I know this question is very broad and possibly vague, but it really is a question and a topic worth looking into.

I remember cutting my teeth on the Atari 2600 and fortunately, they were baby teeth considering how terrible those graphics, as well as the gameplay many of those games featured. From there, and starting with the NES, many of us would agree that began the Golden Age of videogaming, but what is it about the 8-bit and 16-bit generations that we owe some of our fondest gaming moments?

To answer this question, you might actually have to transport yourself back in time. Now, I'm not saying I know of a time machine that can actually send you back through time to accomplish this, but anyone can do this. Simply drag out that dusty old 8 or 16-bitter, jam a cartridge into the slot and let's get some research done here!

Upon initial examination, it would appear that the graphics have lost an edge to the newer generations of systems that have followed. What is also expected is that the sound and physics have improved to the point of reality in current generation games. All of these things are to be expected, but spending a little more time with some really good older titles like Donkey Kong Country or Yoshi's Island reveal a charm in character design that has been lost on today's offerings. What is also apparent is with the advent of 3D gaming, developers have become lazy in thinking that 3D set pieces littering the levels will fool the gamer into thinking the game is better. Well, I'm here to tell you that is not the case...at least not with this gamer.

The 2D sidescrollers may not have pushed reality or the things that could be possible in a 3D game, but the developers had to be more imaginative in order to have their title stand out above the rest. Don't get confused here...there are some shining examples of 3D gaming out there, but the experience is greatly different from that of the good 2D sidescrollers and it might not have as much to do with the number of dimensions of the gameplay as it is with other factors.

One of the things I remember about how much fun I had in those days of gaming was the excitement of discovery. If you are wondering what I mean, think back to a time when you didn't have the internet, YouTube or even a strategy guide to tell you where all the hidden secrets of the game were located. Now imagine you doing something "outside the box" as many gamers do when they are bored with a game and begin asking the question..."what if". What if I complete this level in a certain time? What if I go without dying for the entire game? What if I collect every single doo-dad in the game?

Now, also imagine that you did one of these things and you received a reward of some sort. That feeling you got from doing it all on your own could never be matched with doing something a hundred times over with the help of a strategy guide or the internet readily available at your fingertips.

The point I'm trying to make here is the use of the internet, whether it's merely for checking out a video of someone completing a challenge in a game or using it to get through your adventure step by step, really takes something away from the game you are playing. In the old days, there were no guarantees that you would finish the game. If you were good, you would finish it and if you weren't, then you probably moved on and played something else. With today's easy access to the internet, it seems that gaming is losing it's novelty in the sense that there is no real sense of accomplishment in anything you see accomplished.

It really is unfortunate that the internet age, as well as the focus on online gaming and making single player content mere filler for the online experience, is ruining what used to be a more engaging experience, at least for me. I think this is really the reason many of us hold on to our older games and return to play them from time to time...a chance to relive those golden days of gaming and a longing for a return to the way gaming should be!

Thanks for reading!