Back When Windows 95 Was the Bee’s Knees
Ah, the ’90s. A time when our floppy disks were actually floppy and you had to insert a CD-ROM to play a game. You know, like an animal. Millennials, this one’s for you. But Gen Zers, pull up a seat—you’re about to get a masterclass in how we wasted—err, spent—our time before social media and battle royales took over the world.
1. “Doom” (1993)
The granddaddy of first-person shooters. Ah, the blood, the gore, the LAN parties.
2. “SimCity 2000” (1993)
We played God, and we were terrible at it. But oh, how we tried.
3. “StarCraft” (1998)
Blizzard had us strategizing like little wannabe generals.
4. “The Oregon Trail” (1990)
Remember dying of dysentery? Good times.
5. “Command & Conquer” (1995)
It was war, but like, fun?
6. “Diablo” (1996)
Why go outside when you can go to Hell?
7. “RollerCoaster Tycoon” (1999)
The true test of whether you should ever be in charge of an amusement park.
8. “Myst” (1993)
Click. Click. What happens next? Click.
9. “Half-Life” (1998)
Because physics and alien invasions mix surprisingly well.
10. “Quake” (1996)
Ah yes, the game that made “fragging” a thing.
11. “Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness” (1995)
Where we learned to play nice with Orcs.
12. “Civilization II” (1996)
“Just one more turn,” said every procrastinating student ever.
13. “Monkey Island” series (1990-1997)
Point, click, laugh. Repeat.
14. “Age of Empires” (1997)
Rewriting history, one campaign at a time.
15. “Duke Nukem 3D” (1996)
Because the ’90s needed a hero with a really, really flat top.
16. “Baldur’s Gate” (1998)
Dungeons & Dragons on your computer. What’s not to love?
17. “Wolfenstein 3D” (1992)
Nazis, mazes, and treasures. Oh my!
18. “System Shock” (1994)
The game that said, “Horror in space? Why not?”
19. “Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri” (1999)
Civilization in space. We dig it.
20. “Ultima Online” (1997)
The MMO that made us forget to eat.
21. “Tomb Raider” (1996)
Laura Croft: the ’90s queen of polygonal beauty.
22. “Total Annihilation” (1997)
Robots have never been this much fun.
23. “The Sims” (2000)
Technically the 2000s, but c’mon, it had ’90s written all over it.
24. “Descent” (1995)
Because who doesn’t love six degrees of freedom?
Conclusion: Homework? What Homework?
And there you have it, folks: the 24 games that turned us into the procrastination artists we are today. From dodging demonic creatures to building empires, these titles captured our hearts and monopolized our time.
Want to dive even deeper into the world of geek culture, from the ’90s and beyond? Make sure to check out more awesome content on All Ages of Geek.
So, whether you’re a Millennial or a Gen Zer wanting to learn about the good ol’ times, game on and keep the nostalgia alive!
