What I Miss Most About Being a Gamer
A little background on myself, I am a gamer. I have been a gamer since the days of the single game Pong home machines. I survived the video game crash of the mid 80’s, grew up with the Nintendo Entertainment System and watched, even participated in, the 16-Bit war between the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. I threw my hat in the ring to support the Playstation first, then the Saturn and two console generations following I finally got the Nintendo 64 but not before I got a Dreamcast, my last “new” console. I own a Playstation 2, a Gamecube and an Xbox (Halo Edition I picked up for $50 including 30 games a year or two ago). I play games regularly on my GPD XD Android device and my PSP 3000 not to forget my Android phone. The reason for the background information is because I want you to know where I am coming from here. I did not start gaming with the Playstation 2 or 3 or 4. I have been around, I have seen and experienced a lot of things. Which makes me sad about gaming today.
Gaming is not the same today as it was 25 years ago. That is a fact. I don’t have to tell you that for you to know it. That is common sense. What may not be common sense is how gaming has changed. Things are no longer “fun” for the gamer. I say this as a gamer.
First, gaming today is not unique. Look at this article for proof of just how similar gaming has gotten. I know, two of those consoles in that comparison are Xbox but even look at the PC version. I remember a time when the PC was a unique platform to consoles. Here, check out a comparison pic of Doom on various platforms.
PC Doom
PSOne Doom
SNES Doom
32X Doom
See how different those three versions are? Sure, the Super Nintendo version is the crappiest looking but it still had its own charm. The thing is, when you bought Doom on anything but the PC you knew it was going to be slightly different, as consoles progressed in power (such as the PSOne) we got closer and closer to the original release. There was more reason to buy the different versions, or for fans to argue than just “X version has five more frames of animation than yours!” with the response being “Oh yeah!?! Y has clearer textures on the boots of the soldiers!” What is the point of arguing that crap? I just don’t see what the fuss is all about anymore.
Look at arcade games. Nowadays gamers are simply sold emulators on a disc with the game on it. In effect, they are getting “arcade perfect ports” when they buy compilations today. I would hope so, considering the power modern consoles and PC’s have. Surely it is no challenge to emulate a 20+ year old arcade game, or I would hope not.
Back in the day, say around the 16-Bit era, arcade ports were slightly different from the source material, and then each console version was unique to each other. Games had their own “feel” and were unique, having their own errors in the port. Just look at Final Fight for instance.
Final Fight Arcade
SNES Final Fight
Sega CD Final Fight
I am not even counting the portables (Game Boy, Game Gear and Atari Lynx) in my thoughts here. I am just focusing on the home platforms.
Just for fun, who knows which version of this game pic is which? I can guarantee, they are from Xbox One and Playstation 4. Can anyone tell me which is which though?
For fun, here is Madden Football on SNES and Sega Genesis. Anyone tell which is which here?
See how gaming is getting to be pointless today? There is no real “difference” between the versions. I think this is taking away from the uniqueness of a platform. Where is the innovation? Back in the day, innovation was often forced because of the limitations of the hardware.
Gaming used to be fun, partly because it was almost a guarantee that each console would give a unique experience. That was the best part of visiting with friends, to try out games on other consoles, both ones we had on our own favorite console but the exclusives too. That is quickly getting lost on today’s gamer.
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I can totally relate to these feelings. It's part of the reason I haven't purchased a new console this generation. That and I just can't justify spending the money... :)
Yeah, my newest platform is probably the GPD XD and that is basically like playing on a PC (tons of backwards compatibility and tons of new games hitting daily). Actual console would be the PS2 but I have not bought a game for it in years as most of the ones I am interested in are just too expensive right now.
Steemit's going to fund some eBay imports for me for sure. :)
The rate you are going, you will be importing by personally flying there, buying, and returning. Good job man.
Couldn't have done it without you, partner. Damn, I miss VGC sometimes. :)
I do to. We learned so much over there doing that site. We now have #Steemit so no more worries about content disappearing.
I grew up same era as you did. Wait, it was with you playing a lot of those games from Atari to NES to Sega and our times at the arcade games, even old computer (abandonware now). Yes every game had a different version on each platform we played.
Jurassic Park is a prime example of games that were different on every platform. the NES you would have thought would have been better graphics on SNES platform but no completely different game and on the sega Genesis again completely different game again.
Now games are the same with very minor differences mainly in graphics. You might get exclusive items or maybe a different title to a DLC but nothing big. The only time a game is different is when it is a exclusive game for one specific console or PC. Now all you are paying for is exclusive and finding out what console has the better graphics options. Otherwise just choose a XBONE or PS4 and you can play almost anything out there. But don't forget to get a Nintendo Wii-U or switch For the NES only content that is nearly all exclusive.
The problem today is innovation is dead. The platforms are nearly identical so there is no need on the end of the developer to push certain qualities, or even different games altogether, over others.
As you mentioned, the differences are minuscule. PS4 and Xbox One are quite similar in power so we see people arguing over which one does 4K 60 frames per second instead of which has games people would give a damn to play in the first place.
The best will winning, good luck :)
Interesting article - but I do think you are looking at gaming through "nostalgia-glasses" quite a bit :)
Like the console exclusive games, I don't like that concept at all because it restricts gamers from experiencing great games.
Great post though! Would you mind if I included it in today "best of gaming"?
Definitely fine with you including my article in a round up style article.
Lol, nostalgia glasses is all I have here since modern consoles from the PlayStation 3 onward have failed to woo me into buying them. Just not interested in mandatory online service just to be able to fully enjoy a console like it was meant to be played. May have to do a follow up article with my views on modern consoles and games.