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What is a "Classic" game?

(12 posts) (4 voices)

Started 12 years ago by Dragonlair
Latest reply from Dragonlair

Dragonlair
Member

OK, I know what a HOG is, I know what a Match 3 is, I know what a shooter, arkenoid, breakout, time management and many other kinds of games. But what is a "classic" game?

JenKat Games released for free a game they had had for some time - Marooned. While checking on the game, I found it's a Gamehouse game and there's a sequel to it "Marooned 2". The original game's description (from 2009) said it's the first chapter of a trilogy. It also called the game, "Hidden Object" - no surprise thee.

The second game (2010) is described as Hidden Object and "Classic". I cannot find out what they mean by classic.

Gamehouse shows no sign that the 3rd game ever came out. There is a dual-game (1 and 2 bundled together) but no 3rd game.

I'm just wondering what they mean by "Classic". Does anybody have any idea?????

Posted 12 years ago #
Campy
Member

Classic means "judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of it's kind." Ultima, Baldur's Gate, Zork, Civilization ... those are classics. They can claim Marooned is a classic game, but few would agree.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dragonlair
Member

It's not "Marooned" that's "classic", it's "Marooned 2". That's what's confusing.

Posted 12 years ago #
Campy
Member

They can claim that Marooned 2 is a classic game, but few if any would agree. It got 3 out of 5 stars in official review at Gamezebo (and 15 of their users gave it an average rating of 2.5).

FYI, here is the Gamehouse definition of Classic:
"Classic Games

If you've been there, done that, or simply prefer to play old favorites, turn to our Classic Games for a sure thing. Give your PC only the best from GameHouse where the classic games aren't called "classic" for nothing! With addicting game play and exciting features, you'll soon discover what we're talking about.

Browse through our list of classic games as there are games here for everyone. From nostalgic board games to your favorite match-three puzzles, the possibilities of fun are endless. Best of all, every game is high in quality, touting dazzling graphics and amazing sound effects to complete your total gaming experience."

They then list over 200 "classic" games.

Posted 12 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

You could also say that for a game to be regarded as a 'classic' it will have been copied by other developers, so you could say that the original breakout called Arkanoid and it's sequel Arkanoid: The Revenge of Doh are classics. A more recent example could be the game Minecraft, which has already spawned several copycat games, or games that use a similar idea. Though I think a time element is included, so to be regarded as a classic some years will have passed before the word classic is used. I'm sure Minecraft will be regarded as a classic in years to come.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dragonlair
Member

I think these answers are off on a tangent. If you look at this page, you'll see that "classic" is listed as the game genre. Below is another listed with 4 genres of Hidden Object, Puzzle, Kids, and Classic and a third on the same page with Hidden Object, Match3 and Classic.

On the left side is a list of game genres and how many games from this list fit that description and it has 29 of them.

What is the game genre of "classic" as is shown on this page? That is my question. I understand that a game can be "classic" in any genre if it's old enough, established enough, and popular enough, but that doesn't seem to be what this is saying.

I bit the bullet - I sent the question to where I first found the situation - Gamehouse. Let's see what they have to say. :)

Posted 12 years ago #
Campy
Member

Dragonlair, WR & I are talking about most peoples definition of classic games. If you will check my previous post you will see how Gamehouse defines "classic." It was taken directly from this Gamehouse page. Look half way their down the page on the right.

As far as I am concerned that is their own personal classification of games and the over 200 games are a mishmash of games of various genres; some good games and some not so good.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dragonlair
Member

Thanks, Campy.

I know you and WR were using the more common definition of "classic" but Gamehouse seemed to be doing something else. I was trying to find a page like your reference but didn't find it.

It appears that they just decided that some games were classic based on sales. What they are doing really makes no sense. Games that new (as new as late December 2010 releases) just cannot qualify as "classic". The older ones, such as some of the collapse games from 2001 might qualify as "classic".

No matter how you look at it, unless it is a set "style" or genre; "classic" is an extremely subjective term and to declare a sequel a classic but not the original game makes less sense than anything else they have done. THAT is what caused all the confusion.

I'm waiting to hear their explanation.

Thanks, everyone. It appears it's just an advertising gimmick and maybe the confusion factor is intentional - to make you look closer. I looked -- but I didn't buy. Why should I? I got Marooned from Jenkat for free!

Posted 12 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

Hi Dragonlair. Looking at Gamehouses lost of classic games, I'd say some will be considered classic some way down the line for example the cachinko like game Peggle Deluxe, Popcaps Plants & Zombies, Bejeweled, Super Collapse 2 and maybe even Gardenscapes and Farm Frenzy (one of the only TM games I like; though to me at this point in time they are just very good games. The first Luxor game and the others from that period may just about be considered classics in my book, but most of the rest are not or will not become classics for some time to come.

I think another definition of classic could be a game that cuts across the boundaries of genre and grabs the interests of many people.

Posted 12 years ago #
QunMang
Member

WR, I had to smile when you wrote "...the original breakout called Arkanoid..." The original classic is of course "Breakout" and Arkanoid was a modern (for the time) take on that game. It's a classic in its own right of course, more so than the original I would think as today's brick-breakers are by and large based off of this child of Breakout rather than taking a new direction from the original.

Posted 12 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

I always though it was called arkanoid and was created by Taito, but I was wrong. That wasn't conceived until 1987 wheras I remember playing breakout in the late 70's when I was in the Army over in Germany.

Thanks for putting me right. I tend not to check with Google just using my memory, lol.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dragonlair
Member

Back on the original subject - I did get a reply from Gamehouse and I was immediately ready to chew nails!

I get sick and tired of sending a "contact us" message for a problem and a question only to receive some stock message that has no relation to the original question. That is what happened. Because the form required a game, they never even read my message at all! They just said that "Marooned 2" was not developed by them and gave instructions using Google on finding a walkthrough or using forums to ask for help.

I sent back a rather angry response that they had not read my message and that I didn't have a problem - I just had a question! They did reply with the link that Campy used above to demonstrate their definition of "classic".

It all boiled down to their more popular games - therefore "classic". I still say it makes absolutely no sense to declare a sequel game a classic when not declaring the original game the same way.

Their customer service definitely needs work!

Personal opinion -- from what I've seen, one of the best customer service responses you'll find on a game site right now is Jenkat.com. So far, they read my messages and reply to the actual question!!!! I gave Jenny from Jenkat "Kudos" for her latest response!

Posted 12 years ago #

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