Everyone loves a good classic, and on Android there are lots of great options to get your hands on some retro classics. Ranging from original ports to reimaginations by new developers, there’s a a retro game out there for everyone. We’ve put together a list that should satisfy the shooters, racers and RPG fans out there and beyond.
R-Type II
Nothing says ‘retro’ like a good shooter, and R-Type is the series that Super Nintendo fans will remember fondly. R-Type II is the second in the series, and is arguably the best. It blends everything fans love about games from that era with all sorts of weird Sci-Fi tropes. Plus, this is the original version ported faithfully to Android for all to enjoy.
CHRONO TRIGGER
I’m not afraid to say it, Chrono Trigger is one of my favorite games from Super Nintendo’s library – as well as the PlayStation’s. A great RPG from the golden age of Final Fantasy games, with an art style from Dragonball’s Akira Toriyama, Chrono Trigger has a lot going for it. With one of the first stories that took different paths depending on previous choices, a wicked soundtrack and solid, satisfying turn-based combat this is one RPG not to miss.
Final Freeway 2R
Final Freeway 2R is a remake of the classic Outrun game that frequented arcades for decades. It’s got great controls, a wicked 16-bit art style and it’s super-addictive. If you want the classic Retro arcade experience in your pocket, this is a great download. There’s a free, ad-featuring version available as well, but it’s well worth spending a buck on the fall game, remember how many quarters this would have set you back in the day?!
Sonic CD
Sonic CD was ported to Android a long time ago, and it’s one of the few Sonic games from the 90s a lot of people might not have played. Sonic CD was a launch game for the CD32 add-on for the Genesis, and so it didn’t get as much as play time as Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. This is a great game for Sonic fans and casual gamers alike, and there’s a lot on offer here, it’s just a shame that Sega’s servers can be pretty slow at times.
AstroBlast
AstroBlast is a great way to play the classic Asteroids game on Android, it faithfully recreates the game with some modern twists, and it’s every bit “retro”. The only thing really missing are the 3.5″ floppy disks, but we’d say that’s a good thing, no?
PAC-MAN +Tournaments
This option from Bandai Namco is a great way to play classic PAC-MAN, and compete against others, too. While the company has recently ushered in an endless mode, this is for the classic players out there and while it could do with a little more polish here and there, this is a good PAC-MAN game overall.
Crazy Taxi Classic
The Sega Dreamcast will hold a special place in the heart of a lot of gamers for a long time to come, and it’s because of great games like Crazy Taxi. This Classic version is basically that very same game just ported to Android, and it’s great on tablets, too. A game for the Dreamcast hold-out, Sega have done a good job here.
FINAL FANTASY VI
This is a game from the golden age of Final Fantasy, before FF7 took over anything and made the world of gaming lose it. Unlike other Final Fantasy games on Android, Square-Enix have kept their Nintendo DS-style graphics away from this classic, but a lot of the graphics have been updated, and depending on your outlook that’s either a good or a bad thing. Still, it does work well on Android, at least.
Galaxy Storm
Galaxy Storm is a game that will satisfy the Galaga and Galaxian fans out there. It has all the right sort of graphics and a fairly straightforward control scheme. Plus, it’s developed by a small independent developer, much like these sort of games were back in the day!
TETRIS
I know, I know, nothing will beat the original Game Boy version of TETRIS. But if you just want to play TETRIS in an official capacity on your Android device, then EA has the rights these days, sadly. Still, this is a great retro game, and while it might be missing all those jagged edges, it has a good variety of extra features available and it’s a whole lot of fun, just as it always was.