Best retro games for lockdown: 4 epic experiences to see you through 2020

Another lockdown in the UK began today, with everyone strongly advised to stay in their homes for the rest of November.

While some are working from home, some may be on furlough, or simply off School, but the one thing that can alleviate any nervous thoughts or boredom, are games.

They always have been the antidote to boredom most of all, but a unique aspect here are the games that you can’t help but go back to, year after year. Similar to someone re-reading Harry Potter again, or re-watching the Back to the Future trilogy as an end of year tradition.

So with that, we’ve decided to recommend some games that will be able to keep your attention for the majority of lockdown.

Sonic Adventure

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Sonic’s first proper venture into the 3D space after tip-toeing the waters with Sonic R and the ‘Sonic World’ variant from Sonic Jam. Released in 1998 for the Dreamcast and subsequently other platforms as the years passed, it’s a game that has its problems, but so much replayability.

Collecting all 180 emblems can be a challenge, and to cheat with this list, Sonic Adventure 2 would be a great game to follow up on, as that has a special unlockable once all the emblems are collected.

READ MORE: Sonic Hacking Contest; the best mods so far that we’ve played.

Pokémon Gold (Or Silver)

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It’s the perfect series to spend lockdown with, but for this writer, it will always be Pokémon Gold. While I discovered the series with Red and Yellow, the Gold entry to me was, and still is, the perfect amalgamation of what the series offers.

From trying to collect as much Pokémon as you can to collecting all the Gym badges, it’s a game that’s simply too fun to put down. While Sword and Shield scratch that itch for the Switch, playing this on a Game Boy, or other unofficial systems is a treat, and it really hits home just how good it would be to also see this on the Switch someday.

READ MORE: Which email address is linked to my Pokémon GO account?

Final Fantasy VIII

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Everyone has a favourite Final Fantasy; similar to someone’s favourite James Bond or Doctor Who. Everyone has a favourite, and Final Fantasy VIII is mine. Before its remaster on Switch last year, it was difficult for me to find it, but once it arrived, I couldn’t put it down, and I’m planning on a replay of it soon.

From its time-travel elements to the hidden Guardian Forces and Ultimate Weapons scattered across the map, there’s something about it which make it replayable for me. Whether its the refined graphics compared to VII and IX, or just the great story, or even the music, it’s a fantastic entry, and it can really grab you for a month or more if you let it.

READ MORE: A PS1 Memory Card feature discovered 25 years later!

Star Wars: Jedi Academy

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This is the game that I play by tradition every December for the last fifteen or so years. But lockdown has made a perfect excuse to play it a month earlier. It’s a sequel to 2002’s Jedi Outcast, and here you’re a Jedi Padawan, choosing levels as you please and upgrading force powers as you choose.

Every level brings its own kind of fun to it, whether if you run into some characters from the classic trilogy, or riding a speeder bike while you slice apart enemies’ bikes, or when you can change your type of lightsaber for those satisfying battles.

Every part of this is just, fun. Fun multiplied by a thousand, and if you haven’t played it as yet, its recent release on new platforms such as Switch has made it easier for you to discover it.

READ MORE: Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer Review; Now THIS is a remaster.

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