Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,000 most recommended games across 827 critic lists from 134 publications.

Updated: October 26, 2025

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1989

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15 of 15

#1 SimCity (1989) (#126)

Maxis | DOS, MAC, 5, SNES | City Building | ~15h | 34 lists

#2 Prince of Persia (1989) (#188)

Brøderbund Software | 6, DOS, MAC, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 25 lists

#3 Populous (1989) (#391)

Bullfrog Productions | 3, SMS, GEN, SNES | God Game | ~12h | 12 lists

#4 Herzog Zwei (1989) (#420)

Technosoft | GEN | Real-Time Strategy | ~6h | 9 lists

#5 Final Fight (1989) (#479)

Capcom | ARC, SNES | Beat 'em Up | ~1h | 12 lists

#6 Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (1989) (#612)

Konami | NES | Platform | ~4h | 8 lists

#7 Phantasy Star II (1989) (#621)

Sega R&D 2 | GEN | Role-Playing | ~28h | 8 lists

#8 Baseball Stars (1989) (#653)

SNK | NES | Sports | ~9h | 8 lists

#9 Golden Axe (1989) (#717)

Team Shinobi | ARC, SMS, GEN | Beat 'em Up | ~1h | 7 lists

#10 Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (1989) (#728)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. | SMS, TG16 | Action-Adventure / Platform | ~6h | 4 lists

#11 DuckTales (1989) (#737)

Capcom | NES, GB | Platform | ~1h | 6 lists

#12 Strider / Strider Hiryū (1989) (#765)

Capcom | ARC, 3, GEN | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 5 lists

#13 Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer (1989) (#775)

Microplay Software, MicroStyle | DOS, 5 | Racing | ~3h | 6 lists

#14 The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi (1989) (#798)

Sega Enterprises, Ltd. | GEN | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~2h | 5 lists

#15 River City Ransom / Street Gangs (1989) (#871)

Technos Japan | NES | Action-Adventure / Beat 'em Up | ~2h | 5 lists

#126

Maxis

AMI, CPC, MAC, C64, DOS, FMT, SNES, ZXS

City Building

~15h

34 lists

SimCity 1989

#188

Brøderbund Software

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, AST, DOS, FMT, PC98, TG16

Platform

~2h

25 lists

Prince of Persia 1989

#391

Bullfrog Productions

AMI, AST, PC98, SMS, GEN, SNES

God Game

~12h

12 lists

Populous 1989

#420

Technosoft

GEN

Real-Time Strategy

~6h

9 lists

Herzog Zwei 1989

#479

Capcom

ARC, SNES

Beat 'em Up

~1h

12 lists

Final Fight 1989

#612

Konami

NES

Platform

~4h

8 lists

Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse 1989

#621

Sega R&D 2

GEN

Role-Playing

~28h

8 lists

Phantasy Star II 1989

#653

SNK

NES

Sports

~9h

8 lists

Baseball Stars 1989

#717

Team Shinobi

ARC, SMS, GEN

Beat 'em Up

~1h

7 lists

Golden Axe 1989

#10

#728

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

SMS, TG16

Action-Adventure / Platform

~6h

4 lists

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap 1989

#11

#737

Capcom

GB, NES

Platform

~1h

6 lists

DuckTales 1989

#12

#765

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~1h

5 lists

Strider / Strider Hiryū 1989

#13

#775

Microplay Software, MicroStyle

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Racing

~3h

6 lists

Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer 1989

#14

#798

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~2h

5 lists

The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi 1989

#15

#871

Technos Japan

NES

Action-Adventure / Beat 'em Up

~2h

5 lists

River City Ransom / Street Gangs 1989

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