My Top 8 Games of 1992

 

Note: In 1992, the console war between the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis was heating up, though the original NES still saw some true classics released. As far as this ranking goes, I’d be amazed if most anyone reading it didn’t take issue with some of my choices, and that’s fine, but this is a subjective list. My opinions are the best I can do on these. At least there aren’t any ties in this one, so it truly is a Top 8.

Honorable Mention:
– NES: Dragon Quest III & IV, Little Samson, Mega Man 4, TMNT III: The Manhattan Project, Yoshi
– Super NES: Contra III: The Alien Wars, Street Fighter II
– Sega Genesis: Cadash
– GameBoy: Kirby’s Dream Land
– Game Gear: Crystal Warriors
– Arcade: Mortal Kombat

8. Thunder Force III (Sega Genesis) / Thunder Spirits (Super NES)
When I first played this as Thunder Spirits, I had no idea that it was a port of Genesis series. All I knew is that I loved the fast paced action, various weapons, and beautiful visuals. For me, R-Type will always be the space shooter standard, and Thunder Force / Thunder Spirits comes the closest to that experience of any space shooter I’ve ever played. While there are some minor differences in the two versions, they are close enough that I’m fine placing them together here. I’m also reminded that I really, really need to play the other Thunder Force titles.

7. Ecco the Dolphin (Sega Genesis)
Full disclosure, I’ve never been able to finish this game. It’s tough as nails, which is surprising given the style of the game would make a person think it’s aimed at younger children. This is not the case. As Ecco, you will explore the vastness of the oceans trying to determine what has become of your pod, all of whom were captured within a storm/water spout. Ecco has a surprisingly deep story involving aliens and time travel. Ecco’s controls and visuals were unlike most anything else on the market at the time of release, and both have held up quite well. Given the popularity of this character and game series, it’s a bit surprising that Sega has not revisited the series. It feels like the time is right for Ecco to make his return.

6. Adventure Island 3 (NES)
The first of two controversial placements. I’m a sucker for the Adventure Island series, and Adventure Island 3 is the peak of the games. Featuring the same tight platforming of Adventure Island 2 while expanding upon the weapons and dinosaurs you can use, Adventure Island 3 perfectly scratches the itch that this series creates. Sadly, the direct sequel would never see an American release and the Super NES entries either abandoned the advancements of Adventure Island 2 & 3 (Super Adventure Island) or turned the series into an Action RPG (Super Adventure Island 2). While I quite like Super Adventure Island 2, it’s a shame that there’s never been a title building upon 3 in the way 3 built upon 2.

5. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis)
As I’ve noted previously, I’m not a big Sonic fan, but Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has always struck me as being just a bit different than the other entries. While the speed is definitely there, I’ve always felt I had more control in Sonic 2 than in the other entries I’ve played. It helps that Sonic 2 has a stellar soundtrack and one of the best levels of any game I’ve played in Casino Nights. I wish I liked this franchise more than I do, but I can at least praise Sonic 2.

4. Super Mario Kart (Super NES)
Coming after the fantastic F-Zero, Super Mario Kart used the same Mode 7 graphical set-up as F-Zero, but was otherwise a far different, though not inferior, experience. Taking control of a Mario related character of your choice, you use racing prowess as well as various power-ups to overtake the other characters on tracts themed on levels from the Mario franchise. While I don’t know how well Super Mario Kart has aged, it can’t be overstated how big this game was when it launched, how fantastic it looked at the time, and how massive the Mario Kart franchise would ultimately become. And while it probably hasn’t aged as well as some other 16-bit titles, it is still a ton of fun to sit down and play even today.

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (Super NES)
A port of the arcade title of the (somewhat) same name, TMNT IV on the Super NES truly captures the fun of the Turtles cartoon that many of us watched growing up. I feel that the port actually exceeds the arcade original by adding in more TMNT characters as bosses and enemies and sharpening up the graphics a bit (my own opinion on this one). Also, while it’s just an additional play mechanic, TMNT IV allowed you to throw enemies towards the screen, which was never not a joy to do. The game then featured a boss that required you to do this to win. The Super NES port of TMNT IV became quite hard to find, so I’m forever grateful to Konami for releasing the Cowabunga Collection and allowing an entirely new generation of gamers to experience this gem.

2. Mega Man 5 (NES)
My second controversial placement. I’ve written about Mega Man 5 before, so I’m not sure what else to say about it. It’s the second Mega Man title I owned behind Mega Man 3, which is my favorite of the Mega Man titles. I’ve played through it dozens of times, including again earlier this year. There’s just something about the game that is so nostalgic for me, but even beyond that, I do believe it’s a well designed game that carries on the high expectations of the Mega Man franchise. While you may disagree with a ranking this high, if you’ve never played this Mega Man entry, I would highly recommend you do so. You will not be disappointed.

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Super NES)
When I do these lists, I sometimes have an internal debate in regards to my number one. This was not the case for this list. A Link to the Past is not only the best game of 1992, it is one of the best games ever made. It is a story of an adventure over two large world maps, both teeming with secrets and friends and foes. It is a stellar game that plays just as well today as when it launched over thirty years ago. Not all games, even those I love, stand the test of time, but A Link to the Past has certainly done just that. You can feel pieces of this game in practically every Zelda game that has come since, not to mention many other titles otherwise unrelated to A Link to the Past. For these reasons, and many more I haven’t gotten to, this game is my number one game of 1992.