The eighties and nineties were transformational years in the world of video games. Home consoles officially became the cornerstone of home entertainment for millions of households during this time and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is frequently cited as the product that revolutionized home console gaming, birthing generations of consoles in its wake. The NES wasn’t simply a gaming console when I was a child; it was a chance to adventure to imaginative worlds.
I can still remember that Christmas morning so clearly. I unwrapped my NES, my first real gaming console. My brother and sister were just as excited as me. We parked ourselves in front of the living room TV, hooked up the system, pushed in the cartridge for Super Mario Bros., and switched it on. As soon as that 8-bit tune played, we were enthralled. The moment I picked up that controller, I was gone. The NES turned a screen into a pure interactive storytelling machine.
What made the NES special was how easy it was to understand and play. Games like the Legend of Zelda and Metroid gave you a massive world to explore, one full of secrets and challenges that we poured hours and hours into. I remember drawing bad maps of Hyrule on graph paper and making marks for secret treasure locations and such. These games roused our imaginations, training us not just to have a good time, but to go out and find things.
One of the most notable features of the NES was its capacity for inclusion. My friends and I would congregate in my living room after school, swapping turns playing Contra, trying to see if we could beat it using the famous Konami Code that got us extra lives. It wasn’t just trying to beat the game; it was something that we all did together, in turns, victory and failure communal experiences. The NES wasn’t just interactive; it created community.
Not only did the NES have an incredible library of games, but it also introduced us to characters who would become cultural touchstones. Mario, Link, and Samus weren’t just pixels on a screen. They were heroes we rooted for and aspired to be. The stories and adventures we had on the NES have stayed with us, shaping our understanding of what games can do and be.
Another point of fantasticness achieved by the NES was the impeccable state of game design and innovation throughout the generation. Metroid set an absolutely incredible standard for console gaming to follow in terms of size and scope, and games like Mega Man and Castlevania pushed the boundaries of what an 8-bit console could achieve with their intricate level designs, challenging yet rewarding gameplay, and unforgettable soundtracks. Furthermore, they demonstrated to the world that video games had the potential to be both art and entertainment, and should be treated as such.
With the changing of decades from the 80s to 90s came the appearance of more robust consoles in the video game world. The most famous, the Sega Genesis along with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), helped to blaze a path for an industry that could be one day carried in your pocket; these 16-bit monsters took gaming to a whole new level. Better graphics, more complex games, and richer sound made this time truly unique. We’re unsure if any future console will be capable of meeting new heights like the Genesis and SNES.
I first encountered the Sega Genesis through Sonic the Hedgehog, a game that epitomized the console’s focus on speed and attitude. Sonic was everything Mario wasn’t, fast, edgy, and cool. The bright and colorful graphics, the catchy music, oh it was a sensory delight. The gameplay blended blazing speed and pin point precision, and there were always alternate paths to explore. OR Sonic’s debut ignited a fierce rivalry between Sega and Nintendo, a console war that would come to define the early 90s.
The Genesis library was a treasure-trove of innovative, original titles. Games like Striders of Rage 2, Shining Force, and Phantasy Star IV showed the Sega console’s full potential while giving players a wealth of diverse, captivating experiences. I can recall putting in hours upon hours righteously punching thugs until they hoped on Streets of Rage 2, a game that looked as good as it felt, with tight controls and co-op play. Genesis could deliver the arcade titles it promised and captured the hearts of an entire generation who wanted a little more adrenaline in their gaming.
At approximately the identical moment, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was capturing attention with its unrivaled catalogue of games that married audacity with an undeniable connection to the past. When I played The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the first time, I couldn’t believe how much it contained. Meticulously rendered in the game’s world of Hyrule, with intricate, beautifully colored sprites and a sprawling, sweeping soundtrack that immediately ensnared me in epic struggle, the SNES innovatively refined everything that made the NES good and made it richer, more engaging, more apprehensive.
An attribute of the SNES that distinguished it from other consoles was the immense diversity of its games. Classics like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Final Fantasy VI are great because they represent the many different directions developers took the system. Super Mario World is the epitome of platforming, and the introduction of Yoshi shook up the formula. The countless secrets, the alternate paths and hidden levels—all of these contributed to the game’s mind-bending timelessness. Anyone who’s trekked up to Star Road, completed the formidable Special World stages, or managed to fight spoiler the real final boss can attest to Super Mario World’s status as more than just another Mario game. Every game on the SNES feels like a journey, painstakingly crafted and filled with surprises and wonderful moments.
Final Fantasy VI is notable as one of the most emotionally significant games of its era. Its intricate plot, boasting countless talkative person, was groundbreaking. The game’s focusing on themes such as loss, redemption, and hope was just harrowing, and its ambit consider up a new benchmark for RPGs. The moment the world broke, the characters scattered, is unmoving one of the most intense scenes I’ve seen in any game.
The battle that raged between the Genesis and the SNES only served to provoke and embolden both companies, forcing them to deliver like no gaming console has ever delivered before. For the gamers in all of Sega and Nintendo, it was like striking gold; in those years, sandwiched between generations not yet invented, everything seemed new and exciting, everything was possible. Whether you were gaming among the blast-processing chaos of the 16-bit Genesis or through the roiling fields of narrative-driven epic on the mighty Super Nintendo, you were spared from the boredom of a barrage of samey proof-of-concept games. Each title released for that dual console generation was a unique expression, a new voice that cried from the plastic of the game cartridge, seducing you with countless hours of entertainment, promising that you would play until your fingers bled.
As home consoles ruled over family rooms, portable gaming was going through a revolution of its own. Released by Nintendo in 1989, the Game Boy was a game-changer in every sense. Suddenly, we could play our favorite games away from the TV, turning backseat car rides, boring waiting rooms, and even school lunch breaks into opportunities for adventure. Any way you slice it, the Game Boy has certainly impacted, or shaped, our gaming experience.
The first time I laid my hands on a Game Boy was through Tetris, a title so closely associated with the handheld console that much of the console’s massive success can be attributed to it. The simplicity of the game’s addictive puzzle gameplay was perfectly suited to quick bursts of playtime, and I still remember the music vividly to this day. Being able to bring games with you outside of the house was unprecedented, and changed everything. I remember the exhilaration of keeping my system hidden in my backpack at school, opening my bag wide enough to slip the distinct gray shell out under my desk and furtively exchanging high scores with friends during recess, my eyes darting between indiscreetly-placed sprites and the teacher standing directly in front of me.
What made the Game Boy a hit was its library, and one huge factor that potential customers took into account was that whenever they bought a Game Boy, Super Mario Land would be available to them straight away. Also, despite its small screen (Super Mario Land was a monochrome game) the gameplay was more creatively thought out than those of its direct console competitors. There were six levels, in each of them you had to get passed weird enemies and level hazards in order to confront Medical and Mechanical Aspherical Residential Type Robot) and fryens to save Princess Daisy.
One of the standout titles that showcased the potential for deep, narrative-driven experiences on a handheld device was *Link’s Awakening*. With its surreal, whimsical story, clever puzzles, and lovable world, this game is one of the best Zelda games to come out to date. I put countless hours into exploring Koholint Island, uncovering its mysteries, and enjoying the eccentric charm and fun gameplay.
And perhaps the game that best demonstrated the possibilities of the Game Boy was Pokémon. It’s difficult to express the magnitude of the Pokémon phenomenon today; Pokémon Red and Blue arrived in the US in 1996, and were near-instantaneous hits. The idea of capturing, training, and battling creatures was immediately, obviously appealing. But Pokémon’s social dimension was crucial to its success, too. Using the Game Boy Link Cable, players could exchange Pokémon with each other, and they did. Over the first few months after Red and Blue’s release, you would see kids gathered in small groups everywhere. We would all be after our favorite Pokémon, but that was the point. Pokémon was a sort of icebreaker. We would compare our teams—Do you have Electabuzz? Where’d you catch him?—and, if you were ambitious enough to carry around one of those horde of AA batteries you needed to keep your Game Boy running, you would spend your afternoons at school battling for bragging rights. Pokémon had expanded beyond the game by then; there were the TV shows, of course, and the trading cards, but it was never just about gameplay. It was about something we human beings have never quite kicked, something as elemental as reaching out and grabbing at whatever’s around you: community. It was about shared experiences. I caught that! I trained this! This mine! (I was better than you are.) It was a way to declare that you were there. I was there. We all were.
The Game Boy’s impact surpassed more than just its games. It illustrated the potential for portable gaming and laid the foundation for later handheld consoles. The Game Boy’s triumph spurred the creation of the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and finally the Nintendo DS and 3DS. Each new iteration brought upgrades and revolutionary ideas, but the Game Boy was the to start with its ability to bring joy and adventure to our hands.
The 1990s were characterized by a momentous transformation within the gaming world due to the creation of 3D graphics and improved hardware availability. The consoles that were leaders at this turning point were the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. These two systems irrevocably advanced video games by presenting unprecedented dimensions and uncharted possibilities. Considering these consoles’ effect on games, their place in history as watershed platforms is undeniable.
In 1994, Sony released the PlayStation as its first foray into the gaming market, and it took off and became the foremost gaming device in no time. With the PlayStation’s ability to play CD-ROMs, games could be much bigger and feature much more advanced graphics and sound. I first got a PlayStation when my younger sister and I were old enough not to break things, and I my earliest memory of using it is playing Resident Evil, a game that introduced me to survival horror, a genre I adore. It was amazing. The atmosphere, the music, the gameplay were like nothing I’d ever experienced before. When the first zombie jerks its head around looking at your character for the first time, it was one of the more genuinely terrifying moments I’d experienced in a game.
There was an amazing variety of PlayStation games. One of these early hits was Final Fantasy VII. And then there was Gran Turismo and Metal Gear Solid. Final Fantasy VII, more than any other game, helped to introduce RPGs to the mainstream. Its sprawling story, memorable characters, and revolutionary pre-rendered cutscenes permanently seared themselves into my psyche. I grew up with Cloud and his band of misfit buddies. I wept when Aerith died.
Another game that showed off just what the PlayStation was capable of was *Metal Gear Solid* by Hideo Kojima. The game’s cinematic presentation, convoluted story, and unique mechanics would soon set the standard for action games. Its emphasis on stealth and trickery made it one of the most suspenseful games I’ve ever played and each new plot twist left me sitting on the edge of my seat. Additionally, its standout characters, including Solid Snake and Psycho Mantis, soon became legendary.
In 1996, the Nintendo 64 offered an interesting take on 3D gaming revolution. Due to the system’s unique controller and emphasis on local multiplayer, the N64 provided an incredible gaming experience, unlike the other previous consoles. My first Nintendo 64 was with Super Mario 64. Super Mario 64 was a platformer that changed the way platformers would be thought of. The jump from 2D to 3D was so seamless and the game’s open-ended approach to designing levels made it so much easier to explore and be creative. As i guided Mario through Peach’s Castle and the game’s vast array of worlds, my experience in the game was phenomenal and it’s ability to feel familiar yet fresh made it magical.
Also a Nintendo 64 exclusive, as well as being mentioned among the greatest video games ever made, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, was a standout title from the late 20th century. And it was Zelda’s enormous world, evolving storyline, and game-changing game play that set new standards for the action-adventure divisions of the industry. When Link swung open the doors to the Temple of Time, wielding the Master Sword to travel seven years into the future, it was a shocking revelation that signified how far video game storytelling had come. There hasn’t been another game that has entertained me as much as Ocarina of Time has: from its colorful personalities, daunting labyrinths, and enduring quests.
I loved playing multiplayer games on the N64 as a kid. Mario Kart 64 and GoldenEye 007 were my favorites. I would play Mario Kart 64 at sleepovers for hours and we would play the battle mode the most because it’s a lot more laid back compared to the racing and everybody was on the same level. As soon as we got GoldenEye 007 we were back at the rental store to get another controller because my buddies and I couldn’t afford to buy another and what would a FPS be without split screen. Every weekend we would stay up all night playing the campaign and then we would turn it to multiplayer and go all out with all the weapons and pennies rule. The games that came out for the N64 I loved and will play those games to this day.
As I think about the top video game systems of the 80s and 90s, I believe that each era will always have its own unique standpoint. Beginning with the NES, a console that really started it all. Then we have the rivalry of the Genesis and SNES, with their war over 16-bit. This war was because Genesis wanted to create a cheaper system. Which they were successful in, by leaving out the mushroom in their cartridge. That mushroom was the CPU for the game itself. Next we have the rise of the Game Boy, and when Nintendo came out with their own handheld, universes. If anyone couldn’t save the universe, they certainly had the world at their fingertips. Lastly we have the advent of 3D gaming. This was brought to us by none other than the PlayStation and the N64. Each console played its part. It helped shape what gaming is today.
These consoles weren’t just boxes of circuitry; they were magic gateways to strange, beautiful worlds in distant galaxies, and to untold adventures. They were campfires around which we gathered at dusk to escape the bitter cold of our mortal insufficiency, to pretend, to dream, to be other people in strange, impossible places. For many of us, the 80s and 90s were the golden age of gaming, a time when the first foundations of our favorite medium were laid and our lifelong love for the form cemented. When the weekend rolled around, some of us didn’t even leave our rooms; why, when we were wrestling with monsters, quaffing potions, discovering new lands, and battling monsters, could you?
