7 Video Games That Tried To Exploit Nostalgia (And Won)
Welcome to Tues Your Own Adventure! Join Jules and James as they take look at video games that tried to exploit nostalgia (and won)!! Happy memories.
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00:00 Hello all of you beautiful little demons, Jules here for whatculture.com back again
00:03 with another episode of the awesomely named and awfully hosted Choose Your Own Adventure,
00:08 the weekly medieval themed format where I, the crown jewels of whatculture.com, take
00:13 a list chosen by you, yes you the person who started off the week by replacing one door,
00:18 then a lock broke on another door so I had to replace that, then another door had to
00:21 be replaced as well.
00:22 Three doors in one week, that's gotta be some sort of record, yes you get to decide
00:26 what list I dole out to you each and every week, and this week we have none other to
00:30 thank than me.
00:31 Now I know it's a bit ironic that I would create this community focused show and then
00:39 decide to dole out ideas that I've generated, but trust me, there is one specific video
00:44 game that I wanted, nay, needed to talk about this week, and you'll understand why.
00:49 So yes, today we're talking about times that video game nostalgia was exploited, but
00:54 actually not for all the wrong reasons.
00:57 Using the term 'exploiting' in a sentence rarely sets a good tone for the conversation,
01:00 right?
01:01 I mean it's a word that is accepted by its implication that can mean that something or
01:04 someone is manipulating a situation for their own benefit.
01:08 It's also a term that has been bandied around a lot when it comes to the video game industry
01:12 and with good reason, as it seems that developers and publishers the world over love nothing
01:16 more than taking pleasant childhood memories and wheeling them out for their own personal
01:20 game.
01:21 For example, why don't we just take the, I dunno, the entire 1980s, which seems to
01:26 be a huge source of fuel for the fire for video game publishers and developers, because
01:31 they basically just grab mascots from the past and just say "Remember this guy?
01:35 Remember this guy?
01:36 Remember this guy?
01:37 We'll give us some money, or I'll hit him in the head!
01:40 SPLOINK!"
01:41 Of course you remember them, and simply by their sheer existence in their video game,
01:45 publishers want you to take part in a rose-tinted transaction, no matter how shoehorned or forced
01:50 the tie-in is.
01:52 But that's not what we're talking about today, because we're actually going to be
01:54 covering some cases of when nostalgia was still technically exploited, but actually
01:59 came at the benefit of both the publisher and the player.
02:02 Confused?
02:03 Well, take a seat my friend, and let's have a chat, and if you're already sat down,
02:07 then sit down further, you fool, as I'm Jules, this is WhatCulture.com, and these
02:11 are 7 Video Games That Tried To Exploit Nostalgia, and 1.
02:15 7.
02:16 Shadow Skins, Resident Evil 2 Remake, and Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes.
02:21 Oh boy, graphics will never get better than this!
02:25 I remember saying that about Final Fantasy 9.
02:29 Now upon reflection, I was an absolute idiot, but at the time I seriously thought that the
02:33 likes of Zidane and his crew were the best realised and most beautiful looking sprites
02:38 that I'd ever seen.
02:40 Now looking at the landscape of today, where even track-side flowers on kart racing games
02:44 have more fidelity than the best looking moments of my childhood titles, it's almost brain-breaking
02:48 to think how graphics can improve further, and yet I, alongside so many others, will
02:54 always get a huge nostalgia boner whenever a developer offers us the chance to play a
02:59 current gen game with classic skins.
03:02 I honestly feel like bloody Ed Gein sometimes for how much I crave these nostalgic skins,
03:08 and when the likes of Resident Evil 2 Remake and the almighty Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes
03:13 offered us a chance to play in these low polygonal suits, then you'd best believe I was there
03:19 for that, son!
03:21 It might seem like a small detail to many, but the fact that the devs chose to remind
03:25 people of their title's lineage in a loving and rather humorous way shows a lot of thanks
03:30 for the foundations built by these classic titles.
03:33 Hell, in the case of Ground Zeroes, the PS1-inspired Snake Skin suit also comes with a special mission
03:39 that infused the gameplay with a supremely retro tone that sends shivers of ecstasy through
03:44 my blocky bones.
03:46 Ooooooh, I love it!
03:49 I don't know how to represent physical blocks, alright?
03:52 Work with me here.
03:53 Number 6, everything about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder's Revenge.
03:58 And here we come to the crux of this list immediately.
04:01 The reason why I wanted to make this list is because James Dowles and I have played
04:05 through this game recently, I did it for a review on WhatCulture as well, and ye gods
04:10 is this a blast from the past and I am strapped to the rocket, my friend.
04:14 I love this game.
04:16 Without a shred of hyperbole, I think it's one of the best arcade experiences I've
04:20 ever had.
04:21 Okay?
04:22 Alright?
04:23 Good.
04:24 This, in my opinion, is video game nostalgia done right.
04:27 It is a carefully considered beautiful homage to the past that elevates not only the TMNTIP
04:34 as a whole, but also delivers such a fun and exciting time that it actually stands as one
04:38 of the finest side-scrolling brawlers ever.
04:40 It's also a game that will have a vice-like grip on your dopamine receptors if you have
04:44 even a shredder of love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
04:49 Those pizza munching buddy pals.
04:51 I mean, where to begin with this one?
04:53 The graphics are a fantastic throwback to the arcade TMNT games, but are filled with
04:58 so much character and subtle animations that it's clear that this is no low-poly filter
05:02 rush job.
05:03 The soundtrack will slap your cheeks so hard that they will reveal your bloody skeleton,
05:08 and the gameplay is so viscerally addictive and well-produced that gamers of any skill
05:12 level will be able to pick this right up and get right into the action.
05:15 Plus, as an added moment of true nostalgia, this game doesn't break the bank.
05:20 It's not a £70+ title release that so many other remasters, remakes and reimaginings
05:26 are trying to con their way through the market with.
05:29 This actually feels and gets a proper nostalgia pop from me for not breaking the bloody bank.
05:33 I've got enough cash left after buying this for a Curly Wurly.
05:37 Hell, I might even splash out for a chomp as well.
05:40 A bloody chomp, James.
05:42 5.
05:43 Taking Sonic back to his roots - Sonic Generations
05:46 Now as we're all aware, Sonic, as a video game mascot and an icon of the video game
05:51 industry as a whole, has had so many ups and downs that Simon Miller is personally suing
05:57 him.
05:58 We've all visited the absolute doldrums that were Sonic 06 and the disaster piece
06:03 that was Sonic Rise of Lyric.
06:06 UGH.
06:07 But here's the thing.
06:09 He can have an upshot sometimes.
06:11 He can have a good day.
06:13 Sometimes.
06:14 And this made the glorious love letter that was Sonic Mania all the more special.
06:19 This game was piano-wired tight, looked utterly amazing and sounded like if Jesus came back
06:24 in chiptune format.
06:25 However, it's not being included on this list.
06:28 Why, I hear you ask?
06:30 Well, it's because Sonic Team didn't actually make this game.
06:35 Therefore I don't think it should be included as a nostalgia pop because of the fact that
06:38 the original developers didn't create it.
06:40 It was created by the fans, through nostalgia, yes, and is a moment of great nostalgic memories
06:45 being formulated into one crystalline experience.
06:48 But it didn't come from the original developers.
06:52 That's not to say that they haven't tried their best, though, because Sonic Generations
06:55 came pretty damn close.
06:56 Because yes, even though it sounds like I'm bashing on Sonic Team, I want to talk about
06:59 Sonic Generations, a title that was produced by the assigned devs which actually hit that
07:04 sweet nostalgia target by giving fans exactly what they've been crying out for for years,
07:09 and that is a 2D Sonic.
07:12 Sonic Generations traded heavily on letting fans go back to the good old days with 2D
07:17 Sonic sections that even featured the retro design of everyone's favourite quick-stepping
07:20 hedgehog.
07:21 And as you'd expect, this gambit absolutely worked.
07:24 Sales were much higher than previous 3D escapades, and critical reception, especially of these
07:29 sections, was through the roof.
07:31 We asked, we got, we thanked Sonic Team for not including bestiality.
07:35 4.
07:36 The Soundtrack of Your Youth - Tony Hawk's 1 & 2 Remaster
07:41 Now I won't lie to you, when the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2 Remaster came up for pre-order,
07:47 I absolutely punched my screen as hard as I could trying to hammer home that pre-order
07:53 button.
07:54 Get in my basket!
07:56 Not a touchscreen monitor.
07:57 It cost me a lot of money.
07:59 The original trilogy of Tony Hawk's games was absolutely pivotal to my interest in gaming
08:03 as a whole, and I know so many other gamers who list these titles as some of their favourite
08:08 childhood games.
08:09 And while Activision could have easily just slapped a high-res texture pack on top and
08:13 wheeled it out to make an absolute bundle, they did the unthinkable and actually set
08:18 out to make a decent and loving remaster of the original two games.
08:21 And in amongst all of the promises of reworked gameplay additions, such as the reverb being
08:26 added into the titles and online support, was a feature that filled many with that warm,
08:31 gooey goodness of nostalgia.
08:32 I'm speaking of course about the soundtrack, which arrived, admittedly, with a few omissions,
08:38 but with enough force to still recapture the glory days of our youth.
08:43 Nearly every single absolute smash banger was on the playlist once more, and it just
08:49 transported you back to being a wee stupid little oik holding the controller for the
08:53 first time and doing like, I dunno, a 180 melon and thinking that was the best trick
08:57 you were ever gonna land.
08:58 It was a glorious experience.
09:01 And you know what?
09:02 Activision got a lot of positive feedback for actually going down, doubling down on
09:06 this moment.
09:07 They could have easily just grabbed in a ton of new artists, and admittedly they did put
09:10 in a few new tracks as well, but they could have just replaced the entire soundtrack and
09:14 said, "There you go."
09:15 But the fact that they went back, back to the drawing board and said, "Let's actually
09:18 give fans what they want rather than what we tell them what they want," and you know
09:22 what?
09:23 That was a good thing for all involved.
09:24 3.
09:34 LEGO DLC
09:35 Forza Horizon 4 LEGO Speed Champions
09:38 Now I'll ask you, James, is there anything more nostalgic than LEGO?
09:42 Yes, Hot Wheels.
09:43 No, I'll answer for you actually.
09:45 No, no.
09:46 Yeah, but Forza Horizon 3 had Hot Wheels.
09:48 LEGO.
09:49 LEGO is the answer I was looking for.
09:50 Some of the earliest memories of your childhood may well be block-based thanks to this wonderful
09:55 construction and creativity-based toy.
09:58 Is it a toy?
09:59 Is a brick a toy?
10:00 Are we telling kids that bricks are toys now?
10:03 Yes.
10:04 And I know of a fair few adults with more than their fair share of LEGO sets adorning
10:09 their walls and shelves.
10:10 The love for LEGO has only grown as the brand has expanded into more and more complex sets,
10:16 and tied itself to almost every IP going, meaning there is quite literally something
10:20 for everyone to enjoy.
10:22 And while the LEGO brand has sometimes churned out a few stinkers in its time, the likes
10:26 of LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes really do stand out as not being just great
10:32 games but also massive dollops of nostalgia for fans of the medium.
10:36 However, one of the low-key best LEGO bangers ever actually comes in the form of a racing
10:40 game - and no, unfortunately I'm not going to be talking about LEGO Racers today, I will
10:43 cover that on a list at some point in time - but today we're talking about Forza Horizon
10:48 4, which got a LEGO-based expansion.
10:51 And it is an absolute stonker.
10:53 Tearing through LEGO play sets at speed is just so much fun that I swear the government
10:58 will likely ban it at some point, and being able to build your own house is just the icing
11:02 on the blocky cake.
11:03 A pseudo-realistic race simulator, and LEGO should not mix this well, but it forms a sweet
11:09 and heady broth that you'll be quaffing for weeks to come.
11:12 2.
11:13 FOMO Mario - Super Mario 3D All-Stars
11:16 And now we turn to the curious case of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a trilogy of Mario's
11:22 best games that dropped for the Switch in 2020, only to then drop off the face of the
11:27 bloody Earth a few months later.
11:29 While other entries on this list have been cases of publishers putting players first,
11:33 this was a case of appearing to be a gesture of goodwill that turned into a greasy marketing
11:38 tactic by Nintendo.
11:40 Now it's fair to say that a lot of ninty fans are incredibly nostalgic for Mario's
11:44 early 3D outings, with many touting these games as being the benchmark to which all
11:48 others are measured even to this day.
11:50 And so they were incredibly excited when the 3D All-Stars pack was announced for the Switch
11:55 and included Mario 64, Mario Sunshine, and Mario Galaxy.
11:59 The fact that this was also announced alongside Nintendo's 35th Mario Celebration event
12:03 made the nostalgia hit all that harder.
12:06 So of course, many bought in straight away for the simple fact that this was their childhood
12:10 but now on a handheld console.
12:12 And yet, for Nintendo, this apparently wasn't enough.
12:16 To drive home the fact that you needed to buy this pack, Nintendo announced that after
12:20 a few months, this bundle would be delisted from online sites and that they wouldn't
12:24 print any more physical copies.
12:26 This was now a slice of nostalgia with a deadline.
12:29 A rather insidious move indeed, to effectively hold your childhood to ransom, but at the
12:34 end of the day, people bought this in droves.
12:37 So technically, Nintendo exploited our nostalgia and most definitely won here.
12:42 At number 1, all of the nostalgia, Mortal Kombat 11.
12:46 So when it came to answering the question of "hmm, I wonder what part of the collective
12:50 consciousness we should mine for that sweet, sweet nectar of money", NetherRealm Studio
12:56 answered with "everything.
12:59 Every last drop of it.
13:00 I want it all".
13:03 This might seem like hyperbole, but seriously, just take a look at the DLC characters for
13:07 the Mortal Kombat franchise and try and tell me that your inner child isn't experiencing
13:11 a sugar rush unlike anything else.
13:14 Rambo, the Terminator, fricking Robocop, joined the roster of stone cold killers in Mortal
13:19 Kombat 11 in a manner that screams "just remember these guys" and continues a rather
13:25 epic trend of the studio pumping fans full of fizzy nostalgia pop, what with their previous
13:29 efforts including the Xenomorph, Leatherface, and the Predator.
13:33 It seems like any movie IP worth a damn has been well and truly mined, as have the wallets
13:38 of fans who were more than willing to splash the gore-soaked cash.
13:41 But what separates these characters from other Tesco brand tie-ins is the fact that it actually
13:46 kind of fit with the tones of their respective IPs.
13:50 I mean, splitting throats, smashing heads, and then covering their skeletons in acid
13:55 blood or spit is actually very on-brand with a lot of these, well, other brands.
14:01 So yeah, it fits so well, and that's why people were really, really keen to kill with
14:07 Robocop.
14:08 Yay.
14:09 And there we go, my friends.
14:11 Those were seven video games that tried to exploit nostalgia and won.
14:15 I hope that you enjoyed that, and please let me know what you thought about it down in
14:18 the comments section below.
14:19 As always, I've been Jules.
14:20 You can go follow me over on Twitter @RetroJay but the O is a zero, and the same for Instagram,
14:25 RetroJay but the O is a zero.
14:28 Hope that you enjoyed that.
14:29 Hope that you're doing well.
14:30 Hope that you're treating yourself with love and respect, my friend, because at the
14:34 end of the day, I've got a lot of nostalgic love for you guys.
14:37 You got me here at this point on the channel with all the love and support, so I'm always
14:41 going to pay it back to you.
14:42 I hope that you're treating yourself with love and respect.
14:45 I hope that you realize that you are a massive legend.
14:47 You deserve all of the best things in life, and I hope more than anything else that you
14:51 go out today and you smash your life goals.
14:54 I believe in you, and thank you very much.
14:56 As always, I've been Jules.
14:58 You have been awesome.
14:59 Never forget that.
15:00 I'll speak to you soon.
15:01 Bye.