It’s hard to believe there was a time when video games were nothing more than a series of blinking pixels on a screen. The early years of video games were a time of experimentation and innovation, so new consoles and games were released every year, pushing the limits of what was possible in the industry. Today, we’ve got the benefit of hindsight — we know what makes a great game, and we can look back on those days with nostalgia. While I personally love a good open-world game with tons of missions to complete, subplots to discover, and collectibles to find, there’s something about the simplicity of classic video games that I just can’t get enough of.
We know you already have tons of great titles to choose from, but let’s take a moment to rediscover and appreciate some classic games that provided hours upon hours of fun back when things seemed to be a little less complicated. These titles and franchises shaped our childhoods and inspired us to stay gamers for life!
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Super Mario Bros. 3
The best retro games have the power to take us back to a time when we could just kick back and play with our siblings, parents, or friends. And no retro game does that better than Super Mario Bros. 3. The music is iconic. The graphics are timeless. The gameplay is challenging but fair — and there’s a reason why it’s been ranked as one of the most popular games for NES! It’s basically impossible that you’ve never played this classic, but in case you haven’t, you’re in for a treat: it’s still just as fun today as it was back in the 1990s!
Super Mario World
A gem of the gaming community, Super Mario World’s gameplay is similar to that of the earlier Super Mario games: it follows Mario (or Luigi) through a series of levels in which the goal is to get to the other side by jumping around the platforms. The game introduced us to Yoshi, one of the most beloved Nintendo characters. It sold over twenty million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling SNES game.
Super Mario Kart
Ohh, Mario Kart! Played this when I'm my teens and now, about 40 years later, I'm still playing it online with my Switch. This way I still can have with my son, even though we love about 2400km apart :)
Donkey Kong
The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
The third release in The Legend Of Zelda franchise was one of the best games to see the light in the ’90s, and I would argue that it’s also one of the best games in general. It’s a classic Zelda title with all the elements that make up a great game: engaging gameplay mechanics, an intriguing story, and the memorable characters that made us fall in love with the series in the first place. Its spiritual successor, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, was released in 2013.
Sonic The Hedgehog
Raise your hand if you also spent your childhood afternoons playing with the most famous hedgehog of all time! This platform game follows a spinning blue hedgehog, with red shoes and white gloves, running across fields full of rings to collect. The game was released in 1991 and has since spawned spin-offs, sequels, cartoons, comics, merchandise, and even live-action movies! It was initially released on the Sega Genesis console and was later ported to modern platforms, Nintendo Switch included.
Mario Kart 64
Get some of your favorite snacks and favorite people, and get ready to race in one of the best video games ever! Developed specifically for Nintendo 64, players can choose their preferred character from the Mario franchise and race around a variety of tracks with items that can either get in the way of your rivals or rescue you when you need it the most!
Donkey Kong Country
Omg I'd easily spend 161 hours a week in the summer playing this game.
Super Mario Bros
Choosing just one title from Nintendo’s first console would be hard. After all, it was home to some of gaming’s most iconic characters. But ultimately, we would go with Super Mario Bros., which is still considered one of the best platforming experiences ever created by anyone in any medium. If you too have fond memories of playing this iconic game, it’s time to take them back and introduce your kids and younger siblings to the same blessing of the first Super Mario Bros.!
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Released in 1996, the game features Mario’s first 3D adventure as he travels through a large open world to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. It received critical acclaim and is often mentioned among the best video games of all time.
Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II was a massive success when it launched in 1991 on arcade machines. It was later ported to home consoles, including SNES and Game Boy, which contributed to it becoming one of the most popular video games and grossing more than $17 billion. It’s been credited for popularizing the fighting genre during the 1990s and inspiring other producers to create their own fighting series.
Commander Keen
Goldeneye 007
There’s something about the James Bond franchise that has made it a perennial favorite of audiences worldwide. The movies are certainly an exciting staple in cinema history, but GoldenEye 007 also stands its ground in the video game industry. The expectations for it were poor at first. Still, it became a critical and commercial success and the third best-selling Nintendo 64 game, just behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64.
Dune
This is a bit lazy. The first Dune game wasn't anything special but Dune 2 revolutionised RTS games and paved the way for C&C games. The screenshot isn't even of that though, but Dune 2000. Surely it's better to keep a post short and informative than to slop something down without context.
The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild
One of the latest entries in the long-running Zelda series, which debuted in 1986 on the NES, is an open-world adventure with 50 to 200 hours of content, depending on your will to probe every single aspect of the game and get 100% completion. You’ll explore the vast expanses of Hyrule and fight monsters along the way in your quest to defeat Calamity Ganon and restore peace in the kingdom.
SimCity
I scrolled fast to see if this list had Shining Force II, and Phantasy Star II and IV. It doesn't have, therefore is invalid. Also missing: Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, Persona 3 Portable, Final Fantasy XIII, Resident Evil 2, Outrun, Golvellius, Phantasy Star, Suikoden II, and others.
Note: this post originally had 187 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Why botw
I scrolled fast to see if this list had Shining Force II, and Phantasy Star II and IV. It doesn't have, therefore is invalid. Also missing: Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, Persona 3 Portable, Final Fantasy XIII, Resident Evil 2, Outrun, Golvellius, Phantasy Star, Suikoden II, and others.
Most games are listed twice or three times on the list ... PFFF
Why botw
I scrolled fast to see if this list had Shining Force II, and Phantasy Star II and IV. It doesn't have, therefore is invalid. Also missing: Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, Persona 3 Portable, Final Fantasy XIII, Resident Evil 2, Outrun, Golvellius, Phantasy Star, Suikoden II, and others.
Most games are listed twice or three times on the list ... PFFF