Every video game console has a "lifespan," which is the amount of time the console is officially supported by the company who created it. During a console's lifetime, which is usually about five years, it's regularly manufactured and sold, and new official games are released for the system.
Once a console is discontinued, however, the company stops making new units, and official releases of games diminish until they stop completely. But, some developers continue to make new games for retro consoles even years after the console has "died."
Circus Convoy
In 2020, three iconic game developer veterans started a new company called Audacity Games, which was specifically created for releasing new titles for the Atari 2600. David Crane, one of the founders, was one of the original co-founders of Activision, and is best known for creating the historic game Pitfall! for the Atari 2600. The other two founders, Garry and Dan Kitchen, are also well-known game designers from that era.
After working on the game for three years, Audacity Games released its first Atari 2600 title towards the beginning of 2021: Circus Convoy. This game follows a master of disguise known as The Chameleon who works for a traveling circus and has multiple alter egos. As one of his disguises, Andre the Magnificent, he must run across the different moving trailers of the circus convoy so that he can find and stop the saboteurs from a rival circus trope.
Flea!
Developed in 2020 for the NES but also available for the Dreamcast and PC, Flea! is an extremely difficult 2D platformer. In this game, players control a flea as they move through different sections of a host's body. While trying to collect as many containers of blood as possible, the flea must navigate through various obstacles and reach the end of each level without losing all of their lives.
Although the player can manipulate how high the flea jumps and the direction they move in, the player cannot make the flea stay in one spot because the flea is constantly jumping, which makes avoiding death difficult. But, the game gives players plenty of lives, and the difficulty is part of the experience's charm.
Micro Mages
Created within the limitations of early NES titles like the 1985 Super Mario Bros., Micro Mages is a 2019 platformer for the NES that can be played solo or with three other players. As either a pink, orange, blue, or green wizard, the player enters the Demon Fortress in order to uncover secrets and treasure.
But, while moving through 26 levels, players will encounter many traps, enemies, and bosses that they will have to tackle. If a player dies in a multiplayer playthrough, they can still help the other players as a ghost, and they can even come back to life if they find the right items.
Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death
Beginning as an in-browser Flash game and later ported to various consoles like the SNES and ColecoVision in 2018, Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death is a platformer and the first title in the Sydney Hunter series. In this game, the titular Sydney Hunter, who is a geologist and adventurer, decides to explore Mt. Doom on Sundial Island despite all the intimidating legends surrounding the location.
But, after entering the mountain, he gets trapped inside its caverns and discovers that he is meant to be the next sacrifice to the volcano god. With only his boomerang and wits, he must escape the deadly mountain. This game has had three sequels, which includes the latest installment, Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan, that released on modern consoles.
Sacred Line Genesis
Released for the Sega Genesis, Scared Line Genesis is a 2015 science fiction horror visual novel created by indie developer Sasha Darko, and possibly one of the scariest games ever made for the Genesis. Created as an extended version of Darko's original free PC horror adventure game Sacred Line, the game follows a woman named Ellen, who had inherited a private detective business from her missing sister Sarah.
After Ellen receives an anonymous call that tells her to go to a hidden forest outpost, she sets off on a journey where one wrong decision can lead to death. Besides the regular text choices seen in most visual novels, there're also battles that require the player to use dice in real life to determine the outcome.
Deadeus
While Sacred Line Genesis may be one of the scariest Genesis titles, Deadeus is possibly one of the scariest Game Boy titles ever made. Released in 2019, this atmospheric horror game centers around a small boy who is told by a creepy monster in his dream that the monster will kill everyone in the boy's town within three days.
Depending on the player's actions during those three days, they will receive one of 11 different endings. Because every single choice is significant, including who the player talks to, which items they pick up, which activities they do, or whether they even get out of bed at all, this experience is one of the few examples of a game where choices truly matter.
Witch n' Wiz
Released towards the end of 2021, Witch n' Wiz is a puzzle platformer for the NES where the player controls a young Witch. Five years after the Witch's best friend, a young boy, was kidnapped by a Dark Sorceress, the Witch goes on a journey to rescue him. But, to reach him, the Witch will have to solve over 100 puzzle-filled rooms.
While each of the rooms are fairly small, they all utilize a wide variety of puzzle mechanics that change every couple of levels, so the experience remains challenging from start to finish. If players make a mistake during a puzzle, they can either rewind time or restart a level any time they want. Also, the game has battery save included, so players can save their progress easily.
Project Blue
Heavily inspired by the original Mega Man games, Project Blue is a 2020 NES action platformer that takes place in the dystopian futuristic city of Neo Hong Kong. The main character is a young boy named Blue who was kidnapped by a secret bio-weapons lab called Theta Lab and experimented on along with other children. After successfully gaining powers from the experiments, Blue escapes from captivity and goes on a long journey to reach and defeat the mastermind behind the lab.
With four main areas, more than 250 rooms, secret routes, and three difficulty modes, Project Blue is a worthwhile and challenging experience that will last plenty of hours. Also, if the player has purchased the deluxe version, they'll get a level editor so that there can be even more of this game after everything is completed.
Briley Witch Chronicles
Based on the first four Briley Witch novels, Briley Witch Chronicles is a 2021 RPG created by indie developer Sarah Jane Avory for the Commodore 64. The game follows a young woman named Briley Forester who is transported, along with her cat Smokey, from her modern-day world to an old village called Maepole. Shortly after arriving, she discovers that she can now understand what Smokey is saying, and that she may be a witch.
Using an ancient grimoire, Briley struggles to connect with the locals, learns how to use magic, collects various foxes, and fights against a dark spirit that was sealed away. While there're magic and battles, the main focus of this game is the connections between characters.
Pier Solar and the Great Architects
Released in 2010 for the Sega Genesis, Pier Solar and the Great Architects is a turn-based RPG that follows three best friends, Hoston, Alina, and Edessot, as they go on a journey to find a rare herb that can cure Hoston's father. But, during their journey, they end up going on a quest that will change their lives forever.
While battling the forces of evil and uncovering a major mystery, the player will explore hundreds of locations and meet hundreds of different NPCs. With an in-depth storyline, unique battle mechanics, and many secrets, it's no surprise this game is often considered one of the best homebrew titles.