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These Were the Video Best Games of 1989

By HC Green Men's Journal

Updated May 2, 2026 1:08 PM

The year is 1989. The Berlin Wall came down, paving the way for reunification of East and West Germany. The Simpsons debuted on Fox. Harry Potter (aka Daniel Radcliffe) was born, and Michael Keaton breathed life into the superhero genre as Batman. It was a huge year for gaming as well with the launches of both the Sega Genesis, a competitor for the NES, and the Nintendo Game Boy to usher in the era of handheld gaming. With all that going on, here are the top games from 1989.

Honorable Mentions: Super Mario Land, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Final Fight

Super Mario Land gave Game Boy owners an emaciated-looking Mario as part of an overall graphical presentation that looks like it could comfortably run on a potato. Double Dragon II created the concept of retconning, ignoring the fact that Billy and Jimmy Lee fought to the death for a woman's affection at the end of the original by having them team up to fight that same lady's killers in the sequel.

Final Fight was also ahead of its time with a pro wrestler turned mayor hitting the streets to defeat the Mad Gear Gang after they kidnapped his daughter-Knox County already has us two-thirds of the way there with former WWE wrestler Kane serving as mayor; you know what must be done, gangs of Knox County….

5) Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road

If you never played this at a pizza place after a Little League game with a dozen other boys amped up off pitchers of Coke, you need to contact your parents right now and find out why they didn't love you. In fact, ask them why they even bothered having kids in the first place.

4) SimCity

A true pioneer, SimCity allowed you to build and run your own city by creating infrastructure, adding residential and industrial areas, and so on. Lesser-known features included taking kickbacks to grease the wheels of stalled gentrification projects, hiring ne'er-do-wells to bust up unions, and funneling taxpayer money into offshore slush accounts. Like I said, a pioneer.

3) Tetris

Yes, Tetris was available before 1989, but it was the Game Boy version that solidified its popularity in the United States. Some foreign policy wonks believe the whole thing was a KGB psyop designed to undermine American productivity. Did it work? Irrelevant. The Soviet Union disbanded two years later, and we're turning 250 in a few months. USA! USA! USA!

2) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade)

You and up to three friends took control of the titular turtles and hit the streets to vanquish Shredder and the dastardly Foot Clan. That reminds me, doesn't it feel like we're long overdue to have some cosplay vigilantism become a viral trend on TikTok or something? Let's get on it, "influencers." #FYP

1) River City Ransom

An all-time beat-'em-up where you could pick up your beaten opponent and proceed to beat others with their beaten buddy's body. It also included a mechanic where you unlocked new techniques from books. Now, I'm all for artistic license, but the idea that you can learn stuff by reading? As the hapless mopes in River City would say, "BARF!"

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM.