https://www.cybersport.ru/games/articles/10-igr-v-kotorye-vy-tochno-igrali-v-detstve-ot-pozvolte-prepodat-vam-koldovskie-shtuchki-do-eron-don- don

Heroes of Might and Magic, Quake, Doom, The Elder Scrolls and other cult games have been on PC since the late nineties, but I can’t even call them childish. Each of them can be launched by a person without age and gender. Let’s leave these games in our hearts and take a look behind the scenes.

I understand that not everyone had home computers at the beginning of the 2000s, and very few people thought of playing Kuzya in computer clubs. And yet I believe that at least one title from my selection still lives in your heart, although you have long lost the key to the door behind which it hid. Time for cardiac revision and nostalgia.

Hugo (“Kuzya”) – “not our” troll-brownie

Hugo, or “Kuzya”, is a Danish TV show that was launched in 1990 and became part of the children’s leisure fund in 40 countries around the world. Originally launched as a blue screen project, the Kuzi franchise quickly spilled over into educational video games. By the way, on television, the program could also boast of interactivity: children could call the studio and “play” as a character using voice control.

In my world, the name “Kuzya” is automatically associated with a brownie, so the translation of the name of the Scandinavian folklore troll, on the one hand, was adaptive, and on the other, it greatly confused children. In fact, Hugo is an adult troll, a father of a family who overcomes all difficulties for the sake of his wife and children.

As a child, I was a hyper-curious child who went to school with an orange three-volume encyclopedia “What is? Who it?” in the briefcase. However, the book is too boring, my mom decided, and brought a stack of brand new CDs with a weird Hugo on the cover. The first one I tried was called “Kuzya: Wild River” – in it you had to distinguish between left and right, be able to solve puzzles and quickly respond to scripted events like the appearance of flocks of bats, falling stones and other obstacles on the way to the end of the level. In the finale, the evil witch Scylla was usually waiting for you, drawn in a slightly inappropriate style from the point of view of a child’s play (this nuance is visible only now).

Another disc (I remember as if it were yesterday!) Interested me with an unfamiliar word. After playing Hugo Classic, reading in the encyclopedia and diligently studying the question in all ways available to first-graders, I came to my mother with a request: “Let’s go see the dolmens!” – Mom was surprised, but in Tuapse we still went for them. By the way, later I also got Hugo: Rollercoaster, for some reason translated as “Kuzka: Time Traveler”, but I did not demand to take me to Ancient Egypt.

I like to question the fact that the grass used to be greener, but in the case of the children’s educational series, this is true. To find a modern analogue, which would be as simple and exciting for my future husband’s little brother as “Kuzya”, but at the same time did not require donation, I could not. The hero of my childhood dreams himself is hopelessly outdated – now you can’t look at graphics and animation without tears.

Harry Potter Trilogy – The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban

A disc with the first Harry Potter games was with every child in the 2000s, as a series of books was on the hype. Video games about the world of magic were also popular among adolescents, as they were more likely intended for fans of literary works, which means they had a large age bracket. For example, my disc was stolen by an older friend with a difference of eight years, but never thought of returning it. Sanya, it’s time!

All three of the Harry Potter games were incredibly fun for a variety of reasons. Firstly, for the vast majority of children in the two thousandth, J.K. Rowling’s works were synonymous with magic. The lucky ones who had access to a PC or PlayStation might not miss Hogwarts as much as other eager readers.

Secondly, for their time, they were high-quality story-driven adventure games with memorable features like collectible card portraits and Bertie Botts beans scattered throughout the castle and the surrounding area. And thirdly, the translation of the trilogy was so terrible that the pearls of its authors are still used by memodels.

“Harry! The huge troll raged. He trapped Hermione in a woman’s soul. “

For me, the Harry Potter universe is one of the piles on which personality was built. And for you?

The best of the trilogy of the first video games about the boy who survived, I consider the second part. And surprisingly, this has nothing to do with books – from a literary point of view, Prisoner of Azkaban (if you choose from the first three) and the Deathly Hallows, judging by the whole, are leading for me by a wide margin. In the format of the game, the game designers managed to demonstrate the dynamics of flying in a lorry, the battle with the Rattling Willow, and at the end to give you the feeling of the battle with the basilisk on your own skin – for little me the gameplay was difficult, I had to sweat. In the book, you just worry about Harry, and in the game you yourself are Harry, and this is a very big difference. This moment was lost in subsequent video games from Warner Bros.

Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is one of the most underrated games in history, round! For me, she was a real masterpiece of game design. The game made it possible to feel the wind in my hair, as if it were me sitting on a broomstick, and not my drawn Harry Potter barely moving across the field behind the golden trail of the Snitch. In addition, all the roles available on the Quidditch field could be played in the game at once, which also added dynamics. Of course, being a catcher is pretentious and the most famous Quidditch players usually do it, but knocking down an impudent opponent with a bludger is no less amazing than earning 150 points for the team.

The game had a gradual development, and it was possible to play for the team of any faculty. Naturally, I chose my “native” Slytherin. By the way, in addition to the school championship, it was necessary to play for the honor of the country. In the world championship, the authors tried to take into account the peculiarities of traditional sports teams. They managed to cram a lot of stereotypes into the game: for example, the Australian national team used a broom as a surfboard, the Japanese showed motives of martial arts in their movements, and the USA used a basketball style, often depicting movements from this ball game. My favorite was the French national team – it consisted only of girls, while their favorite technique was a hit in the style of “acrobatics on a trapeze.”

Now, for such decisions of game design, the game would be criticized in the trash, because many nationalities are trying to get rid of the stereotypical raid. And I think that you should not be ashamed of your sombreros and maracas!

Did you get your neighbor?

“How to Get a Neighbor”, or Neighbors from Hell, is a cult arcade game that was released in 2003. In 2023, many are selective about children’s leisure, they are afraid to disrupt the fine mental organization of preschoolers and try to follow the recommendations for age rating. During the growing up of that generation, which is now passing into the status of parents, the game “How to get a neighbor” fit into the framework of the norm – for all its madness.

In “How to Get a Neighbor” there is undisguised cruelty, enough gags that only adults can understand, and in general the game tells about extremely destructive behavior in society. And yet, many of us who played it in childhood have become decent people!

For me, the game was attractive precisely from the point of view of the possibility of legally cheating, although I did not fully realize this at that time. In reality, putting a button on a teacher’s chair or gluing a neighbor’s shoes to the floor was impossible for me, but for fun I did it with pleasure. Unfortunately, now they are increasingly forgetting that the opportunity to try something in a playful way that cannot be realized in reality for many reasons is a huge plus of our time. Give me back my 2003 …

Gameplay “How to Get a Neighbor” is an arcade game in which the user constantly solves puzzles, trying to make the life of the NPC neighbor unbearable. A guy named Woody, our main character, decided to piss off his neighbor by all available means. Sawing a chair leg, throwing a banana peel or ruining a brand new TV antenna are flowers. Under our leadership, Woody does everything that decent people see only in comedies and tragedies. The player’s task is to make the neighbor’s rage bar as red as possible. It is possible to complete the passage 100% only if the rage does not fall, which means that you will have to act for this accurately and quickly.

“Kuro-swatter” – did you really play that?

I learned about the existence of this game in “now years”, but the deputy editor-in-chief of Cybersport.ru claims that he played it in childhood. Of course, my green gaming experience could not be all-encompassing, so I had to search YouTube for a walkthrough of this masterpiece to add a few words to the article. There was no limit to disappointment.

Feels like “Kuroboyka” is Duck Hunt on the NES, the version for those who like to fix it. A clear division by levels added a pinch of competition to the game, but the scarcity of gameplay could not be completely hidden behind this. The game turned out to be for attentiveness and memory: if at a beach party of chickens you have already shot the ball and lost points, you should not choose it as a target for the second time. Having received a simple experience of passing the level for the first time, the next time it remains only to shoot accurately. In general, it seemed to me that “Kuroboyka” is something like a prehistoric osu! for wedging Stone Age cybersportsmen.

The most frivolous of the Sams

Finally an action game! The game Sammy Suricate, or, about an incredible Russian localization, “Frivolous Sam”, was released in 2001 and hit the hearts of all the boys who had access to daddy’s computers. I usually watched the game from the side, but I also liked it.

In Sammy Suricate you need to control an anthropomorphic meerkat that travels through the labyrinths and tries to get free. The main enemy is bloodthirsty lions, striving to catch a hero who has fallen into their country. Sam collects precious stones in order to quickly get out of this lion’s hell, but leaving one door, he finds himself in a new maze.

Looking now at the angular figure of Sam, you are surprised: did we really have blood from our eyes because of it? I can’t even believe it. Although the red cap still seems to me very funny and ridiculous, and the manner of movement of the animal is a mockery of game designers over those who dare to play it.

The Sims about black magicians – the best in the series

The Sims: Makin ‘Magic is one of the best standalone add-ons for The Sims franchise. Journalists criticized him for outdated graphics, and girls (and probably boys) tirelessly played this version of the title, even when The Sims 2 appeared on the PC. This is because magic in childhood is something that almost all children like. Except for the dinosaur fanatic (just kidding).

While the classic The Sims gameplay, Makin ‘Magic has brought many new features to the game. For example, automatic watering, which is now considered a necessity for real garden plots, qualified as magic in the 2000s. Gradual upgrades, level points and crafting are all here.

Makin ‘Magic also had an element of exploration: the game did not have a book of spells that the user could learn and pump along a given trajectory to perform specific miracles. Gamers had to figure out on their own what happens when you combine garlic with honey.

The Sims 4, the latest actual version of the franchise at the moment, is not getting the monumental additions that change the gameplay almost completely. Now the title is a big “sandbox” in which your task is to create a normal life for the character. All plot additions are insipid, as they are focused on “individuality” and try to be politically correct as much as possible. Makin ‘Magic was also a game within a game, and was also inspired by The Addams Family – the agenda in the 60s was a little different. In general, in this The Sims you went to a very specific goal – to become the coolest sorcerer in Magic Town, and nothing could stop you. Maybe a bouncing spell that turns into a toad, but that’s a completely different story …

Worms armageddon

Honestly, I never liked the Worms series. I played, competed, won and lost, but did not enjoy the process. I know what a wide fanbase this game has, so it deservedly got into the selection. And the time spent in various parts of the series cannot be considered wasted: well, it was fun! Worms Armageddon was especially memorable.

The task of the gamer in the Worms series is to destroy the enemy worms in turn-based battles, using mainly heavy artillery. The landscape adds complexity, which can be corrected with the help of, for example, a drill.

To kick a classmate who “is the coolest in the club in“ Worms ”is a pleasure, especially from a bazooka. Still, the craving for esports competitions is something innate. It should also be noted the pleasant graphics of the title, the dynamism of the gameplay and the soundtrack. And yet, real worms are much cooler than these militants with a huge arsenal of weapons. At least due to the fact that you can go fishing with them. And the control of the worms – come on, hang yourself!

The smell of burnt rubber and success

I know how to make you feel like an ancient old man. Need for Speed ​​Underground was released in 2003 – already 18 years ago. However, with the familiar “Eron-don-don”, many people still have the feeling inside that they are flying along the highway under nitro acceleration.

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