"Classic" games you never understood the appeal of [Archive]

Edmond Dantes

08-16-2011, 09:28 AM

Oh yes I can't believe I forgot about Pokemon! Back in the day I bought into the hype and bought the blue version, and played it for .... well, around the time I got to the St. Anne I was like "God, this game has been nothing but stupid and pointless so far." I mean, most people think RPGs are just games where you run around grinding, and for most RPGs there's usually at least a little more to it than that, but in Pokemon that is literally true. You grind and grind and grind until your monster is level 99. Then you repeat it... 149 more times. Then you go around and prove you can win cockfights against computer opponents, or against another player, all using a battle engine that's primitive even compared to the original Dragon Warrior.

It surprises me that Pokemon even took off.

Baloo

08-16-2011, 09:41 AM

Metriod just rambles on and on to me.

I'll second that, I never enjoyed running around aimlessly trying to figure out what to do.

Also never really understood the appeal of the Final Fantasy series.

Shingetter

08-16-2011, 09:51 AM

Action RPG's.

djshok

08-16-2011, 10:15 AM

The NES Zelda games, they're just so boring. There isn't even a plot in the first one when you start playing and they look terrible even by NES standards. Link To The Past on SNES is great, but I'm baffled by how the series got past the first installment.

RPG_Fanatic

08-16-2011, 10:55 AM

Zelda - Ocarina of time or any Zelda in 3D just sucks.

WelcomeToTheNextLevel

08-16-2011, 10:56 AM

Super Mario Bros 1. 3 and World far outclass it, as well as being more fun to play. Personally, I don't see how the NES beat the Master System when the NES took until about 1988-1989 to get where the Master System was in game quality in 1986. Granted, the NES had some great titles, but few were early generation.

fluid_matrix

08-16-2011, 10:59 AM

ugly_monster

08-16-2011, 12:07 PM

Days of Thunder NES

Damn that game sucked. A lot of games are too hard, no point, bad story/graphics. They had to start somewhere and if you have a limited time to push out a game or at least get your game shown then you will end up with some crap.

Without the dirt you won't get to the treasure.

wingzrow

08-16-2011, 12:09 PM

NerdXCrewWill

08-16-2011, 12:37 PM

Then you go around and prove you can win cockfights against computer opponents, or against another player, all using a battle engine that's primitive even compared to the original Dragon Warrior.

I don't know, man. I think you need to reevaluate this statement. Sure, you grind way too much and fight way too many Zubats. However, Pokemon has so many different things going on that it's surprisingly pretty deep in player vs. player. If you only got as far as the St. Anne, that would explain why you didn't run into anything too strategic.

As for my own unappealing game, I've never much liked Symphony of the Night. Granted, I've only played the Saturn version. I found the game too easy compared to the older games in the series.

Flam

08-16-2011, 12:41 PM

I do love Legend of Zelda, but just not Metroid. Zelda doesn't seem as aimless.

bangtango

08-16-2011, 12:59 PM

Agree with Metroid and I remember Nintendo Power and EGM practically having wet dreams about the "sequel" Metroid II on the old Gameboy. Wasted $30-35 of birthday money on Metroid II one year because of how much that one was hyped. God, what a sham that series is.

kupomogli

08-16-2011, 01:00 PM

Zelda A Link to the Past. I've tried to play the game multiple times, and sure the graphics are great, but I usually get bored of the game by the time I get the Master Sword. I really enjoyed Zelda 1, 2(not similar,) Link's Awakening, and 3D Dot Game Heroes, so it's not like I don't like the gameplay, it's just the game.

Super Mario 64. I've actually beaten the game, but each stage you can get through in no time at all and it's just a series of fetch quests. Get a star by doing this, do that, do this. The DS version is the better game, only because of the mini games included actually being a lot of fun, but the game itself, not so much.

Sonic the Hedgehog, except Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Spinball. I've never found the appeal of these games. Just go fast. One time recently I was like "I'm going to really try and finish a Sonic game." I got to the third stage of the original Sonic before quitting. Maybe it's because I never put any time into the games while the Genesis was in its prime. My friend owned the Sonic games back then and I've played them a little and still didn't like them.

outsider

08-16-2011, 01:45 PM

The entire Sonic series, aside from the Sonic Adventure games.

R.Sakai

08-16-2011, 02:54 PM

...Myst.

Kitsune Sniper

08-16-2011, 03:00 PM

...Myst.

THIS, GODDAMNIT, THIS

That entire fucking series is nothing but a glorified screensaver. THE ENTIRE SERIES SUCKS, BUT EVERYONE WHO ADORES IT CAN'T ADMIT THEY BOUGHT A $60 SCREENSAVER SIX OR SEVEN TIMES OVER.

Emperor Megas

08-16-2011, 03:09 PM

Qix. I just don't see anything fun about it.

(I am under the impression that this is "highly regarded" as it was listed as the #100 'greatest game of all time' in EGM #100. I really don't know anything about the game's reputation or history beyond that.)I really enjoy Qix types games. Especially the Gal's Panic series.

I was never a fan of the Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog sequels. The only ones I played that I really could get into were the original and Spinball. I just didn't really care for the way that the games played because the focus was more on going fast rather than exploring the stages. Even if you wanted to explore the stage at a slower pace, Sonic moves like a tank when you're not running.

Aussie2B

08-16-2011, 03:18 PM

Super Mario Bros 1. 3 and World far outclass it, as well as being more fun to play.

I doubt many people would argue that. I think you're missing the point here. When most people fell in love with the first SMB, SMB3 and World didn't exist yet. The original is still a good game, though, and you also have to consider that platformers like that didn't really exist prior to that. Most games prior to SMB were arcade-style, focused purely on score rather than having a distinct beginning and end. So that was part of the attraction.

Super Mario 64. I've actually beaten the game, but each stage you can get through in no time at all and it's just a series of fetch quests. Get a star by doing this, do that, do this.

That's not what a fetch quest is. Not in the context of Super Mario 64, at least.

Anyway, I could come up with lots of well-regarded games that I don't think earn quite the level of adulation they get (the Zelda series and its "godly" status for one; I'd rather play Crystalis or a Wonder Boy or plenty of other adventure games), but in terms of ones that I flat-out dislike, my mainstays are Phantasy Star II and Final Fantasy VII.

stargate

08-16-2011, 03:21 PM

Collector_Gaming

08-16-2011, 03:21 PM

ET... come on.

As for myst. I know it looks like screen saver. But you gotta realise right around when this game came out there were alot of games like it shooting out all over the place.

What made myst a good game imo is its story and mystery makes the game feel more i guess like a interactive choose your own adventure book.

Clownzilla

08-16-2011, 03:52 PM

buzz_n64

08-16-2011, 03:52 PM

allyourblood

08-16-2011, 04:33 PM

I'm reading through this thread and thinking, "Hey! I like pretty much all of those games!" I mean, how anyone could dislike SMB or Zelda 1 when they first came out, is absolutely beyond me.

Not counting current gen (I could write a book about which current gen games I think are overhyped!), there are very few "big deal" games that I take issue with. Thinking hard, I can come up with three particular series that I don't "get":

Star Fox: When this game first released, I found it ugly and boring. The 3D aspect wowed me for a while, but paired with the gameplay, I just didn't find much to stay excited about. I didn't care for the controls and the barren, bland polygons quickly began to grate on me. This game actually began a long-time disdain for 3D games, which lasted well through the PS1/N64 era, and even a few years beyond. The Star Fox sequels seem to get progressively worse as well. Can't do it.

Final Fantasy, beyond FFVI: I confess, it mostly had to do with the hype, but I could not stand FFVII when it released. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, I was not a fan of 3D and thought this game looked horrid (I still do). I had fallen away from RPGs around this time, and attempted to begin a FFVII game on several occasions. For whatever reason, I could never get more than a few hours in, and to this day, I've not finished this game. Don't get me wrong; as long as one of my PS systems still works, I'll keep trying.

The following two sequels seemed to get further and further away from what I liked about RPGs, and the frilly, exhausting, and often absurd dialog was completely lost on me. I have looked back in on this series over the last several iterations, but I think this ship has sailed. The modern FF series is no doubt a popular one, into which a lot of time and thought has been put, but it simply isn't for me. I'll stick with FFIV and FFVI (II and III, to me), but that's the end of it.

Star Wars "flight sim" games: Yechh.. ugly graphics, bad controls, unbalanced difficulty... I probably just "don't get them", but whatever the reason, they're at the absolute lowest rung of the gaming ladder, for me. How millions of fans can derive so much enjoyment from (primarily) a trilogy of movies and their numerous off-shoots and regurgitated storylines (at least, in the principal game series) is beyond me. How many times can you relive the Death Star trench run? Pass!

Emperor Megas

08-16-2011, 04:42 PM

I don't like the original Pitfall! game. It's boring and very repetitive, and it seems to never end.Pitfall is one of the few Atari age games that does 'end'. IIRC, there's a 20:00 timer. The point I suppose is to amass as much treasure/score as you can in the allotted time. Some obstacles take time from your counter when you touch them. I think this is why I enjoyed Pitfall so much.

Space Invaders, boring, too mechanical and plain.I agree with you. Especially the arcade version.

kirin jensen

08-16-2011, 04:55 PM

I've always hated River Raid for the 2600. The controls were wonky as hell. Also never understood the love for Kaboom.

Damaniel

08-16-2011, 05:27 PM

Pokemon, Pokemon, Pokemon. I've tried 4 times, with 4 different versions (Yellow, LeafGreen, HeartGold, Black) and I've given up each time after an hour or two. They're just so boring! I know they're supposed to be really deep, but I can't ever manage to slog through those first few hours to find out where the fun is.

My girlfriend, on the other hand, can play Pokemon for hours (i.e. 8+) at a time and not get even the slightest bit bored -- she's a few years younger than I am, so she falls squarely into the peak playing age for the first couple generations of the series. I guess it's something that you just have to grow up with to get. :(

substantial_snake

08-16-2011, 05:48 PM

Hmm, there are a few.

Earthbound
Final Fantasy 3 & 5 (Job system was cool, everything else was a mess)
Fire Emblem Series
Dragon Warrior Series

Special Mention to the Fighting Game Genera.

I honestly don't get fighting games with few exceptions, I'm not any good at them and unless you have someone who is near your skill level to talk shit to as your playing they aren't very fun. The only ones ive enjoyed for more then 5 minutes both with people and on my own were Soul Caliber 1 and 2, Tekken (one of the PS1 versions), and Bushido Blade. There are probably a few more i'm just forgetting now but in general I find fighting games really boring and tedious.

OldSchoolGamer

08-16-2011, 06:33 PM

ANYTHING relating to POKEMON or FINAL FANTASY.
To be fair I just have never been able to get into Turn based RPG's, Tactical or Strategy (Real time OR Turn Based) so those are genres I have no interest inm, they just are not fun to me.

But specifically any Pokemon or Final Fantasy title I have tried I have never been able to get into, I just have no love for the characters or themes.

On the other hand I have always been mostly into Survival Horror and games with a dark, Gothic, creepy atmosphere.

stargate

08-16-2011, 07:23 PM

I don't like the original Pitfall! game. It's boring and very repetitive, and it seems to never end. I find the sequel Pitfall II for the Atari 5200 the only game in the series I find enjoyable.

The entire Final Fantasy and Pokemon series; although, I must admit I'm biased against RPGs.

Space Invaders, boring, too mechanical and plain.

Back in 1978 when Space Invaders came out, it was the sh!t though, at least IMO. I mean, there was nothing like it. Arcades were few and far between and usually filled with pinball and mechanical type games. Space Invaders was the first actual "video game" I ever played. They had one located at my grandmother's racquetball club. It was the only game there, they just stuck it next to the juice bar. I was 8 years old. Playing it for me was like a religious experience, I was BLOWN away. And later on the 2600, it was one of Atari's best done ports probably ever. It acually exceeded the arcade version in pretty much every way, which may have been the only time the 2600 managed such a feat.

Sunnyvale

08-16-2011, 07:43 PM

For the sake of this thread, "Classic" means highly regarded.

For me, one such game is Excitebike for the NES. It's just... all you do is drive to the side, jump high up in the air, and... ummm... I'm not even sure what the goal is. Trying to score a best time, I think? It's just lame. There's no point and there's really no way to "lose." At least, not that I noticed.

The only thing cool about Excitebike was the custom tracks. First of it's kind, if I'm not mistaken. As for my least understood classic, Resident Evil. Ruin a great concept with pointless, meaningless items to hunt up.

Sunnyvale

08-16-2011, 07:44 PM

Back in 1978 when Space Invaders came out, it was the sh!t though, at least IMO. I mean, there was nothing like it. Arcades were few and far between and usually filled with pinball and mechanical type games. Space Invaders was the first actual "video game" I ever played. They had one located at my grandmother's racquetball club. It was the only game there, they just stuck it next to the juice bar. I was 8 years old. Playing it for me was like a religious experience, I was BLOWN away. And later on the 2600, it was one of Atari's best done ports probably ever. It acually exceeded the arcade version in pretty much every way, which may have been the only time the 2600 managed such a feat.

IMHO, Battlezone was another game the 2600 ported better than coin opped.

Tupin

08-16-2011, 07:51 PM

Definitely Pokemon. I just don't get the appeal of the main series. I've had way more fun with the spinoff games in the series (Pinball, Snap, Puzzle League, Pikachu's Adventure) than I've ever had with the main series. Even when I was younger, I didn't like them.

Then again, I don't like most turn based RPGs.

Zoe F

08-16-2011, 07:59 PM

That's not what a fetch quest is. Not in the context of Super Mario 64, at least.

To be fair, the red coin stars and the stars for collecting one hundred coins were fetch quests in every sense of the word. Luckily, they weren't a necessity to finish the game.

This segues into the fact that Knuckles' emerald collecting levels in Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 were enough to ruin those games for me. They were so utterly boring, and they were actually necessary to complete the game. UGGGHHHH! Knuckles, you used to be cool.

turbofan1

08-16-2011, 08:00 PM

Tetris: I believe at one point EGM voted it the best game of all time. I could never stand playing it for more than 5 minutes.

Ys Book I & II for the TG-16: I really want to like this game, but I could never get past the "bump into your enemies" style of attack. Myabe I should give it another shot.

After hearing how great Ys I&II was over the years,I have tried playing it numerous times.Even though it was A early Turbo grafx game,The graphics were average at best,the music wasn't that great.The game play is boring and tedious.The game series has A weird cult following of fans.I was once told by some uberdork fan of the game,that I needed to go to A library and learn how to spell.Because I misspelled "Ys"in A forum post.

Edmond Dantes

08-16-2011, 08:05 PM

Seconding Phantasy Star II. The battle system seems to consist of just you watching the characters do all the fighting with little in the way of strategy or planning, and the plot consists of Rolf/Eusis or whatever his name is being given a clear-cut mission (get to this lab and see what's wrong) that he takes like half the game to actually get around to. The first time I played I thought the dungeon to the northeast was the lab I was investigating, but no, its just some place you're going because... because something, really.

Lately I've also played the first two Lufia games and I can't really see why back in the day everyone was so wild about them, either. My main problem with both games is that the plot plays out like it was originally meant to be a TV anime but wound up as a game instead--you're given the general overall idea that there are "Sinistrals" and you're trying to beat them, but from there you wind up pulling an Ash Ketchum and every time you go to a new town you get caught up in some other minor drama that you have to play out before you can move on, and every once in awhile you'll get "this episode actually advances the plot!!!" Lufia II tries to add puzzle-solving, but honestly that just made the game worse, not better.

Collector_Gaming

08-16-2011, 08:05 PM

IMHO, Battlezone was another game the 2600 ported better than coin opped.

in a way i agree with you on that

I mean the nostalgia in me says no way arcade versions always win over ported.
But i was just at the Fun Spot arcade in laconia NH this past weekend and they have that machine in all its glory. I played it. And although the controls feel realistic in terms of how a tank would drive. Still after playing ported versions way before the arcade version... it just seemed ackward.

spongerob

08-16-2011, 08:12 PM

Killer Instinct. That shit is like a mix of texting on a T9 and programming a VCR. Yawn.

Mortal Kombat. Felt wooden, every character was identical. The violence didn't amuse me much so I never got into it.

Never understood the appeal of Populous, either.

Sunnyvale

08-16-2011, 08:16 PM

in a way i agree with you on that

I mean the nostalgia in me says no way arcade versions always win over ported.
But i was just at the Fun Spot arcade in laconia NH this past weekend and they have that machine in all its glory. I played it. And although the controls feel realistic in terms of how a tank would drive. Still after playing ported versions way before the arcade version... it just seemed ackward.

I agree the controls on the arcade are far better. But the 2600 port is actually a decent game for that system, quick and action packed. Repetitive, but that was the early 80's. Another game I like the port better than the arcade is the NES port of Trojan. That arcade version was just a foul quarter-leech.

Baloo

08-16-2011, 08:21 PM

The love for Galaxian has always puzzled me. Pre-Galaga I can see the appeal but after Galaga was released it did everything that Galaxian did but did it better. I MIGHT give the nostolgia angle some slack but if people actually love the game when Galaga exsists then I just don't get it.

Agreed. Galaxian, Space Invaders, Radar Scope et al are really boring and slow compared to Galaga. Horribly outdated games!

Also, how about Asteroids? That game gets really boring about 5 minutes in. Destroy the asteroids, level starts over again. There's just no variety in the gameplay. I do however vastly enjoy Minestorm for the Vectrex.

Collector_Gaming

08-16-2011, 08:42 PM

Custer's Revenge should get thrown in the mix too

I know i know its suppose to be a tongue in cheek gag style game of a horny cowboy fucking a busty native american princess while avoiding arrows flying through the air. but thats about it so it loses its "hehehe that cowboy is having sex with that native american chick" appeal real fast. specially when its atari 2600 graphics.
Which btw on a side note i thought about how rare i hear about this game and looked on ebay real quick. Great googily moogily does this game go for a pretty penny on ebay! is it that rare?

http://www.steverd.com/what26/custers.jpg

stargate

08-16-2011, 09:10 PM

For the sake of this thread, "Classic" means highly regarded.

For me, one such game is Excitebike for the NES. It's just... all you do is drive to the side, jump high up in the air, and... ummm... I'm not even sure what the goal is. Trying to score a best time, I think? It's just lame. There's no point and there's really no way to "lose." At least, not that I noticed.

The goal of Excitebike is to finish the race in the alloted time, so it is a race against the clock. There is actually quite a bit of strategy involved. You have to manage your boost function carefully so you do not overheat. You also have to use the controls to angle your bike when jumping, avoid ruts, race to get back on your bike after crashing, etc. If you fail to finish the race in the alloted time, you do, in fact, lose.

allyourblood

08-16-2011, 09:10 PM

After hearing how great Ys I&II was over the years,I have tried playing it numerous times.Even though it was A early Turbo grafx game,The graphics were average at best,the music wasn't that great.The game play is boring and tedious.The game series has A weird cult following of fans.I was once told by some uberdork fan of the game,that I needed to go to A library and learn how to spell.Because I misspelled "Ys"in A forum post.

I don't know about spelling, but your capitalization of the letter "A" at every use is... new?

Collector_Gaming

08-16-2011, 09:15 PM

A?

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/12/06/article-1092477-029EC8D0000005DC-550_233x684.jpg

AAYYYYYYY

Drixxel

08-16-2011, 10:07 PM

As for my own unappealing game, I've never much liked Symphony of the Night. Granted, I've only played the Saturn version. I found the game too easy compared to the older games in the series.

SOTN is undoubtedly a cakewalk of a game, especially when compared against the more traditional entries in the Castlevania series, but man, it's just fun. The fluid control, huge map, beautifully drawn & animated sprites, sprawling collectable arsenal.. take the voice acting and awful dialogue as comedy and the only strike I have against the game is the low, low difficulty. It's one I'd recommend to anyone in this thread who hasn't found a taste for Metroid but is perhaps mildly interested in that style of gameplay.

Kid Icarus, here's a game I've failed to develop much of a taste for despite repeated attempts. I was originally quite stoked to play it, having been aware of its acclaim and similarities to Metroid. Sure, it's fun to arrow enemies, amass hearts and generally progress but the deadly 1-way scrolling vertical stages, the often awkward platforming, that piddly starting lifebar.. ehhh. I do appreciate that there is more depth to the game than your typical NES platformer, but is it really a classic?

Sonicwolf

08-16-2011, 10:23 PM

Myst. I never understood the appeal of this game or why it received so much attention and praise. So it has pretty graphics. So what? Graphics don't detract from the extremely slow pace and lack of direction in the game. You spend more time thinking "Oh now what the hell do I do - OH THATS A NICE BRIDGE! THAT MADE THIS HOUR LONG TREK ALL THE MORE THRILLING!"

Flam

08-16-2011, 10:24 PM

Is Kid Icarus hard to anyone else besides me?

Stringfellow

08-16-2011, 11:22 PM

Kid Icarus is hard to me too.

I never could really get big into Halo. I played it a little and just thought ehh its ok.

Aussie2B

08-16-2011, 11:34 PM

Definitely Pokemon. I just don't get the appeal of the main series. I've had way more fun with the spinoff games in the series (Pinball, Snap, Puzzle League, Pikachu's Adventure) than I've ever had with the main series.

Same here, and unlike many of the people that don't see the appeal in Pokemon, I actually do really like RPGs. The Pokemon RPGs are just boring examples of the genre.

kupomogli

08-16-2011, 11:44 PM

A

I and proper nouns are the only words that are also capitalized in the middle of a sentence instead of just the beginning of the sentence. I'll is the same as I will, so you'll still capitalize the letter I.

SOTN is undoubtedly a cakewalk of a game. the only strike I have against the game is the low, low difficulty.

As for my own unappealing game, I've never much liked Symphony of the Night. Granted, I've only played the Saturn version. I found the game too easy compared to the older games in the series.

X-X!V''Q

alec006

08-16-2011, 11:55 PM

j_factor

08-17-2011, 12:04 AM

Conker's Bad Fur Day. It's just a crappy platformer with a bunch of cussing and toilet humor. I guess when you're 12 that stuff is funny, but I never found it funny, nor a good game. So you play as an alcoholic squirrel and fight a poop monster... I'm not impressed.

Also, while I enjoy several Final Fantasy games, FFX, which is one of the most highly praised, is just about my least favorite. Moreso than previous games, too much of the dialog consists of the main characters whining. The overall plot is stupid, and all of the characters except Auron consistently get on my nerves (and even Auron isn't very interesting). The battle system isn't very good either; I just can't get behind the sphere grid. What do the spheres represent, and what's the significance of their paths/patterns? It just seems arbitrary.

goatdan

08-17-2011, 12:05 AM

Cool discussion! Obviously, some people will disagree, so here's my counterpoint to an earlier one...

The love for Galaxian has always puzzled me. Pre-Galaga I can see the appeal but after Galaga was released it did everything that Galaxian did but did it better. I MIGHT give the nostolgia angle some slack but if people actually love the game when Galaga exsists then I just don't get it.

Personally, I like the simplicity of Galaxian over the additional complexity of Galaga a ton. To me, Galaxian is like the perfect midway point between Space Invaders which I find just slightly *too* simple for my taste, as the enemy patterns and strategy are essentially extremely straight forward and Galaga which I find to be a little bit too "twitch" in some places where if I don't hit the button at the exact right interval, I miss a ship. For instance, in the Galaga sections where the waves come through, I have never been able to consistently get 100% on even the first wave. I get it sometimes, but if I play it 10 times I might miss it once.

Galaxian to me is all skill, with enough strategy thrown in to really make it fun. If you wait until the ships start moving to shoot them, they are worth way more points -- but, if you wait too long to shoot them, multiple ships start flying at you, making it tougher to maintain control.

I'm younger than Galaxian so it isn't nostalgia either. I now own an arcade cabinet of the game, and I still play it pretty regularly -- I love it!

Anyway, now for my two cents on a game -- I've never understood the appeal to SMB2. I LOVE 1 and I ADORE 3, but the second game I owned as a kid and could never really get into. Recently, I decided that I was going to get the GBA version and replay it to try to like it again, and I found that even before I beat it I was ready to sell it.

Yoshi's Island falls into the exact same category.

I also would rather play SMB1 over World any day of the week. To me, the classic 2D Mario games would be ranked:

SMB3 > SMB1 > SMB2(Japan) > SMW > SM Land and anything else > SMB2.

Edmond Dantes

08-17-2011, 12:09 AM

With Pokemon, I think it's a number of things, growing up with it as a kid, having watched the anime series, collect the cards, play the games, it just all has to fit for you to like the series in general.

Ask for games I never understood the appeal for, well call me a Nintendo fanboy but I just never saw anything interesting on the original Playstation. The graphics were a horrible pixelated mess compared to the Nintendo 64 and the genres just didn't click with me.

I feel the exact opposite. When that console generation came around, I jumped on the N64 first thing because I thought it was the future, and... it turned out to be shit. I'm sorry, but it was. I wound up only ever owning five games for it and I haven't even hooked it up in like two years.

By contrast, the only time I unhooked my PS1 was when I got a PS2 to replace it, and I still mostly use it to play PS1 games. Admittedly there was some B.S. at first--I bought a PS1 for Final Fantasy VII and wound up really not liking it--but later on as games became cheaper and I explored more often I found more and more games that not only redeemed the console, but made me actually glad that FF7 tricked me into getting one.

spongerob

08-17-2011, 12:22 AM

^I still remember wanting an N64 like crazy, having loved the SNES. I read about it, planned on getting one, thought it was going to be the future and the end all be all. I kept hearing about this Playstation thing, but thought nothing of it. Until more people talked about it. Then some more, and more and eventually everyone was gabbing about it. I remember reading about a delay that would cause the N64 to come out later that I'd liked. Well, screw you guys, and since I'd just seen my friend get one and I was blown away, I'm getting one of these Playstations. And I loved owning it. The N64 to me was a massive bomb that signaled Nintendo was falling behind the times and couldn't keep up.

Edmond Dantes

08-17-2011, 12:54 AM

That's about right--Nintendo never quite regained their dominance, did they?

Since this has kinda segued into more modern "classics" here's one I don't get, that you might've seen me blog about or mention elsewhere:

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. To me this was a step down in every way from the second one. The plot wasn't as interesting, a lot of the new game mechanics were badly-implemented, tedius, outright nonsensical or broken, the game seemed to focus more on fighting than on stealth, and a lot of times it was just cheap. Still better than Peace Walker though, but I can't see why people call it a huge improvement over Sons of Liberty--though, I'm one of those weirdos who actually liked Raiden. Go figure.

allyourblood

08-17-2011, 12:57 AM

Still better than Peace Walker though, but I can't see why people call it a huge improvement over Sons of Liberty--though, I'm one of those weirdos who actually liked Raiden. Go figure.

I thought Sons of Liberty was fairly amazing. It controlled well, was fun to play, and the off-the-wall, inside-your-head finale was really cool. I didn't really care for the final battle, but I thought the rest of the game was wonderful, and a great, albeit completely bananas, sequel to MGS.

spongerob

08-17-2011, 12:58 AM

2 to this day is still my favorite game of all time. I liked Raiden. I never thought the hate was justified. It was more of a shock anger, than anger over the character I think. He was required-he was the yin to Snake's yang. He was human, and you could feel for a guy who finally wasn't a super badass mega hero. He improved the story and allowed for it to be as engaging and emotional as it was.

If every character was a badass every game would be Gears of War and I'd be sleeping by the second hour.

Drixxel

08-17-2011, 12:59 AM

X-X!V''Q

Right, and it's fun to play through the game with deliberately wacky starting stats, but the default game which anyone is likely to burn through first is a cinch. You have to go out of your way to make the game even remotely challenging and, frankly, it's still pretty darn easy even with the luck code. Force yourself to use shitty (or no) gear the whole run on top of that and you'll be in for a bit more of an arduous quest, but more annoying and monotonous than a challenge given how long it's going to take you to kill higher-tier enemies and bosses.

WelcomeToTheNextLevel

08-17-2011, 02:18 AM

Aussie2B:

SMB 1 is an alright game, probably a 7.5 out of 10. I'll admit it was groundbreaking when it came out (1985)... it didn't really show off the NES' power (it looked moderately better than a Colecovision game) and it didn't have the fine tuned controls of 3, or even 2. It's one of those games played to appreciate where it all started, I guess.

WelcomeToTheNextLevel

08-17-2011, 02:20 AM

I never could really get big into Halo. I played it a little and just thought ehh its ok.

I never was a shooter gamer. Have to pay attention behind you. I suppose 2D shooters are better in that regard, but they're DIFFICULT because a two second lapse in attention = you're dead.

Edmond Dantes

08-17-2011, 02:53 AM

Not too long ago I tried to play SMB and go through all the worlds without warping. No reason, I just wanted to see if I could.

I always got to the castle of world eight and could never get past that one hammer bro.

What's weird is I can beat it easily if I DO use warp zones. Perhaps I'm just worn out from the longer trek.

Dire 51

08-17-2011, 09:55 AM

Okay, not taking into account genres I don't usually enjoy (sports, RPGs, RTS, FPSes), here's what I've got:

Super Mario Bros. 3 - It's a long, boring, overstuffed slog of a game that drags on for waaaay too long. Right about in the middle of world 2 I totally lost interest and the game ground to a dead halt. I remember renting it when it first came out. When I first played it, I immediately thought "this is a must buy!" By the time I was ready to return it (after finishing it - no warp whistles were used, BTW, because I didn't know where they were), I thought "I won't even rent this again."

For the record, I love SMB 1, 2 (U.S.), and World - but I feel the same way about Yoshi's Island and SM64 that I do about 3. Actually, strike that last one. I'd rather play through 3 in its entirety than ever play SM64 again. It didn't feel like a Mario game at all to me. At least 3 felt like a Mario game, but 64? Not even close. Hated the controls, hated the setup, hated the fetchquest nature of the game. So, no SM64 for me ever again.

The entire Sonic series - I've yet to play a single Sonic game that I've liked. Starting with #1, I've been bored completely by the main games, and some of the spinoffs I downright loathe (looking at you here, Sonic Spinball). About the only thing I like about any of the games is the music.

Dishonorable mentions: Kid Chameleon, Vectorman 1 & 2, Comix Zone (and due to my dislike of all of these, it really burns my burrito when I see that Sega insists on putting these on every Genesis comp they release).

turbofan1

08-17-2011, 12:06 PM

I actually liked Kid Chameleon,it has A certain charm to it.But yeah Vector man and Cosmix Zone are nothing to brag about.I would also throw in Eco The Dolphin.The game is confusing as hell,and gets boring in about two minutes.

Casati

08-17-2011, 09:23 PM

The goal of Excitebike is to finish the race in the alloted time, so it is a race against the clock. There is actually quite a bit of strategy involved. You have to manage your boost function carefully so you do not overheat. You also have to use the controls to angle your bike when jumping, avoid ruts, race to get back on your bike after crashing, etc. If you fail to finish the race in the alloted time, you do, in fact, lose.

The solo Excitebike is boring, but I like the competition mode versus three other bikers.

A few classic games I don't care for are Contra, Ninja ..., and Street Fighter games. I have one Pokemon Gameboy game, and it's actually better than I thought it'd be, much like other RPGs but with cartoon characters. However, I don't feel compelled to collect the whole set, especially at current collector prices. Also, many like Baseball Stars for the NES, but the fielding is problematic for balls hit to the outfield.

Steven

08-17-2011, 10:41 PM

to be quite honest, I never was able to "get" or get into the Parodius series. I know legions and legions love that series, but I just never found the appeal myself.

Give me a "serious" shooter instead. The parody-esque stuff just never interested me.

I gave it a big try too... but just always came up very meh with it.

Stringfellow

08-17-2011, 11:24 PM

I never was a shooter gamer. Have to pay attention behind you. I suppose 2D shooters are better in that regard, but they're DIFFICULT because a two second lapse in attention = you're dead.

I like shooters, at least some anyway but just never really saw what the big deal was about Halo.

old man

08-17-2011, 11:45 PM

Thanks to Steven's signature I've been reminded of one. Ghouls and Ghost/Ghosts and Goblins. I always thouht they were hard to control and difficult from being cheap more than hard.

JSoup

08-18-2011, 12:05 AM

Earthbound. When I first learned what and emulator was and how it worked, I tracked down a ROM for this game, as I had always been interested in it. I don't know, I can't say that it wasn't fun, I just couldn't get into it. Eventually, I just stopped playing. I plan to give the game (along with Zero and 3) another try someday.

Steven

08-18-2011, 12:20 AM

Thanks to Steven's signature I've been reminded of one. Ghouls and Ghost/Ghosts and Goblins. I always thouht they were hard to control and difficult from being cheap more than hard.

I can't stand the NES version these days. It's way too stiff. Maybe cool back then, but so not cool today.

Dig the Genesis and SNES versions though. Even though they're hard, I think they're a lot more playable and genuine classics of their time. Shooting vertically in GEN and being able to double jump in the SNES version made the old GnG formula so much more fun and playable. Also I feel the SNES version is actually not as hardcore tough as many like to claim. I can make decent progress on it, and have played MUCH tougher games

WelcomeToTheNextLevel

08-18-2011, 01:20 AM

I like shooters, at least some anyway but just never really saw what the big deal was about Halo.

I like Star Wars Battlefront II for the PS2, because you fight in a team - and it's pretty easy. Like the variety of options for soldiers too. Games like that are ones I would like.

I like things like RPGs, platformers (like Mario and Sonic) and racing games. As for everything else, I can like anything if it's executed right.

goatdan

08-18-2011, 02:13 AM

I'd rather play through 3 in its entirety than ever play SM64 again. It didn't feel like a Mario game at all to me. At least 3 felt like a Mario game, but 64? Not even close. Hated the controls, hated the setup, hated the fetchquest nature of the game. So, no SM64 for me ever again.

While I totally disagree with SMB3, I totally agree with you on SMB64. I bought it early on for the DS because I really wanted to give it a shot, and after a year of on and off trying to really like it and just not ever caring, I gave up on it.

I felt the exact same way about SM Sunshine and have no interest of ever doing another 3D Mario title, period.

The entire Sonic series - I've yet to play a single Sonic game that I've liked. Starting with #1, I've been bored completely by the main games, and some of the spinoffs I downright loathe (looking at you here, Sonic Spinball). About the only thing I like about any of the games is the music.

Another good one I had forgotten about. I will grant Sonic two exceptions -- the Neo Geo Pocket title was surprisingly fun and I really liked Sonic Adventure . But 1, 2, 3, CD, Adventure 2, Generations, the DS titles with two screens, that DS RPG... I've given them all a chance many, many times and I have never come away liking any of them. I remember watching them and loving the speed as a kid, but even back then I found playing them to either be a bore or a chore.

And I'll toss three more out here that I thought of:

The Final Fantasy series. I have at one point or another owned and really tried to like nearly every game in the series, and I have never, ever been able to get into.

The 3D Zelda series. I've owned them all and forced myself to really give them a shot, and I find them totally boring.

The Grand Theft Auto series. I feel like if I want to play a racing game, I've got a bunch that I think are better, if I want to play a shooting game, I've got a bunch that are better, etc. It's cool that it's one game that contains all that stuff, but I can't play any of them for more than 15 minutes without thinking I'd rather be playing another game that does what GTA does better.