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Top-down and isometric games that still hold up

The whole board in view, from somewhere above it

441 games · page 2 of 10

Pikmin 2 2004 Why it still holds upA day that always runs short, with randomly built caves below it, still makes every trip a set of choices today.
Bastion 2011 Why it still holds upA narrator who reacts to your path, loadout and retries, and idols that adjust the difficulty, still keep every system answering you today.
Transistor 2014 Why it still holds upWith so many ways to combine functions, the choice of build and of which enemy to hit first still matters today.
Final Fantasy IV 1991 Why it still holds upCharacters with fixed roles who join and leave the party make the story and the combat change together, and that still shapes every battle today.
Dungeon Keeper 1997 Why it still holds upIndirect control of creatures that have to be paid, trained and kept content means the dungeon is still run rather than commanded today.
Total War: Shogun 2 2011 Why it still holds upWith so many of these pulling on the result, each war is still a plan of many parts today.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages 2001 Why it still holds upWith the same map in two ages, puzzles are solved by changing something in the past and walking through the present, and that still gives each area two layers to work out today.
SimCity 1989 Why it still holds upAn open ended toy with no end state, where the city responds to zoning, taxes and infrastructure, still leaves you to set your own goals today.
Chrono Cross 1999 Why it still holds upGrowth that comes from bosses instead of grinding, and a stamina bar for each action, still keep every battle worth thinking about today.
The Banner Saga 3 2018 Why it still holds upTwo caravans, with a clock ticking on one of them, make every choice a decision about how to spend your time, and that pressure is still there for a new player.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2020 Why it still holds upAn island that follows the real seasons and takes the shape you give it is still the reason to come back a little every day.
Secret of Mana 1993 Why it still holds upA party that fights beside you, alone or with friends, and a menu that pauses the action still keep fights simple to manage today.
Desperados III 2020 Why it still holds upToday every level is still a puzzle with many answers, because each character's tools combine with the others'.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising 2003 Why it still holds upA meter that offers a small power often or a super power later makes you choose when to spend it, and every battle today carries that choice.
Pharaoh 1999 Why it still holds upA city whose every need leads to another still keeps it worth tending today.
Trials of Mana 1995 Why it still holds upThere is still more than one way to play through it, with six characters and class changes that split into light or dark paths.
Harvest Moon 64 1999 Why it still holds upSeasons and animals that ask for something every day still give each year a plan to follow today.
To the Moon 2011 Why it still holds upWith no combat and no inventory, the puzzles are about what you notice in the memories, so the story keeps your attention today.
Age of Mythology 2002 Why it still holds upEach age advance is a choice about what you want to be able to do, because gods grant a power you can use once, and that still keeps its strategy fresh.
Off 2008 Why it still holds upThe fights still play at a rhythm of their own, with cooldowns instead of turns and elements made of materials.
Jagged Alliance 2 1999 Why it still holds upSquads built around who gets along with whom, and towns you can attack from any side, still make each choice of mercenary a commitment today.

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