So, I wanted to go a little more in depth on some of the classic video games I’ve experienced in the past and/or have played recently as a kind of reference guide for anyone interested in taking a similar journey back into retro gaming.
How do we define retro gaming? Well, the easiest explanation is simply any video game that is 20 years old or older.
That’s it, that’s how I define it.
As years pass, a whole new generation of gamers begins to experience nostalgia and a collecting impulse for the games of their youth, and those games become PlayStation games instead of Genesis or Nintendo or what have you. As we move forward, those games will become XBox and Nintendo Wii and so forth. As people age, the concept of “retro” will continue to evolve and ultimately expand. (When I was a kid, “retro” meant Pong and that was pretty much it.)
One of my biggest entry points into the retro gaming universe (other than my original experiences with most of these games back in the 80s and 90s) has been the proliferation of “mini systems,” which I’ve written about several times on this blog:
NES Classic | SNES Classic | Genesis Mini | Turbografx-16 Mini
I can easily recommend all four of the linked devices. These systems give you instant access to a large number of classic games. But if you’re looking for other avenues, they’re definitely out there! The original games and systems are often available in the secondary market, there are legitimate (and not legitimate) options available online (a good legitimate one = Steam), and most modern systems (such as the Playstation 4/5 and the Nintendo Switch) have a large catalog of retro games available to play.
What’s been great for me personally has been my kids’ interest in these older games too. This enables us to play together, which is just tremendously gratifying and fun. If I’m honest, this list is probably mostly for them (and all the younger folks out there) who want to read up on some history … and experience it themselves.
You can follow along with me as I play stuff (older, newer and in between) on Twitter here.
I’ll include here a list of the games I’ve reviewed, and at least initially, I’ll try to hit the games I think everyone needs to play first. This will serve as a kind of unofficial ranking of personal favs and games I think are super important for people to experience.
I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me!
Retro Gaming Essentials: The List
10/10
1. Chrono Cross (PlayStation)
This Squaresoft RPG is my favorite game ever.
2. Tecmo Super Bowl (NES)
This is the greatest sports game of all time.
3. Air Zonk (Turbografx-16)
It’s like David S. Pumpkins … it’s its own thang.
4. Mega Man 2 (NES)
Rock, paper, scissors in your platforming.
5. Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
Mario’s best adventure. Fight me.
6. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting (SNES)
Circling back to this is a must for any fighter fan.
7. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis)
Run really fast and have fun doing it.
8. Super Metroid (SNES)
It flirts with absolute perfection.
9. Donkey Kong (Arcade)
I mean, come on. A must for anyone.
10. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PC Engine Super CD)
“Classic-vania” reached its peak right here.
11. Punch-Out!! (NES)
Beating Tyson will still, today, earn you gamer cred.
12. Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation)
Not a big RPG fan? Give this a try.
13. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Zelda just works better in 3D.
14. Doom (PC)
Respect your 3D shooter roots.
15. Ms. Pac-Man (Arcade)
It’s a classic with a wacky history.
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)
As supremely satisfying as a brawler can be.
17. Tetris (PC)
The greatest puzzle game ever.
18. The Oregon Trail (Apple)
The educational game that all of Gen X loves despite the trauma it inflicted.
19. Soldier Blade (Turbografx-16)
An approachable shooter that does everything right.
20. Super Mario Kart (SNES)
The granddaddy of kart racing and my favorite racing series period.
21. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Going back to the well can be good, actually.
22. Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
Might be (probably is) even better than FF7.
23. Super Mario World (SNES)
I have a complicated relationship with this one.
24. Contra (NES)
It wasn’t first, but it’s arguably best.
25. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PlayStation)
The “other” Metroid-vania one has to play.
26. Chrono Trigger (SNES)
Not quite “perfect” … but it comes close.
27. NBA Jam (Arcade)
An absolute juggernaut.
28. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
Whimsy.
29. DuckTales (NES)
Sing along, y’all!
30. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (PlayStation)
Very much of its time … and of this time, too.
31. Metroid Prime (GameCube)
Atmosphere to the absolute hilt.
32. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (SNES)
A rhythm game before there were rhythm games.
33. Katamari Damacy (PlayStation 2)
There’s nothing else quite like this absolute joy factory.
9/10
34. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)
A flawed brilliance that outshines most others.
35. Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt (NES)
Peanut butter and jelly.
36. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
It gave Zelda its roadmap.
37. Double Dragon (Arcade)
Immaculate brawling vibes.
38. Pong (Arcade)
Paved the road for everything else.
39. GoldenEye 007 (N64)
Four-player mayhem at its finest.