![\"Super](\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Super-Mario-World-2-Yoshis-Island.jpg\")
<\/a>Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island<\/p><\/div>\n
Honestly, this whole list could be comprised of Mario<\/em> games. Playing games like Super Mario World<\/em>, Paper Mario<\/em> or Super Mario RPG<\/em> is like slipping into a comfortable set of pyjamas.<\/p>\n There\u2019s one character who stands out as the star of the most imaginative games in the Mario<\/em> series: Yoshi.<\/p>\n The imaginative use of hand-drawn backgrounds and textures means games like Yoshi\u2019s Story<\/em> and Yoshi\u2019s Island<\/em> remain feasts for the eyes, even in the era of 60 fps.<\/p>\n Dragon’s Lair<\/p><\/div>\n The craziest thing about Dragon\u2019s Lair<\/em> was that it came out in the era of early 8-bit, yet it looks the way it did.<\/p>\n It was released in 1983, a year when the most graphically advanced game around were titles like Bomberman<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sure, the look came at the expense of gameplay, but you can\u2019t deny the retro appeal of the Don Bluth (of All Dogs Go to Heaven<\/em> and Anastasia<\/em> fame) animation.<\/p>\n Earthworm Jim<\/p><\/div>\n There\u2019s a reason why every second indie game uses 16-bit graphics.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a style that\u2019s achievable without a lot of resources, yet still looks great. And yes, there is that nostalgia factor, of course.<\/p>\n You could replay any number of SNES and Sega Genesis games that don\u2019t feel dated at all.<\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to pick a standout from this era, but the hand-drawn animation of games like Aladdin<\/em> and Earthworm Jim<\/em> must surely be up there.<\/p>\n Castlevania: Symphony of the Night<\/p><\/div>\n If games from the 16-bit era generally retain a timeless quality, the opposite can be said of PS1 games, which look atrocious today.<\/p>\n Most games on the platform strove for realism and cutting edge graphics, which look primitive today.<\/p>\n The exceptions tend to come from those games that eschew full 3D in favour of simpler anime-inspired graphics.<\/p>\n Just look at JRPGs from the era like Legend of Mana<\/em> or sidescrollers like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night<\/em>. Beeyootiful!<\/p>\n Homeworld<\/p><\/div>\n Everything about Homeworld<\/em> is pure class, including its visuals.<\/p>\n Yes, the textures may be rough, but the way the game manages to capture the feel of an epic space battle is nothing short of extraordinary.<\/p>\n While credit must go to the incredible soundtrack, the sight of fleets of ships flying through space, arcs of light trailing behind them, remains something to behold.<\/p>\n The Curse of Monkey Island<\/p><\/div>\n There\u2019s a general rule of thumb when it comes to old games: the more realistic they\u2019re trying to look, the poorer they age.<\/p>\n LucasArts adventure games on the other hand generally went for cartoony graphics, which is why we still love the look of games like Full Throttle<\/em> and Sam & Max Hit the Road<\/em>.<\/p>\n The best-looking of all LucasArts titles was The Curse of Monkey Island<\/em>, which sees the style first seen in Day of the Tentacle<\/em> reach its peak.<\/p>\n There are too many beautiful older games out there to cover them all in one post, so stay tuned for Part 2 where we\u2019ll be highlighting a few more.<\/p>\n Sega franchises that need to make a return<\/a><\/p>\n A dicey proposition: why video gamers should also get into board games<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>You may also find this interesting<\/h3>\n