Famous retro games you've never liked.

[Pierce]

[Deleted]

 

[moonbits]

Bubble Bobble
Double Dragon

 

[It's Thinking 2]

Sports games. Could never get into sports games because I never liked sports to begin with. Nobody explained sports to me as a kid either. I just knew that it was popular and everyone in my family kept up with it. But then again the teams for the sports in my home state used to win a lot more back then too. I noticed since then a lot of my family members stopped watching the games altogether. But back then it was an event where EVERYONE had to be there in front of the tv and I would strain myself just to pay attention to it while zoning out every once in a while. Same deal with sports games. -.-'

Bubble Bobble
Double Dragon

I actually like those. XD

 

[Gorse]

I don’t really “get” Metroid. The games are just so dry — there’s no sense of fun or spirit or playfulness. To me, it all just seems like a lot of bland running around in a hyper-generic space environment. I’ve played several of the 2D games, and I find them so slow and boring! Beyond an atmosphere reminiscent of Alien (i.e. a total snorefest), what exactly is it that makes these games so beloved on the internet? Is it really just the fact that it’s a Nintendo game where you play as a girl?

This might be a controversial statement, but I actually like the “Zero Suit Samus” iteration of the character way more than anything else from the any of the games. At least she looks like a relatable human being with some semblance of appealing visual design and emotional depth. If I were in charge of Metroid, she’d be the only version of the character, the Varia suit would be her jive-talking sidekick (voiced by Chris Rock or Eddie Murphy), Mother Brain would look and act exactly like she did in Captain N, and the exploration/platforming gameplay would be replaced with a series of beach volleyball challenges. I have faith that 100% of all Metroid fans will agree with me.

 

[It's Thinking 2]

I don’t really “get” Metroid. The games are just so dry — there’s no sense of fun or spirit or playfulness. To me, it all just seems like a lot of bland running around in a hyper-generic space environment. I’ve played several of the 2D games, and I find them so slow and boring! Beyond an atmosphere reminiscent of Alien (i.e. a total snorefest), what exactly is it that makes these games so beloved on the internet? Is it really just the fact that it’s a Nintendo game where you play as a girl?

This might be a controversial statement, but I actually like the “Zero Suit Samus” iteration of the character way more than anything else from the any of the games. At least she looks like a relatable human being with some semblance of appealing visual design and emotional depth. If I were in charge of Metroid, she’d be the only version of the character, the Varia suit would be her jive-talking sidekick (voiced by Chris Rock or Eddie Murphy), Mother Brain would look and act exactly like she did in Captain N, and the exploration/platforming gameplay would be replaced with a series of beach volleyball challenges. I have faith that 100% of all Metroid fans will agree with me.

I feel like Zero Suit Samus wasn't popular until Smash Brawl. I did like Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion a lot more than the first two Metroid games. Never watched Captain N that much as a kid, it was barely on tv. Didn't even see anyone playing Metroid until my older cousin really got into Super Metroid on his SNES. I didn't have any Nintendo consoles until N64 which didn't even have it's own Metroid game, but it did have Smash which introduced me to Metroid games through the bio for Samus. My first Metroid game was Fusion and then Prime after that and the Classic NES version of Metroid for GBA. Never got Zero Mission. Found a used copy of Metroid II for Game Boy before the next big retro boom and prices shot up. Didn't play Super Metroid until right before Covid hit. Had to pay like 70 bucks for it. Beat the game in under 9 hours on my first playthrough, no help, no cheats, no guide. Freaking loved every second of it. Now i understand why my cousin loved it so much.

 

[DunkeyKong]

I don’t really “get” Metroid. The games are just so dry — there’s no sense of fun or spirit or playfulness. To me, it all just seems like a lot of bland running around in a hyper-generic space environment. I’ve played several of the 2D games, and I find them so slow and boring! Beyond an atmosphere reminiscent of Alien (i.e. a total snorefest), what exactly is it that makes these games so beloved on the internet? Is it really just the fact that it’s a Nintendo game where you play as a girl?

This might be a controversial statement, but I actually like the “Zero Suit Samus” iteration of the character way more than anything else from the any of the games. At least she looks like a relatable human being with some semblance of appealing visual design and emotional depth. If I were in charge of Metroid, she’d be the only version of the character, the Varia suit would be her jive-talking sidekick (voiced by Chris Rock or Eddie Murphy), Mother Brain would look and act exactly like she did in Captain N, and the exploration/platforming gameplay would be replaced with a series of beach volleyball challenges. I have faith that 100% of all Metroid fans will agree with me.

As someone that plays Metroid that's kinda true. However, saying there's no sense of fun and anything like that is kinda untrue. Despite not liking Metroid games in the past, I now realized that Metroid games are one of the best at what it does.

I try to keep it short, first is how the game makes you explore: The Metroid franchise is famous and infamously remembered for it's unique and long exploration (despite some backtracking).

The level design: Even as far as the NES one, the level design always suprised me the most, the fact that it can created a huge map full of variety shows how big the game is. And by big I don't just mean by size but big as in tools, upgrades, enemies, mechanics, bosses, etc. One of the best examples of technical achievements even at that time.

The sound design: While the NES version already has a lot of ideas, I think Super Metroid has the best sound design. I don't know how to tell you that but just take a listen here

I think that's all I can tell you now, I don't like to make it too long for some people to understand so
Just wanted to explain why it's not just some random generic and bland platformer, hope it's not too long for you though

 

[mandrakes]

definitely mario bros and donkey kong series, cuz i'm more into jrpg stuff than action platformer

 

[It's Thinking 2]

definitely mario bros and donkey kong series, cuz i'm more into jrpg stuff than action platformer

 

[Yankee]

+1 for Metroid but specifically Metroid-vanias. I adore Castlevania right up until the venerable Symphony of the Night which I've never been able to finish. I even like 64 and Legacy of Darkness more.
For Metroid itself I like the early games' atmosphere and mood. Just not the gameplay that equals 'run around until you find the right way to go'.

 

[lucasgvse]

Mario's games.

I enjoy a little bit of Mario 3 on NES, because the control's feeling is really good and it has a pretty spritework, but i can't stand those characters and the art direction. It gets worse after Mario 64 and the whole 3D era of his games. "woohoo ahaa" my balls.

Yoshi's Island is a huge exception for me (c'mon, it doesn't feel or look like a mario's game), and i didn't play yet any of mario's RPGs. Superstar Saga may be his redemption with me...

 

[Gorse]

i can't stand those characters and the art direction.

...Really? You can't stand the Super Mario cast? May I ask why?

 

[lucasgvse]

...Really? You can't stand the Super Mario cast? May I ask why?

None of the elements of that world connects, to me. Castle, monster, plumber, turtle, floating ship, fire balls... It's a huge mess to me. I really believe people just got accustomed to it, because it is how it is since they were kids and created affection by that design.

Probably some 3D marios have interesting mechanics, still, its the same setting, same mario, and this frustrates me. Furthermore, Pokemon and Zelda, for example, i heavily enjoyed some of their games, but i got tired of new releases very fast. Breath of The Wild added a lot of new mechanics, it is amazing to play, but i didn't care to finish it because link is the same link as always, zelda is the same zelda as always, the world if the same world as always, the narrative goes to the same place as always...... i get fatigued if the value of a game is only in it's gameplay, cuz this is only the halfway of what i'm interested in this media.

 

[It's Thinking 2]

None of the elements of that world connects, to me. Castle, monster, plumber, turtle, floating ship, fire balls... It's a huge mess to me. I really believe people just got accustomed to it, because it is how it is since they were kids and created affection by that design.

Probably some 3D marios have interesting mechanics, still, its the same setting, same mario, and this frustrates me. Furthermore, Pokemon and Zelda, for example, i heavily enjoyed some of their games, but i got tired of new releases very fast. Breath of The Wild added a lot of new mechanics, it is amazing to play, but i didn't care to finish it because link is the same link as always, zelda is the same zelda as always, the world if the same world as always, the narrative goes to the same place as always...... i get fatigued if the value of a game is only in it's gameplay, cuz this is only the halfway of what i'm interested in this media.

Well Super Mario Bros. is more or less a platform version of the arcade game Mario Bros. It even shares some same elements like fire balls and Koopa Troopas. That was in a sewer, which is where the pipes lead underground. The POW blocks even show up in Super Mario Bros. 2/USA. The floating ship was probably to move locations when you lost because SMB 3 was the first Mario game to have an overworld map. You gotta see it from Miyamoto's perspective, it's less about how it looks realistically and more about how it makes sense gameplaywise. He did make some fun games.

 

[lucasgvse]

You gotta see it from Miyamoto's perspective, it's less about how it looks realistically and more about how it makes sense gameplaywise. He did make some fun games.

True. I get it, and i didn't mean its important to make a realistic sense. I think they just didn't make a good work tying up all this. On the original donkey kong arcade i don't feel like that, because its all quite simple. From Mario 64 onwards, with his games turning into more complex things, and the amount of releases, this started to bother me. Specially when i see a release that could be a completely new IP but they go on and use the "mario skin" on it.

 

[It's Thinking 2]

True. I get it, and i didn't mean its important to make a realistic sense. I think they just didn't make a good work tying up all this. On the original donkey kong arcade i don't feel like that, because its all quite simple. From Mario 64 onwards, with his games turning into more complex things, and the amount of releases, this started to bother me. Specially when i see a release that could be a completely new IP but they go on and use the "mario skin" on it.

I kind of miss Super Mario 64's model for Mario. He had that big nose.

 

[symplily]

try playing phantasy star 2...let's leave it there

 

[Gorse]

try playing phantasy star 2...let's leave it there

I couldn't even get through Phantasy Star 1. My brain isn't built for those stupid first-person dungeon-crawling RPGs.

 

[symplily]

I couldn't even get through Phantasy Star 1. My brain isn't built for those stupid first-person dungeon-crawling RPGs.

I think I prefer the dungeon design of 1 more than 2 xD although I didn't finish it due to laziness, with PS2 it was ragequit

 

[It's Thinking 2]

try playing phantasy star 2...let's leave it there

I like 2, i hate 3.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Rockman 2

It's not that I dont like it, but THE BEST in the series? not even close

The director said they didnt have time to balance it and it shows, 1 really encourages chaning up your weapons while 2 barely does, theres never any reason not to use the metal blades; plus the grinding for ammo is grueling when you dont use save states. It wasnt a problem in 1, they had the "restore everything" power up just before the boss fight!

4 is far superior, same for 3 once you mod it to restore all the cut content

 

[It's Thinking 2]

Rockman 2

It's not that I dont like it, but THE BEST in the series? not even close

The director said they didnt have time to balance it and it shows, 1 really encourages chaning up your weapons while 2 barely does, theres never any reason not to use the metal blades; plus the grinding for ammo is grueling when you dont use save states. It wasnt a problem in 1, they had the "restore everything" power up just before the boss fight!

4 is far superior, same for 3 once you mod it to restore all the cut content

"once you mod it to restore the lost content", then it's unfinished. lol Nah Rockman 2 is still the best one.

 

[Kannibal]

We can dislike something while being aware of its qualities...but we can also dislike something because of some of its peculiarities or what it provokes in us.
So what famous retro games, loved by most, considered classics or even downright mythical, have always left you indifferent, bored you, or that you hate ?

Super Mario 64, the Banjo series, and other collectathons, I'm also lumping Crash and Spyro into this list, as well as other games that play like them. I never managed to stick with these games to completion because I feel like they're designed to be deliberately time-consuming, and you get nothing out of them unless you commit hours into it. Conker's Bad Fur Day was an amazing game, though, because the collectathon aspect was more straightforward and overall linear.

On the contrary, I somehow manage to commit thousands of hours to exploration games like Fallout (both classic and modern), Elder Scrolls, almost any Forgotten Realms game, etc.

Sports games. Could never get into sports games because I never liked sports to begin with. Nobody explained sports to me as a kid either. I just knew that it was popular and everyone in my family kept up with it. But then again the teams for the sports in my home state used to win a lot more back then too. I noticed since then a lot of my family members stopped watching the games altogether. But back then it was an event where EVERYONE had to be there in front of the tv and I would strain myself just to pay attention to it while zoning out every once in a while. Same deal with sports games. -.-'

You should absolutely check out Capcom Sport's Club, it's very casual and focuses on the core aspects of each sport.

 

[Waiting For The Rain]

Super Mario 64, the Banjo series, and other collectathons, I'm also lumping Crash and Spyro into this list, as well as other games that play like them. I never managed to stick with these games to completion because I feel like they're designed to be deliberately time-consuming, and you get nothing out of them unless you commit hours into it.

Those might be my favorite kind of game, honestly.

Of those games, Crash is focused on the platforming with the collectables being an option to make the game harder for you if you want to go for them; and Spyro the Dragon is the most relaxed with its collecting, with everything being easily found with just a little bit of exploring. It becomes an objective- and minigame-fest starting with 2 and even more so with 3, but the first is a pretty pure and fun good time.

If you haven't played Spyro the Dragon much before, that's the one I would really recommend you play. I've done it many times since I was a kid, but I get 100% in about five and a half hours now. That kind of slow, checking corners and sniffing around with gamer sense kind of collecting is my favorite.

 

[Kannibal]

Those might be my favorite kind of game, honestly.

Of those games, Crash is focused on the platforming with the collectables being an option to make the game harder for you if you want to go for them; and Spyro the Dragon is the most relaxed with its collecting, with everything being easily found with just a little bit of exploring. It becomes an objective- and minigame-fest starting with 2 and even more so with 3, but the first is a pretty pure and fun good time.

If you haven't played Spyro the Dragon much before, that's the one I would really recommend you play. I've done it many times since I was a kid, but I get 100% in about five and a half hours now. That kind of slow, checking corners and sniffing around with gamer sense kind of collecting is my favorite.

I appreciate the recommendation. Are there any platformers where I can get joy without worrying at all about collecting everything? I would be content with simply beating the level and moving on. New Adventure Island on PC Engine is more my speed since I can enjoy it on an arcade stick.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

"once you mod it to restore the lost content", then it's unfinished. lol Nah Rockman 2 is still the best one.

Yes R3 is unfinished, but theres ways to restore it, no such thing for 2

I dont get the appeal of 2, the weapons that arent the metal blades are so meh, so are the bosses, the music's good but every game has good music. The mobility from future games isnt there neiter is the mega buster; no weapon variety + no slide + no mega buster makes approaching fights way less diverse. The game feels flat-

I can't believe the series went from the absolute beauty of 8 to 9, it limited rock's moveset it regressed! I really dont get it