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by Jeffrey
Nostalgia is a big part of gaming for me. Whether it's from playing an old favorite for the millionth time, or from a brand new game that taps into that familiar feeling, nostalgia is welcome all the same. In this list I'm going to highlight 5 favorites from the past decade that have done so well at providing a new and modern experience that simultaneously feels so familiar.
1. Animal Well (2024, Switch, PS5, Xbox, PC)
Animal Well was created by solo developer Billy Basso (I can't imagine what it was like when Big Mouth Billy Bass came out...) as a passion project. And that passion shines through. It's a pixel art/CRT fever-dream "Metroidvania" style game, filled to the brim with puzzles and secrets. So many secrets in fact that the developer intentionally added some in the hopes that they'll never be found. Or at least not for many years. He's decided to remain silent on whether or not the community has already achieved '100% of secrets found'. I'm a big fan of games that play as a work of art, regardless of the actual gameplay loop, and this is one of those games.
2. Celeste (2018, Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC)
If you're into retro gaming, and you can restrain from throwing a controller out of frustration, you've either already played Celeste, or have been seriously missing out. The pixel art is brought to life with a bright, yet also haunting color palette. And the animation is incredibly expressive. It's essentially a climbing game where every screen is a new platforming puzzle you need to solve and execute. Sounds rather straightforward, but it's far from easy. Bonus points for a fantastic OST.
3. Undertale (2015, Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC)
Undertale is... Weird. And unsettling. And familiar. And also like nothing made before it. The art is something in between EarthBound and Fester's Quest, and I'm here for it. The game obscures reality and presents choices that matter, which at first glance no one would ever guess. It's also incredibly funny, and has a very unique combat system, where you can win every battle non-violently if you choose. This game has definitively solidified itself in gaming history, and is worth watching a playthrough of even if you never intend to play it yourself.
4. Stardew Valley (2016, Switch, iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox, Mac, PC)
Oh man. If you haven't heard of this one, you're probably living under a rock. Which is fine, I'm sure your rock is quite homey. This is another game developed solo, by Eric Barone, over 4 and a half years. And also clearly a passion project. It's a farming simulator. A town simulator. A relationship simulator. And, like a lot of the games in this list, full of secrets and discovery. Seasons and crops change. You grow your facilities, your home, and you choose what to focus on next, while still feeling guided by a bigger meaning. Highly recommend for casual or hardcore gamers. Whether you think it's for you or not, that odds are that it is.
5. Risk of Rain Returns (2023, Switch, PC)
This one isn't for the faint of heart. Risk of Rain Returns is a slight remastering of the original that came out in 2013. The difference isn't night and day, but the changes are a plus. In this series every second counts, because the difficulty scales over time whether you're ready or not. And often times, you won't be ready. You pick a unique character with unique skills, you land on an alien planet, you gain money and experience from kills and then you purchase and find upgrades. It's very simple in theory, but it's one of those games that takes knowledge of its systems to succeed. The more you learn, the more addicting it becomes.
Are some of these games on your favorites list as well? Are there some that you would add? Be sure to comment below!