It's common opinion amongst multi-generational gamers (i.e. the ones who have been intimate with games since the SNES at latest) that games are getting worse and worse as time passes on. They claim that old Shiguru isn't quite what he used to be, and that Team Sonic passed their heyday as the gaming clock turned over to the 3rd Dimension.

Whilst the latter statement may hold a lot of truth, over the last few days I have really come to disagree with the opinion that videogames are in decline.

It started when I plugged in my SNES again, and placed Donkey Kong Country 2 into the little grey slot. After spending the last few days whittling away my time on Super Mario Sunshine (again), I was ready to get blown away by one of the greatest gaming experiences that you could get from Cash Generators.

After 10 minutes I was bored. Not the kind of boredom you get from familiarity, either. It was the kind of boredom that makes you want to turn of the console, eject the game and launch it out of your window.

Was it my attitude, or was it just that, in general, the feeling of new which had been there when I first bought the game, had disappeared, leaving a bland, generic game? I turned on Sunshine to assess the situation, and within minutes, I was enthralled in a world which devoured 20 hours of my life the first weekend I got it and caused my Mother to place a ban on my Gamecube while my eyes went back to normal from the bloodshot, narrow ones which the chubby Italian had changed them into.

After re-starting the game and collecting a few more shines that I expected to, I went back to my SNES and turned on the hallowed Super Mario All-Stars collection, in hope of reviving my 2D roots and demolishing all thoughts of my SNES being over-rated.

25 minutes, 7 worlds (thanks to the flute I picked up) and a lot of disbelief later, I had come to my conclusion - my whole childhood was a shambles, and one built on average games which I was lead to believe were the best.

Super Mario World was just sat there, staring at me, but I couldn't bring myself to play it. I knew that if I did, it'd wreck what was left of my childhood memories, and bring me to my knees. I didn't want to wreck what I classed as the greatest gaming experience of my life.

And so, now, I have come to my conclusion that Super Mario Sunshine is my favourite game. When I look back at Mario World, I don't get the same feeling as I do when I think about Sunshine.

Maybe it's time you should all look back at YOUR favourite games. Get out your SNES', Mega Drives, Commodores and Atari's, take off your rose-tinted glasses, plug in and play the game that you think defines 'perfect', and then take on one of it's modern day counterparts, and I bet you'll be in for a little surprise.