Here is my utterly biased list of the games that represent the cream of the crop as far as overlooked 1990’s games are concerned.

CYBERNATOR (1992 SNES)

Released Masaya as part of a series of futuristic robotic war games during the 1990’s, Cybernator was an addictive post apocalyptic, run-and-gun platformer. In the game, two warring governments fight over Earth’s rapidly depleting natural resources as well as territorial rights to land on the moon. My exposure to Cybernator occured at around the same time that Japanese animation really started to build a following on the VHS market in the UK. The ability to control one of the giant battle robots featured in such animes as Orguss 02 was mind blowing to my 7 year old mind. Cybernator features towering mechanic assault suits, nuclear powered plasma cannons, high speed battles in space and a neat prediction of humanity’s dystopian future. By 1992, the Soviet threat had all but disappeared, what the children of my generation braced ourselves for was giant battling robots.

ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBOURS (1993, SNES)

Produced by LucasArts as a tribute to the schlock horror films of the 1950s through the 1980s, Zombies Ate My Neighbours follows Zeke and Julie, two teenagers united to battle an army of the undead invading their township. Zombies is an enjoyably 
spooky journey through the vaults of the Hollywood horror imagination.

LITTLE BIG ADVENTURE (1994)

The fictional planet of Twinsun is populated by four differing life forms; Quetchs (a species similar to humans), Spheros (large round creatures), Grobos (elephant-like characters) and Rabibunnies (a species closely resembling rabbits). The peaceful coexistence of these creatures has been shattered by Dr. Funfrock, a tyrannical figure who has 
seized control of the planet using an army of clones. It falls to a young Quetch by the name of Twinsen to destroy Funfrock’s empire and free the inhabitants of Twinsun. This real-time adventure game combined the flare of action game/arcade titles with the sensibilities of the role-playing game genre; all characters, vehicles and various props,
are real 3D polygon-based objects, allowing for full movement and rotational abilities. Quite an achievement for a game designed in 1994.

LEMMINGS (1991)

The object of Lemmings is simple:  (a) guide the suicidal little critters across a treacherous 2D landscape to a designated exit in order to progress to the next level, (b) repeat. As the levels become increasingly complex, the game becomes increasingly addictive, due in large to the lemmings seeming to have a will all their own – a suicidal will at that.
 Developed for the Commodore Amiga, Lemmings was hugely popular, receiving high review scores from a number of gaming magazines. The game has been released on a number of platforms over the last two decades and is believed to have sold over 
15 million copies worldwide.

X-COM APOCALYPSE (1997)

The third game in the X-COM series, Apocalypse opens half a century after the events of the previous game. Earth’s biosphere has been severely damaged and, as result, mankind is forced live in one of several self-contained megalopolis-type cities situated around the globe. One such city, Mega Primus has become subject to attacks from a new alien threat and it is once again up to the X-COM team to save the planet. Apocalypse was a terrific advancement for the X-COM series with its stylized graphics and the introduction of real time combat. Unfortunately, however, the game never quite found favour with the fan base of its predecessors. Over the past decade, the game has been re-released as part of various X-COM compilations and collections. In 2008, the X-COM series, including Apocalypse became available for sale on Valve’s Steam platform; running in a specially configured version of DOSBox.

WILD 9 (1998)

Featuring game play similar to the Earthworm Jim games (both titles being developed by Shiny Entertainment Inc.), this 2D platformer follows nine orphaned teenage mutants and their fight against the tyranny of the monstrous Karnî (a creature with a head the size of New York State, apparently). The gameplay of Wild 9 revolves around the player’s use of
 what is referred to as a “RIG”; a device used to electronically lasso objects and enemies. Once captured by the rig, objects can be moved to where they are needed and enemies can be smashed on the ground or thrown into environmental dangers. There really is a fantasitc satisfaction to be found in throwing a mutant onto a thresher with the accompaniment of a Techno-Metal soundtrack.

SUPER MARIO WORLD 2: YOSHI’S ISLAND (1995)

When an infant Mario falls from the sky onto the tropical paradise of Yoshi Island, it is up to the Yoshi Dinosaur natives to transport the child back to where he belongs. Using a relay system, the baby Mario is transferred to the backs of a differently-colored Yoshi upon reaching the end of each level. Yoshi’s Island sold approximately four million copies and has garnered a passionate cult following since its release.

BONANZA BROS. (1990)

The Bonanza Brothers, Mobo and Bobo, are in the thievery business. Playing as one of the brothers, the aim of the game is to stealthily infiltrate a building, avoid guards, “acquire” several objects and venture to the roof where a blimp is waiting to take you to the next mission. Over the course of the game, the brothers ransack various locations including 
a bank, a casino, a millionaire’s mansion, a mint, a treasury and an art gallery. Since its initial release, the game has been reissued a number of times on various formats gaining a modest following along the way. 

ASCENDANCY (1995)

You are the leader of an alien species, charged with the mission of guiding your people to explore and colonize other worlds. This is achieved through construction, research and progressing through war and diplomacy. Released during mid 90’s golden age of 4X space games , Ascendancy featured slick graphics and the epic tag line “Wildly different cultures competed for the same worlds. In the enormous upheaval that followed, one of these species would gain ascendancy.”  Despite being  criticised for its poor artificial intelligence engine, a feature that many felt made playing the game too easy, Ascendency is held by some circles to have been one of the greatest strategy sims of its day.

TURRICAN (1990)

Turrican is a mutant warrior, bio-engineered to reclaim Alterra, an abandoned complex of man-made colonies.  To do this he must eliminate the hostile organisms now inhabiting Alterra’s five multi-level worlds. Programmed and designed by the legendary Manfred Trenz, Turrican was originally developed for the Commodore 64, but was later adapted for other systems. The game is a landmark in gaming history, achieving a standard of graphics not previously thought to be capable of the C64. Over the years, the game has gained somewhat of a mythical status in certain circles with some critics arguing that the first two Duke Nukem games directly lifted their graphics from the Turrican series.