Final Fantasy is a poor example, I think. Games like Castlevania, Mario, Zelda, Metroid which have simple but well-executed mechanics have basically gone out o

Final Fantasy is a poor example, I think. Games like Castlevania, Mario, Zelda, Metroid which have simple but well-executed mechanics have basically gone out of flavor because the broader populace... I originally said this is because they do not enjoy difficult or lengthy games, however I think that may be incorrect. I think the wider populace craves achievement, and being able to show something for the time they've sunk into the game (as well as probably being put off by games with difficult learning curves). Games like Farmville, Candycrush, and most MMORPGs, while time consuming, award "something" the player can "show off" afterwards. I think games like Spelunky are more along the lines of games the OP and many people I speak with miss. The indie game community on PC and XBLA have done wonders as of late. It's a shame it's not quite gone so well for mobile, but PC and mobile gaming are two massively different audiences. Quality games are far, far, FAR from dead, you just need to look to places where people with like-minded interests from you are.