Game of the Year 1996
Super Mario 64
2 Game of the Year awards
Super Mario 64 was the most-awarded game of 1996 with 2 Game of the Year awards of the 4 on record. Second was Diablo.
Partial season.
Our census begins in 2003. For 1996 we list only the awards we could source one at a time, so this is a record that these awards happened — not a count of how many were given. It must not be compared with a tracked season; see the methodology.
Quick answers
Who won Game of the Year 1996?
Super Mario 64 won the 1996 season with 2 Game of the Year awards, ahead of Diablo with 1. The season is only partly documented, so this is a record of surviving awards, not a full count.
Which game won the most Game of the Year awards in 1996?
Super Mario 64, with 2 Game of the Year awards. Diablo was second with 1.
What was the best game of 1996?
Counted across every outlet that gave an award, Super Mario 64: 2 Game of the Year awards. 'Best' is each outlet's own judgement; this site adds those judgements up rather than making one of its own.
Did Diablo win Game of the Year 1996?
No. Diablo finished second in 1996 with 1 award, behind Super Mario 64.
How many Game of the Year awards were given in 1996?
This site documents 4 Game of the Year awards for 1996, from 4 outlets in 3 countries. It is a documented minimum: every award has a source, and awards nobody recorded are not in it.
Major ceremonies 1996
| Ceremony | Game of the Year | Same as the count? |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Joystick Awards | Super Mario 64 | Yes |
| Japan Game Awards | Sakura Wars | No |
1 of 2 ceremonies on record picked the game the whole field rewarded most. How often each one agrees, across every season →
Best game of 1996, by every award
Every game that won at least one Game of the Year award in 1996, ranked by wins.
Who voted for what
All 4 tracked awards for 1996, from 3 countries. 0 were readers' or community votes. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Media outlet | Country | Their GOTY |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) | United States | Super Mario 64 |
| GameSpot | United States | Diablo |
| Golden Joystick Awards | United Kingdom | Super Mario 64 |
| Japan Game Awards | Japan | Sakura Wars |
Updated 2 October 2026 · Source: the Meta Awards database, where every award row cites where it was published.