While we hear all about the newest games as they release, there are countless classics out there that have stood the test of time for different reasons. While some are just genuinely good games, others are an important piece of history that you should try out to get a feel for what games were like at the time.

This list is also entirely subjective, and there are countless more than just the ones I've listed here, but these are the ones that formed the basis of my gaming experiences as a kid and ones that always serve up a shot of nostalgia when I boot them up for a bit of gaming. There are countless others that are out there that I haven't played, like Deus Ex, Command and Conquer, and Runescape, but these are my personal favorites.

For the ones that require emulation, a Steam Deck will be able to play all of these, especially with EmuDeck.

8 Day of the Tentacle

One of my personal favorites

This game has a special place in my heart both because of it's amazing storyline and pretty visuals, but because it was introduced to me by a family member as one of my first gaming experiences. It's considered one of the best games of all time by multiple critics, and it absolutely deserves it.

Day of the Tentacle is a lighthearted adventure game that follows on from the classic Maniac Mansion. Purpel Tentacle, a mutant monster in the game, drinks toxic sludge that makes him grow flipper-like arms, develop incredible intelligence, and inspires him to take over the world. He's deemed unstoppable in his current form, and so protoganists Bernard, Laverne, and Hoagie are sent back in time to prevent Purple Tentacle from being exposed to the sludge.

I absolutely love this game, and it's playable in ScummVM. There's also a remastered version on Steam that you can play!

7 The Simpsons: Hit & Run

A nostalgic classic

This game is also a classic that has fans begging for a sequel or a remaster, and it's not hard to see why. While The Simpsons: Road Rage was a parody of Crazy Taxi, The Simpsons: Hit & Run was a Grand Theft Auto parody, where you play as multiple characters from the series and explore Springfield while completing tasks. The overarching story of Buzz Cola and the aliens Kang and Kodos is pretty funny and entertaining, and it feels like you're actually playing an extended episode of The Simpsons.

What makes this game particularly special is the care and detail that it has towards the original IP. The characters are all voiced by their original voice actors, and there are tons of gags and gimmicks throughout each level that reference classic Simpsons episodes. For a fan of the series, this is a must-play. It's a pure labor of love from the developers, and you can tell it is in every aspect of the game.

6 DOOM

One of the most important games ever made

DOOM is one of the most important games that have ever been released, and the original is a fantastic experience from start to finish. There are countless remakes that you can play, and given that hte community is dedicated to getting it running on literally everything, chances are you have a device you can play it on anyway.

It's divided into three chapters, and while the plot is kept to a minimum, there is a plot throughout the entire game. It's a classic game that many people have heard of but never actually played, so if you fall into that camp, do yourself a favor and set aside some time to give it a go.

5 Half-Life

Redefining FPS games

Half-Life had to make the list somewhere, and spoiler: the next one is Half-Life 2. These two games are an incredibly important piece of history, with the original Half-Life reshaping what the FPS genre could be by turning an FPS shooter into a narrative-driven complete package.

The first Half-Life can feel a little rough around the edges these days, but it actually holds up surprisingly well. Don't expect to run in and start blasting, as you'll actually need to think about how you approach fights in order to work towards stopping the alien invasion and closing the portal to Xen.

4 Half-Life 2

Redefining FPS games... again

Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, and it's hard to believe that it released in 2004, just over 20 years ago. It's an even better story-teller than the original Half-Life was, with a massive step-up in graphics, physics, and combat. I've played through the entire game twice, and what this game managed to achieve is nothing short of incredible. Frequently referred to as the best (or one of the best) games of all time, it's a must-play if you haven't already.

As well, I know this is a list of classic games, but you owe it to yourself to play Half-Life: Alyx after it if you have a VR headset. It's an incredibly immersive experience, and with a potential Half-Life 3 actually releasing in the future, it'd be good to get up to speed.

3 Grand Theft Auto III

Controversial at the time, but now an important piece of gaming history

Grand Theft Auto III was the first GTA game created and rendered in 3D, with a completely open-world design that allowed players to roam freely in Liberty City. It's also considered one of the best games of all time, with its sound design, gameplay, and open-world nature garnering significant praise.

If you're excited for GTA VI this year and you haven't played GTA III, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted with one of the best games in the series. It's an incredibly important piece of history, and one that's worth coming back to even if you've played it already. There's a defentive edition that you can purchase with remastered textures, and it plays just as good as the original (after all the updates and hot-fixes, that is).

2 Sim City 2000

One of the original city builders

Sim City 2000 is still highly-regarded as the pinncacle of the Sim City series. It was highly addictive, well-designed, and offered you the ability to become mayor of a bustling metropolis. It improved on the original 1989 version in a number of ways. The first was a completely new entry to a never-before-seen genre and it was rough around the edges, whereas 2000 really extended that concept and made it better.

You build a complete city, with prisons, schools, libraries, museums, marinas, hospitals and arcologies. You can make your own highways, bus depots, airports, and so much more. It absolutely looks dated, but the gameplay is robust, and it can be fun to spin up and play with every now and again, especially if you enjoy games like Cities: Skylines.

1 The Legend of Zelda

One for Nintendo fans

The Legend of Zelda is a phenomenon unto itself, and it's a fantastic game that first released for the Famicom/NES. it's an action, adventure, RPG that sees you control the protoganist, Link, travelling through environments to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. You can explore the overworld to your heart's content, and there's a lot to explore.

This game is fantastic for a lot of reasons, and especially for a Nintendo fan, it's honestly a shock if you haven't played it before. You can emulate it on basically anything, and even when you beat the game, there's more.