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 13 points 17 hours ago (3 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 3 points 16 hours 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 10 hours 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?

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours 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 :(

[–] Speculater@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

I literally came to say Bubble Bobble too!

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

[–] Apeman42@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours 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.