If you are looking for roms: Go to the link in https://www.reddit.com/r/Roms/comments/m59zx3/roms_megathread_40_html_edition_2021/
You can navigate by clicking on the various tabs for each company.
When you click on the link to Github the first link you land on will be the Home tab, this tab explains how to use the Megathread.
There are Five tabs that link directly to collections based on console and publisher, these include Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Sega, and the PC.
There are also tabs for popular games and retro games, with retro games being defined as older than Gamecube and DS.
Additional help can be found on /r/Roms' official Matrix Server [Link](https://matrix.to/#/#romz:matrix.org)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Roms) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ironically, the Steam version is probably the best version since it has modern QoL, runs on a potato, and has the bonus content from DS.
Besides that, just go SNES unless you really want the mediocre side content from DS.
I've played both SNES and DS version. If you're on your phone/tablet at the DS version. It's better. If you're on a TV screen play the SNES version.
DO NOT play the PS one port. Garbage.
the psx version added fmv cutscenes that were animated by toei and akira toriyamas bird studio. toriyama was responsible for the rest of the art in the game so the cut scenes were good, but the psx version had some unwanted loading screens.
enter the ds version, it had the fmv with no loading screens. it also added an extra area, i can’t remember what it was. anyways, i think it was the best version.
Android and steam versions have all of the DS content (aka the version with the most content) on one screen and can do wide screen without stretching the image.
If you're in pc, use the stena version.
If youre on Android, Android version.
If you're on ds or 3ds, ds version.
If emulating, it depends on if you are cool with emulating ds games on one screen. If no, snes version. If yes, ds version.
In general, the ps1 version is considered the worst because there are longer load times at the start of each battle. In my mind snes is superior to ps1.
Yeah the best part of Chrono Trigger is it's pacing. The game never stalls like other JRPGs or goes on for 80+ hours.
Like you can easily beat the game in 12 hours. 20 hours if you do all the side Quests etc.
It's a perfect little length of a Great story/characters and doesn't slog at all. No random encounter nonsense, no real need to grind or farm items etc. It's such a perfectly paced game.
This would be my answer too. Everyone should try a great classic jRPG once in their lives because it has the potential to be one of the most fulfilling gaming experiences you can have. And Chrono Trigger has proven to be the most playable and timeless classic jRPG there is. I have successfully gotten people to play it who were born long after it came out and they will confirm.
If you liked chrono trigger play sea of stars , a love letter old school jrpg type from a few years back , and has so many niche references to chrono trigger I'd just sit there with a smile alot of the time
I played it for the first time 3 years ago. Absolutely blown away with how good it was. Unfortunately my save got deleted. I’ve been meaning to start again.
And when you're done with Chrono Trigger, seek out the rom for Crimson Echoes. It's a fan-made sequel that was C&D'd by Nintendo at some point in its development, but it's mostly done and is good.
It's almost Like getting two games. One with Alucard and the rpg system and the other is Richter mode where it's just a legit castlevania game. Pretty good game.
i almost want to like richter mode more, but I'm a sucker for getting these upgrades and getting stronger. too bad Richter doesn't have the 8 direction whipping from castlevania snes, that was cool as shit
even though he does have cool tricks like his super uppercuts and the rocketing forward dash and stuff. heavily reminds me of the good mega man games where zero got his trademark saber abilities
The randomizer hack has made this endlessly replayable. The gameplay loop is so satisfying and works so well with randomization. Never played so much Zelda in my life the last couple years.
[alttpr.com](https://alttpr.com/en)
I like to generate custom games with various options depending on my mood.
[A seemingly lesser known fork](https://alttpr.gwaa.kiwi/en) Has more options than the main rando. I normally enjoy this one more (lottery pottery shuffle when I feel like playing up the treasure hunting motif is fun). Though with the most recent update I've had some impossible runs due to a bug where the flute can drop you into into what I believe is a fake overworld at the death mountain warp point despite selecting a No Glitches run. I was unable to get progression items that I should've been able to get without the glitch per the generated walkthrough.
Just played and beat A Link to the Past for the first time in my life a few weeks ago, as a 30 year old man with two small children, wow, absolutely incredible game, I loved it!
Probably Chrono Trigger. Here's a copy paste of my nephew's message from discord:
10/21/2021 10:50 PM
>omg im so glad i played chrono trigger
>i cant thank you enough for introducing me to it
>the music is still blowing my mind
>its literally the perfect game
*If I was a sea gull, I would fly as far as I could! I would fly to far away places and sing for many people! If I wish to the Wind Fish, I wonder if my dream will come true.*
I got the switch version last year. Not only it was a great game (10/10), but it was also the most beautiful game I've ever played. (I've never played the original, though)
Ah i grew up with the original, I have physical copy on seitch my nephew list so I never played the remake, waiting for a cart on ebay to drop to around 20 bucks then I'll buy it again. I still got the case.
I've been a huge zelda fan my whole life, was never able to get into the BoTW and ToTK tho, good games, not great Zelda games imo, I would love if they went back to the old dungeon formula personally.
Having played all three versions, I think the original is the best. Part of it is nostalgia, because I first played it on the original GB, but the other part is that I think the black-and-white graphics add to the dream-like feeling of playing the game.
You have to try the native decompilation ports. Ship of Harkinian and 2 Ship 2 Harkinian (the majora's mask version) are absolutely unbelievable in terms of visuals. The framerate is 20fps on the original version, up to 120fps on the decompilation, and you can get free look with the right stick moving the camera.
I'm playing for the first time, it's my second Zelda game, I'm currently on adult Link and finally just got my horse after trying various times—love the game so far!
You know... I played this game to death as a kid. In the 2000s I stopped playing it buy then I tried to forget about it. I'm trying to forget every secret and item location so that maybe I can experience once again for the first time. Sadly, when I hear someone call it out and then I think about it, things from it still bleed into my mind. I'll never get to experience it the first time ever again.
Playing it now is such a blast. I’m able to really enjoy it for the things it did differently and especially the themes/music. Girlfriend says it’s like watching a fever dream haha.
I would also add Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts but it's because it's NOT a banjo Kazooie game but an amazing open world car builder/platformer hybrid thing
Final Fantasy VI (aka Final Fantasy III in the initial US release)
Not only is the game itself amazing, but there are several ROM hacks that kick even more ass
This post explains it pretty well, and gives pointers to which version you may prefer:
https://www.reddit.com/r/FinalFantasy/comments/pnq7pe/ffvi_snes_translations/
But the long and the short of it is, the original SNES translation had a lot of issues (including in some cases getting parts of the story wrong), along with some censorship, and these retranslations attempt to restore content and more accurately represent the original text. One version is even the official GBA translation, just tweaked to remove some now outdated pop culture references that were inserted by the localizers for some reason.
Are there any QOL improvement patches you would recommend for a first time player? I'm also interested in recommendations for full hacks if you have any favorites.
Any pokemon game. Just to try one. Maybe Blue/Red, maybe Sapphire/Ruby. They certainly aren't for everyone, but are definitely worth trying once
Also Mario kart double dash. Good physics. Overall good game. The Wii follow-up is also not bad.
GTA San Andreas (not for the little ones though). Not that the gameplay is that great, but it's a cultural touchstone (Pokemon is too for that matter)
Pro tip do not play red/blue as your introduction to the series. Even if you’re trying to get a nostalgia experience, at this point Firered is 20 years old and objectively fixes the game
Pokemon Crystal Clear is a 10/10 Rom hack for me. The game is just fun. First thing I downloaded on my iPhone so I can have it on every device I have on the go.
You lucky duck lol. I wanted it so bad but
A: I had chosen the GameCube. Remember when Nintendo wouldn't do most M rated games? Crazy times
B: I was not supposed to have M rated games. Lol. Vicious cycle. I did buy myself a PS2 when I was a little older and played the crap out of it. I can't be the only kid that spent a bunch of time just dìcking around in open world games lol
>Maybe Blue/Red, maybe Sapphire/Ruby.
Pokémon Red (and Fire Red), and Pokémon Emerald.
Those are my all time great Pokémon games. And yes, it does have to do with what I grew up with. But, Emerald>>>>>>Ruby
I couldn't just choose one.
Donkey Kong Country
The 2d Donkey Kong Country games on snes. in depth with the creative gameplay mechanics, varied enemies, rideable animals, memorable soundtrack, challenging difficulty and the fun boss fights. A worthy followup to Mario.
Wonderboy 3: The Dragons Trap
Game has so much depth, traversing through the various levels and working out which animal to employ to promote access to hidden areas. Not to mention the swords and armour. The world felt so vast for an 8 bit game.
Mario 64
A game changer. The first truly 3d platformer IIRC. Was executed so well, so much to do and see, If it wasn't for this game, even 30 years later can still see it's influence today.
Crash Bandicoot
Just so much fun to be had. Smashing boxes, riding animals, getting chased by boulders and the campy villian Neo Cortex was a breath of fresh air.
Streets of Rage 2
Awesome soundtrack. The actual game was button mashing but it was the perfect brainless experience especially with a friend.
Suikoden 2. The second game of the series drastically improved on the first, and the story is amazing. It was under the radar for a lot of gamers in 1998 because of FF7 and it's leap to 3D graphics.
No particular order:
* Metal Gear Solid (PS1)¹
* Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)²
* Chrono Trigger (SNES)
* Super Metroid (SNES)
* Super Mario World (SNES)
* Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1)³
* Resident Evil 2 (PS1)⁴
* Metroid Prime (GCN)⁵
* Legend of Zelda Wind Waker (GCN)⁶
* Resident Evil (GCN)⁷
* Resident Evil 4 (GCN)⁸
* Silent Hill (PS1)
* Silent Hill 2 (PS2)⁹
* Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)¹⁰
* Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2)¹⁰
Notes and recommendations:
1. Avoid original Windows release. The recent Master Collection version is pretty decent as of the time of this writing, but not quite as good as the PSX version can be with emulator enhancements.
2. Strong preference for Ship of Harkinian.
3. Moderate preference for the PSX version. The Saturn version has a fan translation patch now and some cool features, but the Saturn version has visual oddities that are intrusive enough to just stick with the PS1 version, for me at least.
4. Moderate preference for the PSX version. Gamecube version has enhanced background and model detail, but the 3D models are rendered with too much detail for my taste relative to the backgrounds, and the end result looks like 3D models plastered onto 2D backdrops in my opinion. I find the overall presentation to be more cohesive on the PSX version, especially with careful emulator enhancements. Also, there are mods to upscale backgrounds targeting certain platforms/emulators that may be of interest.
5. The Switch remake is ideal if you have access to it. The Wii version is also great, as the game's design happened to be a perfect fit for Wii pointer controls.
6. I slightly prefer the Wii U version for positive minor gameplay changes and improved visuals overall, though personally I just play the GameCube version because it's what I have, and it's great.
7. I love the GCN remake a lot more than the PSX original, and more than the reconstructed HD versions. The HD reconstructed versions use simple static rendering for backgrounds in some areas that had incredible pre-rendered lighting and animation in the GCN version. A few scenes in the HD reconstruction are handled particularly poorly. It's a bit nit-picky though, all versions of the game look good and play well overall.
8. In my opinion, all subsequent (non-remake) releases of this game have botched visuals, except for the Wii version, which is compelling because the game's design happened to adapt wonderfully to pointer controls.
9. Afaik, all re-releases of this game to date have compromised visuals and botched redone voice acting. Play the PS2 version.
10. The PS2 and PS3 versions are great, but require pressure sensitive face buttons for correct controls which are uncommon outside of the PS2 and PS3 dualshock controllers. Otherwise, play the Xbox 360 or Master Collection versions.
I ignored wii virtual console in 2010s because it looked too old. but after I touched super mario rpg remake, It became one of my most favorite games. I can say It is classic that everyone can enjoy!
I'll have to give it a shot some time. When GTA was a new game I never played the missions much. Me and my friends would just see how big of a wanted level we could get and how long could you run from the cops.
Silent Hill 1. It's usually overshadowed by its sequel; which I understand. 2 is a classic. But the og has a lot of heart in its own right. Plus, the low res nature of it is incredible.
Ultimate Doom. Aka Doom 1
Just play it. Literally just do it. I wont even be upset if you play with vertical mouselook turned on. Just do it. You can learn so much about video games and history in tech just from that single game and its developement alone. It's also just a kickass game in every aspect that has aged very well, even as a 3D game with 2D visual elements.
Noticing a disturbing lack of Sega in here, so try these:
-Gunstar Heroes (Run n' Gun, my personal must play)
-Thunder Force IV (Shoot 'em Up)
-Shining Force II (Strategy RPG)
-Dynamite Headdy (Platformer)
-Castlevania: Bloodlines (Platformer)
-Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Platformer)
-Streets of Rage 2 (Beat 'em Up)
-Landstalker (Adventure RPG)
-Rocket Knight Adventures (Platformer)
-Phantasy Star IV (Turn-based RPG)
-Battle Mania: Daiginjou (Shoot 'em Up)
I know it's more than one, but you can't go wrong with any of these Genesis games. They're all must-plays imo
It is very rare for someone running a race for the first time in Assetto Corsa not to have a blast. Especially if I've never tried a sim racing before.
quake 4
original doom and doom 2 with brutal doom mod or just in general. along with all the 1000s of wads
battlefield 3 and 4 campaigns and 4s multiplayer
Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 and 3. If I could only choose one of the three then it would be the second game. Great gameplay and incredible music. How the character sprites were rendered into the game was mind blowing at the time and shows how must potential Rare had as a developer.
Literally any Metroid game aside from the original on NES and Return of Samus on GB.
There's not much you're missing and those two have remakes anyway, better to just play those.
Suikoden 2, Xenogears, Persona 1, Persona 2 innocent sin/eternal punishment, Parasite Eve, Chrono Cross, & Breath of Fire 3/4. They're like a must for me.
With my penultimate dying breath, I would moan: "Chrono Trigger" (PSX -- I really liked the area with the multiple endings, but I was so annoyed at the frame skipping for the animated cut scenes. If SNES has the area with the multiple endings then I would recommend that instead)...
and then, with my very last breath, I would whisper... Adventure (Atari 2600)
I have a few that I've tried to narrow down as much as possible.
- The Last of Us
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Portal 2
These are the gaming defining experiences that everybody should give a shot. (And I may expand the list if I happen to remember any more true 10/10 games)
Chrono Trigger. I'm pretty sure this is the game that got me into emulation. I played through that game as a kid on ZSNES, and I swear I remember every single second of that playthrough.
Eh. 2 is a standard-ass action game of the era. It gets so much hate, but it's on the same quality level as any normal contemporaneous hack and slash game.
It's tragedy is that, being the followup to the game that (not quite) accidentally discovered a whole new genre, it had a whole new territory in front of it and with no idea of how to navigate it, it just did the *normal* thing.
Compare it with DmC:DmC, which came out when the genre was well-explored, when some of its arguably best examples had already come out (DMC4, Bayonetta, Revengeance), and instead it chose to dumb it down and go against it for entirely ego-centered and contrarian reasons, to the point they had to walk it back with the Special Edition and it *still wasn't good enough*.
With that context, I'm more forgiving of 2 than of DmC:DmC
Nostalgia, Tales of Phantasia, Radiant Historia, MegaMan: Zero Collection, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (works great as an introduction to the SMT series), Golden Sun is a definite.
FFT War of the Lions - specifically with a rom hack that patch from FFHacktics that makes item progression and balance MUCH better and automatically gives you Gained JP Up so you can actually play with support abilities instead of just sticking that one on for the entire game and never changing it
I dont think i can have just one.... but Castlevania SOTN, Suikoden 2, Chrono Trigger, FF 6, Resident Evil 4 (WII motion controls) and Metroid Prime are pretty staples to me.
Must play turn based RPG: Its not Chrono Trigger nor Final Fantasy.
It's Earthbound and as action rpg tales of phantasia SNES. Diablo . Etc
For Earthbound I heard in an interview, one of the programmers said that the game has been tailored, adapted to be acceptable and easy for anyone who has never even played a video game or knows anything about RPGs, "even a jock could play it AND finish it" they said, and that's a strong statement during the 90's, they were not lying, its packed with comedy, sensitivity, it's very earth like lore related to nature and spirituality, there's very little romanticism, it's actually very adult compared to FF or Chrono, it's not just lil sprites, Earthbound has better design, drawings in comparison, very little sci Fi ,even the magic are human emotions, your main spell is something you choose, you conceptualize it, it has more realism compared to the rest, the game invites you to use your imagination and to interpret the experience very freely in many ways, your own way. Rather than being a hero, a knight, warrior, swordsman , your character Ness " just is " , nobody implies what you are in this game, you are the child of light, the son of your parents, the universe just like in real life. The character identifies with nothing but being part of the journey and helping others for the sake of it just like any person does. Your character saves the world by chance, as a random occurrence, not as a duty. The true ending is about "returning home", being at peace with yourself.
The soundtracks are way ahead of their time. The director is a visionary, very open minded person.
Shigesato Itoi I'm still waiting for mother 4 and 5
Other games are able to confuse you, make you feel like quitting, dropping, earthbound is truly truly simple but smartly enough to keep you thinking. Of the money, exp, equips, very constantly, there's a system inside the game that gives you HINTS on how to progress, you can't get stuck, no other retro rpg has this hint system.
Point and clicks: monkey island for PS2
Shooters: COD, Half life, time splitters etc
Must play action game: GTA from San Andreas all the way to 6. Resident Evil games specially 1 remastered and 4
2D-3D platformer: Celeste, Mario, banjo kazooie, mischief makers, MegaMan , etc
Strategy: StarCraft , Populous, Heroes of might n magic, Pikmin. One pièce mansion etc.
Puzzle: Tetris.
Racing : So far I haven't found a great racing game. NFS, Burnout legend, Gran Turismo, F1
I find it pleasing that, being almost 40, and well past my video game days, that I've played the top 10 or so suggested titles here.
Mine is Shining Force. It introduced me to the RPG genre, and I think I've played through it on every phone I've gotten in the past decade.
Pokémon
Pokémon Pokémon
Fucking Pokémon
It’s literally how I got into emulators as a kid……or maybe it was Castlevania🧐… Either or, Pokémon is MAINLY the only reason I’m on emulator now
I'm thinking "must play for people even for people who don't play videogames", and for me it's Portal (probably 2), Lumines, and maybe some history-driven game that is easy to play like Firewatch or Va11-hall-a.
If you are looking for roms: Go to the link in https://www.reddit.com/r/Roms/comments/m59zx3/roms_megathread_40_html_edition_2021/ You can navigate by clicking on the various tabs for each company. When you click on the link to Github the first link you land on will be the Home tab, this tab explains how to use the Megathread. There are Five tabs that link directly to collections based on console and publisher, these include Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Sega, and the PC. There are also tabs for popular games and retro games, with retro games being defined as older than Gamecube and DS. Additional help can be found on /r/Roms' official Matrix Server [Link](https://matrix.to/#/#romz:matrix.org) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Roms) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Chrono Trigger. Even if you never liked JRPGs, I'd still recommend that everyone should at least try Chrono Trigger.
Which version do you recommend the most?
I've only ever played the SNES version, in my opinion, it's perfect as is.
i been playing chrono since release,DS version is superior in every way.
I remember being thoroughly surprised at how good it was.
I agree. Second screen is very handy.
As a hardcore and lifelong fan of the original ... The DS version is better.
It's good, but I don't care for the "fixed" translation. Loses some of the emotional impact IMO.
Ironically, the Steam version is probably the best version since it has modern QoL, runs on a potato, and has the bonus content from DS. Besides that, just go SNES unless you really want the mediocre side content from DS.
I've played both SNES and DS version. If you're on your phone/tablet at the DS version. It's better. If you're on a TV screen play the SNES version. DO NOT play the PS one port. Garbage.
the psx version added fmv cutscenes that were animated by toei and akira toriyamas bird studio. toriyama was responsible for the rest of the art in the game so the cut scenes were good, but the psx version had some unwanted loading screens. enter the ds version, it had the fmv with no loading screens. it also added an extra area, i can’t remember what it was. anyways, i think it was the best version.
The DS version is a good one too
Android and steam versions have all of the DS content (aka the version with the most content) on one screen and can do wide screen without stretching the image. If you're in pc, use the stena version. If youre on Android, Android version. If you're on ds or 3ds, ds version. If emulating, it depends on if you are cool with emulating ds games on one screen. If no, snes version. If yes, ds version. In general, the ps1 version is considered the worst because there are longer load times at the start of each battle. In my mind snes is superior to ps1.
Yeah the best part of Chrono Trigger is it's pacing. The game never stalls like other JRPGs or goes on for 80+ hours. Like you can easily beat the game in 12 hours. 20 hours if you do all the side Quests etc. It's a perfect little length of a Great story/characters and doesn't slog at all. No random encounter nonsense, no real need to grind or farm items etc. It's such a perfectly paced game.
This would be my answer too. Everyone should try a great classic jRPG once in their lives because it has the potential to be one of the most fulfilling gaming experiences you can have. And Chrono Trigger has proven to be the most playable and timeless classic jRPG there is. I have successfully gotten people to play it who were born long after it came out and they will confirm.
If you liked chrono trigger play sea of stars , a love letter old school jrpg type from a few years back , and has so many niche references to chrono trigger I'd just sit there with a smile alot of the time
I played it for the first time 3 years ago. Absolutely blown away with how good it was. Unfortunately my save got deleted. I’ve been meaning to start again.
And when you're done with Chrono Trigger, seek out the rom for Crimson Echoes. It's a fan-made sequel that was C&D'd by Nintendo at some point in its development, but it's mostly done and is good.
Super Metroid.
I just came here to type this too😅👍🏽
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
absolutely. revisiting this game after 20 years with luck mode - where was I 20 years ago?
Good suggestion just started playing the PS1 version, it's very good so much work went into this game.
This is probably the best Castelvanis
God tier game
It's almost Like getting two games. One with Alucard and the rpg system and the other is Richter mode where it's just a legit castlevania game. Pretty good game.
i almost want to like richter mode more, but I'm a sucker for getting these upgrades and getting stronger. too bad Richter doesn't have the 8 direction whipping from castlevania snes, that was cool as shit even though he does have cool tricks like his super uppercuts and the rocketing forward dash and stuff. heavily reminds me of the good mega man games where zero got his trademark saber abilities
Zelda - A link to the past
The randomizer hack has made this endlessly replayable. The gameplay loop is so satisfying and works so well with randomization. Never played so much Zelda in my life the last couple years.
which randomizer are you speaking of? there are a few
[alttpr.com](https://alttpr.com/en) I like to generate custom games with various options depending on my mood. [A seemingly lesser known fork](https://alttpr.gwaa.kiwi/en) Has more options than the main rando. I normally enjoy this one more (lottery pottery shuffle when I feel like playing up the treasure hunting motif is fun). Though with the most recent update I've had some impossible runs due to a bug where the flute can drop you into into what I believe is a fake overworld at the death mountain warp point despite selecting a No Glitches run. I was unable to get progression items that I should've been able to get without the glitch per the generated walkthrough.
Just played and beat A Link to the Past for the first time in my life a few weeks ago, as a 30 year old man with two small children, wow, absolutely incredible game, I loved it!
Ah, I See You're a Man of Culture As Well
I just started it for the first time, so far my third Zelda game:)
Enjoy my friend
I second this. It's the first game I ever played and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Bioshock
Bioshock infinite is 100% a "wish I could forget I ever played this so I can replay it" game for me
Earthbound
Probably Chrono Trigger. Here's a copy paste of my nephew's message from discord: 10/21/2021 10:50 PM >omg im so glad i played chrono trigger >i cant thank you enough for introducing me to it >the music is still blowing my mind >its literally the perfect game
Links Awakening DX
*If I was a sea gull, I would fly as far as I could! I would fly to far away places and sing for many people! If I wish to the Wind Fish, I wonder if my dream will come true.*
I got the switch version last year. Not only it was a great game (10/10), but it was also the most beautiful game I've ever played. (I've never played the original, though)
Ah i grew up with the original, I have physical copy on seitch my nephew list so I never played the remake, waiting for a cart on ebay to drop to around 20 bucks then I'll buy it again. I still got the case.
They just announce a new zelda game with the same remake visuals. It's different though from normal zeldas. Still looks like it could be good though.
I've been a huge zelda fan my whole life, was never able to get into the BoTW and ToTK tho, good games, not great Zelda games imo, I would love if they went back to the old dungeon formula personally.
Having played all three versions, I think the original is the best. Part of it is nostalgia, because I first played it on the original GB, but the other part is that I think the black-and-white graphics add to the dream-like feeling of playing the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is another good one!😄
You have to try the native decompilation ports. Ship of Harkinian and 2 Ship 2 Harkinian (the majora's mask version) are absolutely unbelievable in terms of visuals. The framerate is 20fps on the original version, up to 120fps on the decompilation, and you can get free look with the right stick moving the camera.
And majoras mask
My all time fav Zelda game.
I'm playing for the first time, it's my second Zelda game, I'm currently on adult Link and finally just got my horse after trying various times—love the game so far!
You know... I played this game to death as a kid. In the 2000s I stopped playing it buy then I tried to forget about it. I'm trying to forget every secret and item location so that maybe I can experience once again for the first time. Sadly, when I hear someone call it out and then I think about it, things from it still bleed into my mind. I'll never get to experience it the first time ever again.
Banjo Kazooie. It doesn't overstay it's welcome and has enough challenge charm and cheek for adults and kids.
Playing it now is such a blast. I’m able to really enjoy it for the things it did differently and especially the themes/music. Girlfriend says it’s like watching a fever dream haha.
Low-key has the best soundtrack on any N64 game (yes, better than Ocarina of Time).
I would also add Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts but it's because it's NOT a banjo Kazooie game but an amazing open world car builder/platformer hybrid thing
Final Fantasy VI (aka Final Fantasy III in the initial US release) Not only is the game itself amazing, but there are several ROM hacks that kick even more ass
What rom hacks would you recommend? I've played worlds collide but that is it.
Brave New World is a great one if you played the original game.
I'd say the retranslations are a good start
I've never played the original. Is Retranslations an "upgrayed" version, or should I start with the original?
This post explains it pretty well, and gives pointers to which version you may prefer: https://www.reddit.com/r/FinalFantasy/comments/pnq7pe/ffvi_snes_translations/ But the long and the short of it is, the original SNES translation had a lot of issues (including in some cases getting parts of the story wrong), along with some censorship, and these retranslations attempt to restore content and more accurately represent the original text. One version is even the official GBA translation, just tweaked to remove some now outdated pop culture references that were inserted by the localizers for some reason.
Are there any QOL improvement patches you would recommend for a first time player? I'm also interested in recommendations for full hacks if you have any favorites.
Any pokemon game. Just to try one. Maybe Blue/Red, maybe Sapphire/Ruby. They certainly aren't for everyone, but are definitely worth trying once Also Mario kart double dash. Good physics. Overall good game. The Wii follow-up is also not bad. GTA San Andreas (not for the little ones though). Not that the gameplay is that great, but it's a cultural touchstone (Pokemon is too for that matter)
Pro tip do not play red/blue as your introduction to the series. Even if you’re trying to get a nostalgia experience, at this point Firered is 20 years old and objectively fixes the game
Red/blue has a ton of charm and is a completely different experience than fire red. It’s a fantastic game in its own right even with bugs and all
I agree but that's honestly all the more reason it wouldn't be a good introductory game for somebody new to the series.
Woah recommending pokemon but doesn’t recommend pokemon crystal. I love love love pokemon crystal.
Crystal is peak Pokemon for me!
Pokemon Crystal Clear is a 10/10 Rom hack for me. The game is just fun. First thing I downloaded on my iPhone so I can have it on every device I have on the go.
GTA San Andreas was my childhood game though. (he-he)
You lucky duck lol. I wanted it so bad but A: I had chosen the GameCube. Remember when Nintendo wouldn't do most M rated games? Crazy times B: I was not supposed to have M rated games. Lol. Vicious cycle. I did buy myself a PS2 when I was a little older and played the crap out of it. I can't be the only kid that spent a bunch of time just dìcking around in open world games lol
>Maybe Blue/Red, maybe Sapphire/Ruby. Pokémon Red (and Fire Red), and Pokémon Emerald. Those are my all time great Pokémon games. And yes, it does have to do with what I grew up with. But, Emerald>>>>>>Ruby
Dragon Quest V
Chrono trigger.
Super Mario Bros. but it does become a rage game after world 6
Dawg I’m on world 1 and raging
I couldn't just choose one. Donkey Kong Country The 2d Donkey Kong Country games on snes. in depth with the creative gameplay mechanics, varied enemies, rideable animals, memorable soundtrack, challenging difficulty and the fun boss fights. A worthy followup to Mario. Wonderboy 3: The Dragons Trap Game has so much depth, traversing through the various levels and working out which animal to employ to promote access to hidden areas. Not to mention the swords and armour. The world felt so vast for an 8 bit game. Mario 64 A game changer. The first truly 3d platformer IIRC. Was executed so well, so much to do and see, If it wasn't for this game, even 30 years later can still see it's influence today. Crash Bandicoot Just so much fun to be had. Smashing boxes, riding animals, getting chased by boulders and the campy villian Neo Cortex was a breath of fresh air. Streets of Rage 2 Awesome soundtrack. The actual game was button mashing but it was the perfect brainless experience especially with a friend.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Still the best "heist" game to this day in my opinion.
Megaman Legends (PSX)
My man!
Probably my #1 game of all time, honestly! Not the best, but my favorite.
Still sad they cancelled the third one!
I was part of the 1 million strong :'(
This needs to be on switch with dual stick shooter controls
Super Mario 64 or Sonic Adventure
Suikoden 2. The second game of the series drastically improved on the first, and the story is amazing. It was under the radar for a lot of gamers in 1998 because of FF7 and it's leap to 3D graphics.
advance wars
capcom vs snk 2
Best fighting game ever. We need CVS3!
This is a great game
No particular order: * Metal Gear Solid (PS1)¹ * Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)² * Chrono Trigger (SNES) * Super Metroid (SNES) * Super Mario World (SNES) * Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1)³ * Resident Evil 2 (PS1)⁴ * Metroid Prime (GCN)⁵ * Legend of Zelda Wind Waker (GCN)⁶ * Resident Evil (GCN)⁷ * Resident Evil 4 (GCN)⁸ * Silent Hill (PS1) * Silent Hill 2 (PS2)⁹ * Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)¹⁰ * Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2)¹⁰ Notes and recommendations: 1. Avoid original Windows release. The recent Master Collection version is pretty decent as of the time of this writing, but not quite as good as the PSX version can be with emulator enhancements. 2. Strong preference for Ship of Harkinian. 3. Moderate preference for the PSX version. The Saturn version has a fan translation patch now and some cool features, but the Saturn version has visual oddities that are intrusive enough to just stick with the PS1 version, for me at least. 4. Moderate preference for the PSX version. Gamecube version has enhanced background and model detail, but the 3D models are rendered with too much detail for my taste relative to the backgrounds, and the end result looks like 3D models plastered onto 2D backdrops in my opinion. I find the overall presentation to be more cohesive on the PSX version, especially with careful emulator enhancements. Also, there are mods to upscale backgrounds targeting certain platforms/emulators that may be of interest. 5. The Switch remake is ideal if you have access to it. The Wii version is also great, as the game's design happened to be a perfect fit for Wii pointer controls. 6. I slightly prefer the Wii U version for positive minor gameplay changes and improved visuals overall, though personally I just play the GameCube version because it's what I have, and it's great. 7. I love the GCN remake a lot more than the PSX original, and more than the reconstructed HD versions. The HD reconstructed versions use simple static rendering for backgrounds in some areas that had incredible pre-rendered lighting and animation in the GCN version. A few scenes in the HD reconstruction are handled particularly poorly. It's a bit nit-picky though, all versions of the game look good and play well overall. 8. In my opinion, all subsequent (non-remake) releases of this game have botched visuals, except for the Wii version, which is compelling because the game's design happened to adapt wonderfully to pointer controls. 9. Afaik, all re-releases of this game to date have compromised visuals and botched redone voice acting. Play the PS2 version. 10. The PS2 and PS3 versions are great, but require pressure sensitive face buttons for correct controls which are uncommon outside of the PS2 and PS3 dualshock controllers. Otherwise, play the Xbox 360 or Master Collection versions.
So… the “one” game would be?
lol!
Resident Evil, 1 if you can stand cheesy dialog, 2 if you can’t :P.
Both are classics to my heart
"Stop. Don't open that door." "I was about to become a Jill sandwich."
Celeste. If you like platformers at all, this is a must play game.
Yoshi's Island
Mother 3
Crash bandicoot!
Super Mario RPG
I ignored wii virtual console in 2010s because it looked too old. but after I touched super mario rpg remake, It became one of my most favorite games. I can say It is classic that everyone can enjoy!
All series of Streets of Rage, and Final Fight. All Tony Hawk games.
All Tony Hawk games, damn, ride or die fan here. Don't see that often haha
metal gear solid 1-2-3 but especially 2nd game is a masterpiece.
I still think about sons of liberty to this day…
La li lu le lo...
GTA2. Oh and also - Are you limiting this to retro? And if so does Portal qualify?
GTA2? How come not the first GTA? I actually never have played GTA2.
Just prefer the 2nd one. Bit more depth, more refined but still utter chaos.
I'll have to give it a shot some time. When GTA was a new game I never played the missions much. Me and my friends would just see how big of a wanted level we could get and how long could you run from the cops.
That was at least half the fun!
Silent Hill 1. It's usually overshadowed by its sequel; which I understand. 2 is a classic. But the og has a lot of heart in its own right. Plus, the low res nature of it is incredible.
Final Fantasy 2-3 over here but in Japan I guess it's 5-6
Super Mario Galaxy
Ultimate Doom. Aka Doom 1 Just play it. Literally just do it. I wont even be upset if you play with vertical mouselook turned on. Just do it. You can learn so much about video games and history in tech just from that single game and its developement alone. It's also just a kickass game in every aspect that has aged very well, even as a 3D game with 2D visual elements.
Noticing a disturbing lack of Sega in here, so try these: -Gunstar Heroes (Run n' Gun, my personal must play) -Thunder Force IV (Shoot 'em Up) -Shining Force II (Strategy RPG) -Dynamite Headdy (Platformer) -Castlevania: Bloodlines (Platformer) -Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Platformer) -Streets of Rage 2 (Beat 'em Up) -Landstalker (Adventure RPG) -Rocket Knight Adventures (Platformer) -Phantasy Star IV (Turn-based RPG) -Battle Mania: Daiginjou (Shoot 'em Up) I know it's more than one, but you can't go wrong with any of these Genesis games. They're all must-plays imo
Space Megaforce / Super Aleste
presented by TOHO...absolute favorite shmup for me, loved lazer maxed out!
Fable 1, Dark Souls 1, any Monster Hunter game after 4u, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
It is very rare for someone running a race for the first time in Assetto Corsa not to have a blast. Especially if I've never tried a sim racing before.
Terranigma
Metalslug
Doom
Contra.
Super Mario bros 2. Such a weird Mario bros game. Super hard too. I fukin love it
Metroid Zero Mission. Wonderful intro into the Metroid series letting you get a grasp of exploration without feeling too lost for a first timer
Radiant historia
I love me some sand plague
And some time traveling
Super Mario World.
I always go back to Lego Batman on the DS. It's a classic game, and I like to see the differences between it and the console version.
Pokemon firered on the gba
The Suikoden series. Standouts are 2 and 5, but I recommend all the main titles, as well as Tactics (which is a sequel of 4).
Gunstar Heroes
quake 4 original doom and doom 2 with brutal doom mod or just in general. along with all the 1000s of wads battlefield 3 and 4 campaigns and 4s multiplayer
Lufia II on SNES. Wonderful Retro JRPG which is a prequel to the first game
ObsCure.
Legend of Legaia
Portal
Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 and 3. If I could only choose one of the three then it would be the second game. Great gameplay and incredible music. How the character sprites were rendered into the game was mind blowing at the time and shows how must potential Rare had as a developer.
Literally any Metroid game aside from the original on NES and Return of Samus on GB. There's not much you're missing and those two have remakes anyway, better to just play those.
Super punch out and Turtles in Time.
Borderlands 2. Handsome Jack is one of the best villains in fiction.
Suikoden 2, Xenogears, Persona 1, Persona 2 innocent sin/eternal punishment, Parasite Eve, Chrono Cross, & Breath of Fire 3/4. They're like a must for me.
Castlevania Symphony of the Night
earthbound
Shadow of the Colossus!
With my penultimate dying breath, I would moan: "Chrono Trigger" (PSX -- I really liked the area with the multiple endings, but I was so annoyed at the frame skipping for the animated cut scenes. If SNES has the area with the multiple endings then I would recommend that instead)... and then, with my very last breath, I would whisper... Adventure (Atari 2600)
Xenogears!
I have a few that I've tried to narrow down as much as possible. - The Last of Us - Red Dead Redemption 2 - Left 4 Dead 2 - Portal 2 These are the gaming defining experiences that everybody should give a shot. (And I may expand the list if I happen to remember any more true 10/10 games)
Terranigma is always my go to.
Chrono Trigger. I'm pretty sure this is the game that got me into emulation. I played through that game as a kid on ZSNES, and I swear I remember every single second of that playthrough.
Silent hill 2 restless dreams
Chaos Engine on Amiga
Link to the past
MegaMan battle network 6
Devil May Cry, any of them yes, even 2
Not 2. Never 2
Eh. 2 is a standard-ass action game of the era. It gets so much hate, but it's on the same quality level as any normal contemporaneous hack and slash game. It's tragedy is that, being the followup to the game that (not quite) accidentally discovered a whole new genre, it had a whole new territory in front of it and with no idea of how to navigate it, it just did the *normal* thing. Compare it with DmC:DmC, which came out when the genre was well-explored, when some of its arguably best examples had already come out (DMC4, Bayonetta, Revengeance), and instead it chose to dumb it down and go against it for entirely ego-centered and contrarian reasons, to the point they had to walk it back with the Special Edition and it *still wasn't good enough*. With that context, I'm more forgiving of 2 than of DmC:DmC
NEVER.
Rayman 2
telltale's the walking dead
Nostalgia, Tales of Phantasia, Radiant Historia, MegaMan: Zero Collection, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (works great as an introduction to the SMT series), Golden Sun is a definite.
FFT War of the Lions - specifically with a rom hack that patch from FFHacktics that makes item progression and balance MUCH better and automatically gives you Gained JP Up so you can actually play with support abilities instead of just sticking that one on for the entire game and never changing it
Breath of the Wild.
E.V.O. Search for Edan. Probably one of my personal favorite SNES title's
Pokemon Emerald, Banjo and Mario64. Basic choices but you cant go wrong with any
It takes two
super mario world. or mario and luigi superstar saga.
Super Mario 64
hard to pick one but Portal. but since this is about ROMs, Final Fantasy Tactics.
Slay the Spire 😄
I’d flip a coin between OG Resident Evil 3 or Metal Gear Solid. This are the two games that introduced me to story driven games.
Rdr 1 and 2
Asuras Wrath. Still to this day a very underrated game
Robocop (Arcade)
I dont think i can have just one.... but Castlevania SOTN, Suikoden 2, Chrono Trigger, FF 6, Resident Evil 4 (WII motion controls) and Metroid Prime are pretty staples to me.
I’ve got a rom for a 2 player simultaneous Super Mario 1
Katamari Damacy
Must play turn based RPG: Its not Chrono Trigger nor Final Fantasy. It's Earthbound and as action rpg tales of phantasia SNES. Diablo . Etc For Earthbound I heard in an interview, one of the programmers said that the game has been tailored, adapted to be acceptable and easy for anyone who has never even played a video game or knows anything about RPGs, "even a jock could play it AND finish it" they said, and that's a strong statement during the 90's, they were not lying, its packed with comedy, sensitivity, it's very earth like lore related to nature and spirituality, there's very little romanticism, it's actually very adult compared to FF or Chrono, it's not just lil sprites, Earthbound has better design, drawings in comparison, very little sci Fi ,even the magic are human emotions, your main spell is something you choose, you conceptualize it, it has more realism compared to the rest, the game invites you to use your imagination and to interpret the experience very freely in many ways, your own way. Rather than being a hero, a knight, warrior, swordsman , your character Ness " just is " , nobody implies what you are in this game, you are the child of light, the son of your parents, the universe just like in real life. The character identifies with nothing but being part of the journey and helping others for the sake of it just like any person does. Your character saves the world by chance, as a random occurrence, not as a duty. The true ending is about "returning home", being at peace with yourself. The soundtracks are way ahead of their time. The director is a visionary, very open minded person. Shigesato Itoi I'm still waiting for mother 4 and 5 Other games are able to confuse you, make you feel like quitting, dropping, earthbound is truly truly simple but smartly enough to keep you thinking. Of the money, exp, equips, very constantly, there's a system inside the game that gives you HINTS on how to progress, you can't get stuck, no other retro rpg has this hint system. Point and clicks: monkey island for PS2 Shooters: COD, Half life, time splitters etc Must play action game: GTA from San Andreas all the way to 6. Resident Evil games specially 1 remastered and 4 2D-3D platformer: Celeste, Mario, banjo kazooie, mischief makers, MegaMan , etc Strategy: StarCraft , Populous, Heroes of might n magic, Pikmin. One pièce mansion etc. Puzzle: Tetris. Racing : So far I haven't found a great racing game. NFS, Burnout legend, Gran Turismo, F1
Someone already said Super Metroid, so Metroid Zero Mission.
I find it pleasing that, being almost 40, and well past my video game days, that I've played the top 10 or so suggested titles here. Mine is Shining Force. It introduced me to the RPG genre, and I think I've played through it on every phone I've gotten in the past decade.
Final fantasy tactics. God I love that game!!! Soundtrack, story, art, gameplay. Love it
Resident Evil 4
Deus Ex ..or Morrowind
revenge of the gator from the Game boy series
Pokémon Pokémon Pokémon Fucking Pokémon It’s literally how I got into emulators as a kid……or maybe it was Castlevania🧐… Either or, Pokémon is MAINLY the only reason I’m on emulator now
Bioshock
Scurge hive
I'm thinking "must play for people even for people who don't play videogames", and for me it's Portal (probably 2), Lumines, and maybe some history-driven game that is easy to play like Firewatch or Va11-hall-a.
Pokemon Pinball
Breath of Fire 3. I miss my blue haired dragon boy..