The 1980s was a unique time that saw many different changes in society and culture. It was a decade that saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first time computers were brought into homes and saw the Cold War enter its final chapters. It was also a really important era for video games since it was the first time they were considered mainstream.
The industry rose, nearly collapsed and then rose again during this decade and saw the release of consoles such as the Atari 2600 and Nintendo Entertainment System. With so much happening, it is easy to see why developers would want to pay tribute to the decade in some way. Here are the best games set during this game-changing decade.
10 Street Fighter
The original game is set in 1987 and though the game did not receive the popularity that its sequel garnered, it did help lay the groundwork for what the series would become.
Players control either Ryu or Ken, players 1 and 2 respectively, as they take on a series of opponents in order to become the top martial artist on the planet. The game has pretty visual style that truly captures what arcade gaming was like at the time and should be checked out at least once by any Street Fighter fan.
9 Scarface: The World Is Yours
Scarface was one of the best movies of the 1980s, so it made sense that it would get a game at some point down the line. Deviating from the movie’s ending, gangster Tony Montana has to rebuild his Miami criminal empire after surviving the mansion shootout from the movie’s climax.
The game captures the movie’s setting perfectly with an open-world environment to explore featuring locales from the movie, such as the aforementioned mansion and the Cuban refugee camp from it. Featuring a nice 80s soundtrack, players will have a fun time show Tony’s little friend to all who stand before him.
8 Bionic Commando
A platformer developed by Capcom set in a dystopian version of the decade, players take control of Ladd, a commando tasked with rescuing agent Super Joe and thwart the plans of the evil Empire who are trying to build a superweapon.
A platformer where they player cannot jump, players have to use Ladd’s bionic arm in order to traverse the levels. The game has a Metroid feel to it since the player is required to grab equipment in order to progress. It was a unique platformer for the time, the legacy of which was sadly hampered a bit by the 2009 reboot.
7 Police Quest: In Pursuit Of The Death Angel
Point and click adventure games were at their apex in popularity during the late 80s, the Police Quest series was one of many games but with an emphasis on detective work and solving crimes.
Players control officer Sonny Bonds who tries to solve the murder of a drug dealer that ends up being connected with that of other cases on his beat. There are not to many detective games out there, so this one is definitely worth checking out.
6 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Developed by Persona developer Atlus, the game is separate from that series in the sense it has more emphasis on RTS gameplay and side-scrolling adventure segments. Set in a fictional version of Japan during the decade, players follow 13 different students, who are connected to each other in some way, as they are forced into a war between Kaiju and mechas.
The narrative is non-linear while the setting is reminiscent with that of the anime movie Akira. Both of these aspects give us a unique look at a unique version of the 1980s.
5 Shenmue
One of the earlier open world games out there, the Shenmue series is set in China and Japan throughout the 80s as players control Ryo Hazuki. The series follows him on his quest for to avenge the death of his father.
The first game, first released in 1999 in Japan, was revolutionary with a day and night cycle, weather patterns and NPCs with daily schedules. Gameplay was varied between asking characters for information, brawling in 3D environments and quick time events that did not feel thrown in for laziness. The game truly captured not only great realism at the time but what the 80s were like in Asia.
4 Yakuza 0
Similar to Shenmue, Yakuza 0, a prequel to the series, is set in Japan during the late 80s but with more of an emphasis on the crime aspect. Players switch between characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they solve personal vendettas while making as much money as possible on the side.
Featuring side businesses, a variety of fun side activities and a combat system that allows the changing of styles on the side, the game helped bring Yakuza mainstream attention in the West and helped the series out of obscurity.
3 Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
The game returned the series to the 80s and the Cold War by bringing out a mind-bending plot as a CIA team tries to stop a Soviet plot involving framing the U.S for an attack on Western Europe.
The game’s multiplayer and zombies modes are good times as always that even features hit songs from the 80s with the season 1 update. It also features cameos from historical figures of the time such as American president Ronald Reagan and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachav. Overall it is a game that appeals to both COD fans and Cold War historians alike.
2 Hotline Miami
Having a visual style featuring a color way that screams 80s, players rampage through the Miami criminal underworld in 1989 through a top-down perspective. The game is harder than it looks and features a surreal story involving the main character’s distorted reality.
The game has the player go in unarmed facing a high lethality rate on themselves. The game even forces them to kill just about everyone in the level plus a boss in order to progress. Easier said than done as attacks merely knock them down, forcing the player to get up close and personal to finish them off. The affair is tough but definitely worth the effort in the end.
1 GTA: Vice City
Still considered by many today to be the best game in the series, Vice City improved upon its predecessor in almost every way imaginable. Set in Vice City (the game’s version of Miami) in 1986, players step into the shoes of Tommy Vercetti, voiced by Ray Liotta of Goodfellas fame, as he tries to become the city’s kingpin.
The game captures the essence of the decade perfectly through its environment, characters and soundtrack that still holds up to this day. It is also a game that in some way has inspired a few of the other games on this list in some capacity, such as buying businesses to its open world. The influence of Vice City can still be felt to this day, which says a lot about its legacy.
