So many great games. But honestly, fairly easy choice for me.

While Mario 64 did a fantastic transition for platformers, at that point in time I didn't care for classic platformers...at all. Yeah, controls were good, but it wasn't until a few years later and Rayman 2: The Great Escape that I felt that 3D controls got actually really good...as in modern standard good.

What really got my attention always was another type of platforming - one that combines exploration and puzzle solving. And now it was in 3D.

I'm talking about Tomb Raider, of course. Sure, the controls were a bit weird, but very Prince of Persia, and suited for that acrobatics approach Core's TR games had. Fantastic level designs and sense of accomplishment once you figure out the level. Loved it then, love it today as much as then. Hopefully announced remasters won't change that, or at least give and option for original controls.

#1 Sid Meier’s Civilization 2

#2 Wild Arms

#3 Donkey Kong Country 3

#4 Kirby Superstar

While the first Civilization game was an interesting curiosity, the second game consumed me. It also got me interested in various elements of video game development from the art, scripting, and design side.

Donkey Kong Country 3 and Kirby Superstar are also my favourite games in their respective franchises and both are in my top 3 favourite platformers of all time with Super Mario Bros 3.

Wild Arms was a fantastic game that I haven’t played in a while. I don’t think of it as such close proximity to these games because its Western release wasn’t until Christmas 1998. It’s not in my top 10 RPGs of the 1990s, but I rank it higher because I prefer RPGs to all other genres - especially in the 1990s and early 2000s where I spent ridiculous amounts on getting as many RPGs as possible - including Japanese only ones.

This one's quite close to call for me. Several great games that I've played and enjoyed over the years, but nothing that's quite among my all-time favourites. There's Super Mario RPG, Crash Bandicoot (the image in the OP is from Crash 3), Super Mario 64, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Mario Kart 64, Red Alert, Duke Nukem 3D, and more. All great games, especially for the time, but I'd say in almost all of those cases, later games in their respective series have vastly improved on them.

For me, this ultimately came down to a choice between Super Mario 64 and Red Alert. I'd say in terms of quality they're roughly equal, though obviously very different in genre and style, so I'll pick Mario simply because of its greater influence overall. Red Alert was more of an improved iteration on mechanics introduced in previous games by Westwood, but Mario 64 effectively established the foundation for 3D platformers going forward.

There are at least three serious choices here when it comes to ultimate impact on gaming, so I'm voting for my favorite of them, which was also my favorite game of '96: Tomb Raider. The case for Tomb Raider is very easily made: this was the game that gave us Lara Croft, the best-known and most iconic action heroine in all of video games to this day. And unlike certain other action-adventure games, people could actually tell that this heroine was female in trailer footage and on the box art. Tomb Raider's sheer breadth, rich atmosphere (with its strong Indiana Jones vibes), and maze-like level structure appealed to me immediately and still do, despite its reliance on some play mechanics that feel pretty outdated at this point. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that it was by just six people, which just goes to show that it doesn't take a massive development team to craft a masterpiece. And that it was one was recognized immediately by the gaming community, as signaled by the fact that, even as a new IP, it became one of top-selling games of the year. In fact, if memory serves, I think it might've even been the top-selling video game in its actual year of release. They'd been aiming for just 100,000 units, for comparison's sake.

As a bit of pointless trivia, I actually got the Sega Saturn version of the game first since I wouldn't own a PlayStation until the next year. It was generally expected initially that the Saturn would outsell the PlayStation because of the familiar Sega brand and I didn't want to potentially be left out, so it had been my priority. Conversely, my decision to get a PlayStation the next year was driven by word that the PlayStation would be exclusive console home of Tomb Raider II and Final Fantasy VII: games I simply could not go without owning.

I also kinda want to give a shout-out to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars because that was my favorite Mario game, and I mean by a landslide, up to that point in time and would remain so for another eight years. Probably because it was by Square, really. Square and Nintendo seemed like such opposite institutions to me. One seemed to view games primarily as a storytelling medium while the other viewed them as pure entertainment more or less. I honestly have no idea how they became so close, but I'm really glad it did. And since we're on the subject of Super NES games from 1996, this seems like the perfect opportunity for me to shamelessly hawk my old thread explaining my thoughts on Dixie Kong's Double Trouble.

It is probably hard today knowing what impact Tomb Raider had. It was the first time I could read about games in mainstream media. Even if I never liked the first installment, probably because I played a lot later than the initial release, I owe it a lot in what it did for the industry. One of my favorite genre, action adventure, would not be the same today without it.

A lot of the same can be said about Super Mario 64. The game became a sort of blueprint for 3D games coming after. I owe it a lot of respect and strangely enough never enjoyed it much. I Enjoyed Crash Bandicoot more. Another platformer in 3D taking a less free design choice. Still fun today but the controls have not aged well.

Pokémon is currently the most valuable media franchise. Western markets would not get the games until a few years later. One month after the first European release in 1999 japan was blessed with its successor. In my opinion, Gold and Silver are so much better than the red/blue games. If I want to replay some old school Pokémon it will be Gold/Silver. If I felt Red/Blue was the go to it would gotten my vote for game of the year.

Alone in the dark was first, Resident Evil was better. The fixed camera is annoying when compared to the freedoms of 3D survival horror games today. But the outdated graphics give the game a more spooky and unsettling feel compared to modern horror. One of few examples where low res sort of improves the experience.

The game I enjoyed the most from the year is Mario Kart 64. But that game is also not joyful to return to. It is difficult for me to choose a game. The most influential games was games I never liked. The games I did like I do not think holds up as well.

I will revisit the thread read others posts and think about it some more before I give my vote.

I hated TR. I could not control Lara Croft at all. I didn't get into TR until the reboot which was amazing.

In 1996, I had no plan whatsoever to get a Generation 5 console.  I was having waaaaaay too much fun on the PC.  However, in late 1997 I was convinced to buy a Playstation because of a gigantic marketing campaign over a certain RPG.   Even after getting a Playstation though, I spent more time gaming on the PC.  I love strategy games and RPGs, and the PC had plenty of great ones throughout the 90's.

Command and Conquer: Red Alert! Hell March on repeat all day!! 😎

Another great year, difficult choice.

First there it the game that decided my career path, or rather got me my full time job, Duke Nukem 3D

The game was revolutionary with it's over the top humorous campaign and multi player game play. It expanded on the DOOM engine by making it possible for geometry to overlap. It didn't actually have a 3D map, instead a clever system that allowed sections to overlap each other and connect through 'portals'. The first level you go up a winding staircase to the projection booth which blew my mind as that shouldn't have been possible.
Water worked the same way, you teleported to another section when crossing water boundaries (going underwater)
Also mirrors worked by trickery, replicating the same room in mirror form behind the mirror and replicating the enemies and your character model in there.

The story was funny as heck, the quotes became early 'memes' "You're an inspiration for birth control", the level design was great especially for the multiplayer maps and the weapon selection was terrific with freeze and shrink ray making multiplayer tons of fun. And that multiplayer is what landed me my job.

It was 1996, I was 22, quit university and was looking for better work than data entry. I got pointed to this little company "Palmtop Software" by the "Arbeidsbureau" which I was directed to by signing up for unemployment benefits after my summer data entry job ran out. I didn't have much of a resume, I could program but my only 'experience' besides hobby projects was that I worked with Lego at the university creating a few campaigns for Lego Mindstorms at the time. I was the 7th to join the company which consisted of friends and family until I joined. They weren't quite sure what to make of me or whether to take a chance on this rookie. It came down to hobbies and interests and they actually asked if I knew of and played Duke Nukem 3D since they played that in LAN at the end of the day to blow of steam. I did and was hired.

Multiplayer was hecti and amazing in LAN. You could hear the taunts coming from all the offices and the sound always gave away in what sections people were. The levels were brilliant. Cornering someone under water, you can't see them, but can throw pipe bombs and shoot rockets while the person hiding in the water can shoot out guessing where you are. One level had an elevator which you could recall by pressing the call button, the elevator would turn around. The best elevator scenes of any game ensued, just knowing there's someone waiting at the door ready to chuck in a pipe bomb as soon as the doors open.
The shrink ray was of course tons of fun to use, turning the opponent into the size of a mouse and then trying to stomp on them while they try to avoid your boots. You could also booby trap the levels with trip wires. Ultimate chaos, always a laugh, always spamming taunts over the network.


Quake also came out that year. While technically superior and introducing Mouse look, the color palette was rather drab and the game missed the humor from Duke Nukem 3D, so we stuck with the Duke. "Your face, your ass - what's the difference?" Quake was great to run around in, just not as fun.


1996 I also saw this little game at a PC convention in the RAI

It's the first game I actually bought, the first of many to come. Tombraider was the first 3rd person action game I played, a new genre that instantly clicked. The tank controls are unpopular yet to me it made the game. It fit perfectly in the world and allowed careful measurement and finding the right sequence to solve jump puzzles. Hold shit down for half steps to position correctly, then input the sequence of jumps and steps to complete a series of jumps.
The movements were graceful with show off moves like hand stands and fancy dives, fighting looked fluid, the deaths were gruesome and the enemies fun to fight. The early game kept the encounters to a minimum which made the main mode of the game exploration and puzzle solving. Atmosphere was great and the trailing camera was brilliant to heighten the atmosphere. The camera followed the path you walk, easy solution for it never to get stuck. The result is that you would go around a corner first for the camera to turn the corner a second later, giving you quite the jump scare if Lara ran into a bat, wolf or worse just around the corner. Unintended maybe, but brilliant.
The levels themselves were all memorable, different, huge, open and just a joy to navigate. Climbing that massive sphinx was amazing.

Resident Evil also started in 1996. I can't remember if I played the first one, definitely played the second but have no good recollection of one. I'm looking forward to played the RE4 remake in VR though, patch is coming soon for PSVR2.

Another amazing game of 1996 is Metal Slug, another start of a great series.

Over the top arcade action which I later played using MAME, or rather was my favorite game series on MAME

Then there's SimCopter where you could do rescue missions in cities you build in SimCity 2000

An awesome game, one I wanted to play a lot more but suffered from random crashes on Windows. Not very stable. It was a lot of fun though, rescuing people from runaway trains and putting out fires. And of course seeing your own creations by flying through them.

Command & Conquer gained popularity with the Red Alert series, thanks to the over the top and suggestive cut scenes. The game play was solid as well, fast paced, all emphasis on fun.

Master of Orion II also improved on everything of the first game and is the best 4X game I've ever played. From the selection of wildly imaginative races

to the tech tree, diplomatic options, battle options and unit type customization, resulting in the most polished 4X game I know. Space fights were always a joy to watch, playing out as 2D battles stacking your units against the enemy units. But you could also bombard planets from orbit, biological warfare and all. Very intense game which kept you on the edge of your seat dealing with so many other races every turn.

Civilization II also gained in popularity. Now in isometric view, more options and all values in easily edited config files so you could customize everything in the game. Just as Master of Orion II, Civ II perfected Civilization and non of the later entries have been able to top it for me.

!996 also saw the release of Descent II, improving on the first one with another great campaign.

Descent II is the first game I played in 3D. After getting hired I suddenly had a big paycheck every month while still living in cheap student housing. Basically my living costs were only 10% of my income. And thanks to University still being pretty much free at the time, while getting paid by the government for attending, I had no debts. My first big purchase was a second hand CRT projector which I hung from the ceiling, projecting a 72" screen on a white plaster wall in my small room. I had a GeForce card with s-vhs out which I connected to the projector to play PC games on the wall.

Then GeForce 3D Vision came out, wireless shutter glasses.


These worked perfectly with the CRT projector and Descent II was a perfect match for it. It worked so well the wall seemed to disappear with bullets flying through my room and beyond. It made it much easier to dodge projectiles and immersion was through the roof. It only ran at 320x240 (per eye) in 3D, yet it felt like 640x480 thanks to the stereoscopic projection. It's what convinced me VR was going to be the future of gaming, little did I know it would still take decades before VR would catch on.

I played plenty other games with the shutter glasses yet unfortunately, without parallax / reacting to head movements, the 3D effect became less pronounced over time. My mind started rejecting the fake 3D I guess, just like 3D movies on PSVR weren't working all that well for me. Plus the higher and higher refresh rates on CRT monitors caused more ghosting and double images in 3D. So I grew out of it after a while, but damn it was awesome, room scale Descent II!

1996 had some more great adventures as well with Discworld II, often breaking the 3rd wall

Yes I am missing this stuff

And the incredibly charming The Neverhood, unique claymation adventure with great slapstick humor

I backed Armikrog on Kickstarter which came through and turned into a great sequel to The Neverhood, a spiritual successor to The Neverhood, and is developed by many members of the same team. Loved it.

I bought N64 that year as well, drawn in by Super Mario 64 demo running in the shop. While SM64 looked fun and was fun to play, I didn't get on well with the 3D conversion. The camera sucked and I found it hard to judge distances and see where you would land. Maybe unpopular opinion but the move to 3D wasn't a great one. I never completed the game since I kept getting frustrated with the controls and camera.

What redeemed my purchase of N64 was Waverace 64, the water physics were ahead of its time.

An incredibly fun racer, Rare really delivered. Sea of Thieves in the making!

But my goty for 1996 has to be Wipeout 2097

It's perfection in every way, from the font to the music selection. Plus you could play the music in any CD player starting from track 2. The level design was awesome, fast, fun, rewarding to take risks. So much style in one game, a perfect blend of style, music and game play.
I'm still hopeful for a true next gen Wipeout. The last we got were essentially Vita ports. Dunno why Wipeout was pushed to handhelds to die there with PS Vita :/ It's a big shame. It did come to ps3 and later even PSVR, but in essence still based on what the PS Vita was capable off. A true VR sequel with HDR visuals will be amazing to play. Maybe one day.

Reboot is Tomb Raider in name only, the gameplay loop is fundamentally different from previous TR games. Some hardcore fans of Core's TR consider even Crystal dynamics games (Legend, Anniversary and Underworld) to be subpar TR games, due to how easy traversal became. I'm not one of them, though I do find that controls in CD's TR games, while more modern, make the game not as fulfilling at times as Core's.

Fun fact, once upon a time, in Gametrailers peek as video reviews outlet, before YT era, they hired a bunch of interns. One of the obligatory tasks for them was playing original Tomb Raider, so that they get to know first-hand gaming history. I really doubt any outlet does that kind of educational training anymore.