Timeless Games covers older games that are still worth playing, and explains how to play them today. Every game page answers the same questions in the same order, so pages can be compared at a glance.
What makes a game timeless
A game qualifies when what makes it good does not depend on when it came out: its design, its systems, its atmosphere or its story still work for a player meeting it for the first time. Graphics, nostalgia and historical importance alone are not enough. Games that miss this mark are still covered when they are often recommended, and their verdict says so.
The verdict
- Essential. Holds up completely; one of the best of its kind today.
- Recommended. Holds up well, with flaws worth knowing about.
- Worth a look. Interesting today for a specific reason or a specific player.
- Doesn’t hold up. Its ideas outlived its play; most players can skip it.
The status
- Easy to play. On sale from a major store and runs on current hardware without fixes.
- Playable with caveats. Playable, but needs an account, a workaround, an older version or unofficial fixes.
- At risk. Still playable, but depends on servers, a store or a license that could disappear.
- Not playable. No longer sold or no longer runs; the page says what is left.
The facts on every page
Release date, developer, the best version to play today, where to get it, platforms, Steam Deck rating, online requirements, DRM, microtransactions, length and the date the page was last checked. Store availability and Steam Deck ratings come from the stores themselves; lengths are rounded.
Playability
The playability score says how easy it is to play a game well today, out of five stars. It is built from ten yes-or-no checks. Each check that passes adds half a star, so ten passes give five stars. The score does not judge whether the game is good; the critic score and the reception section cover that.
- Sold today from an official store
- Runs on current systems without fan patches
- Single-player works without an internet connection
- All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
- Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
- Full controller support or remappable controls
- Steam Deck Verified or Playable, or a native handheld version
- No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
- No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
- No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
Each check is ticked by hand against the store page, the Steam Deck rating and current player reports, and the date it was done is shown as “Last checked” on the game’s page. A game shows “Not rated yet” until all ten checks have been reviewed.
Keeping pages current
Stores delist games, servers shut down and new versions appear. Each page shows when its facts were last checked, and pages are checked again over time. If something on a page is out of date, please send a correction.
Video essays
Many pages come with a video essay and its full transcript. The video loads from YouTube only after it is played.