100 Retro Videogames You Must Play Before You Die E-Book

Tom Crossland

• Herausgeber: epubli
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 239

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Taking in everything from Another World to X-COM: UFO Defense, here are 100 classic retro games you must play before you die. The book includes, among many others, Doom, Half-Life, Sensible Soccer, Tomb Raider, Super Mario 64, Cannon Fodder, Space Invaders, Star Wars, Metal Gear Solid, Quake, Resident Evil, and Tetris. Prepare for a nostalgic trip through the vintage years of arcade and home gaming!

Leseprobe

100Retro Videogames You Must PlayBefore You Die

Tom Crossland© Copyright 2024 Tom Crossland

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ContentsAuthor's NoteAnother WorldArkanoidAsteroidsBloodBoulder DashCannon FodderCastlevaniaCastlevania: Symphony of the NightChrono TriggerCommand & ConquerContraDay of the TentacleDescentDig DugDonkey KongDoomDoom II: Hell on EarthDoom 64Dragon's LairDropzoneDuke Nukem 3DDungeon Master Dune II: The Battle for ArrakisEarthBoundEliteFalloutFlashbackFroggerGalagaGauntletGoldeneye 007Grand Prix 2 Grand Theft AutoHalf-LifeHereticImpossible MissionIndiana Jones and the Fate of AtlantisIt Came from the DesertLeader BoardThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeLemmingsLode Runner Maniac MansionManic MinerMarathonMetal Gear SolidMDKMonkey Island 2: LeChuck's RevengeMortal Kombat MystThe Need for SpeedNinja GaidenOutlawsOutrunPac-Man ParadroidPitfall!PongPopulousPrince of PersiaPunch-Out!!QuakeQuake IIResident EvilResident Evil 2The Secret of Monkey IslandSensible SoccerThe SentinelShadow WarriorSid Meier's CivilizationSim CitySonic the HedgehogSpace InvadersSpeedball 2: Brutal DeluxeSpy HunterStar FoxStar Wars: Dark ForcesStar Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces IIStar Wars: X-WingStunt Car RacerSummer Games IISuper Mario Bros. 3Super Mario 64 Super MetroidSuper Street Fighter II TurboSyndicateSystem ShockTetrisTekken 3Thief: The Dark ProjectTomb Raider TurricanUnrealWarcraft II: Tides of Darkness The Way of the Exploding FistWing CommanderWinter GamesWolfenstein 3D X-COM: UFO DefensePhoto CreditAUTHOR'S NOTEThe cut-off point for games in this book is 1998. You have to draw the line somewhere and so I have drawn it there. So, anything after 1998 is not eligible for inclusion in this book and anything before (or during) 1998 is eligible. Selecting 100 retro games which are worth playing might sound like an easy task but it actually isn't because there are way more than 100 retro games worth playing and worthy of attention and some classic games had to be left out as a consequence. If your favourite retro game isn't in this book please don't take it personally. It doesn't mean I don't like your favourite game but just that I didn't find room for it in the book or maybe simply didn't play it as much as you when I was younger. One thing I have done is try to avoid including too many games from the same franchise because it would be a bit tedious if 25% of the book was, for example, made up of Mario or Zelda titles. I have also tried to include games from a spread of different platforms. The games that follow unavoidably reflect my tastes but hopefully still provide an eclectic and entertaining spread of retro titles. ANOTHER WORLD (1991)Another World, also known as Out of This World in North America, was developed by Eric Chahi and published by Delphine Software. It was released in 1991 for various platforms, including the Amiga, Atari ST, and DOS. Another World is a platform action adventure game which was quite unlike anything else at the time. The game had beautiful cinematic cartoon style graphics and felt like a quantum leap forward from other similar games. While there have been cases where games looked great but didn't have the gameplay and depth to match the visuals thankfully this wasn't the case with Another World. The game was an immersive, atmospheric, and satisfying experience for gamers beyond the wonderful visual presentation. I gather that the designer Éric Chahi was inspired to make this game after being impressed by the graphics in the Amiga version of Dragon's Lair. He felt if he used similar sort of graphics tailored to a story which blended all of the sci-fi he loved there might be a lot of potential in this. He was obviously right about that. In the game you play a young scientist named Lester Knight Chaykin. Lester has (in anticipation of Half-Life you might say) an unfortunate particle accelerator accident (I hate it when that happens!) when a lightning bolt causes his experiment to go haywire. A hole in space and time is ripped open and poor Lester ends up trapped on an alien world. Lester is incarcerated and must escape. But navigating this hostile and strange world will not be easy. An alien named Buddy (who Lester befriends along the way) will become an important part of the story. Another World is not an adventure game in that you don't interact with people or talk to them but it does have a depth beyond the usual arcade adventure games of this type. You can run, jump, fight, and even swim during the game and you get a blaster weapon later on which has different modes. There is a checkpoint system in the game so you don't have to start all over again if you get killed. The impressive graphics make this game feel like you are playing the central character in a polished sci-fi cartoon and the intro sequence is incredible and justifiably famous. Where this game really scores though is in the sense of atmosphere. You really do feel like you've been plunged into a strange alien world. One can see some influence from Another World on an eclectic range of other (future) games like Unreal, Silent Hill, and even Half-Life (which has a similar sort of plot with its dimensional science gone wrong capers). Another World is a really unique experience and one of the most memorable arcade adventure games of this era. Very rarely has a game had such a rich and immersive atmosphere of isolation and feeling trapped in a weird far away place. Another World was one of those games that you simply HAD to sample for yourself just to see the amazing graphics, animations, and backdrops. Happily, there was also a very good game beneath the polished and impressive exterior. You definitely couldn't accuse Another World of just being a tech demo. ARKANOID (1986)Arkanoid is a classic arcade game released in 1986 by Taito. It was ported to various home systems to general acclaim (though it wasn't as much fun to play with a joystick). Arkanoid is often compared to Pong (a game it has some similarities with - you could sort of describe Arkanoid as a more advanced version of Pong) but it is essentially an improved and more modern version of the 1976 arcade game Breakout. Breakout in turn, was patently influenced by the 1974 game Clean Sweep. Everything new is nearly always influenced by something older and that is often the case in gaming too. Arkanoid is what is known as a block breaker game. You control a ship called the Vaus and must stop a mysterious alien entity from taking over the universe or something. Let's be honest, the plot in a game like Arkanoid doesn't really matter. What this game basically entails is the player having a paddle which moves sideways in either direction at the bottom of the screen. You use the paddle to deflect balls back towards the blocks at the top of the screen. When all the blocks are destroyed you move to the next level. It is sort of like Pong crossed with Pinball - only much better than that basic description would imply. Arkanoid is a good example of how the simplest games can often be among the best. This is a lovely game to play with its bright colours and satisfying sound effects. You feel a real sense of accomplishment when you destroy a level of blocks and because a lot of concentration is required to keep hitting the balls back (this game is sort of like squash) the gameplay becomes very addictive. There is something almost hypnotic about the rhythm of Arkanoid as you focus on keep those balls in play so they can damage the blocks high above. There is definitely a bit of Space Invaders in Arkanoid too despite their obvious differences.The game becomes very challenging when the balls speed up and this gives it a decent amount of longevity and makes it challenging. The designers of the game were influenced by the sci-fi film Tron and Arkanoid therefore has an attractive neon sheen. The screens have enough variety to stop the game from feeling too visually repetitive and if you play this game with a mouse the movement and controls feel very good. Arkanoid is a simple game but a timeless one too. This was one of the most popular arcade machines in the world in its day. There were later a number of sequels too which offered more Arkanoid antics. I'm not sure that Arkanoid was really crying out to be a franchise to be honest. Just play the first game and you'll get the general gist. ASTEROIDS (1979)Asteroids is a classic arcade game released in 1979 by Atari. In the game, players control a spaceship and must shoot and destroy asteroids while avoiding collisions with them and other obstacles. Asteroids was created by Lyle Rains and programmed by Ed Logg. This game was so popular it actually knocked Space Invaders off its perch as the king of the arcades. This game might look primitive today but the vector graphics still have a simplicity and beauty that is very entrancing and hypnotic. The home ports which later arrived were decent enough replicas but they lacked a certain something that only the arcade version could supply. Just those little details in the presentation. The gameplay involves controlling a spaceship in an asteroid field where the player must shoot and destroy the asteroids while avoiding collisions with them. The player can move the spaceship in any direction and fire lasers to break up the asteroids into smaller pieces. As the player progresses through the levels, the asteroids become faster and more numerous, making it more challenging to avoid being hit by them. In addition to asteroids, the player must also contend with enemy UFOs that will try to shoot the player's ship. The player can shoot and destroy these UFOs for extra points. The key to the game is mastering the movement of the ship - the thrust required to dodge asteroids and swivel to shoot targets. You have to be fully aware of you bearings and in the right position to dodge and shoot - which requires constant adjustments. This is all very addictive and while Asteroids is unlikely to astonish some youngster in 2024 this was great stuff in its day and has better gameplay than any number of fancier and more modern games. One of the keys to the classic games from the early arcade days is that they didn't have graphics to blow your socks off so they had to have rock solid gameplay. The classic games had to have a good concept or idea behind them and addictive gameplay. Asteroids certainly succeeds on all of these fronts and is an engrossing and enjoyable experience. This game was also one of the first to pioneer a high score list - which encouraged players to try to get on the hallowed hall of fame. The game's success helped solidify Atari's position as a leading arcade game developer and contributed to the growth of the video game industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Asteroids is simple but very addictive and also enjoyably trippy as you spin around in space blasting vector asteroids into little pieces. This game is often a fixture on lists which compile the greatest and most influential games of all time and it certainly deserves its little cloud in arcade heaven. BLOOD (1997)Part of the classic trinity of Build engine games alongside Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior, many would contend that Blood (published by Monolith Productions) is the best of the bunch. Blood is a horror FPS with a fantastic sense of atmosphere and a rich sense of humour. It is inspired by everything from Lovecraft to The Evil Dead to zombie movies to The Shining and is full of colour and inventive levels. As usual with this era of FPS games, the player will find themselves hunting for keys to open doors and pulling levers and switches and then trying to work out what they've just activated. The level design is varied and takes you through crypts, spooky mansions, graveyards, ice glazed backdrops, zombie infested ships, mazes, caverns, funfairs, and more besides. In the game you play the quip dispensing, gravel voiced Caleb (voiced by Stephan Weyte), a gunslinger connected to an occult cult. The story doesn't really matter too much. All you really need to know is that Caleb has to fight his way through numerous levels as dynamite throwing hooded cultists, Gargoyles, two-headed dog beasts, zombies, Bloated Butchers, and Phantasms try to kill him. Oh, and watch out for those pesky Gill Beasts if you end up in the water. Caleb starts off with a pitchfork but will pick up numerous other weapons in the game and what a weapons gallery it is. A great touch too is that you have alternate fire modes. It probably wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Blood has one of the greatest shotguns in FPS history. The sawn-off shotgun in Blood is a weapon you'll using a lot in the game and it is absolutely fantastic. This is a very rapid fire shotgun as far as FPS shotguns go and you'll mow down gazillions of supernatural enemies with this Evil Dead inspired beauty. You'll also be using the flare gun a lot. As the name implies, if you hit an enemy with this gun they will set ablaze. Dynamite is also an essential weapon in the game - especially to blow up those annoying zombies. You light the dynamite and then use a timer bar to decide when to throw and how far it will go. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the hang of lobbing dynamite at enemies but it is intensely satisfying to blow up a horde of zombies with a well timed dynamite hurl. The Tesla Cannon is a blue sparked plasma based weapon which is very powerful and great fun to use. You'll be definitely be needing this weapon against those dangerous Hell Hounds. You also have an Aerosol Can and lighter weapon to set enemies alight and - the most inventive weapon of all - a voodoo doll. The voodoo doll comes in handy during desperate situations when enemies threaten to overwhelm you. Oh, and I nearly forgot the Tommy gun - which is is fun to use and very handy in a tight spot. The game has an anachronistic sort of feel but is clearly a period piece. Blood is a nice change of pace after all those FPS games which take place in futuristic or real world military type environments. One of the charms of these old FPS games is that you are thrown straight into the action. There is no tutorial or endless intros. Before you know what is happening you are attacked by zombies in a graveyard! You'll soon get your hands on some dynamite and start to get the hang of how to use it. One of the fun things about old FPS games is that they are full of secrets and Blood is no different. The player is rewarded for some exploration of the environment. You should be warned that this game is no picnic. In fact, the first time I ever played Blood I was actually put off a bit by how difficult I found the initial levels. Once you get into the game though the fact that it is challenging becomes part of the fun and you'll soon get the hang of the weapons and strategies needed to make progress. You'll feel a real sense of accomplishment in Blood when you get to the end of a tricky level. Here's a weird tip that actually works. If you find a particular room or area really difficult in Blood then try crouching as you shoot enemies. It actually works! When you crouch the enemies find it harder to hit you. Once you get into the swing of the game and the fast paced mechanics, Blood is a crazy, scary, gruesome, and fun experience with many memorable flourishes - like the way you kick zombie heads around as you progress! From demonic hands ("I'll swallow your soul!") to that unforgettable train level, Blood is a genuine classic and a game that any horror or FPS fan worth their salt should have played by now. This game didn't quite get the acclaim or profile it deserved upon release but - happily - these days seems to be rightly regarded as one of the gems of the 90s FPS era. BOULDER DASH (1984)Boulder Dash is a popular action-puzzle video game released in 1984. The game was created by Peter Liepa and Chris Gray and published by First Star Software. In this 2D arcade game the player controls a man called Rockford digging through the ground looking for diamonds. He must ensure that through digging he does not loosen boulders - causing them to fall on him. There are other creatures to contend with too. If rocks fall on these creatures then they turn into diamonds which can be collected. When the diamonds have been collected an escape tunnel opens to the next level. There are 16 caves in all. After 4 caves there is a puzzle to be solved. The game had 5 difficultly levels.Boulder Dash (a pun on the phrase "balderdash") is a classic game. The game was developed originally for Atari 8-bit computers and then ported to other home computers (including the C64 - where I first encountered this game). There were numerous sequels, compilations and other versions and the game is still popular today on contemporary platforms. The game looks very simplistic to modern eyes with basic graphics but it is a very addictive puzzle game. Tunneling through the dirt and collecting the diamonds is very satisfying. The music and sound effects are great too. There were two sequels to Boulder Dash in 1985 and 1986 and both of these games are well worth playing if you love the original. It's basically just more Boulder Dash and what's wrong with that? The world always needs more Boulder Dash. Boulder Dash is a great example of a game that doesn't look awe-inspiring at first glance but has a great idea and concept behind it - thus making the gameplay fiendishly addictive. The Boulder Dash games are still huge fun today and thankfully the home versions were excellent. This is one of those games where you constantly find yourself being drawn back for just one more go. Boulder Dash remains amazingly playable and a true classic of home gaming. Boulder Dash is interesting too in that it reversed the usual tradition in that it become an arcade game AFTER proving a success on home systems. Boulder Dash is a classic example of how addictive gameplay and an interesting concept is the most important component of a game - especially in this early era of gaming where graphics could still be fairly primitive by later standards. Boulder Dash is a cosy and nostalgic game for many and - more importantly than that - it is still an awful lot of fun to play. CANNON FODDER (1993)Sensible Software's Cannon Fodder is to the Amiga what Beach Head is to the C64. That is to say a game that everyone with that computer played and probably has vivid memories of. There's no doubt though that Cannon Fodder is a better game than Beach Head. If you had an Amiga in the early 1990s then Cannon Fodder was one of those must play games that you simply had to own. In terms of fame, Cannon Fodder is up there with Sensible Soccer and Lemmings when it comes to Amiga games. You'd probably say that the game fully deserves to be rubbing shoulders in such hallowed company. Cannon Fodder is a great game with a clever concept behind it.Cannon Fodder is an unusual sort of game to describe. It is essentially a cross between Commando and Lemmings. You control a small squad of soldiers who must go through twenty-three levels of various terrains destroying all in their path and killing enemy soldiers. The game is an interesting (and inspired) mix of strategy and action that straddles different genres surprisingly well. Even if you find point and click games a trifle dull there is no danger of finding this wearisome in Cannon Fodder because it is still essentially an action game. And if you find top down action (though Cannon Fodder isn't really a top down game) games a little on the simplistic side then Cannon Fodder also works because it combines the action with a strategy element where you must move your squad around to avoid traps and take up the best positions to survive. You can even split the squad up if you think this will give you a better chance at an objective. This blend of game styles is surprisingly seamless and an idea so clever you wonder why more people didn't think of it sooner. Cannon Fodder is very addictive once you get into the swing of things and the graphics (basically the little Sensible Soccer figures with combat uniforms) and backdrops are all colourful and attractive. There's an odd but strangely effective tonal clash here between cute graphics and a lot of violence. Cannon Fodder was quite controversial in its day. The main reason for this is that the early poster art for the game featured a red poppy. As you can imagine, this was regarded to be a bit tasteless to say the least and drew complaints from the Royal British Legion. The controversy did the game no harm though and simply made it more famous - leading to more sales. Cannon Fodder is an interesting game historically because it arrived at the start of that era when the FPS genre was beginning to become established and would soon take over as the most dominant genre in gaming. Cannon Fodder is sort of like a last hurrah for the Commando(ish) type of military action game - though it obviously has more depth and strategy than Commando. Cannon Fodder is a genuine Amiga classic and great fun. The amount of levels and escalating difficulty also gives you plenty of gameplay and a genuine challenge. A sequel to Cannon Fodder (you won't be surprised to learn that it was called Cannon Fodder 2) arrived in 1994. The sequel is more of the same really in terms of gameplay. In fact, some were critical of Cannon Fodder 2 of feeling more like a bonus pack with new levels than a sequel. The main difference with the sequel is that the backdrops are more varied and outlandish. Aliens feature in the plot and you'll find yourself thrown into different periods thanks to a time travel element. Cannon Fodder 2 is fine for what it is but it doesn't really distinguish itself that much from the original. If you like the first Cannon Fodder you should play the sequel but don't expect anything drastically different. CASTLEVANIA (1986)Castlevania is a classic action-adventure platform game developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1986. The Castlevania series would spawn numerous games and other classics, but for pure nostalgia nothing will ever top the original Castlevania game for 80s kids. The game was created by Akihiko Nagata and called Akumajō Dracula in Japan. This is a side-scrolling action game with platforming and a fun gothic horror backdrop. You control the protagonist Simon Belmont as he embarks on a quest to defeat the vampire Dracula. The game is divided into six stages, each culminating in a boss battle with one of Dracula's minions. Players use Simon's whip as their primary weapon, but can also pick up sub-weapons such as holy water and throwing axes to help defeat enemies. Along the way, players can also collect hearts to use as ammunition for the sub-weapons. The animations in the game are good for their time and the backdrops are detailed and attractive. While the colour scheme in Castlevania seems a trifle muted by today's standards they do manage to mix things to stop the backdrops from becoming too samey. So you get a lot of orange for castle walls but then blue water, green for outside, and also grey interior areas. The mid-eighties graphics are obviously very dated today but this is quite a nice looking game for 1986 and you can see they've put a lot of effort into the backdrops. The key to the game is timing. You have to master the slight delay with the whip and then get into that groove where you can anticipate enemies and the patterns of their respective attacks. As players progress through the stages, they can collect power-ups to increase Simon's health and whip strength. At the end of each stage, players face off against a boss character, each with its own unique attack patterns and weaknesses. Castlevania can be a challenging at times and is not without its frustrations but it does make it a rewarding game to beat and master. We should mention the music in this game too - which is terrific. Castlevania is one of the most memorable platform games of the 1980s and quickly became an iconic name in home gaming. Castlevania spawned a successful franchise with numerous sequels, spin-offs, and adaptations across various platforms, including handheld consoles, mobile games, and animated series. The 1986 game is therefore a hallowed piece of gaming history and - best of all - is still fun to play. CASTLEVANIA: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT (1997)Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was published by Konami for the PlayStation in 1997. The game follows the story of Alucard, the son of Dracula, who awakens from his slumber to find that the castle of his father has appeared once again. Alucard sets out to explore the castle, defeat its monstrous inhabitants, and ultimately confront his father in a climactic battle. This game for some reason (maybe this type of platform/action game was seen as old hat by 1997?) actually sold quite poorly at first but then became a popular cult favourite through positive word of mouth.The game has familiar side-scrolling action and platform elements but it also has a non-linear design where exploration is encouraged. This sense of freedom is very welcome and gives the game more appeal. You could say that Symphony of the Night mashes up a fair few genres while still retaining that core Castlevania essence. You feel like you are getting something new but also something old, familiar, and cosy - which is not an easy trick to pull off. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night does though and in some style too. There are power-ups, secrets to find, and boss battles. What really takes the cake here is the lovely art direction and memorable music. The movement of your character is also very smooth and satisfying. The castle you explore in the game is like an extra character in its own right and adds a wonderful atmosphere. There is a nice variety in the different areas too which prevents the backdrops from ever threatening to become too similar. The combat can get fast and furious at times and the crisp graphics remain a pleasure to take in. The hidden areas also increase the long term playability of the game. The game has an excellent map system and balanced gameplay which makes it challenging but not frustrating. There is no whip but you do get plenty of satisfying weapons to use in the game like knives and axes. As ever, you'll have to make sure your melee skills are up to snuff. There are an enjoyable range of monsters to fight and a nice touch is that you can transform into different animals and even get creatures and animals to help you (which was not a new idea - I recall it from one of the Quake expansion packs - but it's fun anyway. Later on the castle is turned upside down and you get to explore it again - only from a different perspective. This is a classic game from the 90s which deserves the esteem in which it is held from a modern vantage point. What makes the enduring fame of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night especially satisfying is that, as we noted, it didn't actually sell very well on initial release. The game was therefore a very good example of why you shouldn't always judge hype and sales as a barometer of quality or longevity. CHRONO TRIGGER (1995)Chrono Trigger is a classic role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. The team behind this game had previously worked on (respectively) Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy and one can see elements of those games in Chrono Trigger. Happily though, Chrono Trigger is good enough to transcend its inspirations and is a truly great game in its own right. Chrono Trigger is a role-playing game that follows the story of a group of heroes who travel through time to prevent a catastrophic event from destroying the world. The gameplay of Chrono Trigger involves exploring various environments, interacting with non-player characters, and engaging in turn-based battles with enemies. The battles are fast-paced and require strategic thinking to defeat opponents. Players can customise their party by choosing which characters to bring along on their journey, each with their own unique abilities and skills. As the game progresses, players can also unlock new abilities and upgrade their equipment to become more powerful in combat. In addition to combat, players must solve puzzles and complete side quests to progress through the game and unlock new areas to explore. The choices players make throughout the game can also impact the storyline and lead to different endings. Chrono Trigger is a very cosy and immersive game to play and the sprite graphics are charmingly rendered with plenty of colour in the backdrops. The graphics are more cartoonish than realistic but that's a deliberate design choice and makes the game look very attractive. The characters in the game have real personality too. There is a lot of depth to this game with many different paths and a campaign that will take over 20 hours to beat. The music in this game is also justifiably acclaimed. If you like RPG games there really isn't much to grumble about at all when it comes to Chrono Trigger. The puzzles are never too unfair and the wonderful charming atmosphere of the game makes it a pleasure to play. The game has been re-released multiple times on different platforms, including the Nintendo DS, mobile devices, and PC, and continues to be praised for its engaging story, memorable characters, and beautiful soundtrack composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu. Chrono Trigger has also inspired fan works, fan art, music remixes, and even a fan-made sequel called Chrono Resurrection. The game's impact on the gaming industry and its dedicated fanbase have solidified its place as a timeless classic and a beloved favourite among RPG enthusiasts.COMMAND & CONQUER (1995)Command & Conquer is a military strategy game made by the same team who produced Dune II. The game has a modern setting and is clearly inspired by real world conflicts like the first Gulf War but it doesn't actually depict a real life military campaign. Instead the game involves a war between two fictitious groups - The Brotherhood of Nod and the Global Defense Initiative. The Brotherhood of Nod is a sinister cult group bent on world domination. They intend to achieve this by controlling a precious resource called Tiberium.