Five Older Games That Still Give the New Ones a Run for Their Money

In this era of Drake's Fortune, Halo3, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, gamers tend to find themselves reaching further for more advanced, and more expensive, games, be it for console or Personal Computer. However, for those of you with a decent PC and a touch of nostalgia, there are some games that, while much older than you would be used to, still bring to them a level of enjoyment that might have you forgetting about your 500 dollar console.

1. Super Smash Bros.

   
   
   
   Before the insertion of Melee or Brawl, there was the game that started it all; granted, it doesn't have nearly as many characters, levels, weapons, and the special abilities aren't quite as flashy. Still, the physics engine is solid, but not TOO realistic, so playing this game feels like a delightful combination of "Whack-a-Mole" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
   
   If you don't have an N64 console, you can find emulators all over the Internet; in fact, you probably can't swing you arms without hitting an emulator site these days. If you DO have a 64, then poke around second-hand stores for a copy, because, just like the two sequels, this game truly shines in multiplayer.

2. Conker's Bad Fur Day

   
   
   When Xbox re-releases the game with the only real changes being updated graphics, you know this is a game worth checking out. Still, despite the cute little squirrel featured in this screenshot, this is NOT a children's game; the humor featured in it is adult, bordering on crude (and passing that border a few times,) and brings to mind the Bugs Bunny show if the writers had been replaced by those who had developed Rocky Horror Picture Show.
   
   If you're interested in giving it a whirl, you could (again) pick up an emulator, or boot up your old N64, or even rent the graphic-updated version for the Xbox; filled with movie-spoof references, evil teddy bears, and a massive, feral king who just can't stop his glass of milk from spilling, this will definitely get you nostalgic about the Good Ol' Days.

3. Star Trek: Invasion

   
   
   In the era of the very first Playstation, one of the games released was on that (naturally,) tried to cash in on the Star Trek fever, which had reached a definite high point around this time. Still, as far as Playstation games went, this was extremely well done; graphics were good, considering the supported console, first-player was challenging (occasionally bordering on suicidal,) and you have a fairly wide range of weaponry, including beam and pulse phasers, and photon and quantum torpedos.
   
   If you're looking for a good space-shooter, then it's probably a safe bet to pick this one up, although (being honest here,) I'm not terribly sure where you'd be able to find it…

4. Star Crusader

   
   
   This is STILL probably one of the most enjoyable third/first person (you can pick,) space pilot simulators I have ever played. In many ways it was ahead of its time; you could pilot several vessels from your own faction, but you could even gain access to enemy starships, all with unique capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. With a wide range of missions, from furious dogfights, to bombing runs, through cautious stealth/scan missions, you would eventually gain access to controlling your available fleet, training and selecting your wingmen and, eventually, making a single choice that would alter the course of the entire game.
   
   The game is full 3D, but as it was released in 1993, the graphics aren't nearly what you'd find today. Still, for the time it borders on cutting-edge, and the two possible endings gives you the incentive to play it again… and the sheer fun of the simulator would make you play it yet again, and again, and again…

5. Star Trek Armada 2: Fleet Operations

   
   
   TECHNICALLY I'm not just advertising the game, which at this point you probably could only find on Ebay and Bitlord; for those of you who are determined, however, or already have a copy, there is a "mod" you should know of called Fleet Operations. This modification program alters the somewhat bland textures and background of the original 2D strategy game and replaces them with rich expanses of space filled with nebulas and stars in the background, and ships that almost look good enough to belong on the shows they came from.
   
   Check here for a more detailed comparison of how Fleet Ops alters Armada II. It is still under development; at the moment, you have access to the Federation, Romulans, Dominion, and Klingons. The Borg are scheduled for the next release, along with a new wave of texture updates, from improved special weapon effects to canon shield animations.
   
   For all strategy-players, and especially all Trekkies, this is a must.