Metal Gear Solid 1998
Why it still holds upSeeing and being seen are still the whole game today, and an art style that works with the hardware's limits keeps it looking and playing well.
1990s games on sale
Games that still hold up, discounted today
Games
Metal Gear Solid 1998
Why it still holds upSeeing and being seen are still the whole game today, and an art style that works with the hardware's limits keeps it looking and playing well.
Fallout 2 1998
Why it still holds upThere are so many branching paths that it takes a long time to see everything, which is the reason to play it now.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings 1999
Why it still holds upIts deliberate pace is why it still plays well: it scales so that players of any skill can choose the speed they are comfortable with.
Doom 1993
Why it still holds upIts level design and its atmosphere are why it is worth playing now: each maze is a place you learn, and the claustrophobic rooms keep the pace fast.
Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game 1997
Why it still holds upA build that counts in every conversation and every fight is still the reason to play it today.
Mega Man X 1993
Why it still holds upPrecise controls and bosses with distinct movement patterns, where beating one changes how you fight the others, make it worth playing now.
System Shock 1994
Why it still holds upWeapons that suit different enemies, and cameras you can disable to lower SHODAN's security level, still leave the station open to your own plan today.
Resident Evil 2 1998
Why it still holds upScarce ammo and limited saves force routing decisions, and four scenarios retell one story, which is the reason to play it now.
Shenmue 1999
Why it still holds upA Yokosuka where characters have their own models, voices and routines, and shops and buses keep schedules, still invites exploring today.
Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines 1998
Why it still holds upCommandos die easily when shot, so visible vision cones and a small squad of specialists still make each mission a planning puzzle today.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time 1992
Why it still holds upNon stop co op brawling with distinct characters and varied boss fights still makes it quick to enjoy with a friend today.
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares 1996
Why it still holds upCustom race design, several routes to victory and ship by ship tactical combat still make each game start differently today.
Out of This World 1991
Also known as Another World
Why it still holds upBecause everything is learned from the world, with checkpoints close together to keep instant deaths manageable, it still teaches itself as you play today.
Anno 1602: Creation of a New World 1998
Why it still holds upDemands that keep rising, with trade between islands holding it together, still drive the economy today.
Quake III Arena 1999
Why it still holds upWeapons with clear roles and feedback that makes them feel good still give every match a readable rhythm today.
Worms Armageddon 1999
Why it still holds upA large arsenal in which each weapon behaves differently still makes every match different today.
X-COM: UFO Defense 1994
Also known as UFO: Enemy Unknown
Why it still holds upTwo linked layers, where what you research and capture changes your options in battle, and no one strategy that always wins, still invite experimenting today.
The Longest Journey 1999
Why it still holds upThe slow pace of an adventure still suits clues that come from conversations and places, as each puzzle is a matter of paying attention.
Mega Man X4 1997
Why it still holds upTwo heroes built so differently still make each stage a different problem today, and a second playthrough feels new.
Street Fighter II 1991
Why it still holds upEach match still comes down today to special moves and spacing between two people.
Contra: Hard Corps 1994
Why it still holds upDifferent characters and different routes still give each new run its own shape today.
Mega Man X2 1994
Why it still holds upBosses that are weak to each other's weapons make the order you choose the main puzzle, so a second run is still worth a try.
Quake II 1997
Why it still holds upToday the campaign gives you a structure that is clear to follow, with mission objectives and a hub to move between large levels.
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror 1997
Why it still holds upDescriptions on a right click, and conversation trees that give hints, still tell you what to try next.
Quake 1996
Why it still holds upFull 3D levels, enemies with distinct roles and rocket jumping still make exploring and fighting feel like one thing today.
Circle of Blood 1996
Also known as Broken Sword
Why it still holds upQuestioning every character and finding clues in your own inventory still makes each scene a small investigation today.
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Why it still holds upIt still plays as a careful puzzle platformer: rescued Mudokons follow your commands and checkpoints are the only saves.
Metal Slug 1996
Why it still holds upAnimation that answers everything you do still gives each level its pace today.
Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge 1990
Why it still holds upEleven races and fourteen professions still let a party be built in many ways today, which gives a long dungeon crawl its replay.
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus 1998
Why it still holds upAllies in different moods that need different handling make each rescue a small puzzle of its own, and the variety still lasts.
Ultima VII: The Black Gate 1992
Why it still holds upA world made of objects to move, stack and use still gives it something to poke at today.
Master of Orion 1993
Why it still holds upA game of conquest is still a puzzle of priorities: every colony is a choice between growth, defense and research on a slider.
Master of Magic 1994
Why it still holds upA choice of magic made at the start, on a world drawn fresh each time, still shapes every campaign today.
Sanitarium 1998
Why it still holds upWith no game over, and chapters that each change the look and mood, it is still easy to follow into every new place.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 1999
Why it still holds upCoasters laid one piece at a time, and guests whose needs you have to place for, still let you build a park to your own plan today.
Knights and Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom 1998
Why it still holds upA medieval economy of roads and carried goods still gives anyone who likes managing details plenty to manage today.
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.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst 1997
Why it still holds upA vaguely explained goal and cursors that tell you what a click will do still make exploring each place a matter of observing.
Homeworld 1999
Why it still holds upA fleet that has to last the whole campaign, moving in three dimensions, still makes every battle in space worth planning today.
Flashback: The Quest for Identity 1992
Why it still holds upEven now, a hero with human limits and a shield for health makes every drop and jump a measured risk.
Sid Meier's Colonization 1994
Why it still holds upColonists you can train into specialists, and prices in Europe that keep moving, still turn every colony into a small economy to tune on the road to independence.
Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor 1999
Why it still holds upToday, classes that cap each skill make the party you choose shape what it can become.
Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom 1996
Why it still holds upChoices made on the carrier still make every sortie a trade between risk and supply today.
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.
Pilot Brothers 1997
Why it still holds upA pair of detectives who take turns in a zoo case is a way to play a puzzle story that is still easy to follow today.
Windjammers 1994
Why it still holds upA rally that gets faster with every throw still makes each point a test of reflexes today.
Disney's DuckTales 2 1993
Why it still holds upYou can still plan your own route, tackling levels in any order and revisiting them with new gear.
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