Many who grew up in the 1990s remember waking up on a Saturday morning, grabbing that bowl of cereal, and getting comfy on the couch to watch cartoons. It was the same tradition as kids in the ’80s had done, but by the ’90s, cartoons weren’t just restricted to Saturday mornings. Even coming home after school, cartoons were part of life for kids who grew up in the era. Not only were they great for younger audiences, but they had enough jokes to keep older viewers entertained.

The best ’90s cartoons will never die, not if today’s fans and creators have anything to say about it. Only time will tell what ’90s classics will continue well into the 21st century, or which will receive revivals and get the modern treatment they deserve. If you’ve been bitten by the nostalgia bug, these cartoons from the ’90s are great to comb over and pick up on all the things that went over your head.

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‘Captain Planet and the Planeteers’ (1990–1996)

The spirit of the Earth, Gaia, puts together a group of teenagers known as the Planeteers, who are given the power of the five elements to help protect the planet from pollution and those who take advantage of its natural resources. When the Planeteers unite their powers, they have the ability to summon an elemental being known as Captain Planet to help them in their fight.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers is a blend of a traditional superhero series combined with an educational theme that makes it one of the most unique cartoons of the 1990s. Despite mixed reviews over the series’ subject matter, Captain Planet was still a revolutionary cartoon at the time and captivated viewers with its characters and their elemental superpowers that varied from other popular superhero shows. While the series was surrounded in some controversy, young viewers still enjoyed the show’s passion and originality, cementing it as one of the most innovative cartoons of its time.

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‘Rocko’s Modern Life’ (1993–1996)

Rocko’s Modern Life is another bizarre but clever ’90s cartoon that follows a wallaby, Rocko (Carlos Alazraqui), who moves from his home in Australia to the United States, but when he arrives, he realizes things aren’t exactly what he had imagined. Between his annoying neighbors and a series of never-ending life issues, Rocko tries to navigate his way through his new life and, with the help of his friends and canine buddy, Spunky, he manages to overcome any obstacle thrown his way.

Rocko’s Modern Life wasn’t an initial hit but, like other shows at the time such as The Ren and Stimpy Show, it gained a major cult following and became one of the most popular animated series of the 1990s. The series was hit with some concern over its slight adult humor and social commentary, but all in all, Rocko’s Modern Life puts a comedic spin on the difficulties that come with growing up and finding your place in the world and also emphasizes the importance of friendship and family, deeming it to be a top-notch cartoon of the ’90s.

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‘Darkwing Duck’ (1991–1992)

Drake Mallard (Jim Cummings) may seem like an average avian citizen of St. Canard, but by night, he becomes the terror that flaps in the night, Darkwing Duck. Though he fights crime to keep the city safe, it’s born just as much from his egotism as it is from his altruism. Fortunately, he is kept in check by his adoptive daughter, Gosalyn (Christine Cavanaugh), and sidekick from DuckTales, Launchpad McQuack (Terry McGovern).

Darkwing Duck was one of Disney’s first attempts at an action series, which helped to give it a unique identity. It played heavily into darker superhero tropes, with Darkwing in particular mirroring the likes of Batman and The Shadow, while also poking fun at the tropes through moments like Darkwing providing his own narrations. Speaking of Darkwing, he’s a terrific character thanks to Cummings’ performance, and the writing emphasizes that despite his many faults, he is a worthy superhero. —Tyler B. Searle

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‘Tiny Toon Adventures’ (1990–1992)

The students included genre-savvy rabbit duo Babs (Tress MacNeille) and Buster Bunny (Charlie Adler,John Kassir), egotistical waterfowl Plucky Duck (Joe Alaskey) and Elmyra Duff (Cree Summer) who just wants to hug every animal she sees. Naturally things quickly go wacky both inside and outside classroom.

‘Tiny Toon Adventures'‘ was first among several Warner Bros cartoons produced by ‘Steven Spielberg’, while other examples would surpass it in terms of comedy it’s still fantastic show.’The show knows how take classic ‘Looney Tunes’‘ style humor re interpret newer younger audiences,’ while still retaining lot it’s risqué bite.’ It also helps characters all solidly constructed paying homage classic characters while retaining more than enough originality so they can stand their own.’ —Tylor B Searle’