Nostalgia, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.” For gamers specifically, it is a feeling of when games were at their best. Nostalgic games are the games we played from the moment we came home from school until the sun came up. Nostalgic games can be different for everyone, but here are just some of the most memorable experiences that gamers have shared!

10. Aladdin

L, do you know? Aladdin also loves apples and will do anything to get his hands on them!

Released back in 1993, Disney's Aladdin, based on the movie of the same name, was a side-scrolling platformer for the SEGA Genesis (or Mega Drive, depending on where in the world you are from) developed by Virgin Interactive. It is one of the best-selling games on the system at over 4 million copies sold. Cementing its status as a popular game is its re-release in 2019 as part of the Disney's Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King package.

Between its visually striking artstyle and its frustratingly hard platforming, this game showed a great deal of people the limits of what the Genesis could do. Like many games where there is risk and reward, struggle and triumph, this particular game with its serious learning curve is exactly what makes this game a nostalgic work of art. Running through the streets of Agrabah or flying high through the cave of wonders, many people are bound to recognize the sights and visuals upon booting up the game because of the many nights spent ripping their hair out (in the best way possible, of course!).

I received my Sega Genesis at 3 years old and one of the few games among my initial library was, in fact, Aladdin. Now I don't remember everything as I was fairly young, but one of the things that even I found silly as a young child was the fact that you had to collect apples for Aladdin to throw at enemies. This guy has a sword, which actually hurts, maims, and kills people, and yet these goofy looking security guys poof away cause they're apparently allergic to apples.

9. Sonic The Hedgehog

I dare you to pull my finger.

The spiky, blue mascot of SEGA graced our screens in 1991, also on the SEGA Genesis. While it was a game made by Japanese developers, it was actually a smash hit in North America, having grossed over 800 million dollars in revenue while in Japan it grossed a mere 20 million. Now that’s some irony, isn’t it?

Attributed to his success might be his cool character design and his confident attitude. After all, according to the creator of Sonic The Hedgehog, Yuji Naka, in an interview with Sega.com in 1996, he states "I thought a more cool and speedy character with an attitude would be appreciated and recognized - especially by American users." The statistics speak for themselves, Mr. Naka.

Many of the game's qualities, from the naturalistic landscape to the upbeat soundtrack, contribute to the feelings this game evokes. It immediately turned the character and following series entries into an icon with tons of replayability. With the use of a linear level design that includes a score meter and a time limit, the possibilities are endless. Maybe you're a speedrunner. Maybe you're a scorerunner. Maybe you're the sort of insane who's shooting for both at the same time. This game has something for everyone and it still holds up!

I played Sonic '91 for the first time in '03 when I was 4 years old. As someone with ADHD, the mix of vibrant visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and bopping music really appealed to me. I either tend to hyperfocus or lack focus in things depending on what it is. This was the sort of game I could sit in front of the TV for hours playing. Even to this day, I can hum the Green Hill Zone theme and it really centers me in my day to day tasks.

8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Look, ma! No hands!

Tony Hawk and many other skaters kickflipped their way onto the screen in the definitive skating experience, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, on October 28, 2001. Two games came before it in the series, however this game has many merits collected, such as having sold 2.4 million copies worldwide, a rare 9.7 rating from IGN, and the D.I.C.E. award for Sports Game of the Year in 2001. Many innovations were made to the THPS formula to make this particular game a must-have in anyone’s library. 

For starters, a staple of the series is the broad range of music, from punk rock to hip-hop, and the subgenres in between. Popular musicians such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motörhead, and Del The Funky Homosapien are featured on the soundtrack. We also have a fantastic addition to the gameplay to make playtime more satisfying!

This entry introduced the “revert” mechanic which allowed scorerunners to make the most of their 2 minute runs. Upon dropping into a quarter or half-pipe, if the “revert” button was hit, the combo would keep going until they bailed or completed the combo. Now a 2 minute run could potentially turn into a 5 minute run, since the timer wouldn’t stop until such a thing happened!

I have very fond memories of this game for many reasons, but two things really appealed to me about this game. First thing would definitely be the character creation, as it offered endless possibilities to make a character that accurately fit my style. The other thing is definitely the secret characters; I mean, come on, who doesn’t wanna play as Wolverine or Darth Maul?!

7. Pac-Man

Now here's the real question: what exactly *are* Power Pellets?

Pac-Man, originally called “Puck-Man” (yes, the Scott Pilgrim film team got their facts correct), released on May 22nd, 1980. It was released by Namco and at Game Developers Conference 2011, Toru Iwatani explains that the game was supposed to “attract women to the ‘dirty and smelly’ arcades of 1980,” by creating a character that eats sweet items because, according to him, “Girls love to eat desserts!” 

It remains one of the highest grossing and best-selling games of all time, having generated more than $14 billion dollars in revenue as of 2016. A timeless classic for all ages, it has a wide reach and a simple premise. Between the mind-numbingly addictive gameplay and the fact that, according to Guinness World Records, over 293,000 machines were launched between 1981 to 1987, it’s no wonder that so many people have experienced this wonderful game.

I remember when I was in late elementary school and throughout middle school, there was this little pizza place that couldn’t have sat more than a few couples and a family or two. In the middle area between two tables was this big arcade Pac-Man game, the kind where you have to hunch over it to clearly see the screen. I would often go there when I had a spare moment and hunger was striking, grab a slice of pizza and a can of soda, and get to work smashing some high scores!

6. Resident Evil's: Director's Cut

Bringing your jaws to a knife fight, I see...

On September 25, 1997, the world of survival horror was shaped forever with Resident Evil Director’s Cut. Over a year prior, the original game was released and was met with critical praise, having grossed over $200 million by December 1997 (almost double that by today’s standards!). Director’s Cut introduced a new level of difficulty for both existing players and new players alike. 

There is the base game to enjoy and get familiar with, everything having a place, every enemy having a purpose, however the new “Arrange Mode” was also introduced in the definitive edition. In “Arrange Mode,” items are rearranged, camera angles have been fixed elsewhere, and enemies have been placed in the most inconvenient of places. Oh, and did I mention they’re tougher too?

I played this game for the first time on the PSP when I was still a grade schooler, but my favorite experience with this masterpiece is definitely in high school. I found an old copy that we had in our basement for the PS1 and I showed it to, who is still to this day, my best friend. I remember I would go to his house every Saturday/Sunday and we’d find ourselves in suspense each time, wondering if there would be a nasty zombie dog around the corner.

5. Diablo

Uh, you ever considered taking a mop to your dungeon, man?

Diablo 4 currently has anywhere from 5-6 million monthly players, however, on December 31, 1996, the original Diablo pioneered this point and click style of hack and slash, dungeon-crawling. Initial sales estimates for the game were modest, with Max Schaefer, former member of Blizzard North and one of the game’s original creators stating, “We were thinking that if everything went well, we would sell 100,000 copies.” However, that number quickly quintupled as pre-orders had surpassed 450,000 units globally by December 17, and then onwards to over 2.5 million by mid-2001. 

A lot of its success relies on its replayability and diversity in playstyle, as there are three different classes to choose from: the warrior, the rogue, and the sorcerer. Every way you can play varies depending on what class you choose, what quests you choose to undertake, and the luck of how your dungeons are generated. As Trent Ward of Gamespot expressed in his review, “Similarly, although a set number of monsters is included, only a few will be seen during each full game. This means that players going back for their second or third shot at the game will very likely fight opponents they haven't seen before. Talk about replay value.”

If one does a check on me and my details, they’ll see that I was born in 1999, not nearly old enough to understand the intricacies of a game this lore heavy, this complex in its undertaking. However, this game also came out with a PS1 port that I just so happened to also find in my basement when I was a teenager. I booted it up and, thankfully, it still worked cause if I know anything about the sorts of games I love, it revolves around medieval-esque art styles and looting, and this has exactly that!

4. Metal Gear Solid

Hrrrgh... Colonel... I'm a sneaky Snake, Colonel.

From the glorious mind of Hideo Kojima, gamers were given Metal Gear Solid on September 3, 1998. This game was originally to be named Metal Gear 3, a direct continuation of the series’ name, however was renamed due to Kojima not feeling an effect of the reach of the first two games in his series. It received worldwide acclaim, generating over $50 million dollars in sales in 1998 alone, and this was to Kojima’s surprise as he tells Geoff Keighly in an interview in 2014, stating “Neither I nor anyone else expected Metal Gear Solid to sell at all. [...] I didn't think at all of how to make this game sell well, because I didn't expect it to sell."

Yes, an artist in storytelling, who went on to direct 5 more major titles in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, expected this game that catapulted the series into the spotlight to flop. So many aspects of this game make it a joy to play, such as the excellent orchestral soundtrack, the brilliant voice acting, and the engaging gameplay. The technical jump from 2D home computer to the 3D power of the PS1 really helped to create a state of immersion, just what you’d want in a game which requires your full attention to sneak past enemies. 

For anyone who somehow hasn’t played this game, this is a *spoiler warning,* so I highly suggest either playing or watching someone play the game before moving forward with this paragraph. It was late at night on a school night and I was the sort of gamer who would stay up until I’d reached a low point in the story, or until I was frustrated enough to put down the controller. Everyone who has played this game has had a brief flash of horror when you’re in the elevator mid-game, Otacon gets right up to the codex, and screams “L… Look out, Snake! The guys who stole my stealth prototypes are in there with you!!!”, and trust me, I’m no exception.

3. Final Fantasy X

For the record, it IS supposed to be laughing out of irony.

Depicted above is the infamous laughing scene from Final Fantasy X, released on July 19, 2001. Many 2D Final Fantasy titles came out before this one, but this game was released as one of the first wave of successful titles to come out on the PS2, selling 2.14 million units in Japan alone, half of which were pre-orders. This game had a lot of content to offer, even more so in the international release, with extra boss fights, things to unlock, and ways to utilize the already unique leveling system, “the Sphere Grid.” 

The base game, focusing solely on story objectives, comes out to around 46 hours, which is pretty impressive all on its own. For the go-getters, the completionists, and the people who love this game so much they just need more and more of it, this game can reach an astonishing 148 hours! You’ve got minigames, side quests, extra dungeons, and an abundance of ways to deck out your characters with the best gear for just about any type of situation. 

This game has a funny story behind it as I actually owned this game because I accidentally stole it from GameFly (don’t tell… please…). I had owned the direct sequel to this game Final Fantasy X-2 before ever laying hands on the source material, so I had done what every child has done and stole my dad’s credit card info so I could rent it (also don’t tell… pretty please…). Though I committed some crimes along the way, it was well worth it to experience the first entry in the enchanting world of Spira.

2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Aw, sh*t, here we go again.

One of the biggest qualities of the Grand Theft Auto series, often stylized as GTA, is that many entries in the franchise have time period pieces, and GTA: San Andreas took us back to the ‘90s on October 26, 2004. Its predecessor GTA: Vice City had an impressive sales record with over 17.5 million copies sold, however San Andreas came out swinging with a whopping 27.5 million copies. With an expansive world crossing 3 different cities and 5 different counties, there’s a lot to explore in the various places the story takes you. 

Whether you want to start gang wars in Los Santos, gold medal the driving lessons in San Fierro, or hit the casinos in Las Venturas, there’s a bunch of stuff that this game has to offer that its predecessors had yet to implement. Or you could even consider just going along with the story, if that’s what you prefer, and explore its rich, comedic cast of characters and the satirical story of crime and corruption. You can also cruise the streets in a lowrider, on a motorcycle, or even a semi-truck, and you can listen to the radio, either with its comedic talk show stations or with the music stations with its diverse assortment of country, hip-hop, and grunge. 

I got this game in either ‘06 or ‘07, and it was solely due to my love of Vice City and its ‘80s setting. Now, it may not be anything like Vice City, outside the core gameplay mechanics of shooting and fighting and general crime-ing, however, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the atmosphere it created. I was especially into the mechanic of “respect,” where the more of it you have, the more guys you can recruit for your crew when undertaking various activities.

1. Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Nothing quite like a day of racing to make you feel good.

Despite having a working title of Gran Turismo 2000, as it was showcased at both E3 2000 and E3 2001, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec released in 2001 on 3 separate occasions for the Japanese, North American, and European audiences, respectively. It is the best-selling game in the franchise to date, the best-selling PS2 exclusive, and second best-selling game on the PS2 game overall. While Gran Turismo 2 showcased over 650 cars, this game accurately and beautifully displayed a modest 180 cars, going for quality over quantity. 

This game has such an elite following between gamers and car enthusiasts alike due to its respect to real life brands and models. The high-octane racing experience packs a punch with a couple different modes to choose from, including a simulation mode (also stylized as “Gran Turismo Mode”) which puts you through a whole career from license completion to completing race after race, as well as obtaining car after car either through obtaining in-game credits or completing percentages of the career over time, and an arcade mode which has various different mini modes to experience.

When I was really young, I played this game with my older brother since, in arcade mode, there is a 2 player battle option where you play split screen alongside another person. He is a decade older than me and yet he was getting his butt whooped by me, a 5 year old with hardly any game experience under his belt yet. The times we’d share competing together are times I can never forget because it’s not just 2 gamers sharing a fun experience, but 2 brothers seeing who will get the upper hand on the other, and that can hardly be replicated.

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