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When was your peak gaming era?
- Thread starter Squarehard
- Start date
2007
Senior year in high school, had a lot of free time on my hands. Playing Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Bioshock, Uncharted, Assassin's Creed and then Mass Effect all within the span of a few months was pretty much absolute gaming nirvana for me.
I really felt like I'd finally entered next gen.
Senior year in high school, had a lot of free time on my hands. Playing Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Bioshock, Uncharted, Assassin's Creed and then Mass Effect all within the span of a few months was pretty much absolute gaming nirvana for me.
I really felt like I'd finally entered next gen.
I want to say it's the 16-bit gen or the PS2 gen, and they are my favorite gens if we're talking about the games themselves, but my personal peak gaming was with the 360, it was my first foray into online gaming and I met a lot of people through Gears of War 1 and Uno, and we had so many great moments of winning, losing, laughing and co-oping. I mean hell, I used to have >12 hours sessions during those days.
It's all downhill from there. :(
It's all downhill from there. :(
360
Right combination of age, free time, disposable income and friend circles. But also a lot of things in the industry just hit right then. A huge mainstream glow up, COD4 absolutely blowing the doors off online multiplayer, stuff like Halo 3 and GTA IV being these unprecedented, never seen before mass market explosions..
A special time. I've already come to terms with the fact gaming won't hit those highs for me ever again, personally.
Right combination of age, free time, disposable income and friend circles. But also a lot of things in the industry just hit right then. A huge mainstream glow up, COD4 absolutely blowing the doors off online multiplayer, stuff like Halo 3 and GTA IV being these unprecedented, never seen before mass market explosions..
A special time. I've already come to terms with the fact gaming won't hit those highs for me ever again, personally.
I will preface this with I'm old. I think all my "eras" are pretty memorable for their own reasons. From the mid 80s through the mid to late 90s there was the joy of discovering new games without being bombarded by the internet, just occasional word of mouth and the few gaming magazines that were out there. Finishing Zelda II as a school aged child without going to GameFAQs every time I got stuck is an of that time experience for sure. Reading about games like Mother in Nintendo Power and for years wondering what happened to it. Getting Super Mario Bros. 3 and taking the manual to school the next day to read. Talking to my friends and learning about blowing up the underwater tube in Super Metroid. Seeing the shareware version of DOOM in a store, looking at the back and saying "this looks like Wolfenstein" and just having no idea. That kind of thing.
From there til the end of the PS2/GC/Xbox gen the internet was more of a factor, and there was the experience of gaming with optical discs. I was hardcore Nintendo until I saw a Symphony of the Night fan page on the internet. I quickly saved up money from my part time job and bought a PS1, and the game. I didn't know you needed a memory card so I had to go back. Just a couple years prior I saw the PlayStation in an EGM and said out lout "why don't they all just give up on discs? It's not going to work." I was incorrect about this. The music and the pixel art was incredible. It became my favorite game for years until Dark Souls. I had an N64 as well, but was actually hestiant about getting it. I wasn't interested in 3D games, but Mario 64 changed my mind about that. I still prefer the old stuff and even now I'd rather play a side scrolling platformer than anything in 3D, but I almost got off the wagon and got right back on at this point. The internet helped me expand my horizons during these years as well. There was a game between FFII and FFIII and those weren't really II and III? Now I didn't have to wait 30 days between new issues, I could refresh refresh refresh on N64.com and get hyped (and subsequently disappointed) about Ocarina of Time. This was peak arcade period too, mostly fighting games, and for me personally as well as my friends, it was all about Mortal Kombat II. Oh, and yeah, a lot of renting games and uh...archiving them.
Once in the PS2/DC/GC/Xbox gen, there was way more gaming coverage everywhere. Mostly on the internet still, but now there was also G4, which I kept playing in the background way too much. Fan translations were more prevalant and allowed me to play that game between FFII and FFIII, amongst others. This was one of the most experimental eras in Japan development as well. Samba de Amigo, Space Channel 5, Seaman, Guitaroo Man, Mister Mosquito, Steel Battallion.
The next era for me was dominated by podcasts. Sure, I always knew people who played games, but having podcasts gave me the gaming expert friends that I always wanted. These were people who were more interested in what was going on in the industry than the games it seemed, and I was cool with that. The amount I learned in that period of time was incredible with all the inside stories they were sharing. The internet played a huge factor in consoles now, and the rise of indie games, most of which harkened back to the old titles I preferred. There was finally a space for more than just AAA games again, and it was wonderful. The year we got Super Meat Boy, VVVVV, and Limbo was the best. I was importing rhythem games, playing so many titles I had missed in the past, PC gaming was on the rise. It was easily my favorite era.
The PS4/XBO/Wii U era we are now exiting was a less exciting version of the previous era. I felt there was less change and it was really just a shinier version of the prior gen.
Now we've entered a new gen, and I'm an old guy with a family full of young kids and my Switch is my best friend. I still have a decent gaming PC and the old round of consoles, but for once I don't feel the itch to get the PS5 and Series X right away. I have a huge backlog and most things aren't exciting me the way they used to. Like titles I'm excited for this year? Yakuza collection on PC. Kingdom Hearts on PC. Nocturne on Switch. Yes, old games. Old games I cannot wait to show them as they grow up.
So yeah, a long way to say that the PS3/360/Wii gen is probably my favorite, despite my usual Nintendo sway and that being a pretty weak period of years in Nintendo history, at least for me. Not for them, though. I'm very happy and extremely lucky that my life has lined up with the most critical years of my favorite hobby.
From there til the end of the PS2/GC/Xbox gen the internet was more of a factor, and there was the experience of gaming with optical discs. I was hardcore Nintendo until I saw a Symphony of the Night fan page on the internet. I quickly saved up money from my part time job and bought a PS1, and the game. I didn't know you needed a memory card so I had to go back. Just a couple years prior I saw the PlayStation in an EGM and said out lout "why don't they all just give up on discs? It's not going to work." I was incorrect about this. The music and the pixel art was incredible. It became my favorite game for years until Dark Souls. I had an N64 as well, but was actually hestiant about getting it. I wasn't interested in 3D games, but Mario 64 changed my mind about that. I still prefer the old stuff and even now I'd rather play a side scrolling platformer than anything in 3D, but I almost got off the wagon and got right back on at this point. The internet helped me expand my horizons during these years as well. There was a game between FFII and FFIII and those weren't really II and III? Now I didn't have to wait 30 days between new issues, I could refresh refresh refresh on N64.com and get hyped (and subsequently disappointed) about Ocarina of Time. This was peak arcade period too, mostly fighting games, and for me personally as well as my friends, it was all about Mortal Kombat II. Oh, and yeah, a lot of renting games and uh...archiving them.
Once in the PS2/DC/GC/Xbox gen, there was way more gaming coverage everywhere. Mostly on the internet still, but now there was also G4, which I kept playing in the background way too much. Fan translations were more prevalant and allowed me to play that game between FFII and FFIII, amongst others. This was one of the most experimental eras in Japan development as well. Samba de Amigo, Space Channel 5, Seaman, Guitaroo Man, Mister Mosquito, Steel Battallion.
The next era for me was dominated by podcasts. Sure, I always knew people who played games, but having podcasts gave me the gaming expert friends that I always wanted. These were people who were more interested in what was going on in the industry than the games it seemed, and I was cool with that. The amount I learned in that period of time was incredible with all the inside stories they were sharing. The internet played a huge factor in consoles now, and the rise of indie games, most of which harkened back to the old titles I preferred. There was finally a space for more than just AAA games again, and it was wonderful. The year we got Super Meat Boy, VVVVV, and Limbo was the best. I was importing rhythem games, playing so many titles I had missed in the past, PC gaming was on the rise. It was easily my favorite era.
The PS4/XBO/Wii U era we are now exiting was a less exciting version of the previous era. I felt there was less change and it was really just a shinier version of the prior gen.
Now we've entered a new gen, and I'm an old guy with a family full of young kids and my Switch is my best friend. I still have a decent gaming PC and the old round of consoles, but for once I don't feel the itch to get the PS5 and Series X right away. I have a huge backlog and most things aren't exciting me the way they used to. Like titles I'm excited for this year? Yakuza collection on PC. Kingdom Hearts on PC. Nocturne on Switch. Yes, old games. Old games I cannot wait to show them as they grow up.
So yeah, a long way to say that the PS3/360/Wii gen is probably my favorite, despite my usual Nintendo sway and that being a pretty weak period of years in Nintendo history, at least for me. Not for them, though. I'm very happy and extremely lucky that my life has lined up with the most critical years of my favorite hobby.
The 6th gen. The Gamecube was my first console, and I also played a lot on my friends' PS2s. Most of my favorite games come from this time. Pac Man World 2, Super Monkey Ball 2, Jak and Daxter, and possibly Jak 3 and Pac Man World 3 are all in my top 10. I really enjoy games like Sly 1/2, Animal Crossing, Jak 2, and Sonic Heroes also.
Easily middle school to early high school back playing call off duty 4 through mw2 with a group of like 6 to 10 people from school then going to school and talking about it.
Plus when PokƩmon HG and SS came out we all got our hands on the games and would go hard battling each other there too.
It was just all fun. We'd be up all night till like 4am every weekend even when not playing but just all together talking about school, general life, girls, telling stories, making jokes.
We'd even use the Netflix watch party feature on 360 to do horror movie nights.
Fuck man I'd love to go back to those times.
Plus when PokƩmon HG and SS came out we all got our hands on the games and would go hard battling each other there too.
It was just all fun. We'd be up all night till like 4am every weekend even when not playing but just all together talking about school, general life, girls, telling stories, making jokes.
We'd even use the Netflix watch party feature on 360 to do horror movie nights.
Fuck man I'd love to go back to those times.
8Bit - 16 Bit Era and Nintendo Switch. Other than that I had busy schedule (high school, college, early established job).
Now my time is mostly free (except for monthly projects).
Now my time is mostly free (except for monthly projects).
PS1 era. Living the 3D revolution first hand, spending time in arcades, expanding my horizons into new genres, first intro to online and LAN gaming with Quake 1 and 2, having some money for actually buying games myself, being young enough that the world was still full of wonder.
Getting my SNES as a young kid - literally changed my life; shaped my hobbies and interests for the next nearly 30 years (and counting). I probably peaked out in 3rd/4th grade in terms of wonderment/awe as to just what type of escapism a game could truly offer. I loved to read before playing jrpgs, but I remain convinced that playing jrpgs further re-enforced this passion.
Probably PS2 and Xbox era followed by the 360. 360 era was peak multiplayer for me. Playing Gears, Cod, Halo all at their peak was an incredible time.
Probably the PS3 era owing almost exclusively to the Souls games. Demon's Souls to Dark Souls 1 to Dark Souls 2 was the most I've ever been excited for games. In the PS2 era and prior there was shit I liked but never to that extent.
love the mid 90s to early 2000s a lot, there's so many great games in that period (the best zeldas, best final fantasys, best metal gears, best resident evils came out during that time)
games really lost me from around 2005 - 2015 if i'm being totally honest. so much dumb ugly bland looking shit was released in that period.
but 2016-2021 has been fantastic (uncharted 4, re7, last of us II, FF7 remake, god of war, DQXI, death stranding). I think it's because many of the people making games now grew up with games in the 90s like me so games now are more catered to my same level of nostalgia and whimsy.
games really lost me from around 2005 - 2015 if i'm being totally honest. so much dumb ugly bland looking shit was released in that period.
but 2016-2021 has been fantastic (uncharted 4, re7, last of us II, FF7 remake, god of war, DQXI, death stranding). I think it's because many of the people making games now grew up with games in the 90s like me so games now are more catered to my same level of nostalgia and whimsy.
Don't think I've yet to peak. I probably got more playtime in as a kid, but I'm much more in tune with my preferences now and spent a lot of time even as late as college caught up in the zeitgeist playing games I actually didn't enjoy that much while overlooking ones I loved once I played them
I've loved a lot of eras of gaming, but I think 360/PS3/Wii is probably the most I've enjoyed games. Playing tons of game online with friends and strangers was an absolute blast and I had tons more time and money to dump into the hobby.
My college and post-college years I guess, which is basically 7th gen I guess. Which is kind of weird when I think about it, don't ask me about some of my financial decisions at the time. :p
Nowadays isn't that far from that "peak" though.
Nowadays isn't that far from that "peak" though.
I used to think 16-bit era but the more I think about it, PS2/Xbox/GameCube era for me. So many character platformers, arcade sports game and less AAA "seriousness". I miss it.
PS2/XBOX
It was when I did my first real online gaming and it was so fun. Bought the PS2 Network Adaptor day one from a K-Mart and played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 online for hours. And hours. And hours.
My Xbox Live days were full of Project Gotham, and so, so much Halo 2.
It was when I did my first real online gaming and it was so fun. Bought the PS2 Network Adaptor day one from a K-Mart and played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 online for hours. And hours. And hours.
My Xbox Live days were full of Project Gotham, and so, so much Halo 2.
2017
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Yakuza 0
Persona 5
Undertale (Vita/PS4)
Nier Automata
Gravity Rush 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth
Tokyo Xanadu
Arms
Splatoon 2
Ever Oasis
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Fire Emblem Echoes
and so on
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Yakuza 0
Persona 5
Undertale (Vita/PS4)
Nier Automata
Gravity Rush 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth
Tokyo Xanadu
Arms
Splatoon 2
Ever Oasis
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Fire Emblem Echoes
and so on
It's right now. I'm more aware of gaming news, gaming trends, gaming rumors, etc. I have the flexibility to afford and aquire things much easier. And personally, I can still feel the magic of games. I can still easily lose myself in what I'm playing, just like I did when I was younger. It's a little bit harder, I'll give you that. Certain technical shortcomings do bother me and they can be distracting, nevertheless I can and do power through 'em. It's a wonderful time for the hobby and I'm happy to be here for it.
The finale of 360/PS3 gen with GTA V and TLOU up to now has been amazing in general for me between the incredible leaps AA/AAA games have made in making emotionally resonant stories to the indie boom, there's just been so much good stuff that has come out. I can't hold all these games.
That said from a purely euphoric standpoint, like just how exciting and "new" gaming in general felt consistently over the span of years for me that'd probably be experiencing the overall progression of gaming throughout the 90s. Everything from Genesis to N64 all the way up to Dreamcast, in addition to the golden age of crpgs, the id shooters, Half-Life, the explosion of the modding scene...it was a truly incredible time seeing not only the tech make leaps and bounds graphically but also the medium experimenting with all sorts of gameplay systems and ways to deliver a narrative. I have a particularly strong fondness for all the PC point and click adventure games, from the classic Lucasarts ones to Myst, Riven, and its many clones. These games seem small now but at the time they felt like grand adventures with fantastic art with great humor and personality.
That said from a purely euphoric standpoint, like just how exciting and "new" gaming in general felt consistently over the span of years for me that'd probably be experiencing the overall progression of gaming throughout the 90s. Everything from Genesis to N64 all the way up to Dreamcast, in addition to the golden age of crpgs, the id shooters, Half-Life, the explosion of the modding scene...it was a truly incredible time seeing not only the tech make leaps and bounds graphically but also the medium experimenting with all sorts of gameplay systems and ways to deliver a narrative. I have a particularly strong fondness for all the PC point and click adventure games, from the classic Lucasarts ones to Myst, Riven, and its many clones. These games seem small now but at the time they felt like grand adventures with fantastic art with great humor and personality.
Playing half-life mods. That game gave me years of enjoyment
Counter-strike
Day of Defeat
Natural Selection
Science and Industry
Counter-strike
Day of Defeat
Natural Selection
Science and Industry
For me personally, its the present day. While I definitely don't have the gaming time I used to have back in high school and college, I at least have a lot more money to spend on games and hardware. That, plus the convenience of digital libraries, ensures that I can crack open an unplayed game from the backlog whenever I feel like it, and no longer need to worry about ever running out. Getting new games consistently was a struggle when I was a kid, so being literally buried in stuff to play across PC and console gives me more comfort than anything else.
I'm also very happy about the resurgence of Xbox as a brand; as a lifelong Playstation/Nintendo adherent on the console side of things, this generation marks the first time Xbox ever had a value proposition (for my specific preferences) strong enough to get me to buy in, and I'm very satisfied with my XSX purchase.
I'm also very happy about the resurgence of Xbox as a brand; as a lifelong Playstation/Nintendo adherent on the console side of things, this generation marks the first time Xbox ever had a value proposition (for my specific preferences) strong enough to get me to buy in, and I'm very satisfied with my XSX purchase.
