The Synthwave aesthetic is difficult to miss; vibrant neon colors are combined with retro-futuristic imagery and a plethora of sights and sounds that bring to mind films, TV, and other multimedia from the 1980s. This same aesthetic has been popularized in recent pop culture hits like Stranger Things but there have also been plenty of tributes in the world of video games.
8 Best Consoles of the 1980s
The 1980s were the decade that began the start of home gaming as we know it today. These consoles were instrumental in creating that culture.
The rise in popularity behind retro gaming has also been accompanied by a number of newly-made games which mix fresh gameplay elements with sounds and visuals that bring to mind an archetypal synthwave feel. With so many of these games available at the press of a button, it can be a challenge to find the best titles, so here is a list of the best synthwave aesthetic games.
6 Hotline Miami
Brutal, Garish Visuals Combined With Trigger-Happy Gunplay
Hotline Miami
- Released
- October 23, 2012
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Android, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Hotline Miami feels like the world of cut filmmaker Harmony Corinne come to life; a self-contained world teeming with unsavory characters, seedy visuals, and brutal aspects, with good taste placed firmly on the back burner. The game is set in an alternate Miami in what feels like the 1980s, with the player as a mysterious hitman known only as Jacket.
Jacket is tasked with some serious wet work, the instructions for which are passed on via bizarre phone calls. The gameplay involves a steady hand and swift reflexes, with the wrong move costing the player dearly. The eye-popping graphics and retro soundtrack crystallize this game's synthwave credentials to a tee.
5 Huntdown
Leave No Body Unshot In This Arcade Blast-A-Thon
Huntdown
- Released
- May 12, 2021
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android
Paying tribute to 80s action movies like Robocop and over-the-top arcade titles like NARC, Huntdown is a game that owns a dictionary in which the word 'subtlety' has been removed completely. The game takes place in a dystopian future in which street gangs run rampant across the city and anarchy is rife. Only a trio of bounty hunters with some heavy-duty firepower can save the day.
Huntdown positively prides itself on the carnage unfolding onscreen, as missiles, bullets and other projectiles tear through hordes of bad guys. A cover system freshens up the side-scrolling gameplay, and there is a boss fight at the end of each level, heavily reminiscent of the classic film The Running Man
4 Katana Zero
A Dark, Edgy Title Set In A Future Dystopia
Katana ZERO
A compelling cross between an 80s platform action game and a modern-day cyberpunk anime, Katana Zero wears several influences on its sleeve and mixes different elements to winning effect. The story is set in a murky world where a lone assassin questions what is or isn't reality as he takes on a series of missions.
The one-hit-kill gameplay and time-manipulation mechanic are what make the game stand out, but it also brings to life an incredibly gritty, neo-noir world that is reminiscent of Blade Runner and The Matrix. Add some fiendish difficulty and all the ingredients are in place for a synthwave classic.
3 Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
A Love Letter To Some Classic 80s Films
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Far Cry 3's synthwave credentials are utterly impeccable, as the game's soundtrack is provided by venerated music duo Power Glove, whose incredible music in the game pays tribute to soundtracks including The Terminator and the movies of 80s studio Cannon Films. Not only that, iconic actor Michael Biehn plays the protagonist, cyber-commando Rex Colt.
As with the other Far Cry games, the focus is on first-person shooting and exploration. Along with an amazing soundtrack there are also numerous fond tributes to 80s science-fiction and some endearingly over-the-top features including a rampaging cyborg army and a giant neon dragon, among other things.
2 Hyperlight Drifter
An Eerie, Unforgettable Masterpiece
Hyper Light Drifter
Another extraordinary synth soundtrack complements Hyperlight Drifter's pixelated imagery and apocalyptic setting, this time courtesy of composer Disasterpiece, whose CV includes other video games like Fez, and also the 2014 horror movie It Follows. His music fits this game perfectly, as the player takes control of a lone warrior wandering a desolate landscape.
The game's minimalist approach to story and character is combined with a brutal but never-unfair gaming mechanic that mixes swordplay with ranged attacks and furious enemy attacks that keep the player on their feet at all times. Drenched in neon colors and a haunting atmosphere, Hyperlight Drifter deserves its status as a great title.
1 Furi
Skills Are Tested To The Limit In This Trial By Fire
Furi
- Developer(s)
- The Game Bakers
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Only the most hardcore gamers should apply when it comes to Furi, a mixture of hack-and-slash gameplay and furious bullet hell shooting that requires a steady hand and a strong stomach. The game consists of several boss rush encounters as a mysterious figure called The Stranger fights their way to freedom after escaping a futuristic jail.
The game's look owes a heavy debt to 80s cyberpunk anime, which makes sense, given that it was designed by anime auteur Takashi Okazaki. Each of its boss fights is heavily tied to the in-game music that plays in the background, with synthwave luminaries including Carpenter Brut and Danger supplying the tunes.
Best Nintendo Game From Every Year in the 80s
Nintendo titles were instrumental in shaping the direction of the gaming industry, so here's our list of the best titles to their name from the 80s.