Certain games remain enjoyable years after their release because they’re easy to control, have straightforward rules, and still look good on today’s computers and consoles. Developers continue to update and improve these games, ensuring they run smoothly while staying true to the original experience. This combination makes them great choices if you want to revisit a beloved classic without dealing with outdated technology or complicated fixes.
This collection features games that still run well on today’s devices and are readily available. For each game, we’ve highlighted its core gameplay and where you can play it now, along with any updated features. This helps you get started quickly and understand what each game offers.
Super Mario World
Super Mario World, originally released for the Super Nintendo in the early 1990s, was a groundbreaking game. It first introduced the character Yoshi, a world map with hidden routes to discover, and the ability to save your progress in multiple files. The game features many levels with secret exits that unlock additional paths and bonus areas. Mastering the Cape Feather for flight and precise jumping and running are key to enjoying the game’s platforming challenges.
You can experience the game today through the Super Nintendo app on Nintendo Switch Online, or on the Super NES Classic Edition. The Switch version includes helpful features like rewind and save points, making it easier to discover secrets without altering the game’s original design or how it plays.
The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past
This Super Nintendo game created two parallel worlds – a bright, normal Hyrule and a darker, altered version – and let players explore dungeons in almost any order. New items, like the Hookshot and Pegasus Boots, helped Link get around the large, connected game world and solve puzzles in creative ways.
Playing these classic games is now easier than ever thanks to the Super Nintendo app on Nintendo Switch Online and the recent Game Boy Advance release, which includes Four Swords. The Switch versions let you save anywhere and even rewind time to help with difficult sections, but the original game’s story, dungeons, and items are all still the same.
Tetris
Tetris, created in the 1980s, is a game that offers endless play using just seven different shapes. Players clear lines and the game speeds up as it goes on, all with very simple controls. You earn points by clearing one, two, three, or four lines at once, and most versions of the game also let you hold a piece for later, quickly drop pieces, and show a ‘ghost’ of where a piece will land to help with aiming.
The game is officially available on phones, gaming consoles, and computers. Recent versions generally use standard gameplay rules and let you play with others both locally and online. You can enjoy long, single-player campaigns or compete against friends, and the game works the same way no matter which device you’re using.
Doom
The classic shooter from id Software, released in the early 1990s, uses a ‘WAD’ file system and allows players to enjoy custom-made levels that add to the original game. It’s known for its satisfying weapons, challenging enemies, and fast-paced action. The first episode, originally distributed as shareware, is still a great way to experience the game today.
Playing these classic games is now easier than ever thanks to official re-releases on consoles, which include convenient installation and fan-made enhancements. On computers, updated versions called ‘source ports’ offer features like higher resolutions, mouse control, and simple setup, all while preserving the original game’s levels and enemy behavior.
Super Metroid
Super Metroid on the Super Nintendo gave Samus a vast world to explore, complete with a helpful map that updates as you play. New abilities like the Grapple Beam, Speed Booster, and Power Bombs let players find secret areas and shortcuts. Skilled players can also use advanced movement techniques like wall jumps and shinesparking to uncover even more hidden content and break the game’s intended order.
You can enjoy this game on Nintendo Switch Online with features like save states and the ability to rewind time. The game itself is identical to the original, with the same levels and boss battles. Plus, a helpful map and consistent item collection make it easy to pick up and play, even if you’ve never experienced Metroid before.
Final Fantasy VI
As a huge fan, I always loved how this SNES RPG let you build a team with really unique characters – each one had special skills like using Tools, powerful Blitz attacks, or mastering Runic magic. Plus, the way the game is structured is brilliant! The first part has a pretty straightforward story, but then it opens up completely, letting you explore and do side quests with your favorite characters. It’s a really cool way to experience the game!
The Pixel Remaster offers updated graphics, remastered music, customizable fonts, and quality-of-life improvements like auto-battle and adjusted enemy encounters. You can find it on PC, phones, PlayStation, and Switch. It stays true to the original story but makes menus and saving easier to use for today’s gamers.
Street Fighter II
Capcom’s fighting games use a six-button control scheme with light, medium, and heavy punches and kicks. Special moves are performed using specific button combinations and directional inputs. Later versions, like Turbo and Super, increased the game speed and added super meters. The core appeal of these games remains playing against others, typically in best-of-three matches.
You can still play excellent versions of the game on current consoles and PC, often with a feature called rollback netcode for smooth online matches. The Switch has Ultra Street Fighter II for playing with friends locally, and both arcade sticks and standard controllers work well with the classic controls.
Castlevania Symphony of the Night
This game, released during the PlayStation era, featured a castle you could explore in any order. You could improve your character by leveling up, finding equipment, and collecting relics, which unlocked new abilities like a double jump and a mist form for getting around. A mirrored version of the castle essentially doubled the size of the map and motivated players to create builds focused on either finding secrets or defeating bosses.
You can download it digitally as part of the Requiem bundle on PlayStation, or as an improved version for Xbox 360 that works on today’s Xbox consoles. There are also mobile versions for iOS and Android with controller support, quick saves, and adjustable screen settings, all while keeping the original game’s design and item drops intact.
StarCraft
Blizzard’s classic real-time strategy game offers three different sides to play, each with their own special units and ways to advance. Success in the game relies on carefully managing resources and building your base, and the Brood War expansion adds even more units and levels to play on.
StarCraft Remastered updates the classic game with sharper graphics, widescreen display, enhanced sound, and a modern online matchmaking system. It’s compatible with today’s Windows and Mac computers, and you can still use your favorite custom maps and key settings for continued enjoyment.
Half Life 2
Valve’s popular shooter uses realistic physics to create unique puzzles and exciting combat. The Gravity Gun, spinning saw blades, and other objects you can move all play a role. The story continues with Episodes One and Two, and the game’s engine still looks and feels great on today’s computers thanks to its advanced physics effects.
You can find the game on Steam, where it runs smoothly with adjustable graphics settings. It was also released on consoles as part of The Orange Box. Plus, fans have created modifications – like controller support, improved displays, and new levels – that are easily added through Steam Workshop.
Portal
This puzzle game puts you right into the action, challenging you to think about how things move and how you see them. You’ll use portals in a series of rooms to solve problems, focusing on spatial reasoning with simple controls and timing. It’s a short and sweet experience, perfect for a quick playthrough.
The Portal Companion Collection for Nintendo Switch features both Portal and Portal 2, optimized for playing on the go or connected to a TV. On PC, players with compatible hardware can experience Portal with RTX, a version that uses advanced path tracing technology. The original versions of the games are still available for PCs with less powerful hardware.
Resident Evil 4
The game features intense, focused gameplay with a behind-the-shoulder camera view, accurate aiming using lasers, and a close-combat system that works with enemy staggers. Completing the story unlocks additional modes, such as Mercenaries, and new weapons you can use in future playthroughs.
So, if you want to experience the original game, you can still totally play it on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC – it looks way better now with higher resolution, and the controls have been updated too. But just so you know, the 2023 remake is a whole different game, and they’re still selling the classic version if you prefer the original gameplay.
Metroid Prime
Retro Studios reimagined the exploration of the Metroid series in a first-person perspective, adding features like lock-on aiming and different visor modes. Players uncover story details by scanning their environment and logging the information. As you gain new abilities and equipment, you can revisit areas to unlock shortcuts and find secret upgrades, and boss battles require you to learn enemy attack patterns.
The Wii Trilogy version of the game introduced aiming with the Wii pointer and widescreen support. The 2023 remastered version for Switch further enhances the experience with improved graphics – better textures and lighting – and the option to use dual analog sticks for control. The game also features save rooms, a clearer map, and helpful hints to make getting around easier, all while keeping the original level designs intact.
Halo Combat Evolved
The first Xbox revolutionized console shooting games with its innovative features: players could only carry two weapons at a time, shields recharged automatically, and levels were expansive outdoor environments built for vehicle use. It was also easy to play with friends, both through the story campaign and in split-screen multiplayer.
Halo Anniversary received a visual update and lets you switch between classic and remastered graphics. The Master Chief Collection, available on Xbox and PC, now includes online play and custom playlists. For PC players, it offers keyboard and mouse support and adjustable field of view settings, all while keeping the original enemy actions intact.
Super Mario Galaxy
This Wii game is a platformer where you jump between tiny planets with unique gravity, letting you run across curved surfaces. Collecting star bits is done by pointing, and simple spin moves add to the jumping action. The game is structured around a series of galaxies, and completing optional comet challenges encourages players to revisit levels.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars for Nintendo Switch features an updated version of Super Mario Galaxy with sharper graphics and the ability to play using either Joy-Con controllers or a traditional controller. The game maintains the original’s camera angles and gravity mechanics, and runs smoothly even during extended handheld play.
Minecraft
Minecraft originally offered two ways to play: survival mode, where you collect resources and build, and creative mode, where you have unlimited building materials. The game takes place in worlds that are uniquely created each time you play. Players can build complex machines using redstone, and discover villages and magical enchantments as they explore different environments.
Minecraft’s Bedrock Edition lets players connect and play together on consoles, computers, and phones, and offers Realms for private, always-available worlds. The Java Edition, still popular on computers, is known for its huge library of mods and custom servers, and receives frequent updates with new creatures, building blocks, and ways to create worlds.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
This role-playing game takes place in a vast world filled with quests and contracts. It has been expanded with two major additions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Battles combine sword fighting with magical signs, bombs, and oils, and players are encouraged to prepare through crafting and alchemy.
The game received a major update for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC, bringing enhanced graphics, new tools for taking photos, and overall performance improvements. If you own the game on multiple platforms, including the Switch, you can continue your progress seamlessly between handheld and home console play thanks to cross-save support.
Grand Theft Auto V
The game offers a vast open world where you can play as three different characters, each with their own unique abilities that improve as you play. The story switches between these characters throughout the missions. You can also choose to play in first-person for a different view while driving or fighting, and the game world includes both busy cities and countryside areas.
The game was re-released on newer consoles and computers with improved graphics and speed. Grand Theft Auto Online is still popular, receiving frequent updates with new missions, robberies, and races. Your character’s progress carries over between gaming sessions on today’s consoles and PCs.
Terraria
This game is a 2D adventure where you can explore a diverse world, dig for resources, build structures, and battle challenging bosses. You can customize your character with items like wings and boots to enhance movement, and once you reach Hardmode, the game gets even more difficult with stronger enemies and new materials to discover.
The game recently received two big updates, Journey’s End and Labor of Love, which introduced new items, adjusted gameplay balance, and improved the overall experience with features like research and customizable loadouts. It’s playable on computers, consoles, and mobile devices, and consoles support both online co-op and local split-screen for playing with friends.
Age of Empires II
This well-loved strategy game takes place in the medieval era and features a variety of civilizations, each with its own special technologies and military strengths. Success depends on skillful resource management, planning your base, and controlling territory on the map. The ‘Conquerors’ expansion added even more civilizations, maps, and improvements to the game’s balance.
The updated HD and Definitive Editions feature improved graphics, a better online matchmaking system, new story content, and ongoing updates to keep the game balanced. Players can also improve their skills using spectator modes and quick replays, and the game performs well on today’s Windows computers with lively online communities.
Let us know which games you still enjoy playing, and feel free to share any other recommendations in the comments below.
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2025-09-28 12:51