The 12 Best Video Game Series of the 1980s and ’90s, Ranked
Polygon has published a ranked list of the greatest video game series from the 1980s and ’90s, evaluating franchises based on their impact on the industry and the medium as a whole. The retrospective covers games across a diverse range of platforms including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, Game Boy, PlayStation, and PC, highlighting how these franchises introduced new heroes, genres, and gameplay styles that shaped modern gaming.
The list celebrates franchises that laid the groundwork not just for their publishers and developers, but for the video game medium itself. The ranking begins with Madden by Electronic Arts at position 12, with the full list extending to feature franchises that defined the era. The article positions these games as culturally significant touchstones that continue to influence how audiences experience and remember the 20th century through interactive entertainment.