The 4th generation, like the 3rd, was dominated by Nintendo, this time with the Super NES. Sega, however, were hot on their heels with the Genesis and their shiny new mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. There were other companies in play, such as SNK with the Neo Geo and the TurboGrafx-16 sold by NEC, but they were nowhere near as successful as Nintendo and Sega.
A number of factors accounted for Nintendo's success. They had already established themselves as the market leaders, and the improved system meant that more ambitious games could be created. While Sega's aggressive marketing worked to an extent, it was the quality of the games Nintendo released that saw them dominate the generation.
10 Super Mario Kart (SNES) Popularized The Kart Racer With Its Magic Formula
The jaunty music, the visual style, the cast of characters, the fun and innovative gameplay; it was a formula that proved hugely popular with gamers in the early 90s and beyond, with sales of 8.76 worldwide, making Super Mario Kart the fourth best-selling SNES game ever.
The Mario Kart franchise is still going strong today, and while much has changed graphically and gameplay-wise, the core mechanics of collecting and throwing projectiles while racing remains the same, and as such, the game remains as fun as ever.
9 Chrono Trigger (SNES) Is Arguably The Greatest JRPG Ever
Chrono Trigger has legendary status amongst its fans. It came out at the tail-end of the 4th generation in August of 1995, but even so, it sold extremely well in North America and Japan, where it sold two million copies in just two months. The battle system, music, and multiple arcs that change the story along the way make it one of the best JRPGs of all time, with many citing it as the best.
Fans have been clamoring for a remake for some time, and the chance to play the game on modern systems would no doubt be much appreciated.
8 Mortal Kombat (Genesis) Became Infamous For Its Gore
Mortal Kombat is one of the most controversial games in video game history, the kind of game that even non-gamers know about because they've seen it on the news. Its violent and bloody gameplay was all the rage with young gamers, but parents didn't quite share their appreciation for Fatalities.
Nintendo decided to censor the game, so to have the true experience, players had to play the uncensored Genesis version. The series has amassed more than 20 titles, including spinoffs, since the original was released in 1992.
7 Super Metroid (SNES) Is Still Inspiring Developers Today
A Metroidvania in a time when the only Metroidvanias were Metroid and Castlevania games. The atmosphere, the level design, and the complex gameplay were so well done that developers today still take inspiration from Super Metroid.
Part of the reason there was no Metroid game on the N64 was that certain developers didn't think they could make a game that would match Super Metroid. It arrived late in the generation in 1994, and as a result, sales were not as high as were perhaps warranted.
6 Streets Of Rage 2 (Genesis) Perfected The Beat-'Em-Up
While games like Final Fight and Double Dragon had enjoyed great success in arcades, Streets of Rage 2 was the first beat-'em-up to do so on a home console.
The different playable characters bring a lot of variety in terms of gameplay, and the graphics, music, and distinctive sound effects all come together to make an outstanding game. In 2015 it was ported to a Nintendo system for the first time as 3D Streets of Rage 2 for the 3DS.
5 Street Fighter II (SNES) Has Iconic Characters And Stages
Released in North America in July of 1992, Street Fighter II is an iconic game that has enjoyed global popularity. Several iterations of the game were released on multiple systems, including Street Fighter II Turbo, with the first one selling 6.3 million copies worldwide.
The gameplay is solid and filled with variety, the different personalities and abilities of the characters make them memorable, and the stages are filled with charm and character.
4 Donkey Kong Country (SNES) Looked Like A Next Gen Game
Donkey Kong Country doesn't look like anything else on the Super NES. As well as revolutionizing the Donkey Kong franchise, the game pushed the system to its limits, but it was far from being just a graphical showcase.
While it may not have reached the high bar set by Super Mario World in terms of gameplay, it was incredibly fun to run through levels as the titular character. Players could also play as Diddy Kong and ride many animal buddies, like Rambi the Rhinoceros or Enguarde the Swordfish.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES) Spawned Countless Top-Down Action-Adventure Games
Released in April of 1992, A Link to the Past is regarded not only as one of the greatest Legend of Zelda or Nintendo games but one of the greatest video games ever. The game spent more than five consecutive years in the number one spot in Nintendo Power's top games list.
The overworld is filled with easter eggs, secrets, and quirky characters. A Link to the Past inspired many more top-down action-adventure games and continues to do so today, particularly indie developers.
2 Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis) Gave Mario A Run For His Money
In an attempt to gain a foothold in the video game market, Sega came up with something that was the polar opposite to a chubby Italian plumber: a blue, incredibly fast hedgehog named Sonic.
The franchise has had middling success since Sonic the Hedgehog was released in 1991. While it may not be the best 2D Sonic game out there, it is a groundbreaking and immensely fun game that pumped a whole lot of adrenaline into the gaming industry.
1 Super Mario World (SNES) Is Shigeru Miyamoto's Favorite Game
The favorite game of Mario-creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself, Super Mario World is lauded as one of the greatest games of all time. While the core gameplay didn't differ a whole lot from its predecessor, Super Mario Bros. 3, things like the ability to ride Yoshi, the brighter color palette, and the improved graphics made it an even better experience.
The game came packed with the Super NES at launch, making it one of — if not the best — launch titles in the history of gaming.