Doom (1993) and Doom II (1994). Developed by id Software, these games introduced the fast-paced, visceral FPS gameplay that would shape the industry for decades. With tight level design, explosive weapons, and iconic monsters, Doom wasn’t just a game—it was a movement. And while we’re at it, we’ll mention Doom 64, the 1997 N64 follow-up that carved out its own identity in the shadows of its PC predecessors.

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Driver and Driver 2, the PlayStation titles that turned 1970s car chases into fully playable, open-world missions—well before “open world” was a buzzword. Developed by Reflections Interactive, these games combined tight driving physics, cinematic storytelling, and a now-legendary difficulty curve. Driver put you in the seat as an undercover cop posing as a getaway driver, while Driver 2 expanded the formula with new cities, the ability to exit your vehicle, and a heavier dose of crime drama.

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The Illusion platformers developed by Sega in the early to mid-1990s, built around original stories starring Mickey Mouse. While each game differs by platform and style, they share common traits: smooth controls, layered level design, strong animation, and soundtracks tailored to the hardware. The series covers both 16-bit showpieces and surprisingly deep 8-bit platformers, with a nod to the often-overlooked Legend of Illusion and the co-op-focused World of Illusion. Play Retro goes deep!

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Let’s talk about ‘Drill Dozer’, the 2006 Game Boy Advance title from Game Freak that stars Jill and her drill-powered mech in a punchy, gear-driven platformer complete with some unique game mechanics and features, including a built in rumble pack for the cart. This game still drills! Or something like that.

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Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age, two of the most influential stealth games ever made. Developed by Looking Glass Studios, these immersive sims dropped players into a dark, steampunk-inspired world where silence and shadows were more powerful than any sword. With open-ended level design, sound-based detection, and a story full of mystery and betrayal, the Thief series set the standard for the stealth genre.

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Hydro Thunder, Offroad Thunder, and Arctic Thunder—a trio of fast, loud, and wild arcade racers from Midway. At the arcade and at home. We are Racing Rocket boats, 4 Wheel Off-road vehicles in arenas, and snowblasting through frozen highways with missile-equipped snowmobiles. From arcades to Dreamcast and more!

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The Questprobe Text Adventure series featuring Marvel Comic Characters —an early collaboration between Marvel Comics and Adventure International. Designed by Scott Adams (not the cartoonist!), these graphic/text hybrid adventures dropped Marvel’s most iconic heroes into classic parser-based puzzlers. From The Hulk trying to control his rage, to Spider-Man climbing walls in text form, and Torch and Thing bickering their way through puzzles.

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An early 3D platformer from Argonaut Games where players control Croc, a courageous baby crocodile with a backpack raised by the Gobbos—a tribe of fuzzy creatures. When the evil Baron Dante kidnaps the Gobbos, Croc sets off on a crystal-collecting quest across floating islands, icy peaks, lava-filled caves, and more, using his tail whip, ground pound, and platforming skills to save his adoptive family.

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On this week’s episode of Play Retro, Rampage, from 1986. The classic arcade destruction game developed by Bally Midway that puts players in control of giant, mutated monsters—George the gorilla, Lizzie the lizard, and Ralph the werewolf—as they wreak havoc on cities across the United States. Turns out, this thing holds up!

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On this week’s Play Retro podcast with Scott Johnson and Brian Dunaway, ZAXXON! Sega’s revolutionary 1982 arcade game that introduced an isometric perspective to shoot-'em-ups, setting it apart from the top-down and side-scrolling shooters of its era. Its sequel, Super Zaxxon, amped up the difficulty with faster enemy movement and trickier level designs. We’ll also briefly mention Future Spy, a lesser-known Sega shooter that borrowed elements from Zaxxon while adding a military espionage theme.

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