Don't get me wrong, I still like to play video games today. In fact, I just bought the Xbox 360 not too long ago. But, as fun as games are today, they just don't have the same magic as they did in the era before 3D games totally took over in the late '90s.

I don't play games as much as I used to anymore, but when I do I'm just as likely to hook up the NES and make a run through Super Mario Bros. 3, or try and play through Super Mario World on the SNES for the thousandth time, than I am to play the hottest new game that I just bought. The games that I have on my Genesis, SNES, and NES are to me, just as fun or even better than any game I've ever gotten on the PS2, Xbox, or Xbox 360. Games today just don't seem as fun or original as they did during gamings "Golden Era". Heck, I'm even starting to miss some of the early 3D games from the late '90s like Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot.

I also think that graphics matter too much to gamers. When I was a kid, I didn't really care that much about them. I mean, I didn't get an NES until 1995, a good decade after it came to America, but I didn't care at the time that it looked outdated by the standards of the day, I was just happy to have one period. Regardless of what the games looked like, they were darn fun to play.

Does anyone else think that the video games of the '70s, '80s, and most of the '90s are better than todays?

I hate the 3D games.  I'd much rather play 2D games anyday .. give me the days of Super Mario Bros. anyday 8)

I completely agree. I'll acknowledge the merit of 3D games (alot of them do have great graphics and very realistic play control), but I usually just play those when I'm at someone's house who has one. They don't have the magic and simplicity of the 2D era. In fact, I think the reason they caught on so strongly was because of the simple plots that kept people coming back. Like I never get tired of The Legend of Zelda, despite having played it thousands of times, lol. Almost like how it was fun to sit and constantly watch music videos on MTV or VH1 back in the day. They might have more advanced tech now, but the fun aspect isn't the same either, partially because of that maybe.

I think the NES pervaded in secondhand popularity for a long time because of the immense fandom people had with it. It was biggest in 1987-1990, but was decently popular through about 1993 or '94, and even in the late '90s it wouldn't be too unusual to see it in someone's room, even if it wasn't their primary system anymore. Heck I still have mine hooked up NOW.

You don't see that long lastingness today. You don't see PS One's from 1999 the way you saw NES games ten years ago.

I completely agree. I'll acknowledge the merit of 3D games (alot of them do have great graphics and very realistic play control), but I usually just play those when I'm at someone's house who has one. They don't have the magic and simplicity of the 2D era. In fact, I think the reason they caught on so strongly was because of the simple plots that kept people coming back. Like I never get tired of The Legend of Zelda, despite having played it thousands of times, lol. Almost like how it was fun to sit and constantly watch music videos on MTV or VH1 back in the day. They might have more advanced tech now, but the fun aspect isn't the same either, partially because of that maybe.

I think the NES pervaded in secondhand popularity for a long time because of the immense fandom people had with it. It was biggest in 1987-1990, but was decently popular through about 1993 or '94, and even in the late '90s it wouldn't be too unusual to see it in someone's room, even if it wasn't their primary system anymore. Heck I still have mine hooked up NOW.

You don't see that long lastingness today. You don't see PS One's from 1999 the way you saw NES games ten years ago.



Yep. 2D games also have a certain pick-up and play quality that today's games lack. For example, my parents, who grew up before video games were widespread, never really had a problem with playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES, or Super Mario World on the SNES, even though they had never really played games up to that point.

Sure some parents still play games with there kids, but most of these parent's grew up playing games, so that's not something foreign to them, unlike most of our parents who didn't play them when they were younger. Could you imagine a non gamer picking up a game like GTA: San Andreas and knowing what to do? They'd be lost,lol

2D games are simple and fun, which is why all 3 of my old school systems stay hooked up all the time.

I never thought about it that way before, but you're probably right that the slightly "older gamers" who enjoy GTA or Halo probably are doing so because they were already familarized with the older, simpler games. That probably eased up the process. A present day 45-year old would've been about 19 when Pac Man and arcades got popular, and a 35-year old could've had that in their childhood for a few years, being only about 9.

My dad was about 49 when we got our first NES in 1987, and he enjoyed it as much as I did (he had the idea actually!). I could not see someone in their late 40s who had never played games before buying an Xbox 360 for them and their kids today, lol.

I never thought about it that way before, but you're probably right that the slightly "older gamers" who enjoy GTA or Halo probably are doing so because they were already familarized with the older, simpler games. That probably eased up the process. A present day 45-year old would've been about 19 when Pac Man and arcades got popular, and a 35-year old could've had that in their childhood for a few years, being only about 9.

My dad was about 49 when we got our first NES in 1987, and he enjoyed it as much as I did (he had the idea actually!). I could not see someone in their late 40s who had never played games before buying an Xbox 360 for them and their kids today, lol.



Yeah, that's why you see so many gamers in there 30s today. It's not because games are more fun today(which I've heard as a reason for this before), it's because a current 30 year old was born in 1977, so they would've grown up in the Pac-Man/NES '80s, and would've basically grown up playing video games.

I do, to a certain degree. If I get any new games nowadays, it's usually a role playing game. I don't mind RPGs being in 3D. But I do prefer 2D scrolling games and overhead view games. Guess that's because I'm an old schooler when it comes to video games.

In my mind, 2D and 3D have always been equal.  Neither one is inherently better than the other.  I do agree that most 2D games have a "pick up and play" quality that many 3D games lack.  I attribute this to the large amount of platformers, side scrollers, shooters (side scrolling style like Contra), etc. that came out at the time.  They were inherently simpler, but that simplicity was what made them so easy for people to play.  The fact that they were shorter than today's games, yet in some ways more challenging (compare Mega Man's difficulty to newer games), add to that pick up and play feel.  Today's games can run for up to 20 hours or more.  You can't beat the game in one sitting, and the gameplay is more complex, so that pick up and play feel is gone.

Overall though, I think both formats have merits and both do certain things better than the other.  There are plenty of great 2D games, but there are also plenty of great 3D games.  The only time one was clearly better than the other was in the early days of 3D (1995-ish).  Play a 2D game from 1995 and it plays great.  Play a 3D game from 1995 and it play like total crap.  Still, both are great and neither are better than the other.  I will admit though that I wish more 2D games, especially of the fighting variety, would come out, but thats what my DS is for.

Personally, although I do kind of miss the 2D era, I wouldn't want it to return.  I'd want an era similar to the second half of the 90s (the PS1/N64 era) where new 3D games and new 2D games were coming out side by side.  Heck, one of the best games of 1997 was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which was a 2D PS1 game!  I want something like that to come back.  You got the best of both worlds, rather than being restricted to soley 2D (first half of 90s and before) or solely 3D (any modern system other than the DS).

There are some 2D games that I feel will remain timeless because they are so cleverly created plus they live on because it brings back childhood/teen memories.  But give me 3D games any day because I like the freedom of exploring and the graphics are much better.  I don't play games very often but I try to buy the newest platform for my daughter.  The latest being the Xbox 360 and I am interested in purchasing a Wii if I can find one available here.  That one will be for me.  ;)

Personally, although I do kind of miss the 2D era, I wouldn't want it to return.  I'd want an era similar to the second half of the 90s (the PS1/N64 era) where new 3D games and new 2D games were coming out side by side.  Heck, one of the best games of 1997 was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which was a 2D PS1 game!  I want something like that to come back.  You got the best of both worlds, rather than being restricted to soley 2D (first half of 90s and before) or solely 3D (any modern system other than the DS).



I agree with this. I don't think that I would want 3D games to be gotten rid of, I did just get an Xbox 360 after all. I just wish that some of the game companies would occasionally release a new 2D game.

Yeah, co-existance is really the best when it comes to anything. I bet there's more of a market out there for it than most people realize. Especially if alot of present day 10-year old kids might know Pac Man from their 35 or 40-year old parents who played it back in the day.

In reality, that's what ticks me off about any passage of time. I don't mind new stuff coming out (after all, it would be weird NOT for it to), but I don't like the kicking out of established things.

I once heard some kid in EB (Eletronics Boutique) talking about how some of the games on Playstation could have better graphics.  For anyone to even say that is not obviously experienced in the history of video games. 

I was born in '77, so I grew up with video games as they went from basic to advanced graphics and game play.  I know what it was like when home video games had poor graphics, which in those days, game cartridges cost around $40, which was super expensive considering Atari games only really provided less than maybe 10 minutes of enjoyment per game

If kids today had grown up in the age of Atari and Nintendo, they'd be more appreciative of the games today.  When the Nintendo came out in 1986, people were like "It just doesn't get any better than this", but it did get better and it kept on getting better to the point where games are now so realistic, they honestly aren't as fun as games of the past.  Better graphics doesn't always mean better game

Alot of these new 3-D games, I really find boring because alot of the time is spent exploring the mazes after you've killed all the enemies.  With 2-D games, you only can go one way, so the game play is non-stop exciting!

they had some interesting (and not so interesting) 3d games back in the day. night driver, pole position, battlezone, and so on. but i liked the 2d games better because you could have more variety in terms of themes and so forth -- in a 3d game you pretty much have to stand in for a character in the game so it usually boils down to some kind of person wandering around in a maze with a gun, shooting people.

i disagree that atari games give only 10 minutes of entertainment. well, a bunch did, but there are some others i could play forever -- like pitfall and river raid, for instance.

i have to tell you the truth, where 3d first-person shooters are concerned i sorta believe the conspiracy theory -- they’re very violent deliberately, to train the next generation of military recruit teenage boys to be more willing to fire their weapons in combat. all those school shootings of late? violent combat-trainee video game blowback. apparently a bunch of those games like doom and so forth were derived from military combat training prototypes, which adds an interesting twist when the columbine kids blame them for their shooting sprees.

but i digress. remove baseball cap, apply tinfoil hat.

i disagree that atari games give only 10 minutes of entertainment. well, a bunch did, but there are some others i could play forever -- like pitfall and river raid, for instance.


Actually this true yes.  There were a good chunk of ones you could play for a long time and not get bored.  Others that spring to mind are 'Food Fight', 'Solaris', 'The Activision Decathalon' and the fantastic EPYX games series (California Games, Winter Games and Summer Games)

'Summer Games' and 'The Activision Decathalon' both involve track events, which require moving the joystick at a rapid rate.  I still break out in a sweat when I play them ;D

http://www.overclocked.org/img/emu26004.jpg

:o

I've travelled the same gaming road as you and agree. For me the greatest leaps in gaming technology were going from the Atari to the NES and Super Nes to Playstation. Both the Super Nes and PS2 seemed to be more andvancements of the same technology rather than a revolution.



I know what you mean. I remember when the PS1/N64 generation of gaming was just beginning, and it was incredible to see the leap from the SNES to the Playstation.

As to Atari enjoyment, the most satisfying game in my experience was video pinball. Speaking of the old "brown box", did anyone buy the new prepackaged sets that came with the games inside and plugged to in via AV cables? Our old system was really too old to play so I bought this for my father a few Christmases ago. 


I've seen those Atari "Plug and play" systems on the shelves.  They look pretty cool.

I was considering on getting one at oen point, until I realized that I still have a working Atari 7800 with over 150 games LOL

http://www.overclocked.org/img/emu26004.jpg

:o


I miss this joystick.  It was the only one I could ever work.  The new ones are way too difficult for someone as uncoordinated as myself...

I miss it somewhat.

i still think that 2d's like metroid, zelda, bionic commando metal gear, and the megaman series are among the best games ever made for any generation of gaming. in fact the only 3d games i think of as historically classic blockbusters are golden eye and ocarina of time.

I do. And 3D gaming just as much. Obviously better, more charming and atmospheric than video games of today in my perspective. The 2D and 3D were the eras that constantly made me wish I visit the gaming world of the time. I don't feel the same way now. I enjoy games less realistic. The simplicity, magic and the feel of a actual "Video Game" Hasn't been the same for me. Today's era isn't my taste in creativity.

As much as I don't enjoy that much games from the 2000s, I could agree here. Although, the 2000s were kinda like a haven to video games, it wasn't as good as the 80s or 90s. Except that the 2000s didn't have a terrible video game crash, like the 80s. But in quality towards gaming, I digress. In the 80s, you had the NES, Sega Master System, and a bunch of cool arcade systems being popular. But to be fair, it was the late 80s that made them popular. In the 90s, you had all the cool sh*t. The Super NES, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis/CD/32x, Sega Game Gear, Playstation, Neo Geo, Game Boy, TurboGrafx-16, CD-1, and the Atari Jaguar. All of which are remembered by people who played their games. In the 2000s, you had some cool stuff. Like the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and the Playstation 2/3. With that said, there was also a cool library for downloadable Flash games at the time.

Nowadays, you have all of these godawful games that aren't even memorable. I feel sorry for today's kids to not enjoy of what previous decades had, unless they downloaded something from the 3DS or Wii U's Virtual Consoles. You have the Xbox One (which is pretty sh*tty, IMO), Playstation 4 (which is okay), the Wii U (the most unoriginal console in VG history), the 3DS (HD version of the DS), and the f*cking PS Vita. What's worse is that these kids only enjoy sh*t from YouTubers, since they're so Internet-savvy. They just want to enjoy the stuff that PewDiePie, Markiplier, or any other YouTube gamer puts out in their walkthroughs. It's a living shame.

The graphics obsession in the 2000s /present day is terrible. That said, there were still many great 2D games in the late 2000s, they were on the DS instead of the Xbox 360.

As much as I don't enjoy that much games from the 2000s, I could agree here. Although, the 2000s were kinda like a haven to video games, it wasn't as good as the 80s or 90s. Except that the 2000s didn't have a terrible video game crash, like the 80s. But in quality towards gaming, I digress.

They were. The magic was pretty much still present during the Game Cube, PS2 and Xbox era. The feel was gone by 2006 along side the Wii, PS3 and 360.

They were. The magic was pretty much still present during the Game Cube, PS2 and Xbox era. The feel was gone by 2006 along side the Wii, PS3 and 360.


I guess so. But the 2000s weren't that special gaming-wise, compared to the 90s.

I still like gaming to be honest. I played Rocket League for the PS4 at my friend's house and I had a blast. It's a very original and creative game. (although I've heard claims that it ripped off a minigame in Excitebike 64, but when is the last time you played a game like Excitebike 64?).

I think the main reason I stopped is because I don't have enough time, and the Canadian dollar is weak, so games are $80 which is a ripoff to me. 3DS games are $50 which isn't good either.

Man, I've been complaining about modern day video gaming for a long time. ;D

Anyways, my position on 3D gaming has actually softened a little bit since 2007. One reason I posted this back then is because I was sore about the lack of new, high quality games during the 2005-06 time period. Looking back, the PS2 era was actually much better than I gave it credit for in that post.

I guess so. But the 2000s weren't that special gaming-wise, compared to the 90s.


Don't compare, dude. Haha The 2000s may not be up there, but 2000-2005 in gaming still had a healthy selection of diversity.
Man, I've been complaining about modern day video gaming for a long time. ;D

Anyways, my position on 3D gaming has actually softened a little bit since 2007. One reason I posted this back then is because I was sore about the lack of new, high quality games during the 2005-06 time period. Looking back, the PS2 era was actually much better than I gave it credit for in that post.


The Game Cube, PS2 and Xbox era was still less realistic. A Cartoony 3D. If we're still in the 3D era, the clear difference isn't my taste.

Don't compare, dude. Haha The 2000s may not be up there, but 2000-2005 in gaming still had a healthy selection of diversity.


Yeah. The early-mid 2000s were cool for that. But it wasn't that bad until 2012, when the 7th generation started to fade out.

Man, I've been complaining about modern day video gaming for a long time. ;D

Anyways, my position on 3D gaming has actually softened a little bit since 2007. One reason I posted this back then is because I was sore about the lack of new, high quality games during the 2005-06 time period. Looking back, the PS2 era was actually much better than I gave it credit for in that post.


I didn't like the 2004-2006 portion in gaming either. You posted this is the summer of 2007... I think I remember playing Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Strikers on the Wii, and Tales of the Abyss on the PS2, and Hotel Dusk, Elite Beat Agents, I imported Jump! Super Stars from Japan and also got into the Phoenix Wright series, all for the DS. It was a decent summer for gaming :P

There were two games that were massive disappointments though. Mario Party 8 was the first Mario Party game I could not physically enjoy. I didn't like Mario Party 4 but at least I could still have fun with it. Then there was Pokemon Battle Revolution. It was hyped because it was the second online game for the Wii and it was advertised as a Pokemon Stadium spiritual sequel. Genius Sorority f*cked it up again and gave us another trash console Pokemon game. You couldn't even pick your own Pokemon, they were chosen by a wheel spin! >:(

I didn't like the 2004-2006 portion in gaming either. You posted this is the summer of 2007... I think I remember playing Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Strikers on the Wii, and Tales of the Abyss on the PS2, and Hotel Dusk, Elite Beat Agents, I imported Jump! Super Stars from Japan and also got into the Phoenix Wright series, all for the DS. It was a decent summer for gaming :P

There were two games that were massive disappointments though. Mario Party 8 was the first Mario Party game I could not physically enjoy. I didn't like Mario Party 4 but at least I could still have fun with it. Then there was Pokemon Battle Revolution. It was hyped because it was the second online game for the Wii and it was advertised as a Pokemon Stadium spiritual sequel. Genius Sorority f*cked it up again and gave us another trash console Pokemon game. You couldn't even pick your own Pokemon, they were chosen by a wheel spin! >:(


2004-2006 was amazing if you were a PC gamer.  That era was pretty much the peak of the platform.  It was also the last era where there was strong emphasis on single player storylines and open worlds.  Today it's all about multiplayer.  Single player is an afterthought and most campaigns might as well just be movies because you are watching cutscenes about as much as you are controlling the character.

The N64 was the last truly phenomenal console in my opinion.  I was never too big on the PlayStation or Xbox lines.  I didn't really care for the game library for the PlayStation consoles and the Xbox is pretty much a wannabe PC.

2004-2006 was amazing if you were a PC gamer.  That era was pretty much the peak of the platform.  It was also the last era where there was strong emphasis on single player storylines and open worlds.  Today it's all about multiplayer.  Single player is an afterthought and most campaigns might as well just be movies because you are watching cutscenes about as much as you are controlling the character.

The N64 was the last truly phenomenal console in my opinion.  I was never too big on the PlayStation or Xbox lines.  I didn't really care for the game library for the PlayStation consoles and the Xbox is pretty much a wannabe PC.


PC gaming is exactly what I was doing 2004-2006  ;D Well, I wasn't too involved in the scene, mostly just playing SimCity 4, The Sims 2, and other tycoon games, as well Counterstrike Source, World of Warcraft, Knights of the Old Republic, and a few other games. What games made it feel like a golden age to you?

Nintendo 64 is my favourite console. But the Nintendo DS is my favourite system. ;D The original Xbox is the only 3D system I feel contributed nothing special to gaming. I've always found something to like about the others. 

Something about Street Fighter in 3D bothers me. The male characters can look overly buff and weird. Also, I noticed that specific feels of a franchise is purer in its peak, early years, while barely present anymore in today's era.

Funny how outdated the original post is. When this thread was made it was 2007. Now in 2016 the indie scene is huge and there are a ton of 2D games being released each year. Now we seem to be in an era where both 3D and 2D gaming has their far shot in popularity. Although I was more of a 3D gamer mainly due to my favorite consoles being the N64,PS1, DC, NGC, and PS2. But I loved 2D when it came to handhelds such as the GBC and GBA.

I really miss when indie games weren't that big, although I do love games like Emily Is Away (an early-mid 2000s AIM simulator), and Undertale (even though I think the fandom is a bit cringy).

I really miss when indie games weren't that big, although I do love games like Emily Is Away (an early-mid 2000s AIM simulator), and Undertale (even though I think the fandom is a bit cringy).


My only issue with indie games is that nearly all of them tend to just pander to nostalgia. It's 2016, folks! I don't need a game that looked like it's from 1988. I just never liked 8bit games all that much. I'm fine with 2D games, but I like it when the developers hand draw all the sprites and not just go the cliche route of using 8bit inspired sprites. Before it used to be a cool art style, now it's just an annoying cliche.

But the things I do like about Indie games is that they fill in my gaming hunger whenever I'm unhappy with AAA games. Tired of all the bland MOBAs, Sports, & Shooters? Well Indie games got ya covered. You get 2D Platformers, RPGs, 3D Platformers, Racers, Odd Ball fighters, and some that don't even belong to a specific genre. And they aren't all just "photo-realistic" in graphics. Instead they all use a nostalgia pandering 8bit style many different styles such as Cuphead which uses a 1930s cartoon style, Hat in Time which uses a 3D-Windwaker art style, Shovel Knight and the all too familiar 8 bit style, or even  Five Nights at Freddy's and its pre-rendered graphical style.

My only issue with indie games is that nearly all of them tend to just pander to nostalgia. It's 2016, folks! I don't need a game that looked like it's from 1988. I just never liked 8bit games all that much. I'm fine with 2D games, but I like it when the developers hand draw all the sprites and not just go the cliche route of using 8bit inspired sprites. Before it used to be a cool art style, now it's just an annoying cliche.


Most of the indie games that I see are usually pixelated. Especially the ones that I just mentioned before. So, I suppose they usually pander towards those who whine so much about the 3D era of video games. But most games nowadays just seem to be mediocre, so it's not like I tend to care about them that much.

Most of the indie games that I see are usually pixelated. Especially the ones that I just mentioned before. So, I suppose they usually pander towards those who whine so much about the 3D era of video games. But most games nowadays just seem to be mediocre, so it's not like I tend to care about them that much.


I don't think it's right to call the modern era the "3D Era" anymore. We're now in a mix of 3D and 2D nowadays. Only eras that seem mainly 3D were the 5th/6th gens (At least on consoles anyways). By the 7th gen we started seeing some 2D games comeback and 2.5D games getting more popular. But as of the 8th console gen it's not really just 3D games anymore. I like 3D games due to just loving the idea of moving and exploring in a 3D space and world.

I don't think it's right to call the modern era the "3D Era" anymore. We're now in a mix of 3D and 2D nowadays. Only eras that seem mainly 3D were the 5th/6th gens (At least on consoles anyways). By the 7th gen we started seeing some 2D games comeback and 2.5D games getting more popular. But as of the 8th console gen it's not really just 3D games anymore. I like 3D games due to just loving the idea of moving and exploring in a 3D space and world.


Eh... I don't really pay attention to video games that much ever since the 8th generation was around. All of the consoles were just rehashes of the previous generation. Especially with the Wii U, since it's just the Wii, but with different hardware and a U stamped on the brand. Even if I'm into indie games a little bit, it's not as great as the previous generations of video games. At all.

I don't think it's right to call the modern era the "3D Era" anymore. We're now in a mix of 3D and 2D nowadays. Only eras that seem mainly 3D were the 5th/6th gens (At least on consoles anyways). By the 7th gen we started seeing some 2D games comeback and 2.5D games getting more popular. But as of the 8th console gen it's not really just 3D games anymore. I like 3D games due to just loving the idea of moving and exploring in a 3D space and world.


I actually prefer 3D, to. But only by the N64, PS2 and Xbox. Now it depends on what game. I can't stand realistic 3D like The Last of Us, while the 3D of Saints Row 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken was colorful to me and the characters looked a balanced of realistic and cartoony.

I actually prefer 3D, to. But only by the N64, PS2 and Xbox. Now it depends on what game. I can't stand realistic 3D like The Last of Us, while the 3D of Saints Row 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken was colorful to me and the characters looked a balanced of realistic and cartoony.


I don't like realistic 3D Games all that much either. I'd play them like Last of Us or Fallout, but I prefer cartoony 3D games. Mainly due to just loving things that look colorful.


Eh... I don't really pay attention to video games that much ever since the 8th generation was around. All of the consoles were just rehashes of the previous generation. Especially with the Wii U, since it's just the Wii, but with different hardware and a U stamped on the brand. Even if I'm into indie games a little bit, it's not as great as the previous generations of video games. At all.


Whatcu talkin' about?! There is absolutely nothing wrong with paying $60 for a game that is nothing more than a re-release from the last gen. Show some respect to the developers who put in all the hard work in trying to rip you off.  >:(

HA! But yeah the 8th console gen didn't have many changes from the last gen. Most (if not all) 8th gen games are designed and play the same as 7th gen games. Last big gap was from the 6th gen to 7th gen. Since Online gaming got huge by the late 2000s you started seeing the competitive scene in gaming get huge, online only games like MOBAs where the only mode is online multiplayer along with a few other things. But the transition from the 6th gen to 7th gen was back in 2006. Boy it's crazy to think that all 7th gen consoles are now a decade old. Time moves fast when you don't pay attention to it.

Whatcu talkin' about?! There is absolutely nothing wrong with paying $60 for a game that is nothing more than a re-release from the last gen. Show some respect to the developers who put in all the hard work in trying to rip you off.  >:(

HA! But yeah the 8th console gen didn't have many changes from the last gen. Most (if not all) 8th gen games are designed and play the same as 7th gen games. Last big gap was from the 6th gen to 7th gen. Since Online gaming got huge by the late 2000s you started seeing the competitive scene in gaming get huge, online only games like MOBAs where the only mode is online multiplayer along with a few other things. But the transition from the 6th gen to 7th gen was back in 2006. Boy it's crazy to think that all 7th gen consoles are now a decade old. Time moves fast when you don't pay attention to it.


The 7th generation consoles feel a bit old, but they don't feel that old compared to 4th, 5th, and even 6th generation consoles. When I was in my retro gaming phase as a kid, I was really fascinated with with consoles from the 80s and 90s. I feel like the cartridge-based ones were really cool, and they looked so much better than the Wii. This pretty much died off after the Wii U was released, and I felt like Nintendo couldn't do anything good after that. I still like old school consoles, but I'm more nostalgic over cartoons and other shows that I watched as a kid.

My only issue with indie games is that nearly all of them tend to just pander to nostalgia. It's 2016, folks! I don't need a game that looked like it's from 1988. I just never liked 8bit games all that much. I'm fine with 2D games, but I like it when the developers hand draw all the sprites and not just go the cliche route of using 8bit inspired sprites. Before it used to be a cool art style, now it's just an annoying cliche.

But the things I do like about Indie games is that they fill in my gaming hunger whenever I'm unhappy with AAA games. Tired of all the bland MOBAs, Sports, & Shooters? Well Indie games got ya covered. You get 2D Platformers, RPGs, 3D Platformers, Racers, Odd Ball fighters, and some that don't even belong to a specific genre. And they aren't all just "photo-realistic" in graphics. Instead they all use a nostalgia pandering 8bit style many different styles such as Cuphead which uses a 1930s cartoon style, Hat in Time which uses a 3D-Windwaker art style, Shovel Knight and the all too familiar 8 bit style, or even  Five Nights at Freddy's and its pre-rendered graphical style.


I get what you're saying. The thing that I like most about 2D gaming isn't so much the 8/16-bit art style, as it is the simplicity. I love the fact that I can just boot up a game like Super Mario 3 or Sonic 2 and start playing it immediately without having to sit through 20 minutes of tutorials, or wait half-an-hour for the game to download itself onto my PS4.

I don't necessarily mean that as a knock against today's games, but I think they are getting a bit too complex for their own good nowadays. I remember buying Fallout 4 shortly after it came out last fall, and being shocked when it seemed like I had to navigate through nearly 40 minutes of downloading, tutorials and cut scenes before I could finally start playing the game.

I'm just realizing I don't like 8 bit gaming as much either. Haha I remember seeing the 1987 version of Zelda and god does it hurt my eyes. Pac Man and Super Mario are the only 8 bits I can tolerate.

I'm just realizing I don't like 8 bit gaming as much either. Haha I remember seeing the 1987 version of Zelda and god does it hurt my eyes. Pac Man and Super Mario are the only 8 bits I can tolerate.


I'm guessing that you grew up playing 3D games from the modern gaming era.

I'm guessing that you grew up playing 3D games from the modern gaming era.


I'm positive the average person who did grew up with 8 bit gaming wouldn't enjoy them as they did now. Gaming peaked during the Super Nintendo and Genesis.

I'm positive the average person who did grew up with 8 bit gaming wouldn't enjoy them as they did now. Gaming peaked during the Super Nintendo and Genesis.


Gaming peaked with the 3rd-5th generations. Most of the consoles/games during the time were pretty revolutionary. The NES was the first console that revived the video gaming market after the Crash of 1983. The Genesis was the first to have a rating system, which led to the creation of the ESRB. Super Mario 64 revolutionized 3D platformers. Let's not forget that most of these were cartridge-based, since most modern consoles don't have those kind of media anymore.

Gaming peaked with the 3rd-5th generations. Most of the consoles/games during the time were pretty revolutionary. The NES was the first console that revived the video gaming market after the Crash of 1983. The Genesis was the first to have a rating system, which led to the creation of the ESRB. Super Mario 64 revolutionized 3D platformers. Let's not forget that most of these were cartridge-based, since most modern consoles don't have those kind of media anymore.


Isn't the revival of gaming the same thing as its peak? By the 3rd-5th generation, gaming was just phenomenally established.

Not really. I grew up at a time when 3D games were finally in the mainstream.

YES!!!!!! :D :D :D
It's a shame that Nintendo pretty much moved on from 2D after the SNES. :\'( :\'( :\'(  SEGA was the only company that still focused on 2D gaming during the Saturn and dreamcast era. :( But Sony pretty much took them out of the spotlight. And they were never that great with 2D hardware. >:(

Playing Genesis games as a kid made me a 2D fan. PS1 had the street fighter alpha and King of fighter games, but most of the other 2D games were poorly done on the system. PS2 had the badass anthology games which were incredible. The last time I played 2D games were Blazblue, Street fighter 2 HD remix, and KOF 13. It's seems like 2D is almost dead :\'( and it sucks! >:(

Indie games just gave me some inspirations. Am I the only one who would use old video game engines if given the opportunity?

I'm amazed how beautiful my potential series would be in the graphics of Capcom Vs SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 or True Crime Streets of LA as an RPG.

Indie games just gave me some inspirations. Am I the only one who would use old video game engines if given the opportunity?


Well, that would bring in the fact that indie games are mostly there for nostalgic ideas. Like of how Undertale basically has 8-bit graphics, but yet it's inspired by games from the 90s.

As mentioned in my old posts I'm more into 3D gaming, but with Indie gaming there has been quite a lot of 2D games. However, I do wish that they weren't all just made for nostalgia reasons. Some people confuse 2D with "retro" and "old" when in reality it's just as relevant and modern as 3D, but people don't seem to know how do modern 2D. So they just make a 2D game that looks like something from their childhood.

Even after 4th generation gaming ended, there were still some really good & fun 2D games released for the Gameboy Advance and even Nintendo DS too in crystal clear quality, but I agree that when it comes to the core peak of 2D video games on the consoles, it's too bad it died out once 3D fully took over throughout the late 90's to early 2000's. It's amazing how many SNES games have aged better than the N64 to be honest.

Even after 4th generation gaming ended, there were still some really good & fun 2D games released for the Gameboy Advance and even Nintendo DS too in crystal clear quality, but I agree that when it comes to the core peak of 2D video games on the consoles, it's too bad it died out once 3D fully took over throughout the late 90's to early 2000's. It's amazing how many SNES games have aged better than the N64 to be honest.


As somebody who loves the N64, I do agree that the Super Nintendo has better graphics. I love listening to the Final Fantasy VI soundtrack (despite being Final Fantasy II in North America), along with Yoshi's Island. But either of the console's music sound good. The Super Nintendo gives it a early-mid 90s vibe, while the N64 gives it a late 90s/early 00s vibe.

I assume the SNES games aged better due to around the 4th console gen most dev companies mastered 2D game development. By the 5th gen all devs were inexperienced in 3D game development. But by the 6th gen they all have gotten the experience they needed and started making games that have aged quite well. But as for 2D gaming back in the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s 2D was big in the entire gaming industry. By the late 1990s onward it was only big in some parts of the indsutry (most notably the handheld side). Now with indie games we see 2D games on PC, but besides PC, 3DS, PSVite, and Mobile there aren't any big mainstream 2D games. As of 2016 all 2D games are from indies. AAA devs do 3D.

No, I'm sorry. I've played few 3D games because I only had a PS1 back then, and even with that, a small handful of games to get into and ones that I liked.

Wow. Almost 10 years since I started this topic.

Wow. Almost 10 years since I started this topic.

Congrats! 8)

Yeah, I do miss it in way because it was so much fun, and I never got tired of it. I know I can still play them today on emulators, but it's not the same playing them with friends.

Yeah, I do miss it in way because it was so much fun, and I never got tired of it. I know I can still play them today on emulators, but it's not the same playing them with friends.
Or maybe you can find a still working old system in flea markets or thrift stores if you don't have one.

Or maybe you can find a still working old system in flea markets or thrift stores if you don't have one.


It's a bit expensive, especially some of the rarer games.

Would a company that is dedicated to creating retro games but for their own console that has HD graphics and power be able to work or succeed?

Would a company that is dedicated to creating retro games but for their own console that has HD graphics and power be able to work or succeed?


Hmm... You can't create retro games, they become retro. ;D

Unless you mean retro-style games. They do that a lot on Steam/XBLA/PSN and I think many do decently.

Yeah, I do miss it in way because it was so much fun, and I never got tired of it. I know I can still play them today on emulators, but it's not the same playing them with friends.

It's a shame that playing old games via emulators have now become legal issues. This makes crappy backward compatibility on recent games consoles look like nothing, but they could go after that as well.

Hmm... You can't create retro games, they become retro. ;D

Unless you mean retro-style games. They do that a lot on Steam/XBLA/PSN and I think many do decently.

Yeah...I meant retro style games.

For example:

I create a company called Retro Arts and my company creates a console called the Retro Box or whatever. The consoles come with about 10-30 pre installed games. They are all in the style of video games from 1987-2004. The graphics though are HD and the console runs smooth. We would sell that console for $40-$80 USD (don't know how much that is in CAD or any other currency). We would manufacture as many consoles as the demand meets....would that work?

I hate the 3D games.  I'd much rather play 2D games anyday .. give me the days of Super Mario Bros. anyday 8)

I hear ya... I hate this garbage they make now.......... I dont play any of it!!

I prefer early 80s arcade games... (And atari 2600,coleco)

It's a shame that playing old games via emulators have now become legal issues. This makes crappy backward compatibility on recent games consoles look like nothing, but they could go after that as well.


You mean playing them via computer?

You mean playing them via computer?

Yep, especially if they weren't meant to be played on it.

Yeah...I meant retro style games.

For example:

I create a company called Retro Arts and my company creates a console called the Retro Box or whatever. The consoles come with about 10-30 pre installed games. They are all in the style of video games from 1987-2004. The graphics though are HD and the console runs smooth. We would sell that console for $40-$80 USD (don't know how much that is in CAD or any other currency). We would manufacture as many consoles as the demand meets....would that work?


I have a thought like this. I'd release a console that is only powerful enough to run older 3D graphics. Dreamcast, PS2 or Gamecube gen for example. It'd be interesting and wouldn't cost as much.

Yeah...I meant retro style games.

For example:

I create a company called Retro Arts and my company creates a console called the Retro Box or whatever. The consoles come with about 10-30 pre installed games. They are all in the style of video games from 1987-2004. The graphics though are HD and the console runs smooth. We would sell that console for $40-$80 USD (don't know how much that is in CAD or any other currency). We would manufacture as many consoles as the demand meets....would that work?


I don't know. Why pay for a console when you can just play it on any low end PC?  :-X

Yep, especially if they weren't meant to be played on it.


You have the keyboard acting as a controller.

I have a thought like this. I'd release a console that is only powerful enough to run older 3D graphics. Dreamcast, PS2 or Gamecube gen for example. It'd be interesting and wouldn't cost as much.

Yeah, I know right...it would be cool.


I don't know. Why pay for a console when you can just play it on any low end PC?  :-X

Not everyone is a PC gamer. Also, more people are comfortable with playing retro games on consoles...you wouldn't even have to buy a actual game cover with a CD or Blu ray disc. If my company, Retro Arts, comes out with more games...we could just have them download them onto the console. I think it would be a cool idea but it probably would fail because most people would either just want the games and not the console or would just want games with modern graphics :-\\.

Yeah...I meant retro style games.

For example:

I create a company called Retro Arts and my company creates a console called the Retro Box or whatever. The consoles come with about 10-30 pre installed games. They are all in the style of video games from 1987-2004. The graphics though are HD and the console runs smooth. We would sell that console for $40-$80 USD (don't know how much that is in CAD or any other currency). We would manufacture as many consoles as the demand meets....would that work?


Honestly, I think something like that could work.

There's a huge market out there of folks my age and older that grew up playing video games during the '80s and '90s who are still gamers today, but have started to lose interest over the last few years due to the rise of GTA and Call of Duty clones dominating the market. For a fact, I know that I'm not the only person my age that feels this way. A lot of people I know do as well.

Yes, I do like to play the huge new Triple A games on the PS4, but I'm also a busy adult now that doesn't have as much time to play games as I did 15 years ago. Sometimes, it's nice to just be able to play the kind of games I grew up with. Quick and to the point platformers and beat-em-ups that don't require me to spend 100 hours of my time to beat them.

Now, whether or not there's enough people out there who like retro style gamers to make a console like that work I'm not sure, but I do think there's enough old school gamers like me for it to be profitable.

Honestly, I think something like that could work.

There's a huge market out there of folks my age and older that grew up playing video games during the '80s and '90s who are still gamers today, but have started to lose interest over the last few years due to the rise of GTA and Call of Duty clones dominating the market. For a fact, I know that I'm not the only person my age that feels this way. A lot of people I know do as well.

Yes, I do like to play the huge new Triple A games on the PS4, but I'm also a busy adult now that doesn't have as much time to play games as I did 15 years ago. Sometimes, it's nice to just be able to play the kind of games I grew up with. Quick and to the point platformers and beat-em-ups that don't require me to spend 100 hours of my time to beat them.

Now, whether or not there's enough people out there who like retro style gamers to make a console like that work I'm not sure, but I do think there's enough old school gamers like me for it to be profitable.

Yeah...I think you're correct. The only thing though is that I'm surprised to see that no one has thought of this yet (or at least put it into fruition).

Would a company that is dedicated to creating retro games but for their own console that has HD graphics and power be able to work or succeed?


In today's world? I don't think so. The console market is already crowded thinks to the Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft consoles along with the PC, Nintendo 3DS, as well as mobile devices. Nowadays it's usually better to just put your games on one of these.

In today's world? I don't think so. The console market is already crowded thinks to the Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft consoles along with the PC, Nintendo 3DS, as well as mobile devices. Nowadays it's usually better to just put your games on one of these.

I mean Nintendo miniaturized the NES and it sold well. Now, Nintendo is miniaturizing the SNES...so there is definitely a market for it. However, the biggest differences between what I proposed and what Nintendo is doing is that...my theoretical company would create our own original retro-style games and if we come out with new games...they would have download them for a price ($5-$20).

However, then again....this is mostly theoretical.

I mean Nintendo miniaturized the NES and it sold well. Now, Nintendo is miniaturizing the SNES...so there is definitely a market for it. However, the biggest differences between what I proposed and what Nintendo is doing is that...my theoretical company would create our own original retro-style games and if we come out with new games...they would have download them for a price ($5-$20).

However, then again....this is mostly theoretical.


It's probably worth a shot.  8)

But you could technically just release those games on XBLA/PSN, so be wary of your competitors.  :-X

It's probably worth a shot.  8)

But you could technically just release those games on XBLA/PSN, so be wary of your competitors.  :-X

I know.

However, this theoretical situation is at least 6-10 years away and by then we'll be in the 9th and possibly 10th generation of gaming.