2D platformers.  Remember them?  Heck, i remember when my cousin got his NES in 1990 and we were all totally floored by SMB.  Things got better when i got my SMS. I bought the Sega games any my cousin bought the Nintendo games, so we experienced the best of both worlds. 

At the time, technology was incapable of producing an affordable 3D game (its arguable if 3D could have been produced on a consumer level at all) and all that my generation had were 2D games, such as SMB, Sonic, etc etc. 

Now, these games weren't that complicated.  Basically, you started at one end of a level and worked your way to the other end to finish it.  Along the way there were many pits to fall in and power-ups or items to collect, but they weren't multidimensional games by any stretch of the imagination. (There were the odd exceptions like Zelda, Landstalker or the like, which had quite multilayered stories).  And yet, we could (and did!!!) spend the better part of our youth playing these simple but fun games and savouring finally defeating the dreaded King Koopa.

Ofcourse, since then technology has improved dramatically, and basically all of todays games are 3D.  Platformers included.  They look better, they are far more complex, they have a lot more variety and the physics and AI has improved dramatically.  But the magic has been lost.  Take Sonic for example, Sonic Adv, Sonic Heroes and now Sonic Riders are al in 3D.  It is impossible to run fast and still feel like you're in control of Sonic.  You basically run and Sonic does everything else. 

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but i enjoyed it much more when Sonic was in 2D.  There was more control.  The controls themeselves were far less complicated.  It was actually fun to play.  But, alas, today's versions (for all their glitz and glamour) just can't measure up to the Sonic's of yore.  The same goes for Mario.  Surely, no one can deny that the sense of awe the very first time you played SMB3 has ever been matched by ANYTHING that has been created since.  Not even SM64.  As much as i loved that game. SMB3 was still the king of platformers.  It was a lot simpler, but it sure as hell roped you in.  10 Minutes turned into 1 hour, which turned into 4 hours. 

The other guys born in the 80's must surely feel the same way as me.  Right? Or am I wrong? Am i losing my sanity at the tender age of 23?  Maybe I'm becoming the gaming equivelant of the senile old man who has lost his way and doesn't fit in to his current world.