10 Classic Video Games That Play Horribly Today

Nobody can knock the Final Fantasy series for its longevity, influence or timeless seventh chapter, but the NES original commits every cardinal sin in the role-playing game developers' handbook.

Playing it today is a grind... literally. The game continuously pits you against challenges you're ill-equipped for, forcing players into hours of aimless monster slaying to boost their stats. This is the first thing modern RPGs should avoid, so it's insane to think the debut entry in the genre's most influential series has this flaw.

Final Fantasy's turn-based combat is also a chore, offering all the fun of filling out an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. There are few things more frustrating that watching your characters swipe at air repeatedly in battles, but that's nothing compared to the pain for trying to figure out where to go next.

Often this is a case of trawling through several massive towns to track down the one character who can direct you. It's like trying to find a piece of hay in a stack of needles.

All of these shortcomings make Final Fantasy the weakest instalment in the long-running franchise, and it's also one of the most frustratingly difficult. Stick with the sequels, unless you're an avid fan determined to play every one of these games.