So many of us have had that experience of recommending titles to non-gamers who want to dip a toe in the hobby. It's tricky ground to navigate, because you've got to get the balance right. If you suggest a more intense title from the off, like a notoriously challenging yet excellent bullet hell or Soulslike, you might well scare them away. You also want to use the benefit of hindsight, to suggest some of the very best games of all time to start this journey the right way.
True classics from past eras, of course, can be a real mixed bag in terms of how they hold up today. Whether you're newer to games or you simply haven't played these particular legendary titles before, you'll find that they still have quite a significant impact.
Tetris
The Very Definition Of Pick Up And Play
Millions around the world have enjoyed Tetris in its many guises, since its original introduction in the 1980s. Gamer or not, anybody can grasp the core concept in seconds, which is a testament to its absolutely pure design. All you need to know is that differently-shaped blocks are falling and need to be guided and rotated into place to make rows. Keep doing so to make those blocks disappear and build up your score, until the blocks ultimately reach the top and the game is over.
It's surprising how quickly new players can go from learning the basics to being determined to build their score higher and higher. The famous version that launched with the Game Boy is deeply basic, of course, but it's a fine place to practise the fundamentals. From there, enthusiastic newcomers can proceed to one of the recent versions, now dramatically improved visually and with a crop of additional gaeme modes that add much more to the package. However you're playing, the satisfaction of scoring a multiple-row clear with one well-placed Tetris block is unrivaled. Tetris 99 is, perhaps, the pinnacle of the series to date, offering a huge and exhilarating battle royale.
The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
Absolutely Not A Relic From The Past
There are some SNES titles that have aged like fine wine. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Pastis one of them. With a series as storied as this one, you may well wonder where to begin. One recommendation for a first Zelda game to play is, logically enough, the original. However, The Legend of Zelda, which didn't arrive outside of Japan until 1987, can be quite painfully cryptic to play today. When A Link to the Past hit the West in 1992, it was much more player-friendly, guiding without being intrusive. It also boasted big, bold, varied visuals and charming animations, which have held up very well.
By contrast, Ocarina of Time, another beloved entry, was a first brave jaunt into 3D. As such, it's far from the best-looking title for those playing the original N64 release. A Link to the Past has an incredible legacy in the series, introducing soon-to-be-iconic items like the Master Sword itself, developing the collect a trio of items from different dungeons structure, and embracing the twin villains of Agahnim and the fearsome Ganon. Switch between the Light World and the Dark World was an excellent mechanic that added a lot of depth to the game too.
Halo 3
Generational Memories
Lots of us have priceless memories of gaming with friends from school or college, perhaps an arrangement to play at a certain time every night or on the weekends. These were the sessions during which lifelong friendships were cemented (and even challenged, if Mario Party or similar was involved). For FPS fans in the mid-to-late 2000s, Halo 3was a critical part of a lot of these sessions. There continues to be some debate regarding the quality of the story told throughout the campaign, and the prominence of Master Chief within it, but this installment absolutely excelled in multiplayer.
Forge's customization options were revolutionary when players first got their hands on it, and a significant part of what kept the experience so fresh for so long. It is, you could say, a 'purer' version of Halo multiplayer, Bungie's last attempt to perfect its own formula before 343i took charge of Halo 4. Equipment brought a new dimension to the action with the likes of the Bubble Shield, and movement options being more limited compared to later installments perhaps worked in its favor and made it more accessible. It's never too late to get a taste of one of the greatest phenomenons in multiplayer gaming history, still accessible via the Master Chief Collection.
Mega Man 3
Still A Fan Favorite
Perhaps you tried out one of the more recent Mega Man titles like 9 and 10, which were designed to be very faithful in aesthetic and gameplay to the first entries in the mainline series. If the difficulty didn't put you off, and you enjoyed earning new boss weapons and potentially matching them to the weaknesses of the Robot Masters, it's all but essential that you return to the classics. If you've not played them before, you'll feel right at home. Mega Man 3(released in 1990 in the U.S.) may be even more challenging, but it still holds up very well for those up to the task.
With the original trilogy, and far beyond, the focus on thwarting Dr Wily's plots was always central. As, too, was the idea of defeating one of his Robot Masters at the end of each stage, in a sequence chosen by the player. These action platformers test players' reaction time, pattern memorization, and abiilty to predict the behavior of every foe on screen, as well as those who might teleport in just to knock you back into a spike pit. Precision is key, from your aim to every leap of your platforming. Not only does Mega Man 3 still look excellent, but its level design and music have barely aged a day. With the addition of Rush to help Mega Man make higher jumps and the sliding maneuver, this title lent a greater range of movement to our hero's arsenal, perhaps feeling less limited in tha sense than the games that came before. Some of the most creative Robot Masters and associated themed stages (the endless coils of Snake Man's level for instance) also helped.
Final Fantasy 6
A Timeless Journey That's Sometimes A Little Overlooked
As one of the biggest names in the business, the Final Fantasy series has legions of fans and they all have their favorite entries. Final Fantasy 7, for instance, was the first that launched the gaming careers of millions of JRPG enthusiasts. Final Fantasy 9 was the one that tried to take everything back to the earlier days of the series. Both have been, and still are, super entry points into the series, particularly as each game isn't as interconnected as numbered mainline sequels typically are. Final Fantasy 6is also often hailed as one of the best in the franchise, and quite rightfully so.
Hardware limitations naturally hold the game back in the visual department, being first released on the SNES in 1994, but overall presentation is excellent. It features some of the greatest and most haunting music Nobuo Uematsu ever composed for the franchise, with the somber and thoughtful Terra's Theme contrasting with the likes of Dancing Mad to emphasize what an emotional and heart-wrenching rollercoaster of an experience the game would be. It's a story of grand drama and theatrics, with one of the most formidable protagonists and deadliest villains the series has yet seen. It also takes the time to provide true insight into them both, and the wider cast, while offering unique character customization through factors such as the spells that can be taught by Magicite. Whether you're in it more for the engrossing story or for blasting through the battles, Final Fantasy 6 is still a must-play RPG.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
