Why do we still play retro games?

[BoringSupreez]

I have my own reasons for retrogaming, but every other person I've met IRL who retrogamed was doing it because it's more affordable than new games. In fact, that was what got me started in the first place, the difference was that I didn't stop once I was able to afford current-gen stuff again.

[DinnerX]

I retro game because:
I like the graphical style of old games. They don't focus on realism.
Some of my favorite genres don't have a ton of new releases.
I like to collect.
I enjoy older technology.
I want to play titles that were important to video game history.
It's cheap. I can get 6 wonderful older games for less than $20.

[Xeogred]

Why do people still watch old movies when there's so many new movies out there?
Why do people still read old books when there's so many new books out there?
Why do people still listen to old music when there's so much new music out there?

etc etc etc etc etc etc etc

It's all the same reason. Age is no reason to dismiss anything.

Yeah I don't even know why this is a question, I pretty much agree with AppleQueso here.

Indeed, some old stuff is terrible too like others are saying, but time is never a reason to dismiss anything.

[AmericanMuffin]

Minecraft is a new game, not a retro one (except perhaps in graphics), and you need a huge-ass wiki to learn how to play it, so I wouldn't say it's simple either. This thread doesn't make sense.

He was using new games that have simple mechanics as an example to demonstrate why we might still play retro games. (Making the assumption that retro games are simpler than their modern counterparts.) Games like Minecraft and Terraria are very easy to pick up and play, and that simplicity is part of the key in attracting new users. While the crafting may get more advanced as the game progresses, the simplicity of the actions never changes.

I'm not posting to either agree nor disagree, but I didn't think what he was saying was terribly complicated to understand.

Thank you

[Inazuma]

Many retro games were made with this goal in mind:
"Lets make a good game!"

Compared to many modern games that are made with a different goal:
"Lets do anything we can to make as much money as possible, even if it reduces the quality of the game itself or fucks over our customers!"

So while retro games don't have graphics as technologically impressive as modern games, they are better games, plain and simple.

I think my favorite consoles are the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64. Those games were more enjoyable than most of today's games.

[noiseredux]

Many retro games were made with this goal in mind:
"Lets make a good game!"

Compared to many modern games that are made with a different goal:
"Lets do anything we can to make as much money as possible, even if it reduces the quality of the game itself or fucks over our customers!"

So while retro games don't have graphics as technologically impressive as modern games, they are better games, plain and simple.

I think my favorite consoles are the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64. Those games were more enjoyable than most of today's games.

I'm fairly certain that the goal of money has always been a pretty driving force in just about any industry. Video games included.

[AmericanMuffin]

Many retro games were made with this goal in mind:
"Lets make a good game!"

Compared to many modern games that are made with a different goal:
"Lets do anything we can to make as much money as possible, even if it reduces the quality of the game itself or fucks over our customers!"

So while retro games don't have graphics as technologically impressive as modern games, they are better games, plain and simple.

I think my favorite consoles are the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64. Those games were more enjoyable than most of today's games.

More like " Lets make the crappiest single player story known to man and focus on all multiplayer!" I think put single player, aka THE STORY first

[Gnashvar]

Back when I was younger I could never have a collection like I do now. So I guess there are many things I didn't get to play or own back then and I do now.

[alexis524]

i concur with the TC. take for another example. The Impossible Game. It's not a "new" game, but is very simplistic in it's approach and mechanics. Not to mention
addicting. Simple=

Take for example, the madden series. I love football, i really do, but the main reason i never got into the series is by the time i've learned what buttons/triggers do what, i've lost interest. And to top that off, the buttons have different functions depending on whether you're on offense or defense. With as technical and advanced as controller have become (looooooong way from one on the atari 2600) there is at least 20 different commands to know (maybe more), memorize, and act on instinct to make the game remotely enjoyable. I have to invest too much time to get to the point where i can play the game.

I want a game that is truly pick up and play, and that is the appeal to more simpler games, that don't involve an essay of an instruction manual, wait, who are we kidding? there are no such things as instruction manuals anymore, just some stuff about epilepsy and seizures and don't fold, bend, or crush the disk. Yeah, like i would think of that after dropping $60 on said title

Sorry, got off topic for a minute. simpler is so much better in so many ways. it makes it that much easier to enjoy on many levels.

[Inazuma]

I'm fairly certain that the goal of money has always been a pretty driving force in just about any industry. Video games included.

True, but what they had to do in order to make the most money has changed. If you go back to the era of the Saturn and N64, the best way to make money was to actually make an excellent game.

Nowadays the best way to make money is to either make a really cheap, basic, dumbed down game for casuals, or to release the same game that came out last year, but with cutting edge graphics and lots of DLC.

If you look at the top selling games for the USA, they are filled with shitty casual games and shitty American games like Call of Duty and Madden. It's really sad how so many great games don't sell.

Japan, on the other hand, still has a good idea of what a good game is, so their top selling games charts are a lot better. Unfortunately, Japan is not as important in the video game industry like it used to be, money-wise.

The more popular video games become, the worse they will get. Back in the day, the only people who played games were nerds who really understood gaming, so they would tend to support good games. Now, the average gamer is your average Joe Moron, who doesn't know anything about video games. Instead of buying games because they are good, he buys them because they are simple, have super advanced realistic graphics, are advertised heavily, or are a sequel to a game he bought last year.

*edit*
I forgot to mention difficulty. Today's games are way the fuck too easy, because hard games just won't sell. Retro games are the best.