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Few words like ‘retro’ echo amongst the hallowed grounds of gaming forums. Those who yearn for better days know how powerful the feeling of nostalgia can be. In video games, this element of nostalgia is especially prominent because games are a fully loaded time capsule of sorts. Old titles might not look as good as their modern-day counterparts. They may appear to have weird sound, pixelated graphics, and lower performance.
Nevertheless, more and more gamers are looking for vintage consoles and games to play on them. The reasons behind this trend are manifold. Some want to experience classic gaming firsthand because they’ve heard so much about it from the representatives of the older generation. Others want to revive childhood memories and re-experience fun moments in the era of VR gaming.
And some are just eager to pay tribute to the titles that have long become legends of the video game industry. And in today’s post, we’re going to answer such questions as ‘What is a retro game?’, “What is the cutoff between retro and simply antiquated?”, “Why do people actually fall for retro games” and many others. So, let’s jump right into it.
What is Retro?
‘Retro gaming’ is an expression that can be widely heard in the circles of avid classic gamers. Perhaps, some of your friends who are into arcade or vintage console gaming also talk about retro gaming and suggest that you try it.
In most gamers’ experience, any game console that was made before the time they were teenagers can be safely called retro. So, if you’re in your 20s, the PS1 or Nintendo 64 was the last retro console. If you’re in your 30s, though, it might be the SNES, and so on and so forth. We’re generalizing, of course, but this often seems to be the case.
Beyond purely aesthetic features, the factor of time is obviously the clear driving force of what ‘retro’ is. If a game is simply looking dated, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it can resonate with gamers on that nostalgic level. But, as both experts and gamers agree, retro games are those games that were created 15-20 years ago and earlier. Some might disagree with this, of course, and note that 2006 wasn’t some dim and distant past. But what we normally suggest in such a case is to recall the cell phone you were using back then. We bet it’s not something you’re holding in your hands now while reading this post! This means that any console game you or other people played in the so-called pre-YouTube and social media era can be considered retro or old-school.
What is Special About Retro?
Vintage items and retro things are suggestive of the good old days, where those who own them were happy. No wonder people tend to acquire antique furniture, get vinyl records, and scour abandonware websites for some vintage cartridges or UMDs. Owning a retro item like a console from the golden age of video gaming is akin to having a heartwarming reminder that there’s a place where you belong.
And this place is a fascinating realm inhabited by courageous, fun, and cool characters like Mario, Link, Kirby, and others that will never let you get bored. It’s the inherent magic of retro games that makes players happier. Captivating storylines, engaging gameplay, lovely characters, and the very atmosphere of retro fun turns your every old-school gaming session into an unforgettable experience.
So, if you get your preferred vintage console or install a dedicated emulator to play games on a third-party device, you will be able to experience a bright palette of emotions no modern games can evoke!
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