Amidst New Releases, We Should Never Forget The Inspiring Classics

Through trials, successes, and a few controversies along the way, gaming has really pulled through to become something we couldn’t have expected a few years ago. Massive open worlds, brand new genres with intricate gameplay, and timeless casts have slowly but surely become the norm, becoming so popularized that we see TV shows made around them.

But if you strip back the high-tech shine, you’ll find that many of today’s biggest gaming hits owe their very existence to old-school classics. Whether it’s the side-scrolling action of indie darlings, the challenging platforming of modern masterpieces, or the endless appeal of turn-based combat, gaming history is packed with influences that continue to shape what we play today.

Modern Games Carry Over Classic Mechanics With Just A Fresh Coat

Ever wondered why so many modern games have a distinct retro feel? That’s because classic mechanics never really go out of style – they just evolve. Take the Nintendo Switch, for example. Its lineup is filled with games that borrow heavily from old-school gaming while adding a fresh twist.

Titles like Hollow Knight and Celeste take the side-scrolling platforming of the ’80s and crank it up to eleven with gorgeous visuals, deep narratives, and challenging gameplay.

Many of today’s top games take inspiration from the past, blending nostalgia with fresh ideas. Whether it’s retro-inspired platformers or classic remasters, a Nintendo gift card is all it takes to experience their nostalgic charm firsthand.

We all give credit to Skyrim and The Witcher 3 for their incredible contributions to the open-world genre, but they’re not the pioneers. Early RPGs like The Legend of Zelda (1986) and Ultima introduced the idea of exploration-driven gameplay decades before open worlds became the standard.

Now, massive sandboxes like Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring have taken that blueprint and expanded it, giving players near-total freedom to carve their own paths. The sense of discovery that made those early games magical is alive and well – it just comes with better graphics and fewer loading screens.

The Power Of Timeless Art And Difficulty

Once upon a time, pixel art wasn’t a choice – it was a necessity. Hardware limitations meant game designers had to be creative with chunky sprites and limited color palettes. Still, even with that, you had titles feeling life-like for the people at the time, and they developed a certain vibe and charm progressing through the years.

Fast forward to today, and pixel art is no longer a restriction, but the style is still an avid choice embraced by indie developers and big studios alike.

Games like Stardew Valley, Undertale, and Octopath Traveler prove that pixelated visuals have a charm that 4K graphics just can’t replicate. The nostalgia factor is huge, but so is the flexibility – pixel art allows for unique, expressive characters and worlds that feel timeless.

Then, there’s the “one difficulty for one experience” mindset carried over from the older generations. Remember when games didn’t hold your hand? When did beating a level actually feel like an accomplishment? Mega Man and Castlevania were legendary for their brutal difficulty.

Modern games have largely moved toward accessibility, but the spirit of challenging gameplay lives on. Why do you think FromSoftware games are so popular?

Which older game do you feel was as difficult as Dark Souls?
byu/alejandroandraca indarksouls

You can find pages and pages of pieces bashing the company for not having difficulty sliders in Elden Ring, Sekiro, Dark Souls, and more, but the community praises the developers for it. In truth, FromSoft games are known for their relentless nature and lack of difficulty settings, but the main thing that sells them is the satisfaction after overcoming a hurdle, knowing you took it down exactly the way the developers wanted you to.

These games prove that players still crave that “just one more try” frustration.

Conclusion

As gaming continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the past isn’t going anywhere. Developers keep finding ways to remix classic ideas, and players keep coming back for more. Whether it’s a full-on retro revival or just a sprinkle of old-school inspiration, modern gaming wouldn’t be what it is without its ancestors.

And if you’re itching to revisit some of these classics – or their modern reimaginings – you don’t have to dig through old cartridges. Even now, you can grab legendary titles, fresh indie gems, and everything in between in retail and digital stores, often at great prices. For the experience they give and the hours’ worth of content they have, it’s a superb bargain.