There is no guaranteed formula for a game to become a popular eSports title. There are however certain factors which many games have in common. General popularity is obviously key but the eSports scenes can often flourish if games are easy to spectate and designed in a way which allows the best players to be the best – most of the time. Some uncertainty is obviously more exciting for spectators but the players should still be primarily the ones in control.

These traits are not new in video games and can be traced back to the birth of eSports. Competitive gaming has existed for almost as long as video games themselves. In the early-1970s, a group of students at Stanford University took part in what is believed to have been the first video game tournament. They were competing for a year’s subscription to Rolling Stone magazine in one of the world’s first video games, Spacewar.

Video games and competition have always gone hand-in-hand. Just two years after releasing Space Invaders in 1978, Atari hosted its first tournament on the game while there were as a competitive scene emerging across the United States where players competed for the high scores in games like Donkey Kong, BurgerTime and Pac-Man.

Jul 17, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma battles Adam “Armada” Lindgren for the Super Smash Bros Melee world title on the third day of the Evo Championship at Mandalay Bay Event Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Things have come a long way since then. The rise of online multiplayer games has taken eSports from players versus computer to players versus players. Online first-person shooters like Blizzard’s Overwatch has become one of the most popular eSports titles today with big money tournaments and leagues.

Another genre which has flourished is the MOBA or multiplayer online battle arena. Titles like League of Legends and Dota 2 are perhaps the two biggest eSports games of all time. They fill arenas with spectators and can attract over a million online viewers and while the vast majority of sponsorship deals and money is exclusive to more modern titles, the passion and dedication are not. Many fans are swapping 4K for pixels and MOBAs for cartridge games very much alive eSports scenes based around some old titles.

Fighting games have always brought out a competitive streak within its player base. Each year, thousands of people flock to Las Vegas to spectate and take part in the Evolution Championship Series. The tournament focuses mainly on fighting games with players typically competing on the more modern titles in classic series like Street Fighter V and Tekken 7. However, older titles like 2011’s Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and 2001’s Super Smash Bros. Melee also draw crowds.

It’s not unique to fighting games. Nintendo has released a total of thirteen Mario Kartgames across console and arcade including 2017’s offering, Mario Kart 8 Deluxebut many fans crave the simplicity and balance of the very first title, Super Mario Kartwhich was released way back in 1996. Julien “ScouB” Holmière is one of the world’s best Super Mario Kartplayers and for years has competed in the Super Mario Kart Championships, a yearly tournament where the world’s best players compete. So why does ScouB, a player who has won the last two Championship titles, continue to apply his clear gaming talents to a title which is over twenty years old?

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“[Super Mario Kart] is not like the recent Mario Karts where you can be trolled by blue shells and be successively hit by 11 opponents,” ScouB told Polygon. “The fact that we still discover new strategies and beat the world records on a weekly basis makes it really attractive.”

So, there it is. Games have only gone one way in terms of graphics and sizebut not every area is being improved upon which is particularly important in a competitive scene. The vast majority of eSports money is invested in titles released in the last few years but some pro gamers still crave the competition which can only be found in a select group of older titles.From classic fighting games to Mario Kart, video games need to meet certain standards in order to meet the demands of its best players and if newer releases aren’t doing it, they have a few decades of titles to choose from.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to preface this article by telling you all how wonderful it’s been doing the NRW Gaming thing. I started out reviewing albums here at NewRetroWave, a duty I enjoyed well enough, trust me… as fate would have it, assorted conversations and brainstorming bouts (not to mention the calm, collected guidance of our fearless leader) launched me from synthwave reviews to the rambling, manic diatribes you now see me publish about 20-30 year old console titles. Ever since small times, I have loved the classics, so getting to hurl homages to them across the Web has been a true “busman’s holiday.” Now and again, though, I get taken aback by a modern title or two… an artful, elegant blend of today’s do-anything design and the 8-16 Bit Era’s timeless aesthetic. The phenomenon has grown steadily in popularity over the past decade, and venues like Steam have provided these games with something of a podium. I am pleased to finally discuss a few of these titles – the cream of 2016’s crop – in the form of a “top ten” list.

Without further ado… let’s bite into it!

#10 Halloween Forever

Definitely cute… but far from friendly!

Let’s start with this classic-style 8 bit platformer. In the game, you play as a dude with a jack o lantern head who can spit candy corn as his weapon. You jump and struggle your way though chainsaw maniacs, undead monsters, A LOT of bats, and even skeletal wizards. The effort is truly authentic to the original style, and you can even play with a game pad if you have one. The visuals are fantastic, with twinges of Castlevania here and there. The game also features a custom chiptune soundtrack that really delivers. Halloween Forever did very well on Steam, and has established Imaginary Monsters as a firm worth watching.

#9 Cursed Castilla

nudity->death.”/> You get a life meter instead of just armor->nudity->death.

Upon seeing this, my first thought was, “oh, another Ghosts & Goblins clone, they should put this developer in prison.” I was very wrong. It’s like someone took that dubious title from decades ago and forged it into precious steel. It’s almost entirely different; it’s just got the same basic theme. What I liked the most about Cursed Castilla is that you can customize how the screen looks, giving it scanlines like an old TV, etc. There’s tons of different monsters, lots of power ups, and even multiple endings. Definitely worth checking out if you like a challenge and were actually a fan of G&G.

#8 Stardew Valley

It’s a farm game, and people certainly seem to love it.

Okay, this is one of the titles I haven’t played, but I had the resource of both friends and online game footage to supplement what I already knew. Apparently it’s one of those survival/crafting games, with a heavy focus on agriculture. It also has a lot of RPG elements (I’m told you can even start a family in it). It’s very SNES-looking, and there *is* a lot of detail to the game play, so I’m not surprised this game did extremely well on Steam and elsewhere in 2016. This general style of game is certainly a trend these past few years, and Stardew Valley has really capitalized on it. Daily life includes not only farm work, but mail, interaction with other characters, and mercantile ventures. Reviews from most players were glowing.

#7 Owlboy

People ask you a lot of questions even though you can’t talk.

I gave this one a spin. For a game that was in development for so long, they really used that time to create and perfect a detailed world. Owlboy is an action-adventure type game, with very lush graphics and a lot of story. The controls are nice, I like the way combat works a lot, but my only major knock for this one is THERE IS A LOT OF TEXT AND DIALOG FOR A MAIN CHARACTER WHO IS BORN MUTE. Other than that, definitely worth checking out if you like a good tale interwoven with your gameplay. Parting thought: the background graphics remind me a lot of those Sierra point/click story games from the mid 90s… except nicer.

#6 Enter the Gungeon

KA-POW!!!

Ever wanted to get into a knock-down, drag-out, pixelated gunfight? Enter the Gungeon allows you to do just that, plus it satisfies your dungeon-crawling needs as well! Pick a character and guide them down into the depths to find the treasure they all seek: a gun that can kill the past. A staggering array of monsters await you, in case you though this would be easy. Some of them are kind of cute. Some of them are a little disturbing. All of them are dangerous enough to warrant blowing away. There is, of course, an in-game economy (like any good dungeon!) in the form of merchants who’ve made the dubious decision of setting up shop in the Gungeon, so you’re not without allies. They’ll hook you up with the best they’ve got… for a fee. There’s also good stuff laying around just waiting to be found, as well! The graphics are not only retro but adorable as well, and this one’s got a playability built into it that’ll keep you coming back. In fact, the coolest thing about Enter the Gungeon is how the difficulty reactively adjusts to your skill in addition to scaling as you progress. In other words, the better you’re doing, the more the game considers really kicking your ass. Lots of homages to fantasy in pop culture, including old school D&D. Definitely worth a look!

#5 Neon Drive

This “Future 80s” themed title isn’t so much a driving or racing game… it’s more like a dodging game. Not to say that this makes it any less addictive. The visuals are absolutely breathtaking, and the soundtrack fits perfectly into the whole thing like a puzzle piece. I won’t sully this one with too many words, I’ll let some video speak for me.

#4 Starbound

“But Bryan, Starbound has been out forever.”

Correction. Starbound was in open beta forever. 2016 has finally given us the final release! Now it’s implemented all the delicious changes they kept testing in the unstable build, and the game is actually a game. For those of you who got tired waiting for this, COME BACK! There’s actually a story (that you can pursue more or less at your leisure), certain craft/achievement trees have been restructured in a sane fashion, and the graphics and sound are still wonderful. Explore planet after planet in pixelated glory! One of the most popular titles in its class on Steam even before it was finalized, Starbound continues to get rave reviews. Consider me one of them.

#3 Bit Blaster XL

NUCLEAR CHAOS!!!

I’ve expressed before my love of shoot-em-ups. I don’t review many of them because they tend to be linear, heavily focused on gameplay instead of any plot, and hard to summon up words for. Not so for this title. Bit Blaster XL is a homage to the old school titans of the genre, with plenty to offer on its own. In its basic format, the game is Asteroids. You zoom around busting things up. That’s where the similarity ends. All kinds of power ups pop out to grab, way more stuff shows up, and it’s madness for as long as you can take it. The old school graphics are perfectly complemented by a nice hybrid of new and old-style sound. Definitely worth it if you like your little spaceship shooters, and it’s not expensive at all on any platform I’ve seen offering it.

#2 Devil Daggers

You’re a badass if you even get this far within the first couple weeks of playing.

Oh man… THIS GAME… I got this the week it was released, and I was hooked. It’s incredibly simple: the game plays like an extremely confined first-person shooter. You fire little magical “daggers” out of your hands at creatures who approach you from the darkness and gradually begin to overwhelm you. It’s not about beating the game… it’s about how long you can survive. Graphics are simple but beautiful, and really capture the desired atmosphere. I’d say they remind me of the early Quake-style games more than anything. The sound is minimalist, but that works well for the horror vibe. You can see how you stack up against other players in terms of score, or you can just enjoy the mayhem. One of the best concepts to see the stage this year: simple, enduring, entertaining, and addicting.

#1 Hyper Light Drifter

Firstly, this one easily generated the most buzz online, even being featured on media sites like Vice. It’s been overwhelmingly popular on Steam and elsewhere since its early pre-release phases, and there’s a lot of understandable reasons why. Alex Preston and his team at Heart Machine have crafted a real masterpiece, using pixel graphics and a color scheme reminiscent of old CGA computer games as the basis for a world with great depth and character. HLD is definitely an RPG, though it has action elements throughout; fans of the Zelda series will love this just as much if not more. You guide the Drifter around a seemingly ruined world, finding sources of power and defeating dangerous foes while unlocking bits of what may have happened in the past. There is no spoken dialogue; HLD tells an amazing story simply with its music and breathtaking visuals. The game truly is a work of art, and was worth waiting for.

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We’ve seen a lot come and go in retro gaming these past few years, and needless to say 2016 has been a busy one. As it nears its end, we can only look forward and hope that 2017 holds as much for us… if not more. Happy holiday season, RetroFans.

Special thanks to D.J. and B.H. for comparing notes with me and sharing your knowledge. With your input, I was able to work more swiftly and thoroughly than I could have alone. 

There are valid arguments for games anywhere on this spectrum as retro classics, but where this writer is concerned it’s the games that were available in the early-’80s that really capture the spirit of what gamers love in retro concepts. So without further ado, here’s a look back at some of the best games from this time period, on Atari. <br />

Pac-Man

Developed by Namco and released as its own arcade game in 1980, Pac-Man is, of course, one of the most beloved and recognizable video games of all time. It eventually made its way to a bunch of consoles over the years, and adaptations over time have shown surprising restraint in keeping it pretty similar to the original. As you probably know if you’re a fan of the game, it’s now available for download in app form as well, with Bandai-Namco still involved in development. But here’s a fun fact for you Pac-Man fanatics: it was the Atari 2600 version of the game that (accidentally) caused players’ enemies to flicker, which resulted in their being branded as ghosts. For that reason, this old Atari version is even more special than the rest.

Space Invaders

This Taito game was actually first invented in 1978, but it certainly lasted long enough to become one of the defining games of the early-’80s. Eventually available on NES and other systems, it really exploded into fame on the Atari 2600 in 1980. It’s now been imitated and rebooted dozens of times, and it can legitimately be called one of history’s more influential games. 

Star Raiders

This is another title that was released in the late-’70s but really made its name on the Atari in the early-’80s. A sort of space combat simulator—if you haven’t played, think Top Gun, in space, on an 8-bit Atari system—it doesn’t quite have the name recognition of Space Invaders or Pac-Man. However, it remains an old favorite for a lot of gamers. Actually, an interpretation of the game just recently surfaced as part of a collection of instant win online arcades hosted at a popular lottery and gaming site. This particular version is more like a slot machine backed by the atmosphere of the original, but it’s still got little bits and pieces of space shooter simulations. At any rate, it’s a testament to how many people out there still fondly remember the game that was first created in 1979 and established itself as one of the better early Atari titles. 

Joust

Originally a 1982 arcade game, this one eventually made its way to Atari systems and remains one of the pioneering titles in co-op gameplay. It was basically a platformer in which your job was to ride your knight into enemy knights to do away with them and advance. Oh, and in case you forgot, “riding” in this case meant sitting atop a flying ostrich. Sometimes it really was the simple weirdness of early video games that made them great. 

Berzerk

This was a brilliant Atari 2600 title because it almost felt like a combination of some of the great gaming concepts of the time. Berzerk, which incidentally you can play pretty easily online, combined the maze element of Pac-Man with the shooter element displayed in games like Space Invaders and Star Raiders. You simply controlled a little stick man navigating a maze and taking out robots while trying to avoid running into them or getting shot yourself. It almost feels like something you might come up with if someone explained the concept of video games to you for the first time but you didn’t know of any specific games. 

These are just a few that come to mind from an era packed with memorable and influential video games. But even going back through this limited selection has to make you want to find an old Atari and see if you can boot it up! 

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