Hey all, I’m interested in playing some emulated games on my steamdeck, but I’m not sure where to start.
I’ve been having fun with Super Mario World, but a good chunk of that is because I played it a lot as a kid, so much of my enjoyment is from nostalgia.
Problem is, I didn’t play many too many games when I was a kid…
What older games out there would you say hold up in 2025? So that regardless of the nostalgia factor, they can be enjoyed by someone like me
A lot of PS2 games have busted PC ports or ports with invasive EULAs. PS2 is still probably the best way to play GTA: San Andreas.
But really, just pick a console with a graphical aesthetic you like and find the games people buzz about. I’ll give you some recommendations, based mainly on my taste, but a quick “(console) best games” search can help you expand upon this.
NES: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, Super Mario Bros 3, Kirby’s Adventure, Castlevania, Mega Man 2, Contra
Genesis/Mega Drive: Streets of Rage 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines, Road Rash, Sonic 2, Contra Hard Corps
SNES: NBA Jam: Championship Edition, Mega Man X, Star Fox 2
PS1: Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, Crash Team Racing, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Metal Gear Solid
N64: Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Dreamcast: Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, SoulCalibur
PS2: GTA San Andreas, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Tony Hawk’s Underground 2, Resident Evil 4, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Sly Cooper (entire series)
GameCube: Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart Double Dash, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Super Smash Bros Melee, SoulCalibur II
Xbox: Halo, Halo 2, Fable: The Lost Chapters
That’s a decent start, but not comprehensive by any means. Just pick a console with games you like the look of and search the top-rated games, the cream really rises to the top when you’re looking for retro games.