Best Retro Games

I'm a big fan of retro games. This article includes a selection of what I consider to be the best retro games, with a description of each one.

My Favourite Retro Game: Nethack

It's hard for me to choose a favourite retro game but Nethack is the game which I have played most and which remains most fixed in my memory.

Part of Nethack's enduring charm is that it can be replayed infinitely. Each level of the game is randomly generated so no two games are the same. It's a very versatile retro game.

Nethack is one of the original hack-and-slash rpg games. By original I really mean original: Nethack is so retro that it still doesn't have graphics. You heard me right: instead of monsters, it uses symbols such as letters from the alphabet.

This may sound sucky in principle, but in practise the retro nature of this game doesn't really cause it problems. It's like a book: would you eschew it just because it's less high tech than a film?

You have to play Nethack to really get a feel for why it's so popular and such an enduring retro game. I really think it's the best.

To read more check out this article on my website: 9 Life Lessons From Nethack and/or the Nethack official website where you can download the game for free.

The Second Best Retro Game In The Universe: Worms

Worms is my second favourite retro game. It's 2D too, but unlike Nethack the graphics, in all their cartoony glory, are actually quite attractive.

Worms is a turn-based game which is the very best for multiplayer gaming.

It's hard to say how to describe it. Maybe that's the bane of this article: all the best retro games are so original they defy description.

But let's just say it's a game where you pit a team of worms against other teams. You have a variety of weapons which you need to use both skilfully and strategically. The versatility of the game means that there are a lot of possible playing styles, and people can focus on learning skill or being masters of strategy, as they so desire. Hah, if I thought I had an audience for my work I might write a strategy guide to this awesome retro game. The depth of strategy that can be used rivals chess but with extra funness. I hope this game never, ever gets forgotten.

There are lots of versions of worms, and 3D versions keep getting made today, but the best version was “Worms World Party”. You can buy it very cheaply from Amazon here.

The Third Best Retro Game: Lemmings

Another 2D game, I think this one existed back in 1995. It's an absolutely classic puzzle game. What can I say? Lemmings is the best, funnest puzzle game there is. I'm not sure there's anything more to say. It's engaging and challenging and very rewarding. A great brain workout.

It's also great for people who like non-violent retro games, as the aim of each level is to save peaceful, defenseless lemmings from an otherwise certain death.

You can download it for free and also check out the sidebar to buy versions for the PSP and other consoles on Amazon. I've also included Lemmings Paintball in the sidebar, a sequel to the original which is very different, but which I enjoyed a lot too.

The Best Retro Shooter Games

My favourite shooter games are retro ones. The passage of time makes them suffer a little more than other games because of their graphics, but their gameplay is so stunning that they are still worth your while.

Half Life

The first shooter game I ever played, and still one of my favourites, is “Half Life”. It's one of the most popular games ever made and one of the most acclaimed, too. You can download its demo here, which is a great stand alone game in its own right.

The strength of this game, well one of its strengths, is the setting and storyline. It's an engaging immersion in one man's fight to survive a disaster in an underground research complex. And the aliens are incredibly believable, too :)

There's a sequel to Half-Life which is also incredibly awesome, but the original is well worth a play. If you have time to burn, play through the series starting with the original.

Max Payne

Speaking of Retro Shooters, I also love “Max Payne”. It's a moody, incredibly aesthetic game based on the Film Noir style. That is, it's dark. It plays like the adapation of a very dark, very stylish comic.

It also has absolutely amazing gameplay, being the first game ever to allow you to slow down the passage of time as you tackle enemies (“bullet time”). This is a really fun, exciting thing to do.

The game has a balance of difficulty and ease which hits just the spot for me, and is engaging from beginning to end. Don't play a modern shooter game until you've tried it.

Final Mention For Best Retro Game: Heroes of Might And Magic III

Heroes of Might And Magic III is the best installment of the retro Heroes series. It's a great game for multiplayer gaming. It's a turn-based game, a funky fusion of strategy and RPG.

The rich RPG elements of this game make it very interesting, though I find it gets tired after a lot of playing. Worth trying out, though. It's fun.

Wrapping Up Best Retro Games

So that's all. I hope these recommendations have brought you to some good retro games. If you want to read more from me, check out my blog: Andrew Gubb's Blog - Indigo Children and Adults, Lightworkers, and Saving The World

You can also find more articles from me on this site by clicking on the link on the sidebar that says “more from this author”. Thanks for reading!