REVISIT GAMING CLASSICS ON STEAM
The PC’s development time has an advantage over home consoles; when the NES hit the US market in 1985, PC releases were triple that of the NES. Thankfully, a lot of the old-school games that gained steam for the PC market are still available…on Steam (*wink, nudge*). Side-scrollers, RPGs, racing, and other genres back then can still be found available on Steam, so if you’d like to take a stroll through old gaming memories, look no further. We’ve got a short list of old-but-gold PC relics.
The Commander Keen Adventures
It’s interesting how iD Software jumps from a cartoony platformer to DOOM.
You may not know it, but before DOOM fever hit the market, iD Software explored the platformer / side-scroller with Commander Keen. You pilot the shoes of Billy Blaze, a genius neighborhood kid that becomes Commander Keen when he dons his magical football helmet. He saves the world over five fun installments. It’s available on Steam and runs on DOSBox to fix compatibility problems.
Duke Nukem 3D
There’s something about old school gaming that just captures the–ooh, shiny.
Duke Nukem actually got his start on 2-D platformers just like the aforementioned Commander Keen. The gum-chewing, bullet-blasting badass got his popularity when he hit 3-D. Unfortunately, the original release of the 3-D game isn’t available for purchase on Steam, but the 20th Anniversary World Tour is! This version includes a new episode, new frag-a-licious maps, new quotes from Mr. Nukem himself, and an incinerator weapon to wipe out the alien invasion.
Anything Sierra
This is the reboot of King’s Quest and, while still good, doesn’t hold a candle to the original KQ series.
This had to have it’s own category—take your pick of “Quest” games, they’re all well-done. Police Quest, King’s Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory, the list goes on. As we touched on last week, Sierra was the enthroned champion of adventure games in the 90s, and you can still purchase the collections of those games today. These games put puzzle design, character development, and narrative over action.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
This is one strong gaming classic, with a high replay value and solid story investment.
This game should be on everyone’s list when it comes to classics. Boasting three separate storylines and modes of play, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis tops the charts as one of the best games to come out of LucasArts. Wonderful voice acting (if using the CD version), an engrossing story, and characters you’ll never forget are in this classic gem.
The Original Prince of Persia and it’s sequel were groundbreaking.
“The Prince” as he was originally known saw a lot of success in latter renditions of this 2-D game, but nothing compares to the original Prince of Persia and it’s sequel The Shadow and the Flame. Brøderbund was the original publisher of the game which has since switched hands to Ubisoft. The game took risks by setting a playthrough time limit and challenging the player with traps, secrets, and sword battles against foes. You can find the original online for free; the latter sequels are also available via Steam.
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