Could you tolerate gaming exclusively with modern hardware?

[Nintendork666]

Pretend you were forced to game with only the latest of technology: Wii-U's, PC's, Vitas, 3DS's, tablets, PS3's, and 360's. All platforms have their backwards compatibility options, virtual consoles/e-shops/live arcades/emulation - whatever. This isn't excluding all retro games, just hardware. How satisfied could you keep yourself with only what companies are offering today?

Recently, I upgraded to an HDtv which only has component/HDMI inputs. My old CRT is still around, but it's so heavy/on it's last leg that I have little will to ever turn it back on, and my spare resides in my grandmother's basement. Because of this, most of my non-portable gaming time has been dedicated to my PS3 or Wii (which isn't current-gen anymore, but whatever).My older consoles are packed away for now, excluding PS1/PS2/GC games, because I have ways of playing those through component if need be.

It feels like a lot of weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and even more from my shelves. Keeping up with the times (or moreso catching up on the PS3 library) is just as much fun as digging through the classics, and I honestly feel that spark of being a kid again. Games like El Shaddai, Mass Effect or even The Amazing Spider-man have been jaw-dropping experiences for me thus far - there's just so much that can be done with these machines (and this technology is outdated!?! - my god.)

I don't plan on selling anything, just shifting a large majority of my focus to modern gaming for a while. Honestly, I can't wait for the PS4. The game industry is very exciting at the moment, and I don't feel much urge to focus on the past. Any of you doing the same, if not, how would you react to doing so?

[alienjesus]

I honestly think I could get by with just the 3DS, but I'd prefer not to. Even with all the retro options available on the systems you mentioned, there are still lots of great games that have never been rereleased.

[retrosportsgamer]

I like this question as I find myself mainly gaming on current stuff due to time and also accessibility (plus I'm in some online leagues for NCAA and The Show).

Both XBLA and PSN have a decent catalog of retro games you can download and of course the Wii (and eventually the Wii U) have a virtual console filled with their old games. The games I've been playing the most recently? Pinball Arcade, Midway's Arcade Origins and Namco Museum Essentials (for Dragon Spirit - shmup of the month). So two of those are retro comps on current hardware.

[Ivo]

I could enjoy quite a lot with only one system, retro or modern, provided that system has a vast library and a few titles with virtually endless replayability.

Make that system one that has unique games and can emulate a bunch others and allow that in the "rules" and I wouldn't even miss much from the restriction.
But I would prefer not to limit myself needlessly.
If I was limited by such an arbitrary rule I would probably go with just a PC (although I wonder if I should go for a handheld).

Ivo.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I feel like I would do a lot of emulating....

[dsheinem]

I could easily get by with only a fully Backwards Compatible PS3. There are over 5,000 games across the PS1/PS2/PS3, so I think I'd be set for life with just that one console if I had to be. There's also a healthy chunk of official compilations for Sega, Atari, Activision, Intellivision, Taito, Namco, Capcom, etc to keep me well into retro games on the system forever.

Of course a big reason for retrogaming is playing unique experiences on old hardware (e.g. Tempest 2000 on a Jaguar with a rotary controller, Steel Battalion on an Xbox, Odyssey 2 games with their funky octogonal controllers, etc.) - and i would very much miss that.

And, as has been said, there'd still be too much that I'd miss out on that can't be emulated well or hasn't been re-released if I stuck with only current gen stuff or emulation. I'd miss a lot of great Saturn and Dreamcast stuff, for example, if I had to rely strictly on accurate emulation.

[AppleQueso]

Yeah if I just stuck with my 60gb Ps3 I think I'd do fine. I'd really miss Nintendo stuff though.

[Gunstar Green]

If I'm allowed to use ROMs and emulation I don't think I'd suffer too badly, and I'd save a lot of money and space.

I wouldn't enjoy it as much but I'd survive.

[isiolia]

Very easily. I could tolerate cutting down to my PC only if I had to. That's what I play most of the time anyway. Via virtual machines and emulation, it can probably play the majority of games ever made as well.

[TheVisualante]

Yup I can last with my backward compatible ps3 and PC, you basically have every game out on the PC. And the PS3 gives you all of sony.