this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2025
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I noticed that pretty much all games I played in my life have been released after 1990. So now I'm asking those with earlier experience here:
Which games can you recommend from before that time?

But: they should still be fun in their own right and not just interesting to play in an historian sense of trying to understand how genres developed.

Games I played that are older than 1990:

  • Tetris (classic for a reason)
  • Pacman (interesting but simple)
  • Prince of Persia (was too young to understand how to correctly play this game, I should maybe try to play it again)
  • The Legend of Zelda (too old school and clunky for my liking)
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[–] Apeman42@lemmy.world 18 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Bubble Bobble

Leisure Suit Larry 1-4

Secret of Monkey Island (released in 1990 actually, but close enough)

Barbarian (1987)

Batman (1989)

Space Quest and King's Quest, at least some of each series but I don't remember which ones.

Just a few I remember from my old Amiga.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

To add to Bubble Bobble some C64 games: Tom Thumb Gianna Sisters (best) Rainbow Islands Katakis Armalite

Oh and the good old AD&D games: Hillsfar Pool of Radiance Curse of the Azure Bonds Pools of Darkness

Not sure if before 1990: Loom, Indiana Jones 3

Amiga 500: Silkworm (2 player coop, I thought it was a banger back in the days)

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

What was that one where you were a little cute yellow walking bird and you jumped on these primarily vertical fanciful maps, and you rode in little balloons and stuff you jumped in?

E: it was New Zealand Story!

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

No idea, sorry - first time I hear this. I do recall a game that was a hex listing to type from a gaming magazine that had a yellow player sprite, could have been a bird. But we gave up hand-typing the listing into a hex editor half-way so I never got to play it :(

[–] Apeman42@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Oh, also Dragon's Lair and Space Ace. More interactive animated movies than anything, but well worth it for the classic Don Bluth animations.

Scrolled way too far for sierra games. They defined my childhood.

[–] Speculater@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I literally came to say Bubble Bobble too!

I'll add Adventures of Lolo, all of them.