The 1990s was a great decade for fans of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:role-playing games. During those ten years, the Fallout series was estab💝lished, Final Fantasy reached a new level, and several iconic ဣgames that defined the genre were released.

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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: RPGs With The Best Side Quests

The reason an RPG takes thous🔥ands of hours to finish.

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At the start of the century, 2D turn-based RPGs were the standard style for the genre. However, the world started to see more 3D environments and real-time combat towa🌄rd the middle and end of the decade. So, the ‘90s presented a time of change for role-playing games. Here are the genre’s best efforts for each year of the decade.

10 Dragon Quest 4: Chapters O🦩f The Chosen 🔥

1990

Dragon Quest IV screenshot of the hero and his party on the overworld.
Dragon Quest 4: Chapters Of The Chosen

Released
𒁏 February 11, 1990 👍
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Chunsoft
Publisher(s)
Enix
Platform(s)
Nintendo Entertainment System, PS1, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo DS, Mobile

Very early into the '90s, players from Japan were able to get their hands🍃 on what would become one of the decade's best RPGs in Dragon Quest 4. There w🦹ere a few other decent RPGs released in 1990, but none of them became as well-known as DQ4.

The game moved away from the type of storytelling seen i♛n the other entries in the seri💦es by dedicating each chapter to a specific character. This allowed for deeper and more well-defined characters, as dedicated focus was placed on each of them.

9 ♎ Final Fantasy 4

1991

Cecil and his team are battling flying monsters in Final Fantasy 4.

Released
Julyꦜꦫ 19, 1991
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Square
Publisher(s)
Square

The '90s were filled with Final Fantasꦛy releases. In fact, six main instalments were released over the ten-year period. The second of them was Final Fantasy 4, which remains among the most important games in th𝐆e series.

This is because it introduced the 'active time battle' system, which provided a new spin on turn-based combat and would become a staple of the FF series. On top of that, it was the first Final Fantasy game to really display compelling storytelling containing interesting characters and uni💙que arcs.

8 Ultima Underworld: The Styg🦩ian Abyss

1992

Screenshot of the player looking down a stone hallway in Ultima Underworld.
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
First-Person
RPG
Dungeon Crawler

Released
𒊎 March 21, 1992
ESRB
T Fo💦r Teen Due To Animated Blood, Mild Violence
Developer(s)
Blue Sky Productions ꩲ
Publisher(s)
Origin𒈔 Systems
Platform(s)
DOS, PS1, pc-98, FM Towns🃏, Windows Mobile

Back in 1992, Ultima Underworld stood out in multiple ways. For starters, it was a first-person RPG, which was still a fresh concept back then. Out of those that did exist, few gave you the sam✤e freedom of movement as Ultima Underworld. Plus, it was a pioneer in regards to using 3D environments, as not many games did at the time, regardless of genre.

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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: The 28 Best RPG Shooters

Role playing and shooters are among the most popular genres in all of video gam๊es. When put together, they have delivered some stellar games.

So, all things considered, it was an important game for the RPG genre and gaming as a whole. This is what puts it above several of the other grea🧔t RPGs that came out in '92.

7 🔯 Secret Of Mana🅘

1993

The player's party exits a castle's gates in Secret of Mana.
Secret of Mana
Action RPG

Released
🎀 October 3, 🦄1993
ESRB
⭕ 🉐 E10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Developer(s)
Square
Publisher(s)
Square
Platform(s)
PC, SNES, Android, iOS

While there have been some 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:great co-op RPGs, cooperative play isn't som♎ething the genre is known for. However, Secret of Mana had co-op play all the way back in 1993. It allows you and up to two friends to control different heroes as🍸 you attempt to save the land.

Both the story and the inclusion of co-op received much-deserved praise at the time. The real-time combat was also very satisfying and unique since RPGs didn't often hꦜave real-time combat in '93.

6 ꦬ Earthbound (AKA Mother 2)

1994

Party of Earthbound exploring the streets of Onett, a firetruck is going by.

Released
♔ June 5, 1995
ESRB
Tඣ For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes,🐲 Crude Humor
Developer(s)
HAL Laboratory, Ape𓂃 Inc.
Publisher(s)
Nintendo

Earthbound wasn't released until 1995🅘 i🎶n the US, but it did arrive in Japan in '94 as Mother 2. While it did okay in Japan, Earthbound initially struggled in America. Over the years, though, the appreciation of this cutesy RPG has grown significantly.

As such, it can realistically be put on the same level as the likes of ✃Final Fantasy 6 and Shin Megami Tensei 2, which also came out in '94. Where Earthbound excels is in its adorable art style and clever script. The game manages to juggle humor and serious topics better than most.

5 Chrono Trigger 🎃 ඣ

1995

Fighting on a cliff in Chrono Trigger.

Regardless of genre, Chrono Trigger is among 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the best games to come out in 1995, so, of course, no RPG that year can match it. As with any incredible game, there are plenℱt𓆉y of reasons for Chrono Trigger's greatness.

One of those reasons is the exceptional character-dr🍌iven storytelling that does a good job of giving each character depth and importance. Also, the inclusion of choices that impact the overall narrative is something that is common in RPG titles these days, but that wasn't the case before Chrono Trigger came onto t𝄹he scene.

4 Pokemon Red And Blue (AKA Pocket Monsters🍌 Red And Green)

1996

Pokemon Red screenshot of the player stood next to the table that contains three Pokeballs.

Released
Feꩵbruary 27, 1996
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
unity

The 1996 release was actually called Pocket Monsters because that was the original name of the series in Japan. The American port titled 'Pokemon' wasn't released until 🐠1998.

In 1996, the gaming world was treated to several iconic RPG🦋s, such as The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall and Super Mario RPG. Yet, the most notable RPG of the year was the original Pokemon game - albeit it was called Pocket Monsters at th🔯e time.

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If you're new to the Pokem🍎on series, these are the games that best to startꦏ with!

This title helped launch one of the most successful video game series ever and an entire media franchise. So, it is certainly an important game. It is also a good game, as its unique turn-based combat and creature collection mechanic📖s make for a great combination.

3 Final Fantasy 7 ♛

1997

Cloud and Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7.

Released
𒁏 January 31, 1997 🍨
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Sug𒅌gestive Themes

1997's Final Fantasy 7 is so great that Square Enix has made a series of games to remake it instead of just one. Therefore, the developers clearly think highly of the game, which they should since it's among 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the best Final Fantasy titles ever. So, it beatܫs the likes of the o🅘riginal Fallout to be '97's best RPG.

This is partiall💧y down to the exceptioౠnal narrative revolving around an eco-terrorist group taking on a megacorporation. There is so much depth to the storytelling and characters that it's a game that is still being talked about years later.

2 Baldur's Gate

1998

Friendly Arm Inn from Baldur's Gate 1, it looks similar to a gothic castle at night.

Released
Decembꦓer 21, 1998
ESRB
T for Teen: Animated Blood, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco ꧟
Developer(s)
BioWare
Publisher(s)
Interplay
Platform(s)
PC, macOS

1998 had some amazing RPGs, from Xenogears to Fallout 2. Along with them was a certain game that helped star🥃t the legacy of Bioware, which would go ✃on to become one of the most well-respected RPG developers out there.

The game in question is the original Baldur's Gate. While not as popular as its third instalment, this first Baldur's Gate is a classic in its own🧜 right. Its use of the Dungeon and Dragons world and gameplay rules makes it a unique experience, especially co📖mpared to other RPGs of the time.

1 🌊 Final Fantasy 8

1999

Squall and Seifer from Final Fantasy 8 have a gunblade fight.

Released
🌼 February 11, 1999
ESRB
T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence ജ

The Final Fantasy series and the RPG genre ended the millennium on a high note with the release of Final Fantasy 8. It's an entry into the FF series that doesn't completely 🍌change what Final Fantasy is. However, it excels in the areas an FF game usually does by providing brilliant storytelling, compelling characters, and memorable moments.

Where it does differ from the games before it is in the character models. By this poi✱nt in time, the characters in FF8 were the most realistic-looking that the series had ever seen, as they were more correctly proportioned.

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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 8 RPGs Turning 30 In 2025

As time🎶 passes, these RPG titles continue to prove that they're timeless.