Video games were changed forever with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-1980s. Since then, gamers have been exposed to many different types of video games and video game consoles. While there are countless timeless games, there have been many innovations and impressive new technologies that simply fail to impress in today’s world of gaming. As early as the Super Nintendo in the early 1990s, 3D technology has started to emerge. We were faced with the impressive Mode 7 graphics on the Super Nintendo and Star Fox’s Super FX coprocessor.

Not long after these discoveries, we were able to play impressive new 3D games on consoles such as the Sony PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast and the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately, many of these games have simply lost their charm. 3D graphics tend to age more poorly than 2D graphics. We have also come to expect more in terms of gameplay mechanics and storylines in video games.

It’s not a secret that there are some old games that just don’t hold up well anymore. All of the games featured on this list were awesome when we were younger, and many of them are still awesome today. However, there is no denying that age has certainly taken its toll on these titles. Whether you still enjoy these games for the nostalgia factor, or you struggle to play dated games, it’s interesting to look back at how they hold up in 2018. Here are 15 awesome games from your childhood that didn’t age well.

15 No Love For Bond

GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooter game that was released on the Nintendo 64. It was developed by Rare, the same video game developer that is responsible for dozens of beloved classic games and game series, including Battletoads, Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong, and Banjo-Kazooie. As one should expect from such a prolific developer, GoldenEye 007 was a huge milestone for video games in general. It is considered second to the likes of Doom in terms of the history of first-person shooters. GoldenEye 007 innovated single-player missions and a multiplayer deathmatch mode. Unfortunately, the game does not hold up too well in 2018. The outdated 3D graphics along with the awkward N64 controls makes playing the game an awkward experience for anyone familiar with modern first-person shooters.

14 Hourglasses For Arms

Final Fantasy VII is arguably one of the most important and recognizable games in the Final Fantasy franchise, at least in the United States. It was released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation. It centers around the main protagonist, Cloud Strife, a recognizable character with an oversized sword. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VII is plagued with a lot of the same problems other games with early 3D models are faced with. Gamers are accustomed to high-quality 3D models that are easy on the eyes. Graphically, Final Fantasy VII does not look as pleasant as later games. The English translations are also kind of awkward. Despite these problems, the gameplay still holds up very well if you can get past some of the other issues. In addition, the cyberpunk art style is still interesting even with the dated graphics.

13 Do A Barrel Roll!

Star Fox was released in 1993 on the Super Nintendo. The SNES games were developed by the now-defunct developer, Argonaut Software, the same company which was responsible for the Croc series on PlayStation. Star Fox was the first Nintendo game ever to use polygonal graphics, which was a clever way to compose 3D-like images. This was made possible by the Super Nintendo’s compatibility with the Super FX coprocessor that was also developed by Argonaut Software. Despite the interesting software and hardware necessary to make Star Fox a reality, the game does not hold up very well compared to many 2D SNES games. We have come to expect more from 3D graphics, and the game’s main gimmick, its graphics, no longer seems impressive. Perhaps one should check out Star Fox 64 for a cleaner experience.

12 A Battle Not Worth Fighting

Wild Arms was released as the first of a five-game RPG series. It was released for the Sony PlayStation in 1996, making it a relatively early release for the console’s timeline. The game displayed some of the graphic capabilities of the PlayStation. Like many RPGs at the time (and still today), it featured an overworld and a separate battle system. The overworld looks like one would expect. Aside from the characters, everything in the overworld uses 2D sprites. The battles are where the age of the game really shows. These battles feature 3D models, and the characters are in a chibi-style. The battles are not a pretty sight. In addition, the battles are also kind of boring. They are the typical turn-based battles one has come to expect. The story also fails to captivate.

11 This Game Was Doomed

The Doom series is huge, even to this day. Doom pioneered first-person shooters and multiplayer PC gaming. Doom is often considered one of the most influential video games of all time. As one would expect from such a huge game, there were many ports. If you can think of it, Doom was on it. The SNES, PlayStation, 3DO, Sega Saturn, Xbox, and the list goes on. Many gamers could only experience Doom for the SNES, which eliminated many features that were available on the PC version, such as the ability to circle-strafe. In addition, the game has a strange delay in its controls. It is also less visually appealing than the PC version, and the enemies are difficult to see in the dark atmosphere. The game’s sounds also leave something to be desired.

10 A Smashingly Bare-Bones Game

Most people are probably aware of Super Smash Bros. It’s a huge game series that has a thriving competitive scene, and it’s also a game that’s just fun to play casually with some friends. Super Smash Bros. was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It was the first game with such a huge cross-over of characters. It was given numerous awards and was an incredibly successful game. There is still a dedicated fanbase of people who play this N64 title, but most people prefer the various different improvements made by future games. It is fairly basic and lacks options. It also lacks the volume of characters people have come to love in later games. In addition, the graphics are passable, but it’s definitely not the selling point for those who prefer this game over the others.

9 3D Doesn't Always Mean Better

Duke Nukem is a lovable character. He is probably one of the most hilarious video game characters in the history of video games next to the Postal Dude. Duke Nukem 3D is the sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II, but Duke Nukem 3D was the game that brought attention to the series. It is another one of those games that popularized and pioneered first-person shooters. It especially pioneered first-person shooters that have a character with a sense of humor or a deeper personality than just a generic soldier or space marine. The game was praised especially for its humor, which is still funny to this day. However, the gameplay and graphics are quite dated. Unfortunately, the 2011 Duke Nukem Forever game didn’t quite live up to Duke Nukem 3D’s legacy, so fans will have to bear with the dated aspects of the old game.

8 Don't Wanna Catch 'Em All

As a kid, I loved Pokémon Red and Blue. In fact, I still love Pokémon Red and Blue. However, I do not let my nostalgia goggles blind me from the more aged aspects of these games. These games were released in 1999 in North America. They were Game Boy games, which meant they did not have a large array of colors. The colors do not really bother me, but there are other aspects to these games that might make them seem dated. For example, many Pokémon have designs that just seem a little bit off. Some Pokémon, such as Golbat and Koffing, have designs that are different to the designs that were introduced in the anime and subsequent games. The games are also a bit harder than more recent Pokémon games, which is a good thing for those who are looking for a challenge.

7 Not A Fun Adventure

Sonic Adventure was released in 1998 for the Sega Dreamcast. The Sega Dreamcast is a somewhat obscure console with a life span of only 4 short years. As a result of the Dreamcast’s failure, most people are familiar with the Sonic Adventure series through the Sonic Adventure 2 Battle enhanced sequel on the Nintendo GameCube. Both games were well-received and sold well. The series ushered into a new generation and style of Sonic games, for better or for worse. Despite it’s success, the game does not hold up very well anymore. The camera controls can be frustrating at times and the graphics don’t hold up anymore either. The game also suffered from addition problems in its ports to GameCube and other consoles. Unfortunately, many people reported that the ports had some frame rate issues.

6 Sorry, What Animal Is That?

Those who grew up with Banjo-Kazooie swear by it. There may even be some people who believe the game aged well. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this game too, but it feels like some aspects of the game aren’t as enjoyable as they were back then. One gameplay aspect of the game that is a little bit dated is the collectables. There are numerous different objects scattered throughout the stages that you can college; it is a bit overwhelming and turns the game more into a scavenger hunt then a platformer. The game also feels less fluid and fast-paced than other 3D platformers, such as the Super Mario series. The game also suffers from the same problems that plague most N64 games, which is the dated 3D graphics.

5 You'd Have To Twist My Arm To Play This Again

No game series could make ice cream trucks as cool as the Twisted Metal series. Twisted Metal 2, known as Twisted Metal: World Tour in Europe, was the second and most successful game in the series. The game has unique and memorable characters, such as Needles Kane and Axel. What could be more fun than demolishing other vehicles with Needles Kane’s ice cream truck, Sweet Tooth? Unfortunately, the game does not have the same charm that it had in 1996. Being a PlayStation game, it does not have the level of precision that we take for granted in recent vehicle-related games. Precision is important especially in this series, which has focus on a battle arena style of gameplay. The effects and explosions also seem kind of cheesy and low quality.

4 Not Worth Exploring

Tomb Raider was released in 1996 on several platforms including the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. If you’re not aware of the series, Tomb Raider centers around Lara Croft, an English archaeologist in search of treasures. The game was very successful and served to pioneer the now-popular 3D action-adventure genre. At the time, Tomb Raider had revolutionary graphics and gameplay. Today, the atmosphere and the environment of the game is still impressive. The graphics, on the other hand, fail to impress. The 3D model for Lara Croft is actually quite laughable. Anatomically, things don’t seem quite right on Lara. It looks like parts of her body are pasted together. I don’t mean to take away from the impressive graphics for 1996, but these graphics sure did not age well.

3 This Game Should Be Silenced

Silent Hill was a big milestone for both the survival and horror genres. The game was released in 1999 on the Sony PlayStation. One of the coolest aspects of Silent Hill, in my opinion, is that Harry Mason is not a special guy or anything. You’re controlling just an ordinary person looking for his daughter. Another cool aspect is that the game has multiple different endings. It was a well-received game and brought forward a more atmospheric type of horror in the horror video game genre. Unfortunately, there were a lot of limitations on the PlayStation. As a result of these limitations, the game uses a lot of fog in order to limit the rendering. The voice acting is also not quite up to par. Despite these facts, Silent Hill is still a good game and may provide you with a few chilling moments.

2 This Legend Should Be Forgotten

Everyone loves The Legend of Zelda. Personally, my favorite is A Link to the Past, and others might prefer the likes of Ocarina of Time. Whichever is your favorite, it is important to keep mind the origins of the series. The series began with The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System. For the most part, 2D games age pretty well. 2D graphics are timeless and never quite look as awkward as 3D graphics. However, I cannot say that is always the case. The Legend of Zelda is by no means a bad game, but it is certainly a dated game. There are little things in the game that one could not possibly find out through normal gameplay; a guide or prior knowledge is required to get through the game. Also, the graphics are pretty minimal, even for an NES game.

1 Where Are All The Tracks?

The Mario Kart series are the quintessential casual multiplayer games. You have a bunch of friends over and need a game to play? Pop in Mario Kart. This game series began with Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo. It was released in 1992 as one of the Super Nintendo’s earliest games. This game was one of the few Super Nintendo games that was able to showcase the Super Nintendo’s Mode 7 graphics. It was a way to emulate 3D graphics by transforming a 2D background into a sort-of scaling plane with depth. Mode 7 was pretty cool at the time. The “blast processing” of Sega Genesis couldn’t do that! However, witnessing Mode 7 today just seems a bit cheesy. As cheesy at it is, Super Mario Kart is responsible for the series we know and love today.