Best retro games on Android
A magical trip down memory lane
We have compiled a list of the best retro games for Android. It contains both freemium and paid Android titles. However, emulation is a viable option on Android, where you can just grab emulator apps such as N64 or SNES, along with a ROM of your favourite retro game. There is still a wide variety of titles on Google Play that seek to recreate the “Renaissance” of the retro age, expressed through the release of retro-inspired games or direct ports from arcade consoles.
- For fans of gacha, we recommend you hop over to our best gacha games for Android
- Also, an updated list of free mobile games you can play today
- For iOS users, do check out our best retro and retro-inspired games for iPad and iPhone (iOS)
Retro gaming refers to titles from the 1980s to the late 1990s. It was an age when video gaming experienced its first boom. It is the era of great beginnings as it marks the birth of many beloved franchises such as Doom, Sonic, Pokémon, Tetris and many more. They were characterised by 8-bit graphics and retro music that shaped the childhoods of many. The most impactful part is the older consoles the games ran on, such as SNES, Nintendo 64 and also good old arcade games such as Street Fighter and Metal Slug.
1
Another World - 20th Anniversary
Although the title says 20th anniversary, this is a 30 y/o game. Some of you aren't that old, but some of us played games like this when God walked the earth.
Another World will put you into the shoes of a very prominent scientist whose experiment went wrong. He ended up on another planet, without knowing what time it was, or how he could even draw breath. Luckily, this other world has the same physics as Earth, but forms of life inhabiting it aren't as friendly. For them, you're an intruder.
Although the game doesn't take too long to beat and has nothing flashy, it's a great adventure and time travel to '90s when gamers made games. There are more beautiful titles on this list, and there are ones whose gameplay is crispy clean, but if you played Another World 30 years ago, nothing will beat the nostalgia.
2
Tomb of the Mask
This is a Pac-Man-inspired retro-style, endless-runner where you take control of a yellow tomb raider as you guide him across the never-ending vertical labyrinth. You will collect stars, pellets and coins while avoiding deadly traps and moving hazards. It’s worth noting that the stage visuals bear a heavy resemblance to the classic Pac-Man. Upgrade your characters with extra skills or to change your appearance. You can use the coins to change your default Tomb Raider into something more interesting.
3
Dragon Quest I
Considered one of the forefathers of the modern JRPG scene, featuring the distinguished art style of Akira Toriyama, who graced our media world with the iconic Dragon Ball series. Experience a straightforward fantasy plot where you take control of the chosen one, embarking on a journey to slay the big baddie Dragonlord and save the princess of the Alefgard Kingdom. Throughout your adventure, you get to interact with many NPCs, roam the beautiful overworld, and fight monsters to gain experience points as well as a myriad of resources to progress through to the next stage.
4
Streets of Rage 4
Streets of Rage 4 is a perfect sequel to the beat 'em up series that many of us grew up with. Why would I call it perfect? Well, it has the same feeling of adrenaline and the retro looks, while being modern enough to cater to new audiences. It's not really a problem if you haven't played the earlier versions, although you could, as they are available on Google Play, and the story is pretty straightforward.
Once again, an evil syndicate has taken over the streets with the help of corrupt police. You're there to beat some sense into them. And boy, will you beat the sense into them, with your fists, knees, pipes, and whatever you can grab. Improvements to the combat are massive; combos play a big role now, especially during the boss fights, which are a highlight of every level. You'll find a lot of old faces, and some will be unlockable after a certain achievement, not to spoil anything.
5
Racing Moto
This retro-styled game hits home hard for those who crave the good old action of Rally Bike, a 1988 retro arcade. You play as a rider, and your goal is to survive as long as possible on the road by navigating through the busy streets filled with vehicles. You get bonus points for narrowly dodging oncoming vehicles. It doesn’t stop there, as the longer you survive, the faster you go, which demands faster reflexes. Feeling confident? You can choose to press on the screen and make your rider step on the gas pedal and accelerate.
The lack of many complex upgrade systems made Racing Moto extremely easy to pick up for all ages. It’s ideal to play with friends and family on a hot sunny day to compete for the most miles driven.
6
Stardew Valley
For fans of the classic Harvest Moon saga, this magical title is the brainchild of indie developer Eric Barone. Every aspect of it is a love letter to the classic Harvest Moon series (now known as Story of Seasons). This retro game for Android presents you with a gateway to a fantastical world that doubles as a farming simulator. You get to farm a multitude of crops, mine minerals, interact with the lovely NPCs of Pelican Town, woo bachelors/bachelorettes, explore the overworld with attention-to-detail qualities and changes based on seasons and slay monsters that spawn naturally in dungeons.
Stardew Valley is also a collector’s dream as there are many collectibles, such as sceptres and artifacts to find. Be the very best farmer and make your late grandpa proud! It also has a multiplayer feature built in to connect people. Partner up with friends and family to run a successful farm.
7
Bullet Hell Monday
A brilliant Android retro game combining the vibrant elements of the classic Touhou series and fixed shooter classics. It is a bullet hell shooter where you control a neon-coloured fighter plane similar to Pacific Wings (also known as 1941) to go through stages while dodging incoming projectiles and enemy crafts. The core gameplay is simple since the player only needs to dodge incoming projectiles from enemies and defeat the boss. But this is where the Touhou element comes in to ramp up the difficulty, and you need to dodge bullets that crowd the screen. To further reel you in, the game boasts a multitude of banger songs for you to enjoy, although they are nowhere near the epic scale of Zun’s Touhou.
If you feel like training your reflexes with some bullet hell with a simple plane shoot 'em up, then this is the right one for you.
8
Sonic The Hedgehog
The original Sonic the Hedgehog was released on the Sega Mega Drive console back in 1991. Until now, the iconic super-fast hedgehog character has appeared in new games from Sega. Everyone who owned a Sega remembers the sweet sound of collecting gold rings and the sad effect of losing them. Recall that Sonic the Hedgehog is a fast and dynamic platformer where the main character, Sonic the Hedgehog, fights the evil Doctor Eggman.
Since then, it has become a classic, most likely because of its fast gameplay and memorable characters. The original Sonic the Hedgehog has been re-released on Android and iOS mobile platforms and now deserves its place in the list of best retro games that you can play on your Android.
9
Carmageddon
The brutal race Carmageddon has also become a classic and has been re-released on Android. As cruel as it sounds, the original Carmageddon is still one of the best games to kill passers-by and ram the cars of rivals if you're into that kind of brutality.
Despite the completely outdated graphics, this race has ageless gameplay that is well-suited for touch screens. Recall that Carmageddon was released on PC in 1997. Then this game set a new trend of cruelty and drive in the industry.
10
Baldur's Gate
Fans of old hardcore RPGs are not buying mobile devices running Android in vain, because this platform is home to the classic games of the Baldur's Gate series. These party-based RPGs are still leading the way in their genre - few other cRPGs have managed to achieve this level of sophistication.
Literary dialogue and story are some of the strengths of Baldur's Gate, re-released on Android. Many modern gamers are unlikely to be able to quickly integrate into the gameplay of these old RPGs, but over time, all the nuances can be comprehended.
11
Worms 2: Armageddon
Everyone played at least one of the parts of the famous Worms. And if you have not played, then it's just the right time, because there is still no analogue of the classic Worms 2: Armageddon. Small worms destroy each other with the most interesting methods: firearms, explosives, bats, and even air bombing. Worms 2: Armageddon is a multiplayer game (although you can play it in single-player against AI) where allies must help each other and annihilate the enemy team by all means necessary. Classic 2D Worms like Armageddon have completely different gameplay and atmosphere compared to newer versions, where the developers moved to 3D.
12
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge
Shredder's Revenge is a great throwback to the '90s and scroller fighters like Double Dragon, Streets of Rage, and TMNT fighters as well! It has the same vibe, which is a big bonus if you're nostalgic about retro games. All of your old enemies, like Rocksteady, Bebop, Backster Stockman and the Foot Clan soldiers that you'll bash every now and then are here. But of course, old brain Krang is also pulling strings from his robotic suit, and the main villain is right there in the title. Fighting is marvellously smooth, and controls are good enough on the touch screen, although it was a bit easier for us to play it on a joypad.
Bring a friend or two along, as multiplayer is where all of the side-scrolling fighters rock, and fun is guaranteed! Besides the Turtles, you'll be able to play as other characters as well. Without spoiling it too much, we have an article on how to unlock Casey Jones. Cowabunga!
13
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Follow the damn train CJ!
That line will forever get stuck in the minds of players who have had any experience with San Andreas. That, and the damn chopper mission. Years went by, and they still give me PTSD, even on my mobile phone. For those of you unfamiliar with GTA, it's one of the bloodiest and best-represented games in modern history, but with a great story and characters that are quite memorable. Action is also unprecedented; there aren't many titles around that can stand side by side with San Andreas. It's a solid port that you can easily fall in love with.
14
Max Payne Mobile
The original Max Payne was released in 2001 and set the bar for third-person shooters. The second part made by the Remedy studio received an original and interesting plot, an atmosphere in the style of noir films, a unique plot in the form of comics, as well as good shooter gameplay with the ability to slow down time.
Max Payne is not the most mobile-friendly game. It’s quite possible to refresh memories with it, but it’s unlikely to finish it. The known difficulty of the original Max Payne caused problems even on PC.
15
Castlevania: SotN
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a great port of the original classic with some modern additions. They include full compatibility with game controllers, as well as on-screen controls, various achievements, support for six languages, and a new continue feature. The game is similar to the classic Castlevania. This is an arcade platformer with elements of slash and horror.
Castlevania has simple but, at the same time, old-school pixellated graphics as well as an incredible story and gameplay that's still unbeatable. If you are looking for a retro-style horror arcade platformer, you should definitely try it out!
16
Old School RuneScape
British studio Jagex has relaunched the browser-based MMORPG RuneScape. The project was twice listed in the Guinness Book of Records. First nomination as MMORPG with the largest number of software updates. The second is the most popular free MMORPG in the world.
The original version was released in 2001 when the gaming world was not yet fully familiar with the MMORPG genre. For all time, about 260 million users have played RuneScape. Thanks to modern technologies, RuneScape was able to be transferred to mobile smartphones and tablets. The mobile version does not impress with graphics, but it impresses with a huge set of gameplay features. All of the goodies and bosses that most players are familiar with are back in action. It's a well-made port overall.
