Gaming mechanics lost to time?

[J T]

I played a little Joust today and I was wondering why I haven't really seen this mechanic used more often. Joust has some slightly wonky physics for how you maneuver your bird, but they are controllable enough to achieve the simple goal of jockeying your flying ostrich into a high enough position that you win the joust. It's simple to pick up, difficult to master.

I can't really think of a modern equivalent to Joust though. Balloon Fight is about the only game I can think of that compares. I feel like there might have been some 3D game I played where I struggled to gain higher ground for an advantage over my opponent, but I could be imagining that. It's a cool mechanic, but it has kind of been lost to time.

What other games have mechanics or game goals that you don't see much these days?

[Gamerforlife]

I don't see the trap mechanics of the Tecmo Deception series used much. There were some brief parts in Sly Cooper 2 and 3 that had trap based gameplay, but that was it. Those parts were fun too

I liked the "rig" in Wild 9 and bashing enemies back and forth with it. You could do that to some enemies in Folklore too once their "id" was exposed. I really just like the idea of torturing enemies, which both Wild 9 and the Deception games were big on.

Whatever happened to "Gamespeak" from the Oddworld games? There were fun ways to implement that

Anyone remember the anti-grav gameplay of Subterranea?

[BoringSupreez]

Health packs are practically gone from FPS games, except Valve's. Everyone does the COD regenerating health thing.

[J T]

On a related note, I think there are a few old games that have seen their mechanics worked back into the fold.

For example, I think Plants VS Zombies is really just a more advanced version of Tapper. And VVVVVV took the gravity flipping mechanic from Metal Storm and explored it with more depth.

[Hatta]

You're right. Why don't more games use bird ass as a weapon? Why no 3d bird ass?

[MrPopo]

Health packs are practically gone from FPS games, except Valve's. Everyone does the COD regenerating health thing.

You should check out Hard Reset. Health doesn't regenerate, but your armor does. Armor acts like the Doom-style mitigation rather than completely blocking damage til it runs out.

[Hatta]

Anyone remember the anti-grav gameplay of Subterranea?

A bullet-hell gravity shooter would be something, wouldn't it.

[Hazerd]

there is a quest in World Of Warcraft in the Cataclysm expansion that has you joust on a "jouster"

http://www.wowhead.com/quest=25560

the first comment mentions the Joust reference, it is green because it has been rated up by other users meaning they agree.

when you flap your wings, it pushes you forward and you need to adjust direction with the mouse and keep pressing the flap button otherwise youll fall.

[DinnerX]

I haven't played many new games with an invincibility power up, but that could just be me.

Games with slippery ice stages are fun, but I haven't seen much of them lately either.

[J T]

Gumshoe for the NES was a really unique light gun platformer game. I never played anything else like it.