Instant Fun

[VideoGameCritic]

Scott and I were introducing some oldies to my younger friend Chris like Crazy Taxi (Dreamcast) and Super Monkey Ball (GameCube).  It occurred to us that the games were pretty much instantly fun as soon as you picked up the controller.

They don't make games like that anymore.  Now you need to sit through an hour of cut-scenes and tutorials before you start to get any traction, and even then, new games tend to lack that sense of pure fun.

My friends always gravitate toward my classic consoles, not showing much interesting in my PS4 and Xbox One.  I don't think that can be chalked up to simple nostalgia.

Your thoughts?

[wgames771]

I'm pretty young but I generally lean towards playing older games, even if I have no nostalgia for them whatsoever.

[Segatarious1]

Good examples.

For the most part, Nintendo has that mind set. The divide is built upon the cinematic games, pure and simple. That is the part of gaming I do not support, enjoy, or play.

And why is SEGA unable to build another GREAT Monkey Ball???

Also they could update Crazy Taxi instead of re releasing it again.....

[billydeethrilliams1]

I recently watched an Angry Video Game Nerd video (I think it was called AVGN wish list) where he said something so on point that I out loud, to myself, said "Thank you!" He said something like "Is that what kids do nowadays? Sit around and watch video games?"

I've been playing games all my life, but I have another passion that surpasses gaming: movies. And video games will never be movies. Developers, please just stop and get back to basics.

Recent games that were instantly fun: Twisted Metal (2012), Shovel Knight, Wii U games (no surprise there), Hotline Miami… 

[Paul1231]

I will admit that this is why I bought the Wii U on its release date, because I know that if there is still a company out there that understands this, it's Nintendo.

[HardcoreSadism1]

2004-2007

This is a year span I think the balance of cut scenes and game play were golden. The years before Metal Gear Solid had 'mandatory cutscenes', it had never been the same since.

I still nominate the original DS hardware along with the GBA as instant go-to have-fun hardware. I don't think consoles have ever been a "sit down and instantly play" after the fifth generation...

Oh heck I'm a gamer all around, getting kinda sick of how tense things are; on both the gaming and internet community front. I am glad remakes of games that matter are a thing this fall/next year.

[Bluenote1]

[QUOTE=videogamecritic]Scott and I were introducing some oldies to my younger friend Chris like Crazy Taxi (Dreamcast) and Super Monkey Ball (GameCube).  It occurred to us that the games were pretty much instantly fun as soon as you picked up the controller.

They don't make games like that anymore.  Now you need to sit through an hour of cut-scenes and tutorials before you start to get any traction, and even then, new games tend to lack that sense of pure fun.

My friends always gravitate toward my classic consoles, not showing much interesting in my PS4 and Xbox One.  I don't think that can be chalked up to simple nostalgia.

Your thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Yea, I would agree with you.  This is also why I have a Wii U, great fun games that you can jump into right away.  This is also why I love the Lego series.

[ptdebate1]

Ever since 3D graphics became widespread, developers have sought to "elevate" gaming to the status of film.

The problem is that games and film are two different media with very different objectives.

It's hard to balance meaningful choice with a linear narrative. That being said, Bioware's creations are truly artful and should be placed alongside the very best science fiction.

On the subject of tutorials and intro cutscenes: good games in 2014 aren't really that different from the good games of 2004 or even 1994. Rather than front loading all of that content, well-designed games weave exposition and tutorials into the fabric of play.

[bronZfonZ1]

Sega, with their arcade-centric history, was the standard-bearer of instant fun when they were making their own consoles, and they spewed out innovative (though not necessarily high-quality) arcade-style titles as quickly as they could.  

Nintendo was and is much more meticulous with their games, which probably explains a lot why Mario's legacy has grown or at least stayed intact, while Sonic's has deteriorated to where only nostalgia has kept the character afloat.

Anyway, the Dreamcast library and hardware probably provides the greatest balance of old-school arcade gameplay and modern visuals, especially when hooked up with a VGA box.

[Vexer1]

I definitely disagree with that, I find the COD games instant fun, sure there's come cutscenes first, but once the gameplay begins it's fun from beginning to end.  I think plenty of new games have a sense of "pure fun"

I think all the companies understand this, not just Nintendo.

I don't see why people complain so much about cutscenes in games, why is it so wrong for games to be more like movies?  I personally don't see that as a bad thing at all, I love cinematics in games, so no I don't think developers need to "get back to basics" I think games are just fine the way they are now.

I think you were kind of overanalyzing the AVGN thing, it was more of a joke then anything else.

I for one enjoy these so called "cinematic" games and hope they continue being made.