Metroid (1986) and Castlevania (1986) comprise the portmanteau that is “Metroidvania”.
Wait… Older genres? Never thought of it that way but it is true that there are some new ones. When is a genre old? 20 years, 30 years?
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 day ago
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 1 day ago
The Castlevania date is a little misleading, however.
Castlevania changed from a simple linear level-based side-scroller to the open world exploration, progression, and backtracking formula of the Metroidvania genre with Symphony of the Night in 1997.
caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 14 hours ago
Yeah. Technically Castlevania is a Metroidalike.
Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
Hm. I’d never considered that.
I mean “arcade” games are older than most internet users. FPS and MMORPGs older than half for sure.
I know VR is technical a platform not a sub-genre but there has to be something uniquely VR that is objectively a “younger genre”.
Would Pacman VR still be an arcade game? Not sure lol.
spankmonkey@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Dude, platformers like Hollow Knight were popular in arcades back in the 80s and d early 90s. Contra (87) and Metal Slug (96) are the first two that came to mind but there were tons of others.
They were literally arcade games and adapted to new mediums like home gaming systems and computers.
Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
Totally. I wasn’t saying platformers were invented in the 00s. I saying games like pong and space invaders technically predate platformers despite both of them being arcade games.
Please remember I was trying to answer he question, “When is a genre old”. Which is somewhat difficult with older genre’s that evolved in tandem with each other.
spankmonkey@lemmy.world 1 day ago
30+ years is old for sure, and platforms fit in that range.
20+ years could be debated, but I consider that old too.
Being old is not a negative, just a description about how long something has been around.
Coelacanth@feddit.nu 1 day ago
The 2D sidescroller base that’s at the foundation of Metroidvanias is quite a bit older than that, though, so I think it’s fair to call it an older genre. Even though it is fairly evergreen.