As great as modern video games are, nothing beats the magic of an old school retro classic.
There’s something about the music from an older game that helps spark nostalgia as we boot it up. The graphics may look dated, and some of these games desperately need quality of life updates, but we love them anyway.
They’re the games of our childhood, and in many cases, they still hold up today. These are some of our favorite retro games, and we still play them today.
RollerCoaster Tycoon
I spent hundreds of hours customizing theme parks in RollerCoaster Tycoon. From building roller coasters that were too intimidating for guests to watching thrilling go-kart races, getting lost in the game was easy.
Ironically, the original titles hold up better than the more recent sequels. Additionally, the community support for the game has helped Rollercoaster Tycoon continue to thrive. The OpenRCT mod features quality of life updates that have kept the game fresh.
Age of Empires 2
Microsoft released an HD version of the game, which has helped breathe new life into the popular real-time strategy game.
Even without the remaster, Age of Empires 2 is the best in the series. While modern releases have tried to capture the magic and utilize updated graphical power, something about the depth in AOE2 keeps the game so fresh after all these years.
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2
Red Alert 2 is the best entry in the Command & Conquer series. It doesn’t try to reinvent the RTS wheel.
Instead, it focuses on delivering great gameplay, excellent presentation, and an engaging story, something that most real-time strategy games at the time weren’t always known for.
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Rise of Nations
For whatever reason, Rise of Nations never got the respect it deserved. It was always stuck at the kid’s table while Age of Empires, Command & Conquer, and StarCraft enjoyed the spotlight.
Rise of Nations is a perfect combination of RTS and turn-based strategy. It’s also surprisingly accessible, making it more welcoming for beginners than other entries in the genre.
Plus, it’s always fun having your air force drop bombs on enemies stuck in the middle ages.
SimCity 4
There’s just something about the older SimCity games. The most recent releases don’t hold a candle, even if you can look past their glaring flaws.
SimCity 4 is arguably the franchise’s high point. It’s a robust city-building experience that balances the complexities of city planning while still offering enough simplicity as a simulation.
Elder Scrolls Morrowind
Skyrim is the more mainstream option, and Oblivion is my favorite, but some will argue that they’re not old enough to be retro.
Morrowind, however, is over twenty years old at this point. It certainly looks and plays like an old school game, but we mean that as a compliment. It’s a beautiful, janky experience that gives players an impressive amount of freedom to explore the world.
In the eyes of many, Bethesda has yet to top it even after all these years.
Gothic
Despite all the freedom Morrowind offers players, it doesn’t hold a candle to Gothic.
Gothic is one of the most immersive games ever made, allowing players to get lost in its world. The environment, quests, and NPCs do an excellent job drawing you in.
Sometimes, we’re guilty of looking back at the game with rose colored glasses; the game hasn’t necessarily aged well. But we don’t care.
Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green
Fire Red and Leaf Green are remakes of the original Pokemon titles. Graphics have been updated, but this is still a very old school experience.
One thing that helps drive their popularity is a Nuzlocke run. This community driven game mode provides a more hardcore, challenging Pokemon experience. You have to release Pokemon who faint and can only capture the first Pokemon you encounter in a new area.
Fallout 2
Fallout 2 is one of the best old school RPGs ever made. We’re grateful for Bethesda reviving the franchise, but their games aren’t the same.
Its mechanics are incredibly deep, relying on a traditional RPG foundation where your stats dictate your abilities. However, what truly makes Fallout 2 so special is its storytelling and lore.
DOOM
The game that can run on everything. Literally. From old school PCs, to virtually every console, and even refrigerators!
DOOM is a true blue retro experience that remarkably still feels fresh today. Its fast paced gameplay delivers an adrenaline filled FPS experience that we’ll never get tired of, no matter how much we play it.
Diablo II
Even before Blizzard remastered Diablo II, many viewed this as the preferred Diablo experience.
Despite being a solved game, Diablo II is still one of the best ARPGs you can play today. It still offers plenty of flexibility with your talent builds and an impressive amount of loot to collect. There’s a reason why the game has such a huge influence on the genre.
World of Warcraft
Speaking of solved games, the classic World of Warcraft experience has not been re-released for players twice in the past five years.
Even before official classic servers existed, fan-made private servers were extremely popular.
Yes, it’s a very dated, clunky, and sometimes frustrating experience, but it’s also one of the best open world games ever made. It’s true what they say: Classic WoW is all about the journey and everything you make of it.
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