10 Classic Retro Games Everyone Needs to Play At Least Once

Are you feeling overwhelmed by today’s massive games that demand dozens, even hundreds, of hours to finish? Do you find the constant push for in-game purchases and limited-time events frustrating? If so, it might be time to revisit some classic games from before the era of battle royales and ongoing updates.

Many classic games are just as enjoyable now as they were when they first came out, and their stories often still resonate with players. Even older games that haven’t aged perfectly are still valuable because of their place in gaming history, making them worth trying at least once. Whether you’re looking for a quick pastime or a longer gaming experience, there are tons of retro titles that offer a nice change of pace from modern games.

Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night Is One Of The Best Metroidvanias Ever

The *Castlevania* series is a key influence on the Metroidvania genre, known for its focus on exploring interconnected maps, allowing players to roam freely, uncover hidden secrets, and revisit areas with new abilities. *Castlevania: Symphony of the Night* is still considered a standout title, and is recognized as one of the games that helped create the genre, alongside *Super Metroid*.

Released in 1997, *Symphony of the Night* follows Alucard, Dracula’s half-vampire son, as he returns to his father’s castle after it mysteriously reappears, intending to destroy it. At the same time, Maria Renard is looking for Richter Belmont, who disappeared after previously defeating Dracula. This *Castlevania* game was a groundbreaking and highly influential title, celebrated for its incredible atmosphere, and remains remarkably playable even today.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Kept The Franchise And Sega Alive

Being a Sonic fan right now is amazing! We’ve been getting some really fantastic games lately – honestly, this feels like the best the franchise has ever been. Whether you discovered Sonic through the movies or newer games like *Sonic Frontiers*, you absolutely have to check out the classics, especially *Sonic the Hedgehog 2*. It’s where a lot of the magic started!

Before *Sonic the Hedgehog 2*, the future of modern *Sonic* games and movies was uncertain. In the early days of video game consoles, Sega needed a big win, and this game delivered, keeping the company successful throughout the 1990s. It perfected the fast-paced gameplay *Sonic* is famous for, introduced the beloved character Tails, and even included a surprisingly enjoyable multiplayer option.

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past Is Better Than Ocarina Of Time

While *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* is widely considered one of the best games of all time, it wasn’t the first fantastic *Zelda* title. *A Link to the Past* came before it, and many fans actually prefer it, as it laid the groundwork for *Ocarina of Time*’s success.

Following the unusual and often overlooked *Zelda II: The Adventure of Link*, Nintendo went back to the classic overhead perspective of the original *Zelda* with *A Link to the Past*. This game refined that style, offering beautiful 2D graphics, a fantastic soundtrack, and a huge world to discover. It also established key features that are still present in modern *Zelda* games like *Tears of the Kingdom*, including the Master Sword and the ability to break pots.

Final Fantasy VI Is The Franchise At Its Best

While *Final Fantasy VII* is more widely known, many longtime fans consider *Final Fantasy VI* to be the best of the classic 2D *Final Fantasy* games. The game is set in a unique world where magic and technology collide, and it tells a compelling story about fighting back against oppression, discovering who you are, and dealing with loss. The story centers around Terra Branford, who is trying to understand her own identity amidst a world falling under the control of a powerful Empire.

Final Fantasy VI was the first main game in the series to heavily feature summons as a key part of the story – a tradition that continued in later installments. It also boasted a huge roster of playable characters, each with unique abilities, from sword fighting to performing wrestling moves on trains. The game is also known for its villain, Kefka, a ruthless, clownish mage obsessed with destruction and achieving god-like power.

Chrono Trigger Brought A Dream Team Together For An Amazing RPG

While *Final Fantasy VI* is a classic, *Chrono Trigger* is often considered even better, and for good reason. The game features artwork by Akira Toriyama, famous for *Dragon Ball* and *Dragon Quest*. Interestingly, the creators of both *Dragon Quest* (Yuji Horii) and *Final Fantasy* (Hironobu Sakaguchi) collaborated on the design of *Chrono Trigger*.

Chrono Trigger tells a captivating story about time travel, following Chrono as he teams up with friends – both old and new from different eras – to prevent a global disaster. The game’s combat is similar to Final Fantasy’s Active Time Battle system, but with a unique twist: you can see enemies moving around on the map, and battles happen right there instead of on a separate screen. With its compelling story, memorable characters, and engaging gameplay, Chrono Trigger is considered a classic and is highly recommended for RPG fans.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo Changed The Fighting Genre Forever

Do you miss unlocking characters through gameplay, like in classic fighting games? And is *Street Fighter 6* a bit too complicated for your taste? If so, *Super Street Fighter II Turbo* might be exactly what you’re looking for. It offers a simpler, more traditional fighting game experience.

Of all the different versions of *Street Fighter II*, *Super Turbo* is widely considered the best. It’s a faster game than previous versions and added new features like air combos and super combos. It also let players use different versions of characters from past *Street Fighter II* games, and introduced the hidden boss, Akuma. Even now, *Super Street Fighter II Turbo* remains a fantastic fighting game, particularly when played with a friend.

Grand Theft Auto III Influenced Generations Of Open-World Games

A lot of people believe modern open-world crime games started to take shape with *Grand Theft Auto III*. However, revisiting that game now doesn’t hold up as well as it used to. Players who rush through the story quickly encounter powerful weapons – like shotguns – that can destroy vehicles instantly, which disrupts the experience, particularly in the Portland area.

Despite its age, *Grand Theft Auto III* is still worth playing because of its innovative design, which was key to making the *GTA* series the huge franchise it is today. If you were worried about the problems with the *Definitive Edition*, Rockstar has fixed many of them, making it a good option if you don’t have other ways to play.

Jump Into Mario’s First 3D Adventure With Super Mario 64

As a huge retro gaming fan, I honestly think you can’t go wrong with almost any classic *Mario* game even today. But *Super Mario 64* is special – it basically invented the 3D platformer as we know it! So many games I love, like *Banjo-Kazooie*, *Jak & Daxter*, *Ratchet & Clank*, *A Hat in Time*, *Astro Bot*, and even *Donkey Kong Bananza*, owe a lot to what *Super Mario 64* did first. It’s still incredibly fun to play, and even though the controls feel a little dated, the way Mario moves and the platforming itself are so satisfying. Plus, it’s a massive favorite with speedrunners because of how much freedom you have!

The Nintendo DS version includes new levels and lets you play as three extra characters, though it takes a little time to adjust to using the directional pad instead of a joystick. The *Super Mario 3D All-Stars* version isn’t the best option, largely because it was only available for a limited time, making it quite pricey. It’s a good choice if you already have the collection, but thankfully, it’s also accessible through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription for others.

GoldenEye 007 Was An Early Pioneer For FPS Games On Consoles

Just like movies based on video games have often been disappointing, so too have video games based on movies. Fortunately, both industries have gotten much better at adaptations recently. For a long time, *GoldenEye 007* was considered the best example of a successful movie-based game, and fans hope the upcoming *007: First Light* (scheduled for 2026) will join its ranks.

For players used to today’s first-person shooters, *GoldenEye 007* can feel challenging. It’s difficult to think about playing a shooter now without features like a mouse, a second analog stick, or the recent Xbox version. However, *GoldenEye 007* was innovative and showed that the FPS genre could succeed on consoles. Its many game modes, expansive maps, and memorable James Bond characters provided hours of entertainment for a generation of gamers.

Metal Gear Solid Was Absolute Cinema

Hideo Kojima is known for intricate stories, often told through lengthy cutscenes. While this approach isn’t universally appealing, fans of his games love it. Though many big-budget games now use cinematic storytelling, it was groundbreaking when the first *Metal Gear Solid* came out – that level of cinematic presentation was rare for video games at the time.

As a huge fan, what really grabbed me about the original *Metal Gear Solid* was how completely it pulled you in. The emotional moments felt so real, the voice acting was incredible, and the music was just phenomenal. It wasn’t afraid to get weird and break the fourth wall, which was so unique at the time. And honestly, even now, the stealth gameplay is surprisingly solid – it still feels good even compared to *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater*! Plus, the boss fights? Some of the best the series has ever offered, hands down.

2025-10-15 06:48