All 9 classic games released in 1996 — with reviews, cheats, and trivia.
The game that invented 3D platforming as a genre. Super Mario 64 launched alongside the Nintendo 64 and demonstrated, definitively, that video games could work in three dimensions. Its influence on every 3D game that followed is incalculable — this is where the template was written.
The game that started one of the most successful media franchises in history, Pokémon Red challenges players to catch 151 creatures and become the greatest Pokémon Trainer in the land. Deceptively deep, relentlessly charming, and groundbreaking in its social design.
The collaboration that shouldn't have worked but produced one of gaming's greatest surprises. Square's RPG design applied to Mario's universe created a game of warmth, humor, and unexpected depth.
Nintendo's kart racing series made its landmark 3D debut with Mario Kart 64, delivering sixteen imaginative tracks, eight beloved characters, and the four-player multiplayer that made it a mandatory purchase for any N64 owner. The game that made group gaming on consoles a standard part of social life.
Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima's dreamlike arcade game soared beyond conventional genre definitions, putting players in the role of a dream jester in spectacular aerial levels scored on precise, stylish flying. NiGHTS into Dreams is one of the most original games Sega ever published and the Saturn's most celebrated exclusive.
Capcom's survival horror masterpiece stranded players in a zombie-filled mansion with scarce resources and demanding puzzles. Resident Evil defined an entire genre with its tense atmosphere, resource management gameplay, and unforgettable monster designs — and those opening zombie groans remain some of gaming's most effective scares.
Core Design's archaeological action-adventure introduced the world to Lara Croft, one of gaming's most iconic characters. Tomb Raider's blend of environmental puzzle-solving, platform navigation, and intense combat in imaginatively designed ancient ruins was genuinely revolutionary for 1996.
Naughty Dog's technically dazzling PlayStation launch platformer introduced the world to the wacky orange marsupial and demonstrated that 3D platforming could be precise, challenging, and visually spectacular. The game that made Sony's console a genuine rival to Nintendo.
SingleTrac's vehicular combat masterpiece cranked everything up from the original: bigger arenas set across world landmarks, more vehicles, more weapons, and darkly comic character endings that became the series' signature. Twisted Metal 2 remains the definitive entry in the beloved PlayStation franchise.