Dinosaurs ruled the box office, a new superhero team ruled Saturday mornings, and kids started collecting small bean-filled animals and cardboard milk caps.
This guide rounds up what was popular in 1993, from what people wore and played with to what they watched and listened to. Use it to settle a nostalgia debate, write trivia for a 90s party, or plan a 1993-themed birthday or reunion.
Quick answer
In 1993, the biggest trends were Jurassic Park, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Beanie Babies, pogs, Magic Eye posters, grunge and slip dresses, Doom and Myst on PC, Magic: The Gathering, and songs like "Whoomp! (There It Is)".
1993 at a glance
| Category | Biggest in 1993 |
|---|---|
| Hit movie | Jurassic Park |
| TV phenomenon | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers |
| Toy craze | Beanie Babies debut, pogs rising |
| Fad | Magic Eye posters |
| Song everyone knew | "Whoomp! (There It Is)" |
| PC games | Doom and Myst |
Fashion trends of 1993
Here is what people were wearing in 1993. For the full decade, see 90s fashion trends.
Grunge at its peak
Flannel, thermals and boots.
Slip dresses
Minimalism began to take over.
Baby-doll dresses
With chunky boots.
Overalls
Still a staple.
Hip hop outerwear
Puffers and work boots.
Chokers
Velvet and tattoo styles.
Popular toys and games in 1993
The toy aisle in 1993 looked like this. More in our list of popular 90s toys.
Beanie Babies
Debuted in 1993.
Pogs
Cardboard caps and slammers spread fast.
Power Rangers figures
Sold out by the holidays.
Magic: The Gathering
The card game launched in August.
Super Nintendo and Genesis
Peak 16-bit era.
Technology in 1993
- Doom (December) and Myst (September) defined PC gaming.
- An early graphical web browser made the internet visual.
- The 3DO and Atari Jaguar consoles launched.
See every gadget of the decade in 90s tech gadgets and every console in 90s video game consoles.
Popular movies of 1993
| Movie | US release |
|---|---|
| Jurassic Park | June |
| Mrs. Doubtfire | November |
| Hocus Pocus | July |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | October |
| Sleepless in Seattle | June |
| Cool Runnings | October |
TV shows of 1993
| Show | Premiere / big year |
|---|---|
| Mighty Morphin Power Rangers | August 1993 |
| The X-Files | September 1993 |
| Animaniacs | September 1993 |
| Rocko's Modern Life | September 1993 |
| Boy Meets World | September 1993 |
| Frasier | September 1993 |
For cartoons specifically, see 90s cartoons.
Popular songs of 1993
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Whoomp! (There It Is) | Tag Team |
| That's the Way Love Goes | Janet Jackson |
| Dreamlover | Mariah Carey |
| What Is Love | Haddaway |
| Shoop | Salt-N-Pepa |
| Two Princes | Spin Doctors |
Build a full playlist with our 90s party songs.
Big moments of 1993
- The "Got Milk?" ad campaign began in October.
- Dinosaurs became a pop culture obsession.
- The web started to go graphical.
Fun fact: Magic Eye books, which hid 3D images in colorful patterns, were bestsellers in 1993 and 1994. People stood in front of posters in malls trying to "see" the hidden picture.
Throw a 1993 themed party
1993 party checklist
- A playlist of 1993 hits
- Posters from Jurassic Park and Mrs. Doubtfire
- A dress code inspired by grunge at its peak
- Trivia about 1993
- Toys from 1993 as decorations or prizes
- Disposable cameras
The story of 1993
Dinosaurs ruled 1993. A blockbuster about a theme park full of cloned dinosaurs became the highest-grossing film in the world at the time, and dinosaur toys, books and lunchboxes followed. In August, a team of teenagers with colorful suits and giant robots premiered on TV, and their toys sold out by the holidays.
This was also the year collecting took off. Small bean-filled plush animals debuted, cardboard milk caps began spreading through schools, and a fantasy trading card game launched that would eventually spawn a whole industry. Stereogram posters, which hid a 3D image in colorful patterns, became a mall-kiosk phenomenon.
On computers, 1993 brought two very different hits: a fast, violent first-person shooter and a calm, mysterious puzzle adventure on CD-ROM. A new graphical web browser helped turn the internet into a visual experience. Fashion stayed grunge-heavy, but minimalism and slip dresses started to rise.
A 1993 party could have a dinosaur twist, superhero teen costumes, pogs and stereogram posters as decor, and a soundtrack of the year's dance and R&B hits.
Conclusion
1993 was the year of Jurassic Park, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Beanie Babies debut, pogs rising. Rewind one more year to what was popular in 1992, or fast-forward to what was popular in 1994.
Frequently asked questions
What was popular in 1993?
In 1993, the biggest trends were Jurassic Park, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Beanie Babies, pogs, Magic Eye posters, grunge and slip dresses, Doom and Myst on PC, Magic: The Gathering, and songs like "Whoomp! (There It Is)".
What was the biggest movie of 1993?
Some of the biggest movies of 1993 were Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, Hocus Pocus.
What toys were popular in 1993?
Popular toys and games in 1993 included Beanie Babies, Pogs, Power Rangers figures, Magic: The Gathering, Super Nintendo and Genesis.
What songs were popular in 1993?
Popular songs in 1993 included "Whoomp! (There It Is)" (Tag Team), "That's the Way Love Goes" (Janet Jackson), "Dreamlover" (Mariah Carey), "What Is Love" (Haddaway), "Shoop" (Salt-N-Pepa).
What TV shows started in 1993?
Shows that premiered or became hits in 1993 include Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The X-Files, Animaniacs, Rocko's Modern Life, Boy Meets World.
What did people wear in 1993?
Fashion in 1993 included grunge at its peak, slip dresses, baby-doll dresses, overalls, hip hop outerwear. See our 90s fashion trends guide for more.
How do I throw a 1993 themed party?
Use the songs, movies and toys from 1993 on this page: a 1993 playlist, movie posters, era snacks and trivia about the year. Our 90s party ideas guide has a full plan.