Apr 18
Portal 2 2011
Why it still holds upA few simple tools that combine keep producing new puzzles, and the writing and characters carry them, so it still plays well today.
2011 games that still hold up
Games
Apr 18
Portal 2 2011
Why it still holds upA few simple tools that combine keep producing new puzzles, and the writing and characters carry them, so it still plays well today.
Nov 11
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 2011
Why it still holds upToday the freedom still carries it: after a linear introduction you can go anywhere, and side quests range from short errands to adventures as long as the main story.
Oct 18
Batman: Arkham City 2011
Why it still holds upEach enemy type asks for a different answer and gliding between fights keeps the pace up, which keeps it worth playing today.
Jun 16
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D 2011
Why it still holds upIts dungeons still make a good case for playing today, a mix of puzzle rooms and mazes that test your memory, with controls that suit the 3DS.
Sep 22
Dark Souls 2011
Why it still holds upExploring still pays today, turning up items, shortcuts and hidden areas, and the slow, precise combat almost never ends in a cheap death.
Jan 25
Dead Space 2 2011
Why it still holds upIts atmosphere is why it still works: the lighting and the sound design keep you on edge from start to finish.
Nov
Minecraft: Java Edition 2011
Why it still holds upBecause nothing is required of you, a new world is whatever you decide to make of it, and that is what keeps it worth starting now.
May 17
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings 2011
Why it still holds upChoices with delayed consequences, and build choices that change how you fight, are the reasons to play it today.
Nov 1
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 2011
Why it still holds upIts set pieces blend climbing, shooting and escape in single sequences rather than separate modes, and that is why it is still worth playing now.
Aug 23
Deus Ex: Human Revolution 2011
Why it still holds upIt still rewards a visit for levels with several routes and fine environmental detail, and for its mix of stealth, combat and conversation.
Nov 17
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch 2011
Why it still holds upA long adventure built around collecting and training familiars still stands up today.
May 16
Terraria 2011
Why it still holds upA fresh world that keeps opening new areas, items and characters as you advance still makes exploring, digging and crafting pay off today.
Jul 20
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.
Nov 15
Rayman Origins 2011
Why it still holds upAbilities and play styles that keep arriving still give familiar platforming a new twist today, with controls that answer quickly.
May 17
L.A. Noire 2011
Why it still holds upWith interrogation as the core loop, reading faces and backing accusations with evidence, the detective work still rests on the cases rather than on shooting today.
Oct 21
Football Manager 2012 2011
Why it still holds upA very large, data driven career in which each save can run for hundreds of hours still gives every club its own long story today.
Mar 15
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.
Feb 3
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.
Oct 24
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.
Apr 19
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.
Aug 26
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.
Nov 1
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.
Sep 20
Gears of War 3 2011
Why it still holds upCover that can break, and a squad that has to stay together, still make each firefight a question of where to stand today.
Nov 18
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 2011
Why it still holds upEnemy defenses you answer with the direction of your swing, and a hub revisited with new goals, still make combat and exploring feel connected today.
Feb 24
Gemini Rue 2011
Why it still holds upThe investigation is still a puzzle of what each character knows, across two stories you move between.
Oct 11
Forza Motorsport 4 2011
Why it still holds upThere are still many ways to drive the same circuit, with a garage of that size.
Aug
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked 2011
Why it still holds upA clock, and events that exclude each other, still make each choice cost something.
Jan 18
LittleBigPlanet 2 2011
Why it still holds upA game that hands you the tools to make games still puts a maker behind every level today.
Apr 29
Virtua Tennis 4 2011
Why it still holds upEvery return is a small test of timing today: you time a first person swing yourself, and it is easy to pick up.
Dec
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 2011
Why it still holds upEquipment made from the monsters you hunt, and a village that grows from the same spoils, still give every hunt a use beyond itself.
Jun 7
Infamous 2 2011
Why it still holds upMoving through the city with the same powers you fight with ties traversal and combat together, as it still does.
Oct 12
The Blackwell Deception 2011
Why it still holds upAn investigation you assemble yourself, clue by clue, still draws you in today.
Dec 1
Mario Kart 7 2011
Why it still holds upGliding and underwater parts make the choice of kart parts matter on every track, which gives you reason to keep racing today.
Mar 15
Top Spin 4 2011
Why it still holds upChoosing which style to level up still gives your player a game of their own.
Nov 3
Super Mario 3D Land 2011
Why it still holds upEach stage still has a clear path with room to wander, in levels that run in a line while Mario moves in three dimensions.
Apr 5
Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game 2011
Why it still holds upA country of your choice in a world at war gives each campaign a different set of problems.
Jan 11
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition 2011
Why it still holds upEven now, the lock on turns a screen packed with bullets and enemies into targets to choose, and the clutter becomes something to read and plan around.
Oct 5
Pushmo 2011
Why it still holds upWith a rewind and a skip option, a spatial puzzle never turns into a wall, which makes it comfortable to pick up now.
SpaceChem 2011
Why it still holds upThe two waldos still make the answer a program, and a program can always be made shorter.
Jul 14
Star Fox 64 3D 2011
Why it still holds upEach mission is still a flight to master, steering with the stick or by tilting the console.
Mar 1
Fight Night Champion 2011
Why it still holds upA story mode built around boxing is a good reason to go a round again today.
Jul 13
Ms. Splosion Man 2011
Why it still holds upOne button and a lot of timing make each room a short test of reflexes.
Feb 26
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask 2011
Why it still holds upIt is an easy game to pick up for anyone who likes puzzles with hints on hand, and that holds today.
Dec 14
Avernum: Escape from the Pit 2011
Why it still holds upThe freedom still lets you take a cavern nation's quests in whatever order you find them.
Jun 21
La-Mulana 2011
Why it still holds upThe pits still punish a guess and reward the one who reads the walls first.
Sep 29
Wizorb 2011
Why it still holds upThere are more than 60 levels, and anyone who wants an absorbing afternoon of bricks and spells has a reason to play it today.
Oct 25
Battlefield 3 2011
Why it still holds upA map for every kind of vehicle is still a draw for a squad.
Jul 21
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.