8 Retro Mechanics We Need In Modern Video Games

8. Cheat Codes

Let's kick things off with one of the greatest casualties of modern gaming - the death of cheat codes.

Once upon a time, it was basically expected that a new game would release with a ton of hidden cheats for players to seek out or, more likely, discover in a gaming magazine.

These cheats could range from the practical likes of infinite health and ammo to silly nonsense such as Big Head Mode and everything else in-between. 

Cheat codes often added genuine value to a game and, above all else, allowed players to progress through problematic sections.

But with the rise of achievements, DLC, and microtransactions in the modern era, cheats have been largely phased out in the traditional sense, lest they undermine a publisher's ability to wring every last penny out of their investment.

Obviously cheats do still exist for some games, and if you're playing on PC it's relatively easy to use Cheat Engine to your heart's content, but the golden era of cheats being baked into most of your favourite games is sadly long gone.