As technology improves at a drastic rate, so does the nostalgia for the days of retro gaming. At the head of this yearning is the desire to play those arcade games where graphics previously moved at an alarmingly slow rate. Here are five to bring back those memories.

Escalado

One that doesn’t require anything except yourself and the actual game, the Escalado is sure to bring back the good old days. A long fabric race track is the setting with horse pieces moving across the race track by a mechanical hand crank that made the track vibrate in a way that simulated a live horse racing event. Of course, with horse racing one of the only constants in the sporting world during the pandemic, the real thing could both be watched and bet on, as many punters took advantage of the plethora of horse racing predictions out there. Have fun with your friends and family as you look to best each other on the track.

Space Invaders

Released in 1978 by Japanese company Taito, Space Invaders made history as the first cover shooter game to have ever been developed. An extraterrestrial classic, the accompanying music added to the suspense as the aliens came in thick and fast.

Tetris

The concept of Tetris seems like an afterthought of a designer that couldn’t be bothered making a more complex game, but it has become one of the most consistently entertaining games to play. The building of blocks is hardly a masterpiece of an idea, but with the Soviet Union’s Alexey Pajitnov creating the first version in 1984, it has become a staple in the gaming world.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Tetris was followed seven years later by Sonic. Again, who would have thought such a simple concept of an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog battling a crazy and evil Dr. Eggman whilst collecting golden rings would ever have been as popular as it turned out to be? Sega’s revolutionary game eventually sold 15 million units as the hype never stopped growing. Even a movie has been brought out to celebrate its history.

Super Mario Kart

Not to be outdone, Nintendo followed in 1992 with the unrelenting beauty of Super Mario Kart. What set this game apart from its successors is the fact that it made the gamer work hard for victory whilst later versions often allow for more quick and undeserved successes. It has even been credited as being one of the greatest games ever created by the likes of IGN.