Top fighting games of the 1990s
Chad Bryan,Youthlink Writer

Video games provide a source of enjoyment for many people the world over and they have evolved from the most primitive to the most advanced. The 1990s featured a variety of fighting games with which gamers fell in love. In many cases, the fighting games made their debut then morphed into magnificent masterpieces. Top Games will stir up feelings of nostalgia as we dissect some of the top fighting games of the 1990s.

Metal gear solid

Metal Gear Solid features the old war soldier known to gamers as Snake. Working as a spy, special ops agent and mercenary Solid Snake, or Snake, this character represents the clandestine organisation known as Foxhound. Following his debut in North America in 1990, Snake is repeatedly engaged in thwarting the plans of the devious Metal Gear. This metal gear is a dangerous nuclear weapon which can cause all sorts of mayhem.

Most memorable moment: The torture event which became a hit in later game titles. While Snake was being tortured, gamers were required to press a button repeatedly which would keep him alive.

Fun factor: Every scene in the game is filled with exhilarating enjoyment that it is very difficult to narrow it down to one specific aspect. Nevertheless, Snakes' ability to stealthily eradicate his opponents is undoubtedly a great fun factor.

Most widely used character(s): Of course, Snake, the main protagonist who is apparently a clone.

Mortal kombat

Mortal Kombat was released in 1994 on Arcade and Super NES platforms among others, and was generally well received. The game had its share of dissenters based on the violence it contained which, ironically, contributed to its success.

Most memorable moment: Performing a finishing move such as a 'fatality' which involves ripping the limbs from the body of an opponent, or 'babality', turning your opponent into a baby.

SEGA

Fun factor: The first Mortal Kombat game featured many Easter eggs which were funny jokes. For example, the character Noob Saibot was actually named after the two creators of the series, Ed Boon and John Tobias (last names spelt backwards). Also featured in the game were secret characters such as Reptile which could be fought as an added bonus.

Most widely used character(s): Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion and Subzero from the first Mortal Kombat game.

Tekken

Tekken made its debut as an arcade game in 1994 and was among some of the earliest 3D fighting games. Subsequently, the game is now available on more than five platforms. Its latest incarnation is Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion, released in 2009.

Most memorable moment: The characters' fighting styles, the martial arts, are reminiscent of traditional ones, as opposed to the far-fetched fighting styles to which gamers had become accustomed, such as projectiles seen in Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.

NINTENDO

Fun factor: Tekken allowed gamers to engage their opponents indefinitely without encountering some sort of wall that would prevent them from executing an attack. Gamers could also run at a distance, enabling them to tackle opponents unhindered.

Most widely used character(s): Jack, Nina Williams, King and Kazuya Mishima.

SONY PLAYSTATION