10 Things I Miss About Gaming in the 90s

Think I miss good RTS games and people taking chances with genres and wild ideas instead of making COD clones. To be fair Sinden have make great strides with lightguns on modern displays.

things I miss... GOOD GAMES

Speaking of game magazines. I loved it. I was subscribed to PSM Magazine. Loved it. Once a month with a demo disc included 😊

1. I miss games being released in a proper playable state, no day 1 patches, no day 400 patches, no (paid) dlc with content that should have been in the game by default. Back in the day, getting a patch was difficult, so developers - if they were self-respecting, and if they respected their clientele - released games in almost perfect state; patches were rare.
2. I miss plug 'n' play. Nowadays you have to sit through 40 seconds of developer, publisher, and other logos (sometimes entirely unskippable), then wait another minute for the game itself to start once you hit new game or load game, then sit through ten minutes of cutscenes that bombard you with exposition. This shit's everywhere now, even in fighters and racers (looking at you Mortal Kombat and Need for Speed!) - before and after every match you have to sit through a short cutscene with the characters exchanging "pleasantries". And then there are games that have a cutscene or dialogue after every gods-damned event, and everything is scripted to kingdom come. Are we even playing the games anymore?
3. I miss when games didn't weigh 10+ GB because of overblown graphics. Sure, a game has to look appealing if the player is to be immersed and spend numerous hours playing it, but do we really need photo-realistic graphics? Look at games like Mount and Blade Warband, or Minecraft, or Project Zomboid? Primitive (by today's standards) graphics, but very popular, because the gameplay is actually fun.
4. I miss system limitations, when developers had to be creative if they wanted their game to be fun and have a lot of cool features. Nowadays, when the sky is pretty much the limit, games look so good, but are shallow as a puddle. All style, no substance, and everyone is content to have it that way, including most players.
5. I miss custom game engines. Nowadays so many games are released on Unreal and Unity, it's not even funny anymore. Sure, on the one hand it's useful for modding and stuff, but on the other hand, when all your games are interchangeable, what's the point of buying a new game? And it's ironic, because back in the day the number of people who knew tech stuff was far more limited than it is now, yet the degree of innovation in the gaming industry has dropped.
6. I miss split-screen mode. This is particularly painful in the case of consoles. Back in the day, you could get a small party around a single console, taking turns playing against each other. Nowadays consoles come with a single controller and an internet connection. Sure, why have multiple controllers when you can play online, but what if your internet is down, or what if you just wanna play with your sibling or friend and have only one console?
7. I miss when singleplayer games didn't require you to be always online. I get it, it's a way to make sure the game can't be pirated, and it's supposedly convenient for players to save their progress into a cloud, but as it's been shown time and again (especially with dedicated multiplayer games), when the server is down\ dead, there's no way to continue playing, so what the player supposed to do then? This kind of approach not only criminalizes players, but it also screws them over once the company decides to pull the plug or goes bankrupt.

OMG! Im from the UK... and I MISS THE PLAYSTATION MAG... with a free demo disk every month! and also I was a Sega "MEGADRIVE" boy growing up but had a Nintendo gameboy also.... I then turned into PS1! and have been planation ever since. x

I miss getting in from school and monging out to pes

Definitely the variety in hardware. The PlayStation and Xbox are so much alike which is a tragedy but it is what it is because Sony gambled on the PS3 and lost because devs were lazy and couldn't wrap their heads around the complexity of the hardware. I get the RAM issue, though, Sony should've always had unified RAM, but because it was so complex, multiplatform games often went to Xbox 360 and PlayStation was left in the dust, so now PlayStation and Xbox use off the shelf parts, no competition. If Xbox used AMD and PlayStation Nvidia, might be different, but Nvidia is known for being more expensive than AMD. But gone is the day of unique hardware. Say what you will about the Genesis Yamaha synthesizer, but that punchy sound has its place. Earthworm Jim sounds better on Genesis. I'd argue Mortal Kombat sounds better on Genesis. But when it comes to RPGs? Definitely, Super Nintendo wins. It just depends on the game.

Graphics, I'd argue that's not a fair complaint. You judge games by their hardware. I don't ever say by today's standards because they didn't have modern hardware and we're just lazy. Though, we did learn recently that Capcom got lazy on Street Fighter II and Probe got lazy with Mortal Kombat. We're seeing today reworked games that are better versions with improved sound and colors that run on the original hardware, but, when you play the Ninja Gaiden in the NES and say this is the NES, look how smooth it runs. The infinite plain on the SEGA Saturn, Panzer Dragoon is a beautiful looking game on the Saturn. I disagree with you, and I don't like the term "by today's standards" no, Panzer Dragoon is beautiful SEGA Saturn game.

Otherwise, you're totally right. Games in modern hardware, again THE WORLDS MOST POWERFUL HARDWARE, but because of nostalgia, games look like 90s games, which is sad. Build games for the hardware you have and let us go back and live our childhood as it was meant, on original hardware. Everdrive is amazing tech. I have physical copies of all the games, but Everdrive makes it convenient and prolongs the life of the original cart.

Local split screen vs Xbox Live? Yeah..... A lot of people don't use a headset and when you do, you get Xbox live Syndrome (that 8 year-old kid that just won't shut up). Like you said, you're playing with people you know and while online is convenient, there's no other feeling, like sitting in the couch, chowin down on munchies and getting your controller all greasy playing with siblings or buddies. Everyone has nostalgia for Halo, but it's not because it was online, the experience they loved was having five television sits in a house doing LAN parties, that's what they love, not Xbox Live

Yup. No DLC, microtransactions, loot boxes, or Game Pass (subscription services). It was great to buy a game on a cartridge or a disc where you knew you were getting the full game. Today, games are dissected before they go gold and the rest of the game you didn't get on a disc or download, you have to pay more money for later. You really think it isn't done any different? You're more naive than you think. No, in those days it was all on the disc or the cartridge as you awaited the sequel, but, take Mega Man for example. It was such a good game, kids played it over and over again. Sure they had a library of other games, but kids came back to those short adventures several times and played through them several times, and they still loved them.

Today, you have the worlds most powerful console. Why? All you want is backward compatiblity to play old games and play games that look like these. But, there's a unique feeling to pulling out that old hardware and dropping that cartridge into the bay and snapping it into place and playing it on older game controllers, that don't suffer from stick-drift, and playing them the way they were always meant to be played. I just finished Fable playing it on the Xbox 360 through emulation. The sound glitched a lot and the game crashed several times..... Didn't do that on the original Xbox so, I get a cleaner and more authentic experience in normal hardware. How about the SEGA Genesis Collection!!!! Man, what a bargain!!!! No, it's not. Comix Zone had its problems on the Genesis but it's worse emulated AND playing Shinobi III isn't as responsive as it was playing on actual Genesis hardware. Different controller, different feel, and it was designed for that controller and the micrometer distance and timing that's not the same on an Xbox or Dualshock controller

GoldenEye for the 64 enough said.

The Nintendo Power I had subscribed to for years had one of the coolest promotions I’ve seen in a long time. A month before Goldeneye 64 came out they sent a top secret envelope home detailing the upcoming game with a mission and objectives, sample weapons and baddies. It got you psyched for the game which my brothers and I got as soon as it came out. (I was in my early 20’s so it was a little easier to acquire games back in the 90’s.).

Well said about video game magazines!
I clicked on your vid randomly for something to be on the background, but I found myself watching it through all the way.

The way you pronounced niche as nitch and not neesh really struck a nerve.

The thing I miss the most: top-notch level design, the kind of which got your head scratching for how to get to places or even where to go next. Compare that to BS mini arenas, or linear go from A-to-B, or large pointless sandboxes made out of perlin noise where you can dig a tunnel anywhere and everywhere is the same in games today...

light guns, really? Come to VR, where you have gun in your hands in any shooting game and you can actually aim and shoot in every direction, not just at a stupid TV in front of you...

1. I miss very quick evolution. Every couple of years there was like a really new thing that we never saw before. Be it graphics, multiplayer, technology etc.
2. I miss CRTs. They aren't good for eyes, but I love the vibe.
3. I miss the games not preaching VALUES to me.
4. I miss "subculte/undeground" feeling of PC gaming of 90s. At that time PCs wasn't the primary platform for playing games. Majority played games on consoles. So games on PC and other stuff that surrounded it was kind of "hackerman". You needed to copy shit, install, adjust, fuck with hardware and OS to make it work. Mouse and keyboard controls was so... PRO. Also, devs didn't hold themselves back much and there was a lot of crude stuff, which was kinda counterculture in a way. Especially in comparison to mostly vanilla stuff on consoles.
5. I miss arcades in early-mid 90s. They were so much more advanced in comparison to anything you could get at home from any console. Stuff like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter blew everyone's minds. Not to mention various shooting gallery and racing things.
6. I miss FMV games. Yes, we still get FMVs even today, but FMV can't impress anyone these days. It's retro by today's standards. Not in mid 90s. At that time we went from cartridges to games on a dozen CDs. Where you get hours of interactive video. It was mind-blowing.
7. I miss Looking Glass Studios. Legends behind System Shock and Thief. I also miss Blizzard North, who made Diablo 1-2. At least both left us on a high note.
8. I miss big box editions of PC games. Those were gorgeous.
9. I miss the games not having quest marks and routing. "Figure it out yourself" type of game design.
10. I also somewhat miss pre-internet era. I love internet, but I think I'm lucky enough to experience the era where information wasn't a couple of clicks away. Rumors spread differently, sources of information were different (mags, commercials, games shops)... You have no idea what it felt like seeing Street Fighter or Super Metroid commercial on TV at that time. It fired up your imagination so much. Instead of sending a link to someone, you can only bring a magazine, show some footage that you recorded on VCR or just describe what you saw or think you saw. It was very different and special.

I totally agree on final fantasy being meh after 10, but i far prefer mystic quest to tactics

Ff3/6 is still my favourite, and 4 was also so amazing.

Nice video! I enjoyed it and do miss it. When you knew somebody that knew a code or a secret with no online was a pretty cool experience!

Does anyone remember Turbo Graphics 16 ???

In the beginning we were playing Altered Beast on Genesis and Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES. Next year SNES comes out and Super Mario World follows.

VGA PC games like Space Quest IV catch our attention. Sound blaster and cd-rom are becoming the future. Doom takes us from 16 bit games to 32.

Final Fantasy VII finally brings us a JRPG that rocks the faces off of western audiences.

Ugly polygon 3D games everywhere that haven’t aged well at all. But 3D acceleration technology starts to really take over. Tomb Raider is a revolutionary game that points us in the right direction.

Mechwarrior games for the PC are more of a hobby than just a game. Buying an expensive flight stick and gimmicks like a headset with voice command software become essential.

Star Wars Dark Forces II Jedi Knight gives us the greatest video cutscenes ever and the coolest level designs and weapons ever in a FPS. Plus a massive online and modding community that still exists to this day.

Dreamcast gives us faith in console gaming all over again. While the 32 vs 64 bit era had it’s massive pros and cons and hardware limitations Dreamcast had the capability to do everything. Unfortunately it doesn’t last into the turning of the century.

I grew up with Atari 2600 and saw everything that happened from the late 70’s until today. The 80’s were incredible and so were the 90’s. I use the technology we have today more to play these games from the past than anything modern.

Back when a bad game was called Busby. Back when stupid games like Minecraft didn’t exist.

I'm 38 and I still enjoy getting Game Informer in the mail😅

Can I say piracy? Lol. I live in third world country, so original games practically didn't exist. Everything is pirated, and dirt cheap. Yes, we don't get merchs or official guidebook and whatnot that comes with the original game. But what's important is the game itself, right? I believe piracy actually helps the gaming industry as a whole by introducing it to audience who would have never bought the games otherwise. Years later, some of them, myself included, redeem themselves by buying more games legally, sometimes games they have played before.

With the prevalence of pirated games, came along the culture of swap-borrowing (I can't find a word for this). When I borrow a game from my friend, it's customary for me to also lend them one of mine, usually in the same amount. After a while, we return the games at the same time and/or we borrow other ones. It's kinda like barter, but instead of owning the things you barter, you just borrow them. I wonder if there's actually a word for this.

Great video and yes i do agree. Been playing games since the beginning, like i always say "it started with Pong and i am still going strong"

What I miss is being able to give someone the same experience you had the first time you played a game.

I miss being able to have discussions about the 'graphics' of a 2d game.
I mean, you still can now obviously - but back then we were blown away by a 2d game that looked good. Not many people are doing that anymore.

I.made a game like Megamall but I need a new power chord for my computer to work on it

Yea. But they co sole probably is phones

I was born Christmas 86' so I was a child the entire 90s (3-13) and I just love that era of games so much. PS1 is still my favorite console.

I dedicate summers to playing retro games only.

Getting an entire finished product when you bought a game.

Seeing the squaresoft logo on a game when out choosing a game to rent for the weekend and knowing it was a top-tier game from that alone.

Videogames all having iconic soundtracks (especially RPGs) Are things I miss.

I dont mind old graphics myself, its part of the charm.

Saturn and Dreamcast still hold up today meaning thats just how amazing they were back then : D

You had some really good items in there man! The only suggestion I have is to make your audio clearer. Liked and subscribed!

One thing you forgot to mention about gaming magazines was the demos that often came with them. Especially for PSX.

If your interested in 90s style 2D platformers, Im making a game that embodies the spirit of 90s 2D platformers. Any feed back would be helpful.

I loved getting psm every month and getting a ps2 demo disc

Omg even your correction was wrong its shining FORCE

I miss unlockable content and cheat codes

I miss how simple , aproachable and straightforward games were

Good list!

everything was peak in the 90's especially anime

We were so lucky to grow up in this era! Todays kids will never understand sadly, it was a special time… I miss it so much

there was so much charm back in the day! modern gaming kinda lost that uplifting charm for me. Also back than there were way more different experimental games and genres

"You would never confuse a sega soundchip with a SNES soundchip", No one knew the difference, no one knew there was a difference.

bro you stop the intro from triple jump, watch out

We miss when games were actually finished at launch

Things I miss about 90’s gaming, number 1: 90’s gaming.

i miss renting games in the 90s. grabbing a movie for the family, a game for the kids, and a pizza for everyone was a pretty typical weekend for a kid growing up in the 90s.

Games nowadays look the same, the visual approach is realism, no varieties, good thing Switch exist, tho i don't have it.

I think that Sega shoulf have had its own section. Plus you could have combined that with the influence of arcades on gaming.

Beyond nostalgia I think a big difference with 90s compared to now is game developers were generally smaller companies started by passionate and creative people who just wanted to make great games. Obviously money and profit drivers were there but developing quality games was at least and equal priority. Now gaming is a huge huge industry and I feel that many companies have morphed into mega corporations with shareholders who are driven entirely by profit. As a result we get loads of “AAA” games that really lack quality or originality. Quality doesn’t matter, just make as much money as possible and then move on to next product. There are obviously exceptions but I feel this description is representative of many big names in the industry.

I’d extend the magazine nostalgia to when you would go to a bookstore and head straight to the magazine aisle, usually located against a far wall.

My my would drop me off and not worry about me for two hours. I’d read every gaming magazine available… EGM, PSM, GamePro — there were a ton.