Summary
- Every game from 1995 turns 30 in 2025.
- Notable games like Time Crisis, Twisted Metal, and Chrono Trigger emerged that year, shaping the industry.
- 1995 titles like Tekken 2 and Command And Conquer set high standards for the time.
In 2025, every game released in 1995 will turn 30 years old. For humans, 30 is still fairly young. However, for games, that is quite old. After all, the gaming world moves quickly, and there have been several generations of consoles since then.
Yet, gaming in 1995 won’t be quickly forgotten as it was a significant year for the industry. This is because it saw the release of the original PlayStation, which was not only a big release on its own but also spawned one of the most famous families of consoles in gaming history. The year also had a litany of great games. These are among the most notable ones.
8
Time Crisis
Few light gun arcade games are as famous as Time Crisis. The original game was released in 1995 in the arcades. It’s a rail shooter where you have to gun down all the enemies on screen, and the light gun serves as the controller.
So, it’s a fairly simple gameplay concept, and there’s not much of a story or anything. However, it was still one of the best shooters of its time due to how satisfying the shooting felt. Plus, the game has a cover system, which was unique in 1995.
Twisted Metal
- Released
-
November 5, 1995
- Developer(s)
-
Sony Interactive Studios America
, SingleTrac - Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
- Engine
-
unreal engine
- ESRB
-
T For Teen due to Animated Violence
You don’t get too many great vehicular combat games. As such, if a collection of gamers were asked to name one, 1995’s Twisted Metal is likely to be the one that comes up the most. It’s still well-known because it was an exceptional game.
The premise is that you compete in a destruction derby-like competition where modded vehicles attempt to destroy one another. So, you win by taking out everyone else’s vehicles using a variety of weapons that your car can acquire. It’s chaotic and enjoyable.
6
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest
- Released
-
November 20, 1995
- Developer
-
Rare
- Publisher
-
Rare
- Engine
-
game engine
- ESRB
-
t
Diddy Kong often takes a back seat to Donkey Kong, but the former takes center stage in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest. This is because Donkey Kong has been captured, meaning it’s up to Diddy and Dixie to save the day.
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The result is a brilliant 2D side-scrolling platformer in which Diddy and Dixie bounce and swing their way through various levels. To this day, it remains among the best Donkey Kong games ever.
5
Tekken 2
Tekken 2
- Released
-
August 24, 1995
- Developer(s)
-
Namco
- Publisher(s)
-
Namco
- Engine
-
Syrup Emulation Engine
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Suggestive Themes, Violence
While the second Tekken game didn’t land on consoles until ’96, it arrived in arcades in 1995. It was a revelation upon release, as it was seen as a vast improvement on the original game. In fact, it’s arguably the title that really made Tekken a big name in the fighting game genre.
It doesn’t hold up very well against more recent installments, but for 1995, it was a fantastic fighting game with smooth combat and excellent visuals. Plus, some hardcore Tekken fans still appreciate it to this day.
4
Rayman
Although the world isn’t treated to many Rayman games these days, the blonde-haired creature did make a splash in his initial adventure, which was released in 1995. It’s a 2D side-scroller featuring a protagonist who has detached limbs and the ability to punch people from a distance.
At the time, the visuals and level design were very impressive. Of course, those visuals don’t look very good anymore, but the levels are still varied and creative.
3
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
- Released
-
October 4, 1995
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
unreal engine 4
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone
The original Super Mario World is one of the most highly-regarded Mario games of all time. So, it’s a little odd that Nintendo decided to make a very different game for the sequel. This one puts Yoshi as the main character who guides little baby Mario around while solving puzzles and doing some platforming.
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Despite being very dissimilar to its predecessor, it still manages to be an excellent game with a beautiful art style and creative levels. As such, it launched its own series and made Yoshi a much more well-known character.
2
Command And Conquer
In 1995, the real-time strategy genre wasn’t too significant. While it existed, there weren’t many games in the genre that became really big and popular. That was until Command and Conquer came onto the scene in late ’95. This RTS was a huge success both critically and commercially.
Compared to games in the genre these days, it is pretty limited, but the game was exceptional upon release. The depth and complexity of the strategic gameplay were particularly impressive. As for the story, the World War between two fictional factions still remains a solid narrative to this day.
1
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger may have come out in 1995, but it’s still often mentioned when people discuss games with meaningful choices. This is because it was one of the pioneers of choices and consequences in games.
Having choices and multiple endings isn’t the only thing this title has going for it, though. It also has charming visuals, an engaging narrative, and entertaining active-time battle combat. Overall, it’s a game that pretty much holds up to modern RPGs.
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