I get why people love lost media. There’s something thrilling about the idea that a half-forgotten cartoon or bootleg VHS might still be out there, waiting to be found. The internet eats that stuff up—forum deep dives, YouTube essays, decades-long hunts for proof.

But here’s what gets me: the flip side. The stuff that was everywhere. Huge hits. Critically adored. Easy to find. And yet… somehow, no one remembers. Not lost media. Lost consciousness. And it’s way weirder.

One of them is the band Everclear. They were a major part of the ‘90s alternative scene. They sold millions of albums, were critically respected, and you couldn’t escape their music videos on TV. But now? No one talks about them. Somehow, one-hit wonders like Harvey Danger get more nostalgic shoutouts than Everclear. And damn it—I still love that band. Yet their subreddit has only 874 subscribers. That’s shockingly low for a group that should be iconic.

Another example—this time from film—is Road to Perdition. It was a box office smash, earning $180 million. Nominated for six Oscars. Won Best Cinematography. And yet… it’s like it never existed. When people talk about Tom Hanks movies, this one rarely comes up. Even in gangster movie lists, it gets ignored. If you’re in your 20s or younger, you probably don’t even know this movie exists.

Now here’s another case of lost consciousness: Trine.

It came out in 2009. Sold over a million copies. On Steam, it has a 95% positive rating across 12,000+ reviews—one of the most beloved games of its year, at least on paper. It launched a five-game franchise, and each sequel sold millions in turn. And yet… no one talks about Trine.

You have to understand how significant this was. In the 2000s, 2D platformers were mostly dead on PC and consoles. If you wanted one, you had to go handheld—Game Boy Advance, maybe DS. On other platforms, there were a few indie exceptions: Cave Story, Braid. But back then, “indie” wasn’t what it is now. In the 2000s, no one even knew what indie meant. And most indie platformers of the time? They lacked polish. Great ideas, sure—but not a lot of visual flair or technical sophistication.

Then came Trine.

It was gorgeous. The visuals still hold up today. Beautiful sprite work, luminous lighting, detailed backdrops. Trine had a beauty that other 2D platformers didn’t. And I know it was special because I actually finished it—and I don’t finish most games. I even left a review on Steam. I said something like: “Trine is about entering a vibrant world where you solve problems through unique characters. In this, it shines. It’s a true PC classic.” And I still believe that.

It wasn’t just the art. The physics-based puzzles were brilliant. You had to think in terms of motion, weight, momentum. And instead of one playable character, you got three: a wizard, a thief, and a knight, each with unique abilities. The wizard could conjure boxes and teleport. The thief had a bow and a grappling hook. The knight had a sword and shield. Super fresh.

Also? Co-op mode. That was a huge draw. Not many 2D platformers—especially in 2009—had that. I didn’t play much co-op myself, but I know people who bought the game just for it.

So yes. Trine is incredible.

And yet… obscure. Forgotten. Go to YouTube—no retrospectives. No nostalgia posts. No “remember this?” energy. It’s like it’s disappeared from memory.

Why?

I think part of it is that Trine was ahead of the curve. It brought back the 2D platformer before the revival fully kicked in. It helped revive the genre—but didn’t get the credit. Another factor? It was made by an indie studio—Frozenbyte, based in Finland. And while Trine became their flagship, they’ve made other titles too: Nine Parchments, Has-Been Heroes, Boreal Blade. I even liked their earlier top-down shooter, Shadowgrounds.

But Frozenbyte isn’t Nintendo. They’re not Capcom. Not even Devolver. They’re small. And even when the little guy wins, they rarely get their due.

Another reason: Trine’s fanbase was mostly on PC. Yes, it came to PS3, but physical copies are rare. So I suspect most players were PC gamers. And for some reason, PC gaming classics don’t get the same nostalgic glow as console games. You don’t hear about Hexen or Divinity the same way you hear about old Nintendo or Sony titles. That’s something I’ve noticed for a while.

I hope it changes. But I’m not holding my breath.

Still—I’ll scream it to the heavens: Trine is amazing. It deserves to be remembered. It’s one of the most compelling, fun platformers I’ve ever played. Every minute I spent with it was worth it.