Dozens, sometimes hundreds of hours of play: some titles are true time sinks. This Top 100 gathers the retro games with the longest playtime, based on RomWize's reassessed scores. For each title: its current score, its versions, their rarity and their collector value, more than enough to get your money's worth.
"Setting off after 120 brand-new stars, this time aided by Yoshi and fresh powers, restarts a platforming loop even more inventive and demanding than the first game. Ghost mode pushes you to refine your times, while the Luigi challenge and post-credits content stretch the quest for 100 % considerably. This generosity, married to an unapologetic difficulty, makes it a masterpiece that holds out for a long time before giving up all its secrets."
"The modern campaign left a mark, but it was the multiplayer that redefined the genre: a system of customizable classes, killstreaks and rank progression set a standard and gripped players for years. Replaying the campaign on higher difficulty and chasing every unlock extends the run. As a celebrated pioneer, it keeps the aura of a timeless benchmark."
"Leading your club to the top, season after season, unfolds a football simulation whose precision fans applaud. Managing your roster, refining your tactics and battling in multiplayer takes a considerable time. That depth, paired with inexhaustible replay value, sustains a longevity football fans savour."
"Crossing blades with a teeming roster, each wielding a distinct weapon, opens a fighting game of recognised depth. The long, hearty Weapon Master mode unlocks weapons and bonuses by the dozen, while versus restarts the pad indefinitely. That wealth of content, paired with a precise system, earns the title a stubborn reputation as a weapon-fighting benchmark."
"Crossing its seven worlds is far from a straight line: hidden levels, fortresses, mini-games, Warp Whistles to uncover and power-up suits to master keep stretching the journey. Each world has its own flavour and rewards players who comb every screen, while the replay value stays huge for anyone who skips the shortcuts. That sheer design generosity is why people still come back to it today."
"Traveling endlessly between the Kingdom of Hyrule and the Twilight, shifting from wolf to hero, opens a vast world to roam alongside Midna. The dungeons with their clever puzzles run long, and free exploration brims with secrets, heart pieces and side quests to flush out between clashes with Zant and Ganondorf. The largest entry in the saga of its day keeps a reputation as a generous, lastingly memorable epic."
"This expanded edition swells the roster, adds Ultra Combos and multiplies the challenges to clear character by character. Learning everyone's variations, climbing the online ranks and ticking off every trial is a long-haul commitment. Its competitive depth secured a longevity few fighters of the era ever matched."
"From an endless desert to a sinking liner, this third hunt piles up memorable set-pieces you delight in replaying to claim treasures and challenges. The online modes, competitive and co-op alike, plainly extend the playtime, and the adventure keeps its reputation as a superproduction where every scene feels built to leave a mark."
"Beneath its classic metroidvania looks, the kingdom of Hallownest hides a web of rooms, optional bosses and secrets that never seems to run dry. The Dream battles, the Pantheon, the charms to combine and the map you draw yourself invite you to comb every corner. The satisfaction of progressing on your own, with no hand held out, explains its cult status among players."
"Crossing teeming worlds peopled by magical creatures sets up a platformer of rare generosity, rich in levels, musical challenges and secrets. Freeing the Teensies, aiming for flawless runs and replaying in co-op considerably extends the fun. That wealth of content, sumptuously animated, offers a lifespan platformer fans cultivate."
"Investigating murders while living through a school year blends dungeon crawling, social links and time management in a JRPG of rare density. Optimising your days, weaving your Social Links and combing the Midnight Channel feed dozens of hours. That generosity, often cited as a peak of the genre, offers a lifespan RPG fans cherish."
"This expanded version pairs Drake's hunt with its online additions, multiplying reasons to stay aboard after the credits. Heading back out for treasures, taking on the challenges and roaming the multiplayer modes stretches the stay considerably, and the package remains an ideal gateway into Naughty Dog's spectacular adventure craft."
"Roaming the vast world of Ivalice blends free exploration, the gambit system and monster hunts into a JRPG of considerable scope. The already long main quest is doubled by marks to track, hidden dungeons and fearsome summons. That wealth of content, served by a rich universe, earns the title a stubborn reputation as a great RPG."
"Skyrim can be crossed in any order, and you can ignore the main quest for dozens of hours without ever growing bored. Guilds, caves, dragons, books to read and trinkets to collect form a world that answers your every whim. That total freedom, letting you write your own story, is why people still replay it more than a decade after release."
"Chaining tricks and combos in open levels packed with objectives unfolds a skating game of fearsome replay value. Aiming for the high score, hunting the hidden challenges and customising your skater restarts every session. That quest for the perfect run, the heart of the series, earns the title a stubborn reputation as a cult skating game."
"Roaming three cities and an entire countryside to seize the streets unfolds an open world of mad density, brimming with missions and activities. Customising your avatar, hunting collectibles and wrapping everything up at 100% fills dozens of hours. That generosity, a series peak, earns the title a stubborn reputation as an inexhaustible sandbox."
"With a garage of several hundred models and countless events, this entry pushes the driving simulation to a rare level of generosity. Passing the licences, fine-tuning your setups and collecting everything fills hundreds of hours of driving. That profusion, paired with realistic handling, founds a longevity racing fans still savour."
"Running across spherical planets with wild gravity is only the beginning: claiming all 120 stars scattered through ever-fresh themed galaxies means combing every nook and mastering varied challenges. Once the main quest is done, a tougher second cycle awaits completionists. This density of inventive levels, hailed as one of gaming's peaks, makes you want to return long after the first star."
"Hoisting the sails on an ocean dotted with islands turns exploration into a long-haul adventure, punctuated by dungeons, sunken treasures and secrets to ferret out. The main quest stretches out, and free sailing invites you to comb every corner of the open sea. The timeless charm of its cel-shaded art direction explains why people still dive back in today without exhausting it."
"Even as the opening chapter, the adventure is hearty: methodical exploration of the kingdom of Liberl, guild quests, tactical growth and a patiently unfurled story rack up dozens of hours. The remake adds comfort, but the sheer generosity of content remains a hallmark."
