An article on video game design from 1990 to 2008 reminded me of a few games I've owned. I've excerpted screens from those games below.
Looking back, it's interesting to note that the best games were never about the graphics. The most innovative games came in bursts. And there's been very little "new" in gaming for more than the past 5 years. We're overdue for a crop of games that raise the bar.
(These are not the only games I've played or owned, they're the ones covered in the article that I happened to own.)
1990
Wing Commander
1991
Civilization
1992
Wolfenstein 3D
Dune II
1993
Sim City 2000
Doom
1994
Heretic
Warcraft
1995
The Need For Speed
Command and Conquer
Source: mobygames.com
1996
Quake
Duke Nukem 3D
1997
Total Annihilation
Source: mobygames.com
Age of Empires
Source: gamegoldies.org
Quake 2
Diablo
1998
Half Life
Source: mobygames.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator 98
Source: mobygames.com
StarCraft
Source: thezeal.com
Unreal
Source: mobygames.com
1999
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Source: mobygames.com
2000
The Sims
Source: thesims.eagames.nl/
Colin McRae Rally 2
Source: mobygames.com
2001
Max Payne
Source: mobygames.com
Grand Theft Auto 3
Source: compactiongames.about.com
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Source: softpedia.com
Halo
Source: mobygames.com
Empire Earth
Source: gamesurge.com
2002
Diablo II Lord of destruction
Source: freegamesclub.blogspot.com
Warcraft 3
Source: ogre3d.org
Neverwinter Nights
Source: mobygames.com
Splinter Cell
