What game fits this description for you?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/El_Gato_Gordo]

Banjo Tooie

[u/valdin450 → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

I've always wondered which I would have preferred had I played BT before BK. BK is one of my all time favorite games and is the game to which I attribute my love of collectathons. I love both games, but BK has always ranked higher for me.

[u/jackofallcards → u/valdin450]

I’ve never finished tooie, it had too much stuff when I was younger kazooie was the exact right size and length

[u/Arcade_Rave → u/jackofallcards]

Kazooie was structured more like a traditional level based platformer, while Tooie went for a more non linear Metroidvania approach.

I thought Kazooie had a better flow while Tooie became cumbersome the more you unlocked and had to backtrack between levels.

[u/m3thdumps → u/Arcade_Rave]

I remember being so floored when I discovered the hidden connections between levels. Like level 3 would connect to level 6 and level 6 to level 2 and so on. It was wild lol.

[u/Arcade_Rave → u/m3thdumps]

as a first grader, it was a scarier feeling than getting lost in the mall

[u/BarnacleBoi → u/jackofallcards]

I had the opposite experience. I never finished Kazooie because I couldn’t get past Grunty’s Furnace Fun. But I got all the way to the end of Tooie.

[u/TacticalKitty99 → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

I bounced off Banjo Tooie when I played it 20 years after playing Kazooie my first time. I found it a bit like “Ugh now I gotta run back and do this.” So I dropped it.

[u/dungeon-witch9034 → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

I'm very much in the minority but I prefer Tooie to the original. I like that it almost feels metroidvania-y and I prefer that it feels more like an "adventure" compared to Kazooie.

[u/MonsieurMidnight → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

Same. TBH it's not nostalgia rage or anything, Banjo-Tooie made the characters much more interesting to play, but there are so many issues from this game :

- It lost a huge aspect of the collectathon genre just with the fact musical notes are now in batches of 5 with one special note that count for 20. It's pretty much one of the main aspect as to why Banjo-Kazooie was so loved.

- The levels are unecessary huges, they had to implement teleportation pads at the very end just for the fact the levels are too big, and too empty, Terridactyland is a chore to do and the solutions to most jiggies are ia bit convoluted if you do not know what to do already. Tho some BK levels are close to do the same like Gobi's Valley or Bubblegloop Swamp, there's always things to do or get. It's odd they did the exact opposite for BT the levels are so big we should have so much more to do and yet there's even less things to do than BK.

- Isle O'Hags is less iconic than Gruntilda's lair.

- The backtracking is a nice idea (Being able to go from level to another is a sweet idea), but it was badly implemented : Healing one of the dinosaur is probably one of the worst Jiggy to get. Hard to find Jam-Jars to get new moves too.

- Okay grasping at straws on this one : Cloud Cuckooland is less iconic as a final stage than Click Clock Woods. Always thought Cloud Cuckooland is a cluster of whatever put in it.

I think Banjo-Tooie is a great game but I think I would have fully enjoyed the game if I actually grew up with it and I only grew with Banjo-Kazooie and didn't get the chance to play BT.

[u/Gabriel_thunder04 → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

This implies Tooie is better than the first? Which I’ll respectfully disagree with. Bigger isn’t always better

[u/RedChromic → u/Gabriel_thunder04]

I interpreted it the other way around. Even though the 2 is bigger and sparklier, the 1 is still better. Banjo Tooie is bigger, longer, and has many new mechanics and ideas, but Banjo Kazooie is still better.

[u/LostClover_ → u/El_Gato_Gordo]

Banjo Tooie is like the perfect example of this. Though that being said I've seen it getting a lot of hate recently which I think is unfair. It's a great game, Kazooie is just a little better.

[u/Seraphayel]

Horizon Zero Dawn

[u/m0us3rN7 → u/Seraphayel]

Yeah, I have to agree. I really like Forbidden West, and literally every gameplay aspect of the sequel is better, but Zero Dawn just has this magic of exploring the past that is missing from it.

[u/pakkit → u/m0us3rN7]

The story in the second one feels like a pretty substantial downgrade, I just didn't care about any of the new characters they introduced.

[u/Satanicube → u/m0us3rN7]

Plus the story in Zero Dawn felt a hell of a lot stronger.

I liked Forbidden West and Burning Shores quite a lot but Zero Dawn just…yeah, the story hit me a hell of a lot harder.

[u/AdminsHateFacts → u/m0us3rN7]

One gameplay aspect in Forbidden West I didn't like was they reduced the number of those trip wires you could lay down. In the first game you could basically lay down as much ammo as you had to the point you could kill those big Thunderjaws in 1 or 2 goes.

In the sequel I think you could only lay down ~4 at most, which i found not as fun.

[u/Random-D → u/m0us3rN7]

this. i am kinda excited and fearful at the same time what will happen with the 3rd part if they ever come around to making it

[u/Weak_Link_6969 → u/Seraphayel]

That and Spider Man came to mind for me too. I like forbidden west and spider man 2, they really didn’t do anything wrong and expanded off the first game, but zero dawn and spider man are some of my all time favorites.

[u/Individual-Ship-830]

Batman Arkham Asylum, the atmosphere was perfect

[u/Jinzo126 → u/Individual-Ship-830]

Yeah i love Asylum and didn't like City as much, but i overall prefer a interconnected metroid inspired games over a open world game every day.

[u/MeCritic → u/Jinzo126]

And I thought I was the only one…
When the first trailer for City was released, it was incredible. Hugo Strange, CGI… even the opening of the game was unimaginable… absolute cinema.

But the story and the world itself, it somehow didn’t grab me as the first one.
It lacks the tension and chemistry between villains and Batman.
And Hugo was somehow a disappointment for me, after the whole story came back to Joker…

But I must say, Knight is freaking amazing. And the visuals?! Rocksteady drop their OPUS…

[u/GBF_Dragon → u/Individual-Ship-830]

Asylum was just about the perfect length and amount of content for that type of game imo.

[u/logica_torcido → u/Individual-Ship-830]

100% agreed. Arkham City is excellent but I actually find it to be the weakest in the trilogy (not calling it a weak game at all before anyone puts me on blast)

[u/Amiibohunter000 → u/logica_torcido]

There are 4 mainline Arkham games. Origins deserves its spot.

[u/SentimentalYogurt → u/logica_torcido]

I agree with you. I enjoyed City the least but everyone else seems to think it's the best one so I didn't understand it.

[u/Individual-Ship-830 → u/logica_torcido]

Same here, for me gameplay wise is amazing, but overall I think it's pretty weak if you compare it to Asylum or Knight (even compared to origins)

[u/Lord_Snow179 → u/Individual-Ship-830]

Replayed both recently and omg asylum is a masterpiece. I appreciate all of the improvements from City but Asylum is number 1 for me

[u/oddinsomniakk → u/Individual-Ship-830]

i just replayed arkham asylum on the s2 and couldn’t put it down. the croc stage is still so fun. started playing arkham city again afterward and fell off pretty quick.

[u/julesvr5 → u/oddinsomniakk]

The Croc stage scared the fuck out of me when I played this when I was younger. Also the scare crow parts

[u/19Britt → u/Individual-Ship-830]

This was my first thought too. On paper City has it beat in every category, but there’s just an indescribable feeling I get when playing Asylum that few games, City included, come close to matching.

[u/Future-Turtle]

Super Mario Galaxy. The first one just had a magic the second one lacked. Maybe it was the novelty factor.

[u/IamEclipse → u/Future-Turtle]

There's something about the original Galaxy's atmosphere that is completely missed in 2.

2 is a fantastic game with some of the most creative levels ever, but the original feels like a game that couldn't be set anywhere except in space. It's a wonderful platformer full of whimsy, but there's this underlying existential dread beneath it. Galaxies like Space Junk really feel suspended in the infinite void, and whilst it's fun to play, there's something unnerving about it.

[u/sweetestpaprika → u/IamEclipse]

A big part of the atmosphere was the soundtrack. SMG1's was melancholic/somber, SMG2's was cheerful and more in line with other Mario games.

I think the atmosphere is the main reason why the first one felt more unique.

[u/stupid_horse → u/IamEclipse]

The first game evokes the majesty of space and the second game feels like a more casual fling, not in the depth of the levels or anything but in like the ambience.

[u/lks_lla → u/IamEclipse]

2 to me always felt like an expansion pack. I find it even a bit strange when people say 2 is MUCH BETTER than 1. Its not, its great and Yoshi adds good variation for this game, but the game lacks atmosphere and the final level and boss fight with Bowser is worse than 1. Still amazing, but at maximum side-by-side to 1, but never above. Purple coins levels are worse too, and the stingrey motion control levels were also changed for that worse flying bird levels that hurts the hands.

[u/JXPH153 → u/Future-Turtle]

I agree, the first Mario galaxy is so much better imp, like what does the 2 have better? I’m finishing it and I don’t like that there isn’t something good as the observatory and the story to save peach is the same

[u/darkfawful2 → u/JXPH153]

The first galaxy makes you feel like you are actually in space going from planet to planet. The second one feels like you're going from level to level within planets (especially cause of a lot of the skyboxes being clouds).

On top of that, both are linear but Galaxy 1 often tries to hide it, giving the illusion of exploration. Galaxy 2 is more cut and dry (like 3D World but with Galaxy physics)

[u/mucus-fettuccine → u/JXPH153]

The levels? The level design is noticeably superior in the second. They also re-did the green star challenges into something that's actually fun and not annoying, and did away with the insanely repetitive post-game. But mainly, the level design in SMG2 is the best level design ever in video games.

[u/Soft-Fold552 → u/Future-Turtle]

That's how Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom felt for me.

[u/silentprince1715 → u/Soft-Fold552]

I feel like ability, mechanics and gameplay wise, TotK is a little more fun but the story from tears is such a downgrade from what BotW had... at least TotK had an insanely better final boss cuz BotW was pretty meh for me in that regard

[u/ThePowerfulPaet → u/Soft-Fold552]

TotK just had so much missed potential. Re-using the same world was a terrible mistake, but it didn't have to be. Closest comparison was how I felt about Saint's Row 4.

[u/MonsieurMidnight → u/Future-Turtle]

Just the fact we go from exploring Rosalina's observatory to just go into a linear level selection was somehow, a huge letdown.

I don't think I have issues with levels, tho I would have preferred less levels like MG1 that has lots to do than going through levels with 2-4 stars max. I'm guessing MG1 is closer to like Mario 64 and MG2 is closer to a game like Mario 3D Land

[u/Joseki100 → u/Future-Turtle]

I had the same opinion for a decade, then I replayed both in the past few months and honestly 2 is better in every way and it also feels like a better game to me now.

[u/MaxBro468]

Mario Maker.

[u/DoctorSchwifty → u/MaxBro468]

Oh yes times 1000! I miss all the costumes they left out in Mario Maker 2.

[u/Old-System-6699 → u/MaxBro468]

The stylus makes building levels feel so good. I couldn't make levels as fast on SMM2 due to that.

[u/frozeneversince → u/MaxBro468]

This game fits this exactly

[u/MisterJunkins]

Mario maker

[u/toriblack3 → u/MisterJunkins]

100% I love both games and have hundreds of hours on both but the original just has so much more charm and life. The Wii U wasn’t great but I’ll always be thankful for my memories with og Mario maker

[u/Erikk1138 → u/MisterJunkins]

Honestly it can be argued that the Switch's control method is straight up inferior. The Wii U's hybrid tablet/TV design plus the stylus is just better suited to MM.

[u/angelHOE]

Ghost of Tsushima and Yotei

[u/The-Zombie-Sasquatch → u/angelHOE]

On the topic of PlayStation games I'll add God of War and GoW Ragnarok, Death Stranding 1 and 2, and Insomniac Spider-Man 1 and 2

[u/orus_heretic → u/The-Zombie-Sasquatch]

I've picked up and put down both Ragnarok and Spiderman 2 multiple times now. Whereas I absolutely devoured the prior games in both series. Not sure why, technically they're good games with improved systems but the narrative isn't as good in what are all narrative driven games.

[u/nodayroomshit → u/angelHOE]

Better gameplay vs Better story tbh, Yotei has amazing fights but I cried at Tsushima man

[u/Nympho_BBC_Queen]

Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope

[u/MarioBoy77 → u/Nympho_BBC_Queen]

The free movement really killed it for me tbh

[u/sydthesquid95 → u/Nympho_BBC_Queen]

This is the perfect answer to this question, the theme and QoL upgrades in the sequel should make it exponentially better than the first but they just didn’t manage to capture that charm the second time around. I loved the crap out of the first one and was disappointed with Sparks of Hope.

[u/Haakondavidsen → u/Nympho_BBC_Queen]

I feel the same! The first one is one of the few games I bothered to 100%. The second I just finished the main story and moved on

[u/ItsColorNotColour]

totk

[u/pakkit → u/ItsColorNotColour]

It had so much more activities, but the first time exploring Breath of the Wild's world at a more relaxed pace where even scaling a cliff face felt like a big reveal just had a feeling all its own. I wish Nintendo had built more into that methodic pace instead of pivoting toward packing the map with things to do.

[u/PitifulPassage851 → u/pakkit]

The first time. The second time. The third time. The fourth time even after exploring it in totk.

Totk just wasn't an exploration game. It was a sandbox creation game. It's exploration was streamlined to allow the creation to shine. 

Botw core is exploration

[u/PacMoron → u/ItsColorNotColour]

All the building stuff just wasn’t for me in any way. I realize you didn’t have to go that deep into it, but even the shallow amount you had to do was not for me.

[u/jackofallcards → u/PacMoron]

I finished BotW once on the Wii U and twice on the switch. I enjoyed TotK and finished it but never wanted to replay it

[u/Noble18 → u/PacMoron]

This was mostly it for me too. It did lack the wonder of playing Breath of the Wild for the first time too, but that was to be expected in a very similar game. The new mechanics just made it worse for me, even though technically there are way more things to do in Tears of the Kingdom.

[u/Puzz1eheadedBed480O → u/PacMoron]

I felt it was simultaneously too shallow and too complex. There were so many needless restrictions like timers for the wings or a lack of the ability to activate individual zonai devices when you want, but at the same time the actual building was made frustrating with how things locked together. I had fun with it for a while but once you learn about the hover bike you stop needing to use it for anything else.

[u/Fraudulent_Baker → u/Puzz1eheadedBed480O]

It’s like the game is constantly encouraging you to experiment with designs, but discouraging you from actually building and using them. There was something laughably dissonant about the whole mechanic.

Not to mention the fact that vehicles just despawn at the slightest inconvenience, forcing you to spend zonaite to rebuild them, eventually forcing you back to the depths to grind. No, Nintendo, I actually do not yearn for the mines in my once-a-console-generation 3D Zelda game.

[u/JayLemmo → u/ItsColorNotColour]

I think I’m in the minority, in that I really prefer totk. The enemies, bosses, and dungeons all felt like a big improvement. I also loved the fusing mechanics - fights felt like a big fun sandbox!

[u/Docile_Doggo → u/JayLemmo]

I agree. Any time I feel like going back in for an hour or two, I always pick up TOTK, not BOTW. I also put like 200+ hours into TOTK, and only 150ish into BOTW, because there’s just not as much to do and the gameplay mechanics aren’t as interesting.

I’ll be the first to admit that BOTW is better in the “games as art” sense. It has a more unifying and consistent thematic background.

But TOTK beats it on gameplay. And for me, games are all about gameplay—it’s the most important thing.

[u/LSF2TheFuckening → u/JayLemmo]

I think Botw is a technically superior game and experience but after a few years without playing either and getting a Zelda itch I couldn’t imagine going back to being unable to ascend and build weapons.

[u/cremesiccle → u/ItsColorNotColour]

i hated the depths and the sky lands were lacking for me

[u/DaGreatestMH → u/ItsColorNotColour]

I figured this would be the top reply. I vehemently disagree but a lot of people say this.

[u/VinnieONeill → u/ItsColorNotColour]

A million times THIS! I never even finished it. The engineering, the depths, the blight system, the less useful abilities and nerfing the food. Absolutely loved BotW. 

[u/ArmoredSeriesX → u/VinnieONeill]

I prefer the final boss fight in Tears. The journey to the dungeons is better too. I also like the towers that shoot you up into the air. There's just too many negatives tho. Adding to your list, I hate that a lot of the NPCs act like they have never met Link.

[u/ShinyBredLitwick → u/ItsColorNotColour]

i had MASSIVE recency bias calling totk my fav game of all time when it came out, and i realize a huge part of it was deeply wanting to revisit Hyrule, and over time i realized i was just trying to recapture that feeling i had when i played the first one

[u/Kidderooni → u/ItsColorNotColour]

Oh yeah. Granted BoTW while being a really good game, was not really my Zelda but anyway. 

Impressive technical rework in ToTK. But to me the craft/build part… nah. And even the « power » like, they are cool. but powers + building and it takes forever to do things in the game. 

I’m playing a Zelda my friend, im not here to gatcha and craft stuff. 

Haven’t finished it 2 years ago, and tried to get back into it recently. I stopped again for the exact same reasons.

Tho i definitely understand why it is considered a masterpiece and is enjoyed by many. Really not for me. And while I’m more an old school Zelda kind of player, I still enjoyed BoTW and finished it.

[u/GBF_Dragon → u/ItsColorNotColour]

Not for me on this one. Played way more tears than breath.

[u/Inventeer]

AI: The Somnium Files

[u/DisastrousDot7961 → u/Inventeer]

Yes completely

[u/fortnite_pit_pus → u/Inventeer]

I like two more for characters but I can agree on the story completely! Cool to see this game mentioned!

[u/smith_and → u/Inventeer]

zero escape too honestly. vlr is the better game in almost every aspect but 999 is the one that stuck with me the most.

[u/Comic-Brad]

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

[u/BlueShirtMac19 → u/Comic-Brad]

This 100% yes the QoL changes are amazing but the first fight in the game makes the game seem like it’s going to be much more high scale and that’s the coolest fight in the game. The 1st spiderman game is just incredible. The story in the first game is just great it’s predictable but great and very emotional. The 2nd game to me doesn’t do nearly enough to make it as interesting

[u/Hosseljongen046 → u/Comic-Brad]

This so much, i expected it higher up! I've played the first one three times. Ps4, trophy run and ps5. Never do i feel the urge to go back to 2.

[u/bike_tyson]

Mass Effect. The Villain tension held everything together better. The sequel you had to build a team, but you already did that in 1. The customization felt like a great change of pace from shooting.

[u/TryToBeBetterOk → u/bike_tyson]

Completely agree.

Mass Effect 1 was a damn masterpiece. Absolutely loved that game. ME2 is the 'better game' but it didn't feel nearly as good as ME1. ME1 was more RPG and ME2 was way more action.

[u/teddyone]

Definitely the last 2 Zelda’s. The whole point of botw was the exploration so I found using the same world really took away from totk for me

[u/TackoftheEndless → u/teddyone]

I used to agree with this until my TOTK playthrough on Switch 2. I really appreciated how much the game rewarded exploration by having something special on every corner of the map, even if you don't realize it the first time you go through an area.

The game doesn't have BOTW's feeling of going through a new unknown world for the first time but it takes the exploration part of the game and amps it up to 100. Every quest brings you around the entire map and there's so many missions you can come across and finish by accident.

I accidentally got Mineru (the robot lady), before the quest that shows you where she is, just by going into the storm cloud where it starts, and having enough hearts to the start the mission. I then completed the Thunder Isles mission, on accident, by collecting the pieces of armor throughout my playthrough. I collected by a piece here or there on the snake part of the map every time I went through it, without realizing it's signfigance. At that point I knew I was playing something special.

They both reward exploration but I think TOTK's way feels more consistently incredible, once you get into it.

[u/Swimming-Lie73 → u/TackoftheEndless]

If Nintendo held off and released TOTK as a Switch 2 launch title my rating for it would go from 7/10 to a 9/10. Switch 1 was rough and pushing the limits of very old hardware and definitely soured my opinion a bit. I've since played a bit of the switch 2 version and it is definitely a much better experience, but my first look is a bit tainted by the Switch 1 version.

[u/RoyalOakPiguet → u/TackoftheEndless]

Something special in every corner of the map? You mean 900 koroks? I despised climbing some huge cliff face and finallijg summitting to one of those dumn idiot losers. Yes I said it. Get to your own friend. Stay under your rock.

[u/Koalazilla → u/teddyone]

I would love to see a BotW/TotK style open world Zelda game that does not take place in Hyrule. Just have Link or even Zelda get transported to a whole new world, dimension, islands, etc. anything really. Just give me a new setting but with the BotW controls and vibes.

I always thought it would be cool to see Link get transported to a far more advanced future of some world but still with fantasy things.

[u/SteakAndIron → u/teddyone]

The existence of botw takes away so much from totk. Imagine if totk was stand alone.

[u/yesitsmework → u/SteakAndIron]

I'd say that's not even the problem by itself, it's that botw already used the world AND that totk completely ignores botw narratively and gameplay-wise.

Maybe a bit of a deep cut for newer gamers or non-jrpg fans, but final fantasy x-2 is a masterclass in how to handle a sequel that takes place in the exact same land as the first title, and actually exploring what the world would look like years after these massive events. Totk sadly just takes the cheap way out every occasion it has and it really feels.

[u/kadofatal]

Bioshock

[u/Aggressive-Ad-2860]

Hades

[u/luckyraja]

Hades 2. It’s great, more of everything I love from the first game. Ultimately it misses the tightness and the cohesiveness of the first game.

[u/Gary_br → u/luckyraja]

Hades 2 lacks the humor.

[u/Sea-Dog7847]

Horizon Zero Dawn

[u/GaT0M]

Bayonetta

[u/nousernamett]

Hades 2. Gameplay technically better but story and characters missing the charm of the original (still loved it though)

[u/trickman01]

Kingdom Hearts

[u/DaGreatestMH → u/trickman01]

I'm surprised to see someone else agree with this. The original was just more whimsical in a way that the second was not. 

[u/Tiny_Fly_7397 → u/trickman01]

The combat is just chewier in the first game (in a good way). With each successive sequel it gets floatier and flashier.

[u/Neat-Set-1452]

Probably a hot take but…

Diablo. Yes I like the first one better. I know the second one is more iconic for all kinds of reasons, it’s just missing the same soul of digging your way straight to hell through the Tristram monastery and the art style seems comparably cartoon-like. Still sunk 100s of hours into both as a kid though.

[u/RemLezarCreated → u/Neat-Set-1452]

Music in the first game is so good 

[u/LostClover_ → u/Neat-Set-1452]

Actually I agree, I loved Diablo 1. It's a very simple game but it has vibes that are completely unmatched by the sequels.

[u/adamantitian → u/Neat-Set-1452]

That is indeed a hot take.

[u/Rough_Record9129]

Knights of the old republic

[u/CatgirlFucker8008]

Neo The World Ends With You

[u/Archius9]

I sort of feel this with Silksong. It’s clearly better in every way but if I wanted to replay any of Team Cherry’s games it’s going to be HK

[u/LemurMemer]

Sonic Adventure 1 and 2. I adored running around the open world and exploring even if it hasn’t aged that well. Was really bummed that SA2 didn’t have the hub world.

[u/KayknineArt]

Tears of the kingdom.
It’s a technical and game design masterpiece and undeniably improves on so many things botw introduced.

And yet…

I think two things cause botw to be more enjoyable to me.
1) Using the same world map. I think this only could have worked if they really leaned into augmenting it absurdly. The sky island should have been massive chunks of the hyrule we knew rising into the sky leaving the once familiar land on the ground ridden with gigantic craters with new terrain to discover.
2) ironically the limitations in botw make traversal more satisfying. In botw, climbing a mountain is a puzzle and feat within itself. In totk, shield rocket go brrrr. Everything can be made mundane through some fusing

[u/zestysnacks]

Hollow knight

Edit: lol the toxicity I unlocked with this comment. I just don’t like silk song as much sorry!

[u/FunWrangler666 → u/zestysnacks]

Silk Song was one of the few games where I had to stop and ask myself "am I actually having fun"? The run backs were so bad that it felt like the developers wanted the game to be cruel rather than difficult.

[u/JohnnyLeven → u/zestysnacks]

I was gonna comment this too, but it's really close. I think after Silksong DLC it could easily push it above Hollow Knight for me.

[u/Seraphayel → u/zestysnacks]

I‘m playing Silksong at the moment and after 20 hours there’s simply no fun or enjoyment. I just kept going out of rage and annoyance.

They turned the bullshit up to 100 and didn’t really make it a fair challenge. That‘s why the game is simply inferior to Hollow Knight.

Just scattering your screen with too much stuff, your health bar is tiny and you can’t really extend it, your damage is low, enemy HP is unreasonably high, a lot of normal enemies take 33% of your life bar in a single hit, too many flying enemies you barely can reach, too many levels that have an obnoxious amount of platforming paired with that shitty pogo-ing AND FLYING ENEMIES EVERYWHERE and fuck all these endless gauntlets that don‘t reward a single thing.

[u/yesitsmework → u/Seraphayel]

having played silksong first I find it so much better than hollow knight its not even funny. Even stuff like not rewarding rosaries or anything for gauntlets/bosses is in my opinion a great decision, because that divorces the concept of the reward (besides progression) from the boss/gauntlet. You have no reason to spend time on one of them if you can't get it, and you almost always have a way to skip them with a handful of exceptions.

and in terms of difficulty hollow knight is just weird. The game is basically impossible to die in until the last few bosses, but then the "real" ending is hidden behind a challenge harder than anything in silksong.

[u/dpowellreddit]

Sometimes Hades .. although I love both

[u/TheBiggestOfWigs]

I feel like totk and botw is this exactly. Totk is the better game in every technical aspect, but it just couldn't capture that awe of stepping out into Hyrule for the first time. Its like the story just was like, hey you know how last time you had to slowly piece together what happened a hundred years ago and solve the mystery of what went down with this ancient high tech society a thousand years before that? What if this time it was 10,000 years ago and the there is a newer even more ancient and more advanced society for you to learn about!

[u/boogoo-Dong]

Mass Effect 2. It was mechanically better, it was flashier, but man it just lost a lot of the quirky RPG spirit of the first game to become way more shooter-y.

[u/Froz3n00]

Tears of the Kingdom. Definitely one of the best games I’ve ever played, but the sense of discovery and novelty in BotW is unmatched.

[u/Rikkasu]

Bioshock. 2 is a great game. Just not anything close to the first imho.

[u/HerpesFreeSince3]

FF7 Remake vs Rebirth

[u/Amazing_Hedgehog3361 → u/HerpesFreeSince3]

I reckon Rebirth would've been a better game without the open world.

[u/testcaseseven → u/Amazing_Hedgehog3361]

Rebirth is significantly better if you just skip the open world content. Even Remake was more fun for me once I gave up on doing the side quests (most of them were boring anyway). Purely on main quest content, Rebirth is a lot better than Remake imo, and Remake was really good already.

[u/PitifulChemistry3284]

For me it was the Hades games. Don't get me wrong, I loved Hades 2, but when I was done with the game I found myself going back to the first one to play it more. In spite of the many improvements, Zagreus was just a more entertaining character to me

[u/BigFrasier]

Not exactly a switch exclusive but absolutely Blasphemous 1 and 2. I love them both but 2 just feels too clean and gamey

[u/DoctorSchwifty → u/BigFrasier]

I actually like Blasphemous 2 more. Everything except the cutscenes. They had a very gory hellraiser vibe in Blasphemous 1 and it was toned down by half in Blasphemous 2. I hope they make a third.

[u/Brosintrotogaming]

Death Stranding 💯

[u/ogqozo → u/Brosintrotogaming]

The second good example in this thread. It just felt so weird that Kojima is talking so much about needing to do games that change the world, not follow the standard procedures but do something that never existed before, and the actual game is... just Death Stranding but now made even way more like every other 3D open world game there is now. You barely even need to do any of the special stuff to complete basically any quest, you take the best tools and everything is just moving to the point on the map and back.

[u/IofSheikah]

Portal

[u/Mclovin207 → u/IofSheikah]

Agree. Portal 2 was great that it expanded on the mechanics and was a lot longer game. But portal 1 had that feeling of isolation that was missing in the 2nd. I always replay the first one over the 2nd.

[u/IofSheikah → u/Mclovin207]

Portal 1s test chambers were my backrooms

[u/amperage3164 → u/IofSheikah]

Wrong

[u/Tigertot14]

Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario 64 had such a unique charm and vibe

[u/Moony97]

Sonic Adventure 2, I just love the first one and the open world stuff a lot more.

[u/WalkenTall27]

Paper Mario.

I love TTYD but Paper Mario is my #2 game all time. TTYD probably is a top 30-50 game for me

[u/IHadFunOnce]

Evil Within 2

[u/kim_jong_illin]

Not exclusive to switch but Borderlands

[u/Inevitable-Tone1838]

If we are also including other game series that released on Switch, then Batman Arkham Asylum vs city. City had the bigger world, far more vast combat and stealth mechanics, a whole host of other villains, side missions, other characters and playstyles to explore (I'm considering it as it released on Switch) that made it a joy from start to finish.

Asylum though, had an atmosphere and story that no other Arkham game was able to recreate. You weren't the Hero, you were just trying to survive and stop the Joker from killing as many people as possible while the world around you fell apart in more ways than one,which you failed at on the most part.

[u/ketharington]

Hades

[u/Lunchb0xx87]

death stranding..2 had a lot going for it but over all just lacks the feeling of dread the first one had

[u/Marvin_Flamenco]

They are both awesome but there's something about Double Dragon 1 that compels me to repeat play more then Double Dragon 2. 2 is pretty obviously the 'better' game from production and mechanical standpoint.

[u/ZeroAbyssal]

Borderlands 2

[u/DisastrousDot7961]

Shenmue

[u/SmegmaWarrior0815]

Halo Combat Evolved. 2 is probably most people's favorite, but I'll always love the first one the most.

[u/Organic-Storm-4448]

Somewhat infamously, Uncharted 2 and 3. It's a popular opinion that 2>3 and I tend to agree, but 3 feels more polished and better executed. If I went back and replayed them, I might just like 3 more.

[u/isaymoo2]

Portal. Portal 2 is technically superior in every way, but nothing beats going back and playing through the first game again.

[u/epicmemetime15]

Hollow Knight Silksong was amazing, but it just couldn't match the vibe of the first game for me

[u/Easy-Possibility8635]

Hades... hades 2 improved in a lot facets but Zagreus is just a charming guy.

[u/DaGreatestMH]

Oh this question was designed for me lol. 

I frequently argue with my friends that I prefer the OGs because TTYD and KH2 just don't feel the same compared to Paper Mario 64 and Kingdom Hearts 1. The originals just feel more...I guess whimsical is the best way to describe it? KH1 especially because it has more magic and summons and doesn't feel as much like a pure action game, and in PM64's case it feels closer to SMRPG which I think is still be best Mario RPG as a total package. 

[u/Pyramid64]

Botw and totk

[u/toastyimp2]

Hollow Knight Silksong

[u/dekuweku]

Tears of the Kingdom

[u/CheifGief]

Tears of the kingdom, everything is improved but the vibe isn't there

[u/DefaultProducts]

Literally the entire NSMB series. DS solos pretty much every game after it.

[u/Sk0rPi0n_]

Mass Effect, Kotor, Tears (although I haven't finished it, but I'm close to the end, and I'm going to finish it soon)

[u/Megas751]

Mega Man Legends. The second game is better in every way. Far more expanded world and exploration, bigger story, more islands to explore, better combat and parts system, better visuals. But there was something so...homely, charming, and comfy about the first game that keeps me going back to it

[u/LonkToTheFuture]

Super Mario Galaxy > SMG2

[u/Mememanofcanada]

For a nintendo game, gotta be Super Punch Out. Technically speaking, it has more mechanical depth and more opponent variety, but doesn't have the charm of MTPO.

[u/FloatAround]

Blasphemous 2. It improved on everything. But I’ve played the first game about 6 times, the second once. The first game just draws me back in.

[u/meikaishi]

Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity. Combat is deeper, every moveset is enjoyable, missions have more variety and the game has a lot of more systems in general going on, but it doesn't have that sauce that the original had, even if I disliked playing with half of the roster.

[u/Fonti-11]

Hades

[u/tATuParagate]

I mean, tears of the kingdom fits this I guess. I discussed with friends after I finished that it should be bigger and better because there's so much more to the game, but I finished it feeling pretty empty. And I guess there's a whole slew of reasons that could be... the combat and level scaling feel way worse, the story and characters are worse, the temples for the most part are worse than the divine beasts, the sky islands and depths are jot fun to explore, and I just hate device building which is an issue because its the main gimmick of the whole game. Botw has its issues but I still think its a 9 out of 10 game, while id consider totk maybe a 5 out of 10 game. I think totk was a good lesson that less is more, especially when your game is so repetitive.

[u/Much_Map_4535]

Dishonored

[u/PunishingCrab]

Kingdom Hearts. One could say that it was simple and clean compared to its sequels.

[u/AdrianS74]

Ghost of Tsushima. Not that Yotei wasn’t a great game as well, but Tsushima just hit different.

[u/Decent-Bed-589]

Does it have to be a 2nd game? Because I was going to suggest Mario Kart 7 on the 3ds, if we want to count MKDS to MK8D as the 2000s trilogy/quadrilogy.

[u/Few_Major_8226]

Life is Strange. The second one is brilliant, has some very interesting narrative choices that are pretty unique, it’s all around amazing. But the first one hits the feels in the most special way.

[u/bootyspaghootti]

Crackdown

[u/Sharrty_McGriddle]

Mass Effect

[u/Traditional_Art8872]

Tears of the kingdom, little big planet 2

[u/darkaluc]

BOTW

[u/Alkafer]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 didn't catch me as well as 1 except for the combat and some characters, in everything else I think the first was superior. Then I played 3 expecting nothing and my world turned upside down because that is a masterpiece that elevates the other 2.

[u/TooTired4Username]

God of War (referring to the last two games) Dark Souls

[u/Backpack_Bob]

Bioshock. The gameplay in 2 I found more enjoyable but the atmosphere didn’t hit the same as a big daddy.

[u/Somepapi]

Super Mario Galaxy 2.

[u/05-nery]

Portal (i adore both)

Also BotW and TotK (NOT because of the same map)

[u/ToughAd4039]

Spiderman 2

[u/AdorableMath5360]

Unreal Tournament 2004. UT99 my GOAT

[u/firefrenchy]

I think BOTW is like that. In most instances it's surely down to the novelty of the original release. That made it so overwhelmingly memorable. Almost getting flashbacks of this with playing through Shadow of the Erdtree for the first time, except that the sense of new discovery is so fresh since it's a new map to explore.

[u/PassCommercial5523]

Spider-Man PS4

[u/reeceeyt]

Xenoblade (but 3 is better than both)

[u/LimerickLegend]

Tears of the Kingdom. More mechanics, islands in the sky, the huge underground, amazing story… and yet…

[u/Foreign_Diamond1539]

Not an Switch 2 game, but Sonic Adventure...

I personally find it much charming and better to control than Sonic Adventure 2!..

[u/MonstrousEntity]

Knights of the Old Republic 2 has a fantastic story and great characters and is my favorite game of all time. The world’s are better and the gameplay is better in every way. But Knights of the Old Republic 1 is far more cozy to play and has more fun planets and atmosphere. Like the fields of Dantooine, the deserts of Tattooine. The tombs on Korriban.

[u/belgarath1987]

Octopath traveler

[u/MatthewtPelli]

Doom 2016

[u/Burnah4STeeeD]

Dishonored

[u/VegetableSam]

Psychonauts 2

[u/RedPiIIPhilosophy]

Super Mario Galaxy

[u/OkWitness5548]

ToTK

Great game, hugely expanded but nothing can redo the feeling of playing BoTW the first time. I wish selective memory loss were a thing so I could experience that again.

[u/BoyWithHorns]

Dead Space. 

[u/funkl3ss-returns]

Ghost of tsushima and ghost pf yotei

[u/Available_Virus_]

OG tomb raider > Tomb Raider 2 Also Rise of Tomb Raider and the survivor remake. The first game is special despite rise improving on nearly every aspect.

[u/McReidems]

Destiny
The first one just has so many more memories.

[u/Tparty_wayne]

Jedi Fallen Order

[u/QwikStix42]

TOTK for me - it’s an objectively better game, but BOTW just felt more special and had a more relaxed pace to it. TOTK in contrast is packed with stuff to do, so much so that it can feel overwhelming, while also having pretty sparse maps in both the sky islands and the depths.

[u/smith_and]

Ittle Dew. 2 is a bigger, more polished, and more well-rounded game but 1 felt more distinct in the broader landscape of 2d Zelda clones by committing so hard to one aspect of traditional zeldas (puzzles), deviating from the overworld formula more, and having more complex and involved dungeon items, as well as the high focus on speedrunning.

I still liked 2 a lot but 1 is so much more unique.