When Does a Video Game Become a "Classic"?

The original NES games, the Atari Games, some of the Commodore games... most people have considered them classic. Now, take a look at our generation. as well at the future generation of games.

When or how would you say that our generation of games could be considered "classic" to future generation of games? Are there certain qualities that our generation of games needs to have to be considered classic, or, does age strictly define something as classic?

Feel free to share any thoughts you might have.

Usually when they're old and/or popular. Like Mario for example, the first one is still considered a classic, as it was made a long time ago, and was massively popular (popular enough to make Mario still one of the most popular franchises).

For me it's considered a classic when it has at least a decent amount of exposure and really popular. Though normally a classic is when it is a game that has been out for a couple of years way before our generation now..

While I agree with the replies found in the thread, I also think that a game becomes a classic when games in future generations that become popular, or in some cases, more popular, while using something that came from the original.

For example, Chrono Trigger on the SNES is definitely a classic, because it was the first JRPG that not only offered multiple endings and routes to obtain them, but also for the first time made your decisions and choices made throughout playing matter. During the first hour of the game, you are put in scenarios you have no idea will ultimately alter the scenes you get later on.

When a generation grows up and feels nostalgia for it. Of course, that depends on the individual person's perspective, but I think that's really all there is to it.

A classic, I would depict as being a good game that has been around for 7 years or longer. Take the old Mario and Sonic games for example.

A classic would be a game that is over 10 years old so say GC games are under classic.

A classic for me is a game that was developed on an 'old' console and still/was loved. I know there are Xbox games that are Classics, normally ones which have a sequel and were one of the best games at their time.

Hm, well, for me, I'd say that games that are considered classics are the type of games and features that are the most memorable to the gamers' mind, and not just time-based factors. The Atari had many memorable games that pretty much set the pace of hi-score based arcade games, and the video games on the NES had classic games when it came to the side-scroller video games.

Anything in the neighborhood of 5-20 years old can be considered a classic depending on various factors, and is usually considered classic after 20 if nothing else about the game merits the title sooner.

I guess it differs between different people since I consider some PS1 games to be classic but I know people who don't and only consider games from the NES and early SNES era to be classic. If the game play still holds up to this date and it's at least 10 years old then I consider it a classic. The first part is probably more important since there are a lot of games that seem fun when you were younger but a not so if you go back and play them now, so a game should be able to stand the test of time.

Depu Techiikue said:

For example, Chrono Trigger on the SNES is definitely a classic, because it was the first JRPG that not only offered multiple endings and routes to obtain them, but also for the first time made your decisions and choices made throughout playing matter. During the first hour of the game, you are put in scenarios you have no idea will ultimately alter the scenes you get later on.

Click to expand...

Actually the first two Breath Of Fire games predate Chrono Trigger, although you can't really make those decisions until you're pretty much a stone toss away from completing the game.

Probably when nolstalga kicks in for some people towards a title, although newer titles I like to call 'modern classics' or 'tomorrow's classics'.

Curtis talli said:

A classic would be a game that is over 10 years old so say GC games are under classic.

Click to expand...

This, I feel that older games/games that are long since supported or sold in retail stores are considered classic. I consider anything Sega/Gameboy and all Nintendo products before it classic, for example.

My definition would have to be that it has to be a popular title, but that's an obvious requirement. Apart from that, it needs to be off-market and/or recently re-released on a virtual store. Rebooting a franchise could also deem the original games being "classics" as well.