Author: Richard Blake

SNES or Super Nintendo had to face intense competition due to its relatively late release. However, the 16-bit console allowed the SNES to craft more immersive worlds and vivid characters in their games. In fact, developers created some of the best SNES RPGs that are difficult to overlook for any retro gamer today.

The rivalry with SEGA’s genesis was tough and it kind of compelled Nintendo to come up with ingenious styles and excel at the genres. The evolution in RPGs is clearly evident in the list of best SNES games in this genre.

[lwptoc]

Best SNES RPGs

Action RPG is a genre many gamers tend to be crazy about. It’s so addictive to kick the enemies’ ass in a surreal setting with creatively crafted characters. The newer more potent hardware in the console let the developers come up with some brand new exciting titles. Let’s have a look.

Final Fantasy V

Almost all retro gamers would probably know this name. It has many sequels but this is the one that played a vital role in the rise of SNES.

The game features a jobs system, which means that you will play with different characters simultaneously following a turn-based command. To make it further interesting, each of your characters can pick over 20 different job classes. It gives you a chance to develop a winning strategy in the game.

The villain is really challenging, you can travel the world in a variety of ways using different transportation, and the sound effects are also above average. All these traits combined, the game lets you flex your mental muscles and is one of the most engaging RPGs ever designed. Read more: Best SEGA Master System Games

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Most adults have grown up playing the Super Mario game. It was one of the first platformers that had mastered the mechanics of its type and had a huge role in making Nintendo popular. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise if you feel one of the two emotions; apprehension or excitement when hearing about this new RPG style of Mario.

However, once you try this game and come to see Mario and Bowser as allies, it’s definitely worth playing. Of course, Mario and Bowser may not be your first choice of characters in an RPG, but this is actually quite funny and entertaining. If you just like to have a good time while playing and prefer shorter gameplay sometimes, this is made for you.

Secret of Mana

If by any chance you missed to try this action RPG, this may be the best SNES RPGs you never played. In fact this game proved the importance of real-time action RPGs as an alternative to turn-based games.

You get to play this one with three characters but you only control one character at a time. The visuals are truly gorgeous and the multiplayer option elevates the status of this game even higher among the gamers. It’s also incredible that other players can enter and leave in the middle of the game.

It has a fun storyline but it only starts making complete sense in the second half of the game.  The story revolves around the legendary Mana sword that three boys accidentally discover as one of them falls into a lake. As a consequence, several monsters are also unleashed into the villages. The game involves a lot of travelling, elements of surprises, and crisp graphics. Read: Best Commodore 64 Games that Became Bestsellers

Breath of Fire II

With this RPG title, it can easily be said that the artists put some real work in creating the backgrounds and animations. The turn-based battles, quirky characters, and the character interactions are what make this game extremely fun to play.

It’s a story-driven RPG where your character must navigate top-down, venture through several dungeons, and defend against your enemy attacks. The dialogues and hints in the message box at the bottom help you solve challenges and progress in the game.

Considering the age of this game, the storyline is pretty good. However, today we have other games with similar concepts. Anyway, overall it’s a pretty good game to kill time.

Earthbound

Amidst several SNES RPGs that focused on fantasy worlds, this one kept it simple and featured a more realistic setting. Even the characters look like ordinary children rather than ancient warriors or strange animals.

Earthbound could be one of the most expensive of the SNES ROMs. The game is quite fun and invokes the spirit of the 90s fairly well. The graphics aren’t the best you would see in SNES titles, but the fantastic soundtrack makes up for it. The game mechanics are also interesting and keep you glued.

The game tries to reflect the western culture in a plot with a young boy who investigates a nearby meteorite crash. Your character gradually discovers that an alien race has consumed the world and turned people and objects into malicious creatures. You must travel to different towns and ultimately eradicate the alien from existence. Read more: Best DOS Games of All Time

Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen

Despite generic storyline and ordinary graphics, this game really managed to create its place in the RPG gaming world. Focusing predominantly on gameplay and combat, this game became a personal favorite of many in that period.

The retro gamers must at least once give it a look as they might love the tactical battles, plenty of character choices to recruit, and solid music also gives it a high entertainment value. For these reasons, we couldn’t miss it from our list of the best SNES RPGs.

Conclusion

When you are talking about old school gaming, the list really never seems to end. There are plenty of best SNES RPGs with extremely unique characters and settings. The rivalry between the contemporary console brands ensured that every new release promised an entirely new exciting experience.

Our criteria for picking the best ones is centered on the storyline, gameplay, interactive elements, colors, as well as the crispness of graphics. But we sure didn’t skip the ones that are addictive to many despite some subpar elements and features.

Any true retro lover would instantly recall having played or known these best SEGA master system games. It’s not hard to remember how much the gamers were fascinated by these top titles released for SEGA master systems.

Brace yourself for the overwhelming nostalgia as we begin to list the most popular game titles for this console. We bet it would instantly teleport you to your childhood if you had ever played any of these SEGA master system games.

[lwptoc]

Best SEGA Master System Games

Fantasy Star

You get into random battles as you walk around in an overworld. The RPGs which is a common genre now was pretty fresh around that time. The plot of the game is about revenge and the players are taken to different plants where they come across various races and learn about the lore of the series

This is a strategy based, feature-packed game, with 3D tunnel effects that made it different from the generic fantasy world prevalent in the rival consoles.

You must defeat the bad guys but you are not alone. You will group with a warrior and a wizard on your quest to defeat the dark forces. The game was such a huge hit that we later come to see many more subsequent parts of the game.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

If there is one game series that can be credit for cementing Sega’s success in the gaming world across the globe, it’s Sonic.

This horizontal scrolling platform game features Sonic as the main character but this new part of the game marks the debut of Tails as a character who Sonic must rescue. Through the game, you must collect rings, save animals and kill the evil bots to defeat the evil Dr. Robotniks.

To make it further interesting, you could ride in a minecart, glide on gliders, skim across waters and float in bubbles, what else could one need in a platform game?

Asterix

Asterix is a side-scrolling platformer that partly reminds you of Mario but with plenty of original scenes and much more puzzle elements. Also, it has two characters Asterix and Obelix in the sequel. Both have different abilities which give you two different approaches to clear a level.

Your characters must travel all over the world to protect druid Getafix from a dreadful fate in Rome. Though the characters were created from a comic book, the developers have done an excellent job at it. This adventure is really fun to play with all the rich colors, expressive characters and the storyline. No wonder why it is still one of the favorites for many retro lovers. Read more: Best Commodore 64 Games that Became Bestsellers

Alex Kidd in Shinobi World

The forgotten hero of the gaming world, Alex Kidd was, at one point of time, almost as popular as Sonic, Donald, and Mickey. In this game, Alex Kidd is informed by the ancient warrior about the Dark Ninja’s escape, and his plan with Alex’s kidnapped girlfriend. He fuses itself with Alex to boost his strength and skills. Now, like Alex, you must save your girlfriend as well as stop the evil Ninja.

This side-scrolling platformer game has everything to make it addictive, challenging, and visually pleasing. The diverse changing scenarios, the variety of weapons with the sword as default, rolling as a fireball move, the background music, and the storyline, it all makes the game one of the most memorable of the time.

Vampire: Master of Darkness

Perhaps the developers thought that SEGA’s master system was lacking in a horror-thriller and decided to come up with this dark action-platformer. SEGA had to do something to tackle Nintendo that had a lion’s share in the market when it came to horror.

With the master of darkness, developers introduced plenty of unique elements to make it feel fresh for the gamers despite some similarities with other games of the time. Your character is a psychologist who is tasked with vanquishing the vampires ultimately facing Dracula himself.

Psycho Fox

It’s one of the best looking master system games with surprisingly crisp graphics. But that’s not what makes it addictive. It’s another one of those horizontal scrolling games but the abundance of fun elements, special abilities, and unique challenges make it one of the best games of the time. The psycho fox can use its magical stick to change into three different animals.

Another factor why this game achieved so much love was that it managed to offer the best elements of the three popular games Mario, Yoshi’s Island, and Sonic. It didn’t just copy them but realized the best aspects of these platformers and ingeniously incorporated them. This is undoubtedly one of the best SEGA master system games. Learn more: Best DOS Games of All Time

Golden Axe Warrior

This title never fails to enter any list about the best SEGA master system RPGs. The concept of the game wasn’t entirely unique but it was executed with such excellence that it became a huge success.

You are a Spartan-inspired warrior who must avenge his parent’s death. Your character enters a set of labyrinths, collect crystals, defend against some automatic attacks, fight a variety of enemies while figuring out the way to find and defeat the wicked villain Death Adder.

Many compare it to Zelda game, which makes sense because of the similarity in the basic concept of the two games. However, there are plenty of unique elements in the game so it doesn’t matter if you have played Zelda before.

Wonder Boy in Monster Land

If there is one thing that is safe to say for the majority of game lovers, it’s that the platform games never get boring. To ensure this, developers keep creating new ones adding some unique features to them. We have several platformers that make the list of best SEGA master system games.

Wonder Boy is an ARPG(Action Role-Playing game) where your warrior character must accrue gold to upgrade armor and weapons, and progress through 12 levels of monsters to finally defeat the final boss, Mecha Dragon. The colorful graphics, addictive soundtrack, and the immersive design are what make this game unforgettable for retro fans. Read more: Best SEGA CD Games of All Time

Conclusion

It’s quite fun to see 8-bit video consoles having created such ingenious games with attractive designs despite the technological limitations. Some of these games are so addictive that they are even played today.

So, these are SEGA master system games worth playing if you do find retro games to be special. Sadly, these games had something that is missing in some of the games that we play today. By going into the past, you will realize that graphics isn’t the only criteria for creating a wonderful game. They no longer make it how they used to! Go play and find out for yourself.

For every game lover, there are some PC games that are truly timeless and mark the golden age of PC gaming. Doesn’t matter how old you are, going down the memory lane to remember or learn about the best DOS games of all time can be elating.

Looking back to the times when DOS or MS-DOS was the only operating system for PC, that was the period when the foundations of PC gaming were laid. If you belong to the older generation and have lived the period of top DOS games, it may be a good idea to introduce your kids, nieces, or nephews to the world of the classic DOS games.

[lwptoc]

Best DOS Games of All Time

We have compiled a list of the best selling classic DOS games in various genres. The list of such games is unending, to be frank, but we did our best to select the most memorable and distinctive titles, for you.

Prince of Persia

It is one of those game titles which were eventually made into a movie. You are probably familiar with the modern version of this game, but it was first brought into existence by Jordan Mechner in 1989. The game features a prince from medieval Iran who must escape from the prison, run, jump, and indulge in sword fights to save the princess from the spiteful villain Grand Vizier Jaffar.

The game influenced a sub-genre called cinematic platformer. The sprawling levels, fluid animation, and the control style marked this new genre. Unlike the ordinary jump and run mechanics, this introduced several new factors in the gameplay. It introduced complex levels, making survival more challenging. The simple jump was replaced by more difficult jumping and environmental puzzles.

Every time your character dies you must start again from the beginning. Your character begins with three health units that can be replenished with health potions discovered during the game. Large jars of potions would give a permanent boost to Prince’s health. Though you will have infinite lives, the game must be finished within an hour to achieve victory.

Wolfenstein 3D

Wolfenstein 3D is one of the first FPS(First Person Shooter) games. You are stuck in a 3-dimensional maze where your mission is to defeat the Nazis in each level, one boss at a time. There is a storyline to the game. You are an American spy of Polish Jewish descent.

The game lets you live through an alternative history. In the beginning, you have been captured but you manage to escape with the help of a concealed knife. There are a total of six episodes each having nine levels. Through the first nine levels, you must search for an escape from Wolfenstein which is heavily guarded. In the final mission, you must terminate Hitler!

The player has a limited number of lives but he can win extra lives by achieving certain milestones. You will be equipped with four kinds of weapons with knife and piston given at the very start, rest acquired through the course of the game. Read more: Best Atari 5200 Games

SimCity

Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t have the slightest idea about the intricacies of running a city. This game lets you mess around with that very idea of building and maintaining an entire city. What are some of the essential components of building a city? These are housing, transport, schools, shops, factories, and other similar elements, right? As the Mayor of a new municipality, these will be your responsibility in the game.

You must raise taxes, prepare for emergencies, decide what the most suitable sites for any establishment are; your choices will determine the fate of the city. You will face economical, environmental, and other challenges in time-limited scenarios.

The Sims series eventually evolved into much more advanced formats. Now you have so many different versions of the game. Electronic Arts game publisher has released the latest SimCity game with more real-life situations and advanced graphics. But let’s not forget that it all began with the DOS version of SimCity.

Street Fighter II

It’s one of the first head-to-head combat games which were recreated from the arcade version to be introduced to in-home gaming. It became one of the best DOS games of all time. Retro game lovers still remember all the characters of the game and it won’t surprise me if some of them still play it.

The game had a significant impact on popular cultures like films and music. The characters like Ryu, Ken, E Honda, Chun-Li all became quite memorable.

The character could jump, crouch, move, defend, and cast a combination of kicks and punches. In fact, it was this game that popularized the use of combo attacks in 2D combat games. Grabbing and throwing attacks were also a part of the Street Fighter 2 which was missing in the original version.

DOOM

Doom is a 3D FPS(First Person Shooter) developed by the same company that created Wolfenstein 3D. So of course there are similarities, but the plot and the complexity of the levels are entirely different.

At the beginning of the game, you find yourself in a futuristic setting on a military base located on Mars’ moon Phobos. The story goes that a squad of Marines were sent to Phobos, but were slaughtered by demonic creatures. Only one of them survived and you being that person must strike back as you find your way out of the place.

It’s a full-on action game where you are equipped with a varied arsenal. Like Wolfenstein, it has different episodes that can be played in any order. You can equip yourself with a varied arsenal that you will need to fight the demons and the humans that have now turned. The theme is that of the space but it gradually starts to resemble hell with hung-up corpses, horned demons, and distorted faces. Read more: Best Commodore 64 Games that Became Bestsellers

Conclusion

These are just a few of the top DOS games that classic-game lovers would definitely love to revisit. The more you learn about these classics, the more you realize how they have been a huge part of the evolution of PC gaming.

You may be surprised to learn that some of the best DOS strategy games belong to this time period. There are of course plenty more best-selling DOS games in almost every genre. We hoped that this tiny list would rekindle the spirit of a retro gamer in you.

Any discussion about retro gaming is incomplete without mentioning the best Commodore 64 games. The period between 1980 and 1985 marked great advancement in gaming technology. The developers took it as an opportunity to begin innovating genres. It was at this time that we started to see RPGs, fighting, platform, and adventure genres replacing the pong style of gaming.

Sega and Nintendo were two major players in the gaming industry at this time. But, C64 quickly created a space for itself and came up with fascinating titles for its console. It had an 8-bit CPU, 64kb of RAM but the custom chip it used produced visuals way ahead of its time. This is why we get to see an impressive collection of game titles that drew so many gamers.

[lwptoc]

Best Commodore 64 Games that Became Bestsellers

Compiling a list of top C64 games of that time is not an easy thing to do. The console was a major hit around that time and it released about 2000 titles for the console. A variety of new genres were being developed in this period. Here is a list of the best Commodore 64 games in different genres.

Maniac Mansion

The plot of the game is as bizarre as the name but it is one of the best C64 classics of the time. The game features a mad scientist whose brain has been enslaved by a sentient meteor. The narrative is quite interesting and the main mission is to save your girlfriend who is trapped in the mansion.

Dave Miller is the main character here, and the girlfriend’s name is Sandy Pantz. Yeah, they really named her that!

So, this is a non-linear game with multiple choices and different outcomes. Along with the main character, you can choose two more from six of your friends. Three of you will enter the mansion to rescue your girlfriend, but it won’t be so easy. You will encounter multiple traps and puzzles to hinder your progress.

Shadow of the Beast

Well, we can’t deny the fact that C64 developers have a way with names. They come up with such fascinating titles as well as exciting themes. So, what is this game title about?

The game is centered on a kidnapped boy placed under an evil curse by a dark beast. Warped by dark magic, the boy starts to act like a monster servant for the beast lord. However, he eventually starts regaining memories and starts battling everyone to break free from the curse. It’s a perfect example of side-scrolling gameplay with spectacular graphics.

A great theme and storyline require  befitting gameplay for it to really fascinate the players. Shadow of the Beast is a successful example of that.

Impossible Mission

Don’t take the name too literally, it’s a challenging game, nonetheless, it’s completely solvable. If you have watched the movie ‘Mission Impossible’ you will find that the theme of this aim matches well with the movie plot.

It turned out to be one of the best C64 platform games considering that platform games were still relatively new around that period. The game features a spy whose mission is to defeat an evil professor to save the day. To do this, your character must solve a series of puzzles to break-into high-security areas. You must avoid the evil robots too as you find passwords!

International Karate+

You must have seen or played many street fighting games by now, but this is one of the early fighting games that grew immensely popular.

In the US it was released by another name ‘Chop N Drop’ but globally it was known by the name ‘International Karate+’. If you are not a big fan of superpowers and prefer to use only kick-ass combat moves, this game is meant for you.

The impressive colorful graphics would make you forget that the game runs just on an 8-bit machine. Among the C64 classics, this one, though, being simple was still quite addictive. You must acquire 6 points to win, and the victorious player gets to play a ball-game at the end.

Some of the fun elements include humiliating the other player, changing the background and invoking Pac-Man just for fun. Read more about the Best Atari 5200 Games.

Spy vs. Spy

One thing we can say for sure is that the game titles for Commodore 64 ROMs never get dull. Likewise, the concept of these games intrigued the gamers and never bored them.

You can imagine how dirty it may get between two competing spies. The rules are simple, collect more items than your rival, plant traps to slow down your enemy, and you may even get into fistfights when it serves your interests.

The game is based on a comic strip. You get access to weapons that you may employ in your attempt to kill the other spy. Every time you or the other person dies, the timer goes down by 30 seconds. Whoever collects more items when the clock stops ticking would win!

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters isn’t just a game, it’s a job. The job is to ‘get rid of the ghosts’ and by doing so you make a profit in the game. In order to progress in the game, you must rid the town of enough ghosts to have at least $10k in your bank account. Of course, if you excel at the job and can make the town ghost-free, then you are paid an additional amount.

What do you do with the money? You buy faster cars and better weapons. All this so you can be that one Good Samaritan who saves the town. But to do so, at the final level you must battle the Marshmallow man and Zuul, yes the ones from the movie.

Conclusion

The Commodore 64 console came at a time when Nintendo and Sega were already competing with each other for supremacy in home-gaming consoles. These best Commodore 64 games landed the console among the top machines at the time.

Some of these rare Commodore 64 games even became top hits among the gamers. Now retro lovers look back at how some of the earliest adventure, platform, and combative games lead to the evolution of these genres. Modern games won’t be what they are without the developer’s creative contribution in this period.

Whether you like to revisit the past or are a fan of old school gaming, the desire to play again some of those best SEGA CD games is completely understandable and relatable. Though the gaming industry has come very far, there is a unique charm for retro gaming.

The release of SEGA CD ROMs was a huge thing back then. It not only introduced a great number of new exciting titles but also revived some of the old classics with enhanced graphics. Remembering those top classics sure feels nostalgic to any game lover, even today.

The poor business strategy and the higher prices lead to the winding up of the company but not before they had released some incredible FMV titles owing to the boosted storage and upgraded CPU.

[lwptoc]

Best SEGA CD ROMs of All Time

Lunar Eternal Blue

Eternal Blue is a sequel of the first Lunar game. It’s a turn-based RPG game with a dramatic storyline, magic system, and a really impressive fantasy setting. Despite the limited color palette, the color scheme used in the game looks really vivid and the CD format enables good use of music tracks, voice acting, and animated cut-scenes.

This fantasy RPG involves travelling from town to town, exploring different caves and dungeons along the journey. The true charm of the game is in its compelling story and the engaging characters. You will come across some of the same areas as the first Lunar if you have played the first part. The characters’ personalities and their inner struggles give the game a realistic touch.

Earthworm Jim: Special Edition

This cartoon based game turned out to be a real hit after the launch of its newest edition. With additional animation, remix soundtrack, and several new levels, the game was just so addictive. The array of cool superpowers that the main character had owing to his super suit, which the villains wanted to steal, made the game all the more fun.

The alternate endings in the game kept on the excitement and revealed some strange made-up facts about the worms. With improved animation and extended levels, this game became a favorite for a large number of gamers. It’s worth playing even today!

Sonic CD

The new Sonic CD had to deal with heavy expectations owing to the high popularity of its Genesis predecessors. But it turned out that the Sonic CD managed to satisfy the fans of the original while still managing to introduce several new elements in the game.

Like the previous Sonic game, it features the main character, Sonic, running and jumping through various themed levels, trying to protect the little planet from Doctor Robotnik. Few of the changes in the new version include time travel, pseudo 3-D bonus levels, and the ability to save progress.

The time travel aspect turned out to be the most significant addition, and it allowed you to travel to the past or future of each level. You can either end up in a ‘good future’ or a ‘bad’ one. The gameplay became much more interesting with this new addition. The superior soundtrack and some minor modifications make this already loved game gain enormous popularity.

Robo Aleste (1992)

If you like those addictive, 2D shooting games, Robo Aleste will surely manage to pique your interest. Though the storyline doesn’t win any extra points, the real magic of the game is in the fast-paced, intense gameplay, where your character has to shoot the assorted range of oncoming enemies with different attack patterns.

You get to arm yourself with throwing knives, bombs, ninja stars, and electricity bolts as you get the chance, and use them to destroy your diverse enemies. The two hovering discs in front of you will act as a defense shield against enemy attacks but can absorb only so much damage.

The Secret of Monkey Island

Do you like the idea of setting out in search of fame, love, and fortune in the quest of becoming a pirate? This point-and-click adventure game will let you experience just that, as you are offered to choose one of nine commands to explore, chat, and complete quests.

The game has been acclaimed as the ‘best game of all time’ not without a reason. The epic storyline, the game format, and the peculiar characters keep you entertained throughout the time. In this game, you can expect to come across eerie ghosts, hidden treasures, strange-looking men, and more enigmatic objects as you make your way through the Island.

Snatcher (1994)

This cyberpunk adventure was inspired by sci-fi movies like BladeRunner. The game is visually stunning as the programmers seem to have taken the maximum advantage of the available colors. Snatcher game has a mature and meaningful storyline, a graphic novel like display, and impressive audio. The game had already become hugely popular before it arrived in America. The compelling characters and the perfectly logical scenarios make it quite a memorable game.

Final Fight CD (1989)

This game was released as a sequel to the first Street Fighter game. In the fictional Metro City, you can control three characters through six rounds as you fight the opponent, throwing punches and using combo moves, to destroy your enemy.

The game is fairly simple and has some nice features. It’s a good game for distressing and you start playing anytime you like. The game has some animation cut scenes to keep up with the trend of SEGA CD ROMs. The game is still available for some modern consoles. Check out some of the Best Atari 5200 Games.

Road Avenger

As the name says, this game features a car driver all set to avenge his wife who had died because of a biker gang. With a ‘Need-for-Speed’ like FMV, SEGA CD graphics, and the revenge-racing storyline, this can easily become your favorite.

We decided it would be unfair to exclude a racing game in this list of the best SEGA CD games. No doubt, Road Avenger deserves to be in this list of top SEGA classics. So, unleash your fury on the road and take revenge from the bikers in this 9 stages game.

Conclusion

The SEGA CD games will draw you into a different world of gaming, where despite the graphical limitations, you not only get to relive the nostalgia but also enjoy the thrilling, enigmatic SEGA games of those times. Those lost flavors of the gaming world can make you addicted again!

The Atari 5200 gaming console made its debut in 1982, but this 8-bit console had quite a short–lived shelf life. This caused the Atari 5200 to have a slim collection of games; nonetheless, these were some of the coolest arcade conversions. If you are into retro-gaming, or if you just want to see how gaming has evolved leading to its present state, going through the list of the best Atari 5200 games will be worth your time.

Like Nintendo, games for this console were sold in cartridges form and joysticks were introduced with this new Atari console. Though the console failed to keep up with the high expectations of the Atari fans, it released some of the very memorable games and it played a vital role in bringing the gaming industry to where it is today.

[lwptoc]

Best Selling Atari 5200 Games

Ms. Pac-Man

The original Pac-Man has been one of the most successful and timeless arcade games. The Atari 5200 recreation was a quantum leap over its predecessor version and this time they really did an excellent job. The maze layouts were more intricate, the intermission animation was really fun, and the ghosts really had eyes!

The actual eyes on the ghosts and the bouncing fruits did help make the recreation live up to the hype. Ms. Pac-Man is one of those games that have stood the test of time and it remains unbeaten. Its simplicity and the interesting concept have made it a personal favorite for many even today.

Miner 2049er

This is a strategy based ‘chutes and ladders’ game that is similar to Donkey Kong. Amidst the ‘quick-reflex’ types of games, this game is a little more strategy-based and therefore grew quite popular. The game features ladders and elevators and you have to walk and climb while avoiding the enemies.

In spite of the single screen, the game is rich with many fun elements. The challenge is not just to jump over your enemies to avoid them. You must decide when to climb and where to climb from. The game is longer and more complex than other games in this format.

Sinistar

At first, it may seem like a regular spacecraft shooting game, but it has a storyline and a really interesting gameplay. You pilot a lone-spacecraft and ride it through space with the end objective of destroying the demon, Sinistar.

You must collect drifting planetoids and catch crystals that are released when you correctly shoot a planetoid. The collected crystals turn into Sinibomb that you will later need to defeat the enemy, Sinistar. While you collect these crystals, the enemy worker ships also collect these to construct the game boss, Sinistar. A unique aspect of this game is that the enemy ships can guard the Sinistar as it is being built, mine crystals, as well as directly attack your ship.

Robotron

This is a 5200’s recreation of the classic arcade game featuring tiny characters controlled using two joysticks. One joystick would control the movement of the character and the other controlled the direction that the weapon would fire.

The storyline involves human-created robots that are now keen on destroying the human race. Your job is to kill the robots while defending and rescuing the surviving humans. This fast- paced, quick reaction game worked effectively with the new Atari 5200 controller due to the analog controller with joystick coupler.

Centipede

Enough about killing space robots, Centipede lets you shoot swarming insects in a garden theme. In this game, you encounter bouncing fleas, jumping spiders, and centipedes coming downwards at you. You need to kill them all in an extremely fast paced shooting.

Relative to the original arcade version of this game, the Atari version has a more squashed down display instead of the fully vertical orientation like in the original one. Also, the Centipede moves down a bit slower than in the arcade version.

The critics of Atari 5200 talk about how inefficient and horrible the joysticks worked, however, with this game, they turned out to be a boon. It was really fun moving with the joysticks and firing at those ugly enemies coming maliciously at you.

Pitfall 2: Lost Caverns

For those who have been waiting for the most technically impressive Atari 5200 game, Pitfall II is the answer. The original Pitfall game was a huge disaster with the Atari 5200 controller, but the new version addressed all the major issues and came up with a very successful game.

This game turned out to be quite interactive and featured sprawling landscapes, dangerous water bodies, and balloons that you can grab to ascend to new locations. The new version added a few newer areas and creatures. This adventure game requires you to jump across deadly chasms, swim through dangerous waters, swing on vines, and jump on crocodile heads and pass through the checkpoints. There was plenty of additional content in this new version of Pitfall than the predecessor.

Qix

If you are a fan of Tetris like puzzle games you will definitely find Qix very interesting. It’s a puzzle game with simplistic graphics but quite a nice concept that keeps you glued and addicted.

In this game, you are supposed to uncover a playing field by drawing multiple rectangular boxes. So what’s the catch? There are roaming “Qix” spikes that you must avoid to continue the game. You also earn points as you draw the rectangles at a faster pace and you can draw larger rectangles but that would involve a greater risk of collision with the spikes.

You must be attentive and careful as you draw larger rectangles faster while avoiding the threat of randomly moving spikes. After playing this game for a while, you would discover who fun geometry could be!

Conclusion

It’s always fun to revisit the best Atari 5200 games and to learn about how the current gaming industry has evolved over the decades. Each of these games has played a key role in contributing to the gaming industry.

No doubt, some of these games are so ingenious that they are still being loved and played on the PCs. If you feel drawn to any of the games we have mentioned do try searching for them online, some of the titles may still be available!