Final Fantasy VII
This classic SquareSoft RPG follows the story of mercenary Cloud. At the time, GameSpot reviewer Ron Dulin called him "easily the most interesting and complex character ever presented in a game."
With more than 10 million copies sold, Final Fantasy VII holds the distinction of being the second-best-selling PlayStation game of all time.
(Image credit: SquareSoft)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Touted in 1997 by GameSpot as "quite possibly the best 2D action side scroller ever," Konami's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night casts you as Alucard, son of Dracula, as you explore dear ol' dad's castle.
Beautiful backgrounds, a killer musical score and an awesome storyline make this game, arguably, the best in the Castlevania franchise.
(Image credit: Capcom)
GoldenEye 007
With a plot line pulled from the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, this N64 hit combines a well-designed first-person shooter experience with great graphics (when grading on a 20-year-old curve) and even better music.
This game has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, making it the third-best-selling N64 game of all time.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Star Fox 64
Star Fox 64, the first N64 game to support the Rumble Pak accessory, is a 3D scrolling shooter that pits Arwing pilot Fox McCloud against the mad scientist Andross.
The game sold 3.3 million copies worldwide.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Parappa the Rapper
One of the first rhythm-based games ever released, Sony Computer Entertainment's PaRappa the Rapper is the story of an ever-optimistic rapping dog trying to win the affections of an anthropomorphic flower named Sunny Funny.
A remastered version was released for the PlayStation 4 in April 2017.
(Image credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)
The Curse of Monkey Island
Not all of 1997's unforgettable games were on console! LucasArts' comical The Curse of Monkey Island, the third game in the Monkey Island franchise, is one of the last true point-and-click PC classics.
"There simply isn't much to dislike about this game," said GameSpot reviewer Michael E., "except possibly the (anticlimactic) ending."
(Image credit: LucasArts)
Age of Empires
Described as "Warcraft meets Civilization" by GameSpot reviewer Tim McDonald, Microsoft's real-time PC strategy game Age of Empires challenges you to grow a small, primitive settlement into a massive warring empire.
Though McDonald expressed disappointment "with what it failed to be," the franchise has been a massive success, selling more than 20 million copies.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Mario Kart 64
Originally intended as an N64 launch game, Mario Kart 64's release was pushed back into 1997 due to a shift of resources into Super Mario 64. The delay didn't hurt its sales or critical reception one bit -- the game has been hailed as the best multiplayer game for the N64.
With just under 10 million copies sold, it's the second-best-selling N64 game of all time.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Fallout
Set in post-apocalyptic Southern California, this open-world role-playing game for the PC has since spawned three glorious, grim and critically acclaimed sequels.
"Fallout is not only a worthy successor to (1988 PC title) Wasteland, it's also a role-playing game that is destined to become a classic in its own right," wrote GameSpot reviewer Desslock.
(Image credit: Interplay Entertainment)
Sonic R
One of the biggest failings of the Sega Saturn console was its lack of a 3D Sonic the Hedgehog platformer.
Instead, Saturn owners had to settle for Sonic R, a racing game that could be completed in an hour.
(Image credit: Sega)
Mega Man Legends
A marked departure from previous 2D Mega Man titles on the Super Nintendo, PlayStation's Legends was the first to feature 3D gameplay and an actual storyline.
The game marks the first appearance of pirate anti-hero Tron Bonne, who has since gotten her own spinoff game and made numerous Marvel vs. Capcom appearances.
(Image credit: Capcom)
Duke Nukem 64
The over-the-top, intentionally offensive Duke Nukem 3D got a mild makeover for its port to the N64 -- there are no strippers or steroids in Nintendo's version, and many of his grittier catch phrases were edited.
Its sequel, Duke Nukem Forever, spent over a decade in development hell before its brutally disappointing and unfunny 2011 release.
(Image credit: GT Interactive)
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
This highly unusual PlayStation title follows Abe, a slave at an alien meatpacking plant, as he attempts to liberate his people from a Soylent Green-esque fate.
A remake of the game's 1998 follow-up, Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, is slated for release late in 2017 as Oddworld: Soulstorm.
(Image credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
The first third-party game released for the N64, this foggy first-person shooter truly pushed the system to its technical limits.
"Turok is more than just another Doom clone," wrote GameSpot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann. "And while Doom 64 and Hexen may provide more action, only Turok delivers a complete package of great graphics, outstanding sound, and a fresh premise."
(Image credit: Acclaim)
Riven
Set immediately after the events of Myst, this gloriously detailed first-person PC puzzler was one of the most hotly anticipated games of 1997.
Though some criticized the game's similarities to its predecessor, Riven sold 4.5 million copies by 2001.
(Image credit: Acclaim Entertainment)
Sid Meier's Gettysburg!
In this real-time strategy game from PC sim guru Sid Meier, you control your choice of Union or Confederate troops battling through a series of scenarios linked to the famed Civil War battle.
Gettysburg! won the 1997 Origins Award for Best Strategy Computer Game.
(Image credit: Electronic Arts)
Alundra
One of the best action-adventure RPGs of the year for the PlayStation, Working Designs' Alundra mixed the top-down, exploration-based play of Zelda with a dark story line that deals heavily with death, abandonment and religion.
"It's an addictive, well-rounded game that is balanced, challenging, and, most of all, fun to play," GameSpot's Chris Johnston wrote in his review.
(Image credit: Working Designs)
Theme Hospital
A spiritual successor to 1994's Theme Park, Bullfrog's Theme Hospital sim tasks you with building your own for-profit hospital and curing the incredibly odd diseases of your patients.
(Image credit: Electronic Arts)
Ultima Online
The first ever MMORPG to have more than 100,000 players according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Ultima Online was first released on September 24, 1997.
Twenty years and nine expansions later, the game is still alive.
(Image credit: Electronic Arts)
Mortal Kombat 4
The year 1997 was a terrific one for fighting games, too. Mortal Kombat 4, released late in the year , was the first in the series to use 3D models and the first to feature Shinnok and Quan Chi.
It was also the last Mortal Kombat game to be released in arcades.
(Image credit: Midway Games)
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing, the sixth-best-selling N64 game of all time, almost didn't happen: The game was originally slated for release as Pro-Am 64.
But a delay in Banjo-Kazooie made Rare desperate for a holiday 1997 hit, so the developer inserted the popular Donkey Kong character into the mix at the last minute. And thus, gaming history was made.
(Image credit: Rare)
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