HF Retro Game of the Year - 1999 - Age of Empires II Wins!

[ArGarBarGar]

That was a big box... and it was mostly empty. I always liked big boxes, but I remember thinking that that was a little much. It's almost like the industry decided shortly afterward that they'd gone too far, because boxes (even those from Microsoft) started getting slimmer and smaller after that, until they all became DVD cases in 2003/2004 (and the days of having substantial printed materials disappeared ).

I know for certain that I have the box in my parents' house because I collapsed all of my game boxes down and stored them in the attic. They take up so much less room that way (one storage box instead of half a dozen) and I can un-collapse them if I ever have the space and inclination to re-display them.

It has been so long since I have seen them I didn't even think to just collapse them.

But yeah, the big boxes are more of a nostalgia trip for me, and totally understand why they reduced the size. I will say my favorite box was the original Sims where they had a little panel that opened up to show you all the game had in store. Great marketing in the dial-up internet age.

As far as printed materials, I think the game manual from Roller Coaster Tycoon was the only manual I ever read virtually cover to cover. I was so enthralled and the game actually provided you with some good tips to get you started.

 

[SniperHF]

But yeah, the big boxes are more of a nostalgia trip for me, and totally understand why they reduced the size. I will say my favorite box was the original Sims where they had a little panel that opened up to show you all the game had in store. Great marketing in the dial-up internet age.

I always liked big boxes,

It's somewhat ignored now just how big a factor boxes were in marketing games back the in the day. The box art is often named as part of the reason Planescape didn't sell particularly well.

Unless you were all-in and got gaming magazines or were an early internet adopter your main ways to figure out what games to buy were word of mouth and the boxes on the shelf. With rentals for consoles.

 

[Osprey]

As far as printed materials, I think the game manual from Roller Coaster Tycoon was the only manual I ever read virtually cover to cover. I was so enthralled and the game actually provided you with some good tips to get you started.

Strategy games and flight sims had the best manuals. One of my favorite manuals was for Pharaoh. It almost felt like a handbook on Egyptian life. I read that cover to cover. Come to think of it, that was a 1999 game, as well, and might've grabbed a couple of votes if it had been in the poll. Flight sims (like Pacific Air War and European Air War) had great manuals because they had so much info on the engagements that they covered and felt like reading pilot training manuals (complete with procedures for take-off/landing, evasion techniques and more).

It's somewhat ignored now just how big a factor boxes were in marketing games back the in the day. The box art is often named as part of the reason Planescape didn't sell particularly well.

Unless you were all-in and got gaming magazines or were an early internet adopter your main ways to figure out what games to buy were word of mouth and the boxes on the shelf. With rentals for consoles.

That's a good point. The real estate on the backs of the boxes was so precious because it showed screenshots and described the games' features. In the 90s, people would still walk into the gaming shops and pick up boxes for games that they'd never heard of and, based on how interesting the front of the box was, turn it around to read the back and then buy it. As more people got on the internet, though, they started learning about games that way and would walk into the game shops already with an idea of what they wanted to buy, so the boxes became much less important and shrunk out of pure practicality (less volume to ship and display and less material to print because manuals were put in PDF form).

 

[SniperHF]

Well we've had more votes in this poll than any other retro poll yet, so no slowing down it seems with the offseason.

Let's get a jump on 1998, post your suggestions.

 

[Desdichado93]

Well we've had more votes in this poll than any other retro poll yet, so no slowing down it seems with the offseason.

Let's get a jump on 1998, post your suggestions.

Half-Life and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six? Not really one of my favourites but still very important games IMO.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

Well we've had more votes in this poll than any other retro poll yet, so no slowing down it seems with the offseason.

Let's get a jump on 1998, post your suggestions.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Starcraft

 

[Osprey]

Well we've had more votes in this poll than any other retro poll yet, so no slowing down it seems with the offseason.

I told you that you couldn't stop at 2000. It is your destiny to keep doing this until we get to 1972 and crown Pong the winner by a landslide.

Let's get a jump on 1998, post your suggestions.

As usual, I can list only PC titles. I have no clue what came out on consoles.

Safe bets
========
Baldur's Gate
Grim Fandango
Half-Life
StarCraft
Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six

Extras
=====
MechCommander
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

 

[NyQuil]

Wow, BG vs Starcraft vs Grim Fandango vs Half-Life.

HoF showdown.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I told you that you couldn't stop at 2000. It is your destiny to keep doing this until we get to 1972 and crown Pong the winner by a landslide.



As usual, I can list only PC titles. I have no clue what came out on consoles.

Safe bets
========
Baldur's Gate
Grim Fandango
Half-Life
StarCraft
Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six

Extras
=====
MechCommander
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

Metal Gear Solid, Crash Bandicoot (3?), Spyro and Resident Evil 2. If anyone here played consoles those are some good choices I would think.



Edit: Also, Ocarina of Time and Banjo-Kazooie.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Well we've had more votes in this poll than any other retro poll yet, so no slowing down it seems with the offseason.

Let's get a jump on 1998, post your suggestions.

somebody call for an exterminator?

 

[Desdichado93]

I told you that you couldn't stop at 2000. It is your destiny to keep doing this until we get to 1972 and crown Pong the winner by a landslide.

As usual, I can list only PC titles. I have no clue what came out on consoles.

Take a look here. 1998 in video gaming - Wikipedia

 

[NyQuil]

Also Fallout 2 and Freespace.

I liked Might and Magic VI but don’t think it’s poll worthy.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

No

Wait, no Starcraft Brood War ??

 

[Mrb1p]

Smash revolutionized gaming. Ages of empire was just a sequel. Theres no way this is fair.

 

[The Macho King]

Also Fallout 2 and Freespace.

I liked Might and Magic VI but don’t think it’s poll worthy.

Add Thief.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Finally back to 1998. No game more defined my childhood than this one, the amount of hours I poured into this game between 2000-2006 is just insane.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

The original "Grand Theft Auto" would get my '98 vote as it was released in North America back in 1998.

Plus it was the game I specifically wanted a PS1 for.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Heroes of Might and Magic babay

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Smash revolutionized gaming. Ages of empire was just a sequel. Theres no way this is fair.

How did Smash revolutionize gaming? And I say this as someone who has put in hundreds of hours across all 4 iterations.

 

[Osprey]

Add Thief.

I can't believe that I forgot the game that I might just end up voting for. Thief is one game where saying that it revolutionized gaming is an understatement.

 

[NyQuil]

The original "Grand Theft Auto" would get my '98 vote as it was released in North America back in 1998.

Plus it was the game I specifically wanted a PS1 for.

It's funny but the game that sort of revolutionized that aspect of gaming for me was Carmageddon.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Smash didn't so much revolutionize as it did take some of the most beloved characters in gaming and have them beat the **** out of each other.

Not really a new concept, just a smart one.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

I can't believe that I forgot the game that I might just end up voting for. Thief is one game where saying that it revolutionized gaming is an understatement.

You can say the same about Half Life, Starcraft and Baldurs Gate. Throw in Grim Fandango which was the glorious last entry in a dying genre, I have no idea where this vote is going.

 

[syz]

Either people need to look up the word "revolutionize" or y'all were playing different games than I was.

Ocarina's the only one here that that word actually applies to, and its influence is still 100% relevant today.

 

[NyQuil]

Either people need to look up the word "revolutionize" or y'all were playing different games than I was.

Ocarina's the only one here that that word actually applies to, and its influence is still 100% relevant today.

I haven't been interested in Zelda since Link to the Past.

Meanwhile, Starcraft led to the generation of the sustainable professional gaming experience.

Baldur's Gate almost singlehandedly revitalized the western RPG genre.

Half-Life's scripted encounters set a new standard for storytelling in first-person shooters that still applies today.

It sounds like you might want to look up the word yourself.