More than a month ago, me and some of my friends had a drinking session just for the heck of it. During our usual chatter, we reminisced on our childhood, when things were really simple back then.
My friend, MJ, then made good mention of how games were truly difficult back in the day, especially in the arcades. And you know what? I SERIOUSLY AGREE WITH HIM.
Yeah, people tell me how difficult games are in today's generation, and I actually agree with them on certain areas. But to say that today's games are really difficult, this just goes to show that they have never played the games we grew up with. Let's face it, relatively speaking, games today are pretty friendly to the customers, with virtually limitless lives, easier mechanics, and all that jazz. Not to say that they are hampering with the gameplay by any means, no no no. But in retrospect, I believe there is quite an argument to be made when you consider the games of today and yesterday.
And there are a lot of wonderful examples, but I cannot think of a better game to throw my point across than with a certainly iconic arcade game (especially for comic book fanatics out there):
The X-Men Arcade Game. (C/O racketboy.com)
How many times has your character died in the course of the game? How many times did you have to spend your credits just so you can take out Magneto in the final stage, after having to deal with a gauntlet of bosses you have encountered throughout the course of the game, ON THE SAME FINAL STAGE?
But it was fun as heck.
Six players (or four in different locations) get to team up and beat the living heck out of all the enemies in the huge screen, making for a fun arcade experience. I remember having to go play the game every Sunday morning just to play the game and get through the same wacky mechanics all over again. It was tough, but it's simply priceless just to experience that kind of fun.
Same goes with games like the Simpsons arcade game, the Bucky O"Haire arcade game, TMNT: Turtles in Time, and even Street Fighter 2 (even with the modded ones, with the double hadoukens and rocket-launching shoryukens). They are really tough, but it's nothing compared to the experience you get to feel after going through the game and finishing it, all for the sense of accomplishment.
And I believe that's what we need right now. We need hard arcade games that cater to not only our generation, but to introduce that same sense of fun to today's generation. When I look at the arcade games of today, I still cannot believe that they are not as difficultly fun as what we in the times of old have gone through. Perhaps, if games like these come back, maybe we are in for a treat ourselves. I mean, okay, fighting games are a huge exception. They have phenomenally improved, after all. But for our usual adventure games, why not? Oh, Gauntlet is not included in my arcade wish list, for the record. That's just my opinion.
By the way, I now have Twitter added on the right side of this blog. For more information on Twitter, please check out their website at http://twitter.com =)
And there are a lot of wonderful examples, but I cannot think of a better game to throw my point across than with a certainly iconic arcade game (especially for comic book fanatics out there):
The X-Men Arcade Game. (C/O racketboy.com)
How many times has your character died in the course of the game? How many times did you have to spend your credits just so you can take out Magneto in the final stage, after having to deal with a gauntlet of bosses you have encountered throughout the course of the game, ON THE SAME FINAL STAGE?
But it was fun as heck.
Six players (or four in different locations) get to team up and beat the living heck out of all the enemies in the huge screen, making for a fun arcade experience. I remember having to go play the game every Sunday morning just to play the game and get through the same wacky mechanics all over again. It was tough, but it's simply priceless just to experience that kind of fun.
Same goes with games like the Simpsons arcade game, the Bucky O"Haire arcade game, TMNT: Turtles in Time, and even Street Fighter 2 (even with the modded ones, with the double hadoukens and rocket-launching shoryukens). They are really tough, but it's nothing compared to the experience you get to feel after going through the game and finishing it, all for the sense of accomplishment.
And I believe that's what we need right now. We need hard arcade games that cater to not only our generation, but to introduce that same sense of fun to today's generation. When I look at the arcade games of today, I still cannot believe that they are not as difficultly fun as what we in the times of old have gone through. Perhaps, if games like these come back, maybe we are in for a treat ourselves. I mean, okay, fighting games are a huge exception. They have phenomenally improved, after all. But for our usual adventure games, why not? Oh, Gauntlet is not included in my arcade wish list, for the record. That's just my opinion.
By the way, I now have Twitter added on the right side of this blog. For more information on Twitter, please check out their website at http://twitter.com =)
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2 comments:
Ahh.. Good old arcade games. They made them difficult since you don't own the game. Harder game = more deaths. More deaths = more coins. More coins = More money for the establishment.
I think I had the game for Sega Genesis. Can't remember though if its the same one.
It's still cool to have these arcade style games to consoles, but then again, nothing beats having to pay lots of cash just to finish the game once. :D
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