Whether it’s a favorite or a console masterpiece, retro gaming lovers have been treated to an extensive selection of much-loved releases over the years. Titles like Streets of Rage, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and GoldenEye 007 have all hit the spot, but not every retro game is as good as many gamers recall. In fact, we’ve actually been exposed to a number of shoddy releases that have potentially escaped criticism.
These days, as an increasing amount of people discover retro games and the retro themes that are available in modern-day releases, such as titles like Minecraft that have been given a facelift and the variety of McLuck games and the guides that come with them, products in this area are worth exploring. It hasn’t always been that way, though. There is a strong argument to suggest that some previous favorites are perhaps rated too highly, with gamers tending to elevate certain games they’ve tackled in the past. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, after all.
This certainly applies to more senior gamers, with older gaming audiences remembering favorites from their youth and ranting and raving about how the standards of today’s games just aren’t the same. For many people, though, while these titles will always hold a special place in their hearts, they aren’t quite up to scratch when they opt revisit them. Sometimes, a retro game just isn’t as good as you recall and it’s best left alone. Below are some titles that arguably match that description.
Perfect Dark isn’t as great as it used to be
Although dedicated gaming communities have been born off the back of Perfect Dark’s past success, it’s a game that isn’t as great as it used to be. Compared to the FPS titles of today, it’s actually pretty clumsy should you manage to session it once again. The controls are a nightmare thanks to N64’s shoddy controller, it’s a fairly basic release in more ways than one, and it doesn’t really bring much to the table in terms of entertainment.
Pokémon Red & Blue Version are fairly limited
Understandably, many people around the world adore the Pokémon franchise. These days, people are captivated by the augmented reality version of the game on smartphone devices, while merchandise is snapped up everywhere. In terms of the games, it all started with Pokémon Red &Blue, although the Gen I versions of the game were fairly limited if you ever have the chance to take another look. Sure, the nostalgia is there, but it’s in Gen II and III where the series of games really gathered momentum and represented a worthwhile gaming experience.
Mortal Kombat is a poor fighter really
While it arguably helped shape the genre today and has paved the way for a variety of newer versions of the game that have certainly recorded notable success, the original Mortal Kombat game is actually poor should you manage to revisit it. Of course, it nailed its violent aspect, but it didn’t offer much in terms of its graphics, the basic moves you could execute, and the limited outcomes that typically came with fights. It’s a game that’s adored by many, but have they actually sampled it recently?
Pitfall hasn’t aged well at all
We aren’t out to bash all retro gaming opportunities here, but some titles just haven’t aged well. For every classic that’s worth playing again now, there is a release that’s worth avoiding. Pitfall is definitely one of those games, showing itself today as nothing more than an average platformer with frustrating mechanics and annoying sound effects.
Discussion