The more I play games and observe the gaming industry, the more I become convinced of one fact: 2D graphics and pixel art stand the test of time much better.
Personally, even after the most “graphic” modern games, it’s always nice for me to return to something old and nostalgic.
And today I have compiled a small list of projects that are worth playing, even if you have never been interested in retro games. You’ll be surprised how much fun projects from the past can be.
1. Super Mario World (SNES. 1990)
It’s worth starting with the classics. Yes, in our country the original Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros 3 have a cult status, so I didn’t mention them. But it seems to me that many people missed Super Mario World, and in vain.
Super Mario World is the first big game about a mustachioed plumber on the Super Nintendo, and it shows more than anyone why you had to buy a console back in those days. Colorful graphics, which even now look more than decent, and all this is accompanied by a pleasant soundtrack, which you can listen to separately.
Super Mario World could also be a great entry point into an entire genre of 2D platformers that is still alive and well today. The game has a very pleasant and smooth dynamics of complexity, it does not load from the very beginning but also does not tire you with its simplicity throughout the entire playthrough.
Where to play? The project is available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, on the SNES Mini console, and, of course, using the SNES emulator, which is literally everywhere.
2. Contra: Hard Corps (SEGA Mega Drive. 1994)
It’s hard to find anyone who has never heard of the Contra series. It will be even harder to find those who don’t think Hard Corps is the best part of the franchise.
Contra: Hard Corps is not only a dynamic gameplay that requires the player to constantly pay attention and quickly react to changing conditions on the level, but also practically the basis of the Run’n’Gun genre. This game embodies the SEGA Mega Drive philosophy: games should be challenging, daring and not just for kids.
As part of the Contra series, Hard Corps offers several bold innovations. You can choose a character, which will affect the gameplay, and also enjoy a non-linear passage with multiple endings. To see all the content, you will need more than one playthrough. So invite your friends, grab two gamepads and dive into the world of Contra: Hard Corps!
Where to play?The game is available in the Contra Anniversary Collection on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam and Nintendo Switch. And again, there are no problems in emulating it wherever there is a SEGA Mega Drive emulator.
3. Beyond Oasis (SEGA Mega Drive. 1994)
You’ve probably heard about the legendary Legend of Zelda series of games, which became a real hit for all Nintendo consoles. I’m sure you have. But did you know that SEGA had an attempt to create their answer to Nintendo?
You may be familiar with this game under a different name – The Story of Thor. In this game you take on the role of Prince Ali and explore an open world. In the story, Ali finds a golden armlet – an ancient artifact that not only can speak, but also requires the hero to save his world.
In terms of gameplay, Beyond Oasis is reminiscent of the Legend of Zelda, but with one big difference – it has a much more advanced and complex combat system (Before Beyond Oasis, the developers made games in the Streets of Rage series, and these, if anyone doesn’t remember, were mind-blowing bitmaps), and there is also an element of pumping.
In addition to weapons, you need to use the power of spirits, and they, in turn, can be developed, including through optional activities.
Beyond Oasis is a big and beautiful project that will provide many hours of interesting gameplay and will be remembered for a long time, I am sure.
Where to play? The game can be officially tried as part of the Sega Mega Drive Classics collection on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch. And on the same Switch, the game is included in the Nintendo Switch Online subscription. From now on I’ll stop talking about emulators – everything is already obvious. There is a translation into Russian, but only unofficial.
4. Mega Man Series (NES/SNES. 1987-1995)
Modern gamers are probably familiar with Capcom mainly through the Resident Evil series. However, more passionate fans may recall the huge Mega Man franchise, which includes many projects of different genres. In this article, I’d like to focus on the “base” – the original games in the line.
Each of the six parts of the Mega Man game is a dynamic platformer with a non-linear plot. The main task of each of them is to defeat all the bosses in the level, obtain their abilities and go through the final levels to fight the main villain, who almost always turns out to be Dr. Wily.
The plot in the classic games may seem simple compared to other parts of the franchise (I’m talking exclusively about the numbered games in the series. The spin-offs have a different story), but it’s the gameplay that reveals the whole essence of Mega Man. Each game in the series presents a serious challenge, even more challenging than any Dark Souls title.
The levels do not adjust to your current inventory, and at the end of each of them there is a boss from whom you can obtain a unique weapon. This requires concentration and flexibility from the player.
Once you overcome the first difficulty barrier, you will be drawn into the world of Mega Man. You’ll find that the further you progress through the games, the more you realize that the franchise’s plot is much darker than it first appears.
Where to play? Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 & 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch, which includes all the classic parts of the series. If it drags on, all spin-offs are also kindly packaged into thematic collections and officially sold on current platforms.
5. Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game Boy. 1993)
It is very difficult to say anything new about the Legend of Zelda – it is an icon of the gaming industry, which has formed a whole cult around itself and influenced many genres. For example, the person responsible for the Souls, Bloodborne and Elden Ring series, Hidetaka Miyazaki, said that when creating his games, he is still guided by the principles of 3D action games that were laid down in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
But today I want to remember a project on a smaller scale. Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is the first portable part of the series and, at the same time, a game that showed the whole world that even on a console with very weak hardware and a monochrome screen, you can play a large, addictive project and even shed a stingy man’s tear at the end.
Local history stands apart from the established canons of the series. There is no need to save Princess Zelda, deal with the problems of the inhabitants of Hyrule, and you won’t have to fight Ganon. In the story, Link ends up on the island of Koholit, inhabited by both rather eccentric people and monsters. Everything would be fine, but the hero cannot get off the island.
At least until he awakens the Wind Fish sleeping on the top of the mountain with the help of eight musical instruments of the Sirens, hidden in eight dungeons. The entire main plot of the game will be devoted to their search.
The game is replete with interesting puzzles, exciting bosses and small stories of the inhabitants of the island of Koholit. The world of Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is addictive, and you really don’t want to leave here. And once again, all this is on a cartridge with a memory capacity of 1.5 MB.
Where to play? In 2019, a remake of Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (officially translated into Russian) in a more doll-cartoon style was released on Nintendo Switch. The black-and-white original with sprite graphics can only be played through an emulator or by purchasing a pocket-sized Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda, but the color version of the original game is available with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Both versions do not have a translation, but for emulators you can find a version with a fan translation.
6. Chrono Trigger (SNES. 1994)
To conclude our conversation, I would like to recall the cult Japanese role-playing game created by the “dream team”. And this is not just a metaphor – the association of SquareSoft developers who worked on the project was actually called the Dream Team.
And all because the cult mangaka Akira Toriyama, whose style is recognized everywhere and always, was responsible for the visual style of Chrono Trigger, the script was written by the duo of Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi (the fathers of the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series) and the soundtrack was written by the famous maestro Nobuo Uematsu.
Unfortunately, such a team met only once and will never meet again: Toriyama recently died, Nobuo Uematsu retired from the gaming industry long ago, and Sakaguchi went into the indie segment.
The plot, as the title suggests, centers on time travel. The main character Chrono at the beginning of the story attends the Millennium Fair, where his friend Lucca and her father offer everyone the opportunity to use the Teleportator attraction, which in turn transports Chrono and his new friend Marla not 10 meters forward as intended, but past.
And no, everything only gets more interesting from there – what initially looks like an adventure about returning home from the past will turn out to be an epic story about saving the world from the apocalypse. The ending of the story largely depends on the actions of the player, and in the middle of the plot there will be… and here is a spoiler for a shocking plot twist, which I am sure you will want to see for yourself.
Where to play? Nowadays, the game is officially available for purchase only on Steam and mobile platforms. In addition, you can play three versions: the original on SNES (there is a good fan-made localization) and re-releases on PlayStation 1 (also available with Russian translation) and Nintendo DS (unfortunately, the Russian translation was abandoned halfway through). The last two differ from the original only in the presence of animated (very beautiful, by the way) cut scenes. For some reason (most likely legal), the game was not re-released on current generation consoles. However, rumors about a remake have been in the air for a long time.
You can play anywhere
The most important thing is that you can play these masterpieces comfortably almost anywhere. A smartphone (preferably, but not necessarily with a gamepad) and an inexpensive retro portable will do (I wrote a whole article about the nuances of choice). Or maybe you have a PSP or something from Nintendo lying around at home? You can also install emulators there and play comfortably.
The main thing is to stop thinking that if a game is old, then it is automatically simple in every sense except the gameplay. In addition to gameplay, retro games often have really cool stories, too. There is no need to talk about music and graphics – both aspects often stand the test of time. You just need to stop judging by the cover.
I leave you with this thought. Have a good day!
Source: www.iphones.ru
