Acclaimed Video Games
The top 1,400 most recommended games across 920 critic lists from 146 publications.
Updated: October 16, 2026
Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1996
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#1 Super Mario 64 (1996) (#7)
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
|
N64
|
Action-Adventure /
Platform
|
~12h
|
88 lists
#2 Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow (1996) (#61)
Game Freak
|
GB
|
Role-Playing
|
~26h
|
51 lists
#3 Tomb Raider (1996) (#65)
Core Design
|
DOS,
SAT,
PS
|
Action-Adventure
|
~16h
|
56 lists
#4 Resident Evil (1996) (#78)
Capcom Planning Room 2
|
WIN,
SAT,
PS
|
Horror
|
~7h
|
39 lists
#5 Quake (1996) (#132)
id Software
|
4
|
First-Person Shooter
|
~5h
|
31 lists
#6 Sid Meier's Civilization II (1996) (#141)
MicroProse Software, Inc.
|
MAC,
WIN
|
Turn-Based Strategy
|
~22h
|
28 lists
#7 Command & Conquer: Red Alert (1996) (#166)
Westwood Studios
|
WIN
|
Real-Time Strategy
|
~27h
|
25 lists
#8 Duke Nukem 3D (1996) (#215)
3D Realms
|
DOS,
SAT,
PS
|
First-Person Shooter
|
~9h
|
22 lists
#9 Wipeout 2097 / Wipeout XL (1996) (#228)
Psygnosis
|
WIN,
SAT,
PS
|
Racing
|
~4h
|
21 lists
#10 Mario Kart 64 (1996) (#233)
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
|
N64
|
Kart Racing
|
~4h
|
24 lists
#11 Nights Into Dreams (1996) (#303)
Sonic Team
|
SAT
|
Action
|
~2h
|
14 lists
#12 Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) (#335)
Square, Square Enix
|
SNES
|
Role-Playing
|
~18h
|
19 lists
#13 Wave Race 64 (1996) (#356)
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
|
N64
|
Racing
|
~3h
|
20 lists
#14 Saturn Bomberman (1996) (#399)
Hudson Soft
|
SAT
|
Action /
Maze
|
~3h
|
10 lists
#15 PaRappa the Rapper (1996) (#401)
NanaOn-Sha
|
PS
|
Music
|
~2h
|
14 lists
#16 Metal Slug (1996) (#559)
Nazca Corporation
|
NG,
SAT,
PS
|
Run and Gun
|
~54m
|
8 lists
#17 Guardian Heroes (1996) (#590)
Treasure
|
SAT
|
Hack and Slash /
Action RPG /
Beat 'em Up
|
~2h
|
6 lists
#18 Crash Bandicoot (1996) (#726)
Naughty Dog
|
PS
|
Platform
|
~6h
|
6 lists
#19 Grand Prix 2 (1996) (#742)
MicroProse Software, Inc.
|
DOS
|
Racing
|
~14h
|
5 lists
#20 Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom (1996) (#757)
Origin Systems
|
3,
PS
|
Space Combat
|
~11h
|
5 lists
#21 Pilotwings 64 (1996) (#780)
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development, Nintendo R&D3, Paradigm Simulation
|
N64
|
Flight Simulation
|
~5h
|
7 lists
#22 Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars (1996) (#826)
New World Computing
|
3
|
Turn-Based Strategy
|
~46h
|
4 lists
#23 Harvest Moon (1996) (#832)
Amccus, Pack-In-Video
|
SNES
|
Life Simulation
|
~24h
|
6 lists
#24 Dragon Force (1996) (#839)
Sega CS1
|
SAT
|
Role-Playing /
Real-Time Strategy
|
~31h
|
4 lists
#25 Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (1996) (#857)
Revolution Software
|
MAC,
WIN,
PS
|
Point-and-Click
|
~10h
|
4 lists
#26 Twisted Metal 2 / Twisted Metal: World Tour / Twisted Metal EX (1996) (#901)
SingleTrac
|
WIN,
PS
|
Vehicular Combat
|
~4h
|
5 lists
#27 International Track & Field (1996) (#938)
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
|
ARC,
PS
|
Sports
|
~48m
|
4 lists
#28 Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (1996) (#959)
Backbone Entertainment, Capcom
|
ARC,
SAT,
PS
|
Puzzle
|
~54m
|
5 lists
#29 Panzer Dragoon II Zwei (1996) (#972)
Team Andromeda
|
SAT
|
Shooter
|
~2h
|
4 lists
#30 Kirby Super Star / Kirby's Fun Pak (1996) (#996)
HAL Laboratory
|
SNES
|
Platform
|
~4h
|
7 lists
#31 International Superstar Soccer 64 (1996) (#998)
Konami
|
N64
|
Sports
|
~15h
|
4 lists
#32 Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (1996) (#1002)
Rare
|
SNES
|
Platform
|
~4h
|
6 lists
#33 DecAthlete / Athlete Kings (1996) (#1171)
Sega AM3
|
ARC,
SAT
|
Sports
|
~42m
|
3 lists
#34 Soul Edge / Soul Blade (1996) (#1272)
Project Soul
|
ARC,
PS
|
Fighting
|
~54m
|
3 lists
#35 Descent II (1996) (#1300)
Parallax Software
|
DOS,
MAC,
PS
|
First-Person Shooter
|
~11h
|
3 lists
#36 Syndicate Wars (1996) (#1387)
Bullfrog Productions
|
DOS,
PS
|
Real-Time Tactics
|
~17h
|
2 lists
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