Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,000 most recommended games across 902 critic lists from 140 publications.

Updated: January 21, 2026

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1990

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16 of 16

#1 Super Mario World (1990) (#10)

Nintendo EAD | SNES | Platform | ~5h | 74 lists

#2 The Secret of Monkey Island (1990) (#84)

Lucasfilm Games | DOS, MAC, 3, SCD | Point-and-Click | ~7h | 43 lists

#3 Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (1990) (#436)

The Bitmap Brothers | DOS, 3, SMS, GEN | Action / Sports | ~3h | 12 lists

#4 F-Zero (1990) (#437)

Nintendo EAD | SNES | Racing | ~2h | 16 lists

#5 Ultima VI: The False Prophet (1990) (#475)

Origin Systems | DOS, 3 | Role-Playing | ~27h | 9 lists

#6 Wing Commander (1990) (#508)

Origin Systems | DOS, AMI, CD32, SNES, SCD | Flight Simulation | ~8h | 10 lists

#7 ActRaiser (1990) (#533)

Quintet | SNES | Action RPG / City Building / Platform | ~5h | 13 lists

#8 Pilotwings (1990) (#547)

Nintendo EAD | SNES | Flight Simulation | ~4h | 11 lists

#9 Mega Man 3 (1990) (#551)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 10 lists

#10 Bomberman / Dyna Blaster (1990) (#735)

Hudson Soft | DOS, AST, AMI, TG16 | Action / Party / Maze | ~4h | 5 lists

#11 Dr. Mario (1990) (#764)

Nintendo | ARC, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~2h | 6 lists

#12 Final Fantasy III (1990) (#828)

Square | NES | Role-Playing | ~16h | 5 lists

#13 Smash TV (1990) (#848)

Williams | ARC, 5, NES, SNES, SMS, GEN | Shooter | ~2h | 5 lists

#14 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (1990) (#849)

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | ARC, NES | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

#15 Devil's Crush (1990) (#861)

Compile | TG16, GEN | Party | ~1h | 4 lists

#16 Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen / Dragon Warrior IV (1990) (#912)

Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~27h | 5 lists

#10

Nintendo EAD

SNES

Platform

~5h

74 lists

Super Mario World 1990

#84

Lucasfilm Games

AMI, MAC, AST, DOS, FMT, SCD

Point-and-Click

~7h

43 lists

The Secret of Monkey Island 1990

#436

The Bitmap Brothers

AMI, AST, C64, DOS, SMS, GEN

Action / Sports

~3h

12 lists

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe 1990

#437

Nintendo EAD

SNES

Racing

~2h

16 lists

F-Zero 1990

#475

Origin Systems

C64, DOS, FMT, PC98

Role-Playing

~27h

9 lists

Ultima VI: The False Prophet 1990

#508

Origin Systems

AMI, CD32, DOS, SCD, SNES

Flight Simulation

~8h

10 lists

Wing Commander 1990

#533

Quintet

SNES

Action RPG / City Building / Platform

~5h

13 lists

ActRaiser 1990

#547

Nintendo EAD

SNES

Flight Simulation

~4h

11 lists

Pilotwings 1990

#551

Capcom

NES

Platform

~3h

10 lists

Mega Man 3 1990

#10

#735

Hudson Soft

AMI, AST, DOS, TG16

Action / Party / Maze

~4h

5 lists

Bomberman / Dyna Blaster 1990

#11

#764

Nintendo

ARC, GB, NES

Puzzle

~2h

6 lists

Dr. Mario 1990

#12

#828

Square

NES

Role-Playing

~16h

5 lists

Final Fantasy III 1990

#13

#848

Williams

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, NES, SMS, GEN, SNES, ZXS

Shooter

~2h

5 lists

Smash TV 1990

#14

#849

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games

ARC, NES

Hack and Slash / Platform

~2h

6 lists

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos 1990

#15

#861

Compile

GEN, TG16

Party

~1h

4 lists

Devil's Crush 1990

#16

#912

Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft

NES

Role-Playing

~27h

5 lists

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen / Dragon Warrior IV 1990

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