Top 30 Best Retro Video Games

I’ve compiled a list of the best retro video games that I have ever played. This list is in no way definitive - these were my favorite games to play as I grew up. Most of these games hold massive nostalgic value to me and contain fantastic stories that helped me become the person and gamer I am today. My all-time favorite 30  games that I played between my first and tenth years of life are right here. The best retro video games of my life.

1.       Zork I & II (1980 & 1981) Infocom

Zork, the game that introduced us to the underground empire and the grue. You need to use your words for this game as it is entirely text based, the controls are not as simple as the WASD that we know and love today. Back then you had to actually type the cardinal direction to move. Want to go North towards the broken damn? You need to enter North as a command. Want to know what was in the room? Want to try to communicate with the Komodo Dragon? Well, there are commands for that! Such a great story, and it allows you to fill in the visuals yourself. Always remember to take your lantern and don’t stay in the dark for too long, or you’re likely to be eaten by a grue!

2.       Super Mario Bros (1985) Nintendo

One of the original side scrolling platformers to come to video games. This game carved out a place for itself among all the games available as an action game with enemies, power ups and a visual story to get lost in. Jump your way to victory and get through all the challenges that await you in the Mushroom Kingdom in this game and get your princess back!

3.       Ghouls and Ghosts (1988) Capcom

This was the sequel to Ghosts and Goblins, an ultimately hard video game. This game pulled no punches, and more rage quits have been had in front of this games’ Game Over screen than can be counted. Completing this game without assistance put you in an elite squad of gamers. Originally developed for life in the arcade, it was later ported to a number of home game systems allowing you to rage in private as you restarted the game again and again.

4.       Pac-Man (1980) Namco

Who doesn’t just love chomping down on anything and everything that gets in your way? Pac-Man exists in a genre of its own with mazes, ghost chases and strategic power pellet usage that captured the hearts and minds of so many. This game is challenging but in such a way as to keep you coming back to the arcade cabinet over and over again to pump in another nickel. Most already know of this game but have they reached the memory overflow level and gotten the hidden pellets? Go test yourself and see how far you get Pac-Man through those mazes.

5.       Mega Man (1987) Capcom

Mega Man the side scrolling shooter. Make your way through these two-dimensional halls of Mega Man facing numerous enemies and bosses that increase in difficulty exponentially as you approach the ultimate boss Dr. Wily! Collect your power ups and make your way to the start of this part-platformer part-shooter game to test your patience and aim.

6.       Todd McFarlane’s Spawn: The Video Game (1995) Acclaim Entertainment

This was a favorite game of mine, having grown up on the comic book series I was engrossed in the imagery and story of this game when I was younger. Features some uniquely challenging gameplay and boss fights as you progress Spawn through the streets. Eventually coming face to face with the devil himself to beat the tar out of. Don’t forget your chain whip and be ready to block with your cloak when you are in real danger!

7.       Mortal Kombat (1992) Midway Games

Mortal Kombat was an incredibly unique game, it pushed the boundaries on violence and gore as one of the most brutal games of the time. The fatalities and the imagery of gore kept players coming back over and over again. They would come for the challenge but then stay to watch the fatalities. Ever wanted to freeze an opponent solid then smash them into bloody bits? Mortal Kombat is where I learned that was an actual thing. Remember to hit your combos and always go for the flashy finish with Mortal Kombat.

8.       The Legend of Zelda (1986) Nintendo

One of the original RPG’s, The Legend of Zelda was full of monsters, dungeons, and puzzles to solve before you could face the final boss. Ganon was a fun and engaging antagonist, always throwing more and more difficult challenges at you as you work your way through his castle to face him one on one in his throne room! Remember it’s dangerous to go alone, here take this! Slash your way to victory with The Legend of Zelda.

9.       The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991) Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past brought a huge amount of new content to an already stellar game. Gave us a fantastic new story to follow and immerse ourselves in and boosted the graphics to even further capture the nature and environment of the game. I spend many hours running through this game over and over again, I couldn’t get enough of the game play and even though there was no differences in the story though the countless playthroughs I still enjoyed the gameplay so much. Definitely worth a playthrough, even if you choose to play the new version, the story and gameplay still hold true to the original game. Spin to win in The Legend of Zelda: Link to the past!

10.   The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) Nintendo

The first of the 3D Zelda games and a huge innovation when it came to game play. You finally get to move around a full 3D world and defeat enemies in the fields of Hyrule. You get a much better idea of what monsters looked like and face countless enemies as you make your way through the game. Don’t forget your light arrows at home in Kokiri Forrest, you will need them to bring down Ganondorf and his ultimate form, Ganon!

11.   Super Mario 64 (1996) Nintendo

One of the very first games released on the Nintendo 64 console, it brought the 2D Mario figure into a whole new dimension! Finally, you get to run around Mushroom Kingdom bringing doom and destruction to the waves of goombas. One of the original 3D platforming games had you backflipping and long jumping to victory. Finally coming face to face with Bowser and taking him down once and for all. Ultimately, the princess is safe and Mario can rest… Or can he?

12.   Goldeneye 007 (1997) Rare

While this isn’t a first of its kind it does take the Goldeneye story and let you run through the spy work on your own, running and gunning your way to get the intel you need while escaping detection. This game had a fantastic story, including secrets and a full on 4-player multiplayer. You could bring your friends over and slap them to death in this game. Remember that Oddjob is an illegal character and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

13.   Doom I & II (1993 & 1994) id Software

Regarded as one of the first games to feature first person shooting. You would need your skills and cunning to make it through this game unscathed or not hurting for ammo as you fight off waves and waves of hell creatures on Mars. This game brought horror themes into the first-person shooter genre and it has never been the same again. Keep your eyes open for the Invisible Pinkys’ and always have your shotgun at the ready to shoot some floating Cacodemon eyes out!

14.   Tetris (1984) Blue Planet Software

Tetris was one of the first puzzle games that captured our hearts. This game was fairly simple to grasp as a concept but incredibly difficult to master. All about breaking blocks by fully filling the rows of the game board, and score points based on the number of rows you pop at the same time. This game ramps up to near impossible speeds as you progress through the difficulty level. The records in this game are honed to such a point as to be nearly insurmountable. How high can you score in Tetris? Think you can beat mine?

15.   Adventure (1980) Atari

Considered the first RPG game, though speculation and opinions on that vary. To me, Adventure was the original. It brought endless maps, monsters locked doors and secrets. Considered to have one of the oldest or original video game Easter eggs in existence it challenged players to make their way through the dungeon using their whit, memory and game skills to the test. Can you reach the end of this Adventure? Test your luck with Adventure.

16.   Pokémon Red & Blue (1998) Game Freak

Pokémon brought so much joy to my life as I grew up that I ended up fully diving into the whole environment without looking back. I have played every Pokémon game out there to completion. This game allows you to gather, train and battle any of 151 creatures each with it’s own set of strengths and weaknesses. It let you battle friends and trade rare Pokémon via game link cable. Since this game is played on one of the original handheld devices you could take it anywhere and trade with anyone else also fortunate enough to have the game. I owned and cherished both the Red and Blue games and even the later released Yellow, and still to this day they remain in my extensive collection of games. You have to catch them all in Pokémon Red and Blue.

17.   Street Fighter (1987) Capcom

Street Fighter was a fantastic fighter game. It opened up the genre and took some bold steps to differentiate itself from the competition. The bright colors and fantastic move sets brought massive amounts of action to arcades everywhere. You could challenge a computer or your friends to a battle to the knockout to determine your indisputable gaming supremacy. Throw some punches or you weight around in Street Fighter and knock some fighters out of the running!

18.   Super Mario Kart (1992) Nintendo

Super Mario Kart was a fantastic racing game where you could put your knowledge of the race tracks and short cuts to use with power ups and weapons to help you to victory over the competition. Race in a Grand Prix and go get your trophy in Super Mario Kart.

19.   Duck Hunt (1984) Nintendo

Duck hunt was where we learned that an incredibly simple game concept can be made infinitely more enjoyable when you turn the controller into something more immersive and fun. This game brought the NES Zapper into the spotlight and allowed us to manually aim and shoot the virtual ducks on the screen. Remember that if you held the gun against the screen to cheat you were doing it wrong, be sure to hunt as many ducks as you can in Duck Hunt!

20.   Paperboy (1984) Midway Games

While the concept of playing a game about being a paper boy riding your bike down a street seems like a waste of time today, back then we could relate to this game as a lot of us kids had our own paper routes to take care of every morning (how else do you think we afforded all these games?). This allowed us to live out some additional fantasies that we couldn’t actually do in the real world. Wanted to throw some papers at your neighbors? Go for it! Wanted to bike through a construction site on your way to the next set of houses? As long as you took some sweet jumps you could do that! Paperboy was one of my favorite games to play, but probably also one of the more confusing games to my parents. Grab your bag of newspapers and hit the streets in Paperboy!

21.   Gauntlet (1985) Atari Games

Originally, Gauntlet existed as an arcade cabinet and could be found in countless arcades all over the world. This game let you explore dungeons and fight an endless supply of monsters to become the most powerful adventurer you could be. Choose from a Warrior, Wizard, Valkyrie, or Elf character to play and fight your way to the exit of each stage. The difficulty will ramp up incredibly steeply as you progress so keep your wits about you and your friends close as you attempt to reach the end of Gauntlet!

22.   Earthworm Jim (1994) Shiny Entertainment

Earthworm Jim was one of the first games I experiences as a 3D-ish side scrolling adventure. The game was so creative and thoughtful that you could even use your worm head and body to fight or grapple up ledges. Earthworm Jim was a challenge to make your way through, but it made it so enjoyable that you would find yourself playing for hours at a time. Always remember your ray gun and just keep jumping as you platform your way to the end of each level and take on a boss!

23.   Lode Runner (1983) Broderbund

Lode Runner was a platforming puzzle game where you had to sneak, trick, and trap the level’s guards while you moved through the level using the ladders and zip lines to collect all the gold available.  Lode Runner broke the mold for platform/ladder computer games when it came out. It touted an impressive catalogue of 150 unique levels for the player to navigate, it even had a special version of the Lode Runner 1 disk version that included a level editor where you could build and test your own challenges, and challenge your friends. Don’t forget you can run on the heads of the guards and get every last piece of gold you can find!

24.   Final Fantasy (1987) Square Enix

Final Fantasy was the flagship for one of the highest played game franchises in the world. Going on to span 15 titles and a handful of spin off titles, this RPG has touched so many lives and the stories have helped shape a generation of gamers. Innovative in so many ways, it brought strategies and tactics into the realm of the RPG and let us build the character exactly how we wanted it. Square Enix certainly brought light to our lives with Final Fantasy and the numerous other stories tied to the Final Fantasy name. Whether you are a warrior or a mage, never go into battle unprepared for a challenge!

25.   Final Fantasy VII (1997) Square Enix

Where Final Fantasy brought us the beginning of the story, Final Fantasy VII really captivated and gripped us and brought us into a fully fleshed out world. Final Fantasy VII had so much to show us and so much to offer. Often times taking nearly 40 hours just to complete the main story and that was only the tip of the iceberg, if you wanted to experience everything the game had to offer you were looking at 80-90+ hours of time. The game was challenging and the story kept the player on the edge of their seat the entire time. Don’t forget to use your Matera and take the battle to the Shinra Corporation in Final Fantasy VII.

26.   Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (1998) 3DO

Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, was a gem of a game from the nineties. It brought Dungeons and Dragons style gameplay into a 3D world. It allowed you to fly through the air over deserts and forests fighting all kinds of fantasy creatures to discover the secrets of The Mandate of Heaven. With a surprisingly robust story there was a ton to do in this game, and with an element item randomization and multiple different parties to form and fight with, you could find yourself lost in this game for days, as I sometimes found myself in my younger years. Be careful when you visit the Dragon Sands as you could find yourself staring down the barrel of a loaded dragon. Fight for the light in Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven.

27.   Metal Slug (1996) Nazca Corporation

Metal Slug was an arcade side scrolling shooter game, similar to some others but making itself stand out slightly with the differences in art style and introduction to 4-player action. You could team up with your friends around the arcade cabinet and play till you all died to the waves of enemies then play it all over again. Don’t forget to hop into the tank and take down the boss in Metal Slug.

28.   Contra (1988) Konami

Contra is a military style side scrolling shooter where in the distant future an evil organization has setup a base near New Zealand, with a plot to wipe out all of humanity. Our protagonists Bill Rizer and Lance Bean take the fight directly to the bad guys in a series of guerrilla warfare attacks against the enemy forces. Collecting power ups to make your weapons stronger and facing a number of bosses to get to the end on Contra is a task but certainly doable. Don’t forget to aim up and take down the Red Falcon Organization in Contra.

29.   Metroid (1987) Nintendo

Metroid, a fantastic space themed side scrolling shooter, where to take control of Samus the protagonist fights their way through waves of alien enemies trapped on a ship that they must reach the end of in order to bring an end to the biological weapons they were creating out of Metroids. Fantastic gameplay with plenty of challenges and powerups to aid you on your journey. Don’t neglect your arm cannon and take the fight to the mother brain in Metroid.

30.   Resident Evil (1996) Capcom

Resident Evil captured the hearts of many with its ability to scare us with the creative use of camera forced prospective, tank controls and limited supplies to work with. This game features numerous zombies and incredible difficulty as the zombies themselves change through the course of the game. While aiming can be a little lax at times, it all adds to the adrenaline pumping crawl through a seemingly endless mansion. It also took a fairly creative stance on differentiating between the characters you can play, something not quite apparent at a glance, but as you play through the game multiple times you notice the differences between Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. Don’t forget to pick up the magnum and aim for the head in Resident Evil.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Think I left anything out? While this is not a complete list of my favorite games from the 80’s and 90’s these are the most front-of-mind games that I remember most fondly. Please let me know what your favorites were if you have experienced any games of the retro variety.

I mean you don’t expect me to mention the E.T. game, do you? Honestly, I am not sure what the developers or the play testers of that game were thinking, if indeed they were thinking at all.