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[ProgenitorCastle]

Recently, I've been enjoying many games or game series that originated in 1996. I think it'd make for a nice GAF thread, so I'll list some of said games/game series here, in no particular order:

1.) Metal Slug:

This game is so legendary to me. The core gameplay, sprites/sprite animations, music, etc. all combine for a pristine smooth as butter arcade experience.

2.) Super Mario 64:

This game still feels like peak Nintendo to me. Pushing 3D gameplay to the fore could've only been done by Nintendo in that time period...in a way it felt like they were in their prime then.

3.) Resident Evil 1996:

A beast of a survival horror experience that's still worth playing even with it's legendary 2002 REmake in existence, I can see why this game launched a successful franchise that would go on to be Capcom's top selling series. The exquisite level design, monster design, puzzles, OST, cast of characters, etc. all combine to form such an excellent first game, a true thinking gamer's game with choices like fight monsters head on or run away if you can't take them head on.

4.) Quake:

This FPS is one of my favorites due to it's atmosphere, level design filled with traps and secrets, weapons, multiplayer, etc.

Honorable mention: Sakura Wars:

Having beat the recent series reboot on PS4, I give a shout out to the OG Sakura Wars which started this series in 1996. It's theme song, the soul of the series, has aged like fine wine. I've yet to dive into it, but respect it's legacy, hence the shout out.

So GAF, what say you? What are your favorite 1996 released video games and why?

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Super Mario 64 - one of my favorite games ever

Mario Kart 64 - countless weekends playing 4 player splitscreen

Tomb Raider - The OG action action adventure waifu Queen?

Duke Nukem 3D - hail to the king, baby

Honorable Mentions:

Diablo - my first ARPG, consumed my soul

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain - RIP my youth

 

[Self_Destructive]

Mario 64 without question.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Super Mario 64 - one of my favorite games ever

Mario Kart 64 - countless weekends playing 4 player splitscreen

Tomb Raider - The OG action action adventure waifu Queen?

Duke Nukem 3D - hail to the king, baby

Oh wow, didn't know MK64 came out in 96! It's honestly top tier Mario Kart, with a great battle mode that still holds up!

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Shallow arcadey racing, but awesome graphics and audio

WIki says this game launched in Jan 1997. We got it in Dec from some small game shop. Shallow too with little replay value and pisspoor UI, picking up items/gold, and the game must have the most blatant tactic of stretching out a town and time played by making you walk across town at walking speed (no sprint in D1).

But still a good hack and slash action game, which at the time was still rare on PC. These kinds of games looked more suited for consoles, but the raw power was there for PCs to do fast paced action games by then.

 

[EverythingsOverrated]

1996 was a great year, so many bangers.

Super Mario RPG
Duke Nukem 3D
Red Alert 1
Mario 64
Diablo

I'm sure I'm missing some other classics, but those are the ones that come to mind first

 

[existensmaximum]

In 1996 I had almost quit playing on consoles since I was so disappointed about the 3D focus. I hated the N64 and the Playstation and wanted better 2D graphics instead of ugly 3D graphics. So I mostly played PC by then.

My favorite games of 1996 was (and still are) The Neverhood, Phantasmagoria and Diablo.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Super Mario 64 and Jet Moto were my two favorites from 1996. Either one of them being remade would be pretty awesome.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

In 1996 I had almost quit playing on consoles since I was so disappointed about the 3D focus. I hated the N64 and the Playstation and wanted better 2D graphics instead of ugly 3D graphics. So I mostly played PC by then.

My favorite games of 1996 was (and still are) The Neverhood, Phantasmagoria and Diablo.

Did you have any interest in the Sega Saturn during that period, with it's 2D powerhouse focus?

 

[MrA]

well number 1 in the op takes care of this thread

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Forgot about this beauty. That sweet PC era of mid-90s to maybe early 2000s when PC sports games demolished console ports.

That was a weird time for sports games. In the early 90s and before console sports were better unless you wanted detailed sim management games, and from around the 360/PS3 sports games from EA and 2k focused on consoles.

But that 3D video card era put PC sports leagues ahead, and combined with the usual detailed stats and customization, console sports game were trash.

 

[teezzy]

1. Super Mario RPG
2. Diablo
3. Pokemon Red
4. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
5. NHL '97

I'm stunned by the fact that Super Mario RPG came out the same year as Super Mario 64.


Hell yea StreetsofBeige another NHL 97 fan.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Hell yea StreetsofBeige another NHL 97 fan.

Got to give props to EA during those years. That first year of Virtua Stadium with their 96 sports were pretty crap. But their 97 games improved the 3D engine and character models a lot on PC.

 

[teezzy]

Oh wait no - Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey on N64 was also 1996

FUCK



That honestly might have been even better than NHL 97 on PSX.

 

[teezzy]

^ Shit was the precursor to NHL HItz

 

[existensmaximum]

Did you have any interest in the Sega Saturn during that period, with it's 2D powerhouse focus?

Nope, I don't think it was very popular in Sweden. At least I never knew anyone who owned one. Regardless, it was too expensive for me anyway and my dad had a powerful PC, so.

I played the Saturn years later and there sure are some beautiful 2D games, but not really not too many in the genres I like unfortunately.

Oh, and specifically I was disappointed that my favorite platform games didn't get 2D sequels anymore (like Mario and sonic).

 

[Soltype]

Street Fighter Alpha 2-Simply the best 2D fighting game you could play until 3rd Strike

Super Mario 64-Still blown away at what Nintendo was able to achieve at launch in 1996, timeless

Duke Nukem 3D- The most interactive game around at the time, you could play with every nook and cranny

Virtua Fighter 3-The new standard, and they weren't kidding.Played a deluxe cab at the world's largest McDonalds, and was floored.Characters would block hits with different hands depending where the attack came from,etc
The game looked and felt four years ahead of every thing else at the time.

 

[Griffon]

There are other PSX games from 1996 that were damn good too:

Legacy of Kain was great too.

But, yeah , Mario 64 owns them all.

I wasn't a PC player back then, I missed on Diablo (only played it decades later and loved it). But if I had back then I'm sure it would've been my favorite.

 

[German Hops]

Damn, I forgot there were actual good games out there before Final Fantasy VII.

 

[Bonfires Down]

Duke Nukem 3D and Metal Slug. Never cared much about Mario 64. Diablo was awesome back then but was thoroughly beaten by its sequel in everything but atmosphere.

Pilotwings 64 and Wave Race were pretty sweet too.

Edit: Wait, why are we talking about Diablo. It was released in 1997?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

There are other PSX games from 1996 that were damn good too:

Legacy of Kain was great too.

But, yeah , Mario 64 owns them all.

I wasn't a PC player back then, I missed on Diablo (only played it decades later and loved it). But if I had back then I'm sure it would've been my favorite.

Forgot about Tekken 2. I know Tekken 3 had better graphics and modes, but I liked T2 more.... much better soundtrack.

I remember buying it used from a small store. He only had it for maybe a few months on rental and I asked if he had any used copies. Nope. Then I asked if he wanted to sell the rental copy and he said ok. Best $45 I spent on PS1 games. LOL. Those were the times. All that to save a few bucks vs. buying new.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Decathlete - Model 2 like visuals and the best track and field game ever made

 

[Business]

I was there but didn’t remember all these came out exactly in 96. What a great year, good times.

 

[petran79]

Crusader No Regret, that defined the action genre

Ecstatica 2. Bigger than Résident Evil and the only médiéval ages survival horror.

Realms of the Haunting. Unique fmv/fps/3d adventure hybrid

Normality. One of the most original games, précursor to first person walking simulators

Bad Mojo. One of the best interactive fmv adventure games

Ripper. It sums up everything good and bad about games with high profile actors. Unfortunately newer multi million dollar games haven't learned.

Toonstruck. One of the best cartoon adventure games to the point of going over budget due to the high profile voice actors participating

Phantasmagoria 2 and Harvester tried something different but maibstream game industry and gamers even today are not ready for this

Also Pandora Directive, Discworld 2, Zork Nemesis etc

 

[cHaOs667]

1996 - what a year.

Even when Quake was release in May, I still played a ton of games with my Amiga 1200 (and the CD32 of course).

Capital Punishment and Fightin Spirit had a head-to-head contest to be the best fighting game of the year (also Street Fighter II Turbo got released that year on Amiga but somehow I never laid my hands on this one).
The Chaos Engine II got also released and I still love to play this game,
Alien Breed 3D II: The Killing Grounds looked brilliant but for years it did not run good enough on my Amiga.

And still there was a crazy amount of other great games like Legends (one of the best Zelda clones I've played) or Civ 2, Daggerfall or Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva on PC.

While writing this I realize that I've played a lot of the 1996 PC Games in the coming years - what a great year!

 

[Bartski]

Diablo but that's more like '97

I remember getting a voodoo 3dfx card and that shocking next level 3d textured polygon graphics in Tomb Raider!

As a huge fan of the first wave of action-adventure back then (Alone in the Darks, Ecstaticas, Bioforge etc.) I remember seeing Resident Evil on a friend's PS1 and how it blew my mind.

Also in 1996 - the best Command and Conquer game ever - C&C: Red Alert

 

[aclar00]

Recently, I've been enjoying many games or game series that originated in 1996. I think it'd make for a nice GAF thread, so I'll list some of said games/game series here, in no particular order:

1.) Metal Slug:

This game is so legendary to me. The core gameplay, sprites/sprite animations, music, etc. all combine for a pristine smooth as butter arcade experience.

2.) Super Mario 64:

This game still feels like peak Nintendo to me. Pushing 3D gameplay to the fore could've only been done by Nintendo in that time period...in a way it felt like they were in their prime then.

3.) Resident Evil 1996:

A beast of a survival horror experience that's still worth playing even with it's legendary 2002 REmake in existence, I can see why this game launched a successful franchise that would go on to be Capcom's top selling series. The exquisite level design, monster design, puzzles, OST, cast of characters, etc. all combine to form such an excellent first game, a true thinking gamer's game with choices like fight monsters head on or run away if you can't take them head on.

4.) Quake:

This FPS is one of my favorites due to it's atmosphere, level design filled with traps and secrets, weapons, multiplayer, etc.

Honorable mention: Sakura Wars:

Having beat the recent series reboot on PS4, I give a shout out to the OG Sakura Wars which started this series in 1996. It's theme song, the soul of the series, has aged like fine wine. I've yet to dive into it, but respect it's legacy, hence the shout out.

So GAF, what say you? What are your favorite 1996 released video games and why?

RE1, beat that game like 20 times and wasnt even a teenager yet....still my fav game til this day...best childhood memories and as clunky as the controls are jts still replayable to me.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

RE1, beat that game like 20 times and wasnt even a teenager yet....still my fav game til this day...best childhood memories and as clunky as the controls are jts still replayable to me.

I didn't mind the tank controls. It was the deceptive camera angles they did to purposely make the game more intense than it really was.

I typically don't replay any action or RPG game I beat, but I remember doing it for RE. I must have read it in a magazine but you got the unlimited rocket launcher if you speed run the game. I remember doing it.

Amazingly, if you google it, you can speed run the game in 40 minutes. lol

 

[martino]

Super Mario 64 - one of my favorite games ever

Mario Kart 64 - countless weekends playing 4 player splitscreen

Tomb Raider - The OG action action adventure waifu Queen?

Duke Nukem 3D - hail to the king, baby

Honorable Mentions:

Diablo - my first ARPG, consumed my soul

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain - RIP my youth

are you me ?
wasn't diablo 97 ?

 

[JohnSpartanLee]

Resident Evil of course. Also got the Director's Cut one year later and was just as captivated again as in late summer 1996.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

are you me ?
wasn't diablo 97 ?

Wikipedia says it was a Jan 97 launch. Many of us got in Dec 2016 from stores that released the game a few weeks early.

Digging into it, Brevik says the game shipped December 31st.

There is no way that is true. I'm 100% positive my bros and I were playing this game right after Christmas.

news

news

www.gamasutra.com

The studio was already in trouble, since it had tried -- and failed -- to have Diablo ready for Christmas of ‘96. But it wound up shipping on December 31st, and the contractions proved to be a false alarm -- Brevik’s daughter was born January 3rd, days after his game.

 

[HE1NZ]

Also, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D.