The Best Retro Games on Steam in 2021

Within the gaming industry, there has always been an emphasis on producing bigger and better games. Games with photo-realistic graphics, incredible storylines, and huge open worlds. However, despite this, there are great game developers that strip it back to basics and offer retro-style games with champion arcade-style gameplay and pixelated graphics. It’s part of why indie games are so great and allow the more modern gamer to enjoy the gaming culture of old.

So with that in mind, we thought it would be fun to list a few excellent games on Steam that champion this retro approach. So without further delay, here are five excellent retro games you need to add to your Steam library.

Top 5 Retro Games on Steam

1. Undertale

First, we have Undertale. A game that perhaps looks the most primitive of all those listed here. Yet despite this, the game is one of the most unique, stylish, beautiful, and brilliantly designed games ever made. Despite the tiny budget and the extreme limitations, this fantastic game was in contention for outright game of the year in 2015, and rightfully so. This game is inspired by Mother/Earthbound but rest assured when we say, this one is a completely different animal. Be sure to give it a try.

2. Cuphead

When it comes to games that champion retro aesthetics, very few can match Cuphead’s level of quality. This game uses beautiful 1950’s style animation, accessible but hard to master mechanics, and a series of boss battles that will test even the most experienced gamer to captivate audiences. It’s a game that won’t hold your hand and has often been referred to as the retro, platformer Dark Souls, and not without good reason. Be sure to give this a try.

3. Dusk

Hey, remember Doom, the FPS game that single-handedly made the genre what it is today? Dusk takes that retro format of yesteryear, keeps that familiar, non-stop, high octane action, and offers a new story and this all culminates to offer a modern game that feels like it was developed in the 1980s, in a good way. So if you love the Doom series, you need to try this.

4. Hotline Miami

What happens when you combine a neon heavy aesthetic, a top-down puzzle format, and trial and error arcade gameplay. Well, in a nutshell, that defines Hotline Miami. This stylish game allows you to burst into battle arenas and take care of enemies in any way you see fit. The goal is to be as fast and efficient as possible. However, it’s just as fun to treat this one as a sandbox title and have some fun with it. It’s simple arcade action and something you need to try for yourself.

5. Celeste

Then lastly, we have Celeste, one of the best indie games in recent memory. This game combines the intense and tight platforming you may be familiar with thanks to Super Meat Boy. Then adds a heart-warming and progressive storyline that tackles mental health. Then take into account that this game pulls no punches and offers a very challenging platforming experience unlike anything ever produced before and you have a title that is a truly unique and quintessential arcade game. Be sure not to let this one pass you by.

So that is our top five retro games that you need to check out on Steam. What do you make of this list? Was this helpful and informative for you? What games do you think also deserved a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments section below and as always, thank you for reading.