Little Nightmares
- Estimated Time To Beat: 3.5~ Hours
- Available To Purchase On: Steam
If you’re looking for more of Inside or Limbo, Little Nightmares is the right game to scratch that itch. This is a spooky game, where your diminutive kid has to crawl and climb through an adult world filled with oversized brutes.
The creatures the inhabit your floating underwater prison only want to eat you — you’ll have to sneak by and dodge nightmarish, long-armed hunters and knife-wielding maniacs to survive. It’s a satisfying adventure if you’re looking for a few bloodless scares.
Metal Slug 3
- Estimated Time To Beat: 1.5~ Hours
- Available To Purchase On: Steam
Really, all of the Metal Slug games qualify for this list — and they only belong because of the recent re-releases that make playing them on modern PCs or consoles easy. Metal Slug 3 is a fast-paced game straight out of the arcade era. You’ll run through levels packed with colorful soldiers and giant tanks, blasting everything and trying to avoid getting hit — even one shot will kill you. Thanks to unlimited continues, you don’t have to worry about these games eating your quarters anymore.
Sonic Mania
- Estimated Time To Beat: 5~ Hours
- Available To Purchase On: Steam
This is the game that got me to like Sonic: The Hedgehog. Sonic Mania is the kind of game that gets complete non-fans like me to feel nostalgic for Sonic, and that’s no easy feat. We all know about Sonic — you’re the Blue Blur, speeding through complex stages as fast as humanly possible. Sonic Mania is full of creative level gimmicks, wacky boss fights, and charming retro touches. It’s a bite-sized piece of nostalgic perfection.
Mega Man 11
- Estimated Time To Beat: 4.5~ Hours
- Available To Purchase On: Steam
Mega Man 11 adds a major new wrinkle to the basic run-right-and-shoot-everything formula. The Gear System allows you to manipulate the game in all-new ways, giving you more control than ever before. You can slow time, or speed up and shoot faster than ever before. Use both to absolutely devastate your enemies — and it’s all packed in a beautiful 2.5D package. Mega Man 11 easily stands as one of the best in the series.
Check out more short-and-sweet games you need to play on the next page.
