extreme speed. F-Zero's futuristic hover-car racing introduced Captain Falcon and delivered a technical showcase of unprecedented smoothness and speed.

The SNES launch Konami shooter and one of the most demanding horizontal shoot-em-ups ever made. Gradius III's weapon selection screen, power-up capsule system, and devastating final stages — plus the famous continue code NEMESIS that immediately destroys the player — made it the SNES's definitive hardcore shooter.

Nintendo's answer to Tetris — Dr. Mario tasks players with eliminating colored viruses by matching them with colored pill halves thrown into a bottle. One of the best puzzle games on the NES.

Capcom's excellent NES platformer based on the Disney animated series — featuring excellent two-player co-op where players can pick up and throw crates, enemies, and even each other.

The TurboGrafx-16's mascot platformer stars Bonk, a prehistoric caveman who attacks enemies using his enormous, weaponized head — spinning, diving, and biting his way through colorful prehistoric stages with the imaginative level design and responsive controls needed to compete with the platform giants of the era. Bonk's Adventure was Hudson and NEC's answer to Mario — polished, charming, and well-constructed enough on its own terms to justify the TurboGrafx-16 purchase for platformer fans.

Sega's elegant gem-matching puzzle game that served as the Game Gear's launch pack-in title in many markets. Columns drops three-gem stacks that must be matched horizontally, vertically, or diagonally by color — a deceptively simple mechanic that creates the same 'one more game' compulsion as Tetris, with additional flash combos for skilled play.

The SNES launch title that demonstrated Mode 7 — Pilotwings combined biplane, skydiving, hang-glider, and jetpack simulations in a precision-flying showcase that remains the cleanest Mode 7 demonstration.