The Good Old Days Review
Yokogo Systems heartfelt Metroidvania tribute to The Goonies and other 1980s adventure films strikes the perfect tone.
The Good Old Days. Credit: Yokogo Systems / GRAVITY
The Good Old Days, from developer Yokogo Systems and publisher GRAVITY, captures the spirit of 1980s kid adventure films in a way few games have. It's a love letter to the teenage youth adventures of that era, particularly The Goonies.
You play as Sean, a small-town kid who returns home to find a loan shark demanding immediate repayment of his missing father's debt. Worse, the loan shark has imprisoned Sean’s friends Foodie, Bruce, and Doc deep underground. Sean must find the money by end of day and rescue his friends on the way. Thankfully, a secret family fortune is buried somewhere underground.
The Good Old Days. Credit: Yokogo Systems / GRAVITY
This Metroidvania proudly bears its Goonies influence. The gang of misfit kids calls itself “The Noogies,” and they live in the town of Arostia—Astoria in the movie. They seek treasure together to a wipe out a life-changing debt while racing against the clock and a family of criminals with more than a passing resemblance to the movie’s villainous Fratelli family.
The Good Old Days. Credit: Yokogo Systems / GRAVITY
The Good Old Days isn't about defeating an ancient evil or saving the world. Your goal is comparatively simple: clear your debt. Your goal is to find money however you can: discovering hidden cash, completing challenging trial stages, winning the lottery, finishing side quests, or taking down the gang of villains. There are many ways to get what you need. Meanwhile, combat is entirely optional.
The Good Old Days. Credit: Yokogo Systems / GRAVITY
As you rescue your imprisoned friends, they become playable characters, each with unique abilities that affect movement and interaction. Switching between Sean, Foodie, Bruce, and Doc opens new paths and possibilities throughout Arostia, just like finding upgrades in a typical Metroidvania would. The approach reminds me of The Lost Vikings, where success depends on understanding each character's strengths and swapping between them to overcome specific obstacles. You'll need everyone's skills to explore the world fully.
The narrative structure adds replay value through design rather than padding. With so many paths to the endings and the game’s time limit, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to explore all of Arostia in one playthrough. Rescuing all of Sean’s friends isn't even necessary to get an ending. The game has a more compelling reason than most to attempt a New Game+, as continued exploration opens up multiple distinct endings based on your choices, giving genuine reason to return rather than just chasing collectibles.
The Good Old Days. Credit: Yokogo Systems / GRAVITY
The game's pixel art is beautiful, blending classic 16-bit aesthetics with modern visual polish. A crosshatching shader and dithering add a unique look that I haven’t seen in a pixel art game before, that somehow adds to the nostalgia despite classic pixel art Metroidvanias never looking like this before. Easter eggs referencing '80s pop culture also add a lot of charm. While normal enemy designs can be a little generic, every human character is wonderfully designed and distinct.
The Good Old Days stands out as a Metroidvania thanks to its multiple paths to success and its approach to exploration over multiple playthroughs. It’s a heartfelt tribute to adventure films like The Goonies and E.T., perhaps the most magical I’ve seen, especially in the 16-bit style. I don't usually describe Metroidvanias as "warm," but that's exactly how The Good Old Days feels.
The Good Old Days is available now on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Overall Score: 8/10
Played on: Steam Deck
