It’s easy to become overloaded with the extensive range of interactive experiences provided by modern video games. In this continually evolving golden age of gaming, it’s difficult not to occasionally pine after the simpler approach of a retro game. Many 8-bit and 16-bit titles have continued to remain popular classics to this day. Retro games range from the first games invented back in the 1960s through to those created around the year 2000, which is considered to be the beginning of the modern gaming era. If you’re becoming a little bored of playing Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite, try a retro game instead. You might be surprised at how fun and addictive old games can be. Here are five of the best retro games you can try this fall.

Super Mario Bros.

Surely every gamer has played a Super Mario Brothers game at some point, but have you played the original? The 1985 platform video game was the successor to the 1983 arcade game. Today, Super Mario Bros. is considered to be one of the all-time greatest games. If you haven’t yet tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing. You get to control the mustached-plumber Mario or his brother Luigi. The aim is to successfully navigate your way through the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from the evil clutches of Bowser. You will have to avoid hazards and enemies, like the Super Mushroom and Starman, if you want to be the princess’s knight in blue dungarees.

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Twin Spins

Why not try a casino slot game? You are getting a chance to have fun in a virtual Las Vegas. At this casino online, you can choose from a variety of table games and slot games to play. Many online casinos even add new games to their sites every day. One of the best slot-games that continues to be popular is Twin Spins. With an excellent mix of retro-style slots and state-of-the-art wheels, you can experience the glory days of 1970s Vegas casinos. Furthermore, you have good odds of winning, as Twin Spins offers 243 different ways to win.

Final Fantasy VII

This role-playing game received widespread success around the world upon its release in 1997. It has won several awards and is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time. The story of this seventh installment of the Final Fantasy series follows a mercenary called Cloud Strife. He joins an eco-terrorist group and hopes to stop a megacorporation from utilizing the planet’s life essence as a source of energy. Can Cloud and his allies stop the superhuman Sephiroth who is intent on destroying the world? Only by playing Final Fantasy VII can you find out whether Cloud Strife can save the world.

Tetris

Tetris is the most famous tile video game in the world. It’s available for almost every video game console, computer, and other devices. First released in 1984, this classic game is still a firm favorite today. Tetris may seem simple, but its excellent gameplay makes this one of the most absorbing puzzle games out there. It’s your task to manipulate falling geometric shapes, known as Tetrominos, by moving them sideways or rotating them. The aim is to make the Tetrominos form a solid horizontal line without leaving any gaps. When you create such a format, the line disappears. When you clear a certain number of lines, you climb up to the next level. As each level progresses, the blocks fall more quickly. That’s when the fun really begins.

SimCity 2000

SimCity 2000 is a city-building simulation game. When first released on Mac personal computers in 1993, SimCity 2000 became highly praised for its excellent gameplay, its detailed and vibrant graphics, and its improved control menu. It has since become available on many other platforms, and it has become the model on which later urban simulator games are modeled-upon. If you haven’t attempted building a virtual city before, there’s no better place to begin than with SimCity2000.

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1. Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid is an action/adventure stealth game developed by Konami and released for the original PlayStation in 1998. The genius mind behind this legendary game was none other than Hideo Kojima’s. It was one of the first video games to make stealth gameplay popular, and it still holds up to this day.

Complex storylines, immersive gameplay and beloved characters make this game an absolute classic. Since it was a PlayStation exclusive, you can play it using the PSX emulator on PC.

2. The Pokemon Series (Gameboy)

 games, pc emulator
The Gameboy was a game changing handheld console, and the Pokemon series is what defined it for a whole generation. You already know what the game is about. You explore the map/region, look for these creatures known as Pokemon, capture them, and finally engage in battles with other trainers.

If you haven’t played the GameBoy Pokemon series yet, you absolutely should give it a shot. We recommend the Visual Boy Advance emulator to play these games on PC.

3. The Legend Of Zelda

Even if you’ve never played it, you’ve most likely heard of the name dozens of times.

The first Legend Of Zelda came out in 1986 on the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES. If you’re not going to play this game for it’s amazing story, classic retro art style and not to mention amazing music, play it for the sake of video game history. Mesen is a great NES emulator to play this game.

4. Spyro The Dragon

The first game of this amazing platformer series was released back in 1998 as an exclusive for the original PlayStation. As the name implies, you play as a purple dragon known as Spyro. You journey across the Dragon Kingdom to defeat the main villain, who has trapped all the other dragons.

Unique gameplay, great music and a fun story make this a must play for any fans of the PlayStation. The PSX emulator on PC runs this title beautifully.

5. Halo: Combat Evolved

To this day, this is Microsoft’s best exclusive franchise for their Xbox systems. This is the first title of the series, and was launched back in 2001 for the original Xbox.

Halo brought a lot of new things and unique gameplay to the FPS genre, and it was a major success. If you want to experience where it all started for yourself, use the CXBX emulator.

6. Super Mario Bros 3

Almost every person knows what the Super Mario Bros series is about. It’s a 2D side scrolling platformer, and it’s the most popular one out there. The 3rd entry into this franchise is the most refined one for sure. This is a staple for platforming games.
You can use Mesen to emulate this game, which is a NES emulator.

7. God Of War 2

If there is one series that defined the PlayStation 2, it was the God Of War games. The second entry in this franchise is one of the best sequels to any game out there. You play as a Spartan warrior known as Kratos, seeking revenge on the Greek gods. You should play the whole trilogy to really understand the story. In order to emulate this game, get the PCSX2 emulator.

8. GoldenEye 007

There was a time when turning popular movies into video games was widespread. GoldenEye 007 is a perfect example of this. You play as, you guessed it, James Bond.

It’s a first person shooter which actually features a few gadgets from the movie as well. It is regarded as one of the best games from Nintendo’s N64 console. You can use Project 64 to play it on PC.

9. Castlevania

Castlevania was one of the first more popular games to come to the NES. It’s an action platformer made by Konami. You basically play as a vampire hunter and try to defeat the Count Dracula, while platforming across different levels.

This was one of the first platformers to gain a lot of popularity and still inspires a lot of developers today.

10. Metroid

Another popular NES title, it just goes to show how amazing that console really was. Metroid really speaks for itself. It set the standard for a lot of games you see today. Exploring the map, it’s style and search for different power-ups are all elements many video games still use to this day. Definitely worth playing.

Final Thoughts

The above list has some of the most essential retro games, and if you’re looking for the best performing GPU for gaming, read this guide here https://www.pcguide.com/reviews/best-rtx-2080-ti/. But if you’re in the AMD camp, you should check out the RX 5700 XT. If you need some help deciding between the variants, this guide on the all new AMD RDNA powered GPUs  should help.

Old School RuneScape

Old School RuneScape, launched back in 2001, is considered a retro title by today’s standard. Making its name in the web version, OSRS has finally made it to mobile, and there’s been no compromise on quality. The mobile version is a replica of the web variant, and by subscribing players will be able to get stuck into even more action. OSRS still has a considerable following, 18 years after its release, so it’s no surprise that the mobile version of the hit game is fairing so well.

Sega Forever titles

SEGA, back in the day, created some epic games, as well as characters. From Sonic the Hedgehog through to Kid Chameleon, SEGA games were stuff dreams were made of. The great news is, Android users can now get stuck into these classic SEGA titles, and they can even play them all add free. Every gamer will have enjoyed a SEGA title or two at some point and being able to relive them all on-demand is retro gold. Sonic the Hedgehog is, of course, the pick of the bunch.

Square Enix games

Like SEGA, Square Enix is a company who have produced some fantastic games over the years. When it comes to retro games, you could describe Square Enix as being old hands, and now their console classics have made it to mobile. They’ve also undergone a bit of a facelift too, to ensure they have a bit of a modern look and feel about them. Players can enjoy Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest titles, as well as others, to experience retro mobile gaming at its very best.

Tetris

Tetris is a game which has been modernised and redeveloped over the years, but it always seems to have stayed the same where the game mode is concerned, and that’s fantastic news. It was the addictive gameplay which attracted players when the game was first released, and that remains its biggest draw still to this day. Players can now enjoy Tetris in all its glory on mobile, allowing them to play on the go, just as they could when the game hit the GameBoy all those years ago.

Minesweeper

Who remembers playing Minesweeper on PC years ago, to pass a few minutes during a school lesson, or while on a break at work? The game, which became very popular due to how simple it is to play, has recently made a comeback on Android, and now players can attempt to sweep the field free of mines. It’s a classic game, with several new features added, and by far and away one of our favourite retro titles available to play on Android devices.

#10: CrossCode (Radical Fish)

This one was years in the making, and boy did it live up to expectations. Development started back in 2012, and the game was crowdfunded on Indiegogo in 2015. Finally this year we got the end result, and it stands tall among other RPGs of its flavor. Visually rich, wonderful story… worth checking out if you’re a fan of the RPG genre!

#9: Log Jammers (Mega Cat Studios)

I wrote about these guys earlier in the year; their main deal is producing physical cartridges for the NES and other senior platforms, providing exciting new games for old systems. Though any of their releases would belong on this list, Log Jammers really is their flagship title for me. Fast-paced, exciting, and with a play style like deadly tennis, Log Jammers will remind you of your reflexes and provide a hefty challenge worthy of any thumb-fu master.

#8: Dusk (David Szymanski)

A retro-style FPS game released early this year, Dusk gained a lot of traction as 2018 went on… for good reason. Gameplay is immersive but surprisingly light for the theme, and the mood is weird and spooky. It’s a great piece of work, well balanced between action and story. Following in the tradition of its forebears, Dusk puts the bloody meat of solid single-player FPS action back on the menu.

#7: The Messenger (Sabotage Studio)

This title made a huge splash on Steam, and was released for many consoles as well. An oldschool platformer with a ton of delightful new twists, The Messenger has a nice storyline to chew on, artfully lush use of pixel graphics, and addictive gameplay that will keep you hooked. Really worth a look if you want a supercharged game in the vein of the original Ninja Gaiden series.

#6: Octopath Traveler (Square Enix)

All I should need to say is, “Square Enix released an RPG this year.” This lives up to the legacy and more. Visually, it is absolutely GORGEOUS. True to the tradition, the turn-based combat will seem familiar enough to veterans, but hold enough new aspects to retain interest. Yet another absolutely worthwhile title from the vaunted halls of Square.

#5: Celeste (Matt Thorson/Noel Berry)

Celeste is a masterwork video game. There is so much evidence of the love that went into this platformer, from the delightful graphics to the tight gameplay that leaves you nearly breathless. The prototype for this title was developed in four days, but this was no rush job – Celeste bears out as a game lovingly made by skilled hands.

#4: Into The Breach (Subset Games)

Released in February by the same folks who brought us the fantastic starship game FTL, this giant robot strategic pound-em-up holds all the same epicness, and more! While strategy-style games are rarely my bag, I still found myself sucked into this one. Wonderful depth and options lend real weight to this exciting mecha-pulse pounder.

#3: Megaman 11 (Capcom)

Capcom released another entry into the Megaman series this year, and they didn’t try to modernize it or doctor it up; they just stuck with the same filthy-rich side-scrolling action we know and love. 11 could sit right on your gaming shelf alongside all those having come before it, and belong there. I was doubly impressed by Megaman 11, since I’ve never really loved the series like so many do, and yet I was blown away by it. It has helped warm me to the franchise. That’s saying something!

#2: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Inti Creates)

Another long-awaited indie game that went through the crowdfunding paces before hitting home, Curse of the Moon is like the Castlevania 3 we all wanted in our heart of hearts. Multiple characters, multiple endings and paths, and insane CV-style gameplay. As a longtime Castlevania fan, I was deeply impressed with this love letter to not only the franchise but the style. If you love this stuff like I do, you must play this one.

#1: Dead Cells (Motion Twin)

I have a friend I play D&D with, who tends to pick up these games before I do. I’m a hard sell sometimes, but he stayed on me about this one (thank you, Ben). I’m infinitely thankful. I could gush about Dead Cells all day. Procedurally-generated levels, action-packed stealth combat gameplay that demands both reflexes and cleverness, and a soundtrack to die for. This one’s picked up quite a few awards already, and when you lay eyes and hands upon it, you’ll see why immediately. Dead Cells has become a “daily” for me. I put in at least a half-hour daily. I’m helpless not to. Check it out ASAP!

2018. Another year into the future. The years seem to fly by, especially as we get older… but we’re always young so long as we remember how to play. Don’t you ever forget! And may 2019 be all you wish it to! Stay retro!