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These retro classics refuse to collect dust! Join us as we count down the 3D games from the 1990s that still hold up against today's best. From groundbreaking platformers to iconic fighters and unforgettable adventures, these titles prove that great game design is truly timeless. Which one is still your favorite?
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at video games from the 1990s that still hold up with today's best.
00:23Number 20, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
00:33Considered one of the greatest games ever at the time of its release, this title was just a vibe of
00:37its own.
00:37While the skaters were unmistakably blocky, that hardly mattered once they started moving.
00:41Tricks flowed together with smooth, readable animations, while grabs, grinds, bails, and different skating styles gave the characters amazing personality.
00:57Memorable locations from the grimy warehouse to the downhill streets of San Francisco were each immediately recognizable, despite the PlayStation's
01:05limitations.
01:05The colorful environments, fluid movement, and strong visual design remain appealing even if they might look dated.
01:11What once looked astonishingly alive now looks charmingly stylized.
01:33No matter how much the graphical fidelity of today's games might be, the original RE2 experience remains the same.
01:39Pre-rendered backgrounds may have become taboo over the years, but RE2's backdrop allowed for detailed environments that the PlayStation
01:45couldn't have produced in real-time 3D.
01:47Detailed artwork, dramatic lighting, and carefully chosen perspectives still give Raccoon City an unsettling atmosphere.
01:58Fixed camera angles also framed locations like scenes from a horror movie, with threats sometimes lurking just outside our view.
02:04And although he wasn't Leon Daddy Kennedy yet, Polygon Leon doesn't look too bad either.
02:17Number 18, Super Smash Brothers.
02:26Today, seeing Mario, Link, Pikachu, and Donkey Kong beat the stuffing out of each other is nothing unusual.
02:31In 1999, though, Super Smash Brothers felt like someone had emptied our Nintendo toy box onto the screen.
02:36Characters we'd spent years controlling across completely different games were suddenly sharing colorful 3D stages, complete with recognizable moves and
02:43animations.
02:50Mario's bright overalls, Kirby's spherical simplicity, and Pikachu's expressive movements never needed photorealistic detail to look right.
02:57The stages were equally lively, whether battling above Hyrule Castle or dodging Pokemon in Saffron City.
03:02Later Smash games naturally added considerably more polish, but the original makes it clear that Nintendo's characters were practically built
03:08to survive changing graphical generations.
03:20Number 17, Spyro 2, Ripto's Rage.
03:31Before wowing audiences with games like Ratchet and Clank and Marvel's Spider-Man, Insomniac made a name for themselves with
03:37the Spyro series.
03:38Rather than chasing realism, Insomniac filled Avalar with bright colors, exaggerated characters, and sprawling fantasy environments.
03:51Clever programming allowed distant scenery to remain visible instead of disappearing beneath the heavy fog that plagued plenty of early
03:583D games.
03:58Stand atop Autumn Plains Castle and you can gaze across huge stretches of the home world, something that felt almost
04:03ridiculous on a Playstation in 1999.
04:06Ultimately Spyro 2 feels open, colorful, and inviting, and its cartoon aesthetic means Avalar remains awfully easy on the eyes.
04:20Number 16, Final Fantasy 7.
04:30You don't need cutting-edge graphics to have your heart broken, and even three decades later, FF7 still tugs on
04:35our heartstrings.
04:36That open journey across Midgar before the camera sweeps toward the train remains one heck of an introduction,
04:41while later sequences gave major story movements a scale rarely seen in console games at the time.
04:54It's pre-rendered backgrounds gave Midgar a scale and level of detail that made exploring the city an event in
04:59itself.
05:00Towering machinery, glowing reactors, cluttered streets, and the enormous plate overhead created a place that felt lived in rather than
05:06simply constructed for the player.
05:08FF7 may have received plenty of graphical upgrades since, but the original's distinctive look remains unmistakably its own.
05:22Want to see more games that have stood the test of time?
05:25Scan the QR code on your screen to join WatchMojo's 24-7 gaming livestream for more retro classics, iconic franchises,
05:31and unforgettable gaming moments.
05:45Number 15, Doom.
05:55There's a reason the original Doom aesthetic keeps coming back.
05:58Its demonic corridors remain moody and oppressive, with flickering lights, pools of toxic waste, satanic imagery, and bursts of red
06:05making every trip through hell suitably unpleasant.
06:07And not much in gaming is as satisfying to look at as that shotgun firing directly into the screen.
06:19Doom also moves incredibly smoothly, helping its relatively simple environments come alive as demons and fireballs fill the room.
06:25Modern Doom games can render hell in extraordinary detail, but the 1993 original proves it doesn't take millions of polygons
06:30to make blasting demons look this good.
06:40Number 14, Gran Turismo 2.
06:51Remember back when Gran Turismo used to be the apex driving experience?
06:54With Gran Turismo 2, the series was already making us stare at virtual cars like they were sitting in a
06:58showroom.
06:59Its enormous roster included hundreds of vehicles, and Polyphony Digital managed to capture their shape, proportions, paintwork, and signature details.
07:06The lighting across the bodywork gives those models an extra bit of shine, particularly during the game's replay sequences.
07:22Cinematic camera angles and smooth tracking shots can make a completed race surprisingly enjoyable just to watch.
07:27Tracks also have a clean, grounded presentation that keeps attention on the cars.
07:30Racing games have made enormous graphical leaps since 1999, but Gran Turismo 2 still knows how to make a good
07:36car look great.
07:55At a time when the PlayStation lacked the mascot that Sega and Nintendo did, Crash Bandicoot came mighty close.
08:00If nothing else, Warp definitively proved that this marsupial deserves to be in the conversation.
08:05Naughty Dog figured out how to stuff a cartoon inside a PlayStation.
08:08Crash is constantly stretching, spinning, and pulling ridiculous faces.
08:11And even as many deaths turn into elaborate visual gags.
08:14This animation never feels like a stiff collection of polygons.
08:23Warped also keeps changing the scenery, throwing its orange hero into medieval villages, prehistoric jungles, Egyptian tombs, and futuristic cities
08:30without losing its colorful visual style.
08:32The textures may be sharper nowadays, but the N-Sane trilogy only confirmed how strong the original visual blueprint already
08:38was.
08:43Warped also keeps changing the dimensions of the game.
08:48Number 12, Sonic Adventure.
09:00Sonic always seemed like a game that was perfectly designed for 2D, but any fears of entering the 3D space
09:05were quashed when his jump into 3D looked every bit as fast as it was.
09:08And colorful as his Genesis adventures.
09:11Emerald Coast remains a gorgeous opening showcase, sending Sonic across bright beaches, wooden bridges, and over sparkling blue water.
09:17The game also understood that speed looks better with spectacles.
09:20Whether Sonic is racing down the side of a skyscraper or being chased by an enormous boulder.
09:30character models brought Sonic and his friends into 3D without sacrificing their bold cartoon designs.
09:35Some games want you to stop and admire the scenery.
09:37Sonic Adventure figured out how to make it look good at 100 miles per hour.
09:41It's no use! Give up!
09:45Number 11, Soul Calibur.
09:54The Dreamcast didn't have much in terms of bragging rights, but Soul Calibur gave owners something to feel smug about.
09:59The game shows just how well great animation ages.
10:02Its fighters move with a fluidity that remains satisfying to watch as swords, staffs, axes, and other weapons sweep naturally
10:07through attacks and combinations.
10:15The arenas give all that movement an attractive backdrop.
10:18Character designs also favor bold costumes and strong silhouettes rather than relying entirely on fine graphical detail.
10:24Nearly three decades later, watching Soul Calibur in motion is still enough to understand why its visuals earn so much
10:30praise.
10:38Number 10, Rayman 2 The Great Escape.
10:45A 3D platformer starring the limbless mascot character Rayman, this sequel wears its age fairly well.
10:51However, because it was released across multiple platforms, the actual graphical quality will vary depending on which version.
11:03No matter which of them you play though, we're gonna go out on a limb and say that its cartoony
11:07art style looks good regardless.
11:09Featuring an enchanting world, an engaging story, and great gameplay, Rayman 2 is a great escape back to a simpler
11:14time that won't feel too dated today.
11:24Number 9, Grim Fandango.
11:26Work orders are assigned by my office and are not exchangeable among salesmen.
11:31Swapping, selling, and specially stealing work orders will result in severe disciplinary action.
11:36Point and click adventure games in general tend to age pretty well, and the first one by LucasArts to use
11:413D graphics has held up fantastically.
11:43A film noir mystery flavored with a land of the dead aesthetic, Grim Fandango is like the Maltese Falcon meets
11:50Coco.
11:50Created by Tim Schafer and featuring the creator's signature snappy humor, Grim Fandango has graphics full of panache and more
11:57skeletons than a mobster's closet.
11:59The story's hilarious and sucks you right in, and if the visuals are still not up to your standards, there's
12:04always the remastered version.
12:14Nice bathroom!
12:15Number 8, Crazy Taxi.
12:23Released in arcades at the tail end of the decade, Crazy Taxi delivered absolute insanity.
12:27The game sees players forced to get their passengers to their destinations in a set amount of time.
12:32With little regard for the rules of the road, pedestrians, or other drivers, although the detail on the faces isn't
12:38up to today's standards,
12:39the colorful palette and realistic proportions are pretty good for the turn of the millennium.
12:43And regardless of your opinion on the graphics, the soundtrack is just as awesome now as it was decades ago.
12:48Though you may need to be a 90's kid to truly appreciate it.
12:59Number 7, Tekken 3.
13:07The Tekken franchise has always been near the forefront when it comes to graphical quality.
13:12Although Tekken 3 isn't up to modern standards, it's still impressive for the time.
13:15The game features a fairly large roster of diverse fighters, some of whom go on to become some of the
13:20biggest names in the franchise.
13:27Tekken 3 is also notable for its increased emphasis on sidestepping, which adds more depth, literally, to the fighting system.
13:34And bottom line, it still plays great, which is all most people want in a fighter anyway.
13:42Number 6, Shenmue.
13:44Um, excuse me.
13:45What is that?
13:46Do you sell boat tickets to Hong Kong here?
13:49Boat tickets?
13:50Yeah, we do.
13:52Released only two days before the end of the decade, Shenmue just barely qualifies for our list.
13:57Indeed, many of its features were pioneering and influenced many of the games of the last 20 years.
14:02Shenmue features NPCs with complex schedules, an open-world environment, quick-time events, and minigames aplenty.
14:08Its visuals were also revolutionary for the time, with a level of quality rarely seen on consoles.
14:12Although Shenmue didn't get much recognition at the time, it has since become a cult classic.
14:23Number 5, Super Mario 64.
14:31Sure, some of the polygons in this N64 launch title are sharp enough to draw blood through the screen, but
14:36come on, it's Mario.
14:37Nintendo's mascot is ageless, regardless of the medium.
14:40Super Mario 64 basically invented the 3D platformer, giving players control over the camera, and giving us free reign to
14:47explore Princess Peach's castle and the many worlds within.
14:55Super Mario 64 has remained so beloved because of how vibrant and distinct its environments are, how responsive and fun
15:01it is to control Mario, and because it's just a solid game all around.
15:05Like we said, it's Mario.
15:06By the way!
15:11ONNOTALLY SEZZLE, THE FIONS內CAL
15:11Number 4, Half-Life
15:12Hey MrFreamin.
15:14I had a bunch of messages for you, but we had a system crash about 20 minutes ago and I'm
15:18still trying to find the files.
15:20Even today, Half-Life plays very much like modern shooters.
15:23That's probably because most of the current FPS games owe a lot to Half-Life.
15:27The game features fast and responsive combat and tells its story through in-game events,
15:31the latter of which is popularized.
15:33Playing as Gordon Freeman as he battles aliens and human soldiers is not an experience we'll
15:37soon forget.
15:38The graphics are fantastic for the late 90s, and the aesthetic of Black Mesa and the other
15:42environments you encounter remain striking.
15:45In fact, you might say that Half-Life's Half-Life has been long indeed.
16:08Out of all the 3D platformers from the 90s, Banjo-Kazooie has probably aged the best.
16:14Its cartoony art style has a way of smoothing out any rough edges to its graphics.
16:17And while the game still looks great, its spectacularly catchy music and fun gameplay
16:22hold up just as well.
16:23With its charming characters, big worlds to explore, and more collectibles to grab than
16:27you can shake a bird in a backpack at, Banjo-Kazooie will fit in perfectly no matter what year it
16:32is.
16:33Kinda like a puzzle piece.
16:49Metal Gear Solid essentially popularized cinematic storytelling in video games, and it couldn't
16:54do that without some decent graphics.
16:56Although it looks blockier than games today compared to most games of the time, its downright
17:00photorealistic.
17:01So you're in this for money?
17:03I don't need money.
17:05Not only does Metal Gear Solid still look good, but its stealth gameplay and solid controls
17:10ensure that we still have a blast whenever we play it.
17:12Just don't ask us to explain the storyline.
17:14We'd need an hour.
17:15I've left my mark on you.
17:18I won't forget it until I kill you.
17:44You're shocked, we can tell.
17:45There's a reason Ocarina of Time tends to top so many top 10 lists, and not just from
17:50us, it's amazing.
17:50The expansive world of Hyrule looks beautiful even decades later.
17:54The character designs are unique and iconic.
17:56Every locale is bursting with personality.
17:59Along with the set dressing, every other aspect of the game holds up wonderfully too.
18:03The story is simple, but gripping.
18:04The music is spectacular.
18:10The controls were innovative and influenced many games to come.
18:13And speaking of influences, Ocarina of Time basically became the gold standard by which
18:18every other Legend of Zelda game has been measured since its release.
18:21Truly, it's a timeless game.
18:30Which other games do you think deserve to be on this list?
18:32Let us know in the comments.