When discussing the subject of vintage games, fans of the medium typically pick titles like Zelda, Pac-Man, or various text-based adventures released during the dawn of the gaming industry. And retro gaming is a beloved tradition amongst players, but it's not the only option. What about those titles that go out of their way to recreate, remaster, and reimagine decades past?
Called retrowave or modern-retro titles, these tributes to bygone eras have some of the biggest fanbases out there. While they might wear vintage outfits, these modern games treat their subject matter and inspiration with all the admiration and respect vintage video game enthusiasts could desire.
Fallout Series
Bethesda's Fallout games might take place in a post-apocalyptic future, but there are far too many throwbacks to the late '50s and early '60s to go unnoticed. Throwing in a retro-inspired soundtrack, a vintage sci-fi aesthetic, and characters that could fit in with the cast of Grease into an RPG will certainly turn a few heads.
It might have its mech suits, high-tech weapons, and its radioactive wastelands, but seeing them juxtaposed with pastel-infused artwork, pompadours, and the music of Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra helps Fallout set the bar for vintage tributes.
Bendy And The Ink Machine
Disney cartoons and survival horror might not be two elements any gamer would expect to be fused together, but they work to a tremendous effect in TheMeaty's Bendy and the Ink Machine. The developers of this game definitely did their homework in terms of both horror and animation history.
With references to the early days of animation and figures like Walt Disney and Max Fleischer, playing this game is indeed like stepping back in time for cartoon fans. As long as they keep an eye out for dancing demons, that is.
We Happy Few
Alternative histories are a popular trope in video games, they have been since the days of Wolfenstein. But We Happy Few brings something unique to the table by incorporating a randomly-generating game feature with an alternative timeline for the swinging '60s.
Gamers will find no tie-dye, hippies, or four lads from Liverpool in this version of 1960s London, but they will find an eerie dystopia behind a mask of art-deco designs and mod-styled fashions. It's a unique take on the trope that lends itself over to more imaginative storytelling.
Hotline Miami
The '80s saw a boom in the gaming industry, so it makes sense that many modern titles will give the era its due. Hotline Miami definitely delivers on that notion, both for good and bad. The visuals are positively dripping with neon-infused 8-bit glory, but the plot feels like an '80s slasher.
Playing as a masked hitman taking out a variety of enemies in environments straight out of Miami Vice definitely gives the game a sense of identity, but it's a fast-paced fever dream that requires patience and skill.
Far Cry: Blood Dragon
This Far Cry spinoff doesn't just lampoon the '80s action genre, it pays a glorious tribute on an altar of neon, synthwave, and over-the-top one-liners. Referencing classics like Rambo, Predator, Tron, and Escape From New York, the game really does know its audience.
The Tron-inspired environment paired with the glowing gore and titular towering Blood Dragons make this game one of the ultimate tributes to the era. Very tongue-in-cheek and action-packed, it's perfect for those looking to scratch that vintage shooter itch.
Swords Of Ditto
It's a post-apocalyptic Zelda-inspired title, but it comes with a cartoony aesthetic and charming design reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. But the tell-tale sign lies in the items and weaponry the player character can use to transverse the landscape and defeat the evil Mormo.
How many games rely on '90s era toys and trinkets to save the world from the forces of an evil witch bearing a vague resemblance to Rita Repulsa? From Nerf guns and yo-yos to stickers and laser-decoder-rings, this game totally brings out the kid in every hero.
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight deserves an honorable mention not because it's a blatant homage to all the best games of the original NES, but because of the depths Yacht Club went to perfectly create and recreate elements of the titles that inspired it. The hero himself could easily give both Mario and Mega-Man some serious competition.
There are references to Mega Man 2, Castlevania, Ducktales, and more scattered throughout this little indie darling, and fans definitely took notice. It might be unconventional, but it's certainly beloved.
Bioshock Series
The Bioshock games incorporate a lot of horror concepts from legendary writer H.P. Lovecraft, and the visuals are reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's iconic work. From Rapture to Columbia, the series is definitely top-tier in the vintage department.
A near-perfect mix of action, horror, and exploration, the Bioshock titles pay tribute to the late '50s, early '60s, and early 1900s to a tremendous effect. A must-play for FPS fans, these games definitely offer more substance to the shooter genre.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game
This beat-em-up classic is a rare breed when it comes to era, to the point where the timeline becomes blurred. Blame it on the dimension-hopping ways of Ramona Flowers. There are so many countless throwbacks to vintage comics, video games, and rock bands that it can be hard to tell what era Scott actually calls home.
It plays like an '80s arcade game, has the 16-bit design of a SNES title, and a mix of modern techno and classic chip-tunes that make up its soundtrack. Honestly, it's just a near-perfect mix.
Cuphead
Cuphead is the staple for vintage-inspired games. Not only does it play like a retro run-and-gun platformer, but its design, soundtrack, and delivery play out like a classic cartoon from the early days of the medium. It's practically a match made in heaven.
Although its Nintendo-hard difficulty might put some players off, there's no denying that a lot of love and devotion to the early age of cartoons went into creating this title. Needless to say, it packs more than a wallop.