The Classic games were Classic because, like classical music or architecture, they strove to give life and weight to ideals of order and proportion, to provide a vision of timelessness. In 'Double Dragon,' we can see the cracks in the brick, the mold growing on the drainage pipes, the unmistakable deterioration of the world we live in.

In this evocative quote, D. B. Weiss, best known as the co-creator of Game of Thrones, draws a compelling parallel between Classic video games, classical music, and classical architecture. He suggests that the "Classic" designation applies not just due to age or nostalgia, but because these works embody ideals of order, proportion, and timelessness. Like the harmony of a Beethoven symphony or the symmetry of a Greek temple, early video games aspired to establish a kind of aesthetic structure and enduring value, even within the limitations of their medium.

Weiss singles out 'Double Dragon', a well-known arcade game from the 1980s, to show how even these early digital environments could reflect reality and decay. By mentioning details like cracks in the bricks and mold on the pipes, he points to the game’s portrayal of an urban world in decline, rich with visual cues that resonate with the real-life deterioration of cities. This attention to environmental storytelling reveals how games, like architecture, can act as mirrors to the world around us, embedding cultural context into their design.

The quote underscores the idea that classic games were not just fun or iconic—they were artistic constructions rooted in broader traditions of human creativity. Just as classical architecture reflects philosophical and cultural ideals through its careful attention to form, so too did early game designers use visual motifs to evoke deeper meanings, such as the struggle between order and chaos, or the decline of a once-idealized world.

Ultimately, Weiss’s words elevate the status of video game design, framing it as a legitimate artistic discipline capable of expressing complex themes, moods, and ideals. By linking it to the legacy of classical forms, he invites us to see these digital spaces not just as entertainment, but as part of the continuum of art and architecture that shapes how we imagine and interpret the world.