Yeah, only very recently have I started just truly having fun with games again. Been around my best friend a lot who does nothing but criticize every flaw of games because he does not like them anymore. Playing Mario Kart 8 on a second go and really liking it. It was spoiled for me when I first got it.

But all in all, DKC games are those kind of games on a different plain of enjoyment. Excellent trilogy.

One thing to avoid is the really toxic gamer culture on the internet, where any criticism of a game gets amplified 1000x. You have to ignore that or you will never have any fun at all because you'll be spending more time looking for shortcomings in a game rather than actually playing it.

It's a mixed bag. A lot of games you will go back to and say "Wow, this game actually does suck", probably for a good reason too. Your younger self didn't care though, so unless the game is a total tragedy you should be able to fall back on nostalgia and find some simple pleasure in it.
Myself, I remember back when I played Mario 64 or Ocarina of Time, I would waste a lot of time doing nothing at all but running around the fields with no purpose in mind, just because it was fun to climb trees, jump around, fly, etc. It is kind of hard to recapture that mindset as you get older, but not impossible.

It really does. Mostly in favour of just not enjoying games as much though generally speaking. Not sure if that fact is for better, or for worse though.

Your perspective on games you play really changes as you get older. Usually because you notice more things than when you were a kid.

I have a new appreciation for DKC 2 after playing it as an adult. It's probably my second favourite in the series now. 3 Still takes the cake, but not by much anymore. Also Ghost world was my favourite. Oddly the most relaxing and blissful. Beat it finally too. no 102% as of now. That may drive me nuts.

I don't even know what to make of that. It runs so weird and janky. Or maybe that's just the recording. Sounds and movements just kind of jump out rapidly. The 2.5d elements are cool.

Well it would have provided a better incentive to acquire better light sources rather than just hey the glowstone has a slightly larger circumference that it lights up. So I could agree, but I spam torches so much I'm ok with it. The idea still is kind of cool though especially since I always wind up with chests full of coal.

I'll always prefer the lime green grass and land generation to an extent. Or at least the option for old land generation would be nice.

A lot of changes have been nice too like the hunger and subsequent health regen with stackable food and more food options. Hardcore mode is legit. Especially in groups of friends.

Mountain houses are cool, I always tried to make one.

I'm still sad we never got timed torches and lanterns, not even in an alternate harder mode. I was honestly looking forward to that.