Dec 4 · 18 years ago
428: Shibuya Scramble 2008
Why it still holds upEach choice is still a clue for another character's chapter, across stories that run in the same timeframe.
Games released in December that still hold up
Games
Dec 4 · 18 years ago
428: Shibuya Scramble 2008
Why it still holds upEach choice is still a clue for another character's chapter, across stories that run in the same timeframe.
Dec 8 · 9 years ago
Opus Magnum 2017
Why it still holds upSolutions are ranked on three measures and you can go back and improve a machine that already works, which is a reason to return to it today.
Dec 26 · 36 years ago
StarTropics 1990
Why it still holds upEach chapter ends on a solved local trouble, which still keeps the quest easy to follow.
Dec 2 · 20 years ago
WarioWare: Smooth Moves 2006
Why it still holds upEach tiny challenge is still a physical one, since you hold the controller in odd positions.
Dec 1 · 15 years ago
Mario Kart 7 2011
Why it still holds upGliding and underwater parts make the choice of kart parts matter on every track, which gives you reason to keep racing today.
Dec 6 · 8 years ago
On sale
Kenshi 2018
Why it still holds upEvery outing across a map this large is a story you write yourself, and it absorbs you today.
Dec 20 · 24 years ago
Space Rangers 2002
Why it still holds upA galaxy that keeps running its own wars and trade, and more than one way to finish, leave the shape of your career to you today.
Dec 4 · 8 years ago
On sale
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom 2018
Why it still holds upExploring is still a matter of trying each form: five forms each open a different path and dying costs nothing.
Dec 10 · 11 years ago
Steins;Gate 0 2015
Why it still holds upToday, a story that turns on whether you answer a call gives small choices weight.
Dec 13 · 8 years ago
On sale
Gris 2018
Why it still holds upThere is nothing to fail at, since there is no combat or game over and abilities arrive as the story goes on, so it plays relaxed today.
Dec 22 · 27 years ago
Valkyrie Profile 1999
Why it still holds upEach outing still has two rhythms, platforming through a dungeon and then switching to battle.
Dec 15 · 31 years ago
Tales of Phantasia 1995
Why it still holds upDirectly controlling one fighter among computer controlled allies still makes each battle a matter of timing and positioning.
Dec 11 · 8 years ago
On sale
Kingdom Two Crowns 2018
Why it still holds upEvery spend is a risk to weigh, since coins are both your army's wages and the crown's safety, and the tension holds today.
Dec 5 · 23 years ago
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean 2003
Why it still holds upYou play a voice the characters answer to rather than the hero, and that still shapes every conversation.
Dec 15 · 39 years ago
Dungeon Master 1987
Why it still holds upEven now the dungeon rewards the effort of learning the rune system, which is part of the game.
Dec 6 · 24 years ago
Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue 2002
Why it still holds upChips drawn at random, and a customizer with little room, still make each fight a small puzzle today.
Dec 10 · 33 years ago
Bomberman '94 1993
Why it still holds upMazes, bombs and a fifth player on the PC Engine still make it a game to play together.
Dec 6 · 19 years ago
Lost Odyssey 2007
Why it still holds upTiming a ring press on every attack still keeps each turn something you do and not just choose.
Dec 28 · 22 years ago
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf 2004
Why it still holds upStepping out of the machine to drive a tank gives the war a new angle.
Dec 20 · 19 years ago
Final Fantasy IV 2007
Why it still holds upIts story and party of distinct fighters still have a place for anyone looking for a role-playing game now.
Dec 6 · 13 years ago
Gran Turismo 6 2013
Why it still holds upA slider that sets the time of day still lets you race the same track in a different light.
Dec 11 · 29 years ago
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile 1997
Why it still holds upEvery fight still has a second use, with a grabbed enemy that is both weapon and springboard.
Dec 19 · 8 years ago
On sale
Atom RPG 2018
Why it still holds upA Soviet wasteland after a nuclear war gives the journey a flavor of its own today.
Dec 15 · 21 years ago
Tales of the Abyss 2005
Why it still holds upIt still gives battles more to do than trading blows, with the freedom to run anywhere and the ground to turn into an upgrade.
Dec 18 · 28 years ago
Mario Party 1998
Why it still holds upEach turn still has a chance at a swing, in a board game that ends every turn with a minigame.
Dec 6 · 30 years ago
PaRappa the Rapper 1996
Why it still holds upEach stage uses a different music genre and is built around one rap, so every song asks for its own timing and still feels distinct today.
Dec 29 · 21 years ago
Dead or Alive 4 2005
Why it still holds upGood timing is rewarded in every match, so a quick fight is still easy to enjoy.
Dec 14 · 26 years ago
Dark Cloud 2000
Why it still holds upA weapon that can break for good still makes every dungeon something you plan.
Dec 12 · 25 years ago
Geneforge 2001
Why it still holds upA world with no single right side leaves the choices to you.
Dec 7 · 26 years ago
Giants: Citizen Kabuto 2000
Why it still holds upThree races with three styles are a reason to try each in turn, and that holds today.
Dec 3 · 30 years ago
Rage Racer 1996
Why it still holds upBuying and upgrading cars gives the races a long arc to climb.
Dec 4 · 8 years ago
On sale
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden 2018
Why it still holds upYou still choose where a fight begins, which makes every encounter a planned one.
Dec 22 · 10 years ago
On sale
RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic 2016
Why it still holds upThe coasters still make it worth playing: they are yours to design piece by piece, and the park has to pay for them.
Dec 20 · 10 years ago
On sale
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero 2016
Why it still holds upEven now, what was out of reach on a first pass becomes a reason to replay a stage.
Dec 23 · 20 years ago
The Blackwell Legacy 2006
Why it still holds upA small, character driven mystery is still a good way to spend an evening.
Dec 23 · 28 years ago
Starsiege: Tribes 1998
Dec 2 · 32 years ago
Breath of Fire II 1994
Why it still holds upToday, a Monster Meter that warns you of fights lets you decide how far to push on.
Dec 4 · 25 years ago
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 2001
Why it still holds upOne big connected world to explore is still on offer here today.
Dec 3 · 55 years ago
The Oregon Trail 1971
Why it still holds upPlanning a trip that can go wrong is a lesson that still holds today.
Dec 7 · 11 years ago
Dirt Rally 2015
Why it still holds upCareful driving is still rewarded here: grip changes under the wheels, the co-driver calls each corner, and every stage is learned by listening.
Dec 5 · 14 years ago
Yakuza 5 2012
Why it still holds upEach of the five characters has their own side activities, which still spread the game out.
Dec 21 · 20 years ago
Ys Origin 2006
Why it still holds upA run takes roughly six to eight hours, short enough to fit all three characters in now.
Dec 19 · 24 years ago
Panzer Dragoon Orta 2002
Why it still holds upThere is still a new direction to check on every level, with a radar to read and enemies on every side.
Dec 17 · 33 years ago
Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck 1993
Why it still holds upKicking blocks to make bridges or find treasure still gives each stage a little puzzle to solve.
Dec 1 · 27 years ago
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense 1999
Why it still holds upFor car combat among friends, it is still a good time.
Dec 14 · 25 years ago
Mega Man Battle Network 2 2001
Why it still holds upShaping your own set of chips is still what it rewards today.
Dec 20 · 30 years ago
Wild Arms 1996
Why it still holds upIf you like a Western flavor in your fantasy, this game still offers one.
Dec 28 · 28 years ago
Myth II: Soulblighter 1998
Why it still holds upA battle where every unit counts gives each level the feel of a puzzle.