Are Retromaniacs as Insane as Some People Think?

I was going through the classified ads in the paper the other week and saw something that made me think about where video gaming has come from... My first video game system Atari 2600. I grabbed my 20 dollars and got a ride to the house and bought it... I thought to myself "Hey... I remember these games" as I went through my new collection. When I got home I had small hopes to "relive" my video game past. After a short minute of hooking it up, I threw in "Donkey Kong". "WOW!!" I thought to myself. "This is FUN!!" After some time and going through "Jungle Hunt", "Ms. Pac-man", "Mario Bros.", "Space Invaders", "Combat" and a few more, I realized something... Most video games today (with a few exceptions) have lost something... Game designers have lost their touch. They care more about making the game pretty instead of the important thing they should stick to, FUN FACTOR!! Yes, with the exception of a few games (Tomb Raider, Guardian Heroes, NiGHTS, and the Sonic Series) I had more fun playing these old games than new ones.
At first I attributed this to the fact that I missed these old games but after a week and a half of playing the 2600 a good 20-30 times more than my Saturn, I realized it. Game Designers don't care anymore. I can only think of a few companies that still care. Working Designs, Sega, Treasure, Squaresoft and Eidos/Core. These are the only companies that make games that make me feel happy (from the fun) instead of going "Wow what graphics". It disappoints me to say this but Video games are loosing their touch. Fun was lost somewhere between "Donkey Kong Country" and "Battle Arena Toh-Shin-Den" where the companies started their "Look at our Pretty Graphics Phase". Companies are slowly falling into this phase... A company has lost all my respect by trying to "3-D Graphicize" their sequels to classic games... "Who?", you ask? KONAMI. It started with Contra:L.O.W. ... I would have forgiven them for this (Especially with Castlevania X for the Playstation being true to the Konami name) but then I saw it in EGM. Castlevania 64. Ok ok... I know what your thinking. But making an N64 version of Castlevania wasn't the problem. They are crossing it with a 3-D platformer. This is something that will result in only one thing... Another game with the brand name on it, but losing the classic feel (Like Legacy of War)...
  In conclusion I say this... Dust off your old systems and hook them back up, I think you'll see what I mean. Oh, and one more thing... Please all you companies out there go and play these classic games and try to create the thing these games have that most of the new games don't have... FUN and ENJOYMENT!!! It started with fun and it should stay there!

======================================= Back to my Home Page ======================================= Any Suggestions and Comments can be mailed to: rick67@prolog.net