this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2025
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For 90s kids, there's no need for explanation. For others, well, pokemon was a phenomenon. It was everywhere, on TV, in magazines, toys, stickers. You could trade pokemon at the school excursion on the bus.

You felt alive in this world, pokemon gen 1-2 were the pinnacle of pokemon for me. And in gen2, finishing the game, and lo and behold, there's a whole other region (kanto) waiting for you to explore it. The night cycle in the game blew my mind in ways that I have been chasing ever since.

I know it will never be reached again, but the memory will remain as powerful as it was that evening of the early 00s. What is your greatest gaming high, that you know will never be topped again, and that you have been chasing ever since?

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[–] moopet@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Getting called out by my name in the literature club, or being told about how I could have used my superpower better in that other game. Two get-up-and-take-a-walk moments for me.

On a different tack, the introverted but social Unreal Tournament clan nights, Instagib with Relics. Played that to absolute death, clan nights with pizza and beers. Worms, too, with four people sharing a keyboard.

Lands Of Lore, Eye of the Beholder, BG1 and 2, etc. when solving a puzzle or finding a secret after being lost for hours.

[–] Anubis@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Bioshock, the first one at the end. “Would you kindly”. I lost my mind.

[–] fefellama@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago

This is the same thing I thought of as well. Blew my mind at the time.

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[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 57 points 5 days ago (5 children)
[–] Quibblekrust@thelemmy.club 13 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Unreal Tournament LAN parties.

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[–] Echolynx@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I just finished Stray, which is a masterpiece. So it's not been that long, honestly.

[–] dbtng@eviltoast.org 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's a hell of a game ending, is it not? It fukin screams for a sequel.

B12 is alive! That flicker. He's there. And we just freed the zurks ...

[–] Echolynx@lemmy.zip 1 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

It broke me somewhat. Finishing that at 2 AM and having work the next day... not my best decision.

I've seen the 'true ending' video which helped a little. I just wish we get to see a sequel someday. Until then, I'll have to try replaying and collecting the various things I missed.

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[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Probably not everyone's type of game but the first time I got into orbit in KSP. Doing it manually was a huge challenge and the first time I got into orbit not to mention later when they added the mun and I landed and returned to kerbin was a awesome feeling . When they added other planets and later when they added asteroids it was still a great feeling to do it without mechjeb. Of course that was in 2011. I have more hours in that game than any other and I still play it for few week one or two times a year.

[–] BambiDiego@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

There was a period of about 2 years where every single one of my friends played Destiny religiously. Every day I could log on and just have 2 friends ready to run strikes or get a ragtag team of 6 and run raids (yes, plural).)

15 to 20 members in the clan, just loving this flawed game, having laughs, bantering, even getting deep and serious about relationships, politics, religion, and more.

Even the fights that meant we kicked out 2 racist pieces of garbage from the clan are such precious memories to me.

We have lives now, partners and jobs. I still play, but I raid with strangers or not at all. Sometimes we log on and do an old activity together or run trials, we laugh and have fun, bit never again will we be carefree, and whimsical.

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

It's a recent one, but the boss fight in chapter 6 of Celeste is the best gaming experience I have ever had. Highly recommend. The story, mechanics, and music are top tier.

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 24 points 5 days ago

After dragging my long suffering mum around every shop that might possibly still have a copy of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and finally getting what must have been the last one anywhere.

We then have to go and do a whole load of other things all afternoon while I read the manual from back to front about a dozen times in the back of the car, getting more and more excited.

Then we finally got home but I had to help with dinner first and then eat all the while jabbering incessantly about how amazing it was going to be while I'm sure she just rolled her eyes and said "yes dear" and then I was finally allowed to put the N64 on and I then sat glued to it for hours in a state of wonder and amazement.

Truly the best experience I've ever had gaming.

[–] BeardedGingerWonder@feddit.uk 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Beating halo final level with wife in co-op

Sonic 2 all emeralds, no deaths Metal Slug in the arcade

Any clutch ending

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 3 points 4 days ago

Beating halo final level with wife in co-op

Ah, The Maw after your very first experience.

"Stop! This is where Foehammer is going to pick us up!"

(PUNCHES THE GAS)

Such an incredible final mission haha.

[–] Naz@sh.itjust.works 10 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I lived and breathed Morrowind.

But I've got optimistic insane news for you all

IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN

I'm playing a game called Kenshi and it feels like it's 2003!

I'm at the verge of tears. Chase that gaming high, YOU'LL FIND IT!!!

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[–] ClassifiedPancake@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

I want to feel that time again when we ran a mod-packed Minecraft server with friends and we built a whole city with really creative and elaborate structures and cool tech. Everyone had their speciality and it all came together perfectly.

Nowadays none of us have the time anymore to get lost in games for weeks and months like that. Also it’s hard to get back into it after such a long pause. Everything has changed so much.

But going more retro, it would probably be starting up my new N64 and jumping around with Mario in this crazy 3D environment. Holy shit that was amazing!

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I doubt anybody's gonna actually use it much, but I'm currently setting up a Minetest/Luanti Voxelibre server accessible to friends and fam through TailScale on my home server.

I thought it'd be so neat having a world running whether I was there to see it or not.

But yeah, I know I won't get that community aspect of having a digital third-place the people in my life can just vibe. =\

My wife lost her Minecraft login / key we had since beta, but I really enjoyed playing with her, and personally using Technic mods and stuff.

This open source implementation has come REALLY FAR and feels like discovery again!

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[–] everett@lemmy.ml 32 points 5 days ago

I know what you mean about Gold and Silver. Everything you mentioned, plus events that happened on specific days of the week, "mystery gift" functionality via IR, and more stuff I'm forgetting. There were also radio stations you could "listen" to (read text) that made the world feel alive.

Even in gen 1, trading/battling revived link-cable culture, which I'd only ever seen people use for Tetris, years before.

[–] quinkin@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

Ark Survival Evolved.

Waking up on the beach, getting insta-murdered by a raptor.

Managing to meet up with your mates, building a hut, thinking you are doing ok and carno eats you and your hut in the night.

Taming your first T rex, stomping about monching everything, thinking you are doing ok, then suddenly giga eats you and everything you love.

Wish I could recapture that feeling.

[–] Nalivai@lemmy.world 14 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Morrowind. Playing it, modding it, breaking it, trying to fix mods, writing new mods, all of it. Morrowind was so fun, for some time it convinced me that Bethesda might be a competent company

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[–] HerrVorragend@lemmy.world 27 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Planetside 2.

Was pretty new to the game and just wsndering around as a sniper when a guy in a transport pulled up and told me to get in.

Boarded the transport and drove around for a bit when we crossed a hill that sat above an enemy camp.

I jumped out as he drove on and started scouting the camp from the hill. Felt a bit lonely and asking myself if jumping out here was a good idea at all.

After a while, I chose to shoot and see where it lands to see how high I need to aim to adjust for bullet drop.

Suddenly I hear a loud 'boom' and an explosion roughly where I was shooting at. Then another 'boom' and another explosion.

Turned around to be surprised by 5 friendly tanks in one line behind me unloading at the enemy camp.

After about 20 more seconds, my hill was swarmed with all kinds of friendly tanks and personell, just blasting away at the camp.

It was as if I went from a lonely scout newb to somehow spearheading the attack, which felt really cool.

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[–] intentionallyBlue@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

For me, Baldurs Gate 2. So much story to immerse yourself in, companions to learn about. And on top of that really fun fighting; a good amount of tactical thinking needed, but not too much.

[–] afk_strats@lemmy.world 26 points 5 days ago (2 children)

The awe and grandeur of Occarina Of Time... at the time.

Disco Elysium is the best literature I've ever played.

I still feel like used to live in Skyrim. It was a place where I wanted to be and explore.

TF2/Halo CE multilayer mix of copetitive adrenaline and funny shenanigans

Those are the game experiences which stuck with me.

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[–] chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world 13 points 5 days ago (4 children)

Playing the Mass Effect Trilogy for the first time.

Sure the ending was a bit disappointing, but the ride was absolutely phenomenal.

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[–] Seasm0ke@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago (2 children)

The first two weeks of Pokemon go were like peace on earth. Everyone was friendly, excited, and walking around outside together, chatting with perfect strangers was actually a blast for once. We shared tips and locations, exchanged numbers, metup after work, cops were largely unmotivated to do anything about it because of how many of us and how wholesome it really was. Honestly best 2 weeks of my life

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[–] lunsjentilanette@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)
  1. Super mario galaxy, portal and mass effect 1. Rip that feeling i will never again exeperience
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[–] djdarren@piefed.social 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I'm forever looking for a game that'll affect me emotionally as much as Arthur's last ride in RDR2. I still can't hear that Daniel Lanois track without feeling all of the feelings, and it's been a good few years since I played it.

Absolutely remarkable experience.

[–] tacosomuch@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

Great thread! My moment comes from Deus Ex. There was a mission near versalife in Hong Kong, and I took the wrong door at some point and veered off path. I did not have to do it, but I got lost and I did, i cleaned all security from the entire building. After I got out, i read on one of those news screens.. it had an article about a terrorist attack massacre on the versalife offices 97 dead… I realized they wrote about me - clever bit of cause-effect-scripting there!

[–] bradboimler@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

Not the greatest of all time I don't think, but the greatest in recent memory

At the end of Chapter 12 of the Entropy Centre I really felt like I was saving the world against all odds. And Chapter 13 immediately after was a trip in a good way. If you're curious, having a good setup (TV, speakers) helps a lot.

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[–] veeesix@lemmy.ca 22 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

The result of waking the Wind Fish in Link’s Awakening broke something in me at such a young age that I don’t think I’ve since experienced as profoundly.

[–] SolarPunker@slrpnk.net 22 points 5 days ago (4 children)
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[–] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

Wing commander 2. Full voice acted dialog running on a sound blaster at 16 bits and midi soundtrack, pre-rendered 3d graphics, in box loot, printed manuals, and a full on dramatic storyline. In terms of impact, nothing even came/ comes close. Truly the golden age. Now it's a game of diminishing returns. And $99 plus gacha and microtx, really? Really?

[–] mavu@discuss.tchncs.de 17 points 5 days ago

Playing Wing Commander very late at night, hit a large glass water bottle off the table with my elbow, and catch it with the same arm/hand before it reaches the floor to shatter and wake up the whole family.

Peak reaction times induced by VideoGame adrenaline never reached again.

[–] gary@piefed.world 14 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The absolute peak of gaming for me was the first time I got stoned out of my mind and played Minecraft. Probably like... circa 2012. I've never been able to get back to that place ever since lmao the colors were so vibrant, each pixel was absolutely perfectly placed. The light grey ui elements in your inventory... everything just tied together so perfect. It was like seeing a new color for the first time, but then every time after that is just, eh...

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[–] Jumi@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The first time I made it through Winter in Rimworld.

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 3 points 4 days ago

Similarly, the first time making it through winter in Banished! If you don't get it just right, swaths of folks just freeze and starve to death. Scary stuff!

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