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?
Some 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 May 18, 2022 by Nickolas “Saz” Davis: With each passing year, the definition of what makes a design, motif, or aesthetic “retro” becomes broader. This may be slightly horrifying for some gamers as the art style they remember from not so long ago begin to meet the criterion. It is a good thing, though. These styles becoming nostalgic allows us to revisit them in a fresh way. We can maintain the best parts of these eras while foregoing what made them somewhat frustrating and tedious. All of the games on this list hit an amazing balance between retro vibes and modern gameplay and storytelling to make for unique experiences.
12 Cuphead
While 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
Harkening 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
One 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
A 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.
The 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
The 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
One 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
Because 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.
Looking 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.
5 The Messenger
Ever since Ninja Gaiden put players in the fast-paced role of a sword-wielding hero, there has been a hunger for those type of games. The Messenger continues this tradition with even faster and more rewarding gameplay.
While the game looks like it came from the NES days, there are certain aspects of The Messenger that emulate the look of the Super Nintendo. The fast moment-to-moment gameplay gives players a sense of power and coolness that only a sleek side scroller such as The Messenger could provide.
4 Enter The Gungeon
This randomly generated action game has a totally retro look that helps the brilliant simplicity of the gameplay. Enter the Gungeon focuses on a wide expanse of creative guns for players to use to progress increasingly difficult levels, and the main driving force of the game is the excitement of getting a brand new gun that hasn’t been acquired.
This game is reminiscent of top-down shooters from the NES/Super Nintendo era, and it gets even more intense with its ambitions.
3 Shovel Knight
Arguably one of the greatest achievements in indie gaming, Shovel Knight and all of its expansions have captured the hearts of gamers everywhere. This classic side-scroller takes elements of Castlevania, Ghosts ‘N Goblins, and even DuckTales to create an immensely satisfying and well-designed game.
Shovel Knight takes everything that the classics did so well and amplifies it with modern techniques and sensibilities. Gamers everywhere are hoping for a full sequel to be announced.
2 Owlboy
Owlboy is an underrated gem that has an unfathomable amount of work put into both the stunning artwork and the fun and clever gameplay. The story feels straight out of a Pixar movie, with a little owl that goes on a big adventure with some friends to save his land from an evil threat. The classic tale of a black sheep who finds acceptance in his own way and winds up saving the day.
The gameplay involves you maneuvering around obstacles with Owlboy and swapping through different characters he can hold with different abilities.
1 Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a retro-style game for anyone who wants that retro-level of difficulty on top of that retro art style and feel. This is one of the only modern games with the painful feature of sending you all the way back to the beginning whenever you die. It manages to keep that punishing feature from being a detriment, though, with levels that vary every single time you play.
On top of that, hundreds of different enemies and creative weapons to slash through them with could make every single run of Dead Cells a little different.
