The way gaming is now is totally different than the way that it use to be.
Let’s face it, gaming now is cooler and has changed drastically from the way it use to be. Gamers can now take games on the go, interact with the games themselves, and literally put themselves in the game.
As an old school gamer, I’m not a fan of next-gen gaming. I think that it is getting away from the way games were meant to be played.
When you play a game, you want to sit down with your controller and run through a bunch of levels, and beat down the boss at the end, it was pretty easy.
You don’t want to get up and move your arms around in order to interact with the game, it is too much work. It also never works either. You end up trying to position yourself perfectly, and the game never even detects your movements. Sorry Microsoft Kinect, PlayStation Move and Wii, it’s the truth.
The original PlayStation and Super Nintendo got it right.
Their games were simple, easy to understand, and fun to play. There was no need for a strategy guide or any of that. You go from point A to point B and that is why those games were simple, but still so much fun to play.
Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Sonic, Pac-Man and Street Fighter all revolutionized the video game world. That is why these popular titles are still around today. They had an easy, fun concept that gamers loved.
Don’t get me wrong, some of my favorite games that I play today are on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. I think the graphics and the online game play make gaming so much better. It brings people together, you can play and talk with a friend from halfway across that world, that is amazing!
All those feature are cool though, but that is not actual gaming, those are features.
Think about the time era that these systems came out in. I am not surprised that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have the kind of graphics and gameplay features that they have now. Imagine if those old school systems had the same kind of technology benefit that we have now, it would be crazy!
Change may be good to some degree, but just remember where it all originated from.
vinnylanni 
Good insights! This is really true! Maybe the new game producers think they have nowhere to move except towards improved graphics, more complexity strategically, wireless interfacing, etc
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Thanks! It’s true you cant really live in the past. I guess game developers are just using the technology advantages that they have
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Why thank you so much! Your so right about the whole movie thing, seriously if i wanted to watch a movie I would go freaking watch a movie! lol
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Awesome post! I love older games as well. The newer games have so many cuts it more if a movie and they take forever!!! I like sitting down and playing not waiting for whoever to shut up so I can continue playing. :)
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I am glad I could bring back the memories lol Spyro, Frooger, Crash Bandiccot, Mario oh gosh those were the days.
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I remember watching my friend’s older brother play Mario on his Nintendo. I thought I was awesome, but the graphics were so pixelated, so… early 90s.
I was good friends with the neighbor boys, the only ones on our block with a PS. I got to go inside and play Frogger, Spyro, while jealous kids peered in the windows. Ah, to be 7 again :)
Thanks for the nostalgia!
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Feel free to rant all you want its fine with me lol I totally agree with you though. These companies are interested in money first and making a good game second.
The Call of Duty franchise caters to the common gamer, the gamer who just wants to just play a few hours a week. That is why they makes these games are so simple, so everyone can play. I guess it is obviously a working formula. I still find Call of Duty fun to play! I just wish they put more time into their games instead of a similar Call of Duty release every year.
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Most 8-32bit games followed a simple formula, but man was it effective. There were even some mostly RPGs) that were just as complex as many modern games.
I’ve never looked at it from the perspective you’ve put forward here but it makes sense; if more attention was paid to actually developing the gameplay (which was almost the sole focus back then), rather than the additional features and trying to reinvent a tried-and true user interface, we’d have more “classics” from this generation.
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Thank you very much! There are still some people out there who enjoy old games don’t worry lol
Exactly! Game developers need to stop trying to make something new and unique and stick to what already works. I’m tired of these new gimmicks that they are trying to come up with. When I play a video game, I want to sit down play a freaking game that is simple and fun!
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Of course there is the argument that “sticking to what works” is why we’re seeing fewer new franchises and ideas and more CoD/GoW clones.
Publishers and hardware developers have a very strange thought process when it comes to how they approach games. For the software, they do everything they can to play it safe. Keep it generic, keep it familiar, stick to what’s most popular right now and conform any game that sticks out from the mold to better suit the popular trend.
But when it comes to hardware, they try to do everything they can to shove these stupid gimmicky controls and cameras that don’t even work down our throats; all in an attempt to make gaming more trendy and exciting to the non-gamer populace.
I really think it comes down to their obsession with drawing in more and more people that normally wouldn’t play games, and who aren’t interested in playing enough to go deeper. It’s why everything is getting so generic and cut-and-pasty. They’re not interested in the hardcore or legacy gamer anymore, all they want now is the new (and disinterested) customer.
Sorry, didn’t mean to rant there. I’m just tired of watching games lose a little more of their spark every year. I know there’s a lot of good games still being produced, but it just seems like amount of genuinely great games is decreasing.
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I love your post. It’s what I have been trying to say to other people about gaming and I was starting to feel a little alone as I’m one of the few that still like and appreciate the older games. Thanks for the restoration in my faith.
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Your grandma is a gamer, geez I am totally impressed right now lol I am the same way I have to be on the left for those fighting games, the right side just feels so weird! Games are too complicated now a days and just not as fun!
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Yes! I fight the way I read, left to right! left to right! If someone moves to my left, I refuse to play until they move back to where they belong. On my right!!!
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You just reminded me of my childhood obsession with Super Mario Bros. I used to play my grandma (I KNOW. She totally rocked!). I was also obsessed (sometime in the not so distant past) with Dig Dug and Ms. PacMan. I’ll be honest, I can’t really get into the games now. I get confused as to what direction I’m supposed to be going in. I’ve tried playing Mortal Combat now and I really can’t do anything if my opponent is on my left hand side. I HAVE to be on the left or I can’t do a thing. Ha :)
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Thank you so so so much! Me making you smile, made me smile that is amazing lol(: I know right? These kids now a days don’t understand and respect where it all came from! The Super Nintendo is my favorite system ever. I still play it today lol
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I think you did a really great job with this post. I actually only owned the Super Nintendo…years after it came out. Even then, the only games I had for it was the Super Mario one that came with it, and Aladdin. But you can bet your butt that I was a champ at both. :) I personally have a sweet spot for “old-fashioned” things. Including film photography. I think the same can be said for most progress. It’s good, but also good to remember the roots from whence it came.
You put a smile on my face today!!
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It’s more of entertainment than gaming with the Wii and all of those similar systems add-ons. I like the I am always ready to kill some aliens line lol
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I like my Wii…. but call me a girly girl, I can’t understand anything more complicated than Wii tennis. Its just so complicated now! My roommate tried to teach me Grand Theft Auto last year, and I just couldn’t grasp it. But give me my mom’s old school Atari, and I’m ready to kill aliens.
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Thank you! I miss them too. I swear those were the days, geez
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Nicely put. I miss a lot of the old school games.
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