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Is The 32-Bit Gaming Era The New Retro?

Posted by simoniker on from the i-remember-tomb-raider dept.

Thanks to GameSpy for its 'Pixel' column discussing whether the early days of the PlayStation and Saturn are a newer, but nevertheless interesting stage of 'retro'. The author points out: "Moving to 3D brought a lot of challenges along with it, not the least of which involved graphics. The 32-bit generation differs greatly from its 16-bit predecessor in that a lot of 32-bit games' visuals have not aged well." But he nevertheless highlights the fact "there were so many vibrantly original games released for these machines, some obscure, some blockbusters... Motor Toon Grand Prix brought cartoonish designs to 3D life. King's Field put you in a truly non-linear, 3D dungeon. WipeOut married futuristic racing with high-caliber visual design. Panzer Dragoon gave flight to every kid's 'Neverending Story' fantasies." What were your favorite titles from the early days of 32-bit?

69 comments

  1. Nights! by WiKKeSH · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nights into Dreams!
    Single-handedly sold the saturn to me.

    --
    Downmix - The Artscene News Source!
    1. Re:Nights! by fwitness · · Score: 1

      Nights needs to make it into someone's hall of belated fame. That game was spectaculary done in all levels. Music, level design, graphics, hell it even introduced an analog controller to the Saturn.

      If I recall correctly, it was the first really widely adopted analog controller. Sorta widely anyway.

      --
      -- I have fans? Wow.
    2. Re:Nights! by Goldberg's+Pants · · Score: 1

      Funny. I was a BIG PSX addict, and a few weeks back, on the spur of the moment, I slapped a bid on a Dreamcast on Ebay and won it. Been playing tons of stuff on it and amazes me it died.

      I'm still stuck in the 16 bit retro days (SNES/Genesis).

    3. Re:Nights! by Joe+Tie. · · Score: 1

      If you havn't discovered it yet, I have to quickly plug the dreamcast homebrew scene. dcemulation.com is a good repository for most of projects out there. And while it takes a bit of sifting, there's some really amazing programs out there. The nes and master system emus have easily made the dreamcast my most used console. The availability of sdl makes it very fun to write for as well.

      --
      Everything will be taken away from you.
    4. Re:Nights! by lharmon · · Score: 1

      Don't forget BOOB!, either, it's a great site.

      The DC was a great machine, but there's really only a small number of titles available. That said, many of them are pretty unique (Seaman, anyone?), but if you like RPGs, you're almost out of luck, since there are only three good ones (Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2, and Record of Lodoss War). There are, however, no less than 50 bazillion racing and fighting games.

      --
      From the Gentoo desktop of Luke Harman
    5. Re:Nights! by Destoo · · Score: 1

      I think people who like RPGs will definitely get a kick out of Shenmue.

      For action RPG, try Elemental Gimmick Gear.

      I haven't tried Grandia 2.

      Record of Lodoss War is a Diablo clone. It's fine, but I wouldn't place it in the "good rpg" category. Better go with PSO, especially since player made servers are getting up to speed.

      --
      Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC
  2. Not just yet.... by Chester+K · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Thanks to GameSpy for its 'Pixel' column discussing whether the early days of the PlayStation and Saturn are a newer, but nevertheless interesting stage of 'retro'.

    They're not retro yet if people still actually use them. I know people that still play games on their original PlayStation.

    Give them another 10 years or so. Nothing picks up speed as being "retro" until the people who grew up with it get to the point where they have the capability of enabling their want for nostalgia.

    --

    NO CARRIER
    1. Re:Not just yet.... by Dachannien · · Score: 1

      Actually, they become retro once you can emulate them on current PC technology.

    2. Re:Not just yet.... by Mekabyte · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That logic doesn't make sense. The GBA was emulated before it was released. PS1 and N64 were emulated (and yes, playable on then-current PCs) before PS2 and GC came out.

    3. Re:Not just yet.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are people who still use 8-bit and 16-bit consoles, and people who still use their Commodore 64s and Amigas. Hell, I still use my Atari 2600. Are you saying that none of these are retro?

      And before you say something about the number of people using them vs the number of people still using their orignal Playstation, where do you make that cutoff and say that there are few enough people using the actual hardware to declare it retro?

  3. Wipeout by k4rm4_p0l7c3 · · Score: 1

    Wipeout and its sequels kicked ass! And apparently, the nameless evil pigowl company had smart enough employees to get a good soundtrack for each one. Totally added the right touch to the game at top speeds.

    anyone have a track listing for Wipeout (the first one?) I could never find it.. some tracks I had never heard before

    1. Re:Wipeout by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      check out wipeoutzone.com. In the US, the first game's soundtrack was done in-house, under the name Cold Storage.

  4. Ground Breakers by miyako · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Mario 64...ok so the Nintendo 64 wasn't 32bit, but is from the same era, and I think it has some of my favorite classics.
    Mario 64 is still one of my favorite games of all time, and the graphics are still quite good, if primitive. This was really a revolutionary game, and I can't really even think of a game on any non-nintendo system even today that has quite re-created the formula.
    Tekken - I've always prefered the tekken series over the virtua fighter series. These two titles though really brought the fighting game genre into it's own with 3D fighters.
    Blood Omen - Legacy of Kain. While I did not care for the sequals, this remains one of my favorite games of all time. With lots of great voice acting this macabre adventure surpasses even a number of the zelda games in my mind.
    Resident Evil - this game is like one of those 60's horror flicks, it was scarry at the time, but even now it's a lot of fun because while the graphics "special effects" are dated, it's great fun to go back and laugh at.
    Final Fantasy VII - One of my all time favorite Final Fantasy games, the rich detailed pre-rendered backgrounds still look good today, and the storyline and gameplay still offer plenty of fun. I would love to see a sequal to this game, rather than that dreadful FF:X2.

    --
    Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
    1. Re:Ground Breakers by real_smiff · · Score: 1

      yes, you are actually more right than you think to include the N64 - its games were nearly all 32bit code - the 64 was basically a marketing gimmick :) (for evidence of this, see that most N64 games can run on a 32-bit emulated r4300i core). So feel free to add Zelda OoT and the other classics from that system (Goldeneye? Mario Kart? Wipeout64 was basically the Playstation version with analogue control, w00t) to the list for this era ;)

      --

      This is my Sig, this is my Gun. One is for Slashdot and one is for Fun.

    2. Re:Ground Breakers by miyako · · Score: 1

      hmm, I wasn't aware of that. Your right though that a lot of N64 games belong on the list. Along with those you listed one of my favorites is Blast Corps.
      I don't know many people who played this game, but everyone who did can attest to the fact that this very unique game definitely deserves a spot on the list.
      Also let us not forget what I belive might have been the last N64 game to be release, Conquers Bad Fur Day. Now THAT was a fun game.

      --
      Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
    3. Re:Ground Breakers by hawkbug · · Score: 2, Informative

      Crash Team Racing (CTR) for PS1. It did a great job of copying Mario Cart. Unoriginal? You bet. Fun as hell? Oh yeah. I never had an N64, but I played Mario Cart on a friends, and was extremely pleased to see a "version" of it come out on PS1. It wasn't exactly the same, but I actually prefer the PS1 Crash version better.

    4. Re:Ground Breakers by PIBM · · Score: 1

      I've always though the 64 from the nintendo 64 came from the 64 MB cardrige they where using ..

    5. Re:Ground Breakers by TechniMyoko · · Score: 1

      nope, its cause the main processor was 64 bit. And most N64 games came on 4 MegaByte Carts, but ranged to 32 MB, with only one being 64MB

  5. Not retro by News+for+nerds · · Score: 2, Funny

    when you can play PS games on PS2, though Sega fans may miss the days.

    BTW, 8-bit rules!

  6. New Retro by jakek101 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    People called 16-bit durring the late 32-bit era, I don't see why 32-bit wouldn't be retro now. It certainly will be when the next set of consoles come along.

  7. Final Fantasy II by timlee · · Score: 3, Funny

    My very first RPG ever which I got for a birthday present when I was but a young lad of 9 or 10. Thus began my decent into dorkdom.

  8. saturn! by Nova1313 · · Score: 1

    nights into dreams
    shining force 3

    Panzeer Dragoon!

    Such a great system. I still play mine although it does feel like I use to feel playing atari.

    --
    There exists some positive integer N that you are the Nth person to read this signature.
  9. Virtual Boy! by Servo5678 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All this talk of 32-bit 3D games and not a single mention of Nintendo's Virtual Boy. Despite it's poor showing in the marketplace, it does have several classic games such as Wario Land and Jack Bros. And the system and its games are popular in eBay circles. Nintendo DS? I say bring on the Virtual Boy Advance!

    1. Re:Virtual Boy! by wibs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Don't forget Mario Tennis. That game is great on any platform, but the VB had it better than the rest simply because there was absolutely nothing going on but gameplay. There weren't flashing colors in every corner of the court distracting you from the ball back and forth, you had good control of your koopa, and it got to be habit to select Yes when it asked if I wanted to continue destroying my retinas.

      The more I think about it, that's one of my favorite games of all time.

      --
      If you get nervous, just remember that there are a few billion other people who don't really give a damn.
  10. bangai-o by paradesign · · Score: 1
    Ok, so its a DC game, but its one of the best examples of 'retro' games on modern hardware. Its 2D and all through the game the story laments the death of 2D with the new generation of consoles. Its so crazy now seeing hundreds of sprites on screen at once. If only they made more games like this.

    Im quite looking forward to the next Paper Mario. Its visual style is truly cool and 'new' yet quite retro.

    As always i stand by my sig.

    --
    I want 2D games back.
    1. Re:bangai-o by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bangai-O was first released as an N64 game, so it does (loosely) count. Although I've read that the gameplay was greatly refined for the DC version.

  11. Dragon Force by revolvement · · Score: 0

    Still my favourite game from the 32-bit era. I'm a bit saddened that Sega hasn't yet made a sequel for the newer systems. RPG-like storyline + Massive army battles = fun for all.

  12. Jumping Flash by the+darn · · Score: 1

    extremely fun...and vertigo-inducing...
    alas, too odd an interpretation of ol' platformers to catch on too strongly

    --
    Ceci n'est pas un post.
    1. Re:Jumping Flash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It caught on okay: There were 3 games in the series (though sadly part 3 was Japan-only). Still, first person platforming probably isn't the first genre people look for nowadays.

    2. Re:Jumping Flash by silentbobdp · · Score: 1

      Quite possibly the most interesting games I played on my Playstation were JF1 and 2.

      Wish they would've brought 3 to the states.

      --
      --Moo.
    3. Re:Jumping Flash by Zangief · · Score: 1

      Jumping Flash was a great game. The fact that it had a harder mode once you finished the game made it even better.

      But, I think that the most remarkable part of it, is that it is a 3D jump-and-runner, with First Person perspective, that actually has the jump part right. When you jump, the camera automatically looks down, so you can control where you are going to land. THIS F*CKING WORKS!

      No other game that I remember has done this (I really missed this when playing Metroid Prime, Half Life, and whatever other FPS that has included jumping on moving platforms as part of their gameplay).

  13. Sega 32x - Doom by krymsin01 · · Score: 1

    I wish I still had a 32x and a doom cartridge... the again, I could get the same thing from a copy of Doom for the pc by replacing all the different perspective sprites with the same head's on view...

    --
    stuff
    1. Re:Sega 32x - Doom by Kris_J · · Score: 1
      You want retro style from the 32X era? Hard to go past Virtua Fighter 1 and Virtua Racing -- these titles show how little detail is needed in a 3D game for basic enjoyable gameplay. Heck, the Virtua Racing for the MegaDrive with the (grabs cart, checks) Sega Virtua Processor is one of the most impressive products of the early console 3D era.

      Added Note: Disturbingly, the frame rate on 32X Doom is better than the Saturn version.

    2. Re:Sega 32x - Doom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hard to go past Virtua Fighter 1 and Virtua Racing -- these titles show how little detail is needed in a 3D game for basic enjoyable gameplay.

      What, now you want minor details like texture maps and actual fingers on your fighters instead of block hands? You kids today.

    3. Re:Sega 32x - Doom by lharmon · · Score: 1

      these titles show how little detail is needed in a 3D game for basic enjoyable gameplay

      Reminds me of Hard Drivin', although the Genesis port was pretty bad. They used to have one of these arcade machines (the full cabinet one, mind you) at the Franklin Institute in Philly, where you could play for free. I think it was in the technology section, and is was supposed to demonstrate VR, and how, by 2000, we would all have VR suits and do everything virtually. Anyway, I mostly remember it for running over the cow, and falling off the loop at the top of it. Ouch.

      Another blast from the early-3D-past (for PC gamers) is Corncob 3D, a kind of bizzaro combat flight sim for DOS, which is now available as Open Source.

      --
      From the Gentoo desktop of Luke Harman
  14. Motor Toon by b00m3rang · · Score: 1

    That was the first game I played for the PS, and it was a great one. The graphics were great, and the cartoonish gameplay was a lot of fun after you get used to it.

  15. Not Quite Long Enough by Mupp252 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Am I the only person that belives that the 32-bit era never really got a chance to get off of the ground?

    I mean the "16-bit era" (I use that term loosely since one could endlessly argue specs of the systems at the time.) had a solid amount of time to create very unique gameplay and push it boundaries wheras the 32-bit boom was merely a blink of an eye. The platforms were introduced, games were made and then new consoles took over.

    In a way that whole time frame has kinda scarred me when trying to classify new classics on the 3 leading platforms. It's almost like game manufacturers are no longer concerned with pushing the limits of their hardware. They only feel threatened when a bigger and badder system is introduced.

    1. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by Incoherent07 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think the generations themselves are blurring together, thanks to backwards compatibility. Console makers just want to have the shiniest widget on the market for penis-envy reasons... not just theirs, their customers'.

      --
      This is my sig. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
    2. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by Osty · · Score: 1

      I mean the "16-bit era" (I use that term loosely since one could endlessly argue specs of the systems at the time.) had a solid amount of time to create very unique gameplay and push it boundaries wheras the 32-bit boom was merely a blink of an eye. The platforms were introduced, games were made and then new consoles took over.

      (disclaimer: I didn't bother to verify dates, so I'm going by memory. I may be off by a year or so.)


      I'm not sure I agree with you. The "16-bit era" started with the Genesis around 89-90, and really hit full-swing around 91 with the Super NES. The "32-bit era" started with the Saturn and PSX, which were released around 94-95. The "64-bit era" (which is a misnomer, really, since these machines are still 32-bit CPUs) kicked off with the Dreamcast (I'm counting the N64 in 32-bit era, since it was direct competition to the PSX) in 99, and the PS2 in 2000. Each console era has had overlap when you look at the market as a whole. The NES overlapped a few years with the Genesis before the SNES launched. The SNES overlapped with PSX until the N64 launched. The PSX overlapped with the Dreamcast, and the N64 overlapped even with the PS2 (Gamecube launched in 2001). Each era since 16-bit has been approximately 5 years (8-bit technically lasted longer, if you start counting from the NES, since it launched in Japan in 83-84, and I believe the SMS was around 84 as well). The next era (what people will call "128-bit", but will actually be truly 64-bit, based on the rumored specs for XBox Next and GameCube Next) is set to follow that trend, with announcements coming next year for late '05/early '06 launches. 16-bit was 90-95, 32-bit 95-00, and "64-bit" will be 00-05.


      Can anyone clear up the whole "N-bit" naming scheme? Other than marketing purposes, where did this come from? The NES was 8-bit because it used an 8-bit CPU. The Genesis and SNES were 16-bit because they used 16-bit CPUs, but IIRC they had 8-bit sound. They couldn't display 16-bit color, with the Genesis limited to 64 colors on screen and the SNES limited to 256, so it can't be that (though I believe the SNES at least could pull from a palette of 2^16 colors, and the Genesis from 2^15 or so). I don't know why the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 was 16-bit, because IIRC it used an 8-bit CPU. The Saturn and PSX were 32-bit because they finally made the move to 32-bit CPUs. The Jaguar was "64-bit" because it had two 32-bit processors, and everybody knows that 32 + 32 = 64. How is the N64 64-bit? What about the Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube, or XBox? The Xbox obviously uses a 32-bit Intel CPU, and the GameCube uses a 32-bit PowerPC (I'm pretty sure it's not running in 64-bit mode). The GBA is 16/32-bit, because while it uses a 32-bit ARM CPU, most games are actually written using the CPU's 16-bit THUMB mode because it's faster and more battery-efficient.

    3. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by TechniMyoko · · Score: 1

      Actually Dreamcast had 2 64 Bit processors. (Still not exactly 128 bit) Xbox is 32 bit. Cube and PS2 are 128 bit though.

    4. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The Cube is 64 bit. It's a slightly modified Power PC 750.

    5. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Can anyone clear up the whole "N-bit" naming scheme?

      "Bits" refers to the data size of the CPU. You don't add it when a machine has multiple processors, and you definitely don't count sound processors when measuring bits.

      The Genesis and SNES were 16-bit because they used 16-bit CPUs, but IIRC they had 8-bit sound.

      The SNES had a 16-bit sound processor (SPC700), and the Genesis had a Z80 for sound.

      though I believe the SNES at least could pull from a palette of 2^16 colors, and the Genesis from 2^15 or so

      32,768 (2^15) total for SNES, 512 total for Genesis.

      I don't know why the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 was 16-bit, because IIRC it used an 8-bit CPU.

      Two of them, in fact. That was brought up quite often in gaming discussions, the fact that NEC was in effect lying about the machine being 16 bit.

      The Jaguar was "64-bit" because it had two 32-bit processors, and everybody knows that 32 + 32 = 64.

      32+32=64, but only when you're allowed to add them in the first place. It's a moot point, because the main processors "Tom" and "Jerry" (seriously, those are their names) in the Jaguar are both 64-bit.

      How is the N64 64-bit?

      By having a 64-bit CPU inside it, of course.

      What about the Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube, or XBox?

      DC: 128
      PS2: 128
      GC: 64
      Xbox: 32

      And yet the Xbox is the most powerful. This is why you use bits only to refer to different generations of game consoles, and not to compare their computational power.

    6. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by Akaihiryuu · · Score: 1

      For awhile, they were talking about the bits of the main CPU, now they seem to gravitate to the video chipset instead. The SNES is technically an 8-bit if you go by the CPU. It's a 65C816 which has a 16-bit address bus but an 8-bit data bus. Everything is multiplexed to 8-bit. The TG-16 was 8-bit, but had a 16-bit graphic chip. The Jaguar was 16-bit, but had a 64-bit graphic chip. The Jaguar used a 68000 (same CPU as Genesis and Neo Geo). The N64 used a 64-bit CPU, but multiplexed it to 32-bit, because the entire motherboard is 32-bit. The DC is 64-bit as well, 128-bit graphic chip, same with the PS2 and GC. The PS2's CPU is a close relative of the N64's CPU, it just has 2 vector units that run in parallel to it. The Xbox is 32-bit with a 128-bit graphic chip. It seems they mostly talk about the graphic chips today rather than the CPU.

    7. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by forkazoo · · Score: 1

      The dreamcast is an SH4 box. That's 32 bit. Even fewer bits of physical address space. Oh, and it runs netbsd! :)

    8. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by mattACK · · Score: 1

      Plus the SH4 has a 16 bit instruction set. Mull that over a while...

      --


      "My God, this must be a truly remarkable corn chip, to be so widely and confidently touted."
    9. Re:Not Quite Long Enough by forkazoo · · Score: 1

      I'll Mul it if you promise to Div it simultaneously, so we cancel each other out! :) Anybody want some other instructions?

  16. Yeah, I know.... by justkarl · · Score: 1

    Even though it's only 16 bit, I think(know) that Secret of Mana for the Super NES is perhaps the best game ever.

    1. Re:Yeah, I know.... by Xlipse · · Score: 1

      No, Shadowrun for the Genesis was the best game of that era. :) Shadowrun for the SNES sucked though... but the one for Genesis was SOOO flippin' cool. I know people who've went out searching for a Genesis system just to play that game. Why have there been no new Shadowrun games!! And we're getting a RIFTS game, finally.. but it's on N-GAGE!?!?

    2. Re:Yeah, I know.... by Mitleid · · Score: 1

      You know, you're not the first person I've heard claim that the Genesis version is better than the SNES version. Since you bring the topic up, I'm just curious to know what differences make the Genesis version better?

      I'm not flaming or opening things up for a serious debate or anything... I'm authentically interested in what made the two versions of the game so different...

      --

      --
      Is it me, or did it just get fatter in here?
    3. Re:Yeah, I know.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the are entirely different games, both in the shadowrun world, but different gameplay and stories.

    4. Re:Yeah, I know.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, the gensis had a higher-frequency processor, so everything ran much more smoothly, for one.

    5. Re:Yeah, I know.... by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      I can say that the BEST part about the Genesis version was being able to "Jack In" and actually play the decking. It was AWESOME.

  17. Saturn & Jaguar by Intellectual+Elitist · · Score: 1
    Guardian Heroes, Virtua Fighter 2 (hi-res and 60fps!), The House Of The Dead, Virtual On, Marvel Super Heroes, and Capcom Generations #2 (Ghosts 'n Goblins, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts) were all great titles on the Sega Saturn.

    Tempest 2000, Alien Vs. Predator, and Battlemorph were great on the Atari Jaguar.

    In fact, Tempest 2000 and Guardian Heroes are my second and third favorite games of all time (Grand Theft Auto III claims the top spot).

  18. Final Fantasy Tactics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The only game worth playing from that "period".

  19. Re: My favorites by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 1

    I've always been more of a 16-bit fan myself - the graphics just seemed more polished. I did get a playstation however, here's my list of favorites from the 32-bit era:
    Castlevania SOTN (best graphics & sound ever?)
    Suikoden II (rare gem that few people played)
    Breath of Fire IV (ditto)
    Strider 2 (still fun to play)
    Grandia (great for an earlier game)

    As well, there was a huge collection of remakes:
    Lunar 1 & 2 (these were awesome!)
    Final Fantasy 1-2, 4-6 (pretty good)
    Chrono Trigger (so-so, but still a great game)

    --

    In Soviet America the banks rob you!
  20. Not great by fr0dicus · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I don't think I'll really look back on the 32-bit boxes with much fondness. They represented the birth of many of the franchises we now expect to see modern versions of, and many of these titles are completely and utterly replicated and extended by the modern hardware. For me that generation was the first forays into 3D, and many titles were released and sold purely on the basis of a new or interesting graphical technique that would just look horrifically dated today.

    I'm not denying that there weren't some great games, but nothing like the breadth that the SNES offers the retro player, and what there is has been watered down by remakes for the modern hardware.

  21. 32-bit? by pwroberts · · Score: 1

    Why do they keep referring to the "32-bit era" in the past tense? Aren't we still in that era today?

    Marketing-speak aside, the PS2, Gamecube, Xbox and most of your PCs and Macs are 32-bit machines.

    1. Re:32-bit? by agraupe · · Score: 1

      They are 32-bit in the way that computers are spoken of, but game marketeers decided that it would be good for business if they could find a large number that isn't so hard to change. I believe it has something to do with gfx capability, but I'm not sure.

      The first (truly) 64-bit machine will be quite something.

  22. ahh... the PS... by ddsoul · · Score: 1

    for me... it was Metal Gear Solid & Gran Turismo 1 and 2. I don't know if I was the only one that did this, but I would tape myself playing and record all the awesome CG intros for all the cool games like GT or Tekken, etc, then bring the tape to school and showoff to all my friends and get them all hyped up about the games... those were the days..

    --
    *604x
  23. Twisted Metal 2 by NickFusion · · Score: 1

    Hours and hours of multiplayer, thumb callouses that could etch glass, and that damn clown. Between the Paris & New York Hi-Rise maps...now that's some good stuff.

    Vigilante 8 tread a lot of the same ground, and it had its own charm.

    I also fondly remember the homemade 25ft link cable made for head-to-head Armored Core.

    --
    What were you expecting?
  24. I can't believe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No mentions of Radient Silvergun, Burning Rangers, or Panzer Dragoon Zwei and Saga yet.

    I had a copy of RS in my hands at the mall and didn't buy it as I could get it for $5 less (Total $45) from an importer website. Of course I never got around to it and now it goes for up to $200 on e-bay.

    Also notice whenever people talk about great old games how many of them were on Sega consoles. I guess keep forgetting that 'cool' is better than 'good' these days for gaming.

  25. Old 32-bit favs by Amigori · · Score: 1

    I was always a big fan of the original Rayman. That was absolutely beautiful 2D platformer that was tough, but fun to play. I saw someone mention Jumping Flash already, another quirky, but fun game. Daytona USA launched with the Saturn was the best racing game until...Wipeout was incredible for the time and I'd love to see a sequel on the three platforms. With the newer graphics/CPU power, I'm sure it could be fantastic. I'm sure there were many more that took too much of my time when I was younger, but its too late to remember anymore.

    --
    "The quality of life is determined by its activites."--Aristotle
  26. Great Games by MWales · · Score: 1

    Saturn:
    Daytona USA we played it for HOURS and HOURS and HOURS.
    Sega Rally - Game Over Yeah!
    Guardian Heroes
    Radiant Silvergun
    XMen vs. Streetfighter (import)
    Saturn Bomberman

    Playstation:
    Gran Turismo
    Metal Gear Solid
    Castlevania: SOTN
    Square RPGs

    N64:
    Mario
    Zelda
    GoldenEye
    Perfect Dark

  27. CD32! by Jarlsberg · · Score: 1
    The CD32 was and still is my absolute favourite 32 bit console. A shame it didn't last that long... The great thing about it is the ability to transfer old Amiga games to CD and play them with the joypad/big tv thing that we all love :).

    CD32 had lots of cool games. Here's a short list of my faves:
    Pinball Fantasies
    Super Stardust
    Zool
    Banshee
    D-Generation
    Premiere
    S uperfrog...

    And many more :)

  28. What about 64-bit? Goldeneye anyone? by crashnbur · · Score: 1

    Now that games like Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, and [insert your favorite N64 title here], even 64-bit games could be considered "retro" in the right setting. Then again, since some 32-bit and 64-bit titles helped to kick off the 3D gaming era, I don't think I'd call them retro just yet... maybe throwback games to yesteryear.

    "Retro" is still limited to 2D, although it is no longer restricted to the early classics like Pong, Pacman, and Galaga. Now it can include NES, SNES, and Genesis titles like Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog... or insert your favorite 8-to-16-bit titles here. :-)

  29. That's Easy by FrivolousPig · · Score: 0

    The first one that comes to mind is Die Hard Trilogy, what could be better the driving down a crowded sidewalk having blood splashing all over the windshield only to have the windshield wipers go back and forth and Samuel L Jackson scream out OH NO! or something. Another good game was FOX HUNT (http://www.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/foxhunt/read ers.html) which was unlike anything I had ever played.

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    ~ All comments automatically moderated -1 since 2004 ~
  30. Two words... by moxitek · · Score: 1

    Syphon Filter.

    Had to be the most revolutionary game of it's time, not only graphically, but the gameplay as well.

    I probably replayed that game 10 times, which is always the ultimate compliment.

  31. Neverending Story? by AndyChrist · · Score: 1

    Uhhh...that was the farthest thing from my mind when playing Panzer Dragoon.

    Panzer Dragoon was pretty much a full-on rip-off of Nausicaa, visually, and in large part thematically. Christ, comparing Panzer Dragoon to Neverending Story is kind of like comparing Predator to ET.