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These are the ten best retro games you can easily play right now on modern hardware
Author:
Dave Aubrey
Updated:
Original:
New games? Who needs them? They’re expensive, and they’re honestly more often disappointing than not. Instead of spending your hard-earned money on the latest release that might turn out to be rubbish, why not jump in with a guaranteed stone-cold classic?
Retro games are amazing, and in the modern day we’re lucky enough to have access to most of them at our fingertips, and in this guide we’re breaking down the titles you can access and start playing right now – on modern hardware, without any question of legality.
If you want to play a classic retro game, you should pick one from our list of the best old games you can play right now.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. is the classic, quintessential video game. You run from left to right while jumping on monsters and grabbing items. It’s sweet, it’s simple, and it just works so well.
If you ever feel the need to play the retro game, you can play Super Mario Bros. with Nintendo Switch Online.
Phantasy Star IV
The Sega Genesis (Mega Drive outside of the US) isn’t known for its library of RPGs like the SNES, but that doesn’t mean it has none. In fact, Phantasy Star IV is one of the best of the era. Dialogue is expressed with huge, detailed sprite art to illustrate the emotions characters feel in a way we never saw in SNES Final Fantasy games.
Free to play with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Zelda game that set the formula in stone, A Link to the Past does everything right. Modern fans might not love the muted color palette and old-school sprite art, but the adventure is basically perfect. Kakariko Village, The Lost Woods, Hyrule Castle, all of the Zelda staples are here, and it’s worth going back to see how it all really started.
Also available to play with the Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo only had two true 3D platformers of his own, and yet that legacy cemented his place in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate decades later. It’s because the music, the visuals, the atmosphere, and the personality of Banjo-Kazooie is unlike any other platformer of the era, and hasn’t really been replicated since, as much as fans and the original development team themselves have tried.
You can play the original with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, or the excellent Xbox 360 port with Xbox Game Pass or Rare Replay.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Morrowind is still often considered, by the most hardcore fans, to be the best Elder Scrolls game. The world is mysterious, the atmosphere is oppressively thick, and it’s a tough game to get to grips with. But if you learn to survive and thrive in the world of Morrowind, then you’re in for a gaming experience that hasn’t been outdone since.
Available to play with Xbox Game Pass.
Perfect Dark
One of Rare’s best N64 titles, Perfect Dark acts as the sequel to the iconic Goldeneye 007 in pretty much every way. An extensive campaign with optional objectives, and a bulky multiplayer mode that can keep you and your friends entertained for hours.
You should definitely play the brilliant Xbox 360 port for this as part of Xbox Game Pass or Rare Replay, especially since it includes online multiplayer functionality. Coerce some of your friends into getting online with this gem.
Ape Escape
The apes have escaped! Catch them! It’s a simple concept, and it can lead to hours of fun.
One of the best PS1 games you can play as part of the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription.
Dark Cloud
A PS2 classic, Dark Cloud is a town-building JRPG which sees you delving deep into a mysterious cave in order to find resources to let your town flourish once again. A solid JRPG from now-beloved developer of Professor Layton, Ni no Kuni, and more, Level-5.
Dark Cloud and its sequel are also available on PlayStation Plus Premium.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Garou: Mark of the Wolves is still currently the latest game in the Fatal Fury fighting franchise, lead by King of Fighters veteran Terry Bogard. Mark of the Wolves shows the next generation of that series, and now we know there’s a direct sequel to this game in development right now. Best jump back into the last title to catch up!
The PS2 version of the game is available to play via PlayStation Plus Premium, and the Steam version has been updated with modern rollback netcode for online player.
Persona 4 Golden
Finally, we have Persona 4 Golden, which is still considered to be fairly modern. Listen, it’s originally a PS2 game, okay? This is the game that really blew the Persona series up, and it has now eclipsed its mother franchise, Shin Megami Tensei. Plus, Persona 4 Golden now has a nice remaster available along with Persona 3 Portable.
You can now play Persona 4 Golden with Xbox Game Pass, though it’s also available on other systems.
Kuru Kuru Kururin
A fresh addition to the Nintendo Switch Online library of retro games, Kuru Kuru Kururin was never officially launched in North America. That's a crying shame, because this action puzzle game is genuinely great. You guide a rod-shaped ship through an obstacle course as it constantly rotates. If you remember the FMV game Roundabout from a few years back, you basically get the concept, only it's a fair bit more focused and tough here. If you can beat the record times on each stage, you're a real gamer.
Pulseman
Pulseman is a rare game - a Game Freak title released before the original Pokémon games. A Genesis/Mega Drive exclusive, Pulseman is a fun 2D platformer which has a few similarities to Mega Man. Even now it's well worth jumping back in time and seeing Game Freak and Ken Sugimori's influence all over Pulseman, and it's easier than ever thanks to a recent inclusion in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
