Thumper 2016
Why it still holds upEven now, a single hit in a fast level makes every beat a risk.
2010s games that still hold up
Games
Thumper 2016
Why it still holds upEven now, a single hit in a fast level makes every beat a risk.
BattleBlock Theater 2013
Why it still holds upBlocks that collapse, stick or bounce still make each level a short problem, which suits sharing with a friend.
Sonic Generations 2011
Why it still holds upTwo ways of running through the same zone still make each act a different game.
On sale
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger 2013
Why it still holds upEvery shootout still has a surprise of its own, with a narrator who rewrites the level around you.
Darksiders II 2012
Why it still holds upA horseman with a world to ride across is still a lively way to explore.
On sale
Door Kickers 2014
Why it still holds upThe drawn line still has you draw the raid and then watch whether you drew it right.
Street Fighter X Tekken 2012
Why it still holds upMixing two casts into a tag game still gives every team a different shape.
On sale
Far: Lone Sails 2018
Why it still holds upThe cross section still makes the vehicle a house you keep alive while it moves.
On sale
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 2018
Why it still holds upA horde of rats in every corridor still makes teamwork the point of the game.
The Darkness II 2012
Why it still holds upThe arms still give you four hands, two of them not yours.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent 2010
Why it still holds upLight calms you and also gives you away, so every dark room is a choice between safety and sanity that you still meet on the first night.
Diablo III 2012
Why it still holds upAdventure mode and the reworked loot still give a lot to come back to.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning 2012
Why it still holds upA skill tree you can rebuild still gives each hero room to change.
On sale
Turmoil 2016
Why it still holds upEach year is still a short race worth running today, against three rivals for the oil under the same town.
Battlefield 1 2016
Why it still holds upA war in trenches and biplanes is still a setting worth seeing.
On sale
Halo 4 2012
Why it still holds upThe Prometheans still change how a familiar fight plays.
Infamous: Second Son 2014
Why it still holds upThe story is self contained and does not need the earlier games, which makes it an easy starting point today.
On sale
Pony Island 2016
Why it still holds upIt still stands out today for making the game itself the puzzle.
Asphalt 8: Airborne 2013
Why it still holds upA racer with four ways to steer is easy to pick up, as it still is.
On sale
Orcs Must Die! 2 2012
Why it still holds upA trap in the right place still does more than a sword.
On sale
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 2011
Why it still holds upPlayed today, most rooms are still small puzzles solved with spells, and each character brings a different trick to them.
On sale
Shadow Warrior 2013
Why it still holds upThe katana still answers a crowd with a blade swung the way you point.
Dust: An Elysian Tail 2012
Why it still holds upMoves that chain into each other still make the fighting flow from one move to the next.
Pokémon Ultra Sun 2017
Why it still holds upA familiar island adventure with new twists still gives a returning trainer a reason to go back.
On sale
LEGO City Undercover 2013
Why it still holds upEach outfit still gives a different way to play the same city.
On sale
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 2017
Why it still holds upCharacters from many eras still make every level a new mix of powers.
On sale
Shadow Warrior 2 2016
Why it still holds upRandom layouts still make a revisited mission a new place.
On sale
Observer 2017
Why it still holds upA cyberpunk detective story inside one building still keeps the world small and tense.
On sale
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 2016
Why it still holds upA mix of stealth and shooting still asks you to plan ahead today.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light 2010
Why it still holds upA short campaign made for two still keeps its tombs and traps close at hand.
Gears of War 4 2016
Why it still holds upThe weather as a third side in every fight is still what stands out today.
On sale
Florence 2018
Why it still holds upThe speech bubbles still tell a love story through what gets easier to say, and then harder.
On sale
Trine 2 2011
Why it still holds upThe three online still give a puzzle three answers, and three people arguing over which.
Monument Valley 2014
Why it still holds upA path that exists only from where you are standing is still its trick today.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 2014
Why it still holds upSmash Run is still the one Smash mode where the fight starts after five minutes of scavenging, which is its draw today.
The Long Dark 2017
Why it still holds upA calm, quiet game about cold and hunger still gives each decision weight.
On sale
Downwell 2015
Why it still holds upEach descent is short, so it is still easy to try again right away.
Life Is Strange 2 2018
Why it still holds upIts decisions shape the journey, which still makes the road trip worth taking today.
On sale
Kingdom Rush 2011
Why it still holds upFew choices of tower and a simple map still make each wave a quick puzzle.
On sale
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 2018
Why it still holds upThe sliders still let you choose which half you came for.
Pokémon Moon 2016
Why it still holds upThe trials still replace the gym badge.
On sale
Just Cause 2 2010
Why it still holds upThe tether still ties any two things together with a rope.
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars 2011
Why it still holds upThe battles still stop to command an army, between the puzzles.
On sale
Prison Architect 2015
Why it still holds upA sandbox of buildings and schedules still gives you a lot to tinker with.
On sale
Lollipop Chainsaw 2012
Why it still holds upPop music and comic book colors still give a brief game a strong identity.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction 2010
Why it still holds upThe last known position still shows you the mistake the guards are about to make.
On sale
Remnant: From the Ashes 2019
Why it still holds upThe rolled world still means the boss you got was not the boss your friend got.