What Are The Best Retro Horse Games?

There is something about horses in games that makes the process extra special, don’t you agree? Horses have been humans’ most beloved companion for centuries, and it seems that this sync continues in the world of video games.

Ever since games started to become a thing, horses were part of the story. This means that there are plenty of retro horse games to dive into if you want some equine magic. 

Even modern games are based on these retro horse principles. When you look at games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 with all horse equipment options, to games like The Witcher 3 or Elder Scrolls V, they all focus on creating a certain feeling with an equine character in the game.

But to find out where this trend started, we have to look at some of the best retro horse games. So, let’s dive in.

Types of Retro Horse Games

Before we highlight actual games, let’s talk more about the type of games we expect to play. When you look at the retro selection of horse games, you immediately notice a trend. Most of them are centered around horse racing.

This shouldn’t be too surprising since horse racing was one of the biggest sports back then. According to TwinSpires, big events like the popular Breeders’ Cup nowadays started way back in 1984, which inspired game developers to cover horse racing as a sport. 

People love to bet on horse racing, and they like to experience what it is like to race a horse, which is why this type of game makes sense.

Additionally, we can spot a few rodeo-styled games and horse simulation games from decades ago.

The question is, which retro horse games should you play right now?

Gallop Racer Series (1996-2006)

First, we have Gallop Racer, a popular horse racing franchise that sadly isn’t around anymore. Fortunately, the creators (Tecmo) are now making the Winning Post series, but more on that later.

Gallop Racer was one of the first full-on horse racing games that launched in 1996, and introduced a comprehensive simulation of horse racing, with a mix of strategy, management, and action.

This was one of the first games to tackle horse racing, breeding, training, and participating in races all at once. Basically, Gallop Racer was one of the first accurate representations of the horse racing industry.

The graphics are a bit dated, but highly advanced for that time. That’s wh,y for the next couple of years after the release of the first Gallop Racer, we’ve seen huge spikes in popularity in this niche. That’s why the company released multiple updated versions of the game in the next decade.

Basically, we are talking about a horse racing game that laid the foundation for all the horse racing video games we have today.

Derby Owners Club (1999)

Let’s move to arcade games. If you’ve visited a popular arcade section in the 90s and early 00s, you’ve definitely noticed Derby Owners Club, because this was a machine that instantly caught your eye. 

This was one of the first games to use a card-based system to track horses, statistics, and progress. Players could also breed horses, train them, and race them with each other in real-time (quite advanced for the time).

Derby Owners Club had one of the most innovative technologies in the world of arcade games, which is why it gained so much success and popularity.

The machine looked crazy. Each player gets a monitor in front of their chair, and there is a big monitor for everyone to follow the horse race. It looked like those VAR rooms that they have now in soccer. Some machines were made for two players only, while others allowed up to eight players to join the fun.

If I had a time machine, I would definitely go back in time to play some Derby Owners Club.

Dynasty Wars (1989)

Okay, let’s move aside from horse racing games and focus more on mounted combat set in Ancient China. This is a game that was quite popular in the early ’90s. Dynasty Wars is a simple game where players ride horses into battle, facing off against enemies, and side-scrolling to beat them up.

This game wasn’t exactly strategy-focused or as in-depth as other retro horse racing games we mentioned, but this isn’t a bad thing. After all, we sometimes want to play a game where we smash all the buttons at once and hope for the best.

Players could choose from different characters, each with their own abilities and weapons, and engage in battles that require quick reflexes. The horse’s movement was surprisingly good for that time.

The best thing about Dynasty Wars is that it allows cooperative multiplayer, which means that you and your friend can ride horses together.

Stampede (1981)

Lastly, we have one of the earliest horse-themed video games that looks iconic. Stampede involves players controlling a cowboy on horseback, attempting to herd cattle.

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room and talk about the graphics. Since this game was released in 1981, the graphics are sloppy. A bunch of dots connected to each other, and the horse didn’t ever look like a horse at some point.

But the game was fun and holds a special place since this is one of the first games that included horses. So, if you want to experience the origins of horses in games, Stampede is the game to try.

Which of these games would you like to try? Let us know in the comments.