Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,400 most recommended games across 913 critic lists from 142 publications.

Updated: March 25, 2026

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1989

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20 of 20

1 (#123)

SimCity (1989)

Maxis | , , , | | ~15h | 35 lists

#1 SimCity (1989) (#123)

Maxis | DOS, MAC , 5 , SNES | City Building | ~15h | 35 lists

#2 Prince of Persia (1989) (#200)

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

#3 Populous (1989) (#411)

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

#4 Herzog Zwei (1989) (#444)

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

#5 Final Fight (1989) (#483)

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

#6 Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (1989) (#601)

Konami | NES | Platform | ~4h | 9 lists

#7 Phantasy Star II (1989) (#639)

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

#8 Baseball Stars (1989) (#679)

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

#9 Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (1989) (#746)

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

#10 Golden Axe (1989) (#757)

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

#11 DuckTales (1989) (#759)

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

#12 Strider / Strider Hiryū (1989) (#789)

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

#13 Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer (1989) (#792)

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

#14 The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi (1989) (#825)

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

#15 River City Ransom / Street Gangs (1989) (#899)

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

#16 Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES) (1989) (#1097)

Technos Japan | NES | Beat 'em Up | 3 lists

#17 Buster Bros. / Pang / Pomping World (1989) (#1223)

Mitchell Corporation | ARC , DOS , 5 | Action | ~1h | 2 lists

#18 Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero (1989) (#1260)

Sierra On-Line | DOS , 3 | Adventure / Role-Playing | 2 lists

#19 Midwinter (1989) (#1343)

Rainbird | DOS , AST, AMI | Strategy / Action RPG | ~3h | 2 lists

#20 Super Mario Land (1989) (#1381)

Nintendo R&D1 | GB | Platform | ~1h | 3 lists

#123

Maxis

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

City Building

~15h

35 lists

SimCity 1989

#200

Brøderbund Software

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

Platform

~2h

25 lists

Prince of Persia 1989

#411

Bullfrog Productions

AMI, AST, PC98, SMS, GEN, SNES

God Game

~12h

12 lists

Populous 1989

#444

Technosoft

GEN

Real-Time Strategy

~6h

9 lists

Herzog Zwei 1989

#483

Capcom

ARC, SNES

Beat 'em Up

~1h

12 lists

Final Fight 1989

#601

Konami

NES

Platform

~4h

9 lists

Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse 1989

#639

Sega R&D 2

GEN

Role-Playing

~28h

8 lists

Phantasy Star II 1989

#679

SNK

NES

Sports

~9h

8 lists

Baseball Stars 1989

#746

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

SMS, TG16

Action-Adventure / Platform

~6h

4 lists

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap 1989

#10

#757

Team Shinobi

ARC, SMS, GEN

Beat 'em Up

~1h

7 lists

Golden Axe 1989

#11

#759

Capcom

GB, NES

Platform

~1h

6 lists

DuckTales 1989

#12

#789

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, DOS, GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~1h

5 lists

Strider / Strider Hiryū 1989

#13

#792

Microplay Software, MicroStyle

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Racing

~3h

6 lists

Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer 1989

#14

#825

Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

GEN

Hack and Slash / Platform

~2h

5 lists

The Revenge of Shinobi / The Super Shinobi 1989

#15

#899

Technos Japan

NES

Action-Adventure / Beat 'em Up

~2h

5 lists

River City Ransom / Street Gangs 1989

#16

#1097

Technos Japan

NES

Beat 'em Up

3 lists

Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES) 1989

#17

#1223

Mitchell Corporation

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Action

~1h

2 lists

Buster Bros. / Pang / Pomping World 1989

#18

#1260

Sierra On-Line

AMI, AST, DOS, PC98

Adventure / Role-Playing

2 lists

Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero 1989

#19

#1343

Rainbird

AMI, AST, DOS

Strategy / Action RPG

~3h

2 lists

Midwinter 1989

#20

#1381

Nintendo R&D1

Platform

~1h

3 lists

Super Mario Land 1989

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