Retro Styled Indie Games Everyone Needs to Play Once

Written by Amos Gikunda - Tuesday, Jun 22, 2021 at 2:01pm

last edited on Saturday, Aug 14, 2021 at 9:29am

Edited by Jeremy Rhoades

Celeste game art showing the logo and the main character reaching up to grab a winged Strawberry.

Retro-styled indie games offer a unique gaming experience. The 2d animated characters and environments coupled together with amazing storylines can keep you playing for hours without getting bored. It takes a lot of time, hard work, and creativity for indie developers to come up with them. Here are some top retro-styled indie games that everyone needs to play once.

An image of the Undertale game logo with characters standing above it.

Undertale


Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, macOS

Undertale is a 2d video game created by Toby Fox, a popular indie developer. It is a role-playing game about a kid that has fallen beneath the surface of the earth. Your mission is to get back to the surface, separated by a magic barrier. You have to overcome the challenges that you face on your journey, such as fighting monsters. These monsters are very powerful and engage you in a fight.

You can choose to conquer the monsters or pacify them in order to spare them. Each decision you make has an impact on your game dialogue, story, and characters based on the outcomes. Toby fox developed every part of the game by himself, including the music and the script. He was inspired by sources such as Mother, Brandish, Mr. Bean, shooter series Mario and Luigi, and Remix RPG Adventure. Since its release, it has been nominated for various awards and accolades.

Game cover art for Shovel Knight Treasure Trove.

Shovel Knight


Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Amazon Fire TV, OS X

Shovel Knight is another retro-inspired indie game by the Yacht Club Games. It is a 2d scrolling game that features graphics and gameplay inspired by the Nintendo Entertainment system platformer games. The latest release, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, comes with four playing modes alongside the multi-player.
Shovel Knight is a well-made and thoughtful classic game. The level designs, gameplay, and the bosses are inspired by the Mega Man. If you have played Mario 3, you will recognize the charming world map, inconveniently sealed-off segments, and its limited non-Linearity.
Shovel Knight has won universal accolades and critical awards from gamers and Magazines. It has been nominated for more than 20 awards and won 10 of them as of 2019.

The shovel knight can kill the enemies by jumping on top of them and attacking them or a quick slash. You can use implement as a weapon, or you can use it as a tool. You can dig treasures and eliminate minerals and sand to clear paths. Once you earn enough treasures, you can upgrade your implement to make it more powerful. If you are looking for a retro-inspired indie game, Shovel Knight might be the best for you.

Celeste game art showing the logo and the main character reaching up to grab a winged Strawberry.

Celeste


Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, macOS, PlayStation 4, Classic Mac Os, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One

Celeste is a pixel art 2d-platformer rated 10 out of ten on steam. It was written, designed, and directed by Maddy Thorson. It is about climbing Mount Celeste. The character is a young woman challenging herself and winning.
The Celeste storyline is remarkably blended, using overt conversations and subtle themes into the level design. Every corner of this game flows with charm. The characters are expressive and delightful, surrounded by a well-detailed world.
Another exciting feature about Celeste is the gibberish voices that accompany the smartly written dialogue. Also, the animated characters have an impressive distinct personality thanks to the pixelated art style. You can challenge yourself with easy and difficult paths in the game. The controls are easy to master, and you will get to enjoy one of the best gaming soundtracks in each of the eight chapters.

Final Thoughts


Retro-styled indie games offer a unique experience. Everyone needs to try some of the top games to challenge their skills. These games come with a great storyline, easy-to-master controls, good soundtracks, and amazing characters. They come with easy and difficult modes that will challenge your skills. If you are looking for a unique nostalgic experience, try any of the above games, and you won’t regret it.

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