With the latest rush of indie game development, one of the most popular styles of the last few years has been replicating the retro style. Gamers are constantly fascinated with nostalgia and revisiting the games of their youth, so what better way to appeal to this player base than by giving them new games that look and feel like what they grew up with?
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Posts 2Some of the most well-received releases of the last few years have been retro-style games, due to the implementation of time-tested ideas paired with modern-day innovations that drastically improve the entire formula. There have been plenty of modern-retro games that have resounded with gamers over the years and will continue to provide enjoyment for as long as their retro inspirations have.
Updated September 12th, 2024 by Hilton Webster: As the times change, so too does our idea of what retro means. While it might have meant the 80s before, now it's firmly in the 90s and even inching towards early PS2 aesthetics. Here are a few games pulling from every era that we're willing to call retro right now.
15 Animal Well
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Metroidvania Puzzle Released May 9, 2024 Developer(s) Shared Memory Platform(s) PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand CollapseAnimal Well is psychedelic. It's a game so assured of itself that few games have the confidence to be. It taunts you, daring you to discover everything there is to see. You won't, of course, but you sure can try.
Rather than relying solely on this trippy appearance, it pulls from a retro era of early NES and SNES era games, rendering everything in its enticing pixel art style while twisting in more advanced lighting that gives the game a beautiful juxtaposed look.
Animal Well also pulls from retro games in having a file size of around 35MB total as well.
14 Omori
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Horror RPG Released December 25, 2020 Platform(s) PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Developer Omocat Powered by Expand CollapseHiding your horror behind a cutesy exterior is far from an uncommon practice, but the bluntness in which Omori does it makes it all the more unsettling. Those fuzzy, hand-drawn portraits and older style of turn-based combat are anything but adorable as you progress further.
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PostsOmori pulls heavily from the likes of SNES title Earthbound not just in its overall aesthetic and presentation, but in its extreme surrealism as well. Where Earthbound goes more absurdist, Omori becomes simply...depressing. Do try it though if you want to be hit with some cruel human emotion.
13 Signalis
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Survival Horror Indie Games Adventure Shooter Released October 27, 2022 Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S Developer rose-engine, Rose-engine games Powered by Expand CollapseWhile many people still hold retro in their head as something from the 80s at the earliest, retro changes with each passing year, and Signalis is proof of that. The game is one of survival-horror, a locked camera, and inventory management with some crunchy early 3D graphics styling.
Playing as a Replika on an isolated planet, you have to recover your memories and stay alive while you do so. The core gameplay is massively inspired by early PS1 survival-horror games like Resident Evil, from the involved puzzle minigames to the act of methodical aiming.
12 Cuphead
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Platformer Released September 29, 2017 Developer(s) Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc. Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Powered by Expand CollapseWhile not specifically retro-looking in the gaming sense, Cuphead takes visual inspiration from old Disney-style cartoons. Gameplay-wise, however, Cuphead is a classic run-and-gunner through and through. Whether single-player or cooperatively, Cuphead has players battling creative bosses, running through levels defeating enemies, and unlocking upgrades.
This game has been praised by players and critics alike, and there aren’t many titles out there that look quite like it. Cuphead takes the retro idea and goes full swing, and it is all the better for it.
11 Stardew Valley
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RPG Simulation Released February 26, 2016 Developer(s) ConcernedApe Powered by Expand CollapseHarkening back to classic farming/life simulators like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley takes this look and style and greatly expands upon it. Despite the retro-looking visual style, the world of Stardew Valley feels extremely real and lived in.
Whether building a fully functioning farm, talking to townsfolk, or hunting in the wild for supplies and food, Stardew Valley creates an engaging 24-hour cycle that many players still haven’t put down.
10 Golf Story
CloseOne of the only golf RPGs to ever exist, Golf Story looks straight out of the days of the Super Nintendo (aside from those high-res speech bubbles). This fantastic game combines the classic top-down view of a Final Fantasy-style RPG with an incredibly solid golfing system.
Hilarious dialogue and engaging gameplay make for a truly unique experience, and the sequel Sports Story is bound to top it with even more variety in gameplay.
9 Celeste
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Platformer Released January 25, 2018 Developer(s) Extremely OK Games Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia, Steam Powered by Expand CollapseA worthy Game of the Year contender in a year full of triple-A contenders, Celeste broke through to the masses with its moment-to-moment gameplay, retro graphical style, and surprisingly emotional story about mental health.
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PostsThe mechanics of Celeste are rock solid and provide hours of challenging gameplay as you climb Mount Celeste. After collecting all of the strawberries in the game and reaching the end of the story, you will feel like you’ve known Celeste your entire life.
8 Sonic Mania
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Platformer Released August 15, 2017 Developer(s) PagodaWest Games, Headcannon Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Powered by Expand CollapseThe Sonic the Hedgehog series has had many ups and downs over its long history. While the leap to 3D has done more harm than good for the blue blur, heading back to Sonic’s true roots ended up garnering the most praise the series has received in years.
Sonic Mania looks identical to the classic Sega Genesis titles, and it plays even better. While some stages are repeated from previous games, they are reimagined in inventive ways alongside brand-new stages that feel straight out of the classic era.
7 Undertale
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RPG Released September 15, 2015 Developer(s) Toby Fox Platform(s) PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Switch, PC Powered by Expand CollapseOne of the biggest surprise indie hits of the last decade, Undertale took the gaming world by storm. The already iconic characters, hilarious and emotional dialogue, and instantly memorable music have made Undertale stick with every player who has given it a shot.
The game could have been easily accomplished on an old DOS computer (aside from one particular moment which will not be spoiled here), which shows how well-written characters and a great story can make primitive graphics feel extremely lively.
6 Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon
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Platformer Released May 24, 2018 Developer(s) Inti Creates Platform(s) 3DS, PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One Powered by Expand CollapseBecause the Kickstarter campaign for their grander Bloodstained title was so successful, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon was created on the side, and in many ways, it was more well-received than the main game.
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PostsLooking like it jumped to the future from the NES era, Curse of the Moon comes with four playable characters that are extremely varied and features well-realized locations that feel straight out of a classic Castlevania title. The level is high and the difficulty is higher, so enter with caution.
