Nostalgia is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past, in this case, evoked through videogames. I know, it seems crazy that videogames could carry such power, but videogames from the last decade are becoming - yet again - some of the most popular games to play. But why are old games like Minecraft and Mariokart having such a sudden resurgence into pop culture?
Minecraft was released in 2009, with it becoming the most downloaded game on any console by 2011. The appeal of Minecraft is described to be just like older kids playing with Lego, in a more advanced setting. At that time, the technology used in Minecraft was of the latest model, but as it began to fade into gaming history, the technology became outdated and the game, unpopular. But it came as much shock to retired Minecrafters when the game made a sudden comeback this year. Like Minecraft’s creepers, video games don’t blow up for no reason. Influencers in 2019 began one by one to spark interest in the game, posting videos of them playing, making the term ‘Minecraft’ the most searched on many platforms. Minecraft’s takeover was one of the biggest gaming comebacks in history, seconded only by Mariokart.
Mariokart has made an even bigger jump from where it began. It was released by Nintendo in 1992 and while the graphics of the game have evolved, it still has the original gameplay. This franchise game helped the Wii consoles rise to popularity, with the game being one of the most popular for a long time. Sadly, however, as Nintendo began to introduce newer, updated games to players, Mariokart was left behind… until 2019. In 2019, a mobile adaption of the classic racing game was advertised, and old players raced to get behind their favourite old game. The newer mobile game was such a success predominantly because of the perfect balance between nostalgia from the old gameplay, and excitement for the new competition opportunities. This helped Mariokart re-emerge into popularity.
Nostalgia is a powerful force, especially in the gaming community. We all enjoy being reminded of times we loved, and videogames are the perfect way to do that. Minecraft and Mariokart are perfect examples of ways to dive back into the good old days of gaming.
Both of these games are available from target or EB Games.