While I greatly enjoy modern video games and video game consoles, there are some things that were common in past video game console generations that I really miss.

*Instruction manuals are one thing that I really enjoyed having included with the game, and really nice ones were like little books that really helped to expand the game for me.

*Being able to buy a new video game and start playing it right away, without the need for a lengthy installation and/or update.

*Having the entire game on the physical game itself. Also knowing that, for better or worse, the game would be exactly the same whether someone first played it on release day or many years after the game had been released.

*Older consoles, particularly 8-Bit and 16-Bit consoles and controllers, overall being much more reliable than a lot of modern video game consoles.

What do you miss from past video game console generations?

The simplicity of Sports games. They were designed to be a match up of you and your best Buds taking your favorite teams and playing four quarters against each other. That is not what Madden or NBA 2K is any more.
And along the same line, the micro transactions really has hurt a lot of gaming.

I agree with having the full game on the disc/cartridge. A lot of modern games I don’t even understand the point in buying the physical copy when I have to do a massive install anyways to run it. It was much simpler to have games just run directly off of whatever media was being used.

Also install times. Kind of goes hand in hand with my other complaint, but it’s irritating having to wait for a game to install, and run any needed updates before I can actually play.

Not that I dislike things like patches to fix issues or extra DLC content, but those things I mentioned are probably a couple of my biggest irritations with modern gaming.

When they released a game it was finished not a work in progress.

As all have mentioned, the constant update thing is annoying.
While this also goes with the time period I grew up, but I miss playing games in the same room with friends. Goldeneye, Tecmo tournaments, wwf no mercy, etc..

That's the negative spin you can put on it. And games should never be released when half-finished (cough, Cyperpunk, cough). But back then a game-breaking bug was in fact game-breaking. I remember getting a PS1 or PS2 driving game that had a bug and I had to write a letter (On paper! And address an envelope! And use a STAMP!) to the company and request a replacement disc. The process took like a month.
And people here complain about waiting 30 minutes for a patch to download.

^ yeah, but those patches take 9 months to get QC'd and released.

It definitely is a benefit that issues that really are game breaking can be fixed after the fact. That’s one of the nicer things with modern games by far.

after Tecmo Bowl, RBI and Double Dribble, everything else is a blur. a hard to know what the hell to do with all the controls and shit blur. just run or throw, that all i need.

Simplicity, for sure. Most current games do a decent job of taking you through learning the mechanics and controls, but some just throw you into the deep end and hope for the best.

The worst is when you stop playing a game for a while then try to go back to it. Some RPGs I have to go watch like a 30 minute tutorial online just to remember how to play.

NBA and NFL game controls are so convoluted now with all these complex moves. I miss the simplicity of the old NBA Live and Madden days of the Sega genesis

and yes DLC/Micro transaction content is horseshit, especially for sports games. Why do I need to pay for digital Nike sneakers for my virtual character?

The highlighted one will always be number one in my book. I almost hate the thoughts of getting a new game due to the installing and downloading process. I just want to push start and play the game like we did back in the day. But, the modern convivences make up for that. I remember in the PS2 days, I would have to mail off a memory card to a roster guy so I could have the rosters for every team in NCAA Football.

Also the simplicity. Not just the gameplay but also the graphics. Some games that try to do super detailed graphics look worse because it’s in the uncanny valley as opposed to some simple pixel art that may not look “realistic” but still feels artistic.

I, too, miss the just casual multiplayer with friends in the same room. Sure, online can be fun (I actually really enjoyed Call of Duty: Black Ops), but for the most part, nothing beats hanging out with 4, 5...f**k, even 7-8 friends, and playing Goldeneye, or Mario Kart, or Timeplitters 2, or Perfect Dark...and just being able to laugh and make fun of one another, and the bottom players would be bumped for the new players...Oftentimes there would be that same person that never lost, but at least everyone got to play and take a turn...It's different as opposed to having to talk to some people (often strangers) on a microphone...I still remember playing Block Fort on Mario Kart with buddies, then watching Aliens on TV...then having to wake up in the morning to go to hockey practice...good times...

Madden was so so so much simpler then. I loved the first few and then wth? they got plays and designed plays and 100 play options. Pass and run, that’s all there is in Football! or at least that’s all that used to be. Besides D of course, that should require a few more play options. Gimmie fucking NBA Jam and I’m a happy camper. Today’s sports games I have not a desire to play a single one of them. Not even try. Of course, people love em, they spit em out at every level (just waiting for the HS editions and then 16/17 yos will want compensation. Oh boy), each year, every sport imaginable. It’s mind boggling today’s intricacies in sports games. Or so I’ve heard and seen, a little, in some passing reviews. Never have played a modern sports game of any to this day. I would have to say an early Madden game was last I played. Maybe 2 or 3 or 4. I don’t really know, but even then you saw it was getting harder. Glad I have Super Tecmo Bowl on Xbox. I don’t think original, but could be wrong. But I just don’t really care about that genre of games, at all, anymore.