Why do I remember video games being better?

When I was 5-years old I loved playing Super Nintendo all the time. I remember how fun all the games were. But what happened to all the fun games I remember playing when I was 5? Everywhere I look on the internet, I can only find crappy overrated games. Everybody talks about the "classics" such as Demon's Crest and Actraiser, and yet when I was little, I remember playing games that were wayyyyyyyyyy more fun than them.


What happened to games where I did stuff like chasing a falling ceiling?, jump through falling platforms before they fall into spikes?, climb my way to the top of a room with narrowing walls, ect? Where the hell are they? This is not the same Super Nintendo I've played when I was a baby.

Little kids also watch Barney tapes 100 times each day. Would you do that now that you're older? The fact of the matter is that kids are different. What holds a child's attention is not the same as an adult. Kids are easier to placate. As you get older, your expectations rise accordingly. What made a convincing effect when you were 8 seems stupid at 18. As a result, games that appeal to adults are harder and more expensive to make. It's part of why Nintendo focuses on kids. Just shovel out any kind of garbage and they're happy... for a week, then you need more garbage. Make it cheap enough and the parents will just keep on shoveling them to their kids.

As Chilly Willy proves, it's all about perspective.

My own cynical perception is that most games will be more fondly remembered if we first enjoy them as kids. There's nothing so special about Mega Man X that necessarily makes it a better game than today's hits. Nostalgia plays a key role in appreciation of classic games.

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

As Chilly Willy proves, it's all about perspective.

My own cynical perception is that most games will be more fondly remembered if we first enjoy them as kids. There's nothing so special about Mega Man X that necessarily makes it a better game than today's hits. Nostalgia plays a key role in appreciation of classic games.

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Still, MrMatthews, there's a definite quality standard. SOR 1-3, Sonic 1-3, and games like Eternal Champions still hold up well today, as I enjoyed them regardless of acquiring a sega a mere 2-3 years ago.

Everything seems better when you are young.

Nostalgia.

My theory is when you play enjoy game when you're younger, the memory of loving that game becomes locked in your mind, so I don't think the phrase "still holds up today" holds a lot of water unless it's being used by someone who's experiencing a classic game for the first time.

I remember when I was younger...I'd play "Burnout 3" a lot.

It still holds up today.

Funny you mention that, Rusty. I remember when I was younger, i'd watch Star Wars a lot.

It still holds up today.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...01/oh_snap.gif

Some games I used to play the crap out of when I was 8 or so still seem fun like Zelda, Wizard and Warriors, and Kung Fu. Some are horrible. I remember playing Top-Gun constantly and that game is awful. I remember my best friend and his little brother beating the hell out of each over Commando. Some games seem much better then when they came out like SMB2 and Metroid. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact is that games were hard to come by back in the day. Often I had to make do with what I had even if I had foolishly borrowed Friday the 13th from my friend.

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Originally Posted by Metal_Sonic

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...01/oh_snap.gif

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It's not quite a "snap," but it's a reference to an exchange Rusty and I had a while back. Classic video games, classic movies - being at the right place at the right time MIGHT be an important factor of appreciation.

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

My theory is when you play enjoy game when you're younger, the memory of loving that game becomes locked in your mind, so I don't think the phrase "still holds up today" holds a lot of water unless it's being used by someone who's experiencing a classic game for the first time.

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What about games similar to those you enjoyed as a young person? For example I just played Sonic 3 for the first time. It's fun as hell, I have no memory of this game from my youth and although I do have memories of Sonic 1. Id rather play Sonic 3 today than anything on any new console. So maybe there's something more than just memories of a game. Maybe it's memories of graphics and in my case 16 bits.

The only two games that seem to have this quality to me (so a significant extent) are the DOS games X-Wing (Collector's CD-ROM) and Return to Zork we got when I was about 5.
The funny thing is I didn't really play either of these in the propper manner, with RTZ I was more or less "back seat gaming" with my dad, and in X-Wing I usually just screwed arround shooting at random stuff (in the "historical missions"), viewing the cutscenes, flying the obstical course and didn't get anywhere in the tours of duty. (I usually played as the preset player with the completed game anyway)

More recently I started playing it again on and off and still like it more than the sequel (Tie Fighter) which seems to get more praise, though I had that at a young age too. (though it was the redone win95 version, though I recently got the DOS CD version)

Similarly we had Myst growing up too (not long after getting RTZ), but I'm still more fond of RTZ despite the general oppinion on Myst. (I really like the comedic, satirical atmosphere in the Zork games, carying over from Infocom's classic text based games, which is why I'm not as fond of Zork Nemesis, but really liked how they wnt bact to the classic style with Gran Inquisitor)

For me I have different games that hold different memories for me from my life so far. Whether it was games associated with different houses we lived in or what my life was doing as a teenager all these games I have fond memories of because of the bigger picture. Some of these games are crap in peoples eyes and reviews they received, but for me they are great as they hold sentimental value!:D

*end of incoherrent babble