Added: 27.12.2014 16:00 | 2 views | 0 comments

Which year was the best in video game history? Which 12 month period had the biggest releases and the most influential games? Join us over the next few days as we look back in time at five of the most outstanding years in games. Today, we look back at 1996.

In 1996, the industry landscape was forever altered with a handful of game-changing new franchises. It was a golden year for strong leading characters and equally strong new gameplay ideas, both from Japanese and Western studios. Icons that are now household names—including Lara Croft and Crash Bandicoot--were born in 1996. It was a good year to be a Mario fan as well, with still-beloved favorites from two branches of the franchise making their debut. Not to mention this was the year the world got Pokémon, a series that would reach dizzying heights of popularity nearly two decades later.

Check out our previous Best Year in Gaming features below:

Added: 26.12.2014 18:14 | 4 views | 0 comments


Achievements: Complete the following tasks to unlock the corresponding costume. Biker Costume: Score 1,900,000...

Added: 26.12.2014 15:11 | 5 views | 0 comments


If you're looking to raid some tombs with your friends, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris may be just the game to get.

Added: 25.12.2014 12:11 | 15 views | 0 comments


PSXE: "Before the Tomb Raider reboot, the series was sort of in limbo. The big-budget blockbusters that defined the 90s were starting to fade in terms of quality and popularity. To shake things up, developer Crystal Dynamics delivers Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, a top-down dungeon-crawler with a hefty emphasis on combat and puzzle-solving. This refreshing adventure gave Lara fans a new perspective on the standard Tomb Raider structure and style and you know, it worked exceedingly well."