Gamescom is back in Cologne.
Today, Thursday August 27, the world’s biggest gaming event opens its doors to the public. While thousands of visitors are heading to the Koelnmesse to play the latest games, we’re looking at Gamescom 2026 from a slightly different perspective.
At RetroLike, we’re interested in the games that remind us why we fell in love with gaming in the first place: retro-inspired adventures, pixel art, arcade-style gameplay, indie games and, of course, physical releases.
After spending time on the show floor, these are the games and experiences that stood out to us the most.
🏆 Best Stand
Winner: Rayman Legends Retold
One of the first stands to catch our attention was Rayman Legends Retold.
It was hard to miss. A huge inflatable Rayman towered above the colourful booth, immediately drawing attention from across the show floor. The stand itself continued that playful Rayman style and felt like a natural extension of the game.
But what really sold us was the demo.
In roughly 20 minutes, we experienced three very different sides of Rayman Legends Retold. Once Upon a Time delivers classic Rayman platforming, while Fly Me to the Doom puts Rayman on the back of a flying dragon. And then there’s Macarena.
This musical level was probably the biggest surprise, with the action closely tied to the music. Ubisoft had already shown the level during Gamescom Opening Night Live, but playing it ourselves was a different experience. The combination of the colourful presentation, the enormous Rayman and the variety of the demo made this one of our favourite stops at Gamescom.
That’s why Rayman Legends Retold receives RetroLike’s Best Stand award.
🏆 Game of the Show
Winner: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction
Our Game of the Show wasn’t one of the giant AAA releases.
It was He-Man.
We actually saw Dragon Pearl of Destruction at Gamescom last year, so it was interesting to return in 2026 and see how the game had evolved. This time, we played through the entire demo — and came away seriously impressed.
The graphics look fantastic, the story works surprisingly well and, most importantly, the game is simply fun to play.
We also had the opportunity to briefly speak with project director Audie Sorlie (also known from DF Retro Podcast), who told us that the team had experimented with four-player co-op before deciding to focus on two players. The game has also been delayed to give the team more time to improve the quality and gameplay. After playing the latest version, that extra time seems to be paying off.
He-Man is a huge part of gaming and pop-culture history, which makes it an especially fitting choice for a RetroLike award.
Sometimes the biggest surprise at Gamescom comes from a game you weren’t expecting.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction is our Game of the Show.
🏆Best Indie Game
Winner: Croak
Sometimes a game doesn’t need a huge booth to get your attention. We spotted Croak running on an arcade cabinet, complete with a Croak plush sitting on top. That alone was enough to make us stop.
Then we played it. Croak is a hand-drawn 2D platformer with a fantastic cartoon-like visual style. The character animation is full of personality, while the gameplay combines jumping, tongue attacks and grappling mechanics.
What surprised us was how much depth there is underneath that charming presentation. The levels are full of secrets, collectibles and tricky sections that encourage you to experiment and replay them. And yes, we died quite a few times. But that’s part of the fun.
The combination of the hand-drawn artwork, clever platforming and that wonderfully quirky arcade presentation made Croak one of our favourite discoveries of the show.
Croak is our Best Indie Game of Gamescom 2026.
🏆 Most Bizarre Gamescom Experience
Winner: Mega Man: Dual Override
This award isn’t really about the game. It’s about what happened when we tried to cover it. We had barely arrived at the Mega Man: Dual Override area when we were immediately approached by staff and told that photography and video recording weren’t permitted. Not even for press.
So, unlike the other games in this article, we weren’t able to record our own gameplay or take photographs at the booth. It was certainly one of the more unusual encounters we had at Gamescom.
And that’s exactly why Mega Man: Dual Override gets our award for Most Bizarre Gamescom Experience.
Until Next Year!
And that’s a wrap on Gamescom 2026 for RetroLike. Once again, Gamescom proved that there is much more to discover than just the biggest AAA releases. From colourful booths and unexpected surprises to great indie games and modern takes on classic franchises, there was plenty to keep us busy.
We had a great time exploring the show floor, playing games and talking to developers — and we’re already looking forward to seeing what next year brings.
Gamescom 2026 is still open to the public until Sunday, August 30, so if you’re heading to Cologne, there’s still time to visit the show and discover these games for yourself.
As for us? See you at Gamescom 2027!
