News Post

Whatever Happened to the Good Times?

09:20 AM - August 14, 2007 by Steve_OS

Terry Crouch has just posted an article entitled, Whatever Happened to the Good Times? Make sure you give it a read and let us know how you feel about it.

"For those of us old enough to remember, gaming as a kid in the ColecoVision and Atari 2600 days was nothing but fun. Whether it was Pitfall or Real Sports Football, Circus Atari…you name it, it was really fun to fire up a console and cut loose a bit. Early versions of football on ColecoVision were simply small sprites on a green screen, but somehow they brought the game alive because you were actually controlling something that you couldn’t hope to do in your own life. The Nintendo Entertainment System really ushered in a whole new era in gaming, and games like Tecmo Super Bowl and Baseball Stars will forever live on as milestones in gaming, particularly sports gaming, because one included real players and teams, while the other included features that were so far ahead of their time, it was ridiculous."

Member Comments

# 21 Chizzypoof @ 08/14/07 07:16 PM

Great Article!

Games were fun back in the day. I remember Intellivision Baseball when the only way anticipation of a homerun is if the dot on the screen was going fast. And if it wasn't a homer then it would make some crazy clang and just get stuck on the top of the screen.

I remember long codes instead of save functions. Completing nearly impossible games using memory and reflexes, and never blaming the programmers for making it some damn hard.

Just like others on the baord I think our imagination had a lot to do with it. I know I am not the only one here that went to the arcade to play Star Wars, and felt like I was actually piloting an X-Wing. Look at that game today, it looks like lines shooting at you. Everything was bigger and better as a kid. Now that we, not our parents, pay for things, we expect the games to make up for what our imagination used to.

That being said, I still think games are fun today or I wouldn't be on this board. I still create myself as the ultimate athlete in pretty much every sports game I buy. I can care less about statistic realism, I'm batting .600. Why? Because its fun! My imagination at times still sees things that really didn't happen. That no-look pass I just saw really was just my player going off the edge of the screen. It's all in your expectations as the gamer. And with the money each of us invests in it, we all have every right to have our own expectation of a game.

# 22 Da_Czar @ 08/14/07 08:01 PM

Great article. I share a simular mindset and I think that is why i get more enjoyment out of these titles today than some other people here. I still have my collection of older sports games and I play them before the release of the new game or even after release when the new game may be starting to show some age and its amazing how much life it pops into the games.

What we have to play today is just flat amazing in comparison to what we had a few short years ago. While I am all for games getting better I do know how to enjoy what I have in front of me. Again great article !!!

# 23 Gman @ 08/14/07 09:36 PM

You're on point with this article Terry. Nice job. I turn 38 (yikes) this week and am at a juncture where i just want to have fun and not worry or dwell on faults. I have not been happy with the general consciousness of gamers for the past two years, where everything is negative and ripped apart. When I first started lurking at OS it seemed the community wasn't as argumentative and focused more on discussion/strategy for the games. I realize the hobby has grown exponentially and so has the expectations, which sadly are never going to be met by the developers. I found your article refreshing and mirrors my thoughts. Thank you.

# 24 superjames1992 @ 08/14/07 10:09 PM

I think newer consoles and better things leave gamers disppointed most of the time. We get the consoles and we expect the games to be flawless, but they aren't. I purchased my 1st Xbox in 2004 and it was fun!!! I didn't even look for flaws even thoug hthey were there. For example, NCAA Football 2005 had plenty of flaws, but I still played the heck out of that game to no end. That summer I must have spent 6 hours a day playing it.

As I continued getting games, I noticed more and more flaws which led to more and more disappointment. With the next-gen consoles, weas consumers expect games to be flawless for the most part, but they never are. I got a 360 in January and have enjoyed it a lot. Although, I enjoyed getting an Xbox far more in 2004.

When I think back it almost makes me sad to remember how much fun I had playing games like Madden 2004, NCAA 2005, ESPN College Hoops 2K4 (the best game ever made!!!) and others and even though they had numerous flaws and to look at myself now, looking for flaws and anything to disappoint me. It's quite saddening really.

Anyways, the point I am trying to make is that, we as consumers as times go by expect more which, in turn, generally leads to much disappointment and results in us not liking the game as much.

# 25 DXZeke @ 08/14/07 10:37 PM

The Good Ole Days...

That is why the Wii is selling so well.
It appeals to kids that have the vivid imaginations and it's appealing to a lot of adults that LOVED games as a kid, but were turned off by so many extra buttons or the toughness of games once they got older.

There's a reason why the Wii Virutal Console is doing so well... some of those old games are still a lot more fun than what is now.

Take Madden and Tecmo Bowl for instance. They used to be fun. It wasn't about the "sim" aspect. In Madden 92 it was about bum rushing the CPU QB from the DE postion and sacking him and then seeing the ambulance come out. In NHL 94 it was the hit that made the blood show up on the ice. *laughing* God some of us were blood thirsty.

Now people get uptight over frikkin' uniforms or the game being to easy on default, the cpu calling odd plays, the skaters not looking 100% natural, etc.

The fun is sometimes still there, but most of the time it's not. We're to busy trying to make the perfect set of sliders to make it "sim-like" where as the causal Madden buyer is playing with the purpose of scoring as many points as possible. PURE CHEESE!!!

Old School Games...
You'd play them and they were kind of hard, but kind of easy. Take Mega Man for instance. I was able to ace the hell out of that game and not die for levels at a time. When the Collections came out I was getting tore up. It's like all the hard games were kind of easy and then they dumbed everything down to have a wider base of appeal to casual gamers. Since the Playstation Era it's been downhill in terms of games that are meant to be fun. Not even the Gamecube had that feel.

The Wii is the closest thing to that old school fun.
That's why Nintendo is doing so well even with a system that's not using a "next gen" video card.

At the end of the day, it is what it is. (those of you that post in the basketball forum will get a kick out of those 2 sayings)
It's still up to us to try and sit back and take the seriousness out of things and put the fun back in. It's there and it's possible. It's up to each and everyone one of us to make it fun.

# 26 superjames1992 @ 08/14/07 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXZeke


	There's a reason why the Wii Virutal Console is doing so well... some of those old games are still a lot more fun than what is now.

That's exactly why I still play the heck out of ESPN College Hoops 2K4. It's by far my favorite game of all time and I love it. A few weeks ago, I figured out you can play it on the 360, so I began a coaching legacy with High Point on it. I'm havign tons of fun. I prefer it over College Hoops 2K7 and NBA 2K7 anyday. It's not the most realistic game and is not the best looking game, but it is great fun for me!

Note: I didn't really get into gaming until 2004 when I bought my 1st Xbox, so 2004 is my good 'ol days!

# 27 mlblover15 @ 08/15/07 12:14 PM

Im a 36 year old gamer and had a atari 2600 but my first real exp. gaming was when I BOUGHT my own ninntendo system with mike tyson boxing, vs. baseball. i would make myself sick in school just to be able to go home and play mike tysons boxing for hrs...

i remember, playing such games as bases loaded, contra (still remmber the code for 100 men) jalecos bases loaded, tecmo football, baseball, life force. the list goes on and on and on. then i got into the sega genesis, wooooow, what a leap altered beast, golden axe, all the arcade games you loved came to the consoles.. well most... with amzing results...

the first maddeon on Genesis, i still ache to play that simple form of the game, no having ot memorize a billion buttons to do all this it was just A B C and soooo simple... half back screen... my fav all time offensive play and i would burn the cpu every time i used it... i once outscored teh computer 99-0 on that game.

then there was the time i nearly pitched a my first ever perfect game on tecmo baseball, it was the top of the ninth inning, two outs. i had run down the street to go get my buddy to come over and see it, while i was gone my mother had come into my room and turned off my console... i was crushed.

world series baseball on the genesis, when they did the three divs and put in trades i was in love all my prayers had been answered.. finally we could trade players in a game...

then came my computer days.. first baseball game on there was Sierra's front page sports pro baseblall 96, LOVED THAT GAME... Then came the sequeal 98 then the seeries was cancelled and i was devistateed... but then i found a game called high heat baseball for hte computer... WOOOOOOW.... i was back in love... and you could copy and past your box scores from teh game to the internet...

that is when i started reporting on my chise that i was running wth my A's team on some baseball videogame site. but yes the old games still rock and kick butt... i can if i want to go down to my used everuthng store and get a sega genesis for $25.00 and they have the orig Madden football which would be a blast to paly... im still thinking about it... oh well enough of this and back to reality...

# 28 sbmnky @ 08/15/07 04:30 PM

Great read. I was just having a conversation with my buddy about this last night regarding sliders and what it used to be like when couldn't wait for the year's football game. Tecmo Bowl was not very realistic at all - I remember popping it in a few years back for fun and was averaging 400+ a game with Barry Sanders. It was an absolute blast.

We all want perfection and something that closely resembles the game we watch every Sunday, but as you state, it's unattainable. Video games are supposed to be fun experiences, not stressful quests to find the correct sliders to ensure each stat is as accurate as it's real-life counterpart - where's the fun in that. Hopefully we all want to take our favorite team to the Super Bowl and become Champions!

Thank you for giving the gaming world a reality check - it was long overdue!

# 29 inkcil @ 08/15/07 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fossen


	I think it's us, not the games or the internet. My nephews give me perspective. A nephew was staying with me, and noticed Madden. He asked about it, then talked about how much he loved Madden. His version was a few years old, on the Gamecube. His favorite team is the Seahawks, and favorite player was Marshall Faulk. So he'd always trade for Faulk, and create himself and his brother (maxxed out, of course). Then he'd try to get Marshall 300 rushing yards a game. .... He had a blast because he was treating it as what it is: a toy, a game, a disc of fun.

I agree w/ you 99%...I grew up in that golden age of gaming, 88-92 (I was 12 in 88). It was fun! RBI baseball was fun, but my fav. was Bases Loaded, a game wih all imaginary players - imagine THAT!

The 1% of me though, recognizes that what we got in 86 (or whataver year it debuted) with Nintendo was better than anything before it in EVERY way imaginable.

With PS3/360, it is only a given for the graphics to be better. Gameplay, options, etc. are too often arguably better on PS2/Xbox. And THAT is where I beleive the fun gets sucked out of it for us older guys.

# 30 Hammerhunker @ 08/15/07 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldpart67


	Iwhen you threw at the batter it would start fight.

This is so funny, my cousin and I were talking about this exact same game and the occasion fight on the phone not 10 minutes before I read this. What a fun game.

# 31 jpup @ 08/16/07 05:23 AM

I still play games for hours at a time. I don't get to do it as often as I would like, but The Show is an amazing game. I quit using sliders pretty much and that has increased my enjoyment of games 10 fold. NASCAR 08 is a really fun game as well. I bought Madden on Monday Night and played 2 games and just haven't really took the time to play it again. It's a fun game, but life and reality often get in the way.

I grew up with the NES, Genesis, and then the Playstation. Those were the best days of gaming IMO. I never got tired of playing some of those games on NES, but I sure don't miss trying to get them to play.

# 32 thegoons21 @ 08/16/07 05:32 AM

The 1st NHL game is huge from the good ole days. It's responsible for a lot more hockey fans than people think. My brother and I had no idea til that game came out.

I also remember the thicker the manual the more excited I got about the game. Now they're paper thin no matter how much is in the game.

# 33 ggazoo @ 08/16/07 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCrouch


	How could I not mention NHL on the Genesis? What a huge oversight. I didn't even know hockey existed until I got my hands on NHL. But Joe Montana Sports Talk Football will be something that lives on in infamy with my mom until her dying day. From time to time she'll come over and catch me playing a football game nowadays and she'll still look and go: "Wow...these things have come a long way since "better...hurry".

Good call on NHL. We'd have tournaments in our dorm room using NHL 94, and we'd have a schedule to stick to. If your came was slated for 2 am, you'd better get up and play! lol

I also remember Sports Talk Baseball on the Genesis. That game was awesome. My buddies and I would always mess around with the commentary in that game. We'd move our defense around really fast, and then just sit back and listen to the commentator try and catch up:

"Infield in. Infield back. Infield in. Infield back. Infield in. Infield back."

lol

# 34 boomhauertjs @ 08/16/07 01:50 PM

I'm hoping that when Tecmo releases its new Tecmo Bowl, it sticks to the gameplay that we all loved back in the day. That, with some graphical improvements and totally customizable rosters and teams, would make for the most fun football game ever.

# 35 Lintyfresh85 @ 08/16/07 02:42 PM

I feel the same... but I'm a few years younger, so my game was Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball. I LOVED, I mean LOVED that game... I played 20 games a day sometimes just because it was that fun. I destroyed season after season because I was so addicted to the simple, yet fun gameplay it offered. Never again have I liked a baseball game as much as I did Ken Griffey Jr.

# 36 bkrich83 @ 08/16/07 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superstar


	I feel the same... but I'm a few years younger, so my game was Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball. I LOVED, I mean LOVED that game... I played 20 games a day sometimes just because it was that fun. I destroyed season after season because I was so addicted to the simple, yet fun gameplay it offered. Never again have I liked a baseball game as much as I did Ken Griffey Jr.

was that on the N64?

# 37 Holic @ 08/16/07 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkrich83


	was that on the N64?

Super Nintendo, atleast the Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball game I played all day, every day was on the Super Nintendo. Even the homerun derby ruled in that game.

I believe the Super Nintendo had 2 Griffey games, and then 1 or 2 on the N64 when it came out.

# 38 Lintyfresh85 @ 08/16/07 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holic


	Super Nintendo, atleast the Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball game I played all day, every day was on the Super Nintendo. Even the homerun derby ruled in that game. I believe the Super Nintendo had 2 Griffey games, and then 1 or 2 on the N64 when it came out.

Indeed... I'm talking about the original on the SNES... I never really got into the second one that much even though you could trade players AND I think the game actually kept stats for others for the year as well... not just your own.

Oh how I miss those days.

# 39 Cardot @ 08/16/07 06:42 PM

Great article .....and responses.

Back on the NES and Genesis, I would get a game, play around for 5 minutes to learn the controls and then start a season. In recent years however, purchases were immediately followed with a "Slider Adjusting" period......it would sometimes take weeks before I could really start to "play" a game. Each year, it was taking longer and longer to get those perfect settings.

But a year or two ago, I was getting really frustrated with sliders for a sports game (Can't remember which one). Suddenly, I stopped and thought "Hey wait a minute, 10-15 years ago, I was having alot of fun with games that aren't nearly as good this is."

From that point on, I have really tried to take the approach of enjoying the game. I will still play a little with the sliders in the beginning, and I might post a few whining complaints here at OS, but after that I move on and just enjoy the game....like I did on the NES.

# 40 bkrich83 @ 08/16/07 06:42 PM

I played the crap out of the N64 version. Simple yet ridiciculously fun game.

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