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.
Games that still hold up today
Timeless games worth playing today
Games
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.
Aquaria 2007
Why it still holds upExploring the sea is still a puzzle of what to try where, because songs are built from notes and forms open new barriers.
King's Bounty: The Legend 2008
Why it still holds upReplacing squadrons with gold after a loss turns every fight into a decision about what it will cost, which still gives its tactics weight.
Bayonetta 2009
Why it still holds upA dodge rewarded with a slow moment to strike, and a grade at the end of each fight, still give a reason to fight every battle better today.
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect 2005
Why it still holds upWith the campaign, its unlockable modes and a level maker together, there is still far more to play here today than the story alone.
Monument Valley II 2017
Why it still holds upSingle screen perspective puzzles with simple touch controls, and a new idea in every level instead of a reused one, still keep each screen worth solving today.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within 2004
Why it still holds upA rewind that undoes a fatal mistake, and portals between two eras, let you recover from a wrong jump and plan a route, so the acrobatics are easy to retry today.
The Last Guardian 2016
Why it still holds upA creature that has to be worked with, not simply ordered, still gives each puzzle its own pace today.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 2019
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a world that opens as you pick up tools, and dungeons you can build yourself.
Full Throttle 1995
Why it still holds upOne menu for every action, and dialogue where you pick the answer, still keep the adventure easy to get into today.
Jurassic Park 1993
Why it still holds upA hunt that makes its biggest dinosaur something to dodge, not to shoot, still gives each level some tension today.
Pokémon Sapphire Version 2002
Why it still holds upDouble battles and abilities still give team building more to think about today.
Sonic the Hedgehog 1991
Why it still holds upEvery run is a mix of momentum and caution, with rings that protect you from one hit and slopes that carry your speed, and it plays that way still.
Total War: Warhammer 2016
Why it still holds upFactions built on different rules still make every campaign a different way to wage war today.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes 2015
Why it still holds upSaying out loud what is on the bomb is the only way to share it, so every round is a conversation under pressure that suits a group today.
Papers, Please 2013
Why it still holds upHolding the day's rules in your head while a line of travelers waits still turns each shift into a small puzzle of speed and care.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 2005
Why it still holds upEven now, souls you can swap and a castle that opens as you find items give you reasons to explore every room.
Pokémon Black Version 2 2012
Why it still holds upA journey with this much around it, and a harder way to play it again, still leaves plenty to do after the story today.
Gyakuten Kenji 2 2011
Also known as Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit
Why it still holds upCombining clues and pressing witnesses in turn makes each case a chain of deductions you work out yourself, which is still a pleasure.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land 2011
Also known as Kirby's Adventure Wii
Why it still holds upFour players can drop in and everyone shares the lives, so it is still easy to pick up with friends or family.
SoulCalibur 1998
Why it still holds upEight way movement, a forgiving input buffer and Guard Impact still let you step around an opponent or turn their attack against them today.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 1993
Why it still holds upChoosing exactly what to ask each person, one day at a time, still makes the investigation a slow puzzle of listening today.
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance 2005
Why it still holds upPermanent losses and support bonuses between fighters who talk make each unit someone you plan to keep alive, and that tension is still there.
Mafia II 2010
Why it still holds upToday you still get a period feel from a city dressed in cars and music of its years, with cars that handle differently on ice.
Space Rangers 2: Dominators 2004
Why it still holds upThe main goal can be ignored for exploration, trade and side quests, so a new game can still be played your own way today.
Worms World Party 2001
Why it still holds upA map that every shot reshapes still makes a match with friends lively today.
Rocket League 2015
Why it still holds upFootball played with cars that can fly still gives every match something new to try 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.
Forza Horizon 2012
Why it still holds upA road map where the next race is always close still makes it easy to pick up today.
Returnal 2021
Why it still holds upLayouts and weapons that change every time, and fights that keep asking you to read and dodge, still make each run worth starting today.
Star Control II 1992
Why it still holds upAn open galaxy, crossed by talking as much as by fighting, still makes each session worth playing 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.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth 2014
Why it still holds upFloors where roaming foes have to be dodged still make each one a puzzle of routes and timing today.
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium 1993
Why it still holds upFights that reward combining a party, and a story told clearly in comic panels, still make it easy to follow today.
Mega Man ZX Advent 2007
Why it still holds upBringing the right form to each new boss, from forms taken off the last ones, still gives it variety today.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker 2018
Why it still holds upEven now, a kingdom you run through advisors, and combat you can pause or play turn by turn, give you two kinds of decisions to make.
Machinarium 2009
Why it still holds upPuzzles stay in one place and the world is told without words, so each room is a self contained riddle that is easy to dip into now.
Into the Breach 2018
Why it still holds upEach battle is still worth working through, as the Vek show their next attack and every turn becomes a puzzle of where to move and what to hit.
Ikaruga 2001
Why it still holds upEven now, a single polarity switch that turns bullets from danger into ammunition makes every screen a puzzle of order and timing.
Faith 2017
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a cross as your only defense and a priest who dies if attacked, which makes every demon something to avoid.
Mortal Kombat 2011
Why it still holds upA meter you build by blocking as well as attacking still makes every round a choice between spending now and saving for an X-ray.
Crusader Kings III 2020
Why it still holds upBecause it is played through people, it is still worth playing now: their skills, traits, marriages and rivals decide where a dynasty goes.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2003
Why it still holds upA hard jump that can be retried at once, by rewinding, still keeps its acrobatics easy to enjoy today.
Clannad 2004
Why it still holds upRoutes that unlock one another give a long read a structure that still pulls you forward today.
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 2009
Why it still holds upDoors that open only for the right combination of people make each puzzle also a decision about who goes where, so replaying it still pays off.
Heavy Rain 2010
Why it still holds upCharacters who can die, in a story that carries on without them, still give each decision weight today, and a second playthrough shows what changed.
We Love Katamari 2005
Why it still holds upRolling from the smallest things to the largest, an idea anyone gets at once, still makes every level easy to pick up today.