Game anniversaries in 2027

Apr 18 Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious 1987 i Why it still holds upThe hub is open from the start and items decide where you can go next, so finding the way still takes exploring.

Jun 26 Bases Loaded 1987 i Why it still holds upPlay it now and the controls are not hard to learn, with a pitcher whose habits you can read.

Aug 22 Nemesis 2 1987 i Why it still holds upA sequel with its own ship and weapons gives players a different Gradius to try.

Sep 18 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! 1987 i Why it still holds upSet patterns and a heart meter that punishes missed punches make each bout a lesson in timing today.

Oct 5 Maniac Mansion 1987 i Why it still holds upParties that change which puzzles can be solved make a second run different today.

Nov 16 Faxanadu 1987 i Why it still holds upAn adventure with some role-playing in it still makes a good way to spend an afternoon.

Dec 15 Dungeon Master 1987 i Why it still holds upEven now the dungeon rewards the effort of learning the rune system, which is part of the game.

Dec 20 Phantasy Star 1987 i Why it still holds upDungeons you map yourself, and an option to talk in battle, give each trip a puzzle of its own today.

Mar 27 Top Gear 1992 i Why it still holds upA split screen race for two across several nations is still easy to set up.

Apr 17 Ultima VII: The Black Gate 1992 i Why it still holds upEven now, objects you can stack and dialogue you can steer give it a world to poke at.

Jun 1 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis 1992 i Why it still holds upThe three paths give it three routes through one story, which is why it still holds up today, in a tone close to the films.

Aug 27 Super Mario Kart 1992 i Why it still holds upBecause items and power slides make every lap a mix of speed and risk, a race is still worth running, and Battle Mode gives you a reason to bring a friend.

Oct 21 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins 1992 i Why it still holds upIts mix of short levels and a free choice of order suits a quick session now.

Oct 30 Landstalker 1992 i Why it still holds upDungeons that use the isometric view as part of the puzzle, and hidden life upgrades that send you back through old areas, still reward careful looking today.

Nov 21 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992 i Why it still holds upThe reason to go back is level design that rewards speed without giving up exploration.

Nov 21 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992 i Why it still holds upRings you can win back and acts built around a ride give it a pace of its own, and six hidden emeralds still give a reason to search every act.

Jan 31 Final Fantasy VII 1997 i Why it still holds upThe Materia and the size of the world still give you plenty to get into.

Mar 20 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 1997 i Why it still holds upExploring the castle is still the draw: it is full of hidden rooms and secrets, and each new ability opens somewhere that was closed.

Apr 27 Star Fox 64 1997 i Why it still holds upBranching routes and medals give reasons to replay a short campaign, which is why it is worth playing today.

Jun 20 Final Fantasy Tactics 1997 i Why it still holds upJobs that unlock abilities and a Charge Time that decides who acts still make every battle a puzzle of order and class today.

Aug 23 GoldenEye 007 1997 i Why it still holds upOpen levels with objectives that change by difficulty, plus the multiplayer, still hold it up today.

Sep 24 Ultima Online 1997

Oct 10 Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game 1997 i Why it still holds upA build that matters in every conversation, and combat you plan rather than react to, are the reasons to play it today.

Oct 13 Age of Empires 1997 i Why it still holds upFinite trees, four resources and buildings to place still turn each match into a city planning problem today.

Mar 22 Resident Evil 2002 i Why it still holds upAmmo, inventory and saves are scarce, so you keep deciding what to fight, what to carry and when to backtrack, and that tension is the reason to play it now.

May 1 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind 2002 i Why it still holds upA free form world with no required order, and a mod scene that keeps it going, make it worth playing now.

Jul 3 Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos 2002 i Why it still holds upLevelling a few heroes and using their abilities while you fight over the map keeps it worth playing today.

Aug 29 Mafia 2002 i Why it still holds upThe period setting is why it is worth playing now: Lost Heaven is modelled on 1930s American cities, and the missions move between chases, races and shootouts.

Oct 29 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 2002 i Why it still holds upThe 1980s city and its songs still make every drive part of one setting, which is the reason to play it now.

Nov 18 Metroid Prime 2002 i Why it still holds upExploring is still the draw, with a story you find by scanning and locked areas that pull you back later.

Nov 29 Gothic II 2002 i Why it still holds upA compact, hand placed world in which exploring pays off is the reason to play it today.

Dec 13 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 2002 i Why it still holds upYou would still sail it today for the way dungeons and tools follow each other without busywork, in a look that keeps its charm.

Mar 13 God of War II 2007 i Why it still holds upIt holds up now because combat, platforming and puzzles are designed as one adventure.

Aug 21 BioShock 2007 i Why it still holds upRapture remains a place worth exploring today: the setting and its people tell the story, and every character gives a new view of the city.

Aug 27 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption 2007 i Why it still holds upPointer aiming that is not auto aim still puts the shooting in your own hands across those planets today.

Sep 25 Halo 3 2007 i Why it still holds upCo op for up to four and a map editor for your own multiplayer maps are the reason to play it now.

Oct 10 Portal 2007 i Why it still holds upOne tool and its momentum rules open many solutions, and the humour and writing make you want to keep going, which is why it holds up today.

Nov 1 Super Mario Galaxy 2007 i Why it still holds upEvery level is built around that gravity, so walking upside down and jumping between small planets is what you do throughout, which keeps it fresh today.

Nov 5 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2007 i Why it still holds upWhat it still offers is a tight campaign followed by a multiplayer loop of leveling and class building made to be replayed.

Nov 20 Mass Effect 2007 i Why it still holds upYou shape Shepard's personality through the dialogue, and Paragon and Renegade points unlock more options as you go, which keeps the choices worth making now.

Feb 16 Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward 2012 i Why it still holds upRevisiting choices so that information from one route opens another still drives the game now.

Mar 6 Mass Effect 3 2012 i Why it still holds upCarrying choices from game to game is the reason to play it today, in order from the first game.

Mar 13 Journey 2012 i Why it still holds upWith three controls and a world that keeps introducing something new instead of repeating, it is still worth the few hours it takes.

Apr 24 The Walking Dead 2012 i Why it still holds upA story built around one relationship is why it still plays well: the voice acting carries it, and the choices come under time pressure.

Sep 18 Borderlands 2 2012 i Why it still holds upAn enormous range of guns and four class builds are the reason to replay it now, and co op scaling lets friends share the same quests.

Oct 9 Dishonored 2012 i Why it still holds upLevels with several ways in, and a world that reacts to how you played them, are the reason to play it today.

Nov 29 Far Cry 3 2012 i Why it still holds upFive core systems, sneaking, shooting, driving, exploring and hunting, all feed the same leveling system, so the same encounter plays out differently depending on stealth, firepower and wildlife, and that is the reason to play it now.

Dec 7 The Cat Lady 2012 i Why it still holds upA tense, atmospheric adventure whose dialogue choices change what you see later is the reason to play it now.

Jan 12 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony 2017 i Why it still holds upIf you play it now, it is for the investigate then argue structure, with the trial as the core system.

Feb 23 NieR: Automata 2017 i Why it still holds upIts tone and its music carry it today: the world is heavy and unusual, and its environments are lush.

Feb 24 Hollow Knight 2017 i Why it still holds upExploring is still the draw: you map the world, beat bosses to gain abilities and use them to reach places that were closed.

Feb 28 Horizon Zero Dawn 2017 i Why it still holds upFighting each machine is a small puzzle of weak points, in a seamless world with tribes at different technology levels, which keeps it worth playing now.

Mar 3 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2017 i Why it still holds upRun in any direction you like and the world still holds up today, since it runs on systems and physics and even a simple environmental puzzle can have three or four solutions.

Sep 14 Divinity: Original Sin II 2017 i Why it still holds upPlay it now for fights that are puzzles of armor, elements and position, and for quests that accept more than one answer.

Oct 27 Super Mario Odyssey 2017 i Why it still holds upToday it works because you choose what to do toward the moon count, and capturing drives much of the level design.

Dec 1 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2017 i Why it still holds upLayered combat systems over large Titans packed with hidden items and side quests make it worth playing today.