On May 21st, Xbox and Activision released Retro Classics as a benefit for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Created in partnership with Antstream Arcade, Retro Classics is a collection of older Activision video games released for retro platforms like Atari 2600, DOS, Amiga, and more. The catch is that players stream these titles through Antstream’s cloud gaming technology rather than playing them natively on a console like you would in something like Capcom’s Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics.
If you have great internet speeds, it’s a solid way to experience these important retro titles. That said, there are already 50 retro games to choose from, and more games will be added over time, so it may be tough to decide what you want to play first. To help, I wanted to shout out seven games in particular that are worth checking out if you install Retro Classics as a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber.
1. Pitfall!
You can’t go amiss in checking out Pitfall. Probably the most iconic game included in Retro Classics, Pitfall helped put Activision on the map and was one of the earliest 2D platformers released, establishing many of the fundamental tenets of the genre. It’s one of those classics you should play to better understand how video games have evolved over time.
2. Atlantis
A more underrated Atari 2600 game included in Retro Classics, Atlantis is a simple shooter game where players have to defend Atlantis from invading spaceships. Players can shoot vessels from three set angles and earn points for every ship they take down. The goal is simply to survive enemy waves for as long as possible before the city is destroyed, and despite its simplicity, I had a great time playing Atlantis.
3. MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat
MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat is a great game, but it stands out in Retro Classics for one main reason: it’s a PlayStation 1 game. In the MechWarrior games, players control a giant mech and have to manage completing objectives while customizing and maintaining such a large weapon. Although MechWarrior 2 did release on other platforms, the version included in Retro Classics is the PS1 version. The novelty of playing a game from that system through Xbox Game Pass can’t be understated.
4. Zork 1: The Great Underground Empire
If you want to see just how far video games have come, consider checking out the Zork games in Retro Classics. Zork I: The Great Underground Empire is one of the trailblazing text adventure games, as you have to role-play through its adventure by issuing text commands. It’s a little clunky to play on an Xbox controller with a virtual keyboard, but it serves as a reminder of a time before even real-time graphics were standardized in video games.
5. River Raid
River Raid is another Activision classic and a shoot ’em up where players control a fighter jet behind enemy lines. It’s simple, but the dance of shooting enemies and obstacles, dodging them, and ensuring you drive through certain spots to fuel your plane back up allows this Atari 2600 shoot ’em up to still hold up today. If you care about representation in the video game industry, you should also know that this game was designed by Carol Shaw, one of the first female game designers ever.
6. Bloody Human Freeway
Another novel part of video game history, Bloody Human Freeway is actually a prototype version of an Atari 2600 game called Freeway. While players dodged cars as a chicken crossing the road in the final version of Freeway, the original version of the game had players control a human who would become a blood splatter when hit by a car. Bloody Human Freeway is the original version of this game, and it’s neat that Activision would allow it to be included in a collection like Retro Classics.
7. Space Quest 6
Finally, Sierra’s adventure game makes up quite a big chunk of Retro Classics‘ library right now. While you can’t go wrong playing any of them, of the games currently available, I enjoy Space Quest 6 the most. It’s a comedic sci-fi adventure game, and I think its humor still holds up today. While adventure games aren’t nearly as popular as they once were, I’m glad Sierra can get the love it deserves through representation in Retro Classics.
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