Best games
Best PlayStation 1 games of 1993
The 10 best PlayStation 1 games released in 1993, ranked from 2,172 critic and player ratings.
The best PlayStation 1 game of 1993 is X-COM: UFO Defense, with a critic score of 85/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1993.
- 10 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,172 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 10
01
X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: UFO Defense is a strategy game that combines tactical combat with base management and global defense. Players lead an international organization tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion. The game unfolds on two levels: a global view where players manage resources, research alien technology, and intercept UFOs, and a tactical combat mode where squad-based battles occur. Players recruit and train soldiers, build bases, and develop new weapons and equipment based on recovered alien technology. Missions involve turn-based combat against aliens in various environments, with permadeath adding tension to each engagement. As the alien threat escalates, players must balance research, defense, and offensive operations to protect Earth's nations from panic and alien infiltration. X-COM: UFO Defense's blend of strategic depth, tactical combat, and atmospheric tension creates a compelling gameplay experience in the face of a global alien threat.
85
/100
02
DOOM
32X port of Doom. It has less content than the original version. It is based on the Atari Jaguar port.
83
/100
03
Rock n' Roll Racing
The game pits four racers against each other, with up to two of them being player-controlled and the rest being AI opponents. Each race consists of four laps around tracks viewed from an isometric perspective, which enables players to discern the presence of frequent sloping sections spread throughout the game's various tracks. In addition to navigating the turns, racers must also maneuver hills and dips without falling or jumping over the guard rail at the track's edge.
80
/100
X-COM: UFO Defense
X-COM: UFO Defense is a strategy game that combines tactical combat with base management and global defense. Players lead an international organization tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion. The game unfolds on two levels: a global view where players manage resources, research alien technology, and intercept UFOs, and a tactical combat mode where squad-based battles occur. Players recruit and train soldiers, build bases, and develop new weapons and equipment based on recovered alien technology. Missions involve turn-based combat against aliens in various environments, with permadeath adding tension to each engagement. As the alien threat escalates, players must balance research, defense, and offensive operations to protect Earth's nations from panic and alien infiltration. X-COM: UFO Defense's blend of strategic depth, tactical combat, and atmospheric tension creates a compelling gameplay experience in the face of a global alien threat.
85
/100
02
DOOM
32X port of Doom. It has less content than the original version. It is based on the Atari Jaguar port.
83
/100
03
Rock n' Roll Racing
The game pits four racers against each other, with up to two of them being player-controlled and the rest being AI opponents. Each race consists of four laps around tracks viewed from an isometric perspective, which enables players to discern the presence of frequent sloping sections spread throughout the game's various tracks. In addition to navigating the turns, racers must also maneuver hills and dips without falling or jumping over the guard rail at the track's edge.
80
/100
04
Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer was initially released on the Namco System 22 arcade system board and was later ported to the PlayStation console. It is the first title in the long-running Ridge Racer series of games released for arcades and home consoles. The game's objective is to finish in first place in a series of races. Ridge Racer was among the first racing games to utilise polygon graphics to its full potential.
82
/100
05
Mega Man 6 (1993)
From the United States, Canada and Japan they came. The world's premier designers and their finest robotic warriors traveled to do battle in the First Annual Robot Tournament. But what began as a game suddenly took a terrifying twist! On the eve of the Grand Championship, the sponsor of the event announced that the entire tournament was just an elaborate scheme to get his hands on the world's most powerful robots! Now faced with an army of metallic mercenaries, Mega Man must fight a ferocious new foe - The Mysterious Mr. X!
79
/100
06
SimCity 2000
It has all the features, flexibility, art, animation, and power you need to create an environment of your dreams. Choose from a selection of bonus cities and scenarios to rule or ruin as you please. Build schools, libraries, hospitals, zoos, prisons, power plants, and much more... Lay down roads, railways, and highways. Explore the underground layer and build subways and utilities without compromising your aesthetics. Customize different buildings or design your own graphics sets from scratch. This is the ultimate classic Maxis city-building and management simulation. If this game were any more realistic, it'd be illegal to turn it off!
71
/100
07
Mortal Kombat 2
To win the main tournament, the player must beat each of the other human players, before taking on Shang Tsung, Kintaro and finally Shao Kahn. Players have a range of punches and kicks available, as well as flying kicks, uppercuts, roundhouses, and the special moves, which vary for each player. These include throws, uppercuts, long-distance bullets, bicycle kicks and a teleport feature.
70
/100
08
Myst
Myst is a graphic adventure puzzle game developed by Cyan and released in 1993. Players explore a mysterious island filled with interactive environments, books, and clues that reveal its story. The gameplay focuses on solving logic-based puzzles and uncovering the fate of two trapped brothers. It features pre-rendered visuals and a non-linear structure that encourages exploration and observation. Myst became one of the best-selling PC games of its era and influenced the adventure game genre.
55
/100
09
The Punisher
The Punisher is a 1993 beat 'em up arcade game. It stars the Marvel Comics' anti-hero the Punisher and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury as the second player's character as they embark on a mission to kill the crime lord the Kingpin and bring down his organization. Whilst following the same general formula as Capcom's previous beat 'em ups, the game has a range of usable weapons and a comics-style presentation.
50
/100
10
Samurai Shodown
In early Japan, a man named Shiro Tokisada Amakusa preaches a heretic religion. Little does anyone know that Amakusa is really a servant of the evil Ambrosia, who took over Amakusa's body. Ambrosia wishes to shroud the world in darkness. Now, choose between 12 warriors (and 3 bonus characters) to fight for the honor of destroying Amakusa, and fulfilling a mission.
43
/100
Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer was initially released on the Namco System 22 arcade system board and was later ported to the PlayStation console. It is the first title in the long-running Ridge Racer series of games released for arcades and home consoles. The game's objective is to finish in first place in a series of races. Ridge Racer was among the first racing games to utilise polygon graphics to its full potential.
82
/100
05
Mega Man 6 (1993)
From the United States, Canada and Japan they came. The world's premier designers and their finest robotic warriors traveled to do battle in the First Annual Robot Tournament. But what began as a game suddenly took a terrifying twist! On the eve of the Grand Championship, the sponsor of the event announced that the entire tournament was just an elaborate scheme to get his hands on the world's most powerful robots! Now faced with an army of metallic mercenaries, Mega Man must fight a ferocious new foe - The Mysterious Mr. X!
79
/100
06
SimCity 2000
It has all the features, flexibility, art, animation, and power you need to create an environment of your dreams. Choose from a selection of bonus cities and scenarios to rule or ruin as you please. Build schools, libraries, hospitals, zoos, prisons, power plants, and much more... Lay down roads, railways, and highways. Explore the underground layer and build subways and utilities without compromising your aesthetics. Customize different buildings or design your own graphics sets from scratch. This is the ultimate classic Maxis city-building and management simulation. If this game were any more realistic, it'd be illegal to turn it off!
71
/100
07
Mortal Kombat 2
To win the main tournament, the player must beat each of the other human players, before taking on Shang Tsung, Kintaro and finally Shao Kahn. Players have a range of punches and kicks available, as well as flying kicks, uppercuts, roundhouses, and the special moves, which vary for each player. These include throws, uppercuts, long-distance bullets, bicycle kicks and a teleport feature.
70
/100
08
Myst
Myst is a graphic adventure puzzle game developed by Cyan and released in 1993. Players explore a mysterious island filled with interactive environments, books, and clues that reveal its story. The gameplay focuses on solving logic-based puzzles and uncovering the fate of two trapped brothers. It features pre-rendered visuals and a non-linear structure that encourages exploration and observation. Myst became one of the best-selling PC games of its era and influenced the adventure game genre.
55
/100
09
The Punisher
The Punisher is a 1993 beat 'em up arcade game. It stars the Marvel Comics' anti-hero the Punisher and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury as the second player's character as they embark on a mission to kill the crime lord the Kingpin and bring down his organization. Whilst following the same general formula as Capcom's previous beat 'em ups, the game has a range of usable weapons and a comics-style presentation.
50
/100
10
Samurai Shodown
In early Japan, a man named Shiro Tokisada Amakusa preaches a heretic religion. Little does anyone know that Amakusa is really a servant of the evil Ambrosia, who took over Amakusa's body. Ambrosia wishes to shroud the world in darkness. Now, choose between 12 warriors (and 3 bonus characters) to fight for the honor of destroying Amakusa, and fulfilling a mission.
43
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best PlayStation 1 game of 1993?
X-COM: UFO Defense currently tops the ranking with a score of 85/100 across 275 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.