Reminiscing about the Gaming Industry 30 Years Ago: Great and Terrible Games
One comment thread on Nintendo's official Facebook page invites users to travel back in time and reflect on the gaming industry from 30 years ago. The discussion showcases both the great and terrible games of that era. While one user claims that the internet was not available at the time, others fondly recall the nostalgia-inducing game, Doom.
One user nostalgically states, "The gold standard for games used to be that they were worth buying if they were good enough to play for more than 20 minutes." They reminiscence about the days when games like Kirby's Adventure and Super Mario Bros. 3 were released, games that were worth paying for without even trying them first. However, another user corrects the misconception about the internet and shares their love for Doom, evoking further nostalgia.
The original commenter responds, "OK, so I understand the 'golden days' of gaming, where developers pushed the limits of what was possible each year. But come on, that's not how it was. The amount of shovelware coming out at the end of every console's lifespan was staggering." Despite this, other users disagree and recount their experiences with the best games of that time, including NBA Jam, Ridge Racer, Virtua Fighter, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, as well as console games like Secret of Mana, Link's Awakening, SimCity 2000, Gunstar Heroes, and Super Street Fighter 2.
Another user adds, "There were also amazing arcade games like NBA Jam, Ridge Racer, Virtua Fighter, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. Console games like Secret of Mana, Link's Awakening, SimCity 2000, Gunstar Heroes, and Super Street Fighter 2."
The commenter also reflects on the lack of internet during that time, mentioning that it made it harder to decide whether a game was worth buying. "Back then, you just had to trust what the gaming magazines said," they continue, evoking nostalgia for gaming magazines such as GamePro. One user chimes in, mentioning that GamePro was the first gaming magazine they ever received as a kid and that it is still available today.
Another user shares their experience, saying, "I rented a Simpsons game once. I felt really validated years later after watching an Angry Video Game Nerd episode about how it was the worst Simpsons game ever." Several other users express why they love video games, especially single-player games, mentioning titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land and various indie games.
The initial commenter persists, stating that despite the great games released during that time, developers were still releasing an abundance of subpar games. "People keep saying 'Oh, but there was so much good stuff.' No, there wasn't," they retort to a comment listing various games available in arcades during that time, including NBA Jam, Ridge Racer, Virtua Fighter, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, as well as console games like Secret of Mana, Link's Awakening, SimCity 2000, Gunstar Heroes, and Super Street Fighter 2.
"If you saw a game on the shelf, you had no idea if it was any good or not. It's not like today, where you can read a million reviews and see how other people felt about it." Another user comments on how, despite the abundance of bad games, it was still enjoyable to try out all the random games.
