The best classic games you would NOT recommend

[opa]

Okay, I have to defend the Legend of Zelda. It isn't that difficult; even if you examine it with the context of playing "back in the day".

The manual explained the enemies, items, and gave multiple tips and tricks to help get you started. Additionally, the manual included a walkthrough to get to level 1 and a map to help guide you to level 2. This is basically the "forced tutorial" every modern game makes you go through these days; it just so happens to be written down. During the game you even occasionally run into the titular "Old Man" that gives you clues on how to progress.

Yes, there was no internet guide or video to help you. However, there were still guides and tips in magazines (nintendo power, anyone?). Also, you could talk to other kids at school that may have played it. Shocking in this modern age, I know.

And, I believe this is the real key point, what else were you going to be doing with your time? If your parents were allowing you to play the game for any amount of time, then you'll figure everything out by trial-and-error. Most people didn't have an endless supply of games so you just kept plugging along until you figure it out.

quag boi, this isn't an attack on you or your opinion by the way. I just genuinely think the Legend of Zelda is still approachable to this day.

[MidnightRider]

I recently watched a video on YT about good starter shmups that teach you about the genre and, I gotta say, some of the selections were baffling. They were NOT starter games and not good teachers.

What would you think of games like Trouble Shooter or Thunder Force III in that regard? I don't know if they teach anything, but are easy enough to beat fairly quickly.

Like, it's not like I could never recommend games like FFIV, FFV, or Chrono Trigger to *anyone*, since they're all still quality games in one way or another (even if they're not my cup of tea), but to someone more interested in RPGs as narrative experiences first and foremost, there's precious little among 8-bit or 16-bit (or hell, even 32-bit) stuff that I can recommend without hesitation <w>

I don't know, I think there's enough narrative of a decent standard in there(and I'd include Phantasy Star IV in there too). If there's one issue with Chrono Trigger though, it's that it's kind of in its own tier to recommend as a beginners game for the genre. In a way, it's the worst title you could recommend, as it would avert expectations of the reality of what the genre is actually mostly like: Grindy with random battles. It's more like the you-hate-the-genre-but-still-might-like-this-one-anyway game.

Of course, as I say that nowadays, I'm pretty much the opposite of your wife, in that I don't want to play anything that can't be beaten in 2 hours or less.