15 Best Years In Video Game History
10. 1991
Notable Releases - Street Fighter II, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Lemmings
No matter what genre of game you love, 1991 had you covered. There was adventure (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past), puzzle-strategy (Lemmings), platformers, (Western release of Super Mario World), beat 'em ups (Streets of Rage), and games that made you put your head through the wall (Battletoads).
But there were two titles that deserve special mention. Despite coming out 30+ years ago, Street Fighter II is still the template for versus titles. Capcom's impeccable fighter popularised three-round matches, projectiles, grappling, special moves, counters, combos, and yelling your attacks as you perform them. SFII proved so popular, five different versions were ported to consoles. To top it all off, it probably has the most balanced roster of any fighting game.
1991 was also the year where the Sega Genesis unleashed the secret weapon upon the world - Sonic the Hedgehog. With the catchy jingles, colourful aesthetic, simple controls, creative level design, inventive boss battles, and blinding speed of our hero, it was impossible not to be in awe of Sega's mascot.
The fact that modern gamers are still virtually downloading these decades-old games demonstrates how influential they have been.