[kevinfiol]

Might have just been nostalgia, but I've played video games since I was a child, and largely took a extended break from Nintendo titles when I became an almost-exclusive PC gamer in the late 2000s.

I finally played Mario Odyssey for the first time last year, and I instantly felt like a kid in 1997 again, and my mood was elevated with excitement for playing this game -- it was clear a ton of love was poured into the level design and game mechanics. It was the best gaming experience I've had in my adult life.

[rightbyte]

> I finally played Mario Odyssey

I have no words for how good that game is. It is both fresh and nostalgic at the same time. And the hat thing is done perfectly. Like, the more hats the bosses have the better they are, duh, of course.

Dark(er) side of the moon gets really challanging for adults too.

It would be so easy for Nintendo to just spam Mario games but they don't.

[SilverElfin]

My experience has been the opposite. For both “hardcore” PC games and “simpler” games like Mario, as an adult it’s not only hard to find time but once I do, games feel like an exhausting chore. I go in anticipating relaxation but can’t get it. Sometimes even just getting to the menu screen brings this feeling of dread. I’m not sure how to go back to the feeling of being a kid.

[lbrito]

Same, it feels like more work. In the old days you would punch the cartidrige in and get started. The controllers themselves had half a dozen buttons. Nowadays if I spend more than a few months without playing ill forget the commands, and I don't have the mental energy or time to spend relearning before being able to actually enjoy the game. I paused zelda for 2.5yrs and couldn't pick it up again. Just too much relearning

[npodbielski]

I think those games are not the problem. If you feel dread... I mean if you would felt boredom or be annoyed that you will be spending time in a useless activity... But dread? Maybe you should talk to some friend or the family?

[DANmode]

Two drinks, or a toot of the zoot.

Y’know: if all else fails :)

[biophysboy]

Totally relate to this. The movement in Mario 64 still holds up, 30 years later. When I picked up Odyssey, the first thing I did was figure out how much I could push the limits of the character physics, just like I did when I was 8.

[Fire-Dragon-DoL]

I had the same experience, except that I grabbed Mario Odyssey and...felt incredibly disappointed, decided Nintendo is not for me and went back to my beloved indie games on PC, LOL

[loloquwowndueo]

Wait until you play Super Mario Wonder!

[npodbielski]

I do not know... Oddysey felt better. Wonder is rushing you. Always. In odyssey you can just explore some city a bit and there is no pressure. No timer, no nagging. You can just sit on the bench.