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12 Games That Make Us Feel Nostalgic for the Past

Older video games make us feel nostalgic for our childhood. They can take us back to when we didn’t have a care in the world. It’s the weekend, our homework is done, and we have nothing to do but boot up our favorite console. 

A recent Reddit discussion asks which games make us feel the most nostalgic. 

Spyro the Dragon

Spyro the Dragon
Photo Credit: Activision

The Spyro franchise feels like a warm hug. It’s always there for you and helps you forget the stress of your day job or other adulthood struggles.

Whether it’s the music, aesthetics, or the immersion, playing Spyro feels comforting. 

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Photo Credit: Rockstar Games

School is out for the day, there’s still plenty of sunlight left outside, but we want to see the sunset in Vice City. 

We boot up the PlayStation 2 and take turns messing around, causing mayhem until we die. Then it’s the next person’s turn. We do this all evening until our parents call us home for dinner.

Even today, booting up Vice City brings back memories of huddling around a friend’s television screen and taking turns getting lost in the iconic Grand Theft Auto game. 

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Photo Credit: Activision

The Tony Hawk Pro Skater franchise may be the poster child for games that make us feel nostalgic. 

Playing through the recent Tony Hawks’ Pro Skater 1+2 HD remake made us feel like a kid again. We knew all the movies and could still sing all the songs.

Crash Bandicoot

Crash Bandicoot
Photo Credit: Activision

For many, Crash Bandicoot was an introduction to gaming. Proud new PlayStation owners would experience the joy (and frustration) of the Crash series. 

It was the start of a lifelong hobby. Playing through the trilogy and even Crash 4 today evokes those feelings from many years ago. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
Photo Credit: Nintendo

We can still hear Ocarina of Time’s intro music perfectly. We can still see Epona running through the fields of Hyrule. 

The first ever 3D Legend of Zelda game is an innovative and mind-blowing title. While subsequent releases have pushed the series further, nothing beats the feelings and memories of the first time we played this Nintendo 64 classic. 

Age of Empires II

Age of Empires II
Photo Credit: Xbox Game Studios

“Some friends and I play this game every Sunday for hours,” one commenter says. “We keep coming back to it because the game has near limitless ways to experience it.”

Even today, with the HD re-release, Age of Empires II continues to impress. 

The Simpsons: Hit and Run

Homer drives around Springfield in Simpson Hit and Run.
Photo Credit: Radical Entertainment

Hit and Run is a more than suitable replacement for those who couldn’t get their hands on Grand Theft Auto. 

The familiar GTA gameplay combines well with the charm and humor of The Simpsons. It’s a game we would love to see remade, too. 

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Morrowind
Photo Credit: Bethesda Softworks

While future Elder Scrolls games would help form new addictions, Morrowind is a game that makes us feel nostalgic. 

Morrowind features a world with limitless potential and possibilities. Even today, we remember how we planned our Elder Scrolls experience. 

Fable

Fable
Photo Credit:
Xbox Game Studios

While it would never meet the insane hype and expectations, Fable is still a great action RPG. 

Most of our nostalgia comes from the quotable lines in the game. Watch out, Albion; Chicken Chaser is on the loose!

DOOM

DOOM
Photo Credit: id Software

Next on the list of games that make us feel nostalgic is the original DOOM.

Whether we’re booting it up in Microsoft DOS or the countless other ports it’s received, DOOM still holds up today. Every now and then, I boot up the game on Xbox, and I feel like I’m a kid again, sneaking onto my uncle’s computer to play a game I’m too young for. 

RollerCoaster Tycoon

RollerCoaster Tycoon
Photo Credit: Atari

No matter if we were 12 or 42, RollerCoaster Tycoon makes us feel like a kid again.

The iconic theme song, the sights and sounds of an amusement park, and the ability to create rides from our imagination are an incredible blast from the past. 

World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft
Photo Credit: Blizzard Entertainment

The initial launch of World of Warcraft opened the door to a brand new world we didn’t know was possible.

While the recent Classic re-launch let us relive some of our favorite memories, nothing will ever beat getting lost in the world of Azeroth and playing until the sun game up. Who had time for class when we had quests to complete? 

Wrapping Up

What do you think? Did Reddit get this right? What games make you feel nostalgic? This article is inspired by the internet and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Boss Level Gamer.

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Author

Written by Jake Valentine

I am the Editor-In-Chief of BossLevelGamer. I'm also a lover of video games, food, and beer.

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