Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing sometimes. It can cause us to feel like our favorite games from the past are better than they actually were.
Video games should be able to impress us on their own merits, rather than relying on our memories of the “glory days” of playing our favorite games on the PlayStation 1 or Nintendo 64 as kids.
Sometimes, the games we enjoyed back in the day were held back by technical limitations, and that’s not their fault. However, they’re often remembered a little too fondly, with our positive memories of these classic games instead clouding our judgment of how good they actually are.
There’s nothing wrong with admitting that our favorite games from the past aren’t as good as we thought they were. Instead, we’re blinded by our nostalgia for them.
10
Mario Party
I’ve Got Blisters On Me Palms
Look, I’ve poured hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of my childhood and adult life into the original Mario Party.
Back then, it was because there wasn’t any other option. I didn’t have access to the sequels as a kid because why would we need them? The original Mario Party was more than enough for my sister and me to keep quiet, even if it gave us blisters on our palms.
Every time I revisit it as an adult, though, its limitations become more obvious. The mini-games can get repetitive at times, and the boards are incredibly unfair. Of course, that can add to the fun and randomness of the game; the original Mario Party is a cutthroat experience, but the sequels did a far better job of balancing things out.
There’s a reason why whenever I’m feeling nostalgic, I boot up Mario Party 2 instead of the original. My palms and controllers thank me for that.
9
Sonic The Hedgehog
Gotta Go Fast
As someone who owned a Sega Genesis instead of a Super Nintendo, this one is hard to type out. Still, the most important part about self-growth is acknowledging the truth: the original Sonic the Hedgehog game has plenty of problems.
Don’t get me wrong; on release, it was an excellent change of pace compared to other platformers. Going fast and sprinting through loops is so much fun, and it’s something Sonic does from the very first stage.
The biggest problem, though, is the game’s pacing. After an iconic first stage with Green Hill Zone, it’s like the game forgets that the selling point of Sonic is being able to go fast. Marble Zone almost punishes you for going too fast, Labrynth Zone is a miserable water level, and to be honest, most of the game is completely forgettable.
Compare it to the sequels, packed with moments that know how to build momentum and let you sprint faster than the speed of light while still offering challenging platform sections. It’s a far better balance than the original, which is better left forgotten.
8
Crash Bandicoot
It’ll Make You Snap Your Controller In Half
Of course, Sonic wasn’t the only alternative platformer to the Mario franchise. Sony had their own platforming mascot in Crash Bandicoot, though the gameplay there is far, far different compared to what we were used to in the Sega/Nintendo console wars.
Part of what makes Crash such an appealing game is its visual style. It had no equal in terms of its presentation, combining impressive 3D visuals on the PS1 hardware with so much personality you can’t help but tip your cap in appreciation.
When it comes to the actual gameplay aspect of things, though, that’s where things are rough. The game is notoriously hard, but not for the reasons you’d expect. Yes, there are some challenging platforming sections, but it feels like most of the difficulty stems from having to do precise jumping despite awkward controls and camera angles.
What do you mean I’m being asked to perform pixel-perfect jumps on a small spot that I cannot see until I’m already in the air? I get that for many PlayStation fans, Crash is their childhood, but it’s important to take off the nostalgia glasses and face the music.
7
Banjo-Tooie
Too Much Of A Good Thing
Have you ever heard the phrase “less is more?” It’s the belief that a more restrained, at times minimalist approach, can be more effective.
In the case of a video game, it means that having a more focused, smaller gameplay experience over bloated levels and design results in a more fun video game experience.
There is no better example of that than comparing Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. The former is essentially Super Mario 64, but with some much-needed quality-of-life updates. Every level has its purpose, nothing overstays its welcome, and the gameplay is simple, accessible, and fun.
Banjo-Tooie, on the other hand, is the pure definition of bloat: everything is bigger, larger, and as a result, unfocused.
6
Kingdom Hearts 2
JRPG “Goodness”
I love the original Kingdom Hearts. It’s such a fun game that takes a cool concept of an action RPG taking place within iconic Disney worlds. Kingdom Hearts 2, however, dives a little too far into the JRPG story aspect of things instead of delivering more of the same.
I’m not playing these games for some convoluted story. I’m someone who plays Disney Lorcana, the Walt Disney trading card game. I want to hack and slash my way through iconic scenes from Disney movies with Donald and Goofy in my party.
I don’t want to fall into a JRPG storypalooza that makes my head hurt, and that’s where the nostalgia for Kingdom Hearts 2 can blind us to the game’s flaws.
That uncanny valley feeling of the Pirates of the Caribbean world is the icing on the cake: this game didn’t age as I had hoped it would. At least we’ll always have the original. Don’t get me started on the mess that was Kingdom Hearts 3.
5
Final Fantasy
Little To No Depth
Despite all of its issues, I’d much rather play Kingdom Hearts 2 over the original Final Fantasy, mostly because there’s an actual game with depth that exists in the former.
The first Final Fantasy game feels less like a game and more like a prototype, especially compared with its immediate successor, Final Fantasy II, which was released just a year later.
The story is a gigantic MacGuffin, the job system has zero flexibility, and the combat is an absolute chore. Any enjoyment from the game today comes in the form of attempting to speed run the title or participating in a randomizer to help add a fresh coat of paint to what’s a tired and stale experience.
My first experience with the original Final Fantasy was the Dawn of Souls re-release for the Game Boy Advance, and even then, it was a chore to experience.
I was venturing into other turn-based JRPGs at the time, and my entire experience with the original was “why am I just not playing Fire Emblem or the Fire Red and Leaf Green remakes?” No matter how great this game looks today, impressive visuals can’t make up for shallow gameplay.
4
Perfect Dark
GoldenEye’s Spiritual Successor
Every complaint people have about GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64 exists inside of Perfect Dark, only the issues are magnified due to issues with the game’s performance.
Yes, it’s an original IP that delivers a cool sci-fi spy thriller that’s one of the biggest FPS games of its generation, but as I’ve already discussed with Rare’s own games, ironically, bigger isn’t always better.
One of the biggest marks against Perfect Dark is that the level design hasn’t aged well. The game is outdated in terms of its design (and controls, obviously) and suffers for it, compared to how well-paced GoldenEye feels.
Yet for all those issues, the frame rate can be a chore to slog through at times. Yes, it’s an incredible accomplishment for Rare to have delivered once again a console FPS on the N64 of all places, but there’s no denying that this game isn’t as good as we remember it being.
3
Grand Theft Auto III
Wasted
There’s no denying the impact Grand Theft Auto III had on the industry. Still, it remains an incredibly limited open-world experience that has aged poorly.
You have to wonder, though, was the game actually that good to begin with? Were we just overwhelmed by the 3D open-world? Hear me out for a second.
The PS2-era GTA games are infamous for how poorly they control. Playing these games, whether it’s in 2025 or in 2005, was an incredibly frustrating experience. Claude is infamously a silent protagonist, which wasn’t a new or unique thing back then. However, he’s no Gordon Freeman or Samus Aran and is ultimately forgettable.
In fact, GTA III itself, compared to its peers (Vice City and San Andreas), is an incredibly forgettable experience. It has to make you wonder: was the game that good to begin with, or were we just blown away by the new technology and continue to look back at the title with rose-tinted glasses?
2
Super Mario 64
An All-Time Great That Has Become Severely Flawed
If you thought my take on Grand Theft Auto III was wild, buckle up, it’s time to talk about Super Mario 64.
Yes, it’s one of the most important video games of all time. It revolutionized the entire industry. Jumping your way through the castle courtyard in the opening is more fun than almost every other game of its era. Jumping into the painting for Bob-Omb Battlefield and hearing that music is an iconic moment in my gaming history.
However, it’s no secret that the game is filled with janky controls. Admittedly, that was part of its charm as time went on, and many, myself included, dismissed that as just a side-effect from the Nintendo 64 controller’s…”charm.”
After playing the game through Super Mario 3D All-Stars and a modern controller, though, there are still several disappointing issues that crop up. Most of them are quality-of-life updates that were addressed over the years; being spit out of a world every time you get a star is annoying, and the camera can be incredibly frustrating at times.
It’s still a classic game that’s a bucket list item on the N64, but most of its value and charm today are being propped up by nostalgia.
1
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Losing The Plot
Every other game I’ve discussed abuses our nostalgic memories, making us think highly of a game that ultimately falls short. We love Final Fantasy and Mario, so clearly all those games must be great, right? Not quite.
Final Fantasy VII Remake, on the other hand, is a modern game that exploits our nostalgia against us. Yes, it’s the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake, but it’s also only the first five or so hours of Final Fantasy VII stretched out extremely thin. Oh, and we’re going to throw in some ghosts that may or may not retcon the game.
And we’ll remind you that this is the game featuring Sephiroth. You know him, right? The iconic villain who was teased throughout the game before its grand reveal, helping it deliver a bigger emotional impact? Yes, he’s just going to keep showing up to remind you that not only does he exist, but he is from this very game and that he’s important.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a perfect example of failed storytelling. It doesn’t trust that players will make the connection as to what’s happening behind the scenes, as it sets the stage for its pivotal moments. Instead, it beats us over the head as if we suffer from severe attention deficit disorder while expanding on backstories for minor characters that most people simply do not care about.
Thankfully, Rebirth righted the ship and remembered everything that made the original so iconic.
