Games of 1996 - ranked by preference

Release Date: October 15, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Genre: RPG

Not really sure what to say that I haven't already said in the post below with Pokemon: Red Version. The differences between the two are minuscule - mostly just percentages of how often certain Pokemon appear and areas. But the great thing about Pokemon games is that they're fun enough to play both games from beginning to end, and you probably won't get bored...And, since you can trade with friends, you're not necessarily stuck doing all the work if you want to catch 'em all. By the way, like I said, the differences between Red and Blue are minute - the only reason Blue is above Red in this list is because I adore Squirtle in any form.

Release Date: February 27, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Genre: RPG

Pokemon: Red Version is the first Pokemon game that I beat...And that was only within the last two years or so. So I was late to the Pokemon party, what of it? Anyway, this game, along with Blue, was a fantastic first game in the series. This unique RPG with a "Gotta catch 'em all" gimmick is highly addictive. I found myself wandering around areas for hours just to run into a rare pokemon to nab for myself. The games have evolved since the days of the originals, but that doesn't make this game any less fun today.

Release Date: January 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Treasure
Genre: Action - Brawler

Ever play a brawler like Final Fight, but wish is played more like a fighting game, like Street Fighter? Well, mix the two together, and toss in some Treasure charm, and you've got Guardian Heroes - quite possibly the best brawler ever made. Not only is it a blast when playing solo, you've got the option to play with five of your closest friends, so the six of you can pummel anything and everything that pops up on the screen. Most folks who play this game fall in love with it...And with its recent release on the Xbox 360, a whole new generation of people can enjoy the wonders of this gem.

Release Date: July 19, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Hudson Soft
Genre: Action

I absolutely LOVE Saturn Bomberman; it's my favorite game in the franchise by quite a large margin. It's very fun in single player, but multi-player is what most folks enjoy Bomberman for, and Saturn Bomberman surpasses all other games in the Bomberman series in that regard. This game supports up to ten players playing together at once. Yes, ten. Think of the chaotic fun to be had with that many people. Saturn Bomberman is a great game in itself, but the multiplayer options turn a great game into one of the greatest games ever made, in my opinion.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SingleTrac
Genre: Action - Car Combat

Until Twisted Metal: Black came out, this was easily the best game in the Twisted Metal franchise. Everything is just so well done here - the level design, the controls, the secrets to discover, the new characters...it's all just so well done. Twisted Metal basically created the car combat genre, but Twisted Metal 2 set the bar for quality so high that even the next three Twisted Metal games on the Playstation One couldn't come close to reaching it. Until Twisted Metal: Black came out, this is what I thought that car combat perfection was like.

Release Date: December 27, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Human Entertainment
Developer: Human Entertainment
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Fire Pro Wrestling S was THE wrestling game to own if you were a wrestling fanatic back in 1996. It wasn't until Fire Pro Wrestling D was released a few years later on the Dreamcast that this game was surpassed. It was so ahead of its time with so many of its features, including an MMA-style match, complete with a caged octagon ring, years before the UFC and MMA as a whole gained a whole lot of popularity around the world. Later Fire Pro games have surpassed this title, but for its time, you couldn't have found a better wrestling title anywhere. Period.

Release Date: March 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Team Andromeda
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The first Panzer Dragoon was a fun rail shooter...The sequel improved on the original in every way and added in a few new features, like levels with multiple paths to choose from and the awesome feature of being able to morph your dragon into a new, more powerful one. When it comes to rail shooters, I consider this game to be the king of the mountain. It looks beautiful, it plays wonderfully, and it's just a fantastic game as a whole. This game alone is worth the purchase of a Saturn, let alone all of the other fantastic titles that the console had exclusively.

Release Date: June 23, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer

In the early days of 3D games, most developers were struggling with a way to make just a decent 3D platformer, let alone a great one...Of course, then Miyamoto tried his hand at it and hit a home run in his first attempt. Today, this game is still often in the discussion of greatest game ever made - or at the very least, greatest 3D platformer. I've never thought it was quite the best, but I did always believe that it deserved a comfy position somewhere near the top of the list.

Release Date: August 9, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Almost one year to the date that the abomination known as Street Fighter: The Movie hit store shelves, Street Fighter 2 arrived to make up for everything. And make up for everything it did, with one of the best Street Fighter games to come out in years. It improved on just about everything found in Street Fighter Alpha, plus added new characters, and controlled so silky smooth that if you were a impressionable lady, you would have thrown your underwear at it....Heck, I wasn't an impressionable lady, and I still threw my underwear at it. Street Fighter Alpha 3 blew this game out of the water when it came out, but until that time, this was one of the absolute best fighters that you could find on any console.

Release Date: July 5, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action

Sonic Team is best known for creating Sonic the Hedgehog games. However, some argue that NiGHTS into Dreams is the best game that Sonic Team ever created. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I definitely agree that NiGHTS is one of the top two or three games that Sonic Team developed. There's just something enjoyable about soaring through the air, picking up power-ups, and taking part in large boss fights. The disappointing Wii sequel has nothing on this gem.

Release Date: December 6, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: NanaOn-Sha
Genre: Music

Master Onion. That's really all I need to say. From the minute you start playing this quirky game, and see Master Onion, it's hard to not fall in love with it. From the various songs and the various characters that help PaRappa sing them, this game is utterly charming from beginning to end. It may not be the best music game that I've ever played, but it's easily one of my favorites.

Release Date: February 16, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Taito
Developer: Taito
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Of all the import wrestling games I've played, this is one that I'd heard the least about prior to playing, and it's surprising because it's actually quite good. It's your standard off-brand Japanese wrestling game of the time, with a roster full of real people, but with changed names to avoid copyrights. The learning curve may be a little steep for some, especially if you're a button-masher, but once you get the hang of it, this is a very solid wrestling game. If you take the time to actually learn and understand how to play the game, and there's an in-game training mode that should help, this very well could become one of your favorite wrestling titles on the original Playstation.

Release Date: November 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Puzzle

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo was an interesting concept; take the head-to-head fighting of the Street Fighter games and put it into a puzzle game setting. Games like Puyo Pop had been doing this head-to-head model of puzzle games a few years earlier, where you can actually 'attack' your opponent by eliminating blocks in combos, but Puzzle Fighter underlined the fighting aspect by giving each character their own "move sets" in the form of different patterns that they drop blocks on you...Essentially making this what the title makes it sound like - Street Fighter in puzzle form. In many ways, the game borrowed ideas from the Puyo Pop games, from the gameplay itself, to many of the ideas...But in many ways, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo also improved on those ideas and/or gave them a unique twist to deliver a moderately unique experience, and one well worth playing. This game is a gem...Pun intended.

Release Date: March 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure - Survival Horror

Resident Evil wasn't the first survival horror game, but it was definitely the first one to take horror games mainstream. The game itself is pretty fun to play, but as a fan of B-movies and lame acting, I can't help but love the live-action cut scenes found within the game as well. Fans of the action-based Resident Evil 4 and 5 may not appreciate the earlier games in the series as much, but this fellow is a pretty big fan.

Release Date: July 25, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Tecmo
Genre: Adventure

Tecmo's Deception was a pretty unique title...In Japan, it's known as a "Trap Simulation" game. Essentially, your job is to set up traps in the castle/mansion that you're in, then try to lure people into them. Once trapped, you can take their souls. It sounds simple enough, but it can take some strategy to ensure that your targets step into the traps instead of simple walking around them. It's a unique and enjoyable game, definitely worth checking out if you've got an opportunity to try it.

Release Date: December 20, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Media Vision
Genre: RPG

Wild Arms is an interesting RPG as you play as each of the three main characters individually before they all finally come together as a team, which is where the story really begins. While I wouldn't say that Wild Arms is one of the greatest RPGs ever made, it certainly is very good and well worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre...afterall, they made 7 games in the series (and re-released several of them) for a reason.

Release Date: January 25, 1996 (EU)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

The best home version of Street Fighter Alpha was found on the Saturn. While the Saturn generally had poorer 3D graphics when compared to the Playstation, it definitely had the advantage as far as 2D games go. The Saturn version of Street Fighter Alpha looked great, played very smoothly, and was just a fantastic fighting game experience. Later games in the Alpha series improved upon and perfected the formula found here, but the first Street Fighter Alpha is still a fantastic game in its own right.

Release Date: April 18, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: SNK
Developer: Nazca
Genre: Shooter

I love Metal Slug to no end. While many people point to Contra as their favorite run-and-gun style game, I always point to just about any game in the Metal Slug series. Between the gorgeous 2D sprites, the humor tossed around, the vehicles to hop into, and the level designs....It's just an absolutely tremendous game. It can be brutal to newcomers, but it's fun enough where many will keep at it...And when you do, you'll learn enemy patterns and when it's best to use weapons and/or grenades. Later games in the Metal Slug series tweak and improve upon the formula found here, but this awesome first-entry in the series is still well worth playing through even today.

Release Date: September 27, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Racing

Oh, that Miyamoto...Everything he touches seems to turn to gold. I like water-based racing games to begin with, but Wave Race 64 isn't just a racing game, as it almost doubles as an obstacle course at the same time, making you weave in and out of buoys in the water while trying to pass your opponents. Ignore the directions of the buoys and you'll find yourself disqualified. It sounds kind of lame, but once you start to play, you'll see that it's done very, very well. It's still one of the best jetski racers that you can find, nearly 20 years later.

Release Date: March 29, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

While Tekken was good, but not great, Tekken 2 was a large step in the right direction towards making this franchise one of the most popular fighting game series of all time. Better gameplay, a larger cast of characters, and more game modes to add to the replay value are all reasons why the second Tekken was extremely successful. Tekken 2 was a very good fighting game, maybe just short of being great, but still worth playing for any fan of the franchise.

Release Date: April 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Takara
Developer: Gaibrain
Genre: Fighting

King of Fighters '95 plays like a console fighting game, not a game you'd find on a handheld. It's also got a team arcade mode to go along with the regular one-on-one arcade mode, as well as a versus mode for both styles as well...Back when this was released, most console fighters didn't have this many modes, let along handheld fighters. The end result is a smooth-playing fighting game that is to Game Boy games exactly what the title states it to be - the King of Fighters.

Release Date: August 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Naughty Dog
Genre: Platformer

Crash Bandicoot was a unique take on the classic platformer. Instead of side-scrolling like in 2D games, or having freedom to roam around a 3D level like Super Mario 64, Crash Bandicoot managed to create a mostly linear path to follow in a 3D environment, but much like the original Super Mario Bros., while the levels are linear, it doesn't mean that there aren't secrets to discover. It's not a perfect platformer, but its very good...Good enough where Crash Bandicoot kinda got adopted as the mascot of the Playstation for a while. If you're interested in playing the game that put Naughty Dog on the map long before the Uncharted games or the Last of Us, then this is the one that you'll want to pick up.

Release Date: July 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter Kids is a good solid Virtua Fighter game...It basically runs off of the Virtua Fighter 2 engine, plays a little faster, and has a few new modes added in. Oh, and it's also quite precious as the fighters are all big-headed, super-deformed, adorable, little cuteys that could rip your heart out of your chest in an instant. That being said, it's about as solid of a fighting game as Virtua Fighter 2 is regardless of the cute graphics. The only reason I've got it this far down the list is that despite how good it is, I still consider it to be a clone, so I docked it a tad due to that fact.

Release Date: November 25, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Racing

After the disappointing Daytona USA, Sega fixed all the issues and released a much, much better version that lived up to many of the expectations that the first version dropped the ball on. Championship Circuit Edition is an improved product in absolutely every regard, and one that lives up to the hype that the arcade version got. I still enjoy Sega Rally Championship a little more, but quite frankly, Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition is right up there as one of my favorite racers of all-time.

Release Date: February 23, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Natsume
Developer: Natsume
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Well, this was quite a pleasant surprise. I honestly did not expect much from Royal Pro Wrestling. It looked so basic and boring...It's anything but that once the action starts. The game has little details that made me fall in love with it. The generic version of the Undertaker in the game (The Underdise Morgan) actually has a Paul Bearer-like manager lurking around at ringside during his matches...And you can attack said manager if you wish. The gameplay is fairly basic, but still enjoyable and it has some very, very minor play-by-play which was a nice novelty for its time. There's also enough content here to keep most wrestling fans busy for quite a while. If you're a wrestling fan and you own a 3DO, you can't go wrong by importing this gem from Japan.

Release Date: November 23, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Rare
Genre: Platformer

The original Donkey Kong Country wowed a lot of folks. Donkey Kong Country 2 wowed even more folks. Donkey Kong Country 3 probably wowed some people, but the wow-factor had already started to wear off. Donkey Kong Country 3 is a solid platformer, but through most of the game, you can't help but feel like you've already played this before. That's not necessarily a bad thing if you absolutely loved the first two games in the series, but for folks looking for something different, they may walk away from this game a little disappointed.

Release Date: August 2, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: SquareSoft
Developer: DreamFactory
Genre: Fighting

Tobal No. 1 isn't the best 3D fighter ever made, but it is a solid one...Unfortunately, despite decent sales here in North America it's a solid fighter that SquareSoft thought that nobody played...They thought that the game was only purchased so folks could play the Final Fantasy VII demo packaged inside. If that was, indeed, the case then a lot of people missed out on a good fighting game with an interesting quest mode. The fighting in Tobal No. 1 is standard fare - not great, but solid. The quest mode is where the game shines, though it will take most players a bit of time to get used to the controls as they aren't exactly pick-up-and-play. But folks that stick with it will find a very rewarding game mode that can suck hours away from your life. I suppose there's that FF7 demo, too, which is fun to play today just so you can see the changes made from the time this game came out to the time FF7 did. Anyway, overall, this is a solid, worthwhile fighting game and worth checking out if you haven't done so yet.

Release Date: December 14, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Racing - Kart

I like Mario Kart 64, but I feel that it's my least favorite game in the franchise. In my eyes, it lacked the charm of the original, and many of the courses that you race on just feel bland in comparison to other games in the series. That's not to say that this is a bad game - it's very good - it' just my least favorite in the series...and looking at the other Mario Kart games, that's nothing to be ashamed of.

Release Date: 1996 (NA)
Publisher: SunA
Developer: SunA
Genre: Action

Ultra Balloon seems like a Bubble Bobble rip-off at first glance, and it's certainly inspired by the Taito classic, but its got its own little charms to it to help it stand out a tad. First, there's a bunch of boss fights. They're pretty basic and easy to complete, but they're still a nice little way to break up constantly busting enemy-filled bubbles. There's also farting. Yup. Trying to blow bubbles at enemies in front of you while other enemies approach from the back? Fart in their face and the wind (and stench, I imagine) will push them back a tad giving you room. And what would a classy game with farts be without classical music playing in the background? Ultra Balloon has that, too. So, basically, Ultra Balloon is Bubble Bobble, but with a few new features. Did the Bubble Bobble formula need these additions? Probably not, but they don't hurt it any, either.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Core Design
Genre: Adventure

I think Tomb Raider got a lot of sales from the rumor of a nude code...But quite frankly, even if the perverted folk who wanted to look at polygonal female genitalia didn't buy the game, I still would like to think that Tomb Raider would have been a success based on the gameplay alone. Exploring around and occasionally shooting stuff while controlling a lass with an English accent actually created a very enjoyable experience that helped create a very successful franchise.

Release Date: 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Alpha Denshi
Developer: Alpha Denshi
Genre: Action

If you've ever played Bubble Bobble and thought to yourself, "This game is fun and all, but you know what it needs? Nude, Asian women." then this game is for you. As far as adult-themed games go, which are usually complete trash, this one is actually fun. Miss Bubble II is a blatant Bubble Bobble rip-off with bubble-spitting mice instead of dinosaurs, new sprites for the enemies, and grainy pictures of lady folk in the background for you to look at as you play. The game even has two endings like Bubble Bobble, one bad ending for if you play by yourself and one good ending for if you can get a perverted friend to join you to the end. So, perverted video gamers rejoice! This is the very rare kind of game that delivers adult material along with gameplay that is actually quite fun.

Release Date: 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Cave
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

DoDonPachi is a bullet hell, third-person shooter developed by Cave and published by Atlus...And it is absolutely brutal. I’ve seen bullet hell shooters that are more insane than this, but this is more than enough insanity for the average gamer to endure. I thought I was ready for this with my near-mastery of the iPhone’s DoDonPachi Resurrection, as I can beat that game without using a single continue. This game, however, I can barely pass the first level without popping in another quarter for a continue. Despite the difficulty, it’s still fun and well worth the price of admission, should you come across an arcade cabinet for it.

Release Date: August 30, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

If Virtua Fighter 2 is too realistic of a fighter for you, then Fighting Vipers and its over-the-top combat might be right up your alley. With a unique air-juggling system, the bulk of a fight could potentially take place in the air...Not to mention that the fight could end by sending your opponent crashing through the walls of the arena to their defeat. But with all of the over-the-top action, there's also plenty of room for strategy, making it a very solid, enjoyable fighter...But its arcade-y style may not be for everyone...As is evidenced by the apparent "love it or hate it" attitude a lot of folks seem to have about it.

Release Date: May 24, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Racing - Kart

Motor Toon Grand Prix is a decent kart-style racing game that's actually pretty hard to find a copy of here in North America. It's kind of confusing if you're playing it for the first time since most of the tracks seem to have the number 2 after them...That's because this was actually Motor Toon Grand Prix 2 in Japan. But anyway, the game is okay. It plays really smoothly, and the idea of collecting coins to use as power-ups is interesting, allowing the player to stock up on up to 15 (I think) coins/power-ups to use. You can basically use power-ups non-stop for most of the race if you stock up enough coins on the first lap and continue to pick more up as you race around. What makes this game really nice is how each vehicle drives totally different from one another, meaning that each time you play through the game, it's going to be a little bit of a different experience. If it had a few more modes to it I'd happily give it a higher score, but for what it is, it's still a very good racing game well worth checking out if you happen to stumble across a copy...or feel like picking it up on the Playstation Network.

Release Date: December 3, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Racing

The third Ridge Racer game, Rage Racer, was the best of the bunch...until a few years later when R4 came out, that is. Pretty much everything from the graphics to the controls are tweaked a bit from the previous two releases to make this a pretty enjoyable overall experience. However, if you've played any Ridge Racer game since, I probably wouldn't recommend this. While it was good for its time, you can still enjoy some of the tracks and music from the game via later games in the series, with a perfected control scheme to boot. Still, if you're curious about Ridge Racer's roots, it couldn't hurt to take a peek at this game.

Release Date: September 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: 3Vision Games
Genre: Adventure

Fox Hunt is a point-and-click adventure that is 100% video and 100% corny. I like corny humor, so this was right up my ally. The video aspect was a little weird to me at first, but I quickly got used to it and appreciated it for what it was. Like most point-and-click adventure games, this game requires you to look at everything, sometimes multiple times over, to advance on. It can get a bit tedious, but on the plus side, all of the humorous stuff to discover while looking for what you need to continue on with the story helps negate the tedium a bit. There are better point-and-click adventures out there, but Fox Hunt is still worth checking out, if only for the humor and novelty of being all video-based.

Release Date: December 20, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Tomy Corporation
Developer: Yuke's
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Toukon Retsuden 2 is basically more of the same from the first Toukon Retsuden game, but with an updated roster and some tweaked controls. That's not a bad thing, either, since the first game was made so well. Like the cover art implies, Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki and his giant, trademark chin also makes his debut for the series, which is pretty notable if you're a fan of Japanese professional wrestling. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one, too. Just be prepared - if you can't read Japanese, the menus are a little more difficult to navigate than the previous game. Once you learn to navigate them, though, you'll be enjoying the same quality wrestling from the previous game, but with a new, minor coat of paint.

Release Date: September 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Williams
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Genre: Action

Ms. Pac-Man is a puzzling release...It's not puzzling that it was released, as Ms. Pac-Man is one of the greatest games ever made...It's puzzling that it wasn't released until late in the SNES lifespan and after the next gen systems had already hit store shelves. That said, this is still the Ms. Pac-Man we all know and love, plus an option at the start of the game to make things easier or more difficult depending on your preferences. It's nothing new or special, but it doesn't have to be - it's Ms. Pac-Man, it's good.

Release Date: March 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Takara
Developer: AI
Genre: Fighting

Battle Arena Toshinden is a solid fighting game for the ol' Game Boy that's fun to play, but it's also bogged down a little by an AI that makes no sense. When I get destroyed by the computer in a fight, I'm expecting to fight for my life in a rematch...But not here. I actually bounced back and got a perfect victory over them. But anyway, goofy AI aside, this still a fun fighter that any portable fighting fan will likely enjoy.

Release Date: December 21, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Fighting

In Fighters Megamix, the Virtua Fighter roster battles the Fighting Vipers roster....As well as 10 unlockable characters from various other Sega games to join in on the fun. If you've had your fill of both Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers, Fighters Megamix might breathe some new life into your passion for those two series. It's also fun if you want to beat up Akira as one of the cars from Daytona USA...Seriously. The game is unbalanced, but some of the ridiculous hidden characters just make playing this more fun than it probably should be...Regardless of if the unbalanced stuff is in your favor or your opponent's.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Reflections Interactive
Genre: Racing

Destruction Derby was a decent racing game with some good ideas, but the gameplay wasn't quite all there, in my opinion. The sequel improves on pretty much everything and the end result is one of the most fun racing titles in the Playstation library. With an emphasis on not just winning races, but racking up points by wrecking your fellow racers, the formula of Destruction Derby 2 often leads to lots of fun.

Release Date: November 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action

Christmas NiGHTS never saw a release in North America aside from a demo disk...And oddly enough, even that demo disk has gotten itself a cult following. But anyway, Christmas NiGHTS would place higher on this list, but it's essentially the same as the original NiGHTS. The only notable difference is that Christmas NiGHTS uses the Saturn's internal clock to determine how the game displays levels. Play it at Christmas and the levels will be decorated as such. The same can be said at various other times during the year. It's a really neat and novel idea, but not enough of a change to the actual gameplay to justify me placing it any higher on the ol' list here.

Release Date: January 4, 1996 (EU)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Racing

I liked Road Rash a lot on the 3DO. The Saturn version is good, too...But to be completely honest, the Saturn library is much more impressive than the 3DO library is, which is why it places so high over on that list, yet places relatively low in comparison here. But anyway, if you like the idea of racing motorcycles down busy roads while using chains and baseball bats to knock your fellow racers (and any police officers dumb enough to come near you) off of their bikes, then Road Rash is for you.

Release Date: September 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Zono, Inc.
Genre: Platformer

Mr. Bones is just an odd game...Then again, when a game's main character is a skeleton that loves blues music, I suppose that odd is to be expected. But anyway, Mr. Bones is a pretty solid game, but the main things holding it back are some frustrating levels and the controls, which sometimes feel unresponsive. But then again, Mr. Bones himself is just such a likable character that you may find yourself grinding through to the next stage just so you can see what happens with him next.

Release Date: 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Disney Interactive
Developer: Funcom
Genre: Adventure

I have no nostalgia when it comes to Pocahontas - I believe that it was the first Disney film to come out when I stopped watching most Disney films. So, I have no idea how accurate anything about this game is when compared to the film...but I do know that the game isn't too bad. It looks gorgeous, which makes sense since it came out at the end of the Genesis' life cycle, but it also plays pretty well, too. If you remember this film from your childhood, there may be some nostalgia for you...but as I found out, even without the nostalgia, this is still a game worth checking out.

Release Date: May 31, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: KCET
Genre: Sports - Olympics

Like most track and field games, if you plan on playing International Track & Field, expect your fingers to go numb from mashing buttons...and some of the events are kind of unforgiving, so you might meet some frustrations along the way. But when playing with a friend, this is actually very fun...Unfortunately, when playing solo, you might find yourself wondering why you're sitting in a room mashing buttons when you could be playing something that won't potentially break your controller from the button-mashing abuse. But still, this is a pretty enjoyable game in the genre and worth giving a shot if you happen to find a copy.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SingleTrac
Genre: Racing

Jet Moto certainly wasn't the first game to have product placements in it...But there weren't many before it where it was so blatant. Jet Moto has various product advertisements plastered on billboards and even on the vehicles themselves. Once you get past all the ads, you've got a decent jet ski-ish racing game that spans across various terrains...and while it's not as good as Nintendo 64's Wave Race 64, it certainly gave Playstation owners a decent jet ski racing game that they could call their own.

Release Date: November 29, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Santos
Developer: Santos
Genre: Shooter - Third Person

AirGrave is a neat, scrolling shooter that blends the traditional third-person shooter gameplay with a lock on system that kind of reminds me of the Panzer Dragoon games. Basically, if you tap the button to fire, you shoot bullets like normal. Hold down the fire button and a window of sorts appears on the screen. Anything in that window gets marked as a target, so once you let go of the fire button, the marked targets get a buncha missiles exploding in their faces. It's a neat concept, but the overall game could be better. As it is, though, it's still very solid and fun to play every now and then.

Release Date: February 22, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

I've always liked the Darkstalkers games, but quite frankly, they've had the misfortune of never being quite as good as the Street Fighter series. Night Warriors is no exception to this rule. It's a very solid, and quite frankly, a very good 2D fighting game, but it falls short of being as good as Street Fighter and many other 2D fighters that Capcom put out on the Saturn, for that matter. If you're a fighting game fanatic, you'll find plenty to love here, but otherwise, I'd recommend checking out some of the 2D fighters further up on this list instead.

Release Date: September 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

X-Men vs. Street Fighter is one of the early Marvel vs. Capcom games, before the series adopted that moniker. It's a fun fighter, but nothing too special in my eyes. It's a neat crossover and all, but the fighting itself, while a little different and over-the-top, is still just another Capcom fighter at heart. That's not a bad thing by any means, as Capcom fighting games are usually top-notch...But the lack of any noteworthy innovation prevents me from giving this a higher score and from placing it higher on the list. That said, there are some innovative things here...But nothing worth going out of your way to play. Unless you want to check out all of the Marvel-based fighting games that Capcom put out, I'd stick with Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for your crossover fighting game needs.