Move over, Nintendo Switch Online. There’s a new nostalgia proprietor in town.
Microsoft just announced the launch of its new Retro Classics offering, a collaborative venture from Xbox and Antstream Arcade. Xbox Game Pass members now have a comprehensive catalog of some retro heavy-hitters from the 1980s and 1990s. In their reveal, Xbox says the “initiative is a step in [its] commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility.” Keep in mind, however, that the collection’s contents aren’t available for sale separately; gamers must secure an Xbox Game Pass subscription before indulging.
Check out our top picks from Xbox’s newest (well, oldest?) Game Pass additions.
Pitfall! (1982)
More than four decades since Pitfall Harry first leapt over gator-filled waters, the pixel protagonist is making a return to Xbox Game Pass. Harry walked so modern platformers could run, so it’s about time younger audiences got the opportunity to swing, jump, and evade in Pitfall! just like their parents and older siblings did.
Atlantis (1982)
The city’s under attack — again. This fixed shooter puts players in the heart of Atlantis, where they’ll work tirelessly to defend the lost city from Gorgon invaders. This game remains one of Imagic’s best-selling games, with more than 2 million copies sold. The no-frills Atari graphics seem simplistic in comparison to modern shooters, but gameplay is just as much of a challenge now as it was more than 40 years ago.
MechWarrior (1993)
This sci-fi mech title, released on Super Nintendo, follows protagonist Herras Ragen as he avenges his family’s death at the hands of the Dark Wing Lance. Despite being released over 30 years ago, MechWarrior‘s first-person perspective may appeal to younger audiences used to playing more modern shoot-’em-ups; the Atari titles’ more arcade-y mechanics might take some getting used to.
Follow us on MSN for more content you love.
The Adventures of Willy Beamish (1991)
Goofball Willy Beamish is always getting into trouble, and it’s your job to get him out of it. This point-and-click game takes the titular protagonist through his usual hangouts — school hallways, his charming suburban home, the playground — with his pet frog in tow. Players must solve puzzles and take on some quintessential childhood challenges without losing their minds or lunch money.
Tennis (1984)
This more traditional arcade title is just as enraging now as it was years ago. Serve, return shots, customize your swing, and ultimately reign supreme on the tennis court as your ambiguous and athletic avatar. Tennis remains a sports game for the ages, its staying power helped by its beloved Pong-inspired mechanics that make it approachable for all audiences.
Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist (1993)
Despite initially releasing on a CD-ROM and floppy disk, this comic-like point-and-click adventure game is the most likely to resonate with younger, more modern audiences. Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist is a story-rich, hand-drawn title with charming gameplay that’s a little less linear than more simplistic titles like Tennis. Click your way through 1880s California as a gunslinger-turned-pharmacist, mixing up prescriptions and solving problems.
Megamania (1982)
If you’ve ever played the beloved bottom-shooter Space Invaders, you’ll probably fare better in Megamania than those who haven’t. You’re an intergalactic pilot, and your space cruiser is getting pummeled by some seriously strange space debris. Skirt household items like bow ties and bugs, as well as edible obstacles like hamburgers.
Grand Prix (1982)
Race to the finish in Grand Prix, a classic racer published by Activision in ’82. Played from a top-down perspective, Formula One drivers must evade other racers while maintaining dangerously high speeds, clearing narrow bridges, and avoiding oil slicks before time runs out. Grand Prix hit shelves in North America the same year as Namco’s Pole Position, though the latter was more of a commercial success.
Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in the Spinal Frontier (1995)
This funny point-and-click PC game was the sixth entry in Sierra On-Line’s extensive Space Quest series. The franchise satirized and skewered popular sci-fi media tropes of the time, but Space Quest 6 gameplay still tickles the funny bone today. Intergalactic janitor and seasoned universe-saver Roger Wilco must, for the sixth time, save the galaxy (and his, frankly, cruddy colleagues) from destruction.
Caesar II (1995)
Activision Publishing, Inc.; MobyGames.
Manage your Ancient Roman settlement in Caesar II, a game sure to scratch that Sim City and Command & Conquer itch you probably haven’t scratched in a while. Build structures and become a city planner in a builder sim that actually aged pretty darn well, all things considered.
Follow us on MSN for more content you love.
Read more:
A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
Leave a Reply