Over the decades since video games were born, technology has evolved greatly to support countless games across a variety of genres, but not all of them have been preserved well. Many games are now pirated software, and these classic games have become rare when they are not supported by their publishers.
Luckily, hardcore fans have brought these retro games back in the form of online browser-based games, so instead of spending hundreds of dollars on old consoles and cartridges, you can play them from the comfort of your modern computer. Plus, you won’t have to deal with complicated emulators to play these digital masterpieces.
7 The Great Soldier (1993)
Irem's Superior Soldiers may not be the most recognizable retro game, but it plays an interesting role in gaming history. Like many games from the '90s, Superior Soldiers was also a hit with Street Fighter. The game uses the same formula and control scheme, differentiated by a few apocalyptic touches.
However, Superior Soldiers offers good gameplay and a unique storyline. Astute players will notice similar design trends to the Metal Slug series. After Superior Soldiers, Irem was hired to design characters and scenes for SNK's popular shooter series.
6 Q*Bert (1983)
It may not be the best. exciting games around the world, but Gottlieb's Q*Bert series still holds a place in the hearts of many retro gamers. First appearing in 1983, Q*Bert was an orange creature with a horn-like nose that would jump around on cubes and change color, and clear levels by touching every block.
Unfortunately for Q*Bert fans, he hasn’t appeared on shelves since the release of the Q*Bert iOS game in 2019, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less important. Q*Bert’s legend has earned him recognition in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph series.
5 Hoops (1996)
In 1994, Data East released Street Slam, a four-player basketball game that used pixel graphics to put Neo Geo players in a street basketball game full of excitement. Two years later, Data East released a sequel called Hoops (or Hoops '96 for European players).
Like its predecessor, Hoops is a game that focuses on building power to perform technical dunks. You can beat your opponents with power, speed, or strategy. These attributes are determined by the allocation of 18 points, which vary depending on the team assigned to it. The arcade version of Hoops, available online, works exactly the same as the home version.
4 Virtual Fighter 2 (1993)
If you've played a Tekken game before, you'll feel the same way you did with Virtua Fighter 2. Sega's two-player fighting game may seem simple today, but it was revolutionary for its time. When it first released in 1993, Virtua Fighter 2 was lauded for its stunning graphics and motion-capture technology.
Today, these features make the game irreplaceable. If you have an old Mega Drive, you can still play the 1997 cartridge. Most modern cartridge releases have brought classic arcade games back to the Xbox 360 in 2012. However, if these options aren't available, you can still use the Internet Arcade to play the beloved series to its fullest.
3 Street Fighter EX2 (1998)
From the name of the game, Street Fighter EX2, you can probably guess that it is a sequel to the first EX game. The online version is an arcade version of the game, which ditches Hayate from the game list. However, the game still has the same gameplay as the console version. You can punch, kick, and combo to defeat enemies on the computer or play with friends.
Street Fighter EX2 has been hailed as a groundbreaking new game for the current Street Fighter series. It's often considered by veteran Street Fighter fans to be the best of the bunch, while more experienced fans often consider EX2 Plus, the arcade console version, to be the most balanced EX game in the series.
2 Tetris (1988)
Play Tetris The world’s most popular block-matching puzzle game was first released in 1985, but the most accessible browser version was released in 1988, and it was also in Japanese. Luckily, you don’t need to know much to play Tetris. All you need is four arrow keys and some patience.
Even though Tetris has come a long way, it still has a huge following. Competitive leagues aren't as popular as they were in the 80s, and players are still pushing the limits of this classic game. Of course, you'll find plenty of mobile versions of Tetris.
1 Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)
The world was introduced to Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991. Back then, fans could control the fast and cool car using the Sega Genesis (known around the world as the Mega Drive). However, after learning of the car's mascot's rise to fame, Sega released an arcade version in 1993. Today, the coin-operated version of Sonic's debut adventure game is available to Internet users worldwide for free.
This version of the Mega Play arcade game differs from the home console version in that it is limited to three lives and five zones. Thankfully, you don’t have any coin restrictions, just add a few imaginary coins to keep playing. Keen fans may notice some graphical changes, although these changes don’t affect gameplay.
