What's the oldest games you played for the first time this year?

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Tried Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego (1986) and Hobbit (1983) some time ago.
Years ago I used to browse and play random games from Abandonia and HOTU.

This post triggered my memory that the oldest game I actually played this year was with my son: Treasure Mountain. Incredibly repetitive and banal, but he loved it (he’s 3), and it has some educational value. You can find it on Abandonware sites.

 

[samuraigaiden]

I played (and beat) Ultima 1 and 2 in the last couple of months.

U1 is definitely worth playing.

 

[Ash]

Bubble Bobble...or was that last year. This year has not been too experimental or adventurous for me, mostly replaying games with mods instead of seeking out old classics I missed, which can be hit and miss depending on whether it is a gameplayfag or storyfag that is recommending said "classic". That and I am starting to run out of good old games to discover.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

A bunch of games from 1981, including Castle Wolfenstein, a Berserk rip-off called Borg, and Bosconian. Most of them weren't good, and the only reason why I bothered playing them is because I had the insane idea to play all the different action shooting games. Its actually surprising in how close some games would get to having fairly close to modern style controls. Not to say they're actually good in that regard, but you can see the gears turning in Castle Wolfenstein to things that would come in the future. The earliest that was actually good was Dungeon Master, which needs no introductions I hope, an absolute classic, and I'm glad I finally got around to playing it. I haven't finished it, and it might just be my favorite RPG of the '80s.
Thinking about it afterward, the actual oldest is 1979's The Count, from legendary text adventure author Scott Adams. Its more like a text puzzle game, since there's little in the ways of text and its mostly about figuring things out. Just came across it as a lark for Halloween, and not regretting it at all.

 

[DemonKing]

DOOM II.

I had the original Doom but was a starving student overseas without a PC when Doom II came out so never played it. Must admit the inability to move your gun on the Y Axis annoyed the hell out of me but the guns certainly feel powerful in a way not many modern shooters manage.

I then moved on to Quake which I also missed out on and enjoyed that more with the Y Axis freed up.

Currently getting my retro-shooting kick out of Dusk.

 

[curds]

Wizardry 1 psx version.

 

[BLOBERT]

BROS NOT A BIG RETRO GAMING YEAR FOR ME I GOT A NEW COMPUTER AND MS FAGPASS AND OCULUS QUEST SO IM ALL ABOUT POPAMOLE

HALO REACH I THINK

WITH MAME I PLAY OLD SHIT ALL THE TIME BUT I DONT THINK ANYTHING NEW FOR ME

 

[SumDrunkGuy]

I think it was the new Call of Duty beta. Sheeeeiiit was sick son!

 

[Ezekiel]

Sly Cooper. I barely play any games anymore.

 

[whydoibother]

Wizardry 1 psx version.

But why. Wasn't this also on DOS, and wouldn't that be a better version?

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Fuck if I know, I can barely remember what games released in a year I played that year, and usually have to look up a cheat sheet to see what was released. Off the top of my head the closest I'd guess is Final Fantasy 1, which I played the pixel remaster of so a 2021 remake of a 1987 game I'd never played. Why I took so long to play it, JRPGs are awful terrible games and everyone who plays them should be shunned. Would I recommend it, absolutely. The pixel remaster at least is a really smooth experience that reminded me most of playing Might and Magic like World of Xeen, while you can't completely mow areas clear of enemies (Random encounters are fucking constant) there's still satisfaction of crawling over everything and knocking out dungeons, going back to town to spend your cash on spells for your casters, and the almost complete lack of story means nothing stands between you and mindlessly clobbering monsters. Still liked M&M better but that very specific niche of easy RPG that's a certain kind of relaxing is kind of rare. And again, fairly sure that all boils down to the pixel remaster smoothing down progression so there's no extra grinding as well as having sped-up auto-combat so you can zip through encounters you know you'll crush.

If that doesn't count, then I'll be damned if I can remember what else I've played. I don't think I played much old this year (Barring arcade games. Got a deal for a goofy arcade stick and went ham on some beat 'em ups) for the first time and what I have has mainly been replaying.

 

[Thac0]

It is not trendemously old, but after playing the Contra clone Blazing Chrome I also bought the Contra collection for Switch. Fun game, and with a release in February 1987 contra beats out the other retro games I played this year, Final Fantasy I (late 87) and YS 1 (89).
Enjoyed all of them, chances are if a game is remembered three and a half decades later it is damn good.

 

[minakami]

Lord Monarch, an RTS by Nihon Falcom. It's good and free.

 

[curds]

Wizardry 1 psx version.

But why. Wasn't this also on DOS, and wouldn't that be a better version?

Psx has actual graphics rather than wireframe, music, and automap for casuals such as myself.

 

[mindx2]

This looks way too old for me. Also why did your vision go to only 1 tile in each direction towards the end?

My goodness the Codex is getting younger and younger each year when this question is asked...

 

[whydoibother]

This looks way too old for me. Also why did your vision go to only 1 tile in each direction towards the end?

My goodness the Codex is getting younger and younger each year when this question is asked...

I'm probably older than most, I just don't play ancient games as much. Plus when he camped, I thought this is meant the night passed. I just thought he woke up in the morning, and his vision was lowered.

 

[ghostdog]

I finished for the first time Shin Megami Tensei II for the snes. (Loved it, a really great jrpg one of the best of the series.)
I also played the Wizardry 6 translation for the snes. (Pretty cool, didn't have the stamina to finish it)
I also finished for the first time Castlevania SOTN. (I enjoyed it a lot, pushed me to a metroidvania binge)
Another Metroid 2 Remake (PC): Remake of Metroid II from gameboy, fantastic game.
First time DOS adventure games: Legend of Kyrandia II: Hand of fate and Noctropolis. (HoF was nice, using various spells was p. cool. Nocropolis has great graphics but really crappy UI)

 

[Red Hexapus]

I first played Ultima Underworld 1 earlier this year.

Same here

 

[Parabalus]

Betrayal at Krondor.

Surprised at how good the interface is, even by today's standards. Missing just a hotkey or two and removing some unnecessary clicks.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Ravenloft - Stone Prophet - not so much... my habits broke the game. Hoarded items in the village and found out (the hard way) that there's item limits on the map. Scroll is gone...
Ravenloft - Strahd's Possession was nice adventure and music did splendid job there.
Hexplore was p. repetitive kiting journey, could be doable if there were more healing options but still managed to finish it.

 

[newtmonkey]

Phantasie on Apple II (1985). It's the first game I've seriously played on this platform, and although it took some time to get used to how slow it plays, I am really liking it.

I chose this version because the game is meant to be played with the entire world unexplored, but every other version I found had the world already explored. The Apple II version has a utility to reset the world.

 

[Hag]

Oldest is Might & Magic III (1991), beating a bunch of shmups from mid 90s.

As to why I am playing it for the first time, it's because of you fuckers. Before joining this stupid forum I did not know (nor cared) about fucking blobbers. But months after months of reading you drooling on how good these shit were, i decided to give it a go, and chose M&M because I like fancy colors.
It's actually pretty good.

 

[BruceVC]

With the year nearing its end, time for the "...of the year" threads spam to start. I'll begin with a less usual one.
Note that this is asking for the oldest game you FIRST played this year. As in, hadn't played before. So no Civilization IV, Age of Empires II, HoMM3 and so on. Only debutantes.

Bonus points if you explain why you waited so long to try said game, and if you'd recommend it to others.

I have currently just stared on Quest for Glory 4 (released in 1994 ) and I am playing it because I only played the first 3 games. I dont know if I will finish it so I cant recommend it

? Why would you not finish it? It’s the best of the series.

I want to finish it, I have literally just started on it....say 2 hours in and its the graphics but I know I need to get past any graphic concerns so I can appreciate all older games

I would say the graphics are one of its major selling points. The backgrounds are without doubt some of the best Sierra ever did. Only real flaw of the game IMO is how buggy it is, even 30 years later.

I am now appreciating and enjoying Quest 4, I realized you must use the Eye icon to understand what things are on the screen even if its blurry or unclear and that helps build the understanding of what you supposed to do

 

[Sarathiour]

I'll have to check again, but it's probably arx fatalis or severance .