Every year, there’s a new crop of killer video games such as the stellar Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and surprise hits like Peak. That means the longer you keep picking up a controller, there will be more and more temptation to return to the classics. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long to realize some of these “classics” are deeply, deeply flawed.
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Sometimes, it’s because later games in the franchise put the first to shame. Other times, once-innovative features now seem tired and played out. Want to keep nostalgia from tricking you and avoid some major disappointment? Check out these beloved games that are actually much worse than you remember!
GoldenEye 007
For gamers of a certain age, GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 was an absolute revelation. It had a cool story that adapted the hit James Bond movie of the same name while throwing in a few cool surprises. What kept gamers coming back, though, was that up to four players could enjoy the game’s iconic multiplayer on the same screen. Just like that, console players could enjoy the same kind of awesome deathmatches usually reserved for LAN-loving computer players.
When GoldenEye was re-released on the Xbox and Switch, though, older gamers discovered how flawed this title really was. The graphics are janky, the hitboxes are all over the place, and aiming is a chore. That makes the story mode annoying enough and makes multiplayer borderline unplayable, even if you can get past the uninspired level design.
Sorry, 007: your most famous video game now leaves players more shaken than stirred. And this old title doesn’t exactly make us excited for the next James Bond film.
Pitfall
Younger gamers, you have to promise not to laugh about this one. But in the glory days of the Atari 2600, Pitfall was arguably the greatest adventure game released for the popular console. The game involves you controlling Pitfall Harry as he searches for fortune and glory, Indiana Jones style. Mechanically, that means navigating different screens in this side-scroller and making sure Harry jumps at the right time to avoid everything from rolling logs to hungry crocodiles.
By the standards of the Atari 2600, the platform gameplay was spectacular, and it’s still visceral fun to grab a vine at just the right time and swing over various perils. But like most vintage Atari titles, Pitfall was severely limited. There are only so many screens, so many enemies, and so much treasure. Once you realize you can experience everything this game has to offer in about five minutes, you’ll be amazed at how many gamers once spent hours playing this legendary title.
Super Mario Kart
These days, Mario Kart is quite possibly Nintendo’s most beloved franchise. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the first Nintendo Switch improved upon the original Wii U game in so many ways and became the ultimate party game for when you and your buddies want some fast-paced action. And Mario Kart World took the franchise to new places (including off the track) even as it helped the Switch 2 fly off the shelves faster than a spiky blue shell.
But all of these later franchise advancements have effectively left the original Super Mario Kart in the proverbial dust. This SNES title was revolutionary at the time, using the system’s famous Mode 7 effects to give the illusion of speed. This may just be a matter of opinion, but while the Mode 7 effects hold up well with the original F-Zero, they look just awful on Mario Kart. The simple act of driving on these visually distracting courses is very likely to make you feel like puking. And even if you can give Mario and friends a no-honk guarantee (in the immortal words of Wayne’s World), you’ll likely find the gameplay too slow and the level design uninspired.
Long story short? Forget the nostalgia and just boot up a later game, because this original is more frustrating than a drive down Rainbow Road.
Tomb Raider
Despite being successfully reinvented for a new generation, Tomb Raider and its star, Lara Croft, are a bit less relevant these days. But on the original PlayStation, Tomb Raider was a transgressive hit. Not for the gameplay, which was all about third-person action adventure. And not for the story, which basically reimagined Indiana Jones as a female treasure hunter. No, Tomb Raider was a hit largely because the well-endowed Lara Croft was an insanely sexy gaming mascot who tantalized players even as she upset critics.
Looking back, all the buzz and controversy feel downright quaint. It’s frankly wild to consider the collective excitement and consternation surrounding those ugly, polygonal boobs. Speaking of which, returning to the original game (seriously, go spring for the remake instead) is rough because the graphics just don’t look very good. On top of that, the controls are even rougher than the graphics, and you’ll want to throw your controller after the clunky jumping mechanics doom you for the millionth time.
Bad graphics and bad controls? Sorry, nostalgic fans, but that just adds up to a bad game.
Super Smash Bros.
Nobody on this list is a bigger victim of their own success than Nintendo. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch is another hit party game, one that turns the typical fighter formula on its ear, trading balanced, one-on-one fighting for gloriously chaotic 8-player chaos. It’s such a great game that Switch 2 players are frantically waiting for a new entry in the franchise. If you’re one of them, you may be tempted to play the original N64 Super Smash Bros. game for the sake of childhood nostalgia. If you do that, though, you’ll find a vintage game that disappoints you in almost every possible way.
If you’re used to the 8-player melees of the newer game, the 4-player combat of the original is sure to frustrate. Speaking of frustrating, this game isn’t very well-balanced, which is why you’ll want to strangle anyone who plays the overpowered Captain Falcon with your N64 controller. And, of course, gameplay is severely clunky because it was designed around the Nintendo 64 controller’s one analog stick.
At the end of the day, the best thing about this title is its insane TV commercial featuring actors in Nintendo costumes beating the crap out of each other. And getting regulated by a dude in a Mario suit would be far more fulfilling than replaying this original game.
Space Invaders
Even if you’re too old to have played this 1978 classic, every gamer owes a major debt to the original Space Invaders. This was the first game that allowed players to enter their initials and record a high score, one that other players would do their best to beat. Competitive gaming was born! If you’ve ever enjoyed fighting your way up a leaderboard or seeing yourself as the MVP of a hero shooter match, you arguably owe that joy to this classic arcade game.
Unfortunately, the original Space Invaders is wildly simple. You simply shoot the invading spacecraft as they get closer and closer, and, well, that’s it. Like many older gamers, this one is fun to play for a few minutes when you’re waiting for a large file to download or brewing yourself some coffee. Otherwise, though, you’re better off enjoying the later games (including iconic bullet hell titles like Ikaruga) that ran because Space Invaders walked.
Morrowind
Skyrim has proven to be a major hit across different platforms, which is why it just keeps getting re-released. Speaking of releasing games again, its predecessor, Oblivion, has picked up a new generation of fans thanks to its recent Xbox remaster. These two games were each runaway hits that helped to redefine the fantasy RPG genre. Because of that, you may be tempted to play Morrowind in order to experience the first Elder Scrolls game that ever came to console.
If you try to play this classic title, though, the console is the absolute worst way to do it. The graphics look ugly, and the combat is very finicky. Should you have the patience to put up with the game’s many flaws, you will still find an excellent story. But only you can determine how many janky battles and ugly character designs you are willing to wade through to find a few diamonds in a whole lot of rough.
TL;DR? If you must play Morrowind, play it on PC so you can enjoy the small mountain of user mods that make it worth returning to!
Star Fox
The Star Fox franchise has lain fallow for too long now. One possible reason for this is that Star Fox 64 was a nearly perfect game, and attempts to create follow-up titles on the GameCube and even the Wii U resulted in disappointing sequels. But there wouldn’t have been a follow-up on the Nintendo 64 if the first Star Fox game hadn’t been such a hit on the Super Nintendo. Thanks to a special chip in the cartridge, this SNES game delivered actual 3D graphics and some nail-biting aerial gameplay.
It’s easy enough to return to the original Star Fox via the Nintendo Switch, but that return is sure to disappoint you. The on-rails shooting feels very limiting, and the blocky ship designs have basically zero personality. Most of the personality comes from the Star Fox team members, but their gibberish language is weird and off-putting. Considering how much the follow-up title was a remake that improved upon the original, you’re better off just playing Star Fox 64 and calling it a day.
Resident Evil
Resident Evil is another franchise that has stayed strong throughout the decades. It has never hesitated to reinvent itself: Resident Evil 4, for example, was a run-and-gun classic, and Resident Evil 7 horrified gamers in virtual reality. Oh, and Resident Evil Village helped countless people learn how much they really, really love tall women. But we wouldn’t have all of these later titles if not for the popularity of the original Resident Evil on PlayStation.
Unfortunately, that first game is another title that seemed revolutionary at the time but now seems quaint and outdated. The graphics, featuring 3D characters against rendered backgrounds, looked impressive at the time but just look a bit muddled now. Oh, and God help you if you try to play this ugly thing without CRT-style scanlines! Throw in the awful voice acting and the frustrating tank controls, and you have a survival horror game that, honestly, makes dying preferable to continuing gameplay.
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a game that really hit the ground running. It came out in 1992 and managed to separate itself from Street Fighter 2 and other fighting games because it had blood. Like, buckets of blood, all capped off with increasingly over-the-top fatalities. It freaked out parents and lawmakers alike, resulting in the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board to add ratings to games.
The success of that first game led to an ongoing franchise that is still blowing minds and ripping hearts out decades later. However, it’s disappointing to return to the original game because it is undeniably the worst in the franchise, at least among the fighting games (the less said about Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, the better). Combat (Kombat?) feels clunky, and the realistic graphics are hampered by limited animations. There are relatively few characters, each of whom only has one fatality and a tiny handful of special moves.
Are you an MK fan who is feeling nostalgic? You’re far better off returning to Mortal Kombat 2, which improved upon the original game in every single way!
