The Battle of Polytopia 2016
Why it still holds upA short turn limit and a single resource to spend suit a short session today, since each game is a quick set of choices about what to unlock first.
Games that still hold up today
Timeless games worth playing today
Games
The Battle of Polytopia 2016
Why it still holds upA short turn limit and a single resource to spend suit a short session today, since each game is a quick set of choices about what to unlock first.
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.
Colin McRae Rally 2.0 2000
Why it still holds upRacing real rally cars through special stages still makes each stage a fight against the clock.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land 2002
Why it still holds upCopy abilities that turn each enemy into a possible power still keep every stage open to a different way of playing.
Ratchet & Clank 2002
Why it still holds upA pile of strange weapons to buy and find still gives every fight a new toy to try today.
Shogun: Total War 2000
Why it still holds upEach campaign is still a different path, since clans start almost equal but lean different ways.
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.
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.
Medieval: Total War 2002
Why it still holds upEach reign still has a place in a bigger story, since the campaign follows history and factions arrive on schedule.
The End Is Nigh 2017
Why it still holds upWith each screen a small, separate problem, it still suits playing in short bursts today.
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon 1994
Why it still holds upYou are still the one searching a 3D world for clues, at your own pace.
Star Fox 1993
Why it still holds upEveryone still becomes a careful flyer, since a clipped obstacle can break a wing off your ship.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time 2020
Why it still holds upPlayed today, the platforming is the draw, with the masks and the other characters changing what each jump asks of you.
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.
Steins;Gate 0 2015
Why it still holds upToday, a story that turns on whether you answer a call gives small choices weight.
Last Window: The Secret of Cape West 2010
Why it still holds upQuestioning you can choose to skip, and a novel that fills in each chapter, still reward patience.
Mega Man Zero 3 2004
Why it still holds upZero still has a reason to aim in every direction, with a rod that doubles as a pogo stick.
Pokémon Black Version 2010
Why it still holds upCollecting a team and growing it battle by battle is a simple loop that works now as well as it did.
Yakuza 4 2010
Why it still holds upToday, a city full of side activities gives the story somewhere to stop and play.
Championship Manager 4 2003
Why it still holds upAs a snapshot of the series at a turning point, it is still worth a look today.
Rock Band 2007
Why it still holds upA whole band on screen and in the room still makes each song something played together today.
Fistful of Frags 2014
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.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 2008
Why it still holds upYou still assemble your powers yourself, equipping and swapping glyphs.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2003
Why it still holds upEach fight is still fresh, since random limits change every battle and make you adapt your plan.
Startopia 2001
Why it still holds upRunning a station by setting things up, with aliens you cannot order around, still makes every layout a test today.
MechWarrior Online 2013
Legend of Legaia 1998
Why it still holds upPlayers who enjoy planning combos will find in it a game that holds their attention now.
Gods Will Be Watching 2014
Why it still holds upEach chapter is a hard decision about who and what to save: choices cannot be taken back and every chapter has a time limit, so the dilemmas weigh today.
Split/Second 2010
Why it still holds upBecause clean driving fills the meter, every drift you hold is also a trap you are saving for the driver ahead, and it races well today.
Tekken 5 2005
Why it still holds upMoves that slip past low attacks still give each match a layer of tactics today, with a fighter dressed your own way.
Dragon Warrior IV 1990
Also known as Dragon Quest IV
Why it still holds upFive chapters with different leads still let the story be told from several sides.
Vandal Hearts 1996
Why it still holds upLosing your leader means a defeat, so protecting him is still part of every plan.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend 2014
Why it still holds upA roster that grew by nine characters and a reworked Overdrive system still give you plenty to learn.
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege 2004
Why it still holds upStriking just before the enemy does still turns every fight into a matter of timing.
Skate 2007
Why it still holds upIt still feels like skating with your hands, since tricks come from the way you move the stick.
Legend of Grimrock 2 2014
Why it still holds upA grid you cross one step at a time, with puzzles as much as fights, still makes each room something to study.
Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland 2009
Why it still holds upEach outing still gets a plan, with enemies you see before you meet them and ingredients to gather.
Tooth and Tail 2017
Why it still holds upSix units chosen before the match still make each game a bet on one plan today.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite 2008
Why it still holds upThere is still plenty to chase in the hunts, with more quests, more gear and a Felyne fighter at your side.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 2017
Why it still holds upFive levels to a room and a crystal in each give it a rhythm of short goals, and the time trials give every level a reason to be run again today.
Valkyrie Profile 1999
Why it still holds upEach outing still has two rhythms, platforming through a dungeon and then switching to battle.
Vagrant Story 2000
Why it still holds upChains that raise your risk, and gear that counts for more than levels, still make each fight a trade between risk and reward today.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 2019
Why it still holds upWeather still has a part in every mission, because clouds hide targets and ice your wings.
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.
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.
Tekken 6 2007
Why it still holds upEven now, Rage that turns a losing position into a threat keeps matches open until the last hit.