Topic: I actually kind of envy players who missed out on the NES, SNES, N64, and Genesis era

I grew up with the NES, SNES, N64, and Genesis games and those were the golden age of video games. Some of the games they release today are good but just aren't the same. Replaying them on the VC brings back memories but nowhere as magical as the first time around. So for gamers that grew up with PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox, they are in for a real treat as they will experience the old classics for the first time. Although the new technology of today's games may influence the biases toward older games, new gamers with an open mind will get to experience the magic of playing SMB3, Zelda Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and perhaps even Earthbound one day on the VC for the first time. New generation gamers should really try the classics on the VC, it would be like movie fans who are born after the 70s watching Star Wars, Halloween, and Three Stooges for the first time.

I hear what you're saying. But at the same time, i think a lot of those gamers will overlook the retro games because they have "weak" graphics or are "too hard". It seems (and this is just a perception of mine) that a lot of later-gen gamers aren't able to look past the "flaws" of an older game and appreciate the gameplay. Which is a huge shame. But i think there's a few other threads sort of on that subject already, so i'll stop here before i devolve into a ramble about how "Halo3/Madden type-gamers" (for lack of a better term) are much more fitting of the annoying term "casual" gamer. =)

The difficulty is a problem but some classic games aren't too hard. Super Mario Bros. 3 is not such a hard game with warps and is pretty easy to master once you figure out the enemies and attack patterns. SNES games should be much easier with save abilities. Games like Super Mario World, A link to the past, Kirby's Dreamland are still classics and lets you save your progress so should be much more enjoyable than their NES counterparts.

The VC is a great way to bring back memories for me. I had a NES and SNES but then did not really touch any consoles until the wii came out. I now enjoy a lot more classic games on the VC than I could afford as a kid.

Amen to that Joe Diddley. I love being able to afford all the games I could only dream about when I was a kid. 8 bucks instead of 50 is just a steal. Most 3D games just get so boring and repetitive to me after a while, and after more than 10 years they still can't figure out the damn camera problems!

But to respond to the OP, as a budding shmup fan, all of the turbografx releases have been really exciting to me. When I was a kid I never even knew turbografx existed because Sega and the big N's market penetration was so complete. I especially liked the Bonk series as well.

I'm glad I grew up during that era since alot of the games from that time are considered classics. And seriously, how many times do you hear a new gamer (or a younger gamer) play a classic game and say it was overhyped or the graphics were bad?

Actually, I have experienced that whole magical feeling recently by the Virtual Console when playing a game I never played before that came out on the NES or SNES or Sega system. The first time I downloaded a NES game, I woke up Saturday morning wanting to jump out of bed and play video games. I haven't felt like that since I was a kid and it was nice to experience that feeling again. Of course, I didn't jump out of bed, but I did want to and that's what counts!

I did miss out on the earlier era of games, but I've recently got ot try my hands on many old classics with the VC and buying the older consoles and I absolutley love everything that everybody says is classic. I am thinkful to be able to experience several older games thinks to VC and I salute Nintendo for creating it in the first place, I was born at the crossroads of videogames (1996 A.K.A: The Year Video Games truly went 3D in my opinion and most 2D game ideas were beginning to be abandoned) so as a young child I was raised on 2D games and later I began to play 3D and to tell the truth I don't perfer one over the other, I love almost all types of games.

i love my Wii because I can get a lot of the NES,SNES,Genesis and N64 titles that I miss playing. I was born in 82 and started with the Atari when I was 3. I still enjoy playing some of those games to these days. I guess its mainly because when I was growing up it was just kind of a treat since not everyone had an NES or something to play. It brings back memories from my childhood. I have got my nieces playing Sonic on the Genesis but they still prefer Mario Kart Wii lol.

You have the exact same opportunity to experience pre-NES games for the first time. Go buy some compilations and enjoy. I don't see the difference here.

I grew up with a gamecube, but really, I kind of grew up with the 64 because I played it at my babysitters. Good memories playing Zelda, Mario, and Excitebike after lunch.

Me i grew up with the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube, and they are my favorite console, I think N64 are the best console ever just hope he released more nintendo 64 games...

I grew up with the SNES and the Gamecube.
Played every good game on both systems thats even out in the US to date!
And yet, loved every good or bad moment playing.

I even remember playing PSO, Kirby's Airirde, and MK Double Dash with 4 of my friends ALL OF THE TIME!
As for Super NES, we'd play Super Bomberman 2, TMNT IV, Mega Man X, SMW, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong countrys 1-3, and much, much more on both systems!

I grew up mainly with a GameCube. I played it at my cousins house a lot and for my 9th birthday I got one with Melee.

I grew up with the early game systems like the Odyssey Pong and Atari 2600/Intellivision/Colecovision. I feel lucky to have seen gaming come as far as it has and I feel a bit sorry for those who got into gaming later on.

Yeah, The retro games are the best i think...

I grew up on an N64 and a GBC. I missed out on the SNES era and earlier (and also the PS2/GBA era, but i've borrowed all my friend's Gamecube games and played most of the GBA ones then i got my Wii and DS). Basically, you shouldn't envy us at all. I have played all of those games you mentioned, and I think that 3D Zelda is vastly better than 2D Zelda, and even then Wind Waker is better than Ocarina. I also think that Galaxy is far better than SMB3. But Mother 3 can't hold a candle to EarthBound. I got bored of Mother 3 in a couple of hours, only staying because I hoped it would get as good as the SNES version. I also think that Super Metroid and Super Mario Kart are just old now.

Basically, my point is that except for a few gems (Paper Mario and EarthBound for example) , modern games are better. When Ocarina of Time was new, it was amazing. I remember. But now, it's just not as good as Wind Waker or Twilight Princess. Likewise, Prime and Fusion are far better games than Super Metroid. It is the young gamers who should envy you for being able to paly these games before they were outdone time and time again by newer ones.

Like you said with the movies from the 70's, there are about 6 or 7 good ones (all beginning with the phrase "Star Wars" or "Monty Python") I can think of out of about 500, and 493 or 494 that are just old.

In short: Most old games are not as good as new ones, with just a few exceptions.

Completely agreed. Modern games are better as developers have more experience and things to look back on. Games are always gonna get better and better.

Darn you youngsters stomping on our cherished memories and game preferences!

I don't envy those kids at all, because I know I grew up at the best time to be a gamer (playing NES, SNES, and Gameboy all the time). 2D was where it was, and it was GOOD! I can agree that modern games can outclass old ones, but with few exceptions, it only happens with a REALLY good new 2D game.

Eh, I guess I don't really have anything against 3D gaming at all, just a special place in my heart for good old 2D.

The thing is, if you were born 10 years ago in the future you will talk about the good old Wii days, and how in the Wii era games were the best, and kids don't know what they're talking about. In reality, unless something affects the industry, games will just get better and better as someone innovates, then everyone copies that new innovative feature, then someone who copied the innovative feature which is now mainstream innovates and there are 2 innovations etc. etc. INNOVATE.

@Kim Jong-II: Oh hush up, you! My self-righteousness knows no bounds when I fanboy over the SNES!

Yeah, I know I hurt some people's feelings when I diss the Atari 2600, same as you do mine dissing my favorite systems. Rapidly advancing technology does much to create gaps between generations of gamers.