Ah nostalgia - it's a tricksy thing. How many times have we gone back to revisit a treasured classic only to find that modern games have spoiled it for us? For all the brilliant aspects of retro games, the mod cons and performance we're used to now are pretty fantastic, too, and sometimes going back can be tough. Was this slowdown always here? I don't remember it looking this fuzzy. You mean I have to start again... at the beginning?!
Fortunately, alongside all the remasters, repackages and retro compilations which sand the rough edges off gaming classics and polish them up for the busy 21st century gamer, there's a huge number of modern releases paying tribute to retro games. Taking a core mechanic or two from the past, these homages take advantage of decades' worth of tech advancements and knowledge to recreate classic gameplay with a modern twist.
Below you'll find some of our favourite neo-nostalgia trips available on Switch. They're not in any particular order and most of the games on this list have multiple muses, so the noted inspirations may be the only tip of the iceberg.
Of course, Switch's list of retro-inspired pixel-graphic games is as long as your arm, and there are plenty more we could mention than you'll find below, but the titles here are our absolute favourites - games which give us the feels we remember experiencing when we first played the 8- and 16-bit classics they were inspired by.
So, let's take a look at our very favourite modern games with an undeniably retro vibe...
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, the list goes on...
With a list of influences as long as your arm (which developer Yacht Club itself acknowledges in comic fashion), Shovel Knight was excellent in vanilla form, but Treasure Trove includes absolutely everything that developer Yacht Club has created for the game since its Kickstarter success back in 2013. That includes the extra campaigns Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment and King of Cards, plus multiplayer brawler Showdown which further increases the attractiveness of an already incredibly compelling package. These games are fantastic odes to the glory days of 8-bit(+) platforming, and having the complete Shovel Knight experience in one spot makes this a must-have for Switch owners - especially those that have never dug into this game and its add-ons. Strike the earth!
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198X (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Streets of Rage, R-Type, Out Run, Shinobi, Kill Screen, the '80s
A passionate love letter to a bygone age, 198X celebrates 2D, arcade-based gaming brilliantly and wraps it up in some of the best hand-drawn art we've seen in years. The soundtrack is also exceptional, and, in terms of pure presentation, it's really hard to fault what's on offer here. 198X's biggest weakness is its brevity; you can finish it in around an hour, but the experience will remain with you for long after the credits have rolled. While we're sure many people will consider the game's shortness a cardinal sin, we'd still recommend you give it a try if you're a fan of '80s and '90s gaming, appreciate lush 2D artwork and desire an experience which firmly lodges itself in your consciousness – even if it doesn't last all that long.
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: the 8-bit Castlevania entries
Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon is undoubtedly aimed at a very specific audience, but if that audience is you then you're in luck. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night nuts may want the full-fat Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (and the Switch version appears to be slowly but surely patching its way closer to the experience players on other platforms enjoy), but if the 8-bit Castlevanias get you more excited than the more expansive latter style, this is as perfect a callback as you could wish for.
And if that doesn't sate your hunger, the also-very-good sequel goes by the name of Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2. Funny, that.
Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Top Gear, Out Run
Out Run might be the most obvious comparison here, but Horizon Chase Turbo actually feels much more like a modern interpretation of the Top Gear games from the SNES days. It's silky-smooth old-school arcade racing with blue skies, colourful cars and retro-polygonal visuals that leave you in no doubt as to how you should be driving (fast, and with the top down).
Mega Man 11 (Switch)
Inspired by: ... really?!
Mega Man 11 is an excellent resurgence for the Blue Bomber, imbuing the tried-and-true classic gameplay with modern touches and new ideas that expand on existing concepts in interesting ways. The underlying action platforming gameplay is just as tight and challenging as you remember, and when combined with the new visuals and extra options for replayability, you’ve got a game that’s every bit as good as those that came before, while surpassing them in some ways. Mega Man 11 is a modern classic, a fitting refresh for a beloved series, and we’d highly recommend you add this one to your Switch library whether you’re a newcomer or you’ve been playing since the NES days.
The Messenger (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Ninja Gaiden
2D side-scrolling action games like The Messenger may be a dime a dozen these days, but you’d be missing out on something special by passing this one up. Featuring a surprisingly long campaign, an incredible soundtrack and tight, challenging level designs, we'd be remiss not to mention its incredible chiptune soundtrack as well. The Messenger stands as a shining example of great game design in the old-school mould which deftly skips from 8- to 16-bits without missing a beat, and the game remains an absolute treat in Switch's fully-stocked larder of sweetmeats.
Sonic Mania Plus (Switch)
Inspired by: ... you're not even trying, are you?
Sonic Mania was a true return to form for SEGA's mascot, in his 2D 'Classic' guise at least, and celebrates the glory days of the original Mega Drive / Genesis games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts and some delightful boss encounters, the development team poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. The new characters and modes that came in the Plus update added some neat tweaks which iron out some of the kinks present in the original release, and after the blue hedgehog's unarguably patchy history in the intervening decades, it was an absolute pleasure to see him return in one of the best 2D platformers of recent memory.
Blaster Master Zero 2 (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Sunsoft's original Blaster Master
Inti Creates knocked it out of the park with Blaster Master Zero 2, improving on the original 'reboot' in nearly every conceivable way while also setting a clear path forward for what could hopefully become a flagship series for the company. Tight platforming action, memorable boss battles, plenty of extra side content, and some gorgeous pixel art make this one of the easiest recommendations on the eShop; we’d strongly encourage you to pick this one up. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series or are just getting into it for the first time, Blaster Master Zero 2 is a stellar experience from stem to stern, and further cements Inti Creates’ legacy as one of the best developers in the retro gaming business.
Stardew Valley (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: Harvest Moon
Stardew Valley offers its players a chance to live a second life – one where you can forget the troubles of the real world and get excited over finding a particularly rare carrot. It is a truly magical experience; games can often be enjoyable but they don’t all manage to be as captivating as this. It's the sort of game that ideally requires a significant amount of time to be invested; the enjoyment doesn’t necessarily come from the day-to-day actions you perform, but rather from the general growth of pride, satisfaction, and sense of security as the days go by in this colourful, 16-bit-styled farm sim. Fans of games such as Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing will be right at home here.
Axiom Verge (Switch eShop)
Inspired by: the Metroid series
Axiom Verge channels the gameplay of Metroid into an old-school action adventure which adds a dusting of twists and surprises to keep things feeling fresh. As well as delivering the patented exploration you'd expect from a title with Metroid in its DNA, there's also an affecting narrative to follow as you're filling out the world map and blasting nasties to kingdom come. While Super Metroid still plays beautifully these days, the original NES game doesn't hold up as well as it might, and playing the sublime Axiom Verge only highlights how far we've come since then.
Comments (50)
I might give Yooka-Laylee a chance!
Shovel Knight is just pure joy!
MegaMan was inspired by Super Mario Bros
I adore having many of these games on the Switch, they are just perfect for the console
Solid list, I have many of these and can attest to their awesomeness. Still need to get BMZ2, but haven’t finished BMZ1 yet even lol. And Pocket Rumble I’m sure is under rated / under sold... such a fun fighter, especially if you were a fan of Neo Geo fighters from yesteryear. Reminds me of Match of the Millennium on NG Pocket.
Granted, when it first released, arcade was a bit unwieldy and super hard. Hopefully they’ve patched that / added diff lvls, since then. I’m not sure, haven’t checked in awhile.
I can vouch for Shovel Knight, Curse of the Moon, Horizon Chase Turbo, Mega Man 11, The Messenger, Axiom Verge, Cuphead, Impossible Lair, Ninja Saviors (barely), and Monster Boy becasue I've actually played those. Ones I've played that I don't vouch for are Galak-Z and Undertale. Blazing Chrome's somewhere in the backlog queue right now. Regardless of my personal tastes, it's nice to see there's lots of great games for old heads like me.
I started River City Girls yesterday, and I'd add it to this list. Also, River City Melee Mach, and, if it properly qualifies, The Mummy Demastered.
I'll vouch for BMZ, Curse of the Moon and Shovel Knight; but Undertale/Deltrarune both seemed to be too enamored with their own idiosyncrasy to be enjoyable for me.
The Messenger has been on my "To Purchase" list, but that list just keeps growing lately.
Curse Of The Moon is much, much better than Ritual Of The Night! Highly recommended if you don't have it yet.
Sonic Mania, Megaman 11, and Shovel Knight are some of the finest 2D platformers money can buy
I haven't played a good few of these games yet, the most glaring of which being Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, I need to get around to that one
Monster Boy isn't a spiritual successor, it's a full-on sequel. They just combined the Japanese and American names for the series (Monster World and Wonder Boy, respectively) since Sega apparently owns the rights to them, but the original creator of the series worked on it and there are callbacks, such as with the soundtrack.
These games really deserve the spotlight, they're absolutely fantastic.
I like these lists; definitely helps me see what gems I might have missed amount the sea of eshop releases.
When I saw Horizon Chase Turbo and heard the Outrun comparisons, I was interested. When you said it plays like Top Gear though, instabuy.
This list is missing the best game of 2019, Valfaris. Sorry, can't take list seriously, just basically plopped down 20 games without much thought. Lost interest when I realize no thought was put into this.
No Doom? That’s as classic as you can get!
@cptspaulding Oh yeah, Valfaris! That's another game card waiting on my shelf. Glad to hear it's really good. I'm gonna get into it after I finish River City Girls.
I own 8 of these, with at least another 2 that I'll probably buy. Megaman 11 and Horizon Chase are two of my favourite Switch games. Top Gear 2 is a very good comparison to the latter.
It's an interesting list, I'd also add River City Girls, like someone else said, and DKC: Tropical Freeze.
Edit: I see River City Girls has been added.
Great list and fun read. I own most of these titles so I guess I'm in that "specific audience." Well done Gavin
@DockEllisD I'm a bit salty the game has gotten little recognition of excellence when games like Dead Cells and Blasphemous are heralded. Valfaris is in-your-face, non-stop, heavy metal mayhem with colours to blow your mind and brutality to crush your dreams. I listen to the soundtrack walking back and forth to work and feel about a foot taller. Lol
Forget "best nostalgic games." These are fantastic games, period.
@cptspaulding Yikes, that escalated. Valfaris is great, though.
Shovel knight is definitely the best one here. Yooka Laylee is just a disappointment. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not just be yourself that’s what’s really cool.
Outside the subject of this list, but the online NES and SNES games are really great. I wish they would make improvements (instruction manuals, button mapping, ways to organize the games) along with adding GB, GBC, and GBA titles.
@Olliemar28 LOL my saltiness came through a bit strong. Still love this site and the comment section, even though they have no love for Valfaris.
This isn't nostalgia, though I appreciate the sentiment.
When I want nostalgia, I'll just fire up Namco Museum or the myriad titles that I have from Arcade Archives (like Time Pilot, Donkey Kong and Frogger). The only thing that's missing at that point is the arcade cabinets and atmosphere of that time.
@Tandy255 I really would love having the manuals for the NES/SNES apps. Some of the games are a mystery until you start futzing with things. (Thank God for save states and rewind.) xD
Fast RMX for the list? Inspired by WipEout
(Joking) I know it was inspired by the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 3D Special Stages
At nostalgia just isn't what it used to be...
Would love to see games inspired by Syndicate and Settlers. Bully felt inspired by Skooldaze and so was awesome.
I feel that Octopath Traveler not being listed is a major oversight.
I've been itching to play some Cannon Fodder recently, haven't seen a game like that in a long time.
I remember the SNES version being quite good.
How could you forget Alwa’s Awakening?!
I can certainly vouch for XenoCrisis. It's brill!
This was a nice list
For anyone interested. Strickly limited games are currently taking preorders for a physical release of xenocrisis on switch.
Stardew Valley and Wargroove are both awesome titles! I am closing on 300 hours in the former.
But generally speaking, I would much prefer re-releases of classic titles to "retro-inspired" new titles.
Does nostalgia mean rip off of something from 25 or 30 years ago? I thought that's what retro is. Switch online games are pure nostalgia... If I didn't play them for the past 30 years so that wipes all the old memories.
That's a nice list to have noted down. So many games I have to remember to play
New Super Lucky Tales is a fab retro feeling platformer. Also A Hat in Time is another Gamecube-like platformer as well as Yooka-Laylee the original platformer game. All decent if not flawed in their own ways classics.
I've added River City Girls and Octopath Traveler So many brilliant updates of classic genres.
The Messenger is the game I've been absolutely engrossed in the way many were with Shovel Knight, Undertale or Stardew Valley.
The flowing gameplay is top-notch, the humor pitch-perfect and not overdone, challenging but never unfair, one of my favorites of the decade.
As a non-Nintendo owner back in the day (I was firmly locked away in the Commodore Amiga camp), Horizon Chase Turbo actually more reminds me of the Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge series (the name of the game also seems to hint more to that, than to Top Gear), which was simply THE best arcade racer on any platform, consoles included. Top Gear 2 came later, also on the Amiga, but wasn't as good.
No Wild Guns Reloaded?
@Quarth You should definitely give Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair a shot. It’s great and way better than the first one.
@eaglesfly76 Thanks! Will look into it.
@cptspaulding I finally got into some Valfaris this morning for the first time. Very good stuff there.
@DockEllisD I am glad you got a chance to try it out. It's a great joy whenever I fire it up. Its cousin, Slain: Back from Hell, is not bad either, but Valfaris much better (imo).
This list should include The Mummy Demastered.
I'm surprised the A Hat in Time is not on this list. It's great game inspired by early 3D collectathons.
Another great one is Oniken, a Ninja Gaiden clone that's better than the original. It's often bundled with Odallus, a great Castlevania clone.
Another list where the authors obviously haven't even played very far into some of the games. They created an article based on the general consensus and you all eat it up. Some of these games are trash, a whole lot of must inckudes are missing, and also genres aren't properly reoresented and explored. I feel like gaming articles are such a scam. They teach people about games In small increments doling out information, and are so incomplete. I respect ninte do life for their reviews, but these articles are click bait.
Added The Eternal Castle [Remastered]
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