30 Best Retro Games Still Worth Playing in 2026

Not all retro games age well — but these absolutely do. Whether you're a veteran gamer or discovering classics for the first time, here are the retro games that still feel incredible in 2025.

Super Mario Bros — The game that saved the industry. Tight controls, perfect level design, and infinite replayability. Every gamer should play this at least once.

Mega Man 2 — The peak of classic Mega Man. Eight robot masters, incredible music, and gameplay that's as tight as anything released today.

Metroid — The original exploration-based action game. Yes, it's cryptic, but the atmosphere is unmatched. Play this before Super Metroid.

Castlevania — Gothic horror meets precision platforming. Castlevania set the template for an entire franchise that's still going strong.

Chrono Trigger — Widely considered the greatest RPG of all time. Time travel, multiple endings, and combat that eliminates random encounters. Find it on Amazon and Steam.

Super Metroid — The definitive Metroidvania. Atmospheric, brilliantly designed, and still the standard that modern games like Hollow Knight try to reach.

Donkey Kong Country — REvolutionary graphics and phenomenal platforming. The mine cart levels alone are worth the price of admission.

Street Fighter II — The fighting game that started the competitive scene. Still played in tournaments today. That's how good it is.

Sonic the Hedgehog — Speed, style, and attitude. The Genesis wouldn't have survived without Sonic, and the original still plays great.

Phantasy Star IV — The best RPG on the Genesis and one of the best JRPGs of the 16-bit era. Criminally underrated.

Gunstar Heroes — The most intense action game on the Genesis. Made by Treasure, who later created some of the best games on N64.

Super Mario 64 — The game that invented 3D platforming. Every 3D game since owes a debt to Mario 64.

GoldenEye 007 — Four-player split-screen multiplayer that defined a generation. The N64 library wouldn't be the same without it.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time — Often called the greatest game ever made. It earned that title.

Many retro games are available digitally through Nintendo Switch Online, Steam, and other platforms. For physical copies, check Amazon and GameStop. For PC versions and remasters, try Humble Bundle, GOG, and Fanatical.

Browse all our retro game recommendations: NES games, SNES games, Genesis games, and N64 games.

Setting up the screen? CRT vs modern TV for retro gaming covers both. For platformers across the decades, see the best platformers of every era, and for Nintendo's 3D Mario debate, Super Mario Galaxy 2 vs Super Mario Odyssey.