Summary
- Pixel-based indie games that resemble old consoles like the NES and PS1 are gaining popularity.
- Fans crave nostalgic releases like Shovel Knight, Ball x Pit, Aether Singularity, and more.
- Indie games are crafting titles with PS1 aesthetics, from horror (Crow Country) to platformers (Frogun).
As AAA publishers like EA, Ubisoft, and Square Enix are worrying about bloated budgets to keep up with next-gen graphics, indie games have stumbled upon the solution. Just make games that look like they came from old consoles like the NES, SNES, and PS1. If a game is good, the cutting-edge graphics don’t matter.
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Hits like Shovel Knight have proven that fans are hungry for nostalgic releases like this. There are more pixel-based indie games than polygonal ones, but PS1 fans should not worry. There are upcoming games like Ball x Pit and Aether Singularity, along with games that have already been released across a wide range of genres that look like PS1 classics.
Crow Country
A Theme Park Of Death
Crow Country
- Released
- May 9, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- SFB Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Crow Country is a game that has an art style akin to Final Fantasy 7’s polygonal look. Instead of an RPG, Crow Country is an indie horror game played from a top-down perspective, complete with item management and puzzles.
Players are an investigator, Mara, who travels to an abandoned park in search of what went down. Players will find clues to the mysteries, talk to deranged NPCs, and fight mutants on their investigation in one of the best indie horror games in quite some time.
Frogun
A Sticky Platformer
Frogun
- Released
- August 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Frogun is a top-down platformer that has a colorful polygonal look akin to Mega Man Legends' use of cel-shading on the PS1. The titular name says it all as players have a frog-like gun that can grapple onto surfaces like a grappling hook, move boxes to solve puzzles, or dash players into enemies.
It’s a versatile weapon that is easy to control from the second one and ranks up there as one of the all-time greats now. The levels are inventive and bite-sized, almost like Super Mario 3D Land’s levels on the 3DS.
Nightmare Kart
An Unofficial Bloodborne Spinoff
Nightmare Kart
- Released
- June 5, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
PlayStation fans desperately want a port or sequel to Bloodborne, which has prompted the indie community to make a cavalcade of fan games. Nightmare Kart is one of these projects that is completely free to download and play on Steam, which also works on a Steam Deck.
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It’s a basic Mario Kart clone with different characters and courses, but with a more gothic vibe. It’s a recommendation more for Bloodborne fans rather than kart racing fans, but either way, there’s no excuse not to check it out since it is free.
Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth
An Homage To The Great
Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-
- Released
- March 12, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity, Simulated Gambling
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is based on a Japanese light novel that has had many adaptations over the years. This game is a Metroidvania that captures the very essence of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, from the models to the leveling-up mechanics. New powers will unlock pathways for an addictive and simple-to-understand gameplay loop.
The developer, Team Ladybug, has made other great Metroidvanias too, like Blade Chimera and Touhou Luna Nights, but Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth looks the most like a PS1 game.
Say No! More
Motivated Office Workers
Say No! More
- Released
- April 9, 2021
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch
Say No! More is a hilarious game that shares its aesthetic with models from Mega Man Legends like Frogun. Players are a mindless office drone who start by saying yes to everything, but thanks to a motivational tape, players learn to say no.
The tape almost worked too well, as shouting "No!" Had the equivalent of firing a gun in other games. Say No! More is not the most complex third-person “shooter,” but it is genuinely funny, which is hard to pull off in an indie game.
Sorry We’re Closed
Persona Meets Resident Evil
Sorry We're Closed
- Released
- November 14, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Sorry We’re Closed is another good horror game worth recommending, with a different art style and tone that gives off Persona vibes. Players will switch between exploring a small city area as the protagonist, Michelle, and diving into dungeons like a subway station.
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Thanks to a demon pact, Michelle learns to switch realities in dungeons, which reveals secrets like the weaknesses of enemies. Players can attack enemies from a distance or up close and personal with an axe. It starts slow, but Sorry We’re Closed is dripping with style, and it’s worth seeing to the finish line.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
An Old-School Shooter
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
- Released
- May 23, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Auroch Digital
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
There is seemingly a never-ending supply of Warhammer games, so it can be hard to keep up, but Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun does stick out. It’s a first-person shooter that uses sprite-based models for enemies, akin to the original DOOM, which did indeed get a PS1 port.
There’s not a big story to get in the way, and the weapon variety is nice and varied. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is not just a great Warhammer game; it’s a fantastic first-person shooter across the whole genre that is fun with every pixelated drop of blood spilled.
Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom
Platforming In A Car?
- Developer: Panik Arcade
- Publisher: Those Awesome Guys
- Released: April 9, 2024
- Platform: PC
Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom’s looks very close to Frogun’s aesthetic, and it is also a platformer. The twist is that players assume the role of a wind-up taxi instead of some humanoid character. This can make some of the platforming difficult as players have to drive and hit speed boosts to make certain vaults.
Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom has a learning curve without a doubt that can be frustrating at first, but no one can deny its unique value to the indie community at large.
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