The 104 best 4th generation (16-bit) console games

All systems together, ranked by the scores that magazines gave these games when they came out. Systems: Super Nintendo (SNES), Mega Drive / Genesis, PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16, PC Engine CD, Mega-CD / Sega CD, Neo Geo, Philips CD-i, Sega 32X, PC Engine SuperGrafx. The list draws on 12,152 review scores of 2,686 games.

#	Game	Platform	Year	Score
1	R-Type	PC Engine	1988	97.5
2	Yoshi's Island: Super Mario World 2	SNES	1995	97.3
3	Viewpoint	Neo-Geo	1992	95.7
4	Street Fighter II: The World Warrior	SNES	1992	95.5
5	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past	SNES	1991	95.5
6	Chrono Trigger	SNES	1995	95.3
7	Super Mario World	SNES	1990	95.2
8	Flashback: The Quest for Identity	Mega Drive, SNES	1993	95.1
9	Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting	SNES	1993	95
10	Sonic the Hedgehog	Mega Drive	1991	95
11	Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest	SNES	1995	94.9
12	Star Fox	SNES	1993	94.9
13	Donkey Kong Country	SNES	1994	94.8
14	International Superstar Soccer Deluxe	SNES, Mega Drive	1995	94.8
15	Fatal Fury Special	Neo-Geo	1993	94.5
16	Super Mario All-Stars	SNES	1993	94.2
17	Super Mario Kart	SNES	1992	94
18	Street Fighter II' Champion Edition	PC Engine	1993	93.9
19	Sonic the Hedgehog 3	Mega Drive	1994	93.8
20	The King of Fighters '94	Neo-Geo	1994	93.7
21	Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse	Mega Drive	1990	93.6
22	World of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck	Mega Drive	1992	93.4
23	Final Match Tennis	PC Engine	1991	93.4
24	Earthworm Jim 2	SNES, Mega Drive	1995	93.4
25	Earthworm Jim	SNES	1994	93.4
26	Samurai Spirits	Neo-Geo	1993	93.2
27	Final Fantasy VI	SNES	1994	92.9
28	The King of Fighters '98 - Dream Match Never Ends	Neo-Geo	1998	92.8
29	Ecco the Dolphin	Mega-CD, Mega Drive	1993	92.7
30	Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament	Mega Drive	1994	92.7
31	Mortal Kombat II	SNES, Mega Drive, 32X	1994	92.6
32	Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse	Mega Drive, SNES	1994	92.5
33	Earthworm Jim: Special Edition	Mega-CD	1995	92.3
34	Riding Hero	Neo-Geo	1990	92.3
35	The King of Fighters '95	Neo-Geo	1995	92.2
36	Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Mega Drive	1992	92
37	Killer Instinct	SNES	1995	92
38	Samurai Spirits: Amakusa Kourin	Neo-Geo	1996	92
39	International Superstar Soccer	SNES	1994	91.9
40	FIFA International Soccer	SNES, Mega Drive, Mega-CD	1994	91.9
41	John Madden Football '92	Mega Drive	1991	91.9
42	Mortal Kombat 3	Mega Drive, SNES	1994	91.9
43	Shin Samurai Spirits: Haohmaru Jigokuhen	Neo-Geo	1994	91.9
44	Populous	PC Engine, Mega Drive	1991	91.8
45	Super Bomberman	SNES	1993	91.8
46	Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers	SNES, Mega Drive	1994	91.8
47	Virtua Racing Deluxe	32X	1994	91.8
48	Flink	Mega-CD	1994	91.8
49	The King of Fighters '96	Neo-Geo	1996	91.8
50	EA Hockey	Mega Drive	1991	91.7
51	Secret of Mana	SNES	1993	91.7
52	FIFA Soccer 95	Mega Drive	1994	91.7
53	Top Player's Golf	Neo-Geo	1990	91.6
54	Aladdin	Mega Drive	1993	91.6
55	Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole	Mega Drive	1992	91.5
56	Gate of Thunder	PC Engine CD	1992	91.5
57	Prince of Persia	SNES	1992	91.5
58	Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96	Mega Drive	1995	91.4
59	Doom	SNES	1995	91.4
60	Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker	Mega Drive	1994	91.3
61	Streets of Rage	Mega Drive	1991	91.3
62	Super Aleste	SNES	1992	91.3
63	Super Bomberman 2	SNES	1994	91.2
64	Super Metroid	SNES	1994	91.2
65	Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts	SNES	1991	91.1
66	Panel de Pon	SNES	1995	91.1
67	Real Bout Fatal Fury	Neo-Geo	1995	91.1
68	Street Fighter II' Special Champion Edition	Mega Drive	1993	91.1
69	Human Sports Festival	PC Engine CD	1992	91.1
70	Super Star Wars	SNES	1992	91.1
71	Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!	SNES	1996	91.1
72	Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose	SNES	1992	91
73	The Revenge of Shinobi	Mega Drive	1989	90.9
74	Spriggan	PC Engine CD	1991	90.9
75	Contra III: The Alien Wars	SNES	1992	90.8
76	Shining Force	Mega Drive	1992	90.8
77	Sonic & Knuckles	Mega Drive	1994	90.8
78	Sparkster	SNES	1994	90.8
79	Soleil	Mega Drive	1994	90.8
80	Lemmings	SNES	1991	90.7
81	Virtua Racing	Mega Drive	1994	90.7
82	Mortal Kombat	Mega Drive	1993	90.6
83	SimCity	SNES	1991	90.6
84	The Legend of the Mystical Ninja	SNES	1991	90.6
85	Beyond Oasis	Mega Drive	1994	90.6
86	Parodius da! Shinwa kara Owarai he	SNES	1992	90.5
87	Thunder Force IV	Mega Drive	1992	90.5
88	Aero the Acro-bat 2	SNES	1994	90.5
89	Pulstar	Neo-Geo	1996	90.5
90	Fatal Fury 2	Neo-Geo	1992	90.4
91	NBA Jam	SNES	1993	90.4
92	Jungle Strike	Mega Drive	1993	90.3
93	The Adventures of Batman & Robin	SNES	1994	90.3
94	Legendary Axe	PC Engine	1988	90.3
95	Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure	Mega Drive	1993	90.2
96	Zombies Ate My Neighbors	SNES	1993	90.2
97	Virtua Fighter	32X	1994	90.2
98	Lucky Luke	SNES	1997	90.2
99	Dune II: Battle For Arrakis	Mega Drive	1993	90.1
100	NBA Jam T.E.	Mega Drive	1994	90.1
101	Toy Story	Mega Drive	1995	90.1
102	Super Castlevania IV	SNES	1991	90
103	Chuck Rock	Mega Drive	1991	90
104	Samurai Shodown III	Neo-Geo	1995	90

Highly rated, with fewer than 3 reviews

53 titles have a score of 90 or more, but from only one or two reviews, and no Metacritic score.

Game	Platform	Year	Score
Kaze no Densetsu Xanadu	PC Engine CD	1994	97
Fatal Fury 2	PC Engine CD	1994	96
Mysterious Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer	SNES	1995	95
The King of Fighters '97	Neo-Geo	1997	94.5
Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Son Gokū Densetsu	PC Engine CD	1994	94
Bomberman Panic Bomber	PC Engine CD	1994	94
Emerald Dragon	PC Engine CD	1994	94
Super Bomberman 4	SNES	1996	94
Kick Off 3: European Challenge by Steve Screech	SNES	1994	93.5
Seiken Densetsu 3	SNES	1995	93
Bahamut Lagoon	SNES	1996	93
Dragon Knight III	PC Engine CD	1994	93
Formation Soccer On J League	PC Engine	1994	93
Puyo Puyo CD	PC Engine CD	1994	93
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special	Neo-Geo	1997	93
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu '94	SNES	1994	92
Arcade's Greatest Hits	SNES	1996	92
Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals	SNES	1995	92
NFL Quarterback Club '96	SNES	1995	92
Rudra no Hihō	SNES	1996	92
Super Formation Soccer 95 della Serie A	SNES	1995	92
Tengai Makyou Zero	SNES	1995	92
Download 2	PC Engine CD	1991	91.5
Wonder Project J	SNES	1994	91.5
Ai Chō Aniki	PC Engine CD	1995	91
DSP Tennis 3D	SNES	1994	91
Genocide 2	SNES	1994	91
Sonic the Hedgehog	Mega Drive	1993	91
SimCity 2000	SNES	1995	90.5
Front Mission	SNES	1995	90
Jelly Boy	Mega Drive	1995	90
Cartoon Carnival	CD-I	1992	90
Dai-4-Ji Super Robot Taisen	SNES	1995	90
Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokūden - Totsugeki-Hen	SNES	1995	90
Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e...	SNES	1996	90
Dragon Quest: The Hand of the Heavenly Bride	SNES	1992	90
Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo	SNES	1994	90
Iron Helix	Mega-CD	1994	90
Lodoss Tousenki II	PC Engine CD	1994	90
Metal Slug X	Neo-Geo	1999	90
NBA Hangtime	SNES	1996	90
NFL '95	Mega Drive	1994	90
Putty Squad	Mega Drive	1995	90
Romancing Sa・Ga 3	SNES	1995	90
Rugby World Cup '95	Mega Drive	1994	90
Shin Megami Tensei	SNES	1992	90
Sports Talk Baseball	Mega Drive	1992	90
Star Ocean	SNES	1996	90
Super Puyo Puyo 2	SNES	1995	90
Theme Park	Mega-CD	1995	90
Tsuyoshi Puzzle Drama	SNES	1994	90
World Heroes 2	PC Engine CD	1994	90
World Series Baseball '95	Mega Drive	1995	90

How the ranking works

The scores are the ones magazines gave when the games came out, all converted to a 0–100 scale. Only one review per magazine counts for a game: the most recent.
A game's score is half the average, half the median of its magazine reviews. A title opens the game's page on uvlist.net; a score opens the report with every review behind it.
A game needs at least 3 magazine reviews to be ranked. With equal scores, the game with more reviews comes first.
Metacritic already sums up many reviews, so it is never mixed with the magazines: it is used only for games with fewer than 3 magazine reviews, as their only score.
Each list shows every game with a score of 90 or more. Games with fewer than 3 reviews and no Metacritic score are shown apart: their score is promising, but rests on one or two opinions.
A title released on several systems of the group appears once, at the rank of its best version; every version good enough to make the list is shown under it.

The lists are rebuilt each time reviews are added. To filter by genre, year, magazine or publisher, explore all the scores in the report.

More lists

Best 2nd generation console games Best 3rd generation (8-bit) console games Best 5th generation (32/64-bit) console games Best 6th generation console games Best 7th generation console games Best 8th generation console games Best 9th generation console games Best 4th generation handheld games Best 5th generation handheld games Best 6th generation handheld games Best 7th generation handheld games Best 8th generation handheld games Best 8-bit home computer games Best 16/32-bit home computer games Best PC (MS-DOS and Windows) games All the lists