25 Best Video Games Of The 90s

4. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

For many, Ocarina is absolutely unbeatable in terms of present-day nostalgia factor and in-its-day world exploration. Told over the course of multiple timelines, its approach to narrative took the tried n' tested "Young child goes on an adventure away from their village" trope, before Nintendo threw in a huge amount of innovative gameplay elements that you can see present in almost all modern day titles. Before Ocarina there was no Z-targeting (where you move forward and away from your enemy), giving this an unbeatable resonance with millions of gamers as they tackled enemy encounters in a completely new and unique way. Back to the story, and stopping the evil Ganondorf from recovering the Triforce (essentially an item meant to represent ultimate power) would take you from the innocence of the Kokiri Forest and far away, into infuriating Water Temples and beyond. When all was said and done you'd have experienced a huge chunk of main character Link's life, and in a time when game narratives were known for playing second fiddle to the act of getting on with the mechanics of the experience, Ocarina of Time took the bold step of synching them both up in an incredibly impactful way.
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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.