Bit.Trip Runner (2010) (PC) (Gaijin Games)
3I think it's fair to say that anyone who has ever owned an Atari 2600 will have a hard time not falling in love with the sheer retro bliss that is Bit Trip Runner and Bit Trip Beat. These titles from California-based developer Gaijin Games perfectly capture a certain unmistakable visual style from our beloved platform while adding a new layer of slick and distinctly modern (or at least Rez-like) rhythm-based gameplay on top of what would otherwise be some fairly traditional side-scrolling action. Thus, like most good retro-style releases these days the cleverly designed BTR and BTB succeed in both having their cake and eating it by simultaneously evoking a bygone era (or several, since the games have some strong 8-bit console influences as well) without slavishly anchoring the experience in mere nostalgia or obviously outdated mechanics.