Fun is what keeps you saying "just one more game" at 2 a.m. This Top 100 gathers the retro games with the most immediate and most lasting playability, based on RomWize's reassessed scores. For each title: its current score, its versions, their rarity and their collector value.
"Strike, roll to dodge, chain hits with no downtime: combat snaps with a jubilant fluidity. Every run hands you fresh weapons and a reshaped layout, so death instantly rekindles the urge. The nervy tempo and the depth of the arsenal sustain an exhilarating tension that never dulls."
"The game that redefined the open world: a whole city to roam freely, where stealing a car, shaking off the police or improvising chaos becomes possible at any moment. The raw freedom and the sense of absolute power deliver an instant rush that founded the genre. Bold, biting and incredibly influential, a major landmark in gaming."
"Rediscover the slashing feel of combat while roaming familiar gothic halls: the tribute to Castlevania lives in every detail. Whip, sub-weapons and legendary bosses slot into the roguelite loop without breaking its flow. The intact snappiness and the reawakened nostalgia make for a doubly irresistible pleasure."
"A poignant prequel telling the last battle of a team of Spartans, blending snappy shooting, large-scale combat and an emotion rare for the genre. The precise gunplay, the variety of weapons and the rich multiplayer create a constant pleasure. Spectacular, generous and masterfully made, an FPS that elevates the Halo formula and offers an adventure as intense as it is memorable, ideal in co-op."
"Playing as Yoshi carrying baby Mario, gulping enemies to turn them into eggs and aiming at targets with gleeful precision: this crayon-styled masterpiece overflows with ideas and tenderness. Every level reinvents its mechanics with wild inventiveness. Gorgeous, clever and deeply satisfying, a platformer apart that charms as much as it challenges, timeless down to its very linework."
"Sharpened replay value and reworked balance: this Pro version polishes the dream duel between the Capcom and SNK stables without dulling its edge. Fresh match-ups, finer tuning and the same thrill on every clean parry. Fans of 2D versus get an even more generous build to master."
"Discovering Yoshi, exploring a teeming map riddled with secret exits and chaining pixel-perfect jumps: this platformer remains an absolute peak of the genre. Every level hides its surprises, every path opens new possibilities. The impeccable handling and the generous level design grip you relentlessly. Timeless and inexhaustible, a masterpiece that doesn't age."
"The sequel refines the formula and blows out the repertoire with a more generous setlist and a gleeful co-op mode where each player holds their part. Finding the groove, chaining the notes and triggering the multiplier stays a pleasure as immediate as it is addictive. Richer, more fun, better paced, often cited as the genre's best entry on the console."
"The return of the armless hero in a platformer of enchanting animation, where every move breathes fluidity and joy. Bouncing, gliding and punching through fairy-tale settings delivers an instant, contagious joy of movement. Co-op, colourful and overflowing with inventiveness, a sumptuous platformer that reconnects with the magic of the genre, to savour solo or with others."
"Finding Yoshi and the teeming world of Super Mario World on a handheld screen is diving back into one of the greatest platformers ever made. Every jump breathes precision, every level hides its secrets and hidden exits. The perfect handling and the generous level design grip you relentlessly. A timeless classic, ideal to explore anywhere."
"Slip on the Cat suit, climb on everything, and jostle merrily as four in 3D levels built for mayhem: local co-op becomes a playground. The ideas keep coming without pause, and Bowser's Fury adds an explosive sandbox. Funny, readable, generous, it gathers everyone around the screen effortlessly."
"You can't go it alone: every puzzle demands two brains and two controllers, and that's the whole magic. No sooner mastered, a mechanic is tossed aside for another, so the surprise stays constant. The boundless inventiveness and the forced complicity turn the session into a shared adventure you don't forget."
"Taking your first steps in a three-dimensional world where jumping, gliding and climbing becomes a pure joy of movement: this revolution has lost none of its magic. Every castle holds stars, secrets and challenges that reward curiosity. Free, joyful and with brilliant handling, the founding 3D platformer, still dazzling."
"Playing the Dark Knight in a nightmarish asylum, alternating fluid combat, predatory stealth and puzzles, means slipping into the vigilante's skin like never before. The melee system, of fearsome elegance, delivers instant satisfaction with every chain. Dark, gripping and masterfully designed, a peak of the superhero game that redefined everything."
"A 2.5D beat 'em up of unheard-of cinematic style, where the hero triggers action-movie special effects — slow motion, zoom, fast-forward — to floor his enemies and solve puzzles. This brilliant idea delivers unique sensations and a stylish release. Colourful, snappy and zany, an adventure of crazy inventiveness that looks like nothing else."
"The maraca fiesta returns enriched with new tracks, fresh modes and extra challenges: everything invites you to shake harder and dance longer. The mechanic stays clear and the energy just as infectious, ideal in a group. More generous and as sparkling as ever, this extension keeps the flame of an irresistible rhythm game alive."
"Laying bombs to trap your rivals in an explosive maze: this version pushes the limits of multiplayer by welcoming up to ten players in gleeful chaos. The polished adventure mode and the unbridled arenas guarantee endless laughter. Instant strategy, constant tension and maximum conviviality: arguably the best Bomberman of its generation."
"The sequel thinks bigger on every front: even snappier combat, titanic bosses and settings of breathtaking mythological scale. Chaining devastating combos and finishing enemies with flair delivers an immediate, constant satisfaction. Spectacular, generous and of dazzling technical mastery, a culmination of the genre on the console."
"An open, wild tropical island, where you hunt, infiltrate enemy camps and improvise approaches as the mood takes you: the freedom of action is total and exhilarating. The unpredictable wildlife and the charismatic antagonist create unforgettable moments. Snappy, immersive and beautifully made, an open-world FPS that turns every situation into a playground for experimentation."
"Armed with a water-jet backpack, Mario cleans up a sun-drenched island, jumping, hovering and sliding through a riot of tropical colour. The aerial control the FLUDD grants opens up exhilarating acrobatics and joyful exploration. Bright, inventive and bursting with sunshine, this 3D platformer breathes freedom and summery good cheer."
