Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best Reviewed Games of 1993

Honorable Mentions

By most accounts, 1993 was a pretty standard year. We were halfway through the 16-bit generation and starting to see the usual sequels and spin-offs; nothing out of the ordinary. But when it came to Electronic Gaming Monthly, things were not business and usual. Instead of having a clean cut list of ten great games, EGM ended up giving us a massive tie that we're going to have to sort out.

By my count, there are eight games that averaged a score of 8.75 out of 10 and only two positions on our list to fill. This means that we're not going to have a chance to talk about Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins, the year's best reviewed handheld game. We also won't be discussing Out of This World, though I have a hunch it will come up again later in this list. And if you were hoping to hear me gush over Secret of Mana in yet another video, then prepare to be disappointed. It's just another game we're going to quickly brush over as an honorable mention.

Another game that scored an average of 8.75 was Cool Spot, which is easily one of the best video games based on a soda. There's also ActRaiser 2, which stripped out everything that made the first game great and turned the franchise into a standard issue action game. EGM didn't seem to mind, giving it nothing but high marks. And don't forget about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters on the Super NES, a fighting game that ended up being a lot better than anybody expected.

EGM loved these games, but not enough for them to be included on this list. Now let's see what games actually charted.

Star Fox

#10

In a year filled with big games, none felt as important as Star Fox. Coming with a brand new FX chip and all the hype Nintendo could muster, this 3D shooter was a big deal. This was the world's biggest video game maker bringing polygonal graphics into the mainstream, and Star Fox more than lived up to expectations. But while pretty much every critic was ready to give this space shooter near-perfect scores, there was one man who wasn't ready to buy into the hype. That man was Ed Semrad.

"Star Fox is a very impressive game with some great effects," starts EGM's senior editor. He liked pretty much everything but the plain graphics, noting that it's the only drawback. Ed had spent most of 1993 talking up the Sega CD shoot-em-up Silpheed, preferring that game's use of polygons to what Nintendo was doing.

As you probably have guessed already, few agreed with Ed. Martin called Star Fox a "great way to introduce the FX chip" and noted that it puts the Super NES on par with the PC. He also loved the music and sound effects, even going as far to say that the voice acting blew him away. Sushi-X echoed those thoughts, concluding that "if Star Fox is a first generation example of the FX chip games, I can't wait for the sequel." Good news, Sush, Star Fox 2 is about to come out ... only a quarter century after this issue hit newsstands. The original Star Fox averaged a score of 8.75 out of 10.

Flashback: The Quest for Identity

#9

After already being won over by Out of this World, Electronic Gaming Monthly's four editors were blown away by fellow rotoscope adventure game Flashback: The Quest for Identity. They loved the detailed visuals, the fully-realized science fiction world and the stunning animation. It was long, full of twists and had a style all its own, and the critics were quick to take notice.

Ed started his review by stating the obvious: "Flashback is incredible!" He went on to gush over the story, the setting, the sound effects and of course the animation, but ended up only giving it an 8 out of 10. Martin, like the rest of the review crew, was a bit more generous and gave the game a 9. "A definite must-have cart for Genesis owners." Sushi-X agreed, calling Flashback "one of the best games ever made for the Genesis!" I tend to agree.

It's probably worth pointing out that Steve made the same mistake we saw in a lot of reviews from that era and suggested that Flashback was the sequel to Out of This World. It's not. Out of This World did end up getting a sequel, but that was called Heart of the Alien. And since we're pulling at loose threads, let me also point out that Electronic Gaming Monthly named Flashback the 92nd best game of all time in their 100th issue. Not bad for a game that averaged an 8.75 out of 10.

Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse

#8

After proving to be a major force on the Sega Genesis, Mickey Mouse decided to defect to the other side and send Super NES owners on a Magical Quest. Critics were immediately impressed with the graphics and animation found in this Capcom cart, with Steve raving that it offers "some of the best and most detailed graphics I've ever seen." After so many years of being limited to 512 colors on Sega's 16-bitter, it's easy to see why critics were won over by the lush presentation.

"The Mickey Mouse video games just seem to be getting better and better," starts Ed. "Besides having perhaps the best graphics and most fluid animation ever seen in a cart, Mickey is also an unbelievably funny game to play." Martin loved the bosses and the suit that turned Mickey into a "pseudo Bionic Commando." All four editors gave Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse a 9 out of 10, making this Disney's best reviewed game of 1993.

Shinobi III: Revenge of the Ninja Master

#7

Call me crazy, but when it comes to ninja games, I think Electronic Gaming Monthly may be a little biased. I mean, a quarter of the review crew is reserved for a bona fide fake ninja. I guess that might explain why we keep seeing these silent killers slash up the lists year after year. This doesn't seem ethical.

Shinobi III is this year's token ninja game, and it's a good one. "Shinobi is back for the fourth time and he is an all-out winner," proclaims Steve. "This time with more moves, more weapons and flawless control, Shinobi becomes the best game for the Genesis in a long, long time!" We saw Ed back up most of those opinions, going one step further and praising the bosses and riding sequences. And what about the resident fake ninja? Sushi-X gave it a 9 and said that it's "definitely one of the best Genesis carts" he's seen in a while.

Despite the stellar scores and a place on this top ten list, Electronic Gaming Monthly would go on to completely forget about Shinobi III. The game failed to make either of the magazine's top 100 or top 200 lists, with the editors opting instead for Revenge of Shinobi. With an average of 9 out of 10, this is a strong reminder that you should revisit Shinobi III.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

#6

In a perfect world, Zombies Ate My Neighbors should have paved the path to many decade's worth of sequels, spin-offs, remakes, reboots and remastered collections. It has the perfect set up with an almost endless amount of material to spoof. But we live in an imperfect world and the only thing this game did was pave the way to Ghoul Patrol, the Zombies sequel nobody remembers.

While the general masses may not have seen the brilliance of this Konami action/shooter, the editors at Electronic Gaming Monthly certainly did. "Zombies Ate My Neighbors is an instant favorite for me," starts Martin. "The graphics are fantastic with lots of attention to detail and some hilarious enemy characters." Ed agreed, shouting that "Konami does it again!" He loved the movie references, the spooky music and the precise gameplay. "Fun is the word."

Giving the game 9s across the board, all four editors loved the two-player action, the huge bosses and the horror parodies. They were ready and primed for a whole line of Zombie sequels. Sadly, we're still waiting. With an average of 9 out of 10, Zombies Ate My Neighbors takes a bite out of the number 6 spot.

Super Bomberman

#5

In a year where Star Fox stole most of the headlines, I would argue that the most exciting innovation of 1993 had nothing to do with plain-looking polygons. For me, the best thing about 1993 was that companies were finally embracing the fun of four-person multiplayer. While Super Bomberman wasn't the first game to let four friends go head-to-head, it was the most fun and the one that cemented that consoles of the future needed more than two controller ports.

"Super Bomberman must be one of the most addictive games since Tetris," explains Ed. "This is the one game you won't be able to put down for hours." That's not hyperbole, as every other critic at EGM had a similar opinion. Martin warns that once your friends start playing, "it'll be next to impossible to take them away from it." Fake ninja Sushi-X even recommended it as therapy: "If your thumbs get sore from Street Fighter, play this and you can continue the thrills of competition without the callouses." Super Bomberman ended up averaging an explosive 9 out of 10.

Gunstar Heroes

#4

Remember a few years ago when Sega taunted their competition with the "Genesis Does What Nintendon't" campaign? They probably should have brought it back for Gunstar Heroes, the single most exciting 16-bit action game of all time. Thankfully, Electronic Gaming Monthly picked up the slack and named this Treasure classic the Game of the Month and awarded it the Editor's Choice Platinum award.

"This has got to be one of the most intense carts to date," concludes Ed, who loved everything from the hand-to-hand combat to the non-stop blasting. Sushi-X was even more affected by this run-and-gun shooter: "Every once in a while a game will come right out of nowhere and take you completely by surprise -- so much that it'll take you a while to recover. Gunstar Heroes is such a game." And while a bit on the simplistic side, I agree with Danyon's take: "This game kicks ass."

One month later, Gunstar Heroes ended up winning the Best Action Game prize in EGM's 1994 Video Game Buyer's Guide. "Where else can you get 2-player action like this? Nowhere!" Sadly, Treasure's shooter failed to win the top Genesis Game of the Year prize, losing to Disney's Aladdin (which averaged a score of 8.5 out of 10). The magazine would later call Gunstar Heroes the 27th best game of all time in their 100th issue, and then the 84th best game of all time in their 200th issue. With a score of 9 out of 10, Gunstar Heroes deserves its spot at number 4 on our list of the best reviewed games of 1993.

Samurai Shodown

#3

By 1993, we had seen plenty of 2D fighting games from SNK. From Fatal Fury to Art of Fighting, the Neo Geo had a reputation for playing host to a wide range of Street Fighter knock-offs. But Samurai Shodown was different. This was the first time SNK was able to break from of Capcom's shadow and create a fighting game like no other. It was a massive hit that would not only spawn a number of sequels, but also go on to win the EGM Game of the Year award. It's an incredible game that probably should be sitting at the top of this list and not at number 3.

"Wow! Look out!" start Steve. "This game is absolutely fantastic!" He loved the appealing characters, the accessible move list and the superb sounds. Ed agreed, calling it "a graphic masterpiece that cannot be rivaled." He gushed over "the combination of stunning graphics and a killer soundtrack, along with powerful moves and techniques, is intense." Martin goes one step further and tells us to "forget Fatal Fury 2 and World Heroes 2," which is pretty easy to do.

The praise didn't stop with issue 50, because Electronic Gaming Monthly went on to name Samurai Shodown the Game of the Year. It also won the Best Fighting Game award, along with the Neo Geo Game of the Year prize. EGM clearly loved Samurai Shodown, but not enough for it to top the list of the best reviewed games of 1993.

Super Mario All-Stars

#2

Although it had only been two years since Super Mario World hit store shelves, fans were already eager for a 16-bit sequel. Unfortunately, Nintendo had other plans. Instead of looking forward, the company went back in time and remade Super Mario's first four outings. The package included updated versions of Super Mario Bros. 1, 2 and 3, along with the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2, dubbed "The Lost Levels." It was a slick package that gave these undisputed 8-bit classics a 16-bit makeover.

Electronic Gaming Monthly loved this collection, calling it a "masterpiece from beginning to end." While critics like Ed were quick to point out that there's nothing new here, they couldn't help but fall in love with these remakes. "Four fun games with enhanced graphics and music is just too much." Sushi-X loved that the compilation still had all the secret tricks and tactics, and Steve accurately noted that "this four-in-one cart will keep fans occupied for hours if not days." I can back up that opinion; you'll definitely be occupied for hours and maybe days.

Despite coming in at second place on our list with an average score of 9.25 out of 10, Super Mario All-Stars was completely forgotten come award time. It was also left off of EGM's Top 100 Games of All Time feature in issue 100, as well as the Top 200 Games of Their Time list in issue 200. Most critics have gone back to celebrating the 8-bit originals, leaving this as an interesting stopgap between Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island.

Street Fighter II Turbo

#1

So get this: Not only did the best reviewed game of 1993 not win the coveted Game of the Year prize, but it didn't even win the genre award. Despite earning two perfect 10s and being one of EGM's best reviewed games of all time, Street Fighter II Turbo ended up getting completely overshadowed by another popular fighting game -- Samurai Shodown. But don't feel too bad for Ryu, because he and the rest of the World Warriors are resting comfortably atop our list of the best reviewed games of 1993.

"I didn't think the first Street Fighter II could be topped," starts Ed, "but what a surprise this one is!" This seemed to be the consensus across the board when EGM reviewed it in September of 1993. Street Fighter II was good, but Street Fighter II Turbo was a step above. Sushi-X sums it up perfectly: "For those of you who wonder why you should have another Street Fighter 2 game, let me tell you, this is no ordinary cart! With all the missing animations back in place, new sounds, two games in one, and adjustable speed settings, Street Fighter II Turbo Edition wipes the floor with the competition!"

This was the kind of game where even the more critical reviews made it sound like the game of the year. As Martin says, "reserve it, wait for it, then keep your eyes on it because this may be the hottest home game ever released!" Martin went as far as to call it "the closest to perfection I've seen." And yet come awards season, it lost out to Samurai Shodown time after time. It got to the point where it couldn't even beat the other versions of Street Fighter II. But who cares about awards? Street Fighter II averaged a score of 9.5 out of 10, making it Electronic Gaming Monthly's best reviewed Super NES game of all time. Take that Samurai Shodown.