Best 1980s Games on Steam
Steam currently has 4,199 1980s games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. 1980s game rankings were last updated on 5/8/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Free 1980s games on Steam
- Best 1980s Steam Deck games
- Best 1980s Linux games on Steam
- Best 1980s Steam games for Mac OS
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Vampire Survivors
Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.
Vampire Survivors holds the #1 spot for "best 1980s game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 228,629 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 225,321 positive reviews and 3,308 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
2. Counter-Strike
Play the world's number 1 online action game. Engage in an incredibly realistic brand of terrorist warfare in this wildly popular team-based game. Ally with teammates to complete strategic missions. Take out enemy sites. Rescue hostages. Your role affects your team's success. Your team's success affects your role.
Counter-Strike has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #2 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 236,606 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 230,588 positive reviews and 6,018 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Counter-Strike on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
3. Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami is a high-octane action game overflowing with raw brutality, hard-boiled gunplay and skull crushing close combat.
Hotline Miami has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #3 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 94,216 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 91,644 positive reviews and 2,572 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $9.99 |
| Release Date | 10/23/2012 |
| Developer | Dennaton Games |
| Publisher | Devolver Digital |
| Steam App Id | 219150 |
4. Duck Game
Enter the futuristic year of 1984, an age where ducks run wild in a frantic battle for glory. Blast your friends with Shotguns, Net Guns, Mind Control Rays, Saxophones, Magnet Guns, and much, much more. This is DUCK GAME. Don't blink.
Duck Game has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #4 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 37,280 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 36,001 positive reviews and 1,279 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 6/4/2015 |
| Developer | Landon Podbielski |
| Publisher | Adult Swim Games |
| Steam App Id | 312530 |
5. Tiny Rogues
Tiny Rogues is a challenging fantasy rogue-lite bullet-hell dungeon crawler with rpg elements. Build a new unique character each run and fight one monster-infested room after another! Discover unique weapons, collect magical items and level up to become more and more powerful!
Tiny Rogues has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #5 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,791 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,596 positive reviews and 195 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
6. HROT
HROT is a single-player retro FPS set in a small socialist country neighboring Soviet Union (Czechoslovakia) after an unspecified disaster in 1986. Those times were dark and terrifying and so is the game.
HROT has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #6 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,904 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,762 positive reviews and 142 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play HROT on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
7. Anomaly Agent
ANOMALY AGENT is a cyberpunk action-adventure featuring fluid combat, a time-bending story, quirky characters and a catchy synthwave soundtrack! Punch or shoot through mobs of enemies, impact the story with your choices and stop the anomalies before the world plunges into chaos!
Anomaly Agent has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #7 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,237 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,029 positive reviews and 208 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $11.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $11.99 |
| Release Date | 1/24/2024 |
| Developer | Phew Phew Games |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 2378620 |
8. Retrowave
Neon lights, palm trees, synthwave, '80s supercars speeding down an endless highway... Welcome to the world of Retrowave!
Retrowave has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #8 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 14,668 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 14,028 positive reviews and 640 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $2.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Retrowave on the Steam Deck.
9. Boneraiser Minions
Amass an army of deamonic undead to fight endless waves of heroes intent to end your boneraising ways! In this gothic-horror auto-battle roguelite, use the bones of slain heroes to raise your minions, collect powerful relics and spells, and unlock meta upgrades, all to survive King Gigald's crusade!
Boneraiser Minions has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #9 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,814 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,642 positive reviews and 172 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
10. COMPOUND
COMPOUND is a randomized rogue-lite, free-roaming shooter for VR veterans. Duck and dodge around enemy fire in a tough-as-nails retro FPS with multiple locomotion options. Download the demo below!
COMPOUND has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #10 spot for the best 1980s games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,964 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,918 positive reviews and 46 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run COMPOUND on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 7/19/2022 |
| Developer | Bevan McKechnie |
| Publisher | notdead |
| Steam App Id | 615120 |
More 1980s Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best 1980s games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3,965 | 10/20/2022 | 97 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 9,813 | 11/1/2000 | 96 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 106 | 10/23/2012 | 96 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 59 | 6/4/2015 | 95 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 776 | 9/23/2022 | 94 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 5 | 5/16/2023 | 93 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 6 | 1/24/2024 | 93 | $11.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 14 | 5/6/2022 | 93 | $2.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 18 | 3/9/2023 | 93 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 7/19/2022 | 93 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 821 | 3/8/2023 | 92 | $20.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 193 | 3/10/2015 | 92 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 4/10/2023 | 92 | $6.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 29 | 9/28/2023 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 2 | 10/23/2020 | 92 | $11.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 366 | 3/8/2023 | 92 | $11.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 3 | 4/23/2020 | 92 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 24 | 1/25/2022 | 91 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 4 | 7/27/2017 | 91 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 5/21/2018 | 91 | $0.99 | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 22). Counter-Strike on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 16). Hotline Miami on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, February 28). Duck Game on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 1). Tiny Rogues on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 22). HROT on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 6). Anomaly Agent on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 22). Retrowave on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 20). Boneraiser Minions on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 6). COMPOUND on Steam. Steam Store.