Video Games That Have Aged Perfectly - Retro Bird

[@patrickkn7607]

Can't believe Cuphead has been out since 1930 and still looks so good. Truly timeless

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Haha

[@PabloMontenegro]

Wow, time flies

[@Freakazoid12345]

​@PabloMontenegro yeah, I remember when the game came out. I can hardly believe I'm 165. I feel old.

[@HomeByTheSeas]

@@Freakazoid12345I got the walking toots

[@Freakazoid12345]

@@HomeByTheSeas farting when you walk? ⛽️

[@SMCwasTaken]

The Replayability of Super Mario Bros. 3 is insane

[@chiefthunderhorse4430]

Agreed! I've been playing it since the year it released, first through weekend rentals then finally my own copy Christmas of 1990, played it with both my children in the late 2010s and still play it now occasionally

[@vermilingua5312]

Super Mario Bros. 3 is the GOAT.

[@Nightowl1981]

No doubt! I replay it all the time!!!

[@mattb6522]

So true! It was the only video game I owned for a few years as a kid and I never got bored of booting it up to play it again.

[@jonb2756]

Super Mario world is better.

[@pizzagamecube2564]

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Friends and Family You Ignore” lmao 😆

[@jaredt2590]

🤣

[@MichaelButlerC]

I'll throw in Yoshi's Island for SNES. The hand drawn graphics style allowed the game to age perfectly! good challenge as well

[@Euruk1]

Games that have aged perfectly: 2/3rds of the SNES libaray.

[@WealthyIndustrialist]

Pretty much. A lot of that entire era from both SNES and Genesis aged amazingly. Definitely a real peak in gaming. Can’t say the same for the 8 bit era though even a lot from them aged well also, and definitely not for the early 3d era.

[@robertcatania1120]

it's seriously about as true a statement that an opinion can be. Most SNES games have aged amazingly and are endlessly replayable...i.e. Super Metroid, Link to Past, Super Mario World, etc.

[@thedopplereffect00]

I'd say only about 10% of the original NES games are worth playing. I'd even say pass on the original Zelda.

[@andrewj1754]

⁠@@thedopplereffect00there are a LOT of NES games 10% is still a lot. I kinda agree though - many games had janky controls, hitboxes or mechanics. Kinda disagree about original Zelda. I didn’t play it as a kid, but the more I look back at it, the more I appreciate what it was doing

[@Pesticide00]

A lot of the popular NES, SNES, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, have aged quite well.. I just really can't get into the early 3d type games on the Saturn or PS1 era they seem to not have aged that well, some of them yes, but on average no.

[@Vandel212]

Super Metroid is a timeless classic.

[@mugsofmirth8101]

I agree. Even though I haven't played it since I rented it once from Blockbuster in the 90s, the atmosphere of that game still haunts me to this day, and part of me regrets never owning it so I could do a full play through of it. My life won't be complete until I play it again. Unfortunately because I am so poor these days, that will probably not happen anytime soon...

[@Vandel212]

@@mugsofmirth8101 Ummm I guess you could emulate it for free if you are that desperate haha.

[@mugsofmirth8101]

@@Vandel212 ummm who said I am desperate? Haha

[@Vandel212]

@@mugsofmirth8101 haha

[@opticalsalt2306]

Played if for the first time on virtual console (Wii u) and I totally used save states, but it was magic. I knew I was playing something special

[@TsengFayt]

Seriously, RB is my new favorite gaming channel. I wish I had found it years ago. Wholesome, positive content, hilarious comedy, tons of in-jokes, and just a great dude you would want to hang out with and talk for hours with about games. I like what he has to say ♪

[@mugsofmirth8101]

I like him and his channel too. And I gotta say, the premise of this video is quite interesting and really got me thinking about how video games never actually age, no matter how bad or good they are. Sure, a game cartridge or disc can get scratched up and show wear, but the software itself, which let's face it, is purely immaterial and nonphysical (sorry materialists/physicalists but that's a fact) can never actually age, since age as a physical process only affects things that have physical properties, and software does not exhibit these properties.

[@Craplatte]

It's a constant source of positivity for me, I admire that in a content creator.

[@dapperfan44]

I agree wholeheartedly here. I really feel like we could've been gaming friends growing up in the 90s.

[@poopikins]

Yeah I found him some months ago and every video HITS! I've got a lot of videos to watch :D

[@Level_Eleven]

Just found this channel today, it’s great. Perfect for a day off

[@anthonysanchez7538]

Donkey Kong Country! Every time I start that game, I have to finish it!

[@CapnRetro]

What about 2?

[@anthonysanchez7538]

@@CapnRetro I love it, but it's not as easy to finish

[@davidbarkhausen7739]

3 is the DKC GOAT

[@tonyziporlin4240]

I'd say Megaman X and Symphony of the Night have aged pretty well. Always a joy to replay these games.

[@KidMachinate]

Couldn't agree more. Both of these would be on a top 10 games of all time lists for me.

[@jemleith3263]

@@KidMachinate Bubsy 3D for me

[@homerthompson416]

I really gotta play Mega Man X. I was more a Mega Man 2 kind of guy; don't know why I never played the SNES games considering how much I liked the NES ones.

[@mattb6522]

Both were credits to their respective franchises! I do still enjoy both of these games, too!

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

@@homerthompson416 x is more fast paced with exploration and heavier focus on offense compared to original games where it's more about trial and error platforming and avoiding getting hit.

[@kh1129]

This guy is going to make a great old guy someday.

[@Marc_Araujo]

Super Mario World has aged like fine wine...it's just as fun the 82,762nd time playing it as it was the very first time.

[@jaredt2590]

That one like the original aged the best, you can play them forever.

[@hartleyshandcrafted]

Ocarina of time will always be my number 1. Just did a replay of it recently and it always feels like the first time. I've 100% that game at least 6 times since I was 10 and it's always a unique experience every time.

[@daffyrwt]

For me Super Mario World will forever hold it's initial "awe and wonder", I can still feel what it was it like when I first played the demo of the game in the store when I was 7 years old. The combination of the beautiful graphics and the earwormy music is enough to send me back time and time again.

[@Fonz23]

I remember when my local Walmart had it back in the day and I can remember clearly when my neighbor’s dad bought it for him when it came out and sitting on the floor in front of the tv and just awe struck at all the levels and characters

[@GabMacedoo]

Me too. It’s my favorite game of all time.

[@brianmeen2158]

When is the last time you felt that awe and wonder? I felt it with the first super Mario bris(and other nes games) and then it came hard again when I first played super Mario 64.. I really haven’t felt it since

[@brianmeen2158]

@@Fonz23I miss gathering with my buddies around the tv and playing 8-16 bit games.

[@daffyrwt]

@@brianmeen2158 Hard to say exactly especially with that exact level of feeling, but I do remember when I played Mario Odyssey for the first time I had that child like wonder cuz it felt so natural and familiar moving Mario around for the first time in decades (cuz i had missed out on Gamecube through the WiiU) it was awesome. But sadly it didn't have same staying power like Super Mario World.

[@sabrewolf479]

I played Super Metroid endlessly as a child. I recently played it again. It is STILL the standard to beat in Metroidvanias, and it's been equaled a few times, but never beaten.

[@nothingelse1520]

What has equalled it in your eyes?

[@sabrewolf479]

@@nothingelse1520 Hollow Knight and I can't think of anything else.

[@lordhughmungus]

For me it's Star Fox 64. The cinematic feeling the game gives you through the voice acting and character interactions is still among the best in the medium to this day. Excellent controls, great challenges, both "official" and self-imposed, the level design, the ability to change routes on the fly through various methods in each level., it even has a competent multiplayer mode. Easily one of my favorite games ever made and still holds up against anything that came after it.

[@acwrobel1]

Do a barrel roll!

[@HotBizkit]

First game ever with a rumble pack too. Kind of a big deal back then.

[@lordhughmungus]

@@HotBizkit Yes! I can't believe I forgot to mention the rumble pack. Even as primitive as it was the way it'd jolt your controller when you took a hit, and vibrate like crazy when a boss exploded definitely helped immerse you into the game.

[@johnmills]

I am so thankful I was able to play Mario 3 as a child. An absolutely magical experience and really set the bar for all future video games for me.

[@JapanMediaTour]

Always loved A Link to the Past, but replaying it recently I realize it's a masterpiece. Great video, you nailed it!

[@lawrencemoody738]

Everyone should do everything they can to get this guy top tier with the rest of the critics.... lots of effort. Creativity, very funny deserves to be up there.

[@mimiwilliams1560]

He sure does!

[@jrjard]

You can see the effort and solid script writing. I'm excited for him to develop his own style and voice, though. Right now he's very much the "Scott the Woz we have at home."

[@lawrencemoody738]

@@jrjard I disagree with that. Scott is more hyperactive and loud. Whereas retro birds more chill I prefer the latter but scott's great too

[@albert09]

Super Mario Bros 3, Super Castlevania IV, Super Metroid, Castlevania Sotn, Rondo of Blood, Super Mario World, Chrono Trigger, Streets of Rage 2, Final Fantasy VI, IX & Yes Super Mario RPG are among the games that had aged well.

[@wyredaftsquall]

Yes indeed

[@SageGingko]

100% agree

[@dreamcastx3052]

Can’t believe you left off Final Fantasy X and Twilight Princess!

[@dreamcastx3052]

Oh, and Dragon Quest 8!

[@albert09]

@@dreamcastx3052 And Dragon Quest 8 Totally agree.

[@courtjensen9004]

1. Mega Man X 2. Nights into Dreams 3. The King of Fighters XIII 4. X-Men Arcade 5. Streets of Rage 2

[@dannzalbjorklund]

I disagree on Nights into Dreams. Played it on original hardware for the first time recently and the missions are not intuitive at all. Load times also a bear.

[@agrisimfarming]

If you are a fan of Mega Man X, you gotta try X2! It has more complex routing with the X Hunters and the sheer number of ways to get the upgrades, plus it has better platforming since you have the dash at the start already. If you’re good at X1 you will really like the extra challenge of X2. The only caveat is that IMO the special weapons aren’t as good as X1, and the music isn’t as catchy or iconic (Far from bad though, I like Crystal Snail, Bubble Crab, Magna Centipede, and X Hunter Stage 1 themes to name a few) Overall I think I slightly prefer it to X1.

[@remkoburger6595]

I completely agree with Streets of Rage 2. I bet you've already played SoR 4?

[@RomeoTheBeast11]

Tetris never gets old - I was very happy to see a resurgence last gen with Tetris 99 and Tetris Effect

[@pollodiablo36]

For me it’s Contra and Super C on the NES. I’ve played through both hundreds of times, I don’t think I will ever get tired of either one.

[@chiefthunderhorse4430]

Two very awesome games, and in my own opinion the fun factor is a perfect case of better than their arcade counter parts

[@homerthompson416]

And somehow Konami made Contra way better on NES than it was in the arcade.

[@valkiriforce]

Love the Contra series!

[@Webhead123]

Agreed. These are two games that I can boot up at any time and just enjoy myself.

[@contanimationnation8615]

The older I get, the more I enjoy watching others playing these gems more than actually playing them myself. Am I an odd duck, or does anyone else feel this way too?

[@prolifik302]

Yes its happening to all of us and I promise it is not a good thing lol community and bonding and sharing info is all beautiful tho but make sure to play ur games too! Play w friends co op it helps

[@contanimationnation8615]

@@prolifik302Good advice!

[@courtjensen9004]

You are not alone on this. I watched my roommate play most of the DK country games when I got a little too challenging for myself.

[@grantz9234]

Same 😅

[@SvennyMcG]

😅 I say this often too, I spend far more time buying and talking about games than playing them these days

[@retrospect]

Adult Scott the woz goes crazy

[@ZazzleFraxx]

Link to the Past is amazing and always shows my age when i tell people it's my favourite.

[@divinecomedian2]

It shouldn't though. It should be a favorite for most gamers who enjoy that genre. Especially with emulation being so much easier these days.

[@erneststackhouse1133]

My top fine Wine Picks would be the NES: Super Mario Bros, Sega Genesis: Sonic the Hedgehog, SNES: Donkey Kong Country, PS1: College Slam, & N64: Mario Kart. When I play these games in particular I'm always getting someone in the house who wants to try it as well, so they catch the eye of other people that peaks there Retro curiosity. I used that criteria to pick my 5 Retro Games. Love your 5 picks as well there Retro Bird.

[@DM-xx9fr]

Super Mario World is still one of the greatest platformers and a feast for the eyes

[@detaer]

I love popping Castlevania again and again.

[@jeffreybond9327]

Chrono Trigger. A masterpiece no matter when you play it. Incredibly well-written and designed.

[@jaretco6423]

To be honest, Chrono Trigger is quite possibly the closest of being an perfect video game. The story isn't heavy, doesn't had too much cutscenes or dialog nor overcomplicated, but still delivers an intriguing & charming story. The characters are great. The worlds are spectacular. The battle system is one of the best in any RPG games. The core gameplay and time traveling mechanics works perfectly. The game isn't very long. It has the best pacing out of any RPG games I've played. The music is memorable and catchy. Visually, it looks great for an 2D game. The list goes on & on. There isn't anything I can think of that I found something wrong nor an big flawed. It did so much things right for me.

[@2810Mad]

Pokemon crystal is something I still play every now and then

[@alex64gaming]

I agree with you, Mario Golf Toadstool Tour is an absolute classic

[@mugsofmirth8101]

I would play Mario Gold if it has Princess Daisy in it.

[@mugsofmirth8101]

Is Princess Peach still called Peach in it even though the game's name is Toadstool Tour?

[@3dmarth]

@@mugsofmirth8101 Haha, yes, Peach is still called Peach! And Daisy is in it as well!

[@geesterfunk]

Wave race 64 is my all time go to almost every month, but one of the arcade games I love and will never age to me is Dig Dug

[@mausmalone]

A funny thing about that is I would agree for Wave Race 64, but not for other arcade racers of the era like Daytona or Ridge Racer. Both of those games are great, but unlike Wave Race there's an /amazing/ arcade version that they have a hard time stacking up to.

[@magic3383]

I keep telling myself that a Nintendo 64 isn't a priority for my retro gaming setup and then I'm reminded of Wave Race 64 and Diddy Kong Racing and realize that yeah I probably do need to get an N64.

[@geesterfunk]

@magic3383 do it man!

[@andrij.demianczuk]

Castlevania SOTN, Chrono Trigger and Samurai Showdown are my picks :)

[@CaptinNabil7]

For me it's MARIO GOLF TOADSTOOL TOUR, which the moment you put the Menu theme as the BGM for this video, instantly brought me back to when I was playing it as a kid, MARIO KART DOUBLE DASH, being in my opinion, the best installment in the MARIO KART series ever, SUPER MARIO WORLD for the SNES, and finally DONKEY KONG COUNTRY, especially Diddy's Kong Quest.

[@WIld-cHILd-1273]

I absolutely love your videos, not only is it educational but your comedy is definitely the cherry on top

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you!

[@WIld-cHILd-1273]

@RetroBirdGaming your heckin welcome :D

[@itsjustagamechannel]

I’ve only recently started playing the Zelda games as an adult, and with a fresh perspective can honestly say that Link to the Past is by far my favorite, for all of the reasons you so eloquently covered.

[@jeffbrewster4024]

Yoshis island is fantastic and aged very well in my opinion. I never get sick of that art style. The sound is great as well

[@georgenelson8284]

A Link to the Past has aged beautifully. My favorite game of all time.

[@MrAxelStone]

Dang, I remember finding you a few years ago and you were only at a couple thousand subs and thought you should have WAY more....today 43K subs! Awesome!! Good job, bruh!!

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Your support was much appreciated back then and I'm glad you're still around :)

[@brandonroque2226]

That's really how you tell the greats from the rest. If you can play a game for the first time many years after they came out and still be blown away then you know you got something special on your hands.

[@attackofthetheeyecreatures3472]

Okay. I've played ALttP. But 3:08! He SEALED the door to his brother's room because they got into a fight? What a psycho! They were discussing the best consoles, I imagine.

[@johndiggle4229]

Retro Bird is the GOAT. My favorite game that has aged flawlessly is Blues Clues on Ps1.

[@Pooby1000]

Games that have NOT aged well usually have one thing in common: they tried to do something the console couldn't handle (or the programmers didn't know how to overcome those limitations). Examples would be NES games with tons of flicker or PS1 games with lots of texture warping and pop-in. There's a reason that some of the most well-aged games from the 8 and 16-bit era were made by Sega or Nintendo - those guys knew their machine best.

[@Nightowl1981]

Or any game by LJN...

[@ichigokurosaki6307]

@@Nightowl1981LJN?

[@Nightowl1981]

@@ichigokurosaki6307 LJN was a toys company that also produced many bad video games in the late 80s and early 90s. Mainly for the NES, Gameboy, and SNES.

[@ichigokurosaki6307]

@@Nightowl1981 interesting. Down the rabbit hole I go

[@asimplenameichose151]

@@ichigokurosaki6307 There was a joke going around somewhere in earlier collecting times (maybe 20+ years ago), among those like myself who grew up with the NES, that LJN stood for "Let's Just Not"

[@michaelbalfour3170]

I feel like new Vegas, Deus ex and alot of rts have aged brilliantly. Command and conquer, age of empires 2/3 warcraft and starcraft. All Zelda games to (I like Zelda 2 but I will not argue with you if you think it's aged poor), spyro trilogy, halo 2,3 and reach, all mgs games.

[@MadFireTV]

The original Rayman is so good and in my opinion underrated.

[@divinecomedian2]

Very similar to LttP, I recently beat the GB Link's Awakening again. Has aged very well and was a ton of fun to play. Also still got me a little teary eyed.

[@Nightowl1981]

Streets of Rage 2, a game I can pick up and replay anytime. Or just blasting the Soundtrack alone... without even playing the game at all 😁

[@luliby2309]

It's funny to me that Cuphead is going to age well _because_ it's using that 1930s rubber hose style of art and animation. It's absolutely true though. It's like the first Paper Mario. That game has aged so well on a system where a lot of games show their age (I love them and the way they look anyway though).

[@cattysplat]

With Mickey Mouse starting to become copyright free, we'll see tons of media starting to use that art style.

[@luliby2309]

Yeah, maybe.

[@chadsjohnson4876]

Imo most 2d games from 1996-2000 have aged beautifully. Strange time for gaming because the focus was 3d with PlayStation and Saturn etc but under the radar 2d gaming was being perfected. Just about any 2d shoot em up, or run n gun, or fighting game from that era holds up today.

[@tom13king]

Time Crisis 2 will always be the best lightgun game. 25+ years later and loads of arcades still have it and people still queue up to play it. Resident Evil 4 on the Wii is one of the few games to have timeless motion controls. It’s ridiculous how well they were done.

[@creeperkinght1144]

Ah, a Retrobird video. Soothes the soul with a gamer like myself

[@wyredaftsquall]

Aye!

[@MarkWiseTechno]

6:55 That bread bag clip collection is mighty impressive 😂😂

[@valkiriforce]

So many classic games fit this so well for me - Contra III, Axelay, Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World, Mega Man X games...I could nerd about these games all day.

[@Dac_vak]

I’m so glad you included Gunstar Heroes. That’s one of the few games I bring down from the shelf every single year, and it only ever gets better and better.

[@wd6358]

every game on the PS1 has aged perfectly. Those polygonal characters are as good today as they were in the 90's

[@Fluoride_Jones]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👎

[@spyrojoe4721]

Still love my tomb raiders, parasite eves, raymans, mgs 1, silent hill 1 etc for ps1 love that console

[@gsomv]

I whouldn't say all of them but it absolutely has some bangers, playing them with extra resolution makes one appreciate how much effort went into those models despite the hardware limitations, and they still look great to this day, specially with polygon correction and upscaled textures. I will forever thank duckstation for letting us enjoy those games at their full potential.

[@3dmarth]

You probably won't find many who agree on that, but I will say that I have a soft spot for those early 3D graphics, and that the gameplay can be compelling in a way that newer, more polished games often aren't. And this is coming from someone who took a long time to warm up to that generation! :) I feel like I've barely scratched the surface on the PS1 in particular, having just recently played the Syphon Filter trilogy, Jersey Devil, and Blood Omen, with more to come!

[@wd6358]

@@gsomv duckstation, huh? I forget what emulator I'm using. Epsx or something like that

[@prehistoricgentlemanbird9131]

Man, I’m so glad this channel just randomly popped up in my feed. This dude is funny.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Welcome aboard!

[@JaimeMargary]

Two I keep coming back to are the arcade versions of Shinobi and Shadow Dancer - neither of which got ported to Genesis for some reason. Both have excellent graphics, sfx and music that hold up well, and the gameplay is responsive, fun, and challenging but rarely unfair - unusual for a quarter muncher.

[@cmmmmmmmw]

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is nearly as good as when it came out. I actually prefer it to the remastered art version. If there was ever a game that didn't need a facelift, this was it. Charm, fun gameplay, incredible art and sound. It really has it all.

[@GevinHuey]

To people interested: Batsugun is available on Steam and other modern consoles as a bit of a remaster. My brief search turned up prices of $54 for physical console versions (amazon) and $30 on Steam. Batsugun Saturn Tribute Boosted released May of this year. ...I think I'll wait to see if holiday discounts drop this price any lower. Definitely gonna wishlist it.

[@divinecomedian2]

I'll just emulate it if possible

[@GevinHuey]

@divinecomedian2 I'm sure you'll have an easy time doing so. Just as an update, while that remaster is still $30, apparently at the start of February of this year they released on Steam a classic Batsugun for only $8. Both have achievements and leaderboards

[@GarosGaming]

Earthworm Jim 1 for me. Timeless, awesome and lots of fun

[@zacharymoore2910]

For me there are so many that have aged perfectly but if I’m going to go really old school I’d have to go with Galaga. The controls, patterns, challenge…never gets old. As far as console games go I might have to go with Ristar or the first 3 Sonic games. Such great platformers.

[@Mechanicoid]

I think I'll be playing Space Invaders until I die. It just always feels fun to play. And Ristar is pretty awesome.

[@zacharymoore2910]

So many of those early arcade games got so much right about creating an experience that you want to come back to again and again.

[@Mechanicoid]

@@zacharymoore2910 I won't deny nostalgia has an impact on my tastes, but you nail down why I always return to those older arcades.

[@homerthompson416]

@@Mechanicoid Always loved Ti Invaders on the Ti99/4A, which was the first home gaming system I ever had. Such awesome graphics and sound that I even preferred it to the arcade game. Love the reboot in arcades now and think it's so cool I can play it with my 4 year old niece and 5 year old nephew and get them into it too.

[@ribenasquash]

I got addicted to Pacmania. I was just looking for PacMan in my Genesis list of roms but did’t realise it only has Ms PacMan. So I played Pacmania instead. The jumping mechanic and angle makes it maybe a bit overly complicated but it’s still fun. I can get to level 17 before I run out of continues, default setting. If anyone tries this, marvel at the insane difficulty. Then watch a longplay and see something special.

[@FlameJackstar]

First time watcher. What a goof! I love him.

[@OtterloopB]

It's Friday. And it's 10:00. Grab your bananas, gents and gentesses, it's R. Bird time :) 🍌

[@JackoBanon1]

A Link To The Past was my first RPG ever and so it will always have a big part in my heart. It was so far ahead of it's time and so gigantic and perfectly crafted for its time. The last time I played it must have been in 2012 on my Game Boy Advance before I sold it but I know I would love playing it again. It's just so good.

[@Virtualblueart]

Okami is one of my games that age well I think. It has some irritating bits like not being able to skip dialogue and a quick travel mode that gets unlocked a bit too late but it’s still one of the best Zelda type games out there.

[@KaneAsIAm]

Thanks for another fun topic/video, Retro Bird! I agree, rail shooters age great - I keep going back to Nemesis on the Game Boy. To add some more games that have aged well: Mega Man X, Super Mario World, Yoshi’s Island (oh boy, 3 SNES titles in a row!), Tetris, Star Fox 64, and Millipede. Oh and Zelda: Link’s Awakening and the DK Country games too! Haha

[@unclebob7755]

A game that aged perfectly to me would be streets of rage 2, Super Metroid, Metal Slug 3, and NBA Jam. Also, for a rpg I would suggest chrono trigger or super Mario rpg. However great list retro bird, all the games you picked are classics

[@theartcrusader759]

I've been so addicted to Metal Slug 3 lately. The game has so much replay value because of the many alternate paths, and the best part about the exploration is unlike modern games the exploration doesn't derial the momentum of the gameplay.

[@Cautious_Gamer]

Man, your channel is awesome! Thank you Retro Bird!

[@j0hncon5tantine]

Kirbys Dream Golf = best golf game + best Kirby game

[@HarryStun]

A link to the past is one of my favorites ever. I would suggest a link between worlds if you haven’t played it, you mentioned that top down Zeldas have been neglected since alttp and you are largely correct, but a link between worlds is really a legit top down Zelda experience as well.

[@wulver810]

Wave Race 64... still feels great to play.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Them wave physics I tell ya! Still great :)

[@wulver810]

@@RetroBirdGaming too bad you can't ride a banana.

[@roberto1519]

The entire 5th gen aged really well to me, this is probably not a popular opinion, but I feel it has.

[@3dmarth]

While I can't agree that it has aged well, I really do find both the gameplay and graphics of that era very compelling, and well worth having a little patience to come to appreciate them. :)

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I have a real soft spot for that gen as well. Like @3dmarth said, I find so many of the games compelling.

[@roberto1519]

​@@RetroBirdGaming Indeed, to me it comes down to what was released specially from late 96 up to 2001 for the Saturn, PS1 and N64, I actually find many of their best 3D games still looking great, specially when the developers and art direction went hand in hand. So many unique and exclusive games for all three consoles, sure the 6th gen improved everything as expected, but the 5th gen is from the 90's and it, at least for me is the perfect closing from the 8 to the 32-bit eras, they somehow feel connected, specially the PS1 with all those Mega Man, Final Fantasies and other franchises which originated with the Famicom, Japan was in full force during this time and something changed from 2000 onwards, specially later in that decade. My personal pick would be the Saturn, followed by the PS1, but we can hardly go wrong with either choice, the N64 has less games but its exclusives were also brilliant.

[@Mechanicoid]

I still love the Sega Super Scaler games. Something about just getting in and getting you fix does it for me. We even have better ways to play them these days adding to their timelessness.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

OutRun is my life!

[@Mechanicoid]

@RetroBirdGaming I have the excellent Saturn version, but in lieu of having an arcade, the 3DS version is a my go to. Makes me wish I had my old arcade around that had go karts and loads of arcades...

[@RetroBirdGaming]

The 3DS and Saturn versions are the two that I play :)

[@HE360]

Some games I think aged well are: 1. Double Dragon, Mega Man, and Metroid on the NES 2. Streets of Rage on the Sega Genesis 3. Super Metroid on SNES 4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the ORIGINAL arcade game - The one that was in the arcade. This covers 8 bit, 16 bit and Arcade.

[@hw5091]

Contra alien wars, super Mario bros 3, super Mario world, marvel super heroes vs street fighter for the saturn, nes castlevania and castlevania rondo of blood come to mind immediately.

[@YouTube_Troll1]

The top down levels in contra 3 didn't age well to some people.

[@hw5091]

​@@KZbin_Troll1 I suppose, I thought of putting hard corps instead, so either one. But alien wars is great, no game is perfect.

[@gumpyflyale2542]

1994 Donkey Kong is still a great game

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Heck yeah!

[@ProtonTech1]

A video that exactly captures how I feel, it's not that I'm stuck in the past, it's just that the games are so good that I don't even bother trying new ones. I'm happy playing these kinds of games, and how well they have aged. Here's a list of several games that I think have aged very well: Rondo of Blood, YS 4 Dawn of YS, Grandia, Final Fantasy Tactics, Alundra, Azure Dreams, Chocobo Dungeon, Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, IX, Shining in the Holy Ark, Shining Force, Shining Force CD, Shining Soul, Golden Sun, Simpsons Road Rage, YS Origin, YS 8, Mighty Final Fight, Double Dragon I and II, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Tomba, Super Mario RPG, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Galaxian, Magic Knight Rayearth, NES Tetris, original Castlevania, original Contra, Suikoden 2, Super Mario World, Zelda: Link's Awakening, Samurai Shodown 2, SNES Pool, and the list goes on.

[@JomboyTonesAgain]

You are correct. I mostly play rereleases of old games at this point

[@Thomasjwood]

So glad I stumbled onto this channel. You are hilarious haha

[@Wheels8504]

TMNT 2 and TMNT 3 are two games that immediately come to mind

[@spyrojoe4721]

after completing the TMNT cowabunga collection without any prior nostalgia to those games *only having played shredder's revenge before hand* yes all the TMNT have aged really well IMO

[@zforce4399]

I don't play tennis, I don't watch tennis, I don't care about tennis..... But man did I play the crap out of Mario tennis! Lol. Just right off the top of my head 0 thought I'm going with tmnt 4. The sprites and stages look awesome and the amazing soundtrack is forever burnt into my brain. I would also say contra. Find myself playing super c and alien wars almost everytime I bust out retro! Only someone as passionate about games as retro bird can make this much content on such a niche thing!! Keep em coming retro!! Your videos make me happy!!!

[@RetroBirdGaming]

My thoughts about Mario Tennis are very similar to yours haha. Also, thanks for the compliments!

[@ryanstewart4444]

I still put Metal Slug ahead of Gunstar Heroes, but I totally get where you are coming from. Marvel vs. Capcom. Honestly kind of surprised it's not on this list.

[@divinecomedian2]

Metal Slug is so much fun and still looks so cool

[@grantorinojames2549]

Clicked on this video instantly upon reading the title

[@jasonmyers8278]

Donkey Kong Country still looks as amazing today as it did in 1994.

[@vitorsilva4075]

Great videos and great use of physical comedy! Best wishes from Portugal!

[@brichan1851]

I’ve decided to pick games NOT on your list, simply because there are so many games out there that could be considered to have aged well. But here are five from me. Chrono Trigger - without a doubt, one of the most perfectly constructed RPGs (or even overall games) ever made. The story is well paced, the graphics still look phenomenal, the music is one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, the battle system is compelling, and the New Game + keeps you coming back over and over to get all off the endings. Mirror’s Edge - this game just never gets old. I love its use of the Unreal 3 engine, Faith is such a great character, the Trial Run mode always makes me want to improve my run times, I love the way the Free Running/Parkour works, and Solar Fields made a very tense soundtrack while having great ambiance in low action scenes. F-Zero - look how popular F-Zero 99 is today. It is a build on the original F-Zero that came out in 1991! Everything about it is incredible. The first time I saw the Mode 7 effects, I was blown away. I still think it was the best use of Mode 7 throughout the life of the SNES. Metal Slug 3 - while the same argument could be made for the entire series, Metal Slug 3 is largely seen as the pinnacle of the Metal Slug games. The animation still astounds me. Pacing, humor, and old school shooting make this one of the greatest arcade side scrollers of all time. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike - there’s a reason this game is still used in tournaments like EVO, 25 years after it’s release. Insane graphics and the deepest 2D fighting engine make this a timeless classic. While there have been other 2D fighters that one could argue have equaled Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike in animation and graphics (King of Fighters XIII, BlazBlue, two excellent fighting games/series), nothing has surpassed it. Mastering the combos and parry system for Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike can keep one busy for a lifetime. The roster is not the biggest in the Street Fighter universe, but it is one of the most well balanced and well represented. Many mainstays of the later Street Fighter games ghost their start in Street Fighter III, but 3rd Strike brought back Chun Ali and Akuma which rounded out the cast for enough of the old mixed with the new. Still in 2023, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike stands as of the greatest fighters ever made. That’s my list. Believe me, there are plenty more I could add, but I limited my number to 5, just like you. I hope you enjoyed my list as much as I enjoyed yours. Thanks for the video. ❤❤❤❤

[@therealjaystone2344]

Super Metroid should add on the list too for the designs and soundtrack of the game really well remembered (unlike later Metroid games with forgettable music like Dread) but the controls are a bit wonky nowadays. If a remake comes, hopefully it’ll be a faithful respect to the original.

[@orangeslash1667]

@@therealjaystone2344 Super Metroid has a bit of a learning curve, which is why for the first play though focus on exploring to find upgrades.

[@CosmicCorpse]

I got a good laugh out of you changing games when stuck on a puzzle. I still do that to this day.

[@richpope7218]

Nominating both Metroid and Super Metroid. I was surprised how well the first game aged, played it to death recently.

[@GorGob]

Draw your own map?

[@richpope7218]

@@GorGob With Metroid, most definitely. Second one probably had Nintendo Power or GamePro nearby.

[@TheHyena-ru8bz]

Super Mario World 1990 is still better then any Mario game ever made. Halo combat evolved 2001 campaign is so much fun and even better to play couch coop with a friend. Knights of the old republic 2003. My favorite game of all time. A true master piece worth playing over and over again.

[@anonymousm9113]

For me, it's the SNES-era Final Fantasy games, namely FFII (IV) and III (VI). The original graphics have aged well, but the number of remakes/upgrades prove that the games themselves are classics. FFII was almost like a precursor for the epic FFIII, and those of my generation, who were unaware that there were unreleased games between the American FFI, II, and III, were amazed at the jump in playability. For me, FFI was a breakthrough game, where patience and a little (okay, a lot of) grinding could make up for my lack of perfect timing. I never beat it back in the '80s/'90s, but it seemed like a near-perfect game to me. When FFII came out, I rented it multiple times and loved the cast of characters and relative epic narrative of the story compared to its predecessor. FFIII came out and I bought it on day one, spending hours locked away in my room between high school and work and grinding my way on up to get every character Ultima and other powerful magic. In a similar manner, you might compare SMB 3 and SMW. SMB 3 was a big jump (no pun intended) from Super Mario Bros., and while Super Marios Bros 2 saw bigger and better graphics, it was the odd middle child in a way. Super Mario Bros. 3 incorporated some ideas later improved upon in Super Mario World, and both games have aged gracefully, in my opinion.

[@OzagSalo]

Its daunting, the fear is building within me more each sleepless night, each moment crying out begging for an answer...what on earth do you do with the bread clips?

[@aarongreenfield9038]

Some games age perfectly, and some ripen like month old bananas 🍌🍌🍌

[@WithScienceAsMySheperd]

*The legend of Zelda. *Super Mario World. *Chrono Trigger. *Suikoden 1 & 2. *Castlevania Symphony of the Night. *Smash TV (NES) with 2 controller per player (beats the SNES and genesis version!) *Tecmo SUPER Bowl (NES) : it beats the SNES and Genesis versions, and "Tecmo Bowl" is an inferior prequel.

[@magic3383]

For me it's the Bungie Halo games. Every one is a masterpiece. I think a lot of us have come to realize that developers just made better, more enjoyable games back in the day.

[@HollowRick]

Because there was more money to be thrown at creativity back then nowadays games are so expensive to make publishers want to go with the safe choice it's why nowadays I mostly play either indie or nintendo games and I grew up a sega and sony kid

[@michaellentner9141]

I think the most important element was that they were a team with a shared goal that they were individually passionate about bringing to life. Now you have multiple teams, or individuals hired by corporate who often barely know each other, just grinding away at tasks they've been handed to complete a job. Not just halo, it's an industry problem.

[@Cmoney01010]

Resident evil 4 the og is still the goat after all this time for me, literally never gets old and can do playthrough or quick mercenaries session anytime.

[@TheMatthiasRiots]

True lie’s doesn’t get enough credit. Very underrated classic.

[@Fluoride_Jones]

Which version do you prefer?

[@TheMatthiasRiots]

@@Fluoride_Jones I’m a snes guy, but sega’s is right there. But it’s snes for me.

[@Fluoride_Jones]

@@TheMatthiasRiots Nice! I want to get a physical copy of "True Lies" for the SNES, but I can never seem to find it in the wild.

[@TheMatthiasRiots]

@@Fluoride_Jones in the wild will be tough. But segas is always like 10-15$ cheaper.

[@charleywaynehinkle6358]

I remember seeing donkey Kong country for the first time and was blown away. Good job to all the people involved with its development. I’ve been going through beating older games. Just took down contra, deja vu, shadowgate, guerrilla war, and am currently beating nes earthbound English version I had made.

[@mikem2132]

I think the original Battletoads aged well, it’s still a fun and hard to beat.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

As divisive as that game can be for its difficulty, I agree with you. I still absolutely love playing it.

[@mikem2132]

@@RetroBirdGaming I can make to level 11, clinger winger. I can’t figure out exactly when to change directions in the turns. I’m definitely committed to beating it at some point though! Have you beaten it?

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Not yet. I can get to about one stage before you.

[@andrewspade7969]

@@mikem2132 Pause the game when you take each turn, then press the new direction and unpause, this is a good way to practice. The stage can't be completed on new tv's only old one, I think its because of lag, this is how I completed it. I only completed the game to have done it, I don't find the game fun.

[@retromemories8522]

Final Fantasy VI, Street Fighter II, Gran Turismo 4, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Sonic 2

[@sixstanger00]

_A Link to the Past_ is in my opinion, the best Zelda game in the franchise's history. Many will say it's _Ocarina of Time,_ but many of the play elements in OoT were introduced with ALTTP. I've not played anything beyond _Twilight Princess,_ but the later titles seem to have gotten too convoluted to enjoy.

[@cjeelde]

Can only agree! I call the game Zelda 3. The 3rd Zelda game. I love Zelda 1-3! Great 2D games! Zelda 1 is a great speedrunning game and you also got many nice ROM hacks for that so for example "Ancient Dungeon" that is a 255 rooms randomized dungeon, really great! Zelda 2 is also a great game. But Zelda for SNES has aged so much better. The fact that I love an old game is not the same thing that it has aged great. I can only think of one NES game that has aged good/great and that is Super Mario Bros 3. For SNES there's more games that has aged great: Zelda ALTTP is the number one.

[@sixstanger00]

@@cjeelde I can think of a few NES games that aged well (but then my library is extensive). Mega Man 3, 5, & 6 are still a hoot to play. The original NES Star Wars is still fun to play, though I'm major rusty on it these days. The SNES had a laundry list of titles that have stood the test of time -- Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, F-Zero, Breath of Fire, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, Donkey Kong Country, Starfox, Mega Man X, Civilization, etc. The 90s were definitely Nintendo's golden age; their reputation for great games carried over into the 64-bit era.

[@jaretco6423]

​@sixstanger00 Yeah. Ocarina of Time was fine. But like you said, it's A Link to the Past in 3D. Structurely & design wise, I prefer A Link to the Past over Ocarina of Time because it's the most balanced an the game was challenging, while Ocarina of Time can be an chore, slog and really easy.

[@sixstanger00]

@@jaretco6423 While it probably set it a notch below ALTTP in terms of quality, I do think that OoT being "ALTTP in 3D" was the right call by Nintendo. OoT represented Link's leap from 2D to 3D, and it could've so easily been mucked up (cough..Mega Man 64). Nintendo "played it safe" with pretty much all of their flag titles when they lept to 64-bit; SM64 was pretty much Super Mario World in 3D, F-Zero X was just F-Zero with improved graphics and mechanics. It's why I consider the GameCube to be one of the biggest blunders in Nintendo's history -- making "Luigi's Mansion" a release title was BAFFLING. In the case of SMW and F-Zero (release titles for the SNES), the two games were excellent at showcasing what the new 16-bit hardware was capable of. It outclassed the NES by an order of magnitude. But Luigi's Mansion? WTF? How TF did this game show off the capabilities of a new 128-bit hardware system?! I remember the first time I switched to it's "first person view," in which Luigi looks through a Gameboy Color (nevermind why, right?) and seeing how pixelated the bitmaps were. I couldn't believe it. THIS is supposed to be twice the power of my N64?!

[@jaretco6423]

@@sixstanger00 I don't know. I think OoT could've done more than just being an 3D Link to the Past clone. It's not like Mario 64 being somewhat of an 3D Mario 3 or World for the N64 or Metroid Prime being an 3D Super Metroid. Yeah. There were some references or callbacks to those games. But they weren't exactly like those games and there barely noticeable cause structurely & design wise, they were different. I just think OoT could've done something differently. Which is probably one of the reasons I prefer Majora's Mask over OoT. Not to mentioned I think it's an better game. But that's just me.

[@jaredt2590]

Castlevania 3, THE Castlevania experience. It is exactly the same to play today as it was on September 26th 1990. It’s so good that they made it the regular Castlevania on Netflix.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Such an amazing game!