What does it really mean to be a "retro gamer"?

[RCBH928]

Retro in the dictionary means style from the recent past.
So I guess a suit and a hat is considered retro clothing, but something as old as medieval era is considered ancient not retro.

To me "retro" is a videogames jargon for somebody that plays games that are not mainstream any more. Games and consoles that are not found or sold in retail stores(unless its specialized in this segment). For this to happen , the games must be out of fashion.

For example, I honestly believe that although the XBOX is from the past generation, some games are superior to the Wii. Ninja Gaiden Graphics are more impressive to me than No More Heroes. Maybe if I played RE4 on Gamecube it will look more recent and better than a ps3 title, say maybe Lair ?

But you can't say the same about n64 and a 360 titles, or a psx and Wii titles. Even if the gameplay is much better, the game is clearly out of fashion.

He who plays such games is a retro gamer for me. Games that are out of fashion and those which people no longer care about and considered "OLD".

I personally do not know any , only "RETRO" gamers. Retro gamers play recent games, I know no one that would play snes to death, but wouldn't like to own a ps3. Those that do, are ones that got financial issue nothing else.

So its really like, there are gamers that are "retro" and there are just current gamers.

The only remaining question is, are some consoles and games like atari, are they considered "retro" or ancient like the medieval era?

[thekorean12]

Well I don't think that a retro gamer [i]only[/i] plays retro games. If you appreciate old games and play them just as much as new ones, then I think that's enough to be a retro gamer.

[J T]

The most obvious progress made in the video gaming industry has been in the area of graphics. Increased detail, realism, and effects. It gets better every year. Because this is obvious that games have advanced in the graphics domain, people are sometimes puzzled as to why someone would still want to play older and less graphically advanced games.

Not the retro gamer.

A retro gamer appreciates more than just the graphics of a video game. A retro gamer appreciates the game itself: the rules, the level design, the control system, the AI, etc. The emphasis is "video GAMES", not "VIDEO games". While games have improved substantially graphically, they have not always improved as games, in fact some of the old games are simply better games with uglier graphics. Once you realize this and can learn to see the game through the graphics, it opens up a vast library of gaming options to you. I think to be a retro gamer means you have to appreciate the game not for the graphics, not for the sound, not for the voice acting, and possibly not even for the story. You have to be able to appreciate the game as a game and find joy in the simple act of playing it.

[Gamerforlife]

Sometimes I kind of feel like "retro gamer" shouldn't even apply to people 25 and older. We're not a bunch of gamers with a strange interest and curiousity for old, out of date classics or hidden gems beyond our time. We grew up with these games, they're not retro or out of style to us. Someone whose first system was a Playstation and he's now seeking out NES games and Atari 2600 games. THAT'S a retro gamer

[sevin0seven]

Sometimes I kind of feel like "retro gamer" shouldn't even apply to people 25 and older. We're not a bunch of gamers with a strange interest and curiousity for old, out of date classics or hidden gems beyond our time. We grew up with these games, they're not retro or out of style to us. Someone whose first system was a Playstation and he's now seeking out NES games and Atari 2600 games. THAT'S a retro gamer

that actually makes sense.

[YoshiEgg25]

To me, a retro system is a system that has been discontinued for over five years. I still feel like the GameCube/Xbox/PS2/GBA aren't retro, but the Dreamcast is. However, I suppose it differs from gamer to gamer, but anyone who says the PS2 is retro is no gamer in my book.

Sometimes I kind of feel like "retro gamer" shouldn't even apply to people 25 and older. We're not a bunch of gamers with a strange interest and curiousity for old, out of date classics or hidden gems beyond our time. We grew up with these games, they're not retro or out of style to us. Someone whose first system was a Playstation and he's now seeking out NES games and Atari 2600 games. THAT'S a retro gamer

Cool, that makes me a retro gamer. My first was a Nintendo 64 and now I'm getting NES and Game Gear stuff.

[pepharytheworm]

Whatever is out of fashion is retro to me. During the PS1 era I would consider the early 3DOesque ps1 games to be retro by comparision to the later ps1 games made.

I would like to also add that gamers that like "retro style" games would also be a part of being a retro gamer. I don't think Retro just means the product itself is old but the style or way in which its made also.

[J T]

Sometimes I kind of feel like "retro gamer" shouldn't even apply to people 25 and older. We're not a bunch of gamers with a strange interest and curiousity for old, out of date classics or hidden gems beyond our time. We grew up with these games, they're not retro or out of style to us. Someone whose first system was a Playstation and he's now seeking out NES games and Atari 2600 games. THAT'S a retro gamer

Ok, good point, but now I feel old.

[jfe2]

The most obvious progress made in the video gaming industry has been in the area of graphics. Increased detail, realism, and effects. It gets better every year. Because this is obvious that games have advanced in the graphics domain, people are sometimes puzzled as to why someone would still want to play older and less graphically advanced games.

Not the retro gamer.

A retro gamer appreciates more than just the graphics of a video game. A retro gamer appreciates the game itself: the rules, the level design, the control system, the AI, etc. The emphasis is "video GAMES", not "VIDEO games". While games have improved substantially graphically, they have not always improved as games, in fact some of the old games are simply better games with uglier graphics. Once you realize this and can learn to see the game through the graphics, it opens up a vast library of gaming options to you. I think to be a retro gamer means you have to appreciate the game not for the graphics, not for the sound, not for the voice acting, and possibly not even for the story. You have to be able to appreciate the game as a game and find joy in the simple act of playing it.

I totally agree with this.

I actually get asked by my friends and family why I still want to play all of the older stuff... which actually works to my benefit, as they either sell or give me all of the stuff that they don't want anymore.

[Gamerforlife]

Sometimes I kind of feel like "retro gamer" shouldn't even apply to people 25 and older. We're not a bunch of gamers with a strange interest and curiousity for old, out of date classics or hidden gems beyond our time. We grew up with these games, they're not retro or out of style to us. Someone whose first system was a Playstation and he's now seeking out NES games and Atari 2600 games. THAT'S a retro gamer

Ok, good point, but now I feel old.

Only as old as you feel

Look on the bright side, we've lived through some of gaming's best and most important moments. Younger gamers will never have those experiences. Oh, if only some of them knew what REAL arcades were like back in the day.