Video games were changed forever with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-1980s. Since then, gamers have been exposed to many different types of video games and video game consoles. While there are countless timeless games, there have been many innovations and impressive new technologies that simply fail to impress in today’s world of gaming. As early as the Super Nintendo in the early 1990s, 3D technology has started to emerge. We were faced with the impressive Mode 7 graphics on the Super Nintendo and Star Fox’s Super FX coprocessor.
Not long after these discoveries, we were able to play impressi🍰ve new 3D games on consoles such as the Sony PlayStation, Sega Dreamcas♕t and the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately, many of these games have simply lost their charm. 3D graphics tend to age more poorly than 2D graphics. We have also come to expect more in terms of gameplay mechanics and storylines in video games.
It’s not a secret that there are some old games that just don’t hold up well anymore. All of the games featured o💙n this list were awesome when we were younger, and many of them are still awesome today. However, there is no denying that age has certainly taken its toll on these titles. Whether you still enjoy these games for the nostalgia factor, or you struggle to play dated games, it’s interesting to look back at how they hold up in 2018. Here are 15 awesome games from your childhood that didn’t age well.
15 No Love For Bond 🥀
GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooter game that was released on the Nintendo 64. It was developed by Rare, the same video game developer that is responsible for dozens of beloved classic games and game series, including Battletoads, Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong, and Banjo-Kazooie. As one should expect from such a prolific developer, GoldenEye 007 was a huge milestone for video games in general. It is considered second to the likes of Doom in terms of the history of first-person shooters. GoldenEye 007 innovated single-player missions and a multiplayer deathmatch mode. Unfortunately, the game does not hold up too well in 2018. The outdated 3D graphics along with the awkward N64 controls makes playing the game an awkward experience for anyone familiar with moder🐼n first-🌊person shooters.
14 Hourglasses For Arms ಌ ▨
Final Fantasy VII is arguably one of the most important and recognizable games in the Final Fantasy franchise, at least in the United States. It was released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation. It centers around the main protagonist, Cloud Strife, a recognizable character with an oversized sword. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VII is plagued with a lot of the same problems other games with early 3D models are faced with. Gamers are accustomed to high-quality 3D models that are easy on the eyes. Graphically, Final Fantasy VII does not look as pleasant aꦅs later games. The English translations are also kind of awkward. Despite thesꦺe problems, the gameplay still holds up very well if you can get past some of the other issues. In addition, the cyberpunk art style is still interesting even with the dated graphics.
13 ไ ♐ Do A Barrel Roll!
Star Fox was released in 1993 on the Super Nintendo. The SNES games were developed by the now-defunct developer, Argonaut Software, the same company which was responsible for the Croc series on PlayStation. Star Fox was the first Nintendo game ever to use polygonal graphics, which was a clever way to compose 3D-like images. This was made possible by the Super Nintendo’s compatibility with the Super FX coprocessor that was also developed by Argonaut Software. Despite the interesting software and hardware necessary to make Star Fox a reality, the game does not hold up very well compared to many 2D SNES games. We have come to expect more from 3D graphics, and the game’s main gimmick, its graphics, no longer seems impressive. Perhaps one should check out Star Fox 64 for a cleaner experience.
12 🤡 A Battle Not Worth Fighting ༒
Wild Arms was released as the first of a fiv🅰e-game RPG series. It was released for the Sony PlayStation in 1996, making it a relatively early release for the console’s timeline. The game displayed some of the graphic capabilities of the PlayStation. Like many RPGs at the time (and still today), it featured an overworld and a separate battle system. The overworld looks like one would expect. Aside from the characters, everything in the overworld uses 2D sprites. The battles are where the age of the game really shows. These battles feature 3D models, and the characters are in a chibi-style. The battles are not a pretty sight. In addition, the battles are also kind of boring. They are the typical turn-based battles one has come to expect. The story also fails to captivate.
11 This Gam🙈e Was Doomed
The Doom series is huge, even to this day. Doom pioneered first-person shooters and multiplayer PC gaming. Doom is often considered one of the most influential video games of all time. As one would expect from such a huge game, there were many ports. If you can think of it, Doom was on it. The SNES, PlayStation, 3DO, Sega Saturn, Xbox, and the list goes on. Many gamers could only experience Doom for the SNES, which eliminated many features that were availaꦍble on the PC version, such as the ability to circle-strafe. In addition, the game has a strange delay in its controls. It is also less visually appealing than the PC version, and the enemies are difficult to see in the dark atmosphere. The game’s sounds also leave something to be desired.
10 ꧙A Smashingly Bare-Bones Ga꧂me
Most people are probably aware of Super Smash Bros. It’s a huge game series that has a thriving competitive scene, and it’s also a game that’s just fun to play casually with some friends. Super Smash Bros. was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It was the first game with such a huge cross-over of characters. It was given numerous awards and was an incredibly successful game. There is still a dedicated fanbase of people who playꦆ this N64 title, but most people prefer the various differe♛nt improvements made by future games. It is fairly basic and lacks options. It also lacks the volume of characters people have come to love in later games. In addition, the graphics are passable, but it’s definitely not the selling point for those who prefer this game over the others.
9 3D Doesn't Always Mean Better 𝄹
Duke Nukem is a lovable character. He is probably one of the most hilarious video game characters in the history of video games next to the Postal Dude. Duke Nukem 3D is the sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II, but Duke Nukem 3D was the game that brought attention to the series. It is another one of those games that popularized and pioneered first-person shooters. It especially pioneered first-person shooters that have a character with a sense of humor or a deeper personality than just a generic soldier or space marine. The game was praised especially for its humor, which is still funny to this day. However, the gameplay and graphics are quite dated. Unfortunately, the 2011 Duke Nukem Forever game didn’t quite live up to Duke Nukem 3D’s legacy, so fanꦕs will have to bear wi✤th the dated aspects of the old game.
8 ꦍ Don't Wanna Catch 'Em All
As a kid, I loved Pokémon Red and Blue. In fact, I still love Pokémon Red and Blue. However, I do not let my nostalgia goggles blind me from the more aged aspects of thꦜese games. These games were released 🐟in 1999 in North America. They were Game Boy games, which meant they did not have a large array of colors. The colors do not really bother me, but there are other aspects to these games that might make them seem dated. For example, many Pokémon have designs that just seem a little bit off. Some Pokémon, such as Golbat and Koffing, have designs that are different to the designs that were introduced in the anime and subsequent games. The games are also a bit harder than more recent Pokémon games, which is a good thing for those who are looking for a challenge.
7 Not A Fun Adventure 🗹 ꦑ
Sonic Adventure was released in 1998 for the Sega Dreamcast. The Sega Dreamcast is a somewhat obscure console with a life span of only 4 short years. As a result of the Dreamcast’s failure, most people are familiar with the Sonic Adventure series through the Sonic Adventure 2 Battle enhanced sequel on the Nintendo GameCube. Both games were well-received and sold well. The series ushered into a new generation and style of Sonic games, for better or for worse. Despite it’s success, the game ⛦does not hold up very well anymore. The camera controls can be frustrating at times and the graphics don’t hold up anymore either. The game also suffered from addition proble🐻ms in its ports to GameCube and other consoles. Unfortunately, many people reported that the ports had some frame rate issues.
6 Sorry, What Animal Is That? 💦 ಌ
Those who grew up with Banjo-Kazooie swear by it. There may even be some people who believe the game aged well. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this game too, but it feels like some aspects of the game aren’t as enjoyable as they were back then. One gameplay aspect of the game that is a little bit dated is the collectables. There are numerous different objects scattered throughout the stages that you can college; it is a bit overwhelming and turns the game more into a scavenger hunt then a platformer. The game also feels less fluid and fast-paced than other 3D platformers, such as the Super Mario series. The game also suffers from the same proble🥀ms that plague most N64 games, w♑hich is the dated 3D graphics.