The 12 Best Video Game Series of the 1980s and '90s, Ranked

When we look back on the 20th century and the many great experiences it gave us, we tend to think of a few favorite video games that meant the most to us. But the medium introduced more than just our personal favorites. Across platforms as diverse as the Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, Game Boy, PlayStation and PC, exciting new heroes, genres, and franchises made their mark. They laid the groundwork for not only their publishers and developers, but for the medium as a whole. Here is our list of the greatest video game franchises of the 20th century, ranked according to impact.