By emphasizing simple, streamlined designs that have stood the test of time, the indie game scene has proven it can be an excellent source of high-quality titles at low-budget prices.
Yet there is currently an ocean of available retro-style indie game titles. How is one supposed to navigate it all? That’s where I come in.
In the list that follows, I offer 5 must-play retro-style indie games (in no order). There are other games that are certainly worth your time, but these 5 will not let you down.
1. Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight — Yacht Club Games, 2014 (PC, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Xbox One, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Amazon Fire TV)
Shovel Knight is an 8-bit action game fashioned in the style and gameplay of NES-era classics. You play as the titular Shovel Knight in a side-scrolling action adventure game that draws inspiration from titles such as Mega Man, Zelda II, Castlevania, and Super Mario Bros.
Although not exactly constraining themselves to the hardware limitations of the NES, the developers of Shovel Knight were able to achieve a high level of retro-authenticity by approaching the game’s faux-NES design with textbook-like precision. The result is a game that some have referred to as a sort of “rose-tinted” retro game — a game that has all the trappings of the classics many remember so fondly while not being bogged down by the hardware limitations or poor design choices of yesteryear that our nostalgic memories tend to gloss over.
Far more than being a simple rip-off or nostalgia cash-grab, Shovel Knight fuses the design elements of many of the greatest games of the NES-era into a truly unique and memorable experience. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants to experience the best that the NES-style has to offer.
2. Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter — Heart Machine, 2016 (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
Hyper Light Drifter is a top-down, action-adventure game. The developers have cited Legend of Zelda and Diablo as major inspirations, although one could certainly reference Metroid and Dark Souls as similar minimalist experiences. Featuring a beautiful art-style and sound design, one of the hallmark aspects of Hyper Light Drifter is its harrowing atmosphere and the sense of isolation that develops as the player explores its brutal post-apocalyptic landscape.
Its gameplay, which focuses primarily on combat and exploration, is fluid and intuitive. As there is no spoken dialogue or written exposition, the various objectives of the game are communicated through visual cues and instinctive design, allowing the player to become fully absorbed in the experience. The result is a game in which the player is propelled forward by his or her own sense of curiosity and survival instinct. You should consider playing Hyper Light Drifter if you are looking for an enjoyable, escapist adventure.
3. Rivals of Aether
Rivals of Aether — Dan Fornace, 2015 (PC, Xbox One)
Rivals of Aether is 4-player platforming-fighting game inspired by Super Smash Bros. This means that rather than featuring the traditional life bar of most fighting games, the goal of the game is to launch your rivals off the stage.
Similar to the monsters from the Pokemon series, each of the eight playable characters in Rivals of Aether are animals infused with unique abilities based on the following elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. These abilities in turn allow the characters to manipulate the conditions of the battlefield. For example, Etalus is a polar bear who places slick patches of ice on the ground which can freeze opponents, while Zetterburn is a lion who can engulf his opponents in fire causing additional damage.
Rivals of Aether is fast and fluid and has an endearing retro-style presentation. Because it is built on simple controls and deep mechanics, Rivals of Aether functions both as a casual party game as well as a competitive fighting game, and would be a great choice for players just looking to have some fun with some friends on the couch or for those looking to get into the fighting game scene.
4. Awesomenauts
Awesomenauts — Ronimo, 2012 (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3)
Awesomenauts seamlessly blends the elements of a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and a 2D platformer. Think of it as a cross between League of Legends and Mega Man. By combining these two styles so well, Awesomenauts succeeds in achieving a delicate balance between the style and accessibility of a 2D platformer with the strategy and mechanics of the MOBA genre.
The objective of the game is simple: the two teams of three facing off in this intergalactic turf war must strive to take down their opponents’ defenses while defending their own. To win, you must destroy the enemy’s base before the enemy destroys yours. The strategy and nuance of the game comes down to the abilities of the characters and the synergy they create as a team. The best team is one that is able to capitalize on the strengths of the individual characters while minimizing weaknesses through cooperation.
As in other MOBAs, Awesomenauts features a variety of unique characters, each with his or her own abilities and opportunities for customization. However, compared with most other games in the genre, the game does not have a steep learning curve. Because it is easy to pick up and play, Awesomenauts would be a great starting-point for anyone interested in experiencing the strategy of a MOBA in a streamlined form.
5. Volgarr the Viking
Volgarr the Viking — Crazy Viking Studios, 2013 (PC, Xbox One)
Volgarr the Viking is a modern arcade-style action game inspired by the 1980s “Golden Age” of arcade games. While the mechanics of the game are unique, the developers cite titles such as Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Rastan as inspiration for the game due to the “simple controls, high challenge, and meticulous design” of those titles.
Although some people may initially view Volgarr the Viking’s challenging nature as a barrier of entry, overcoming the various obstacles and enemies in the game is what makes playing Volgarr the Viking feel so fun and rewarding. Given that the game is a modern take on this design philosophy, simple controls, high challenge, and meticulous design, the various challenges never venture into the poor design territory of being cheap or unfair. Rather, each and every obstacle and enemy in the game is predictable and has a simple, consistent solution that can be discovered and mastered through trial and error.
Slowly but surely, as you play Volgarr the Viking, you come to realize that a stage that may have once taken you over an hour to complete can now be managed consistently in a matter of minutes. As you achieve mastery, you find that an obstacle that used to defeat you is no match for you anymore. Volgarr the Viking is a fun choice for anyone looking for a satisfying challenge.
Happy playing.
