There is an effect, often referred to as nostalgia goggles, that has gamers remembering old games far more fondly than they truly are. Which is not to say that the game was not ground breaking, or exceptional, at the time, it’s just that they haven’t aged particularly well.
Upon returning to old games, and playing them in modern times, many will be struck by how much better the game was in their memory. For this reason it’s often better to let old games rest in peace, or, to be more specific, remain in memory where they are fondly recalled. On the other hand, it doesn’t hurt to read about some of the games that are probably best left in the memory banks.
To that end, here are some of the games that are often remembered better than they really are, and unlike the online gambling Canada has to offer, you might get a surprise if you play them now!
Mortal Kombat
Once mind blowing for it’s live action characters, and focus on excessive violence, the original Mortal Kombat is not a very good fighting game in modern times. With stiff controls, extremely limited moves, and graphics that don’t hold up at all, it’s best to leave the original Mortal Kombat in the past.
The fighting systems drastically improved with the numerous sequels, opening up the game to real fighting game glory, but few seem to recall just how clunky the original game was. In fact, were it not for the litres of blood, Mortal Kombat would likely have not been a success at all.
Tomb Raider
As Mortal Kombat was a success largely because of the controversy generated by the violence, Tomb Raider was a success because of Lara Croft’s, ahem, personal assets. In modern times the game is extremely clunky and difficult to control, using a “tank” system that went out of style decades ago. The game was still unique it’s design, and offered some solid platform jumping, but today is a virtually unplayable mess.
Lara Croft dragged the franchise on, and the controls definitely improved over time, giving way to the extremely good modern Tomb Raider reboot. Go back and try and play the original today, however, and those polygonal assets won’t be doing much in the way of keeping you entertained.
Resident Evil
The grandfather of the survival horror genre, the original Resident Evil is fondly remembered by many, but for many it was the game that crashed their computers too and left them reeling in shock as they lost their progress. But, when looked at now is a disaster in many areas. Yes, the game was impressive at the time, but the game likewise has the sin of using “tank controls.” This makes the game extremely difficult to control, and even more difficult when it comes to shooting zombies.
Add to this the atrocious voice acting, and very muddy graphics, and you have a game that is not at all as good as is often recalled. And don’t forget that the game’s puzzles often resulted in players wondering around for hours, looking for an item that would allow progression to occur. Of course, since the controls were so unrefined and awkward, the player may well have accidentally believed they could not pick up a required item, simply due to lack of response from button presses. Not the recipe for a good modern game.