Current Events > Why do older games typically always feel a lot more timeless

(+) Yeah! (+)

Than anything past the N64/PS1 era?

But like, games like Ocarina of Time, the DKC trilogy, Final Fantasy 4 and 6, Super Mario 64 (maybe not quite as much on this one, due to a terrible camera) etc have all aged really well and still hold up to some modern games even today. That doesn't mean I don't think any modern game has beaten these, but older titles always hold more replay value for me. They still play great and I can always go back to them without getting bored, especially OoT and the DKC games.

Is it just nostalgia or were those games just that masterfully crafted?

PS2 games hold up really well, in my opinion.

Devs focused more on graphics and neglected gameplay more as each gen passed

Because modern games are shiny substanceless things that exist only for a marketing team to reap massive amounts of cash off of rather than a developer team putting in the effort to make the actual game great.

They feel timeless because you were 10-15 at the time you first played them

I think starting with Final Fantasy 7 and the gaining popularity of CGI cutscenes, games started shifting away from just being games and heading more towards low-budget movies. Now, they're low budget movies designed with FOMO and endless content so you're not playing for fun anymore, you're just grinding to get stuff.

Less focus tested and more soulful

I mean even some of the modern Zeldas are guilty of this. I love stories in my games and I love Twilight Princess to death but both it and Skyward Sword are not nearly as accessible as OoT; so many cutscenes, TP takes an hour (maybe even a bit longer) just to reach the FIRST dungeon, SS is convoluted, the controls are a mess (less so in the Switch version but still not very basic), etc.

OoT, anyone can pick up and almost immediately dive right into the Great Deku Tree. SM64? You pop it in and within the first five minutes of the game, you're at your first level.

nostalgia

Antifar posted...

They feel timeless because you were 10-15 at the time you first played them

These.

I feel this same way about PS3/360 era games because that was about the age I was when I was playing those.

Kitt posted...

These.

I feel this same way about PS3/360 era games because that was about the age I was when I was playing those.

I was 14 when the PS3 came out. I didn't get one until about a year or so later. I still don't even remotely feel that way about the games on that system.

I think part of it is growing up but I also think a decline in quality undoubtedly has something to do with it.