Older games are delisted and relisted all the time, but the ten delisted games on this list have not returned to Steam and are unlikely to. You might have forgotten about some of these old favorites that you played when you were younger, so let’s pay tribute to these top 10 delisted games.
10 listed games to be nostalgic
The following 10 removed games are no longer available for purchase on Steam and some other platforms. Most will now require the original discs to play, and some online services for the games have long since been shut down.
10. Black and White (2001), Lionhead
There is another game available on Steam called “Black and White”, which is definitely not the Black and White I am referring to. This is one of the games I grew up playing alongside my older brother – he always managed to get the really bad hand and his Creature would just eat villagers constantly.
Black & White was released back in 2001, followed by Black & White 2 in 2005. Unless you have the original discs for Black & White, there is no way to load and play the game. So many retro games are re-released and it would be nice to see this one remastered. It was a really interesting management RPG game where you played a god, and raised a Creature that could help your villagers (or hurt them).
9. Wolfenstein (2009), Raven Software
Wolfenstein is an FPS game set in a city that the Nazis have taken control of to mine rare crystals. As the player, you take on the role of William ‘BJ’ Blazkowicz, who is trying to get the Spear of Destiny back from the Nazis after it was stolen.
Despite Wolfenstein being a game where your enemies are Nazis, Hitler is never mentioned and no one follows any of his orders. He is a portrait and nothing more in the first Wolfenstein game. It’s an interesting game that combines a bit of history with survival and horror elements. It can be a bit gory at times.
8. Spec Ops: The Line (2012), Yager Development
Spec Ops: The Line is an interesting take on a typical military shooter. As you play, the game challenges your own sense of morality by putting you in impossible situations that force you to make a judgment call.
It’s probably one of the more realistic games about what it’s like to be taller in these situations, and it definitely adds a new dimension to the game. Most military style games can feel very similar, with the majority of the game being a constant point-and-shoot situation. Along with the storyline, Spec Ops: The Line has great visuals that really add to the gameplay.
7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2003), Rockstar Games
I think GTA has a special place in the hearts of many gamers. I started my GTA journey with Vice City, and then San Andreas. Last year, I bought the Grand Theft Auto trilogy on my Nintendo Switch and it was cool to play the games again. Unfortunately, GTA: Vice City and San Andreas have been removed from Steam, so PC players will have to look elsewhere to play the games again.
You play as Tommy Vercetti, a former mobster who has just been released from prison. At the very beginning of the game, you are set up and decide that you are done working under some nobody gang. From there, it’s a lot of guns, cars, and sketch clubs. Oh, and police are on the hunt. Can’t forget those!
6. Midnight Club II (2003), Rockstar San Diego
Although players anymore this Reddit thread mentioned Midnight Club: III, I’m more nostalgic for Midnight Club: II because my brother and I used to race each other on there all the time. We had those old adapters for the PS2 that were basically a controller and peddlers, but nothing really beats classic controller gaming.
I don’t remember much about the plot of the game because we used to just mess around and he would help build my cars for me. But, if you are looking for an old version of Midnight Club: II, there are different races that you can complete in Career mode to play the real game.
5. Unreal Tournament (1999), Epic Games and Digital Extremes
Unreal Tournament is a pretty old game now, but it has a familiar feel that any FPS gamer will understand. You play a series of matches in an arena with the goal of killing your opposition before they can get to you. Although this type of game is much more common now, the first Unreal Tournament game is widely considered one of the best games ever made.
It is listed in nine different publications under their own best/top playlists, including the Electric Playground Network, Polygon and more.
4. Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2016), Raven Software
The best thing about Marvel Ultimate Alliance is the range of Marvel characters you can choose from. While the game hasn’t aged very well – the graphics leave something to be desired – it’s a nostalgic choice that any Marvel fan will appreciate.
In Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Fury received the consent to start a new team of superheroes to fight Dr. Doom and the new Masters of Evil he brought together. You can switch between four Marvel heroes during gameplay, using their own unique abilities to progress through the game.
3. Blur (2010), Bizarre Creations
Blur added a different twist to the genre of racing games. Along with racing your car against other cars, there is also an element of vehicular combat that you don’t usually see when a game like this is made. During gameplay, there are eight different power-ups you can pick up while driving: five weapons, a shield, a repair key, and a nitrous boost.
The other feature that makes Blur so special is the inclusion of licensed cars in the game. You’ll find the Dodge Viper, the Chevrolet Camaro SS, and even the Ford Transit Supervan3.
2. The Movies (2005), Lionhead
The Movies is a game about managing your own Hollywood studio and making movies. It’s a fun management game that lets you build your studio from scratch on a fairly large plot of land. The buildings are all pre-built, but that just means you can focus more on creating your studio set and then start making movies.
It very much has a Rollercoaster Tycoon vibe – which makes sense since the first Rollercoaster Tycoon was released in 1999. When the game first started, players could upload their finished movies to the game’s website: The Movies Online.
1. Deadpool (2013), High Moon Studios
The 2013 Deadpool game was Deadpool done right. He breaks the fourth wall constantly, is hilarious, and his quirky personality shows throughout the game. There are many hidden secrets to discover in Deadpool, which only adds to the fun. Unfortunately, the game was delisted and relisted several times, with its final removal occurring in 2017.
Not surprisingly, this is a hack-and-slash third-person shooter. Perfect for a Deadpool game, no doubt there. Deadpool was removed for the first time in 2014, along with a host of other games published by Activision that used the Marvel license.
Want to read about other PC games to replace the ones you loved? Read our Pro Gaming Guides posts on the Top 10 PC Games of 2023 or the 10 Best console games coming to PC in 2024.
