Modern gaming is great, but there’s nothing wrong with playing some retro games now and again. In fact, some of the greatest video games ever made came out way back in the day. And they are still highly playable thanks to their timeless mechanics, strong visuals, and accessibility on modern platforms.
These games may not be 10/10, no-notes, but they are still worth a look. Some of them are underrated entries in their respective franchises, while others are well-known titles that still hold up today. Nevertheless, they all manage to stand on their own against the more perfect games out there, especially in a gaming market as crowded as 2026.
Super Mario Bros. 2 Was a Complete Reinvention of Mario
Mario’s dream in the end credits for Super Mario Bros. 2.Image via Nintendo
After the legendary Super Mario Bros., a follow-up was bound to happen. But when the Japanese version proved too difficult for overseas players, a new version of the sequel was made. And the version of Super Mario Bros. 2 we all know today was born.
The sequel adopts a completely new aesthetic, taking place in a dream world where Mario and his friends must stop an evil frog from taking over. Each of the playable characters has their own strengths and weaknesses, such as Luigi’s higher jump or Toad’s fast run speed. The level design also features new gimmicks and bosses that weren’t seen in the original, including the first-ever appearance of the iconic Birdo as a boss battle.
It might not hit as hard as the original when it comes to its soundtrack or replayability, but Super Mario Bros. 2 is still a great platformer to enjoy in the modern day. Its unique art style, character variety, and fun levels make it a worthy addition to the Mario pantheon.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Changed the Way Hyrule Was Explored
Similar to Super Mario Bros. 2, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link went out of its way to be almost completely different from its predecessor. These changes might be polarizing to those who are accustomed to the traditional Zelda formula, and many of those changes haven’t been very present in later games, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked.
Link’s adventure to save Princess Zelda from a sleeping spell is played out in a side-scrolling adventure rather than the top-down of the first game. It also features a new combat system that requires players to jump and dodge certain attacks and incorporates RPG-like elements, such as experience points to upgrade Link’s abilities.
CBR Exclusive · Nintendo Quiz WHICH NINTENDO LEGEND ARE YOU? Press Start to Play From the dungeons of Hyrule to the cold reaches of space, Nintendo’s universe is bursting with legends, oddballs, and cosmic eating machines. Are you a brave-hearted adventurer? A relentlessly upbeat pink blob? A hypercharged electric mouse? Or the bounty hunter who needs no one? Twenty questions. One legendary result. Let’s find out who you really are.
Link
Toad
Samus
Kirby
Pikachu
01
It’s a free Saturday. What’s the move, hero? Your ideal morning is basically your origin story.
02
A big bad enemy is blocking the path. You: How you handle danger speaks louder than any character select screen.
03
How do you roll, style-wise? Your fit is your lore.
04
There’s a puzzle blocking your way. Your approach? Every dungeon has a puzzle. Every person has a method.
05
Most important question: what’s your meal of choice? Truly the most revealing question in this quiz.
06
You discover you have a secret power. What is it? The power you imagine says everything about you.
07
Dream HQ — what does yours look like? Where you recharge says a lot about who you are when no one’s watching.
08
What’s your actual biggest weakness? Even legends have a weak point. Courage is admitting it.
09
The group needs a leader. Do you step up? Leadership style reveals the true final boss of your personality.
10
Halfway! What truly gets you out of bed every morning? Core motivation. This is the real 1-UP.
11
You just totally wiped out. In front of everyone. The fall doesn’t matter. The bounce-back is everything.
12
There’s a mystery item chest! You hope it contains… The upgrade you want is the upgrade you already are.
13
It’s game night with the squad! What are you doing? Social energy = final form revealed.
14
How do people honestly describe you? Your reputation is just your vibe with a narrator.
15
Preferred method of getting around the world? Your travel vibe is basically your whole personality in motion.
16
What does being a hero actually mean to you? The real final dungeon is a philosophical one.
17
How do you want history to remember you? Every legend leaves a mark on the world map.
18
Someone has been seriously getting in your way. You: How you handle adversaries is basically your combat report.
19
In a Smash Bros. match you are the one who… The Smash meta never lies about character.
20
The final boss is right there. This is THE moment. GO! Twenty questions led to this. No saving now.
The Legend Has Been Chosen YOUR NINTENDO LEGEND
Your scores are revealed below! The character with the highest number is your Nintendo alter-ego. Read their profile to discover your true gaming legend destiny.
Link
Toad
Samus
Kirby
Pikachu
You’re the chosen one who never asked for the title but took it anyway. Brave, methodical, and quietly carrying the weight of an entire kingdom on your shoulders — you prefer action over words and wisdom over brute force. People rely on you completely, and somehow you always find the right key for the right lock. You don’t show off. You just show up. Every single time.
You are the backbone of every group, and everyone secretly knows it. Enthusiastic, loyal, and somehow always the first one to show up when things go wrong — you make everyone around you feel capable and energized. You don’t get enough credit, and you genuinely don’t mind. You run into danger at full speed with a smile on your face and a war cry echoing behind you. Legendary support energy.
Highly competent, quietly intimidating, and deeply independent. You don’t need a team, you don’t need applause, and you definitely don’t need anyone telling you how to handle the Metroids. You’ve survived situations that would end anyone else, and you did it alone, in silence, with zero complaints. Underneath the armor is someone with more depth than anyone in the room — they just rarely get to see it. Their loss.
You look like pure joy and you are pure joy — but don’t let anyone mistake that for weakness. You absorb everything life throws at you and come back stronger, cuter, and somehow even more powerful. You find delight in everything, you’re beloved by literally everyone, and when push comes to shove you will inhale a god and become that god without breaking a sweat. Chaos wrapped in a smile.
You’re electric — literally and figuratively. Bursting with energy, fiercely loyal to your people, and always ready to give everything you have for the ones who matter. You’re small but your presence fills every room you walk into. You compete hard, play harder, and your enthusiasm is genuinely contagious. People may underestimate you at first glance. They don’t make that mistake twice.
As the years have gone by and more Zelda games have come out, Zelda II stands out more because of these gameplay elements. They may not be as refined as other RPG’s, but they still make for a great game.
Kid Icarus Was an Angelic Cult Classic
Image via Nintendo
Thanks to the Super Smash Bros. series, more gamers were exposed to the Kid Icarus franchise. And that exposure is what helped get Kid Icarus: Uprising made for the Nintendo 3DS. But fans of the series should also experience the original NES game for themselves, a small piece of Nintendo’s history that is also one of the console’s most underrated games.
Kid Icarus is a classic side-scrolling adventure that puts the angel Pitt on a quest to defeat Medusa and stop the monsters from the Underworld from destroying Angel Land. Each level Pitt explores features challenging enemies and several pathways to take. Pitt also has a wide array of weapons and items that he can use to shake things up.
Kid Icarus is an often forgotten NES platformer, but it is one that absolutely should be played by Nintendo fans in the modern day. And who knows, maybe more people playing this game will lead to another resurgence of the franchise, and finally give fans the Uprising follow-up they’ve been waiting for.
Kirby’s Dream Land Was the Puff Ball’s First Adventure
The promo image for Kirby’s Dream Land on the Nintendo Switch Online.Image via Nintendo and HAL Laboratory
Kirby is one of Nintendo’s most beloved characters, and has been the star of several different games. It all started with Kirby’s Dream Land, a simple little platformer that helped pave the way for a massive number of sequels and spin-offs to come after.
Kirby’s Dream Land goes by at a brisk pace, with a small number of levels that can easily be completed thanks to Kirby’s ability to float along quickly. This game doesn’t feature the character’s signature copy ability that comes with him inhaling enemies, but that doesn’t stop the gameplay from being fun, as there are still great boss battles and power-ups to encounter. Plus, finishing the game allows players to start a second playthrough on a higher difficulty level.
Kirby’s Dream Land may not be the best game in the series, but it still manages to deliver a fun time. And if you’re looking for a version of this game that features copy abilities, the Kirby Super Star version of the story is widely available to play.
Crash Bandicoot Was a Legendary Platformer
Crash Bandicoot PS1 gameplay with Crash looking back at the camera in a jungle level.Image via Sony
Beyond Nintendo, the early days of PlayStation gave birth to some of the best retro games. One of the biggest, and arguably the most important, was Crash Bandicoot. The original mascot for Sony’s flagship console not only gave the company its first killer app, but it also gave birth to one of the most enduring franchises in all of gaming.
It all started with the original PlayStation game, a platformer that alternated between side-scrolling and forward-moving 3D platforming. Each level was incredibly challenging, with enemies that can kill you in one hit and platforming sections that are filled with death traps that can trip anybody up. And the extra challenge of finding all of the crates in each level and figuring out how to access each bonus world adds another layer of difficulty in itself.
There have been a lot of other Crash Bandicoot games over the years, with each one bringing something fresh to the series. There have also been remasters of the original game and its two sequels. But the original 1996 version is absolutely worth a revisit.
