15 Best Years In Video Game History

Notable Releases - GoldenEye 007, Final Fantasy VII, Diablo, Gran Theft Auto, Fallout

Now, let's look at a period where every gaming developer and system came out a winner. Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, and Gran Turismo dominated the racing genre. Not only did GoldenEye 007 revolutionise first-person shooters and multiplayer, it proved games based on movies could be just as good, if not better, than the source material.

If nothing else came out in 1997, it would've been a proud year for us all.

But we're not even halfway through! Star Fox 64, Tomb Raider 2, Oddworld: Abe's Odyssee, Gran Theft Auto, Crash Bandicoot 2, and Parappa the Rapper earned rave reviews across the board. PC owners were in heaven, since they had Fallout, Ultima Online, Total Annihilation, and Diablo to choose from.

Even though Castlevania has always been a respected franchise, Symphony of the Night towered above what came before. It perfected the Castlevania layout and gameplay so perfectly, it's directly responsible for popularising an army of Metroidvania clones.

And we have yet to mention Final Fantasy VII! The seventh entry in SquareEnix's adored series wasn't just a faultless marvel - it showed the importance of cinematic storytelling. It also opened the door globally for role-players, allowing Dragon Quest, Earthbound, and other RPGs to get the credit they initially deserved.