A lot of gamers today focus primarily on what’s new. With the industry
moving at a breakneck pace, and new titles now available as quick downloads,
it’s easy to keep looking forward. At the same time though, most gamers can
appreciate something with a little bit of old-school appeal — and in that
regard, it can be hard to beat games geared a more toward younger audiences.
Whether it’s something that’s now considered vintage or it’s a title that’s
survived or been adapted over the years, nothing beats digging up a beloved
game from your childhood.
In that vein, here’s our look at five incredible kids games well worth
revisiting (plus a fairly obscure bonus bound to trigger some nostalgia for
some folks).
5. Bomberman
Bomberman games were fascinating in that they were built to become
character-driven classics despite being, essentially, puzzles. Popular during
the heyday of Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda, Bomberman was a similarly
appealing hero, but one more tied to simpler gameplay and multiplayer battles.
Over the years there have continued to be releases in this series, and in
fact News Break wrote about an imitation
called Ponpu that’s being released this year. Billed as a “twitchy, more
arcade-y take on a classic formula,” this sounds like a promising game to check
out. If you can dig up one of the earlier Bomberman titles though — we’d
recommend Bomberman 64 — you’ll likely have a blast diving into it.
4. GoldenEye 007
Though not strictly speaking the original first-person shooter, GoldenEye 007
is widely viewed as having set the tone for this wildly popular genre. Loosely
following the events of the film GoldenEye, the
game is an absolute classic of its time, as well as an iconic multiplayer
experience. And while you might think its blocky, pixel-heavy graphics would
seem almost inaccessibly old now,
we’d suggest you give it a try. There’s just something almost inexplicable
about this game that remains perfect even now, such that its visuals are
somehow more delightful than they are annoying.
3. Sid Meier’s Civilization
Like the other games we’re mentioning here, Sid Meier’s Civilization series is
not explicitly just for
kids — but it is a series a lot of people get into at a fairly young age. As
for what makes it special, it can sort of be looked at as the game that started
it all where strategic, empire-building gameplay is concerned. In HP’s list of the best computer
games for kids, it was pointed out that Civilization pioneered the “4X genre” of
strategy games (standing for “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate”), and
we can now think of all sorts of titles that followed suit. But Civilization
games are still the best of them. We’d rank Civilization III as the best of the
bunch, though the newer installments are awfully impressive too.
2. Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango is probably either one of your all-time favorites or something
you’re only dimly aware of. Something of a cult classic among millennial
gamers, it was released by LucasArts in 1998 as one of the last great games of
its time. In a sort of ode to the game, The Ringer described it as
“gloriously macabre” and called it “the last truly great entry in the Age of Adventure
Games.” These were games that took players on challenging, narrative-driven
quests in the days before console gaming as we now know it completely took
over. And this one, with its playful take on “Day of the Dead” fantasies, has
stood the test of time. Whether or not you played it as a kid, it’s wonderful
to dig up and dive into now.
1. Any Super Mario Game
Super Mario games are really meant for us all — not just kids. Nevertheless,
they pretty much define the idea of timeless or universal classics in the video
game world. Recently, our “Top 10 BEST Games Of The Decade”
list looking back on the 2010s included two of these game (Super Mario
Odyssey and Super Mario Galaxy). Going back further, Super Mario 64 is about as
good as it gets. And going back even further,
old-school hits like Super Mario RPG and Super Mario All-Stars shouldn’t be
forgotten. Simply put, if you can get your hands on an Super Mario game, you
should.
Bonus: Cosmic Osmo
This 1989 title from Cyan Worlds (the developer best known for Myst) is a truly
bizarre experience that can be the perfect nostalgia hit for people who grew up
on computer games. With the full title Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the
Mackerel, it’s a point-and-click adventure guiding you through strange,
black-and-white alien settings. It’s good for a laugh even if you never played
it growing up. And if you find it and enjoy it, you might also consider seeking
out The Manhole — another Cyan Worlds experience with similarly weird appeal.
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