Guilty Gear X2 #Reload 2003
Why it still holds upThe fighting system is why it is worth playing now: each character plays differently, and the same gauges turn every exchange into a choice between attacking, defending and cancelling.
Action games that still hold up
Brawling, fighting, and never quite standing still
Games
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload 2003
Why it still holds upThe fighting system is why it is worth playing now: each character plays differently, and the same gauges turn every exchange into a choice between attacking, defending and cancelling.
Metal Slug 1996
Why it still holds upAnimation that answers everything you do still gives each level its pace today.
Elasto Mania 2000
Why it still holds upA bike that springs over the terrain still makes every level a puzzle of route and balance today.
Street Fighter II' Turbo 1993
Why it still holds upThe speed setting still lets you choose the pace you want to play at, and a faster game with more special moves makes each match about timing.
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R 2012
Why it still holds upReading your opponent is the contest today, as throws can be broken and a parry shortens block stun.
Lethal League Blaze 2018
Why it still holds upA ball that keeps speeding up, and a match that ends when only one player is left, make each rally a test of nerve today.
SoulCalibur II 2002
Why it still holds upEach exchange is a read of what your opponent will try, since the guard system answers each height of attack, and that keeps it worth playing today.
Severance: Blade of Darkness 2001
Why it still holds upEven now, four fighters with different weapons give each playthrough its own style.
Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX 2010
Why it still holds upA speed that climbs with your score still builds every run toward a frantic finish today.
Action Fighter 1986
Why it still holds upThe course is still new each time, with a change of vehicle from level to level.
Super Smash Bros. 1999
Why it still holds upKnocking a rival off the stage, rather than wearing down a bar, still shapes how every match unfolds.
Super Bomberman 5 1997
Why it still holds upA campaign that branches and a battle mode fed by it are still reason enough to come back to it today.
FlatOut 2 2006
Why it still holds upWrecking the car is still part of the fun, with minigames in which the driver is the projectile.
Sleeping Dogs 2012
Why it still holds upFights and chases set in a city you can roam between missions still keep it worth playing today.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life 2016
Why it still holds upThe open world still has things to do between fights, from a hunger gauge that limits how much you can eat to arcade cabinets in the city.
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round 2015
Why it still holds upEvery exchange is a guess against your opponent, since each option in the interruption triangle beats one other, which keeps it worth playing today.
N++ 2015
Why it still holds upWith every jump shaped by speed and slope, each level is still a small physics problem today.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! 2003
Why it still holds upA single stage is still a quick burst, across over two hundred games of a few seconds each.
Velocity 2X 2014
Why it still holds upEach level still has two ways to move, with a ship that teleports and ground sections between flights.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 2011
Why it still holds upEquipment made from the monsters you hunt, and a village that grows from the same spoils, still give every hunt a use beyond itself.
Infamous 2 2011
Why it still holds upMoving through the city with the same powers you fight with ties traversal and combat together, as it still does.
Resogun 2013
Why it still holds upRescues that sit beside the shooting still add a choice about risk to every level today.
Yoku's Island Express 2018
Why it still holds upGetting around the island is still fun, because a hero who cannot jump has to use flippers, bumpers and ramps, and every route is worked out with the ball.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade 2009
Why it still holds upThe journey still has a look of its own, drawn by hand and inspired by Japanese art.
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike 1999
Why it still holds upYou still play defense and not just sit through it, because parries need exact timing, even in guard stun.
Metal Slug 2 1998
Why it still holds upA fight that never stops, in scenery you can blow apart, still makes each level a rush toward the boss.
Mega Man Zero 3 2004
Why it still holds upZero still has a reason to aim in every direction, with a rod that doubles as a pogo stick.
Yakuza 4 2010
Why it still holds upToday, a city full of side activities gives the story somewhere to stop and play.
Tekken 5 2005
Why it still holds upMoves that slip past low attacks still give each match a layer of tactics today, with a fighter dressed your own way.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend 2014
Why it still holds upA roster that grew by nine characters and a reworked Overdrive system still give you plenty to learn.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 2019
Why it still holds upWeather still has a part in every mission, because clouds hide targets and ice your wings.
Tekken 6 2007
Why it still holds upEven now, Rage that turns a losing position into a threat keeps matches open until the last hit.
Devil May Cry 2001
Why it still holds upBeing judged on how well you fight, not only on whether you win, still turns every encounter into a performance.
Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator 2015
Why it still holds upA burst you save and a tension gauge you build still make each round a matter of when to commit.
Ninja Gaiden II 2008
Why it still holds upWounded enemies who turn desperate still make every kill matter today.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom 1991
Why it still holds upWalls to climb and pipes to hang from still make every level a space to move through vertically today.
Nier Replicant 2010
Why it still holds upA camera that changes the kind of game it shows, from room to room and fight to fight, still keeps it from settling into one style.
Death's Door 2021
Why it still holds upFights where a few hits end you, in levels that keep folding back to the door you came in by, still make it play well today.
Tobal 2 1997
Why it still holds upA Quest Mode with dungeons and a town, and a roster that grows with captured monsters, still gives it more to do than the ring fights.
Bucky O'Hare 1992
Why it still holds upThe opening still gives you freedom, with four planets in any order and a team you can switch between.
Super Street Fighter II Turbo 1994
Why it still holds upThe adjustable speed lets players set the pace of a match, which still helps today.
Alien vs. Predator 1994
Why it still holds upFour fighters who reload in different ways still make the choice of character matter.
Metal Slug 3 2000
Why it still holds upA run still has more than one shape, because a level that forks lets you pick a harder or an easier route.
Super Stardust HD 2007
Why it still holds upHigh scores keep a quick shooter worth another run, even now.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors 1993
Why it still holds upEach level still has a job to finish, a hunt for neighbors across horror movie settings.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta 2010
Why it still holds upCombat, climbing and puzzles that keep taking turns still keep the pace changing today.
The Warriors 2005
Why it still holds upA gang you fight alongside in every mission still makes every brawl feel like a crew effort.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes 1998
Why it still holds upA tag team format keeps matches quick, which still suits a few rounds with friends.