Deadline 1982
Why it still holds upA cast that acts on its own still makes it feel like an investigation in progress today.
Games that still hold up today
Timeless games worth playing today
Games
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.
Dune 2000 1998
Why it still holds upA struggle over a desert planet's spice is an enduring setting for a strategy game, and it still makes a good starting point.
PixelJunk Shooter 2009
Why it still holds upA shooter where liquids are the puzzle still gives each cavern its own problem.
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium 1999
Why it still holds upTwo companies' fighters in one pocket game still make it easy to start a match.
Worms 2: Armageddon 2009
Why it still holds upTurn after turn of silly weapons still makes each match a scramble of jokes.
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.
Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends 2006
Why it still holds upThree races that play differently still make each campaign a new take.
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.
SoulCalibur III 2005
Why it still holds upCreating a fighter of your own and sending it on a story is still a good reason to pick it up today.
Mario Kart Wii 2008
Why it still holds upRaces that anyone in the room can join still make it a living room favorite.
Battlefield 3 2011
Why it still holds upA map for every kind of vehicle is still a draw for a squad.
Starflight 1986
Why it still holds upYou still pick your own route through the galaxy, so every captain's journey differs.
Jagged Alliance 1995
Why it still holds upThe hiring still means a war fought with the people you chose to pay, eight at a time.
Seven Kingdoms: Ancient Adversaries 1998
Why it still holds upThe spies still fight part of the war, by people pretending to be on the other side.
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.
The Way of the Exploding Fist 1985
Why it still holds upA match decided by two clean strikes is still a simple contest to follow today.
Atlantis 1982
Why it still holds upStart it today and three fixed guns, with a city that shrinks with every miss, turn each wave into a choice of which ship to shoot first.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI 2016
Why it still holds upA random world and several ways to win still make each campaign take a different path, so one more game is easy to start.
Raid over Moscow 1984
Why it still holds upA race against a missile launch clock is still a tense goal.
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.
Tetris DS 2006
Why it still holds upSix different ways to play Tetris give the block game plenty of variety now.
Rhythm Heaven Fever 2011
Why it still holds upA game that asks only for one button and good timing is still easy to pick up and hard to master.
Ms. Pac-Man 1982
Why it still holds upA maze that changes color between levels still gives a chase a new look today.
The Chessmaster 2000 1986
Why it still holds upA chess opponent from 1986 is still there to practice against today.
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge 2003
Why it still holds upSimple controls still put you straight into the dogfight.
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.
Secret of Evermore 1995
Why it still holds upAlchemy and weapons that recharge after each swing still make every fight a matter of choices today.
Toki 1989
Why it still holds upA spitting ape with a helmet has a charm that is still worth a look.
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.
Caesar III 1998
Why it still holds upA governor's job of keeping a city thriving is still on offer today.
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters 1991
Why it still holds upLevels that scroll every way and doors hiding shops still give each level places to look today.
Tropico 4 2011
Why it still holds upEight factions who cannot all be pleased still make every decision a balancing act today.
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.
Archon 1983
Why it still holds upA board game decided by arcade fights is the idea at its heart, and it is still intact.
FIFA 99 1998
Why it still holds upA football game with its own cups and an elite league is still a good one to bring out today.
Lunar Lander 1979
Why it still holds upLanding gently while the fuel runs out is a simple idea that is still tense today.
Descent 3 1999
Why it still holds upEach tunnel is still a question of orientation as well as combat, with movement in every direction.
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.