Posted August 17, 2020
This is about 8-bit games seeming like 16-bit games (or 80s DOS vs 90s DOS for a sort of PC equivalent), 5th gen games seeming like 6th gen games, and so on up until today. Not just at the time but in retrospect as well!
Pics and vids are encouraged though you can also focus on mechanics, controls, world building, audio, story or whatever you want. This is basically an opportunity to gush about games that you find impressive post-hype.
I'll do an obvious retro game to get it out of the way. I recommend using a similar format with a bolded title (lists are optional though):
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1988) - Playthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2LTcQwmOV4
-Controls that were unmatched even by most 16-bit games
-Smooth multi-directional scrolling
-Interesting hub map with branching paths, non-hostile locations, wandering monsters, destructible obstacles and temporary secret locations. It advanced its genre's complexity to near zelda levels while keeping it level-based and mostly straightforward
-Variety that would've been impressive for the next gen with water levels that also had on land parts (and vice versa), the giant world, ice and fire levels, underground and indoors levels, maze castle levels, mini-bosses, the various and creative suits as well as a persistent item inventory
-Couple of other neat touches: slopes that you can slide down, blocks thrown by enemies also affect other enemies
-From previous games: unlimited continues, music changes within levels, power ups that carried over between levels, pick up and throw blocks, level skip ability (with better control over it here)
-Includes Mario Bros. on the cart
Mentioned games:
FF6
Chrono Trigger
Commander Keen 1
Doom 3
Crysis
Quake 2
Control
Conan Exiles?
Magic of Scheherazade
God of War 1-3
Last of Us
Tobal 2
Tekken 3
Soul Blade
Dragon Quest 6
Secret of Mana 1-2
DokiDoki Penguin Land (SG-1000, 1985)
Deja Vu (MAC, 1985)
Mercenary: Escape from Targ (PCs, 1985)
Brain Breaker (Sharp X1, 1985)
Starflight (PC (1986/MD Remake, 1991)
International Karate (post-Spectrum versions, 1986)
Mind Walker (AMI, 1986)
King's Quest III (PC, 1986)
Solaris (A2600, 1986)
Defender of the Crown (AMI, 1986)
The Great Escape (Multi, 1986)
Cauldron II (C64, 1986)
They Stole a Million (PCs)
Star Citizen
Homeworld
Elite (1984)
Phantasy Star 2
Alien vs Predator (PC)
The Magic of Scheherazade (NES, 1987)
Metal Gear (MSX2/NES, 1987)
Sid Meier's Pirates! (PCs, 1987/AIIGS, 1988/AMI, 1990/NES, 1991)
Colony (C64 etc. 1987)
Ys: Vanished Omen/Ancient Ys Vanished (FM-7/X1/MSX etc., 1987/SMS, 1988)
Hydlide III/Super Hydlide (Multi, 1987/MD, 1990)
Driller/Space Station Oblivion (Spectrum/C64/CPC, 1987/AMI/ST/PC, 1988)
Dungeon Master (PCs, 1987)
Habitat (PC/C64, 1986 (Beta, full game in 1987)/FMT, 1990?)
Knightmare II: Maze of Galious (MSX, 1987)
SaGa 1/FF Legend
Galaxy Force II (ARC, 1988/SAT/3DS, )
Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (PCs, 1988)
Exile (Electron/BBC Micro, 1988/AMI/C64, 1991)(Superior Software/Audiogenic)
Bionic Commando (NES, 1988)
Dragon Quest III (NES, 1988)
Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter (PC-88/PC-98/FM-7/X1/MSX, 1988/PCE CD, 1989/NES, 1990/PC DOS, 1994)
SimCity (PC/AMI, 1989/SNES, 1991)
Quest For Glory I: So You Want To Be A Hero (PC, 1989)/VGA ver., 1992)
Prince of Persia (PC, 1989)
It Came from the Desert (AMI, 1989)
Aleste 2 (MSX, 1989)
River City Ransom (NES, 1989)
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (SMS, 1989)
Ys Book I & II (1987 port/PCE CD, 1989)
Herzog Zwei (MD, 1989)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX, 1990)
Final Fantasy III (NES, 1990)
Bomberman (PCE, 1990)
Moving Adventure Psy-O-Blade (MD, 1990)
Gargoyle's Quest: Ghosts 'n Goblins (GB, 1990)
Race Drivin' (ARC, 1990/AMI/PC/MD, )
Alpha Waves/Continuum (PC/Atari ST, 1990)
Wing Commander (PC, 1990)
46 Okunen Monogatari: The Shinka Ron (PC-98, 1990)
SaGa 3/FF Legend 3
Pics and vids are encouraged though you can also focus on mechanics, controls, world building, audio, story or whatever you want. This is basically an opportunity to gush about games that you find impressive post-hype.
I'll do an obvious retro game to get it out of the way. I recommend using a similar format with a bolded title (lists are optional though):
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1988) - Playthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2LTcQwmOV4
-Controls that were unmatched even by most 16-bit games
-Smooth multi-directional scrolling
-Interesting hub map with branching paths, non-hostile locations, wandering monsters, destructible obstacles and temporary secret locations. It advanced its genre's complexity to near zelda levels while keeping it level-based and mostly straightforward
-Variety that would've been impressive for the next gen with water levels that also had on land parts (and vice versa), the giant world, ice and fire levels, underground and indoors levels, maze castle levels, mini-bosses, the various and creative suits as well as a persistent item inventory
-Couple of other neat touches: slopes that you can slide down, blocks thrown by enemies also affect other enemies
-From previous games: unlimited continues, music changes within levels, power ups that carried over between levels, pick up and throw blocks, level skip ability (with better control over it here)
-Includes Mario Bros. on the cart
Mentioned games:
FF6
Chrono Trigger
Commander Keen 1
Doom 3
Crysis
Quake 2
Control
Conan Exiles?
Magic of Scheherazade
God of War 1-3
Last of Us
Tobal 2
Tekken 3
Soul Blade
Dragon Quest 6
Secret of Mana 1-2
DokiDoki Penguin Land (SG-1000, 1985)
Deja Vu (MAC, 1985)
Mercenary: Escape from Targ (PCs, 1985)
Brain Breaker (Sharp X1, 1985)
Starflight (PC (1986/MD Remake, 1991)
International Karate (post-Spectrum versions, 1986)
Mind Walker (AMI, 1986)
King's Quest III (PC, 1986)
Solaris (A2600, 1986)
Defender of the Crown (AMI, 1986)
The Great Escape (Multi, 1986)
Cauldron II (C64, 1986)
They Stole a Million (PCs)
Star Citizen
Homeworld
Elite (1984)
Phantasy Star 2
Alien vs Predator (PC)
The Magic of Scheherazade (NES, 1987)
Metal Gear (MSX2/NES, 1987)
Sid Meier's Pirates! (PCs, 1987/AIIGS, 1988/AMI, 1990/NES, 1991)
Colony (C64 etc. 1987)
Ys: Vanished Omen/Ancient Ys Vanished (FM-7/X1/MSX etc., 1987/SMS, 1988)
Hydlide III/Super Hydlide (Multi, 1987/MD, 1990)
Driller/Space Station Oblivion (Spectrum/C64/CPC, 1987/AMI/ST/PC, 1988)
Dungeon Master (PCs, 1987)
Habitat (PC/C64, 1986 (Beta, full game in 1987)/FMT, 1990?)
Knightmare II: Maze of Galious (MSX, 1987)
SaGa 1/FF Legend
Galaxy Force II (ARC, 1988/SAT/3DS, )
Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (PCs, 1988)
Exile (Electron/BBC Micro, 1988/AMI/C64, 1991)(Superior Software/Audiogenic)
Bionic Commando (NES, 1988)
Dragon Quest III (NES, 1988)
Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter (PC-88/PC-98/FM-7/X1/MSX, 1988/PCE CD, 1989/NES, 1990/PC DOS, 1994)
SimCity (PC/AMI, 1989/SNES, 1991)
Quest For Glory I: So You Want To Be A Hero (PC, 1989)/VGA ver., 1992)
Prince of Persia (PC, 1989)
It Came from the Desert (AMI, 1989)
Aleste 2 (MSX, 1989)
River City Ransom (NES, 1989)
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (SMS, 1989)
Ys Book I & II (1987 port/PCE CD, 1989)
Herzog Zwei (MD, 1989)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX, 1990)
Final Fantasy III (NES, 1990)
Bomberman (PCE, 1990)
Moving Adventure Psy-O-Blade (MD, 1990)
Gargoyle's Quest: Ghosts 'n Goblins (GB, 1990)
Race Drivin' (ARC, 1990/AMI/PC/MD, )
Alpha Waves/Continuum (PC/Atari ST, 1990)
Wing Commander (PC, 1990)
46 Okunen Monogatari: The Shinka Ron (PC-98, 1990)
SaGa 3/FF Legend 3
Post edited August 27, 2020 by ResidentLeever