Old-school, classic, 'Must play' games?

As some as you may know, I was recently robbed, and all of my gaming gear has gone. I only have my laptop left, with integrated graphics. This thing can barely play any games (my steam library of uninstalled games is the bane of my existence). The only recent game it can play is Civ V on the lowest settings, and even then late game turns take a while to compute.

So, I figured this would be a good time to go back to some old school classics that I missed on account of being not born yet. Problem is, I don't know what those games would be. If someone could suggest for me the 'must play' games of older gens (like prior to 2000). Any platform, I'll take all comers.

Also, if the game is a classic series, like Metroid, suggest to me the best games in that series. My prefered genre has been strategy and rpg, but I'm not interested in RPGing, and I'd really like to brush up on my side-scrollers and adventure games.

Oh, and some long, Bombcast/MBMBAM style podcasts to help those vintages go down would also be much appreciated.

@inkerman: Infinity engine stuff like baldurs gate 2 and the like should run well. I'm guessing Ps1 emulation would work ok if you wanted to go down that route.

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 with its expansions was a damn good PC strategy game released in 1999 and Total Annihilation in 1997. Those two were my salvation in the late 90's and early millennium since all I had was a shitty PC and no consoles.

Classic adventure Games-

Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, The Last Express.

You want all the great classics from pre-2000? There's like a billion, dude.

Metal Slug, Shatterhand, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Dodonpachi, Armed Police Batrider, Battle Bakraid, Dangun Feveron, Pulstar, Street Figter III: Third Strike, The Last Blade 2, Cybattler, Shock Troopers, Contra: Hard Corps, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, In the Hunt, Mega Man 2, Osman, Wild Guns, Hagane: The Final Conflict, Beneath a Steel Sky...

You could make a list twenty times longer and it still wouldn't be nearly long enough to cover all of them.

I will totally fucking second Armed Police Batrider and Dangun Feveron.

Then for the opposite pace Master of Orion 2.

@inkerman:

Mario.

Just Mario.

I'll play those aforementioned Infinity Engine-based RPGs with you co-op, if you want.

Here's some light listening for you, too:

@inkerman: One of the ones Icemael mentioned Beneath a Steel Sky is a great lesser-known adventure game... which is free on GOG!

The Longest Journey.

I highly suggest finding one of those old shareware compilation CD-ROMS (Game Empire is a particularly good one) and just going nuts trying out random .exes. You'll find a wide swath of classics, both remembered and forgotten, as well as a bunch of hilariously bad stuff that's equally as entertaining. Of course, I've always enjoyed blind folder-diving... that may not be your thing.

Even though you said you weren't interested in rpgs that much, I would suggest the original Fallouts 1 and 2. They are great games and can't compare to the newer ones. You could also try the older Civ games and Age of Empires 2.

I guess Super metroid, Donkey kong country 1,2,3 and Super mario allstars on the snes emulator would be a good start ?

@inkerman: If you're interested in the 2D Metroids, the order from best to worst (in my opinion) is Super, Zero Mission, Fusion, and II. I'm not including 1 because Zero Mission is a vastly superior remake of the first game. Even though I think Super is better, I'm going to suggest starting with Zero Mission because it gives you a few pointers on where to go in the early parts of the game. Super never tells you where to go, it expects you to explore and find out on your own.

While we're on the subject of emulation, grab a DS emulator and play Radiant Historia. After seeing what I believe was @video_game_king's gushing recommendation, I've been searching for it and finally got around to it. After an hour or so, I can't wait to play more and am going to recommend it.

I also have a list of games that I play in my laptop here. It was even featured in the Community Spotlight! What are the laptop's specs?

I don't know on how many threads my answer has been Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura. But since they rarely put out new old games, I guess my answer is that, yet again.

Custer's Revenge is worth the price of admission. And that price is YOUR SOOOOOUL!

A Link to the Past and Asteroids.

I'll parrot these suggestions. There is a real strong argument that can be made in favor of Super Metroid being the greatest video game ever. The original Bionic Commando should be up there on your side scrollers to finish list, also.

Knights of the Old Republic

Still the best game Bioware ever made. LeGenDarYY

Final Fantasy VII.

If you only have access to a laptop, here's a bunch of PC games you should play:

Fallout 1-2, System Shock 2, Baldur's Gate 1-2, Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Temple of Elemental Evil, Daggerfall, Jagged Alliance 2, Deus Ex, Icewind Dale 1-2, Star Control 2 with The Ur-Quan Masters mod, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, The Dig, Sam & Max, Grim Fandango, Monkey Island 1-3, Broken Sword 1-2, Beneath a Steel Sky, Inca 1-2, Transport Tycoon, Freespace 2, Crusader: No Remorse, Commando, Thief 1-2, Dungeon Keeper 1-2 and that should last you for a lifetime.

Fallout 2, Deus Ex

FFVII

FFVIII

Grim Fandingo

Age of Empires II

Pokemon Gold/Silver (or check out their remakes)

@fattony12000: Off-topic: I think hardcore history is fascinating, Carlin is an excellent storyteller.

On topic: Syndicate (the old one, obviously), King's Quest, Monkey Island, Deus Ex, Age Of Empires 2.

NES:

• Mega Man 2
• The Legend of Zelda
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Metroid
• Contra
• Ninja Gaiden
• DuckTales
• Journey to Silius
• Metal Storm

SNES:

• Chrono Trigger
• Super Metroid
• Super Mario World
• Super Castlevania IV
• Final Fantasy VI
• ActRaiser
• TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
• Contra III: The Alien Wars
• EarthBound
• Donkey Kong Country
• Super Mario RPG

That's off the top of my head for just two consoles. I could name dozens of other games for the Genesis, PlayStation, N64, etc.

Command & Conquer

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun

Dark Reign

Total Annihilation

Wizardry 6-8

Might & Magic 1-9

Ultima 1-9

Populous 2

Descent (primarily 1, but the others as well, I'm not sure Descent 3 would run well on an integrated chip though)

Wolfenstein 3D

Blake Stone

System Shock

Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos

Most of these, except the original System Shock, are available on GOG.

While I love how weird the Inca games are, I'm not really sure they're good games, or even must play games. They are games you should probably only approach knowing exactly what they are before hand, because they're fucking insane. On that note, add Commander Blood.

Hardcore History is never off topic. It's fucking sick as all hell.

I just double fisted Death Throes of the Republic and Wrath of the Khans in like five days. That's 22 hours of stone cold audio dopeness that I won't ever forget.

And yes, play Syndicate.

Heroes of Might and Magic I and II and King's Bounty are all solid/great strategy games. Vagrant Story came out in 2000 and is the best game ever made.

@fattony12000: Check out Thor's Angels, my favorite one. It actually comes off even better coming off Death Throes of the Republic, because you enter with the knowledge of how Romans typically related to the Germanics.

It's next up on the...chopping block...

Megaman x

Meganman x2

Fallout

Donkey kong country

Mario rpg legend of the seven star

Megaman battle network

Megaman battle network 2

Castlevania symphony of the night.

Mortal kombat 2

Super street fighters II turbo

Primal Rage

Half Life

Halo CE

Final fantasy tactics

• Super Metroid
• Symphony of the Night
• Mega Man 2
• Chrono Trigger
• Final Fantasy 4 and 6
• Dragon Quest 8
• Ico
• Shadow of the Collosus
• Super Mario 64 and Sunshine
• Pokemon Snap
• Pokemon Blue, Crystal
• Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3
• Persona 3 and 4
• Super Mario World
• Ocarina of Time
• A link to the Past
• Minish Cap
• Resident Evil 1, 2 and 4
• System Shock 2
• Street Fighter 2
• Mortal Kombat 2
• The Secret of Monkey Island
• Maniac Mansion
• Grim Fandango
• Another World