More of an anomaly than it is today, TBH. The console stores and Steam really do not care anymore what goes up on their shop, as long as they can see even a little $$$ from it. Porn games on the eShop and Steam are rampant.

Back in those times gaming was still seen as mainly a kid’s hobby by most, so I would almost guarantee Conker fooled a lot of parents (didn’t fool mine, though), especially being on the N64 and starring a “cute” squirrel as the main protagonist. I would actually argue, though, that parents cared a good deal more then than they do now. Night Trap and Mortal Kombat almost got games censored by the US government in the early 90s, and they’d be seen as quaint now. We’ve had a ratings system for 30 years and more underage kids than ever are probably playing adult oriented games today. An M rating is just what marketers need to sell their game to the junior high market because parents are ignorant and retailers just want the money, doesn’t matter from where.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, a few days ago. Been busy or just didn’t feel like gaming since then.

Myst is an all-time classic. I’d just wander around exploring the world.

I tried so hard to get anywhere in Magic Carpet but our home computer ran the game too fast. I needed the “turbo button” to slow the game down but we didn’t have one.

Also had the PC version of Garfield Caught in the Act (just called Garfield on PC). Played through it over and over again. The Genesis game with improved graphics, an exclusive level and one of the most underrated soundtracks in gaming. Seriously, look up the soundtrack to the PC version, the entire thing jams.

EDIT: Also, Age of Wonders. I actually spent more time in the level editor than in the game itself, building Middle Earth as a map and placing cities, factions and leaders on it as something of an “old school” (for the time) Battle for Middle Earth.

Nintendo’s lawyers doing something good for once?

Just as there are many reasons not to support Microsoft, Sony, Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Ubisoft, and so on. None of them is off the hook and they’ve all been under the microscope as well. I wasn’t saying that Nintendo doesn’t do crappy things, but that most game companies do crappy things and they tend to get heat for the crappy things they do almost on a rotation based on what gamers are focusing on.

Yep, it’s a byproduct of the “bit wars” in the gaming culture of the '80s and '90s where each successive console generation had much more of a visual grqphical upgrade without sacrificing too much in other technical aspects like framerate/performance. Nowadays if you want that kind of upgrade you’re better off making a big investment in a beefy gaming rig because consoles have a realistic price point to consider, and even then we’re getting to a point of diminishing returns when it comes to the real noticeable graphical differences. Even back in the '80s/'90s the most powerful consoles of the time (such as the Neo Geo) were prohibitively expensive for most people. Either way, the most lauded games of the past few years have been the ones that put the biggest focus on aspects like engaging gameplay and/or immersive story and setting. One of the strongest candidates for this year’s Game of the Year could probably run on a potato and was basically poker with some interesting twists: essentially the opposite of a big studio AAA game. Baldur’s Gate 3 showed studios that gamers are looking for an actual complete game for their $60, and indie hits such as the aforementioned Balatro are showing then that you can make games look and play great without all the super realistic graphics or immense budget if you have that solid gameplay, story/setting and art style. Call of Duty Black Ops 48393 with the only real “innovation” being more realistic sun glare on your rifle is just asking for failure.

It’s just Nintendo’s turn to be in the spotlight for being crappy. Most game companies, especially if they’re big enough are crappy in different ways from each other.

It’s a good thing they saw firsthand the beginnings of understanding that when players are given an open 3D expanse to explore, even with a set goal in mind, the fun is as much about the exploration on the journey to get to that goal as it is about completing the goal itself.

I also wonder, from watching those kids play and try to break the boundaries of the game, what he would think of all the grown adult speedrunners and YouTubers who do all that as a hobby now, lol.