In a world where the future seems daunting and scary, it isn't unusual for many people to start looking to the past. I'm not talking about ruminating over the destruction of past relationships or missed opportunities, but the joy that was once found in a more innocent time of gaming. The retro gaming community has been in existence since as early as possible. Cavemen playing with fire used to sit around and nostalgically remember the time they used to play with sticks with their parents until they froze to death in a cave. My earliest memory was the Namco Museum collections coming out on the original PlayStation, harking back from the 90s all the way back to the 80s. Not a massive hark, all things considered. With such a love for past adventures being so prevalent at the moment, have a look at our list of the 5 best retro experiences on the PS4.
5. Sega Mega Drive Classics
A brave collection of just over fifty old Sega Megadrive games, and about ten actual classics. This game bundle is full of greats and even more full of not-so-greats and not-aged-wells. Everything from Alex Kidd, Sonic 2, Streets of Rage and Golden Axe for a comfortably low price tag. An absolute joy of looking into the past and remembering how much better things used to be. With online multiplayer action in Columns, Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Streets of Rage and Golden Axe this will scratch an itch for anyone that is a retro nerd and has memories of whenever a game being Two Player made it an instant sell. Unfortunately at the time of writing the collection is buggy and the multiplayer is about as intuitive as trying to do a Rubik's Cube in the dark without any hands. If you just want to relive those memories of the 90s this is the way to do it.
Check out Sega Mega Drive Classics on our site!
Check out Sega Mega Drive Classics on our site!
4. Mega Man X Legacy Collection
The new Megaman X collection boasts of a rookie mode to take the edge of the infamously difficult game which will surely invite newcomers more readily than the original collection did. Megaman X is tough to beat when it comes to retro bullet hell games. It is often commented upon how immaculately designed they are, in that without even saying as much as 'press X to shit your pants at the difficulty' you instinctively understand everything you are able to do within seconds. Megaman X is peak pew pew pew platformer and is highly recommended. This is out later this month and will be a must-buy for any retro gaming fans.
Check out Mega Man on our site!
Check out Mega Man on our site!
3. Spyro Reignited Trilogy
This game and the next are considered retro which is how I know I have aged through more generations of consoles than I am comfortable with, but they are fantastic and worth owning. To be released in September 2018 the Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a rebuilt, remastered, reveal of the reimagining of the original Insomniac trilogy (Insomniac are the creators of Ratchet and Clank and the soon to be released Spiderman in case you have forgotten). Little differences such as Spyro being able to swim have been announced, and the control systems have been unified across the three games. Spyro The Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon could prove to be the best thing to happen to this wee dragon in years.
Check out Spyro on our site!
Check out Spyro on our site!
2. Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy
After being announced at E3 everyone was excited to see what Activision were gonna do with the original Naughty Dog classics. It's pretty clear that the success of this has led to the Spyro trilogy existing. Everything about the game is exactly what you would want from a remaster, it is exactly the same but not, the DLC is a couple of levels that had never been released before, but were from the original trilogy. It seems the absolute best technique for remakes is a mysterious one, wherein the game is made to feel and play exactly how you remembered it feeling and playing, and almost nothing like it actually was, and this is a perfect example.
Check out Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy on our site!
Check out Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy on our site!
1. Sonic Mania Plus
For my money, there is no better retro experience than the content in Sonic Mania Plus. Designed from the ground up by Christian Whitehead, a pioneer of hacking Sonic games, Sonic Mania Plus is everything you remember about Sonic the Hedgehog and loads of things you may not remember. This game is made with so much love and understanding of what made Sonic games great that you feel that Christian Whitehead et al. had been screaming bloody vengeance at every iteration since Sonic Adventure was released on the Dreamcast. Nods to more obscure titles such as Bean Machine, Spinball and Segasonic the Hedgehog (in the Plus DLC and physical release) make this game perfect for newcomers and Sonic nerds like my friend Pete. If you need to be wowed to death by a game that is basically about running from left to right for a few hours, then this is the game to do it.
David Roberts
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