Summary
The 1970s saw video games take over the arcades withPongandSpace Invaders. Then, the 1980s saw the birth of classic gaming icons like Pac-Man and Mario, who led the rise of Nintendo worldwide. But the 1990s were arguably more explosive for games. It saw multiple machines try to take Nintendo’s crown, with only Sega managing to take hold of it with the Genesis.
At least until Sony’s PlayStation came along and turned things upside down with its affordable and groundbreaking 3D games. But they didn’t do it alone. Many game companies spurred this boom, and Capcom in particular was on fire throughout the decade, as these games show.
Usually,Mega Man 2gets plaudits as the “best classicMega Mangame.” However, many preferMega Man 3and what it brought to the table. It built up the story as Mega Man’s mission to stop a fresh set of Robot Masters and the Doc Robots would get periodically interrupted by the mysterious “Break Man” (aka Proto Man). Players had to hone their jumping and shooting skills and beat the game to find out just why they kept appearing.
In turn,MM2’s plain Items were replaced with Mega’s pet robo-dog Rush, whose Rush Jet gave players a way out of tricky pitfalls and disappearing blocks with a flying platform.MM3also let the Blue Bomber slide to make it through narrow passages to escape danger or get items, encouraging exploration. Whether one prefers it or its predecessor,MM3is still a top entry in the classic series.
It’s tempting to give the nod to more underrated games likeKnights of the RoundorCaptain Commando. Especially as Capcom’s biggest game of that year,Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior, was superseded by its remakes likeSuper Street Fighter 2 Turbo. But it was the game that essentially made the genre what it is today.Mortal Kombat,Tekken,King of Fighters, etc., have moreSF2in their DNA thanKarate ChamporBarbarian.
Its original roster became some of the most iconic characters in video games too, with Chun-Li becoming especially popular asthe First Lady of fighting games. The music was also brilliant, showcasing Yoko Shimomura’s talents well before her work withFinal FantasyandKingdom Hearts.It was the perfect package, albeit one Capcom would rework for years to come.
31992 – Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting
Metascore: 76
Case in point:Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting(akaStreet Fighter 2 Turbo). Coming out right at the tail end of the year, the game improved uponSF2’s first revision,Championship Edition. The characters could move faster and had new moves. For example, Chun-Li got her Kikōken fireball, and Dhalsim could teleport back and forth across the screen.
As players got used to the speed, the game’s “Hyper Fighting” became the norm for the genre. But it took some time to get there. Capcom would surprisingly slow things back down forSuper Street Fighter 2. Then they would make the speed (Normal or Turbo) an option for their subsequent fighters until later in the decade when they finally got the hint that players preferred hyper fighting to placid battling.
41993 – Breath Of Fire
Metascore: 79
WithSuper Street Fighter 2being slower, and fans getting a little tired of seeing the same old game over and over again, Capcom had some nice alternatives. There was the underrated brawlerCadillacs and Dinosaurs, and the wrestlefestSaturday Night Slam Masters. Even their Disney licenses bore fruit with their take onDisney’s AladdinandGoof Troop.
But 1993 was also when Capcom gave RPGs a try with the firstBreath of Fire, where Ryu, the sole survivor of the Light Dragon Clan, seeks to save his sister Sara from the Dark Dragon Clan. He joins forces with allies he meets on the way and can swap out in real-time, like the Windia Princess Nina, if the heat turns up in combat. With its stunning graphics and music, it showed Capcom could do RPGs just as well as Square or Enix.
1994 was a particularly busy year for the company.Darkstalkersmade its debut alongsideX-Men: Children of the Atom, the first of Capcom’sMarvelgames.Breath of Fire 2kept up the first game’s momentum, whileSuper Street Fighter 2 Turbopractically perfectedSF2. But they didn’t change things as significantly asMega Man Xdid from the classic series.
Instead of the happy-go-lucky look of the regularMega Manseries,MMXwas moodier as its hero, X, hunts down Mavericks, robots that have gone rogue against humanity. The levels were more exploratory, as X could jump up walls to avoid pitfalls or find new items like Heart Tanks and Armor Pieces. It spiced up the classic formula enough to produce itsown dynamic, more modern seriesfor the time.
1995 was the year of fighting games for Capcom. By its end, it was possible to enter an arcade and seeCyberbots,Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge,Street Fighter: The Movie, andMega Man: The Power Battlecabinets standing by each other. But most attendees were likely spending their spare change on their top games,Street Fighter AlphaandMarvel Super Heroes.
SFA1finally saw Capcom move pastSF2, but it was still slow and floaty compared toMSH.The game was much faster and flashier, featuring Marvel’s top heroes and villains, from Spider-Man to Dr. Doom, battling each other for the Infinity Gems. They could even use the gems in-game for power-ups and other effects. Most players prefer its tag and trio-based sequels today, but as a one-on-one fighter, it still holds up well in the 2020s.
1996 showed more variety, as top fighters likeStreet Fighter Alpha 2andX-Men Vs Street Fighterrivaled the gem-smashing tactics ofSuper Puzzle Fighter 2 Turboand the brawling flash ofDungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara. However, 1996 was also the year the PlayStation showed its dominance, aided in no small part by Capcom’sResident Evil.
Though likeSF2: TWW, the survival horror genre has evolved pastRE1, which lives on more through its hilarious voice acting. But at the time, its gameplay was a new experience. They had to think more carefully about their movements, save their ammo and items for the right threats, and know when to fight off the zombies or flee. As tactical as it was, it offered new thrills that were only improved by its sequels and rivals like Konami’sSilent Hillseries.
IfRE1didn’t show a power shift to consoles, Capcom’s 1997 output would.Street Fighter 3: New Generationfaltered next to the PS1’sStreet Fighter EX Plus Alpha.Battle Circuitcame and went, whileBreath of Fire 3arguably became the best entry in the series. Though not quite enough to get 1997’s top spot, which only just goes toMega Man Legendsthanks to its December release in Japan.
The two got similar critical acclaim on release, thoughMMLwould become more divisive over time. On the one hand, its 3D controls haven’t aged too well. But on the other hand, the anime-inspired graphics have held up over time, and its open-world gameplaybrought Kattelox Island to life. Its cast of characters became popular too, with antagonist Tron Bonne even managing to get her own game inThe Misadventures of Tron Bonne.
Chances are that, if players weren’t spooked byRE1, they were by its sequel.Resident Evil 2stepped things up by moving the action to Raccoon City itself. The bigger setting brought a bigger story, as rookie cop Leon and Claire, sister ofRE1’s Chris, try to find a way out of the zombie-infested city alive. As they do, they get pulled further into the plot by the mysterious Ada Wong and corrupt police chief Brian Irons.
That’s without mentioning the more dangerous foes hiding in the shadows. If the Lickers didn’t get players, the stalking tyrant Mr. X would. The terror didn’t stop with the main game either, as “The 4th Survivor” gave fans a new campaign where players had to get HUNK to the escape helicopter before the time ran out, and without dying. Even with its remake, the originalRE2stands up well on its own today.
The last year in the decade saw some big releases, withResident Evil 3continuing the terror fromRE2, andDino Crisisreplacing the zombies with dinosaurs. Cult games likeGiga WingandPower Stonewere also released and got some keen fans. Yet, afterSF3: New Genfaltered in 1997, andSF3: Second Impactimproved things a touch, Capcom’s sequel series got it right the third time.
Street Fighter 3: Third Strikeis considered one of the best fighting games ever made, if not THE best. Its smooth gameplay, quick parrying mechanics, and eclectic cast of characters made it a must-have for fighting game fans. It took a while to catch on, but its reputation grew thanks to tournaments, particularlyEvo 2004’s Moment #37. The game is still exciting players today, thanks to its upcoming return to the scene at Evo 2024.
