Certain games come and go, often booming at first and then forgotten about decades later by new generations. Others have become more like language, always there but constantly shifting and evolving. Some of the world’s classic games have earned the timeless label because they have managed to hold their own through every technological progression and adapt to stay relevant. There seem to be certain facets that help towards a game’s chance of becoming timeless, but they also require modern innovators to keep them alive with new features.
Classic Games Evolve With Technology
It’s amazing to think that some games that are still booming in popular culture today have been around for centuries. Baccarat, for example, could date all the way to 15th-century Italy according to some estimations. It was most certainly prevalent in the 19th century in France. Now, it’s popular online as well, with various live versions of the game for players to choose from, including Speed Baccarat, Grand Baccarat or Fortune & Baccarat. The modern version of baccarat is more accessible than ever because the games are accompanied by detailed instructions about how to play them. Along with having to stake on whether they think the banker’s hand or the player’s hand will win, there’s also information about the numerous side bets on offer.
Caption: A video about how to play baccarat.
There are plenty of other casino games that have been around for as long as baccarat as well. Blackjack and roulette are both centuries-old too but are still considered mainstream today. The fact that the casino industry quickly adapted to the rise of the internet is what made these so successful in the modern age. Online casinos helped these games reach more people than ever before, and the industry has ballooned in size since it first emerged in the mid-1990s. The games still retain the fundamental aspects that first made them popular, but they have been enhanced by modern graphics and animations. In some circumstances, there are new games that provide twists on the originals to appeal to fresh audiences.
Chess is another example of a game that adapted well to the digital world. The legendary board game was invented in the 6th century in India, making it arguably the most timeless game of all. The incredible thing about the strategy offering is that the rules have remained constant throughout its history. A player who learns his trade on Chess.com today could jump in a time machine, travel back a few centuries, and still be able to play with the shocked ancestor they come face to face with. Engaging graphics and accessible online lessons have helped chess to keep attracting players in the internet age, and it looks set to continue its rise in popularity over the next decade when virtual and augmented reality could enhance it even more.
Certain Game Mechanics Could Ensure Long-Term Success
As the gaming industry has progressed with technology over the last few decades, developers have found ways to introduce new game mechanics. When greater capabilities come about, some things that were once considered pioneering in the past become obsolete or fall into lesser usage.
An example of this was in the early console industry when side-scrolling platform games were all the rage. Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario’s 2D levels were once considered cutting-edge innovations, but that game format is only found in retro offerings nowadays when players want to get a taste of what came before. Modern games almost always take place in 3D settings, where players have the chance to explore freely. However, it should be noted that the Sonic and Mario franchises have become timeless, but the game mechanics have had to evolve to align with modern gaming.
Games that have a solid and undisputed playing approach seem to be more likely to go on to be timeless. Despite modern advancements, some card games like blackjack have stuck to the key rules that made them popular in the first place. Changing these mechanics would have resulted in new games being formed, so instead developers worked out ways to make them more in line with the modern digital world. There is also a key aspect of a timeless game: it is simplistic and can be picked up easily after a short amount of instruction. However, this isn’t always the case as a game like chess can take years to master.
Caption: A video about how to play chess.
What Recent Games Have the Potential to Become Classics in the Future?
When the timeless games that we know and love today were first conceived, few of the people around in those times could have predicted their enduring success. That’s why it’s hard to think of games from the modern age that could later go on to become timeless classics. You could argue that booming mobile titles like Candy Crush and Clash of Clans have the potential to become timeless thanks to their simple rules and overwhelming popularity. However, when technology advances onto virtual and augmented reality, these mobile titles may become obsolete if they don’t adapt.
Certain console franchises have the potential to become timeless if the developers keep coming up with fresh entries and innovative ideas for new generations of hardware as they are released. Series like Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed are among the longest-running console franchises of all time, and it’s easy to imagine these games continuing for many more years to come. The mechanics and graphics may change a lot, but the general aims of the games are likely to remain the same.
There are clearly numerous factors that make a game timeless. Certain offerings have lasted for centuries because their rules are so engrained in the gameplay, and they have adapted to modern technology. Gaming franchises of today could become timeless in their characters and themes, but the mechanics and graphics are likely to change a lot.