"Why I am a retro gamer" (Racketboy Link)

[PikachuWarrior]

Interesting article. I only take their articles at face value though.

http://www.racketboy.com/journal/why-i-am-a-retro-gamer

The question to you all is, "Why are you a retro gamer?"

[Todd Gill]

I am a retro gamer because it's what I grew up on.

I fully believe that our teenage years our are most "impressionable" part of our life. For me most of the late 8 bit and all of the 16 bit years was right in that period of time.

That's why I prefer that era of gaming. Sit me down in front of a NES, PCE or Megadrive and a handful of good games and I will play for hours on end.


Stick me in front of a PS3 or 360 and I would be lucky to make it past most games training/intro level.

[MotherGunner]

I like being a retro gamer because I can't stand these stupid ass little kids who are recist as hell and do nothing but smoke weed and talk shit on COD.  Fuck online multiplayer.  Give me back my singleplayer any day.  What I consider LAN is getting a bunch of guys with PCE/TG hardware in the same room and each of us play different games!

[PunkCryborg]

I dislike the phrase retro gamer because I never stopped playing these games and I have a lot I bought new and still haven't had a chance to play so I'm not like having flashbacks or trying to relive something I guess I just never bought anything new

[DildoKKKobold]

Stick me in front of a PS3 or 360 and I would be lucky to make it past most games training/intro level.

Because that piece alone takes hours on end!

Seriously, the amount of forced tutorial bullshit we have to put up with in new games is absurd.

Grand Theft Auto 4 was steaming pile of crap. There were "tutorial sections" 5 hours into the game.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Yeah I am not a retro gamer.   I am a gamer.  I play all this shit.  I just happen to like the games from back when because they sucked less penis than alot of stuff today.

alot of people are prolly like

YEAH BRO. IM TOTES RETRO GAMER CAUSE MARIO IS MY DUUUUUDE.  I USED TO LOVE PLAYIN HIM WHEN I WAS -4 CAUSE BRO MARIO WAS ANCIENT BEFORE I WAS EVEN ALIVE. BUT ITS COOL BRO GUY CAUSE I GOT MARIO ON MY PHONE

[PunkCryborg]

yeah i cant sit through even a long opening segment on most games lol

[OldRover]

I'm a 'retro gamer' because I prefer games that are simplistic in nature rather than having oodles of button-presses or menus twenty layers deep to do simple shit... let alone complex shit. Driving games, for example... I don't want to have to micromanage, I just wanna drive something. Gimme Outrun anyday. RPGs that have oodles of options and tweaks down to the number of hairs on your characters' heads is just overkill... a small amount of management is expected but things get too bogged down in the details and play too slowly. It's more work than anything else, and that's simply not fun. My interest in modern RPGs waned at Xenosaga and never came back. I lost interest in FPS games after Quake II, since they started getting overly complex, and still consider DOOM to be my favorite in the genre. I have hundreds of other such examples... but my preference for more simplistic gameplay also seeps into the games I code... MSR, Monolith, and JB were all coded to be pick-up-and-play simplistic games that don't bog you down with details.

[Todd Gill]

... but my preference for more simplistic gameplay also seeps into the games I code... MSR, Monolith, and JB were all coded to be pick-up-and-play simplistic games that don't bog you down with details.

That's another thing. I like to be able to jump in and out of games for short play times. Most of my gaming time is in small durations. Maybe 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there.

That's hard to do on modern games with long load times, overly complex control schemes and frustrating intro sequences that you pretty much have to sit through otherwise you are even more confused as to WTF is going on.

Course, that is if the 360 or PS3 don't die before the game even starts.

[Ji-L87]

I'm a retro gamer because it's a lot of fun. Really.
* The hardware's interesting, there's always some system or game you haven't heard about.
   I like cardridges, because they're cool and I like how you can play some CD games in your stereo. I enjoy how simple it is to get some game on, not a whole lot of splash or warning screens.
   Just pop in that game and flick that switch.

* You can, but doesn't have to, spend a fortune. Of course, there are many money sucking pitfalls you can get stuck in (I admit to having my feet buried in a few of those) like image
   perfection (scalers setups, PVM/BVM monitors), controller obsession (fighting/arcade sticks) or for example condition pickyness (complete with spinecard).

* I really like sprites. Not all of them, but when I see a well made or technically impressive sprite animation, I just feel something inside that polygon graphics rarely achieve.
   Love to pop my head into the Pixelation forums and see pixel stuff take shape and all that. It's art, really. Art that is easy to get, easy to study and easy to love.
   Not so keen on all the super low-res sprites I keep seeing everywhere tho'

* I like the music. This is a huge generalisation but I think music in modern gaming has gotten pretty boring. I want my soundtracks to be melodic, awesome and made for the game. EA and
   their licensed music makes me sad. Also, I enjoy 80s/90s music so that works out really well with retro gaming, especially those CD games.

* I like the artwork and general atmosphere. This is a bit hard to explain. It's about feels, man!
   I tend to pick up a lot of anime/manga-styled games and it's no coincidence since I like 80s/90s anime/manga as well. It's a way of drawing you don't really see. Also, the atmosphere is
   totally different than modern games. It's not good/bad thing, it's just different and I like it.

I like modern gaming too, but this is different and totally charming. 

[PikachuWarrior]

Yeah, I'm finding that I play more retro consoles than the modern ones, at least in the last 6-8 months. I'm currently on a SNES binge and I still find 2D games visually appealing. It's easier to spot a horrible looking 3D Polygonal game than it is a sprite-based one.

[Nando]

There is a huge list of games that I have never played and always wanted to.

[VestCunt]

I hate this crap. We used to get TurboGrafx gamers around here; either old timers rediscovering the system or recent converts. Now many of the the initiates refer to themselves as "retro gamers". At best, they're well-meaning generalists who don't know what the hell they like. At worst, they're serial collectors making the obligatory TurboGrafx stop in between Neo-Geo-is-too-Expensive Blues and buying a 120-game set at OGM-Sega-Made-a-System-Before-the-Genesis Station.

The main thing I hate about retro gaming is that it lumps my favorite consoles in with a bunch of bullshit ranging from Atari 2600 to Playstation. Yes, I feel more at home playing a Genesis than an Xbox, but I'm not a Genesis fan. My SNES library has barely grown since 1995 because I'm not a SNES nut either. The SNES games I have purchased are either Hudson titles or sequels to TG games. Maybe the 2600 is good; I don't know. Unlike some people, I'm not interested in plundering the previous generation's childhood. There are big differences between all of these old consoles. Retro gamers either don't notice or don't care because they'll buy anything that's old and popular.

[psychobear]

I don't know. Unlike some people, I'm not interested in plundering the previous generation's childhood. There are big differences between all of these old consoles. Retro gamers either don't notice or don't care because they'll buy anything that's old and popular.

I like this quote... This is true for me as we'll... 3 systems that sum up my childhood in gaming Turbo Grafx, SNES and NES. The rest I don't care much cause I didn't grow up with them and I have no memories of them I usually leave the other consoles alone... I hate that whole its old and popular and worth something crap mentality and it makes it hard for the real fans of the console to collect.. I see all these videos on YouTube of these fucks who only collect cause its rare and its worth money.. But never in the videos do they mention any gameplay or nothing else...

[MotherGunner]

I don't see anything wrong with the term retro at all.  Most of us old bastards in here are retro ourselves!

[Tatsujin]

Plug 'n' Play (aka have fun) - the secret of ancient gaming

[TR0N]

If you can call it retro gaming i don't know.Mostly when i go back to playing a older console such as the famicom,genesis,pce or neo-geo it is for the nostalgia.When i play those console i get those flashbacks,where i was at when i first played them.The other reason being when ever i want some thing simple to play.

[Arkhan Asylum]

retro implies you got into it retroactively.

There are a lot of dumbasses who do that.

My favorite still are the ones who were alive when this stuff was current, barely gave it any attention, but now they're like, armed to the teeth with nintendo/sega clothing/pins/stickers/etc, but can't tell you who the fuck Mallow is and they've never heard of Rocket Knight Adventures.

Get bent, rookies.  You're ~15 years behind because when you were a kid you were playing with tinker toys and super soakers instead of Contra and Battletoads.



The only time I played with toys basically was when

A) The power was out.  Flashlights + Dinosaurs + GI Joes = hilarious
B) My sister was playing something.  Usually she was fucking off trying to figure out the first level of Ecco, or trying to play Sports Talk Baseball but she sucked at it.
C) I was grounded from the video games for mouthing off, lol.


Or, I'd do both.

Shining Force!  LAUNCH THE GI JOE MISSILES WHILE THE BATTLE ANIMATIONS WERE GOING. 

[CGQuarterly]

I am a retro gamer because it's what I grew up on.

I fully believe that our teenage years our are most "impressionable" part of our life. For me most of the late 8 bit and all of the 16 bit years was right in that period of time.

I agree with this 100%.  The decade of my youth from 10-20 was book-ended by the NES on one end, and the PSX on the other, with the Genesis, a little bit of SNES, a ton of DOS gaming, and some trips to the arcade in between.  And those are all my favorite systems.  16-bit games and 16-bit era DOS games are my favorites, so although I didn't have a Turbo back then, I love playing it now because it's from the same time period and the games have the same flavor as those that I grew up on.

I have newer systems, like a PS2, Dreamcast, Xbox 360, and Wii, but I almost never touch them.  These days, I just vacillate between Genesis and Turbo, mostly.  With a little bit of NES sprinkled in for good measure.

Chris

[MotherGunner]

Ark, not everyone who was a pre-teen around the TG launch could afford such an expensive hobby (even then) as Turbo.  I think you correct on the rest.   On a side note, I wish I did spend more time on a super soaker as I needed the exercise!

[Arkhan Asylum]

Ark, not everyone who was a pre-teen around the TG launch could afford such an expensive hobby (even then) as Turbo.  I think you correct on the rest.   On a side note, I wish I did spend more time on a super soaker as I needed the exercise!

Yeah, but everyone who was a preteen should have played games and shit.   The ones who got into it for srs as adults are comical because theyre all dopey.

[SuperDeadite]

"retro gamer" is a stupid title really.  I play games that are fun.  If a game isn't fun, I don't play it.  What one person finds truly fun is about as subjective as it gets.  It's like asking me which women I want to fuck and which I don't.  I look at a woman and either get a boner or I don't.  There really is no choice involved.

[turbokon]

Yeah, he hit the nail right on the head regarding every aspect as to why I'm a retro gamer. I occasionally power up the current generations for fighting games and old school style shootem up like Raiden, etc.

[420GOAT]

i feel like a kid again! and there is a goal to be had unlike many games today that never end and are just time wasters. i banned minecraft in my house since there is no end. my kids know my rule, they can only play if there is a finish to it and it is not above 10yrs requirement.

[VestCunt]

Get bent, rookies. 

This would be a much better caption than your current one.

[TurboCro]

I am a retro gamer because it's what I grew up on.

I fully believe that our teenage years our are most "impressionable" part of our life. For me most of the late 8 bit and all of the 16 bit years was right in that period of time.

That's why I prefer that era of gaming. Sit me down in front of a NES, PCE or Megadrive and a handful of good games and I will play for hours on end.


Stick me in front of a PS3 or 360 and I would be lucky to make it past most games training/intro level.

Is it true that polygons killed gaming? 

[Arkhan Asylum]

ohhh ohhhh

I met yo' childrens
dohohoahohoo

what did you tell them!

Polygons killed the video star!

dudrhrpdrudrpdrpdrpdrp!

[Todd Gill]

Is it true that polygons killed gaming? 

It's true. It's damn true!

[turbokon]

Except in the case of sapphire:)

[TheClash603]

yeah i cant sit through even a long opening segment on most games lol

You ever try to play Metal Gear Solid 4?  WTF was that shit!?!?

I played the first MGS and thought it was overrated and boring.  I sat out parts 2 and 3 because of that feeling, but figured I'd give it a try again at MGS 4.  Hardly a game, more like a movie.  If that is what I wanted, I would've put on The Great Pyramid and at least learned something.

[esteban]

[Edmond Dantes]

yeah i cant sit through even a long opening segment on most games lol

You ever try to play Metal Gear Solid 4?  WTF was that shit!?!?

I played the first MGS and thought it was overrated and boring.  I sat out parts 2 and 3 because of that feeling, but figured I'd give it a try again at MGS 4.  Hardly a game, more like a movie.  If that is what I wanted, I would've put on The Great Pyramid and at least learned something.

The MGS games have their educational moments too...

And the second is one of my favorite games of all time. But the third one killed the series IMO.

But as for retro gaming, most of the reasons stated go for me as well.  Particularly the relative simplicity and "pick-up-and-play" mentality.  Even RPGs, a genre where you're supposed to get "immersed," I find most modern ones are more like an anime series that they did as a game for some reason, while the older ones were, well, actually GAMES.  Shallow and simplistic games as often as not, but at least I'm actively participating in the story and not just watching an anime.

(Not that I mind watching an anime... but there is nothing quite as galling as being on a thirty-minute-long cutscene which you can neither pause nor skip, and then you have to go to the bathroom)

[Tatsujin]

FPS DU JOUR

[PCEngineHell]

I really dont have much respect for Japanese game companies these days. Things for them really went down hill after the 360 hit and pc type gaming became possible and affordable for casual people who only want gamepads. I think back in simpler times the Japanese were able to do more with a "less is more" approach, and they really strived where as we did not. Other then Atari and Midway, I mean seriously, you couldn't take many American companies seriously outside of pc gaming. The Japanese really dominated the 8 to 32-bit console scene and had their shit together. Now its a reversal, the only Japanese company to do really well game wise is Nintendo, due to their core properties not being fucked with as much, Zelda, Metroid, and Mario.

If Sega had been as conservative as Nintendo with its franchises it wouldn't be in the shape its in today. And Namco/Bandi, don't get me started there. It was a pure money decision, and now they are a pure money machine, all they care about is tossing garbage out and grabbing whatever profits they can . They dont really produce many quality titles anymore like they used to back in the day when they focused on arcade gaming. Back in the 80-90s and early PS2 days Namco was a quality company, as was Hudson, Konami, Capcom, Sammy, SNK, etc. Now most of them are dead or suck and mainly outsource to upstarts. Many once strong franchises are now being ruined due to this.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love new stuff that's coming out like Black Ops 2, Bioshock, etc, but I've always liked this type of stuff to be pc specific, which is why I don't own or game on a 360 or PS3, and have no plans to buy a Wii-U. Seriously, that desire of the masses to have game machines play the same games as pc gamers were enjoying, it really killed the Japanese gaming companies ability to compete. Japans never had a strong ability to cope with large hollywood style productions, where as American companies have due to pc gaming fitting that mold for so long now. Large budgets, huge in depth stories, acting that isn't totally cheesy in cutscenes, high quality 3d graphics, etc.

If this stuff had stayed on pc, and console games being released were still relegated to mainly Japanese game company development, this situation wouldn't be what it is currently. Now many Japanese companies outsource to game developers in other countries. Alas, the rest of the world spoke, and what they wanted was systems putting out the same games pc users were enjoying, as that's what everyone wants to play now. The Wii really was the last system to enjoy a large original non-pc related library. Now you have many of us older gamers falling back on what we enjoyed playing in our youth because we are unsatisfied with the current situation, and a few younger gamers here or there looking for something other then whats being done currently also.

[Tatsujin]

100% WERD!

[Arkhan Asylum]

The Wii U does look like it is going to have its own share of stuff you wouldn't ever see on a PC, so things are looking up there at least.

One thing PCs suck ass at doing, is your standard platforming games. 

[NecroPhile]

What is 'retro'?!?  It's still 1993 in my home, with a closet full of flannel shirts, a fridge full of zima and crystal pepsi, and Turbobs on the tube.

[Arkhan Asylum]

What is 'retro'?!?  It's still 1993 in my home, with a closet full of flannel shirts, a fridge full of zima and crystal pepsi, and Turbobs on the tube.

and you're listening to Nirvana

[PCEngineHell]

What is 'retro'?!?  It's still 1993 in my home, with a closet full of flannel shirts, a fridge full of zima and crystal pepsi, and Turbobs on the tube.

and you're listening to Nirvana

Even in 1993 I didn't listen to Nirvana. They sounded whiney.

[turbokon]

Damn professor, where did you get your P.H.D. from;)

[kazekirifx]

retro implies you got into it retroactively.

No, I really don't think it does. Don't get so caught up on terminology.
Are you sure you're not just trying to make yourself feel bigger than the come-lately kiddies?

[esteban]

FPS DU JOUR

I knew someone would appreciate that.