Hey all, I’m interested in playing some emulated games on my steamdeck, but I’m not sure where to start.
I’ve been having fun with Super Mario World, but a good chunk of that is because I played it a lot as a kid, so much of my enjoyment is from nostalgia.
Problem is, I didn’t play many too many games when I was a kid…
What older games out there would you say hold up in 2025? So that regardless of the nostalgia factor, they can be enjoyed by someone like me
A lot of PS2 games have busted PC ports or ports with invasive EULAs. PS2 is still probably the best way to play GTA: San Andreas.
But really, just pick a console with a graphical aesthetic you like and find the games people buzz about. I’ll give you some recommendations, based mainly on my taste, but a quick “(console) best games” search can help you expand upon this.
NES: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, Super Mario Bros 3, Kirby’s Adventure, Castlevania, Mega Man 2, Contra
Genesis/Mega Drive: Streets of Rage 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines, Road Rash, Sonic 2, Contra Hard Corps
SNES: NBA Jam: Championship Edition, Mega Man X, Star Fox 2
PS1: Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, Crash Team Racing, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Metal Gear Solid
N64: Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Dreamcast: Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, SoulCalibur
PS2: GTA San Andreas, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Tony Hawk’s Underground 2, Resident Evil 4, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Sly Cooper (entire series)
GameCube: Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart Double Dash, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Super Smash Bros Melee, SoulCalibur II
Xbox: Halo, Halo 2, Fable: The Lost Chapters
That’s a decent start, but not comprehensive by any means. Just pick a console with games you like the look of and search the top-rated games, the cream really rises to the top when you’re looking for retro games.
You just gonna forget all about the Saturn?
Great console. Never going to recommend it to an emulation beginner. Honestly, it was a stretch to even recommend N64 games. Emulation for those are all wack as well.