Why Are You A Retro Gamer?
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jackspicer
- 32-bit
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:22 pm
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peace4myheart
- 128-bit
- Posts: 707
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:34 am
- Location: Deep In The Heart Of Texas
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pompeyparsons
- 32-bit
- Posts: 299
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 1:51 pm
- Location: Michigan
The reason I'm a retro-gamer has a lot to do with nostalgia I remember playing the older games as a kid with my brother and friends. We had some great times and each time I put in one of my retro games all these memories come flooding back to me and its almost a chance to relive your childhood for a brief span of time.
The other reason is something about all the next gen systems just doesn't grab me. There are so many great retro titles out there that I've yet to play I love discovering a title I never knew existed and checking it out. I don't think I'll ever buy buy a next gen system for quite awhile. The latest system I won is the PS2.
The other reason is something about all the next gen systems just doesn't grab me. There are so many great retro titles out there that I've yet to play I love discovering a title I never knew existed and checking it out. I don't think I'll ever buy buy a next gen system for quite awhile. The latest system I won is the PS2.
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Gamerforlife
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 10184
- Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:15 pm
- Location: Florida
There's many reasons, and I'm probably repeating what others have said
I liked the genres. Platformers, for example, I enjoy and you don't see many of them now. I'm still waiting for the rumored Sly Cooper 4 to come out so I can have SOMETHING to play
I like the nostalgia factor
Affordability
Simplicity-I love being able to boot up a game and not wait an hour just to get to the damn Title screen. Controls are usually easy to pick up, and you don't have to fight with bad camera angles if you enjoy 2-d games, and older games don't make you sit through cut scene after cut scene.
Reliability-This refers more to cartridge based games. They're tough and you don't have to be as gentle with them as you do with DVDs. I can also apply this to consoles. I mean a sega Saturn seems to last a lot longer than a damn Xbox 360 or PS 2, which could give you problems after just a year of use.
Creativity-It was less about graphical might in the old days, so designers had to be more creative in how they designed their games and also how they express themselves through their games. It's amazing to see how many emotions can be squeezed out of the characters in Final Fantasy 3/6 considering the limited technology for example.
Selection
Honestly, there are TONS of great retro games I haven't played. While most gamers are waiting for the next big thing, do they realize how many incredible games are out NOW that they haven't played. Save a few bucks and buy an older game. This site introduces me to great older games all the time:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/
History/Education
Do you know how many so called revolutionary or innovative ideas in today's games have actually already been done before? I feel like playing older games gives you a better education of how gaming has evolved and makes you more aware of who the REAL pioneers of gaming are, not too mention many, many, many unsung heroes.
I liked the genres. Platformers, for example, I enjoy and you don't see many of them now. I'm still waiting for the rumored Sly Cooper 4 to come out so I can have SOMETHING to play
I like the nostalgia factor
Affordability
Simplicity-I love being able to boot up a game and not wait an hour just to get to the damn Title screen. Controls are usually easy to pick up, and you don't have to fight with bad camera angles if you enjoy 2-d games, and older games don't make you sit through cut scene after cut scene.
Reliability-This refers more to cartridge based games. They're tough and you don't have to be as gentle with them as you do with DVDs. I can also apply this to consoles. I mean a sega Saturn seems to last a lot longer than a damn Xbox 360 or PS 2, which could give you problems after just a year of use.
Creativity-It was less about graphical might in the old days, so designers had to be more creative in how they designed their games and also how they express themselves through their games. It's amazing to see how many emotions can be squeezed out of the characters in Final Fantasy 3/6 considering the limited technology for example.
Selection
Honestly, there are TONS of great retro games I haven't played. While most gamers are waiting for the next big thing, do they realize how many incredible games are out NOW that they haven't played. Save a few bucks and buy an older game. This site introduces me to great older games all the time:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/
History/Education
Do you know how many so called revolutionary or innovative ideas in today's games have actually already been done before? I feel like playing older games gives you a better education of how gaming has evolved and makes you more aware of who the REAL pioneers of gaming are, not too mention many, many, many unsung heroes.
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SpaceBooger
- Moderator
- Posts: 4420
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:40 am
- Location: The AK-Rowdy
- Contact:
Being 32 and spending all of my allowance buying and playing about a gazillion NES games. I consider myself a retro gamer because my parents refused to spend money on video games for me... no games for birthday or holidays...
I was a master of the trading game back in the day. Before the huge chains there were local used gaming stores and kids at school. When I was ready to move on from a NES to a Genesis I sold all of my NES games for $5 a piece at school undercutting the stores.
After I had my fill of the genesis I wanted a SNES so I traded my pager (in the early 90's we all thought we were cool if we had a pager for whatever reason...) for a SNES. I played that for a while before finding a SEGA CD on clearance from Toys-R-Us... I traded almost all of my SNES Games for SEGA CD games and the trend continued. I also used to love Babages 30 day return policy... I would buy a game and if I beat it within the 30 days I would return it and repeat, if I could not beat it in 30 days I would keep it because it was then deemed worthy of the price.
I think I spent more time playing the trading game than I did the video games... but in the end I had all systems and played a plethora of great games back in the day. New games are too complicated to pick up start right away... because of my trading systems for systems back in the day I have plenty of games I still need to play and these two reasons are why I am a retro gamer.
I was a master of the trading game back in the day. Before the huge chains there were local used gaming stores and kids at school. When I was ready to move on from a NES to a Genesis I sold all of my NES games for $5 a piece at school undercutting the stores.
After I had my fill of the genesis I wanted a SNES so I traded my pager (in the early 90's we all thought we were cool if we had a pager for whatever reason...) for a SNES. I played that for a while before finding a SEGA CD on clearance from Toys-R-Us... I traded almost all of my SNES Games for SEGA CD games and the trend continued. I also used to love Babages 30 day return policy... I would buy a game and if I beat it within the 30 days I would return it and repeat, if I could not beat it in 30 days I would keep it because it was then deemed worthy of the price.
I think I spent more time playing the trading game than I did the video games... but in the end I had all systems and played a plethora of great games back in the day. New games are too complicated to pick up start right away... because of my trading systems for systems back in the day I have plenty of games I still need to play and these two reasons are why I am a retro gamer.
I just like playing games.
I could go into all the personal moments, like how my first real memory is of my dad buying an NES console, or how I can remember when I was four at Christmas getting my first Gameboy game from my Uncle. Games have been the thing that's led me to so many of my interests, have helped me make friends, or have given me the most fun. Every now and again I'll try to stop gaming, or something in my life will come along that forces me, but I always end up coming back. It's how I relax and have a good time. Face it, my life practically revolves around gaming.
I could go into all the personal moments, like how my first real memory is of my dad buying an NES console, or how I can remember when I was four at Christmas getting my first Gameboy game from my Uncle. Games have been the thing that's led me to so many of my interests, have helped me make friends, or have given me the most fun. Every now and again I'll try to stop gaming, or something in my life will come along that forces me, but I always end up coming back. It's how I relax and have a good time. Face it, my life practically revolves around gaming.
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Daniel Primed
- 64-bit
- Posts: 341
- Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:43 am
- Location: South Australia
- Contact:
Wow, reserecting threads; left, right and centre, here we go! 
I feel as though I have always been a retro gamer. I was born in 1988 which means that I am probably younger than some of you seasoned vetrans. I started gaming in I guess around '93 with the NES. This wasn't too bad as many great NES games were being released in PAL territories during that time; Castlevania 3, Kirby's Adventure etc.
Essentially from the NES I moved through to the SNES and then N64/PSone etc. All the mean time slowly crawling my way back up to current gen. In the process I had plenty of time with the Commodore 64 as well. Once I had finally caught up last generation with my collection I realized that it wasn't worth paying full price just to play a game on release.
I stuck with this for a while until I decided to go back and round out my already adaquete retro collection. So ATM I am playing a mix of old, new and outdated games which I am pleased with. Otherwise, my reasons are the same as everyone else; I love sprites, nostalgia and cheaper games.
I feel as though I have always been a retro gamer. I was born in 1988 which means that I am probably younger than some of you seasoned vetrans. I started gaming in I guess around '93 with the NES. This wasn't too bad as many great NES games were being released in PAL territories during that time; Castlevania 3, Kirby's Adventure etc.
Essentially from the NES I moved through to the SNES and then N64/PSone etc. All the mean time slowly crawling my way back up to current gen. In the process I had plenty of time with the Commodore 64 as well. Once I had finally caught up last generation with my collection I realized that it wasn't worth paying full price just to play a game on release.
I stuck with this for a while until I decided to go back and round out my already adaquete retro collection. So ATM I am playing a mix of old, new and outdated games which I am pleased with. Otherwise, my reasons are the same as everyone else; I love sprites, nostalgia and cheaper games.
