Think about the games that truly shaped gaming history. Not the flashy releases from last month, but the ones that have stood the test of time. Here’s the thing: some classic games refuse to fade away. They’re still raking in sales, still drawing players by the millions, still influencing modern gaming culture.
Let’s be real, most games have a shelf life shorter than a goldfish’s memory. Yet a select few have become evergreen phenomena, thriving in the digital age through rereleases, online communities, and sheer cultural staying power. These aren’t just nostalgic relics gathering dust. They’re commercially successful, actively played titles that continue to define what makes a game timeless. So let’s dive in.
Tetris: The Puzzle That Never Stops
Tetris holds the title of best-selling video game with 520 million total sales as of 2025, a staggering figure that dwarfs almost every competitor. Mobile downloads alone reached over 425 million paid downloads, and the franchise now exceeds 590 million downloads across platforms. Honestly, it’s hard to wrap your head around those numbers.
As of December 2024, all versions of Tetris collectively serve as the second-best-selling video game series with over 520 million sales, mostly on mobile devices. The beauty of Tetris lies in its simplicity. There’s no tutorial needed, no complex mechanics to master – just falling blocks and instant satisfaction. Tetris received renewed popularity in the late 2010s with the release of Tetris Effect in 2018 and Tetris 99 in 2019, proving the game transcends generational divides.
Minecraft: Building an Empire Block by Block
Minecraft surpassed 325 million copies sold across all platforms in early 2025, cementing its status as one of the best-selling games ever made. What’s truly remarkable? The game reached 193 million monthly active users in Q1 2025, up from 179 million the previous year.
The appeal hasn’t diminished after fifteen years. Monthly player count peaked at 222.5 million active players in June 2025, showing consistent engagement that most modern games can only dream about. In the first half of 2025, Minecraft generated around $190 million, illustrating that its commercial viability remains incredibly strong. Players still log countless hours constructing elaborate worlds, from pixel art to functioning computers built entirely within the game. It’s kind of nuts when you think about it.
Super Mario Bros.: The Plumber Who Refuses to Retire
Super Mario remains a cornerstone of Nintendo’s entire business model. The franchise continues to drive massive sales through collections, remasters, and Nintendo Switch Online access. In 2024, Nintendo Switch Online added 56 games, totaling 286 games in the North American library, with classic Mario titles remaining central attractions.
Nintendo’s strategy of repackaging and re-releasing these classics keeps them perpetually relevant. The company reported that Mario titles still contribute significantly to revenue through the Switch era, proving that nostalgia paired with quality gameplay creates a winning combination. Nearly four decades later, jumping on Goombas still feels satisfying. There’s something timeless about that tight platforming.
Pac-Man: The Arcade Icon That Conquered Everything
Pac-Man’s brand recognition is almost unmatched in gaming. The character has transcended the medium itself, appearing on everything from lunchboxes to street art. The game maintains over 90 percent global brand recognition according to Bandai Namco, a statistic that speaks to its cultural penetration.
The franchise stays alive through arcade reboots, mobile versions, and anniversary releases that introduce the yellow circle-muncher to new audiences. Honestly, the simplicity of chase mechanics and maze navigation creates gameplay that feels as fresh today as it did in 1980. Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that need no explanation.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Timeless Adventures
Classic games from the Legend of Zelda franchise remain accessible through Nintendo Switch Online, exposing both veteran and new players to the series’ roots. Zelda franchise lifetime sales exceeded 150 million units, with renewed interest driven by remakes and digital rereleases fueling continued engagement.
The formula of exploration, puzzle-solving, and adventure storytelling has aged remarkably well. Games like A Link to the Past remain deeply playable, their design philosophies influencing countless modern titles. There’s a reason speedrunners still dedicate themselves to perfecting routes through these decades-old dungeons. The level design holds up, period.
Street Fighter II: The Fighting Game Blueprint
By 1994, Street Fighter II had been played by an estimated 25 million people in the United States alone, and all versions are estimated to have grossed a total of $10.61 billion in revenue. That’s not a typo. Nearly eleven billion dollars from a fighting game originally released in 1991.
The Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection increased by 200,000 copies, reaching 3.4 million sales, demonstrating that compilations continue to find audiences. The competitive fighting game scene still revolves around concepts Street Fighter II pioneered: frame data, combo systems, and character matchups. The NES version remains prominent in the competitive scene, with the Classic Tetris World Championship using it since 2010. Wait, that’s Tetris. Let me correct that – Street Fighter II fundamentally shaped competitive gaming, establishing mechanics still studied and refined today.
Pokémon Red and Blue: Gotta Catch ‘Em Forever
The original Pokémon games laid the foundation for one of media’s largest franchises. The Pokémon Company reported that the franchise has sold over 480 million games globally, with the original generation continuing to drive merchandise and remake success. That first generation of 151 creatures created a template that remains largely unchanged.
The appeal is straightforward: collection, strategy, and adventure wrapped in a charming package. Remakes and Virtual Console releases keep introducing these classics to younger players, while veterans return for the nostalgia hit. Trading Pokémon with friends via link cable was groundbreaking back then. Now that same social element persists through online connectivity, but the core thrill of building the perfect team hasn’t changed one bit.
Doom: Ripping and Tearing Through Decades
The original Doom from 1993 continues seeing strong downloads via digital re-releases, with the franchise surpassing 10 million copies sold overall according to Bethesda and id Software. The game’s influence on first-person shooters cannot be overstated. It essentially invented the genre as we know it.
What keeps Doom relevant is its modding community and the sheer number of platforms it’s been ported to. There’s a running joke that if a device has a screen, someone has gotten Doom running on it. The fast-paced combat, labyrinthine level design, and heavy metal aesthetic created a formula that modern shooters still reference. It’s brutal, it’s immediate, and it still kicks serious ass.
The Sims: Simulating Life Since 2000
The Sims franchise has sold nearly 200 million copies worldwide, ranking among the best-selling video game franchises of all time. As of October 2019, all Sims games combined generated lifetime sales of more than US$5 billion. The franchise celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025, a milestone few games achieve.
The Sims 4 is played by more than 80 million people around the world, demonstrating that the core appeal of controlling virtual lives remains potent. Players spend hundreds of hours crafting stories, building elaborate homes, and experimenting with life scenarios impossible in reality. The game’s staying power comes from its open-ended nature. There’s no “winning” in The Sims, just endless possibilities for creativity and chaos.
Retro Gaming’s Modern Renaissance
The resurgence of classic games isn’t accidental. A 2024 Entertainment Software Association report showed that over 40 percent of gamers aged 18 to 34 regularly play classic or retro-style games, driven by nostalgia and accessibility. Digital distribution platforms like Steam, Nintendo Switch Online, and mobile app stores make these classics more available than ever before.
Streaming platforms like Twitch feature dedicated communities around retro gaming, with speedrunners and challenge players keeping these titles in the public eye. On YouTube, Minecraft remains the most-watched game, generating over 2.1 billion views in January 2025. The combination of accessibility, community engagement, and genuine quality ensures these games aren’t museum pieces – they’re living, evolving experiences.
These classic games share common threads: intuitive mechanics, strong core loops, and designs that prioritize fun over spectacle. They prove that graphics age, but great gameplay is forever. While the industry chases photorealism and massive budgets, these titles remind us that sometimes the simplest ideas executed brilliantly create the most lasting impact. What do you think makes a game truly timeless? Tell us in the comments.
