Spiritfarer 2020
Side-view games that still hold up
Everything in profile, and usually heading right
Games
Spiritfarer 2020
Sam & Max Hit the Road 1993
Why it still holds upPuzzles that ask you to collect items and combine them with scattered objects, in a tourist trap setting that cannot dead end, still let you explore at your own pace today.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes 2000
Why it still holds upTeams of three with a call in assist and a snapback that forces a switch still turn each match into a puzzle of who is on screen today.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition 2009
Why it still holds upPuzzles where no choice is wrong, and a presentation you can switch back to the original at any time, still make the adventure easy to explore today.
Tetris Effect 2018
Why it still holds upRotating, clearing and scoring trigger audio cues, and the music sets the pace of the falling pieces, so learning how each song changes the pace still gives every stage a rhythm to master today.
Dragon Ball FighterZ 2018
Why it still holds upOne button attacks are part of real combat, basic combos are easy to land and advanced combos take practice, and shared basic inputs across the roster still let new players start without long tutorials today.
Worms Armageddon 1999
Why it still holds upA large arsenal in which each weapon behaves differently still makes every match different 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.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 1994
Why it still holds upA second player who flies and swims as Tails shares the same stages, so it is still a game for two.
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.
Duck Game 2014
Why it still holds upOne hit kills and simple controls still let a round be learned in seconds today, so it is quick to start.
Child of Light 2014
Why it still holds upA firefly that slows enemies and heals allies, and a surprise strike for whoever reaches an enemy's back first, still give every battle a small tactical choice.
Cave Story 2004
Why it still holds upWeapons that lose levels when you are hit still make every fight about avoiding damage today.
Mortal Kombat 11 2019
Why it still holds upEven now, slower movement and fixed inputs for every character make each match a matter of careful positioning.
Maniac Mansion 1987
Why it still holds upParties that change which puzzles can be solved still make a second run different today.
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight 2016
Why it still holds upA leaf for melee, a bow for range and a boss in every area give it a simple rhythm of exploring and then fighting that is easy to learn even now.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 2008
Why it still holds upA damage percentage that decides who flies off, with four control schemes, still makes a match easy to start today.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992
Why it still holds upRings you can win back and acts built around a ride give it a pace of its own, and six hidden emeralds still give a reason to search every act.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload 2003
Why it still holds upThe fighting system is why it is worth playing now: each character plays differently, and the same gauges turn every exchange into a choice between attacking, defending and cancelling.
Metal Slug 1996
Why it still holds upAnimation that answers everything you do still gives each level its pace today.
Elasto Mania 2000
Why it still holds upA bike that springs over the terrain still makes every level a puzzle of route and balance today.
Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge 2010
Why it still holds upA new player can still try every verb on every object without worry, because you cannot die in it.
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.
Unavowed 2018
Why it still holds upCompanions who change what you can say and solve make each mission worth replaying with a different party today.
Donkey Kong Country Returns 2010
Why it still holds upAfter eight lives are lost in one level, a Super Guide lets a computer controlled Super Kong complete it, so a hard level can still be finished.
Street Fighter II' Turbo 1993
Why it still holds upThe speed setting still lets you choose the pace you want to play at, and a faster game with more special moves makes each match about timing.
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R 2012
Why it still holds upReading your opponent is the contest today, as throws can be broken and a parry shortens block stun.
Toonstruck 1996
Why it still holds upWith nothing to lose, trying every item on every character is still the way to play it today.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night 2019
Why it still holds upWith every defeated enemy a possible new skill, exploring still pays off today.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2014
Why it still holds upPartners with different moves, and help bought in a shop, still let you choose how hard a level is for you today.
Edna & Harvey: Harvey's New Eyes 2011
Why it still holds upWith so little interface in the way, the puzzles are still about what to combine today.
Lemmings 2: The Tribes 1993
Why it still holds upEach level is a puzzle about who to spare, with skills you have to ration and levels that need several lemmings to survive, and it absorbs you today.
Lethal League Blaze 2018
Why it still holds upA ball that keeps speeding up, and a match that ends when only one player is left, make each rally a test of nerve today.
SteamWorld Dig 2 2017
Why it still holds upDigging down for resources and coming back to spend them makes every trip a loop of risk and reward today, with a choice of how far to go each time.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii 2009
Why it still holds upIt is friendly to play with a group now: a Super Guide helps with hard levels and bubbles bring back fallen players.
SoulCalibur II 2002
Why it still holds upEach exchange is a read of what your opponent will try, since the guard system answers each height of attack, and that keeps it worth playing today.