Top 2D Retro Games Still Holds Up Well Today

What's your list? (that you'd recommend to gamers who have never played them before)

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Mine would be:

Commando - Arcade

Sunset Riders - Sega Genesis

Turican II - Amiga

Bosconian - Arcade

Project X - Amiga

Canon Fodder - Amiga

Konami's Ping Pong - MSX

Time Pilot - Arcade

Contra

Most of the SNES library.

Most of the Genesis library.

@sonic_spark: I legitimately don't have much experience with the Genesis, which is why I refrain from commenting on it or its games much. I will take your word for it, however. The 16 bit era was something else for video games.

It was a cheeky response by me. I meant the Genesis in addition to the SNES. And yes, you are missing out.

I liked it a lot at the time, but don't feel it holds up well today

Assuming the DS and GBA library isn't old enough to be a part of this conversation:

Symphony of the Night

Super Metroid

Super Mario World

Harry Potter RPGs on GBA

Adventures (?) Of Monkey Island

Really? That's surprising. I avoid games with movie/book titles as a general rule. They're almost always shit.

@inb4uall: They're pretty decent JRPGs as far as I remember

This for the most part.

Super Metroid, A Link to the Past and Chrono Trigger being the holy trinity.

Too many to list honestly, because I have so many favorites on the Genesis, Saturn, and various other systems.

Way too many to list...

Arcade

• Space Invaders
• Pac-Man
• Double Dragon
• Shinobi
• Golden Axe

Capcom CPS

• Final Fight
• Strider
• Street Fighter Alpha 2
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
• Marvel vs Capcom 2

Neo Geo

• Magician Lord
• Fatal Fury Special
• Metal Slug
• Metal Slug X
• Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad

NES

• Portopia Serial Murder Case
• Super Mario Bros 3
• River City Ransom
• Crystalis
• Final Fantasy III

Sega Master System

• Alex Kidd in Miracle World
• Alex Kidd in Shinobi World
• Wonder Boy in Monster Land
• Ninja Gaiden
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sega Mega Drive

• The Revenge of Shinobi
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Streets of Rage 2
• Gunstar Heroes
• Snatcher (Sega CD)

SNES

• Dragon Quest V
• Secret of Mana
• Final Fantasy VI
• Chrono Trigger
• Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals

PS1

• Lunar: Silver Star Story
• Lunar 2: Eternal Blue
• Alundra
• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
• Suikoden II

PC

• Tyrian
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert
• The Curse of Monkey Island
• A Blurred Line
• Clannad

Other

• Ys I & II (PCE)
• Psycho World (MSX)
• Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX/PS2)
• Pokemon Yellow (GBC)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (GBA/DS)

@charizard1605:

There are a LOT of bad snes games. Same goes for Genesis.

That's because great game design doesn't actually age.

Just gonna drop Yoshis Island since nobody has mentioned it yet.

Really, way too many to list though. Just listing all the ones from the NES, Genesis and SNES would take a minute.

@jg4xchamp:

I agree.

But on this forum it is all opinion--there's no such thing as good game design.

X-Men 2: Clone Wars (Genesis)

The Lost Vikings (SNES)

2D games can't age since 2D pixel graphics are timeless. If the game sucks now chances are it sucked back then.

The very nature of quality has a level of subjectivity to it. Sure there are informed opinions, justified opinions, opinions based on clear and obvious examples of superiority, but it's gonna have opinions. Regardless there are plenty of games from older generations, that aren't just playable, but straight up excellent to this day.

@jg4xchamp: There's opinion on quality? That diminishes the value of trade skills. Quality ingredients make up good food. Quality materials make up quality furniture. An precise musician makes up quality music. ....it is more the enjoyment/use that is of opinion.

The GBC ones are good too.

I actually meant these ones, whoops

These were amazing. Get Prisoner of Azkaban. Enjoy.

I never really enjoyed that one, the first 2 of GBC were amazing though.

I loved that, but yeah, the GBC ones were the actual stars of the show.

A Bunch of Genesis and SNES games.

Chrono Trigger, FF6

Streets of Rage 2, the Sonic series, NBA Jam and Earthworm Jim from the 16bit era are still some of my all time fave games and i do still play them all to this day regularly.

Good times.

@Jag85:

a lot of good stuff in that list.

Tyrian was an amazing game, and so is MGS1 &2 on MSX

2D Super Mario games

Sonic (first trilogy)

Streets of Rage 2

Street Fighter 2

Aladdin

Super Castlevania 4

Most Neo Geo games

@PAL360:

I noticed you have Another World pic as your avatar.

Have you ever played Commodore Amiga games before?

A Link to the Past.

I'm surprised someone else here has actually played Tyrian. It's one of the best shmups I've played.

I kind of left out the first Metal Gear, as I was trying to limit the list to five per section, but kept MG2 Solid Snake, which holds up pretty well compared to MGS.