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1990s in video gaming
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=== Second-generation side-scrollers=== The advent of 16-bit home consoles in the early 1990s marked an evolutionary step for the genre. By the time the [[Mega Drive]] and [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] launched, platform games were the most popular genre in home console gaming and were seen as vital for winning the console war. There was a particular emphasis on having a flagship platform title exclusive to a format, featuring a "mascot" character. SEGA's ''[[Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle]]'' (1989) was only modestly successful, and SEGA realized it needed a stronger mascot to move Genesis units. In 1990, Hudson Soft released ''[[Bonk's Adventure]]'' featuring a character that would be positioned as [[NEC|NEC's]] mascot. 1990 marked the release of the Super NES, along with the much awaited ''[[Super Mario World]]''. In order to fend off the new competition, SEGA released ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. Whereas Nintendo's offering featured a conservative design, true to the ''Mario'' tradition, ''Sonic'' showcased a new style of design made possible by a new generation of hardware. ''Sonic'' featured large fields that scrolled effortlessly in all directions, as well as all manner of uneven terrain, curved hills, and a complex physics system that allowed players to rush through its levels with well-placed jumps and rolls. It proved to be a massive hit, was a successful pack-in with new systems, and cemented the view that platform games would make or break a console. The [[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic character]] was also seen as a new model for mascots in the early 1990s, particularly for his perceived "attitude," which characterized him as a rebel from the status quo. This "attitude" would soon become the status quo, as companies attempted to duplicate Sonic's success with their own brightly-colored anthropomorphisms. Very frequently these were characterized by impatience, sarcasm, and frequent quipping to give them personality. These mascots, which included the likes of ''[[Gex]]'', ''[[Bug!]]'', and ''[[Bubsy]]'', have mostly faded from relevance. Another notable platform game from this time period include ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' which featured an unprecedented level of animation. Frequently, console games based on film, television, and comic book licenses would be platformers, such as those based on ''[[Aladdin]]'', ''Jurassic Park'', ''James Bond'', and ''Mickey Mouse''.
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