My son bashed Call of Duty so I popped Modern Warfare 2 in my PS3 - the 7th gen memories came flooding back, and it got me thinking about which games got violence design right.

Metroid revealed Samus was a woman at the end, not as the game's focus, but just as a fact. The Last of Us did the same with Ellie in the Left Behind DLC. Both got it right.

Are you thinking about buying a Pokémon Crystal cartridge, or do you want to check if yours is real? 

In over 15 years, buyers only joked about the NES expansion port. They say it was a great place to hide joints. Most Nintendo console ports ended up unused.

Life Force can feel slow, but it has its moments. Gun Nac seems corny until the chaos begins. Zanac's smart AI will challenge you. Here’s what makes each NES shooter worth your time.

The PS1 was the console of its time with cutting-edge tech and depth. But today? The N64 flies off the shelf because those games still hold up decades later.

I tried replaying Champions of Krynn. I quit after an hour. The split-screen interface was unbearable. But Super Mario still holds up perfectly. Not all old games hold up. After over 17 years in retro gaming, I know which ones are worth a second look and which should stay in the past.

Reflecting on GTA IV in 2026, I want to share my views. Its open world, sharp satire, and mission design are notable. Despite the game's ambition, I never connected with it.

Before home computers were common, most kids encountered gaming on classroom computers. For a generation of students, that meant Oregon Trail, Carmen Sandiego, Reader Rabbit, and a few titles so strange they got pulled from schools entirely.