Games you didn't like growing up but ended up liking when older/as an adult?

WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw for the PS2 instantly comes to mind. I remember a mate of mine always wanted to play it instead of Kingdom Hearts when we were 9-10 years old. But, I revisited the game in I think...2015 with friends, when I was around 19 & really ended up enjoying it. I think the game has aged very well at least.

That's really the only game I can think of at the moment.

Modern systems was too expensive for me growing up. So was stuck with retro devices like the Fam, which as a younger kid didn't care for. Considered them "lame". Overall didn't really care much for games outside dancing games at the arcades. Would play everyday after school.

When the new Tekken came out that changed my perspective on complex mechanics. I saw a few good players play a few rounds and got me wanting to try it myself, since then that was what I enjoyed most about games. Got a DS and along with a PS2 to try out games that scratched my itch.

And the first game I enjoyed from a story perspective was Makai Senki Disgaea (mechanically a treat as well). Much like Hunter X Hunter. It starts off very wholesome but really punches the player in the gut at the end.

*As for wrestling games? I'm vocally against simulator 'sport' games designed around QTEs, they're cumbersome, imprecise, and just honestly badly designed. That's why if someone likes wrestling I highly recommend Fire Pro Wrestling. May look retro but the content and mechanics are very expansive, accessible, and most importantly enjoyable.

Agreed. Fire Pro is pretty cool, but idk if I'd like it nearly as much without the mods on PC for it.

The big problem with modern sports games is they want everything to be almost photo realistic in animations and presentation. So it makes the games feel somewhat automated and not very responsive, controls wise. They aren’t twitch fun like sports actually are or like the older versions of the games were more like.

Wrestling games use to be actually FUN I miss those days thank goodness for emulators new wrestling games are boring and soulless just like modern wrestling today lol.

Couldn't get into Metriod as a kid. Gave Prime a shot in college and loved it, then tried going back to the older games. 1 and 2 are admittedly just alright, but everything after that are a bunch of GOATs.

@judaspete: I still can't really get into Metroid myself. I don't see anything wrong with the games but I guess they're just not for me?

Probably Quake/Doom, as a kid, didn't really like it because you got lost in the level key-hunting.

"challenge bad".

Anything with dual analogs or using the M+K. Games like Quake and Duke nukem you could just use the Keyboard. Then when I was like 8 people around me had a ps1 or games that you needed the mouse to use. I just couldn't do it and it turned me off them for a while.

More recent but heavy rain I didn't see the appeal when it released on PS3. Replayed on PS4 and really enjoyed it the story kept me going. Another was doom completely hated the original but loved 3 and the most recent. Definitely replaying 1 and 2 at some point.

Icewind Dale.

I just could not get good at it as a teenager, possibly I was just too young and those games are fairly complex; I didn't really play those types of games back then so that didn't help. I could complete the first few areas and then, brick wall.

Played that game again in college and couldn't get enough. Very much looking forward to playing it again on Switch, one of my all time favorites.

@bussinrounds: Even then, I think you are giving them way too much credit. Yukes have actively acknowledged the games they developer every year are outdated, rushed, and poorly designed. Lacking even this realism you bring up. I believe many forwarded an interview stating they haven't tried to change the format in "fifteen years"

As for modded Fire Pro, most of them I have played without, seeing as I had them on consoles or handhelds. Super Fire Pro Wrestling was my first in the franchise. I have World on P.C. which is heavily modded (Rumble is very enjoyable). Yet would argue it's still best in the market even without the mods. Mods rarely reflect a substantial improvement over the base product. Though a few can be mentioned to argue that statement, I do not think Fire Pro Wrestling: World is one of them. The base game offers its core enjoyment extremely well.

The match pacing mod alone makes the game so much better, as the matches drag on too long without it. There's a lot more mods which improve the game greatly too (which I'm sure you know about)

....but this is a really crucial one for me.

Wasn't a huge fan of the original, top down perspective, GTA games at all in the 90s. Wasn't until GTA3 was announced that I went back to give the first one a chance again and completely loved it.

Metroid isn't for everyone. Lots of backtracking and searching for hidden mcguffins. I understand why a lot of people don't get into it.