A lot of games earned high scores from Electronic Gaming Monthly, but only the best of the best earned the coveted Game of the Month prize. This was an award they started giving out in 1992, and it's one of the few things that remained intact right up until the final issue. I thought it might be fun to take a tour of the evolving tastes and technologies by looking back at every Game of the Month winner of the 1990s. From must-play shoot 'em ups to the rise of fighting games to that moment everybody fell in love with role-playing games, there are a lot of great titles and fascinating trends on display, as well as a few surprises sprinkled throughout. So, join me as we experience the 1990s through the sights and sounds of Electronic Gaming Monthly's Game of the Month winners.
1992
Issue 31 - February: Sonic the Hedgehog (Game Gear/8.75)
Issue 32 - March: Zelda - A Link to the Past (Super NES/8.75)
Issue 33 - April: Contra III - The Alien War (Super NES/9)
Issue 34 - May: Batman - Return of the Joker (Game Boy/7.25)
Issue 35 - June: Bulls vs. Lakers (Genesis/8)
Issue 36 - July: Street Fighter II (Super NES/9.5)
Issue 37 - August: Axelay (Super NES/8.75)
Issue 38 - September: Space Megafoce (Super NES/8.75)
Issue 39 - October: Mario Paint (Super NES/8.25)
Issue 40 - November: Super Star Wars (Super NES/9)
Issue 41 - December: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis/8.75)
1993
Issue 42 - January: The Magical Quest (Super NES/9)
Issue 43 - February: Out of this World (Genesis/8.75)
Issue 44 - March: Lords of Thunder (TurboDuo/8.5)
Issue 45 - April: Bomberman '93 (TurboDuo/8.25)
Issue 46 - May: Flashback - The Quest for Identity (Genesis/8.75)
Issue 47 - June: Star Fox (Super NES/8.75)
Issue 48 - July: Pocky & Rocky (Super NES/8.5)
Issue 49 - August: Zombies Ate My Neighbors (Super NES/9)
Issue 50 - September: Street Fighter II Turbo (Super NES/9.5)
Issue 51 - October: Super Bomberman (Super NES/9)
Issue 52 - November: Gunstar Heroes (Genesis/9)
Issue 53 - December: Secret of Mana (Super NES/8.75)
1994
Issue 54 - January: Mega Man X (Super NES/9)
Issue 55 - February: NBA Jam (Super NES/9)
Issue 56 - March: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Genesis/9.5)
Issue 57 - April: Tempest 2000 (Jaguar/8.5)
Issue 58 - May: Fatal Fury 2 (Super NES/8.25)
Issue 59 - June: Super Metroid (Super NES/9)
Issue 60 - July: World Heroes 2 Jet (Neo Geo/8.25)
Issue 61 - August: Donkey Kong (Game Boy/8.25)
Issue 62 - September: Blackthorne (Super NES/8)
Issue 63 - October: Final Fantasy III (Super NES/9)
Issue 64 - November: Donkey Kong Country (Super NES/9.25)
Issue 65 - December: Sonic & Knuckles (Genesis/9.25)
1995
Issue 66 - January: Samurai Shodown II (Neo Geo/9)
Issue 67 - February: Return Fire (3DO/8)
Issue 68 - March: The Ignition Factor (Super NES/8.25)
Issue 69 - April: Earthworm Jim - Special Edition (Sega CD/8.9)
Issue 70 - May: Prehistorik Man (Super NES/8.9)
Issue 71 - June: Gex (3DO/8.6)
Issue 72 - July: Panzer Dragoon (Saturn/8.4)
Issue 73 - August: Chrono Trigger (Super NES/9.25)
Issue 74 - September: Rayman (PlayStation/8.6)
Issue 75 - October: Mortal Kombat 3 (PlayStation/8.6)
Issue 76 - November: Jumping Flash! (PlayStation/8.6)
Issue 77 - December: Twisted Metal (PlayStation/9.25)
1996
Issue 78 - January: X-Com - UFO Defense (PlayStation/8.9)
Issue 79 - February: Street Fighter Alpha (PlayStation/9.1)
Issue 80 - March: Real Bout - Fatal Fury (Neo Geo/8.75)
Issue 81 - April: Alien Trilogy (PlayStation/8.9)
Issue 82 - May: Resident Evil (PlayStation/8.9)
Issue 83 - June: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Saturn/8.6)
Issue 84 - July: Fade to Black (PlayStation/8)
Issue 85 - August: GunGriffon (Saturn/8.25)
Issue 86 - September: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64/9.5)
Issue 87 - October: Crash Bandicoot (PlayStation/8.4)
Issue 88 - November: Star Gladiator (PlayStation/8.25)
Issue 89 - December: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn/9.1)
1997
Issue 90 - January: Dragon Force (Saturn/9)
Issue 91 - February: Command & Conquer (Saturn/8.9)
Issue 92 - March: Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64/9.25)
Issue 93 - April: Vandal Hearts (PlayStation/8.6)
Issue 94 - May: Blast Corps (Nintendo 64/8.75)
Issue 95 - June: Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64/9.1)
Issue 96 - July: Wild Arms (PlayStation/8.75)
Issue 97 - August: Air Combat 2 (PlayStation/8.4)
Issue 98 - September: WarCraft II (Saturn/8.5)
Issue 99 - October: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation/9.5)
Issue 100 - November: (None)
Issue 101 - December: Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64/9)
1998
Issue 102 - January: Colony Wars (PlayStation/9.25)
Issue 103 - February: Alundra (PlayStation/8.6)
Issue 104 - March: Point Blank/Resident Evil 2 (PlayStation/9.4)
Issue 105 - April: Winter Heat (Saturn/9.1)
Issue 106 - May: Wario Land II (Game Boy/8.5)
Issue 107 - June: Tekken 3 (PlayStation/9.75)
Issue 108 - July: Gran Turismo (PlayStation/9.25)
Issue 109 - August: Circuit Breakers (PlayStation/8.4)
Issue 110 - September: Banjo-Kazooie (Nintendo 64/9.4)
Issue 111 - October: NFL Blitz (Nintendo 64/9.1)
Issue 112 - November: F-Zero X (Nintendo 64/9)
Issue 113 - December: Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation/10)
1999
Issue 114 - January: Crash Bandicoot - Warped (PlayStation/9.1)
Issue 115 - February: Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64/10)
Issue 116 - March: Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (Game Boy/9.25)
Issue 117 - April: Beetle Adventure Racing (Nintendo 64/9.1)
Issue 118 - May: All-Star Baseball 2000 (Nintendo 64/8.9)
Issue 119 - June: Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PlayStation/8.9)
Issue 120 - July: Star Wars Episode 1 Racer (Nintendo 64/9)
Issue 121 - August: Ape Escape (PlayStation/8.75)
Issue 122 - September: Sled Storm (PlayStation/8.75)
Issue 123 - October: Soul Calibur (Dreamcast/10)
Issue 124 - November: Final Fantasy Anthology (PlayStation/9.5)
Issue 125 - December: You Don't Know Jack (PlayStation/9.5)
