Five Reasons There’s Never Been A Golden Age of Gaming

If there is one thing I’ll never get tired of in this vast world of so-called “Gaming Culture,” it’s the overwhelming amount of idiocy. I don’t know why, but I’m always entertained at reading ignorant opinions, especially if they come from someone who hasn’t hit puberty yet. So, as you can probably tell, I’m a lurker at GameFAQ, GameTrailers, MLG, Blizzard, and Bungie forums, among others.

With that being said, sometimes I read things that personally strike a nerve. I’m not talking about the basic stupid topics like, “‘Halo’ is the best FPS EVAR,” or how sitting on your ass and mashing buttons should be considered a respectable “sport.” Those things would be way too easy for me to rant about.

Today, our little topic will be the mythical creature called “The Golden Age of Video Games,” or more commonly known as, “The 90s.” Lately many gamers across thousands of forums have been bitching about the reality show called “WCG Ultimate Gamer.” They hate the people on it. They hate the games being played. And they hate how gaming has become less of a social taboo. Of course, they also bring up the topic of the “good ol’ days.”

I haven’t watched the show, so I have no idea if it’s bad or not. I only have two reasons to turn on the TV, outside of playing video games; House and Gordon Ramsey. However, when I read someone arguing about how great video games were in the 1990s or 1980s, I have to wear my goggles and a rubber suit because there is so much bullshit being spewed.

The sad reality of it is, we are so much better off now than we were 15 or 20 years ago. Games have improved greatly, and it isn’t costing us a fortune just to get a mere afternoon’s worth of entertainment. I’m going to shatter the myths of the “Golden Age of Gaming” because I’m rather of sick of cleaning bullshit up in my room. [Continue Reading]

Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection Review: Still Doing What Nintendon’t

Nostalgia is a funny thing, especially when it comes to video games. Some gamers think that retro games are classics, and should be appreciated as such, and others think that the games of the past should be left in the past. Fortunately for both groups, every now and then a compilation of classic titles is released to remind both groups fondly of the old days. The most recent of these compilations is Sega’s “Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection” which revitalizes such Genesis classics as “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Golden Axe,” and “Phantasy Star” games in addition to some 40 other games, and it does it with class.

Maybe you can blame it on the fact that I never had a Genesis when I was a kid (it was Nintendo all the way in my house), or the fact that I’m really bitter that my Sega CDX died over the weekend, but I never really thought that Sega’s games were on the same level as their competitors back in the day. There was something about the quality of games that were released for the Genesis that just never appealed to me. Sure, there were classics that I loved to play at my friend’s houses; the “Sonic” games, “X-Men,” and even “Holyfield’s Boxing” but beyond that I didn’t think I was really missing out on much. “Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection” showed me that apparently I was wrong. Even though I still remain a true SNES fan at heart, the “Ulitmate Genesis” collection has finally convinced me that there are some great titles that I’ve missed out on; “Comix Zone,” “Ristar,” and “Streets of Rage” just to name a few, and maybe it’s about time I went back and did some deeper digging into Sega’s back catalog. [Continue Reading]