Game Lists » 100 Retro Games That You Should Absolutely Play

100 Retro Games That You Should Absolutely PlayA list of 100 games created by xtremetoxicguy on 27th March 2017

EarthBound (USA) SNES
	EarthBound is a 1994 role-playing game starring a young boy named Ness on his quest to save the world. The game--and the other games in the series--have become cult phenomena with a very large, dedicated fanbase. View Game
Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (World) Genesis
	The concluding sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the only Sega Genesis game to feature lock-on technology (allowing players to play as Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the ability to combine it with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 into one big adventure). View Game
Secret of Mana (USA) SNES
	There is one force in the universe that keeps good and evil in perfect balance. It is called the Tree of Mana. But a magic sword has tricked a young warrior into upsetting this balance, spreading evil through the land. View Game
Super Mario Bros. 3 (USA) NES
	Super Mario Bros. 3 sends Mario on a whole new adventure across diverse worlds and sporting strange new suits and abilities. View Game
Kirby's Adventure (USA) NES
	Kirby's Adventure is a platformer that was released late in the NES's lifespan. In this game, Kirby must retrieve the broken Star Rod pieces in order to restore everyones' dream. View Game
Final Fantasy VII (E) (Disc 1) PSX
	A young man's quest to save the world and exact revenge upon the man who wronged him, uncovering dark secrets about his past along the way in the most celebrated JRPG of all time. View Game
Final Fantasy III (USA) SNES
	Originally released as Final Fantasy III in North America, Final Fantasy VI follows a diverse group of heroes as they fight to defeat Kefka, a megalomaniac intent on using a combination of long-lost magic and technology to take over the world. View Game
Mega Man 2 (USA) NES
	First released in 1989, Mega Man 2 once again pits Mega Man and Dr. Light against the evil Dr. Wily and his mechanical creations. An influential title, it introduced E-tanks, a password system, and the series standard of eight Robot Masters. View Game
Contra (USA) NES
	Contra is famous for its fast-paced, gritty, old-school action. View Game
Legend of Zelda, The (USA) NES
	A young boy explores a huge overworld filled with enemies and dungeons to find and rescue Princess Zelda from the evil Ganon. View Game
Super Metroid (Japan, USA) (En,Ja) SNES
	Super Metroid is the third game in the Metroid series and the only Metroid game to be released on the Super Nintendo. It has become widely revered for its gameplay, atmosphere, and environmental storytelling, and continues to inspire many action-adventure games. View Game
Chrono Trigger (USA) SNES
	Take control of the lovable but mute protagonist Crono in this time-spanning collaborative effort from Square and Enix. Chrono Trigger follows the exploits of Crono as he and his friends attempt to save the world from a planet-devouring alien creature. View Game
Super Mario World (USA) SNES
	Super Mario World (Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan) is a platforming game, released in 1990 in Japan and in 1991 alongside the SNES in North America. It marks the first appearance of Yoshi the dinosaur. View Game
Legend of Zelda, The - A Link to the Past (USA) SNES
	The third installment in the Zelda series makes a return to the top-down 2D gameplay found in the first game. This time around, Link needs to travel between the light and dark world in order to set things straight in the kingdom of Hyrule. View Game
Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island (USA) SNES
	Take control of Yoshi as you escort Baby Mario to Baby Bowser's lair and save Baby Luigi. View Game
Megaman X (USA) SNES
	Mega Man X is a Super Nintendo spinoff of the classic NES Mega Man series. It embodied the awesome advancements we could expect in our favorite games on this new and powerful system. For those who may not know, Mega Man is a side-scrolling action shooter/platformer. You run and gun through many challenging and differently themed levels in the order of your choosing, each of them having a big bad guy at the end. After defeating the boss, you get his special weapon to use as your own. Every boss is weak against one other boss's weapon; knowing these weaknesses is key to defeating them and puts some emphasis on the order you play the levels. New to the X series were hidden powerups in the levels. You could find refillable energy tanks to recover health in a pinch, heart tanks to increase your health, and special suit pieces to boost various aspects of your performance - such as more powerful shots or better damage reduction. Mega Man X is one of my favorites in the entire Mega Man series. It's one of those games you can pick up and play for a just a few minutes and still have fun. It's quite a challenging game though, and will take some skill and dedication to beat. It's a great game, and anybody who likes action games will find a lot to love in Mega Man X. View Game
Contra III - The Alien Wars (USA) SNES
	Play as either Jimbo or Sully as you destroy aliens and ride missiles in this fast-paced, impossibly difficult shooter. View Game
Castlevania (USA) NES
	Count Dracula's dark presence has invited the heroic vampire hunter Simon Belmont, who must venture through six stages with his trusty whip in Castlevania. View Game
Legend of Zelda, The - Link's Awakening DX (USA, Europe) (Rev A) GBC
	The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is a 1998 remake of the 1993 Game Boy game. It features color graphics, a new dungeon and other new features. View Game
Donkey Kong Country (USA) SNES
	A landmark SNES game featuring the first 32meg cart to be released on the system. Donkey Kong Country was a revolutionary platformer, going on to spawn two sequels. View Game
Alex Kidd in Miracle World (USA, Europe) SMS
	The most well known game out of the Alex Kidd series, Miracle World follows the adventures of the plucky little lad Alex as he fights his way through 16 stages to find his long lost brother. Miracle World is a quirky union of Super Mario Bros and Roshambo. View Game
Super Mario RPG - Legend of the Seven Stars (USA) SNES
	Join Mario in his first RPG adventure! Explore new and previously unseen areas of the Mushroom Kingdom on a quest to stop the mechanical Smithy on a path of conquest in this collaboration between Square and Nintendo. View Game
Wonder Boy III - The Dragon's Trap (USA, Europe) SMS
	Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is a sidescrolling 2D Platforming/RPG hybrid in which the protagonist, Wonder Boy, must regain his human form after having been cursed by a dragon. Released under the name "Dragon's Curse" on the Turbografx-16 with slightly improved 16-bit graphics. View Game
Kirby Super Star (USA) SNES
	Take control of Kirby and play through nine adventures and games in Kirby Super Star for the Super Nintendo. View Game
SimCity (USA) SNES
	The first installment in the highly acclaimed SimCity franchise by Maxis' Will Wright. The gameplay centers around developing and managing a city in a variety of scenarios using a combination of different zones and buildings. View Game
R-Type (World) SMS
	A 2D side-scrolling shooter, and an arcade classic! Travel across space, power-up your companion orb, and bring down some of the toughest alien bosses in gaming. View Game
Earthworm Jim (USA) SNES
	Created by the twisted minds at Shiny Entertainment (led by Dave Perry and Doug TenNapel), Earthworm Jim is a nonsensical side-scrolling platform game that allows you to venture through the galaxy as an earthworm trapped in a futuristic space-suit to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name. View Game
Super Street Fighter II - The New Challengers (USA) Genesis
	The fourth version of Street Fighter II adds four new characters, an array of balance changes and improved graphics and sound. View Game
Doom (1993)(Id Software) DOS
	It's up to you, the last remaining space marine in the demon-infested stations on Mars's moons, to fight your way through the scourge... and then take on Hell itself, in this revolutionary first-person shooter. View Game
Wolfenstein 3d (1992)(Activision Publishing Inc) DOS
	Considered by many to be the progenitor of the first-person shooter genre, Wolfenstein 3D is a 1992 first-person action game that pits the player, as Allied spy William "B.J." Blazkowicz, against the might of Nazi Germany. View Game
Mortal Kombat 3 (USA) Genesis
	Mortal Kombat 3 is the third installment of the most violent fighting game franchise of all time, adding new gameplay elements while setting the plot in a post-apocalyptic Earthrealm. View Game
Lost Vikings, The (USA) SNES
	Norse by Norse West, released in 1997 by publisher Interplay Entertainment, is the sequel to Blizzard's "The Lost Vikings". Players control the Vikings, each with unique abilities, to solve puzzles. View Game
Super Mario Bros. (Japan, USA) NES
	Focusing on a humble plumber and his brother setting out to rescue a Princess who has been kidnapped by a vile lizard king, Super Mario Bros. is a platformer created by Shigeru Miyamoto, published by Nintendo, and is one of the best selling video games of all time. View Game
Metroid (USA) NES
	Don the Power Suit of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran as she recaptures the dangerous Metroid species from the evil Space Pirates. View Game
Metal Gear (USA) NES
	Known as the first "stealth action" game, Metal Gear tells the tale of "Solid Snake", a rookie operative of the U.S. special forces unit FOXHOUND, as he infiltrates a fortified military compound (known as Outer Heaven) to destroy a mysterious superweapon known as "Metal Gear" View Game
Double Dragon (USA) NES
	Double Dragon is a game credited, in part, with the popularity of the beat-em-up genre in the arcade craze of the 1980s and 1990s. View Game
Duck Tales (USA) NES
	Not to be dismissed as a cheap Disney cash-in, this is a suprisingly well-made game that still holds up even today. An action/platformer at it's core, you'll find plenty of replayability in seeking out as much treasure as possible. From the jungle to the moon, it's a great ride from start to finish! View Game
Dragon Warrior (USA) NES
	Rescue the princess and defeat the evil Dragonlord in this landmark RPG from Enix. View Game
Gradius III (USA) SNES
	The now widely available third installment to the Gradius franchise was the first to introduce customizable weapon sets and brief 2.5D action. View Game
Ice Climber (USA, Europe) NES
	In Ice Climber the player controls a hammer wielding Eskimo that needs to climb 32 ice-covered mountains in order to recover a stolen vegetable from a giant condor. View Game
Maniac Mansion (Floppy DOS v2 Enhanced) ScummVM
	Maniac Mansion is a graphic adventure game originally released in 1987 by Lucasfilm Games. When the innocent Sandy is kidnapped by the maniacal Dr. Fred, it's up to her boyfriend Dave and his friends to her from certain death! View Game
Spy Hunter (USA) NES
	In this classic arcade game, you play as a spy in an armed sports car, destroying enemy vehicles and protecting civilian vehicles. View Game
Day Of The Tentacle (CD Dos) ScummVM
	Day of the Tentacle is a point-and-click adventure game that follows Bernard Bernoulli, Laverne, and Hoagie as they try to prevent the Purple Tentacle from taking over the world. View Game
Sam and Max Hit the Road (CD DOS) ScummVM
	Based on Steve Purcell's (then a LucasArts employee) excellent comic book series Sam & Max: Freelance Police. Sam & Max Hit the Road is a point and click adventure game developed by LucasArts. The game was released in 1993. It is frequently mentioned as one of the funniest games ever made. The player controls suit wearing dog Sam and his partner rabbit like thing Max, a pair of freelance detectives. The pair get hired to find a frozen big-foot that has gone missing from a nearby carnival where it was the carny's star attraction. Sam and Max travel all over the US for clues on solving the case. ---With just the game's awesome intro having more laughs than most games or even movies out there, Hit the Road really does deserve its reputation and is hilarious from start to finish. The game's faults are mostly in its puzzles, which are some of the toughest LucasArts has ever made, and due to the large size of the game's world can be very frustrating to solve. The interface can also add to the frustration. There is no pop up text when when pointing on objects, instead the mouse icon changes depending on what the player points at, as a result objects are easier to miss. The interface has its up side though, the team left out the old dialogue choosing system and replaced showing the lines the player can pick with icons. That system makes the dialogue much more surprising and the conversations more entertaining. Sam & Max Hit the Road is such an entertaining game that those faults are easily forgiven. Grab a guide if you need it and enjoy. View Game
Dr. Mario (Japan, USA) NES
	A somewhat derivative puzzle game that came in the wake of the immortal Tetris, Dr. Mario somehow still remains an entertaining and addictive game in its own right. View Game
Life Force (USA) NES
	Life Force is the US title for the Japanese video game Salamander. Though similar to Gradius, Life Force does have some unique modifications to differentiate it from its more well-known predecessor. View Game
Blaster Master (USA) NES
	Control Jason Frudnick in his sweet battle-tank as you blast your way through eight levels of dudes! He is the master of blasting, not to be confused with the master of knifing. View Game
Mega Man 3 (USA) NES
	Mega Man 3 finds the blue bomber battling more robots. Mega Man's newly introduced robot dog, Rush, helps Mega Man to traverse obstacles, while the mysterious Proto Man tests Mega Man's mettle. View Game
Ninja Gaiden (USA) NES
	Step into the shoes of the ninja Ryu Hayabusa as he goes on a quest to avenge his father's unexpected death. View Game
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (USA) NES
	There was a time when Mike Tyson was known for kicking ass and not biting ears, and in that time one of the best boxing games ever was released. The year was 1987 - If you were cool, you watched Transformers, had a Nintendo, and played Punch-Out!!. View Game
Uniracers (USA) SNES
	Uniracers is a 2D racing game developed by Rockstar North with unicycles where you pick up speed by performing stunts and jumps. Some levels required you to earn a set amount of points by performing stunts in a limited time. View Game
Super Bomberman (USA) SNES
	Super Bomberman was the first Bomberman game to appear on the SNES, and the first game on that system to feature 4 player simultaneous play via the multitap. View Game
Super Double Dragon (USA) SNES
	Super Double Dragon is the fourth Double Dragon game in the series. It is also the first Double Dragon game that is not a port of an arcade game. View Game
Spider-Man & Venom - Maximum Carnage (USA) SNES
	Direct from the comic books to the 16-bit consoles, Spider-Man and Venom join forces against a greater evil: Carnage! View Game
Killer Instinct (USA) SNES
	Killer Instinct is a two-player fighting game that debuted in 1994. It used pre-rendered 3D characters instead of sprites, impressive for its time, and helped cement combo systems and finishing moves as fighting genre staples. View Game
Daytona USA (E) Saturn
	Daytona USA was originally released in Japanese arcades in 1993 and saw a worldwide arcade release in 1994. A home console version was later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and PC in 1996. It was revived in 2011 as a downloadable title for PSN and XBLA. View Game
Pilotwings (USA) SNES
	Pilotwings is a game in which players take on a variety of flight-based challenges View Game
Another World (1991)(Delphine Software) DOS
	Lester Knight Chaykin finds himself in another world when a freak thunderstorm interrupts his particle accelerator experiment, teleporting him through a hole in time and space. Ending up captive to an alien species, he teams up with another prisoner, Buddy, as they both set off on a perilous journey to escape. Released in 1991, Another World, or otherwise known as "Out of this World", is an action-adventure puzzle game that defined the way video games can be represented as pieces of cinematic art. View Game
Shadowrun (USA) SNES
	Shadowrun, based on the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, is a futuristic sci-fi/fantasy game, taking inspiration from Neuromancer, Blade Runner, and other cyberpunk stories. View Game
Megaman X3 (USA) SNES
	This is the third installment in the Megaman X series, the last one to realesed for the SNES, and it keeps the high standard set by the other two. The premise and gameplay hasn't changed at all. The eight bosses are back, this time sent out by Dr. Doppler a former good cientist android turned into Maverick. Differences in this game include improved graphics compared to X and X2, a new set of armor, the ability to play (even if for a short while) as Zero, the return of Vile and a new type of collectible: the "Ride Armors". All in all this is a very fun platformer. Essential to Megaman fans, even if it doesn't bring a whole lot of innovation into the table. View Game
R-Type III - The Third Lightning (USA) SNES
	The official sequel to R-Type II. The game would use some of the SNES's best graphic features, including Mode 7 graphics. View Game
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (USA) SNES
	Kirby and his friend Gooey notices a large dark cloud spreading over their peaceful planet of PopStar. Together, they must stop this darkness before it consumes all of Dream Land. View Game
Aladdin (Europe) SNES
	Disney's Aladdin was the title of several different games from different developers based on the classic Disney film, Aladdin. As the titular character, players venture through many levels inspired by events and locations in the movie. View Game
Bubble Bobble (USA) NES
	An early arcade platformer that has 100 levels. View Game
Breath of Fire II (USA) SNES
	The sequel to Breath of Fire, centering around a descendant of the Dragon Clan, Ryu. He has the ability to transform into a dragon, and together with his friends, must fight a powerful demon lord to save the world. The game was originally released in 1994. View Game
Secret Of Monkey Island Vga (1990)(Lucas Arts) DOS
	In The Secret of Monkey Island, a classic 2D point and click adventure, players take control of Guybrush Threepwood, an ambitious young man in search of adventure - or, to be more specific, he wants to be a pirate. The local pirate leaders, therefore, send him on a quest of sorts to test his abilities and his willingness to become a seafaring criminal: however, as always, things don't go very smoothly. Guybrush gets caught up in the evil plans of LeChuck, the ghost pirate, and the two of them begin their battle for the love of the local Governor, Elaine. Players meet a variety of interesting characters, solve a great number of puzzles and find themselves in countless humorous situations: something that has since become one of the defining features of the series.Even after many long years, The Secret of Monkey Island is still often cited as one of the best of its genre. Simply put, it is a timeless classic that every self-respecting adventure game enthusiast must have in his/her collection. View Game
Monkey Island 2 LeChuck's Revenge (Floppy DOS VGA) ScummVM
	LeChuck's Revenge continues the adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate, in his quest to find the grand treasure of Big Whoop, which inadvertently leads to the resurrection of his former nemesis, the zombie pirate LeChuck. View Game
Full Throttle (CD DOS) ScummVM
	This post-apocalyptic adventure game from LucasArts follows a tough-as-nails biker named Ben, leader of the Polecats, a motorcycle gang. View Game
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (World) Genesis
	Run, jump, and spin through levels as Sonic and Tails in order to thwart the plans of the nefarious Dr. Robotnik and free the kidnapped animals! View Game
Harvest Moon (USA) SNES
	Harvest Moon is a farming simulation released on the SNES in 1997. In the game you improve your farm and farming techniques, make money from selling your produce, romance the women of the town, and eventually take a wife and have children. View Game
Mario Paint (Japan, USA) SNES
	Mario Paint is a title that takes full advantage of the pack-in SNES mouse accessory, allowing the player to paint pictures, compose music, and play mini-games. View Game
ActRaiser (USA) SNES
	ActRaiser is a hybrid of two genres: city-building and action platformer. The player takes control of the powerful entity known as the Master in his quest to rebuild civilization. View Game
Tetris Attack (USA) (En,Ja) SNES
	Tetris Attack, derived from Panel de Pon in Japan, is one of the founding members of the "swap and match" tile-based puzzle gameplay style. View Game
Star Fox (USA) SNES
	Welcome to the team! Fly through several sci-fi levels in this game featuring anthropomorphic animals and crazed monkeys bent on the destruction of civilization. View Game
Gunstar Heroes (USA) Genesis
	Gunstar Heroes is a side-scrolling platformer/shooter from Treasure. Its colorful art style and frenetic shooting action have earned it near universal praise. View Game
OutRun (USA, Europe) Genesis
	Described by designer Yu Suzuki as a driving game rather than a racing game, Sega's 1986 arcade game OutRun puts players behind the wheel of a red convertible on a trip through California-inspired landscapes. View Game
Monster World IV (Japan) [En by DeJap+Demiforce+Shion v2.2] Genesis
	The fourth and final installment of the Monster World series. View Game
Super Mario 64 (USA) N64
	A landmark in videogames with 3D gameplay, Super Mario 64 set numerous standards for 3D platforming design upon its release. View Game
Banjo-Kazooie (USA) N64
	Play as lovable goofball Banjo the bear and his bird pal Kazooie in the first of many adventures as they collect valuable "Jiggies" in order to face the vile witch, Gruntilda and save Banjo's sister Tooty. View Game
Conker's Bad Fur Day (USA) N64
	A comedy platform adventure featuring Conker, a drunkard, foul-mouthed red squirrel trying to find his way home after he awakes hungover in the middle of a field with a fuzzy memory and only the clothes on his back to accompany him. View Game
Perfect Dark (USA) N64
	Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter for the Nintendo 64 and the spiritual successor to the 1997 smash hit GoldenEye 007. View Game
Legend of Zelda, The - Ocarina of Time (USA) (Rev A) N64
	The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time, due in large part to the seamless unity between traditional Zelda gameplay and the bold, artistic, 3D environment in which it is presented. View Game
Pokemon Stadium 2 (USA) N64
	Pok�mon Stadium 2 allows players to use second generation Pok�mon in the third dimension for the first time, among a variety of other Pok�-centric activities. View Game
Legend of Zelda, The - Majora's Mask (USA) N64
	The follow-up to Ocarina of Time sees the series stalwart Link embark on a journey to save the land of Termina from being crushed by the moon in three days. To defeat the Skull Kid, Link has to live the same three days over and over again. View Game
Super Smash Bros. (USA) N64
	Characters from popular Nintendo franchises meet up for the first time (and then duke it out) in this crossover fighting game by HAL. View Game
Banjo-Tooie (USA) N64
	Bear and bird again combine their efforts to thwart Gruntilda's dastardly plans (as well as her two hag sisters and their minions) in this classic platformer for the Nintendo 64. View Game
Metal Gear Solid [disc1of2] PSX
	Battle-hardened operative Solid Snake returns to active duty, as terrorists have taken control of a top-secret nuclear weapons disposal facility in an island off of Alaska. It's up to Snake to stop a nuclear threat, rescue some hostages, and maybe find out his relation to these terrorists. View Game
Crash Team Racing [U] PSX
	Crash Team Racing was Crash Bandicoot's first kart racing game. It is also the last Crash game to be developed by Naughty Dog. View Game
Castlevania - Symphony of the Night (E) PSX
	Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a 2D action-adventure platformer known for introducing a new style of open-ended gameplay mixed with RPG-like mechanics. View Game
Resident Evil [U] PSX
	Resident Evil is a survival horror classic in which a group of special forces agents, known as S.T.A.R.S, struggle against hordes of zombies and various other mutants in a mysterious mansion as they try to uncover the truth behind the terrifying infection. View Game
Tekken [U] PSX
	Tekken is the 3D fighting game made by Namco. It would first appear in the arcades in 1994, then later on the Playstation home gaming console in 1995. Its popularity has spawned more than six subsequent Tekken games as well as spin-offs. View Game
Crash Bandicoot [U] PSX
	Take control of Crash Bandicoot in his first adventure to stop the evil Doctor Neo Cortex and Nitrus Brio from taking over the world. View Game
Parappa the Rapper [NTSC-U] PSX
	Parappa the Rapper is a hip-hop themed rhythm game for the Playstation and PSP starring a rapping dog and his adventures to impress his secret crush. View Game
Spyro - Year of the Dragon (E) PSX
	Spyro: Year of the Dragon is the third game in the popular Spyro the Dragon series and the last to be made by Insomniac. In this adventure, Spyro is tasked with getting dragon eggs back that have been stolen by the evil Sorceress. View Game
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 [U] PSX
	Skate around various locales and perform random objectives for NPCs in the fourth installment of the Tony Hawk skateboarding franchise. View Game
WipEout 2097 (E) PSX
	The sequel to the game that defined Playstation as cool. This game upped the ante with a refined and more forgiving play mechanic, more visual effects, and an increased selection of licensed music. View Game
Tomb Raider II - Starring Lara Croft (E) PSX
	The sequel to the Playstation classic, Tomb Raider, Lara Croft uses all of her skills and abilities to find the Dagger of Xian. Released in 1997, it retains the same great action platforming as the original with new levels and areas, taking the player through China, Venice, England, and more. View Game
Chrono Cross [Disc1of2] [U] PSX
	This sequel to the legendary Super Nintendo RPG Chrono Trigger abandons the first game's time travel theme in favor of a story about alternate universes. View Game
Super Castlevania IV (USA) SNES
	Super Castlevania IV is an enhanced recreation of the original Castlevania for the SNES, retelling Simon Belmont's crusade against Dracula with new levels, content, and gameplay elements. View Game
Donkey Kong Classics (USA, Europe) NES
	Donkey Kong Classics is an early NES compilation cartridge featuring both the original Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. View Game