Classic Video Games and Hidden Gems Archive
This page is for timeless console and PC games, overlooked classics, and titles worth revisiting long after their original release. I cover both essential games and hidden gems: the well-known hits that shaped their platforms, as well as creative, worthwhile games a lot of players missed the first time around.
Browse by platform below to find curated “best of” guides and underappreciated picks for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC. The archive covers everything from the SNES and PlayStation era up to the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation.
PlayStation 1
Looking past the blocky-polygon stereotype, the PS1 library holds up through enduring art direction, inventive genre design, and games that took real creative risks.
Hidden Gems
PlayStation 2
The best-selling console in history produced one of the deepest, most varied software libraries ever assembled. Beyond the famous franchise tentpoles, the PS2 was home to enormous creativity across genres and budgets.
Best Games
The Best PS2 Games of All Time — my list of the PS2 games:
- The 45 Best PS2 Games of All Time, Part 1
- The 45 Best PS2 Games of All Time, Part 2
- The 45 Best PS2 Games of All Time, Part 3
- The 45 Best PS2 Games of All Time, Part 4
- The Best Licensed PS2 Games
Hidden Gems
Underappreciated PS2 Games — overlooked titles from the console’s massive catalog:
- PS2 Hidden Gems, Part 1
- PS2 Hidden Gems, Part 2
- PS2 Hidden Gems, Part 3
- PS2 Hidden Gems, Part 4
- NEW: PS2 Hidden Gems, Part 5
PlayStation 3
After a notoriously turbulent launch the PS3 evolved into a powerhouse for cinematic storytelling, ambitious first-party franchises, and the early days of downloadable digital games.
Best Games
The Best PS3 Games: Multiplatform Essentials — the definitive titles that defined the HD generation:
- The Best PS3 Games: Multiplatform Essentials, Part 1
- The Best PS3 Games: Multiplatform Essentials, Part 2
- The Best PS3 Games: Multiplatform Essentials, Part 3
PlayStation 3 Console Showcases — first-party exclusives that made the case for owning the hardware:
- The Best PS3 Console Showcases, Part 1
- The Best PS3 Console Showcases, Part 2
- The Best PS3 Games: PSN Games
Hidden Gems
Underappreciated PS3 Games — seventh-generation titles overshadowed by bigger releases:
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 set the standard for modern online multiplayer, strong Western RPGs, and the digital indie boom through Xbox Live Arcade.
Best Games
The Best Xbox 360 Games: The Essentials — the core titles that defined the console’s library:
- The Best Xbox 360 Games: The Essentials, Part 1
- The Best Xbox 360 Games: The Essentials, Part 2
- The Best Xbox 360 Games: The Essentials, Part 3
- The Best Xbox 360 Console Showcases
- The Best Xbox 360 Games: Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA)
Hidden Gems
Underappreciated Xbox 360 Games — strong titles lost in the volume of seventh-generation releases:
Nintendo Wii
Behind the motion-control party games sat a console with an underrated roster of action titles, imaginative platformers, and experimental downloadable software.
Best Games
- The Best Wii Games: Multiplatform Essentials
- The Best Wii Games: Console Showcases
- The Best Nintendo WiiWare Games
Hidden Gems
PC Games, 2000–2010
This decade of PC gaming delivered unusual complexity, ambitious systems, and deep single-player experiences that never got their due at the time.
Hidden Gems
Super Nintendo
The SNES library goes far deeper than Mario and Zelda, with 16-bit games whose design and art direction still hold up today.