Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake 1990
Why it still holds upSneaking past guards who listen is a test of care, and it remains one now.
Adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake 1990
Why it still holds upSneaking past guards who listen is a test of care, and it remains one now.
Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure 2014
Why it still holds upThe seven years are still a detective solving his own missing time, with the actors back on screen.
Deadline 1982
Why it still holds upA cast that acts on its own still makes it feel like an investigation in progress today.
Adventures of Lolo 1989
Why it still holds upPuzzle rooms that reward careful thinking are as satisfying now as ever.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment 2000
Why it still holds upRumors that can turn events for or against you still let what you do in the city change what happens next today.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Pool of Radiance 1988
Why it still holds upBuilding a party from scratch is still a draw now.
Gobliiins 1991
Why it still holds upWorking out what each odd talent will do in a cartoon world with its own logic still turns every screen into a small puzzle box.
Starflight 1986
Why it still holds upYou still pick your own route through the galaxy, so every captain's journey differs.
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption 2018
Why it still holds upA school by day and a dungeon by night, where classmates remember what you said, still gives every day a plan today.
Jak II 2003
Why it still holds upA whole city to cross, with platforming, guns and vehicles mixed in, still gives it variety today.
Donkey Kong Land 2 1996
Why it still holds upThe quest to rescue Donkey Kong is still there to play today, with levels redesigned for the handheld.
Torin's Passage 1995
Why it still holds upAn adventure made for a parent and a child, with a hint for whichever of them is stuck, is still a shared game today.
Cry of Fear 2013
Why it still holds upA small inventory still turns every pickup into a choice today.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole 2017
Why it still holds upA hero built from whichever attacks you like is still the draw today.
Déjà Vu: A Nightmare Comes True!! 1985
Why it still holds upThere is still always a next clue to follow on foot or by taxi, with a clock running on Ace's condition.
Disney's Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 1993
Why it still holds upTwo players who can throw each other and bosses with hazards of their own still make it a game to share.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence 2003
Why it still holds upCombos from two whip attacks and spells made by pairing subweapons with orbs still give the fights something to learn.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle 2010
Why it still holds upBoss fights that you can replay still give the revenge story a reason to keep going.
Streets of Rage 4 2020
Why it still holds upThe fights hold up today because the specials and the combos both pay you for hitting without being hit.
Final Fantasy Legend II 1990
Also known as SaGa 2
Why it still holds upThree kinds of party member, each growing by its own rules, still make putting the party together the heart of the game.
Metal Slug 4 2002
Why it still holds upEven today, a bonus scoring system gives a reason to replay a level.
No More Heroes 2007
Why it still holds upOdd jobs that pay for the next fight still make it a combination worth trying today.
SteamWorld Heist 2015
Why it still holds upThe ricochet still makes the clever shot the one you aimed, not the one the dice gave you.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape 1999
Why it still holds upThe story behind each world, gathered lum by lum, is still part of the game today.
Clive Barker's Undying 2001
Why it still holds upIt still has a darker tone, from a horror writer's story and spells beside the guns.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project 1991
Why it still holds upFour turtles with four weapons are still a good way to bring friends together.
Far Cry Instincts 2005
Why it still holds upTraps let you fight by setting things up beforehand, and that planning is still part of what it offers.
The Swapper 2013
Why it still holds upQuestions about identity and consciousness run through the story, and they are still worth meeting.
Space Channel 5: Part 2 2002
Why it still holds upCopying moves in time to the music is still the whole game, with duels to break it up.
Tex Murphy: The Pandora Directive 1996
Why it still holds upThe three paths still leave the detective you are to decide how it ends.
The Beginner's Guide 2015
Why it still holds upWith no way to fail, the whole story can be read at your own pace today.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance 2013
Why it still holds upA combat system built on timed parries is what defines it today.
Tiny Thief 2013
Why it still holds upThe levels are short and cleverly built, which still makes it suited to a few minutes of play at a time.
Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2004
Why it still holds upGuardian Ghosts to call on still make each area different to explore.
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments 2014
Why it still holds upA case that can end in different ways is still a reason to replay a crime scene.
Donkey Kong Land III 1997
Why it still holds upTwo Kongs with different abilities and hidden bonuses give each stage reasons to look around today.
Daxter 2006
Why it still holds upA fly swatter, a spray tank with upgrades and dream levels each still give a mission a different tool.
VVVVVV 2010
Why it still holds upThe flip is still the one verb, with four hundred rooms built on it.
Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious 1987
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.
Darklands 1992
Why it still holds upThe open map is still a medieval Germany to wander in, where your name is different in every region.
Rogue 1980
Why it still holds upToday a dungeon drawn in letters and symbols is a sight worth seeing.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time 2005
Why it still holds upFour heroes split into pairs, with timing in every battle, still make it worth picking up today.
Wario Land II 1998
Why it still holds upWith no way to die and no clock, you can explore and work out what each form does at your own pace, even now.
Tex Murphy: Overseer 1998
Why it still holds upThe first case still has a detective remembering how he began, in rooms you can walk.
Phantasy Star Online 2000
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth 2015
Why it still holds upRaising and digivolving a team of Digimon still gives the turn based fights a long term goal.
Katana Zero 2019
Why it still holds upBecause one hit decides every room, each room is still a short puzzle to plan and then carry out.