10 Video Games That Only Get Better With Age

9. Super Metroid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls5uo4xidwQ Metroid came out of nowhere in 1987 and absolutely rocked my young brain in a way that no other game had up to that point. Unlike the other platformers I was devouring at the time, Metroid was non-linear, open, and extremely creepy. I spent hours upon hours exploring the corridors of Zebes, feverishly drawing maps on the graph paper that my father was using in his engineering courses. I spent more time with Metroid than pretty much every other game in my collection. By the time the 90's rolled around, the 16-bit era taking off, and I had put my NES away in favor of the greener pastures that were the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo, and the Metroid name had become nothing more than a fond, nostalgic memory. Then all of a sudden, the heavens opened up, and down came Super Metroid. Super Metroid was, and remains to this day, the definitive example how to evolve a gaming franchise without taking away anything that made it special in the first place. The game world was bigger and filled with more secrets than ever before. The atmosphere was even more haunting and claustrophobic. New weapons and enemies were spread all across the map. Bosses were huge, and battling them were epic, unforgettable experiences. The graphics were amazing and varied, giving each area a distinct feel. The soundtrack fit and enhanced the game's atmosphere perhaps more than any other soundtrack ever had up to that point. The game felt and controlled perfectly. It was an absolute masterpiece. And it still is. Super Metroid remains delightfully playable today. The creepy environments, stellar soundtrack, and meticulously constructed game world have not aged one bit. The open-ended nature of the game, as well as the tight, responsive controls that seemingly all first party Nintendo games were known for, have transitioned well into the era of modern gaming. The game's influence has been particularly well-represented in the exploding indie scene in games such as Shadow Complex, Outland and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet. If you've yet to play Super Metroid, be sure to give it a try. It is likely that you'll be surprised as to how much of its qualities you'll see in today's modern games.