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Forums - Gaming Discussion - 3D games of the 90s that have aged the best

It's often claimed that games from the early years of 3D haven't aged particularly well, as like any new form of technology, 3D gaming had its growing pains and has progressed a long way since its primitive beginnings.

Which 3D game from before the year 2000 do you think has aged the most gracefully, and why?



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1. Ocarina of Time

Still the biggest pre-BotW Zelda ever made. It had something like 8 dungeons, and way more secrets than it's sequels.

2. Majora's Mask.

What can I say? Zelda has just aged well.

3. Final Fantasy 7 and all turn based RPGS. These didn't really have to grapple with 3D as much, since turned based combat doesn't need to solve as many development problems as other game modes.

4. Starfox 64

It's basically the last great Shmup IMO.

5. Super Mario 64

As long as you haven't been spoiled by the Galaxy series, or Odyssey this should still be good. Especially if you haven't played a 3D platformer since the PS2 days. It kind of starts off slow, and only really gets challenging once you open the 50 star door. But those later levels are still really good.

6. Final Fantasy Tactics

Alphamap graphics have a certain charm to them. Disgaea is on it's 5th game, because people like hand drawn alphamaps a lot! The gameplay also holds up well, thanks to being turn based, and not live action.





Soul Calibur on the DC baby! The Champ!

It's kinda too bad so many Dreamcast games are disqualified....

Super Mario 64, F-Zero X, ISS 64 ( the Konami Soccer game ), Einhander ( PS1 ), Tekken 3 ( PS1 ).....Those are few I can think of. PS1 and Saturn 3D games dind't age particularly well. Not that N64 was THAT much better. But it's 3D best aged better that the best from Sony and Sega. IMO.

Last edited by COKTOE - on 26 May 2019

- "If you have the heart of a true winner, you can always get more pissed off than some other asshole."

Banjo Kazooie still holds up pretty well imo. I think the original Tomb Raider games play like a dream, and find their scope quite impressive, but over the years I've become very accustomed to how they work, so I understand that people will likely disagree there. The two N64 Zelda games (as already mentioned) also.



N64 games aged just fine, the big ones at least. There’s still plenty of occasions in new games when I think “why was this (things like camera or especially movement) done better 23 years ago (23?! d*mn) in Super Mario 64?” Next to a lot of N64 games you can name pretty much any Dreamcast game, especially showcases like SoulCalibur. Another game I want to mention is Blast Corps, sure it’s control was complicated but there hasn’t been a game like it, it’s timeless.



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Quake (1996) looks great and plays amazingly well. Ocarina of Time is also fantastic.



S.Peelman said:
N64 games aged just fine, the big ones at least. There’s still plenty of occasions in new games when I think “why was this (things like camera or especially movement) done better 23 years ago (23?! d*mn) in Super Mario 64?” Next to a lot of N64 games you can name pretty much any Dreamcast game, especially showcases like SoulCalibur. Another game I want to mention is Blast Corps, sure it’s control was complicated but there hasn’t been a game like it, it’s timeless.

Yea most DC games are still nice looking.  Mainly replying to you because I recently ordered Blast Corps from Amazon.  Paid a little more than bottom used price because I ordered the first one that had decent cart and pics to show label in nice shape.  Can't wait to play it again.  Been awhile.  Speaking of controls recently tried Goldeneye N64 and was wondering how I was so good at controls back in day.  Just feels awkward to me now.



3D accelerated games on PC.



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Deus Ex (2000) - a game that pushes the boundaries of what the video game medium is capable of to a degree unmatched to this very day.

Final Fantasy VIII has aged gracefully.

And Grandia as well (not sure if it counts as"real" 3D, though)



Homeworld. 1999. PC Exclusive.

Still looks great even today as this image shows.

Also... Freespace 2.

PC 3D acceleration at the time was entering the realm of TnL and just starting to dabble in lots of bump maps and various shader effects... Plus unlike consoles, you could run at 720P equivalent resolutions and 60fps.



--::{PC Gaming Master Race}::--