Best Video Games of 1990

Namco's TurboGrafx-16 port of their 1988 horror arcade game — Rick Taylor wearing the Terror Mask battles through a mansion of monsters using melee attacks and found weapons. Splatterhouse on TurboGrafx-16 is the most faithful home conversion of the original arcade and one of the first mature-rated console games, known for its graphic horror content and Jason Voorhees-inspired mask.

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.

Square's 1989 Game Boy RPG (known in Japan as Makai Toushi SaGa) — The Final Fantasy Legend puts players in control of a party climbing an endless tower to reach a god-like paradise, with a unique character system where humans gain stats through items, mutants through biological change, and monsters through consuming enemy meat. One of the earliest and most original Game Boy RPGs, founding the SaGa franchise.

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.