When I used to play video games I used to revel in those great moments, the moments that made a game an unforgettable event. There was a steady stream of these back in the good old days as most games I played seemed to stick with me for a while. It seems though that more recent games lack these crucial events that burn into my memory. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I usually find that once I finish one it fades from my mind rather quickly. Are today's games getting too generic to leave a lasting impact?

Some of my favorite classic moments include blowing up Hitler's head in Bionic Commando, the opening sequence to the original Ninja Gaiden, and my favorite magic ink letter that was physically packaged with Star Tropics. These scenes created a powerful connection in this young player, and I can replay them in my head to this day. With modern games being more cinematic, one might think that they would provide a greater impact and more emotional moments than their primitive predecessors. I really don't think that holds true. Maybe it's because stories have become more complex that nothing really stands out anymore. Perhaps, like that letter, we need more physical tie-ins to our gaming plots.

It also goes beyond just story moments as I usually find that if I replay a more recent game, I can barely remember what is going to happen next. In some instances I remember very little about the game itself, including locations and gameplay mechanics. Games of today are so much more complicated, and my memory just doesn't hold information about them, like it does for 20-year-old games that I can pick up and play like I'm still ten years old. I experienced this recently with Metroid Prime Trilogy. I regard the original Prime game as one of my favorites of all time, but when it came to really remembering the details, I was completely lost. I was also replaying New Super Mario Bros. in anticipation of the new one and I find I can remember little about it, unlike all the previous games in that series. I could play SMB 3 blindfolded, but I can barely remember which world is which in NSMB.

So why is it that the classic games are more memorable? Why does it matter? Well, if the video game is all about the experience, I for one would at least like to remember it. I am, however, unsure of what developers can do to combat this phenomenon. Metroid Prime is by all measures an excellent game and I can think of little they could do to improve it. Still, it lacks that resonance of Super Metroid and even the original Metroid game (the first time I saw a Metroid really freaked me out!). Perhaps it is the technology itself, the cinematic nature of today's games that has homogenized them. Without having to work with limitations, the truly special moments just don't seem that special. Every game has them now, and every game delivers them with scathing realism. The scenario writers have to do something truly amazing to get our attention, and I hope to see more of them stepping up to the plate. Only time will tell though if I really remember what they show me.