The first-person shooter genre really exploded in the 1990s. While some FPS games existed before then, it really became a genre in the ’90s due to the likes of Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake.
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Those games and others released in the 1990s built the foundation of the genre and introduced many of the cliches and conventions that are still seen in FPS games today. In fact, the likes of Call of Duty and Halo may have never been around if it hadn’t been for those titles. The following ones were the best releases for each year of the decade, from 1990 to 1999.
10
Corporation (AKA Cyber-Cop)
1990
In 1990, the first-person shooter genre was still in its infancy. Therefore, few FPS games were released that year. One that did come out, though, was called Corporation (AKA Cyber-Cop).
It was one of the first 3D first-person shooters and plays in a similar manner to the likes of Doom and Wolfenstein, meaning you run around rooms and hallways, killing any hostile that gets in your way. There are also some hacking and healing mechanics.
9
The Terminator
1991
The first-ever game based on The Terminator series was released in 1991. This was the same year as the release of the second Terminator movie, but this wasn’t a film tie-in.
In fact, it was actually based on the original 1984 movie. You can play as Kyle Reese protecting Sarah Connor or as the Terminator chasing them down. It won’t go down as the greatest game based on an ’80s film, but it was a decent FPS for its time.
8
Wolfenstein 3D
1992
The first truly iconic first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, was released in 1992. All these years later, it’s still a very famous game, as it helped popularize the FPS genre and established the fast-paced action that the genre would become known for.
Each level consists of you heading into different rooms and shooting every Nazi you can see. When you aren’t shooting people, you can search for ammo and health. The goal of each level is to reach the elevator or boss at the end.
7
Doom
1993
The original Doom has been ported to so many systems that it’s easy to forget that it was originally released in 1993. Along with Wolfenstein 3D, Doom is known as one of the true pioneers of the first-person shooter genre.
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The game offers wild, over-the-top action where you can utilize a slew of different wild weapons to take down all the demons and undead that you come across. The setting of Hell and the demonic creatures you face help give it a different feel from most other FPS games from the early ’90s.
6
System Shock
1994
By 1994, the FPS genre had grown a lot, meaning there were several great first-person shooters released that year. One of the most famous and beloved was System Shock.
The game is set aboard a space station that contains a dangerous artificial intelligence that you must stop. To this day, it remains one of the best cyberpunk titles ever due to its impressive environments and atmosphere. The game’s puzzles and shooting mechanics received plenty of praise, too, back in the day.
5
Star Wars: Dark Forces
1995
Star Wars: Dark Forces
- Platform(s)
-
MS-DOS
, macOS
, PS1 - Released
-
March 8, 1995
- Engine
-
jedi, imuse
- ESRB
-
t
Forget about the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as Star Wars: Dark Forces features Kyle Katarn in the lead role. He is a mercenary working with the Rebels against the Galactic Empire. This results in a great first-person shooter set around the time of Star Wars’s original trilogy.
It may not be the most famous FPS game ever, but it includes elements that were fairly revolutionary at the time. For instance, the game allows you to look up and down. That may seem basic, but FPS titles didn’t typically include that functionality back then.
4
Quake
1996
1996 saw the release of two significant first-person shooters: Quake and Duke Nukem 3D. The former just edges out the latter to be 1996’s best FPS. Quake is an excellent game in many ways. Yet, the thing it is most famous for is helping to popularize multiplayer in first-person shooters.
It contains both co-op and PvP modes. The latter was very influential and is not completely dissimilar to some of the multiplayer modes you see in FPS games today. The game even includes elements such as bunny hopping and rocket jumping, which was also unique for the time.
3
GoldenEye 007
1997
- Released
-
August 25, 1997
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
EngineX
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Animated Blood, Animated Violence
Quake helped PC players fall in love with PvP multiplayer. For console players, it was GoldenEye 007 that introduced them to the fun of shooting your friends. This fun happens while everyone is playing on the same system in local split-screen multiplayer.
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Each player picks a character from James Bond and competes against the rest in various modes that typically revolve around killing one another. The action is fast-paced and exciting. There is also a less famous single-player campaign, which is solid as well.
2
Half-Life
1998
Half-Life
In November of 1998, the gaming world was treated to one of the most highly-regarded FPS games ever in the form of the original Half-Life. The game places you in the shoes of a scientist working at the Black Mesa Research Facility. Something goes wrong early in the game, and a bunch of alien creatures are unleashed on the facility. So, you must try to survive by shooting things, solving puzzles, and exploring.
The game stood out at the time because of how differently it played compared to others in the genre. It doesn’t provide a shooting gallery-like experience where there are groups of enemies on screen, ready for you to gun them down. Things are more open and immersive than that, as encounters happen naturally as you make your way through the facility.
1
Unreal Tournament
1999
Unreal Tournament
- Released
-
November 30, 1999
- Developer
-
Digital Extremes, Epic Games, Sega Studios San Francisco
- Publisher
-
Digital Extremes, Epic Games, Sega Studios San Francisco
- Engine
-
unreal engine 1
- ESRB
-
m
By the end of the 1990s, first-person shooters had come a long way. This is evidenced by Unreal Tournament, which resembles more of an FPS today than it does one from the early ’90s. This is due to its being fully 3D and feeling smooth to play.
Of course, the visuals aren’t as impressive as today’s efforts. Yet, they’re still far better than what the early ’90s provided. What also makes it feel modern is that it puts much of its emphasis on multiplayer, as the single-player campaign is just a series of multiplayer-like matches against bots.
