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Modern Games That'll Take You Back to Your Childhood

Don’t you want to go back to the simpler days of childhood? Back to that golden era when life was easy, food was free and correctly ranking the Power Rangers was life’s top concern. At least we’ve still got the good old pastime of videogames to remind us of our youth, right? Well, maybe not. Nowadays, games are filled with too many half-baked gambling mechanics and loot boxes for our liking; for some, the innocent fun seems close to drying up. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with games of chance, but it’s probably best to leave gambling to the folks with extensive industry experience. Just check out some of the best online casinos hand-picked by the Gambling Times team for US players to see what I’m talking about. My point is, AAA games are losing sight of what drew us all towards games in the first place. Thankfully, there are still developers out there making games the way you remember them. Time travel may be impossible, but with these titles you just might be convinced otherwise.

Shovel Knight

It’s Yacht Club’s debut game and a loving homage to the 8-bit era’s best features. Shovel Knight perfectly combines the gameplay rhythm, aesthetic style and chiptune soundtrack of NES classics like Mega Man and Castlevania while still remaining accessible for modern players. There are a number of aspects of Shovel Knight that would never have been possible on an actual NES, but we don’t care; the game is too good to let details like that hinder the experience.

Streets of Rage 4

This title is not only a modern homage to the side-scrolling beat ‘em up genre as a whole, it’s also a direct sequel to one of the best beat ‘em ups of all time! Released this year, Streets of Rage 4 is a direct sequel to 1994’s Streets of Rage 3. It may feel the same and feature the same characters, but just like Shovel Knight, Streets of Rage 4 puts in the work to translate what you love about the genre while quietly erasing what you hate. Whether playing it alone or with friends, Streets of Rage 4 is a beat ‘em up experience like you remember them.

Axiom Verge

The strange alien environments and explorative, non-linear gameplay of Super Metroid left an impression on gamers and game designers alike when it hit the Super Nintendo back in 1994. The design elements that defined Nintendo’s masterpiece are ubiquitous in modern game design (think about how often folks throw around the word “metroidvania”), but still, precious few developers manage to capture the exact feeling that Super Metroid evokes. Enter Axiom Verge. Developed solely by one man (Tom Happ), and intended to capture the tone, style and gameplay of the legendary Super Metroid, Axiom Verge is both a loving tribute and a superb game in its own right. Admittedly, Axiom Verge adds a fair number of tweaks to the Super Metroid formula, but when it comes to capturing that core essence, this game nails it.

Cuphead

This beloved 2D, boss-battling platformer stands to evoke childhood memories for multiple generations. Of course, the adults who grew up on the Mega Man brand of tough-as-nails platformers with creative and unique boss fights will take to Cuphead like a fish takes to water. On top of that, however, there’s also the significantly older generation who grew up on classic old-timey cartoons (think Steamboat Willie) whose eyes will sparkle with delight upon seeing Cuphead’s vibrant 1920’s-inspired art style and silky smooth animations. It's a nostalgic treat for both the young and old with stellar gameplay to boot.

Despite the gaming industry’s desire to move endlessly forward, there will always be developers willing to look back at what came before. With just a little bit of digging, you can find a title that revives the gaming experiences of your childhood and helps you take a trip—however brief—back through the decades.