Best Video Games of 1993

The brilliant reinvention of Mega Man for the 16-bit era. Mega Man X introduced wall-sliding, dashing, upgradeable armor, and a darker story while delivering one of the SNES's finest action-platformer experiences.

A deeply personal and surprisingly melancholic Zelda adventure that sees Link stranded on the mysterious Koholint Island. Link's Awakening transcends its Game Boy limitations with clever design, a memorable cast, and one of the most emotionally resonant endings in Nintendo history.

The crown jewel of the Phantasy Star series. Phantasy Star IV's manga-style story presentation, Macro combo combat system, and satisfying conclusion to the Algo Star System saga make it the Genesis's finest RPG.

The SNES action RPG masterpiece. Secret of Mana's real-time combat, gorgeous visuals, three-player simultaneous multiplayer, and Hiroki Kikuta's transcendent score created one of the genre's defining classics.

Kirby's NES masterpiece introduced the Copy Ability system and delivered the most technically stunning game on the hardware. Released in 1993 as the NES was being retired, it was a spectacular farewell to the platform.

The finest Shinobi game and one of the Genesis's greatest action titles. Joe Musashi's final adventure combines fluid wall-running combat, ninjutsu magic, and spectacular boss encounters in a near-perfect action package.

The definitive home version of the game that defined competitive fighting games. Street Fighter II Turbo brought arcade-quality fighting to the SNES with all four boss characters playable.

The game that brought polygonal 3D into living rooms. Star Fox used the Super FX chip to render unprecedented 3D graphics on SNES hardware, launching one of gaming's most beloved space shooter franchises.