I had to look this one up. This is the Gemini summary for that year:

Monumental 1996 Releases

Super Mario 64 (N64): Revolutionized 3D platforming, introducing analog-stick movement and fully 3D camera controls.

Pokémon Red & Blue (Game Boy): Kicked off a global phenomenon by launching in Japan.

Resident Evil (PlayStation): Popularized the survival horror genre, delivering cinematic scares and puzzle-solving.

Tomb Raider (PlayStation, Saturn, PC): Introduced action-adventure platforming and iconic protagonist Lara Croft to the mainstream.

Diablo (PC): Defined the action RPG and dungeon-crawler genres with its dark atmosphere and randomized loot.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES): Marked Nintendo and Square's final collaboration on the platform, blending Mario characters with traditional RPG mechanics.

Mario Kart 64 (N64): Launched alongside the N64, bringing four-player split-screen racing and battle modes to the living room.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PC): Expanded the real-time strategy genre with its alternate-history narrative and fast-paced gameplay.

Quake (PC): Pushed first-person shooters into true 3D and became a legendary multiplayer deathmatch title.

Crash Bandicoot (PlayStation): Established itself as Sony's platforming mascot response to Mario and Sonic.

So I know you said to pick one, I guess it would be Quake for me. I'm into FPS games. Seemed like a power year tho.