Back to Basics

Have no fear, readers! I am glad to be back (been a bit busy writing for some websites...and the whole life thing can sometimes get in the way. But, I promise to keep your mind stimulated with all the video game news and ideas that you can handle! So, today I thought I'd hit on a topic I think you'll enjoy. It involves nostalgia, so you know it's good! I'm 24, and grew up in the 90's. Now, the 90's were an interesting time for the world of video games. A battle was raging (much like Sony and Microsoft today), the Internet hadn't effected the gaming landscape, and WCW was a company just beginning to hit its stride (Woooooooo)! During this time of square haircuts and Starter jackets (both of which are making a comeback), the landscape of multi-player was sparse to say the least. Most gamers focused on the single player campaign (I'm talking about consoles, of course). The main draw for the player wasn't interconnectivity or achievements. No, the focus of the player was simple: to have fun. I have recently been playing my N64 a lot and I am having an absolute blast reliving my childhood through classics such as Cruisin’ USA and Goldeneye. Cruisin USA has quickly become one of my favorites to play, and I noticed something when my friends and I were playing. We spent a solid three hours playing the game one night, and I can't describe to you the joy I had. Four friends just sitting around, racing some AI as we complain about the erratic driving of that one blue car. My point? The simplicity of these games is something that might be lost forever. I'm not saying this is bad. I love achievements and am a huge fan of accomplishing and completing challenges and getting rewarded for them. However, the 90's had an aura of simplistic game play that is something to be longed for. While playing Cruisin USA, I was almost relieved that I didn't have online leader boards to compete against. I didn't have to think of all my stats being piled up for me. In games of this era, everything is tracked and stored. When I turned on Cruisin' USA, I didn't have to worry about that. I simply popped in the game and started playing. I love it. This goes for most games of the 90's. The simplicity is something that could (maybe) be implemented in the future. When that happens...who knows where games could go. Sometimes, going back is good.