There is little doubt that gaming is a big deal now, and many people love to do it. Since its early bedroom origins, this way of staying entertained has really grown to become more mainstream recently. Gaming now generates hundreds of billions per year in revenue and sees top franchises such as Call of Duty shift millions of units when a new installment is launched. It shows that games last!
Gaming’s growth can also be seen in just what this industry encompasses now. No longer just PC or console play, eSports and mobile gaming are all a big part of it. Online casino gaming is also something that people love to do and has helped the industry become more popular in general. Central to all this are the games that people play and the studios that produce them.
In terms of online casino gaming, for example, the slots produced by top studio NetEnt help to draw more people into iGaming. However, it is vital to find a safe site to play games such as this at first. An easy way to do this is using an online comparison site to find new NetEnt casinos. NetEnt Casino is a popular comparison site that many iGaming players use to quickly find a secure and legitimate NetEnt casino to play on.
Titles from the history of gaming are also important. This is not only in terms of the industry’s heritage but also for the retro-themed fun they give to players now. Whether you are discovering these older games for the first time or are revisiting your youth with them now, retro games are a blast.
Which games still retain their charm and appeal in the modern age?
Super Mario Bros. 3
When it comes to retro games that still stand up today, the Super Mario franchise from Nintendo deserves mention. This franchise was one of the original reasons why gaming took off and found so much favor with the general public. Starring heroic plumbing brothers Mario and Luigi, these games really showed people how much fun gaming was. With so many games in the franchise to choose from, which is the most fondly remembered?
The top spot for many players who love retro games is Super Mario Bros. 3, which came out on the NES in the early 1990s. Sticking to the side-scrolling platform format of the original games, Super Mario Bros. 3 was a huge hit. This was mostly down to its engaging feel, secret-packed gameplay, and innovative touches such as an over-screen world to travel between levels.
Tetris
When it comes to retro titles that still have a real charm today, the original Tetris is worth checking out. Although there have been modern versions released over the years, it is the 1989 original that holds its own. The funny thing about Tetris is that the concept does not sound too interesting – after all, how much fun can it be matching up shapes that fall down the screen?
This simplicity was its real secret, though. Easy to pick up but hard to master, it keeps you coming back for more. Of course, the catchy soundtrack is a winner, and the colorful graphics also keep players entertained. There is real fun to be had in seeing how big a score you can clock up as the blocks begin to fall faster and faster.
Mortal Kombat
1992’s Mortal Kombat certainly fits the bill as a retro game that is cool to play currently. Although arcade fighting games with a martial arts twist were not new, this title came out on all major formats to reinvent it totally. Much of this was down to the range of cool characters you could fight as (such as Sub-Zero or Johnny Cage) and the special moves they had to use. The digitized graphics were also a big deal at the time and have a real charm of their own still. Of course, the blood and gore that sparked so much controversy is still there and makes it a blast to try out.
Sensible World of Soccer
Retro soccer titles can be very cool to enjoy, and 1994’s Sensible World of Soccer is a real treat. What makes it so amazing to enjoy still? Although the top-down perspective might take a little getting used to, you soon find that it helps you to see more of what is going on and get a better overall view of play.
The action is fast and frenetic, which makes for a gratifying experience. This edition of Sensible Soccer (the original came out in 1992) also adds real player names, team management, injuries, and transfers to the mix. The game also has real character and personality plus a cool ‘aftertouch’ feature that makes scoring awesome goals simple. All this combined makes Sensible World of Soccer a real winner still in terms of retro gaming.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
While the original Sonic was a trailblazer and Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario games, it is Sonic the Hedgehog 2 that many gamers feel holds up best today still. Coming out on the Sega Mega Drive originally in 1992, the fast-paced platform action and cute characters make it fun to play. The real secret to the enduring appeal of Sonic 2 is that Sega took what made the original so great and simply added lots more to it.
This saw jaw-dropping loops, awesome corkscrews, and bigger levels to get through. Sonic 2 also introduced Tails, who was Sonic’s buddy and playable as an in-game character. With the introduction of Sonic’s famed ‘Charge Roll,’ this sequel is considered a top game still – retro or not.
Retro games still hold their own today
There is no doubt that modern video games (such as Chivalry 2) are lots of fun and include amazing sound, graphics, and FX. There is also no doubt that the machines we play them on now have lots more cool tech inside them to make gaming fabulous. However, this does not mean that retro games are not fun to play still. As the above shows, these older games have a real charm of their own that still stands up.