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1980s adventure games that still hold up

Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way

59 games · page 1 of 2

Super Mario Bros. 3 1988 Why it still holds upIts level design holds up today because the power-ups change how each level can be crossed, and the difficulty rises gradually toward the eighth world.
Super Mario Bros. 1985 Why it still holds upLevel design, enemy placement and precise physics, with a difficulty that ramps steadily, are why it still plays well.
Maniac Mansion 1987 Why it still holds upParties that change which puzzles can be solved still make a second run different today.
Prince of Persia 1989 Why it still holds upA fixed clock that keeps running through your deaths, and traps that kill at once, still reward careful, repeated attempts today.
The Legend of Zelda 1986 Why it still holds upEven now, a world with secrets hidden under rocks and trees rewards looking at everything.
Clash at Demonhead 1989 Why it still holds upThe map is still something to wander, with forty routes and powers you collect.
Shadowgate 1987 Why it still holds upA limited supply of light still makes every room a decision about how long to stay.
The Colonel's Bequest 1989 Why it still holds upEven now, each visit to the house can become a different investigation, because the characters keep their own schedules.
King's Valley 1985 Why it still holds upMummies that follow patterns you can learn still make each room a route to plan today.
Curse of the Azure Bonds 1989 Why it still holds upA party carried over from earlier games, or built fresh at a higher level, still keeps a long campaign personal today.
Treasure Island Dizzy 1988 Why it still holds upCollecting items and thinking about where to use them is the heart of it, and it is still a good puzzle to try.
Fantasy World Dizzy 1989 Why it still holds upEach screen is still a small test of thinking and surviving at once, with puzzles and hazards in balance.
Deadline 1982 Why it still holds upA cast that acts on its own still makes it feel like an investigation in progress today.
Starflight 1986 Why it still holds upYou still pick your own route through the galaxy, so every captain's journey differs.
Rogue 1980 Why it still holds upToday a dungeon drawn in letters and symbols is a sight worth seeing.
Uninvited 1986 Why it still holds upThere is still a lot to find in a house full of hidden rooms and guarded corners.
Faxanadu 1987 Why it still holds upAn adventure with some role-playing in it still makes a good way to spend an afternoon.
Blaster Master 1988 Why it still holds upExploring in two perspectives keeps its variety up, as it still does for players who try it.
Snatcher 1988 Why it still holds upAt about six hours, with very few puzzles in the way, it is still a story you can follow from start to end today.
Dragon Warrior 1986 Why it still holds upA first quest with one clear goal still makes a good starting point for the genre today.
Kid Icarus 1986 Why it still holds upThe mix of side scrolling, vertical and dungeon levels still varies what each world asks of you.

Adventure covers a lot here: a maze of screens to map, a parser waiting for the right words, or a world to cross one jump at a time. A pen and paper helps with more of them than you might expect.

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