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198X similar games & best alternatives

198X

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 • 2019

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Quick resume

Part 1 of arcade epic 198X. A coming-of-age story told through multiple games and genres. Experience the thrill of shooting, driving, jumping, fighting and role-playing in 5 full-blown arcade stages – combined with cinematic pixel-art storytelling.

Global score

76/100

Genres

Indie, Adventure, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Arcade, Racing

Similar games

    Pros

    • Beautiful pixel art and animation
    • Excellent synthwave soundtrack
    • Nostalgic and emotional narrative
    • Varied and well-crafted arcade mini-games
    • Strong voice acting and storytelling

    Cons

    • Very short gameplay duration
    • Limited replay value
    • Lack of controller support and settings
    • No multiplayer or social features
    • Some gameplay sections can be frustrating or too easy

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy, Exploration, Continuation.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players choose to engage with multiple arcade-style mini-games and explore the narrative at their own pace, though the story progression is linear."

    • Competence
      2

      "Mini-games offer skill-based challenges reminiscent of classic arcade games, with some difficulty spikes, but overall accessible with checkpoints."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal experience and narrative rather than competing with others; no leaderboards or ranked modes mentioned."

    • Continuation
      -2

      "Short game length (~1-2 hours) and limited replay value; players complete it in one or two sittings without habitual long sessions."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Entirely single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Creative reinterpretation of multiple arcade genres within a narrative framework; artistic pixel art and soundtrack enhance uniqueness."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; experience is personal and introspective."

    • Escapism
      5

      "Strong theme of escapism through arcade games and narrative about coping with life struggles and growing up."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and nostalgia; no obligation or external pressure to play."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Players experience different game genres and styles within the mini-games, though gameplay is mostly structured and familiar."

    • Exploration
      -3

      "Linear narrative with fixed arcade games; limited discovery or open-ended exploration."

    • Expression
      -4

      "No customization or avatar personalization; presentation is fixed and standardized."

    • Fantasy
      -2

      "Grounded in realistic coming-of-age story and nostalgic recreation of real-world arcade culture, though with some stylized elements."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; solitary experience."

    • Growth
      3

      "Narrative focuses on personal development and maturation; gameplay requires learning and skill improvement."

    • Health
      -5

      "Traditional sedentary video game experience with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention during mini-games and narrative; not designed for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Emotional connection is with the narrative and protagonist rather than social or interpersonal relationships."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience."

    • Progression
      2

      "Progression through narrative and completion of mini-games; no extensive item collection or upgrades."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Atmospheric and moody experience with a balance of challenge and narrative reflection; some tension in gameplay."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable pixel art visuals and synthwave soundtrack provide sensory stimulation and nostalgic pleasure."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or visibility features; personal and private experience."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative focus with voice acting and emotional storytelling integrated with gameplay."

    • Strategy
      1

      "Mini-games require some planning and skill, but mostly straightforward arcade-style gameplay."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some challenge and tension in gameplay, especially in later mini-games, but overall balanced and forgiving."

    • Value
      0

      "Mixed opinions on value due to short length; some find it worth the price for the experience, others recommend waiting for a sale."

    • Violence
      2

      "Includes beat-em-up and shoot-em-up gameplay with combat and destruction elements typical of arcade games."

    • Survival
      1

      "Gameplay involves avoiding failure and managing limited lives/checkpoints, but not high-risk survival mechanics."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026