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When a certain game is of an incredible, earth-shattering proportion to a reviewer, you often hear the phrase "timeless classic" brought into the equation in some way. Games such as Zelda OOT, Goldeneye, Metal Gear Solid and Mario 64 are the ones that instantly spring to mind. As good as the aforementioned games are, as many units as they might shift and as many 90-something out of 100 reviews they might receive, none of them are "timeless classics". None of them, are "timeless" at all.
I don't know about anyone else but I've been back to each of those four games several years after originally playing them and, considering how much I loved each of them at the time, I've been completely unable to recapture the magic they exuded some years ago. Great games, they once were, and still are in terms of legacy, but they're almost impractical to play nowadays; now video games have evolved.
So is there really such a thing as a timeless game? I would argue, quite simply, yes. The title springing instantly to mind being Transport Tycoon, a game I played when I was about 7, and one I picked up again just two weeks ago. I can't think of another game that has stood the test of time any better. I've also been playing the updated version, released ten years after Transport Tycoon, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion. Although its been touched up a bit here and there, there's no elaboration on the premise of the game whatsoever, and a very limited amount of updated goodies. That's not because Chris Sawyer wanted to make a quick buck, but because he wanted the soul of the original game to live on, as back in the 90s Transport Tycoon had a firm cult fan base.
For the uninformed, Transport Tycoon is a strategy game of sorts which involves you starting a transport business, with plenty of competition, in a generated, ever-changing world. You need to transport commodities this world, making money in doing so and escalating your small business to superpower status. It’s not all about making heaps of cash, though. Fail to keep the local industries or towns happy, and you’ll soon find yourself performing well below competing companies in the performance index. As time goes on in the game, new variations of transport will become available at specific dates. For instance, the Hovercraft only becomes available for use in the late 1970s, and some planes and trains even later. Further to this, previously built stations can become obsolete, and need replacing to keep up with rival competition and the increasing size of towns and cities in the game.
It's an absolutely brilliant game that I'd still recommend anyone picking up. And ten years on, I've got into it in a bigger way than any N64 or Playstation game from years back. I've always thought that games that don't desperately need to rely on the latest technologies were always the best ones, and Transport Tycoon proves this to be true in so many ways. I can easily see myself picking it up again in ten years time and having a similarly brilliant time playing it then.
I don't know about anyone else but I've been back to each of those four games several years after originally playing them and, considering how much I loved each of them at the time, I've been completely unable to recapture the magic they exuded some years ago. Great games, they once were, and still are in terms of legacy, but they're almost impractical to play nowadays; now video games have evolved.
So is there really such a thing as a timeless game? I would argue, quite simply, yes. The title springing instantly to mind being Transport Tycoon, a game I played when I was about 7, and one I picked up again just two weeks ago. I can't think of another game that has stood the test of time any better. I've also been playing the updated version, released ten years after Transport Tycoon, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion. Although its been touched up a bit here and there, there's no elaboration on the premise of the game whatsoever, and a very limited amount of updated goodies. That's not because Chris Sawyer wanted to make a quick buck, but because he wanted the soul of the original game to live on, as back in the 90s Transport Tycoon had a firm cult fan base.
For the uninformed, Transport Tycoon is a strategy game of sorts which involves you starting a transport business, with plenty of competition, in a generated, ever-changing world. You need to transport commodities this world, making money in doing so and escalating your small business to superpower status. It’s not all about making heaps of cash, though. Fail to keep the local industries or towns happy, and you’ll soon find yourself performing well below competing companies in the performance index. As time goes on in the game, new variations of transport will become available at specific dates. For instance, the Hovercraft only becomes available for use in the late 1970s, and some planes and trains even later. Further to this, previously built stations can become obsolete, and need replacing to keep up with rival competition and the increasing size of towns and cities in the game.
It's an absolutely brilliant game that I'd still recommend anyone picking up. And ten years on, I've got into it in a bigger way than any N64 or Playstation game from years back. I've always thought that games that don't desperately need to rely on the latest technologies were always the best ones, and Transport Tycoon proves this to be true in so many ways. I can easily see myself picking it up again in ten years time and having a similarly brilliant time playing it then.
Totally agree with you about Transport Tycoon. I don't like the scenario based stuff of Locomotion as much as Transport Tycoon but it's just nitpicking on my part.
I'd say SWOS was a timeless classic. Played the Amiga version for years and I can play SWOS now and it's exactly like I remember from back then.
I'd say SWOS was a timeless classic. Played the Amiga version for years and I can play SWOS now and it's exactly like I remember from back then.
Doom.
Timeless games that i still play? For me, Bomberman, Final Fantasy VII, Street Fighter. There are others i go back to, Road Rash, Zero Tolerance, Lost Vikings, Ico but they dont hold my attention as much as the first 3.
Xbox Live Arcade is bringing back the old legends. Super Puzzle Fighter...what a game that was!
The Halo-verse will always be popular as it's easy to get into. Not necessarily the game itelf will be timless, just the storyline and gameplay (i.e. COD series, Halo, MGS, Grand Turismo) as these games have 4-5 sequels. Maybe thats what they mean by timeless?
The Halo-verse will always be popular as it's easy to get into. Not necessarily the game itelf will be timless, just the storyline and gameplay (i.e. COD series, Halo, MGS, Grand Turismo) as these games have 4-5 sequels. Maybe thats what they mean by timeless?
I have been playing Wipeout3, 2097 and fusion the past few weeks. They handle like no other game and still hold their own a decade on. I will be playing these in another 10 years.
Also worthy of mention are the Command and Conquer series, street fighter alpha, R-Type
Still as challenging and fun as the day they were released.
Also worthy of mention are the Command and Conquer series, street fighter alpha, R-Type
Still as challenging and fun as the day they were released.
When a certain game is of an incredible, earth-shattering proportion to a reviewer, you often hear the phrase "timeless classic" brought into the equation in some way. Games such as Zelda OOT, Goldeneye, Metal Gear Solid and Mario 64 are the ones that instantly spring to mind. As good as the aforementioned games are, as many units as they might shift and as many 90-something out of 100 reviews they might receive, none of them are "timeless classics". None of them, are "timeless" at all.
I don't know about anyone else but I've been back to each of those four games several years after originally playing them and, considering how much I loved each of them at the time, I've been completely unable to recapture the magic they exuded some years ago. Great games, they once were, and still are in terms of legacy, but they're almost impractical to play nowadays; now video games have evolved.
So is there really such a thing as a timeless game? I would argue, quite simply, yes. The title springing instantly to mind being Transport Tycoon, a game I played when I was about 7, and one I picked up again just two weeks ago. I can't think of another game that has stood the test of time any better. I've also been playing the updated version, released ten years after Transport Tycoon, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion. Although its been touched up a bit here and there, there's no elaboration on the premise of the game whatsoever, and a very limited amount of updated goodies. That's not because Chris Sawyer wanted to make a quick buck, but because he wanted the soul of the original game to live on, as back in the 90s Transport Tycoon had a firm cult fan base.
For the uninformed, Transport Tycoon is a strategy game of sorts which involves you starting a transport business, with plenty of competition, in a generated, ever-changing world. You need to transport commodities this world, making money in doing so and escalating your small business to superpower status. It’s not all about making heaps of cash, though. Fail to keep the local industries or towns happy, and you’ll soon find yourself performing well below competing companies in the performance index. As time goes on in the game, new variations of transport will become available at specific dates. For instance, the Hovercraft only becomes available for use in the late 1970s, and some planes and trains even later. Further to this, previously built stations can become obsolete, and need replacing to keep up with rival competition and the increasing size of towns and cities in the game.
It's an absolutely brilliant game that I'd still recommend anyone picking up. And ten years on, I've got into it in a bigger way than any N64 or Playstation game from years back. I've always thought that games that don't desperately need to rely on the latest technologies were always the best ones, and Transport Tycoon proves this to be true in so many ways. I can easily see myself picking it up again in ten years time and having a similarly brilliant time playing it then.
I don't know about anyone else but I've been back to each of those four games several years after originally playing them and, considering how much I loved each of them at the time, I've been completely unable to recapture the magic they exuded some years ago. Great games, they once were, and still are in terms of legacy, but they're almost impractical to play nowadays; now video games have evolved.
So is there really such a thing as a timeless game? I would argue, quite simply, yes. The title springing instantly to mind being Transport Tycoon, a game I played when I was about 7, and one I picked up again just two weeks ago. I can't think of another game that has stood the test of time any better. I've also been playing the updated version, released ten years after Transport Tycoon, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion. Although its been touched up a bit here and there, there's no elaboration on the premise of the game whatsoever, and a very limited amount of updated goodies. That's not because Chris Sawyer wanted to make a quick buck, but because he wanted the soul of the original game to live on, as back in the 90s Transport Tycoon had a firm cult fan base.
For the uninformed, Transport Tycoon is a strategy game of sorts which involves you starting a transport business, with plenty of competition, in a generated, ever-changing world. You need to transport commodities this world, making money in doing so and escalating your small business to superpower status. It’s not all about making heaps of cash, though. Fail to keep the local industries or towns happy, and you’ll soon find yourself performing well below competing companies in the performance index. As time goes on in the game, new variations of transport will become available at specific dates. For instance, the Hovercraft only becomes available for use in the late 1970s, and some planes and trains even later. Further to this, previously built stations can become obsolete, and need replacing to keep up with rival competition and the increasing size of towns and cities in the game.
It's an absolutely brilliant game that I'd still recommend anyone picking up. And ten years on, I've got into it in a bigger way than any N64 or Playstation game from years back. I've always thought that games that don't desperately need to rely on the latest technologies were always the best ones, and Transport Tycoon proves this to be true in so many ways. I can easily see myself picking it up again in ten years time and having a similarly brilliant time playing it then.