How do you define "Classic Gaming"?

[digitalpress]

Last weekend I had a reporter over to the house to talk about vintage gaming, get a look at what a game collection looks like, and discuss various aspects of both classic gaming and collecting.

He asked a number of interestnig questions that I have my own opinion on, that I told him would vary depending on who he asked.

One of those questions was "what is a classic game?".

Now we've had conversations like this before, there are several schools of thought that I described to him:

1. The classic gaming era ended when the market crashed in 1984.
2. Classic gaming includes anything that is 10 (or x number of) years old or more.
3. Classic gaming includes anything that is no longer being sold retail.
4. Classic gaming is everything... it's about games that are or will be timeless, regardless of how old they are right now.

I explained my point of view (#4) in more detail. There is a steep curve that is very high in the 70's and 80's, declines sharply in the 90's, and is very low since 2000. That curve represents the number of games I would call "classic".

What do you think?

[Sniderman]

Hmmm...interesting question. I initially though of anything released before the crash of '84.

But then it dawned on me that the NES - which I *do* consider a classic system - came out post-crash. So I believ my gut tells me "Anything from the NES and earlier."

[omnedon]

I think it's number 4.

It doesn't have to be old to be classic!

...but it often is

[Ed Oscuro]

I think it's number 4.

It doesn't have to be old to be classic! LOL

...but it often is

Well said :)

Games haven't gotten worse than they used to be...but it's easy for titles to fall through the cracks into obscurity these days. I think that in upcoming years we won't be talking about many PS2 games even if they can be found cheaply...something about the old games (maybe that they're easier to comprehend, who knows?) makes them seem more "classic."

[hydr0x]

classic = everything can be classic but not every old game is
retro = everything not current-gen

[Keir]

I see classic and vintage gaming as 2 different things. Vintage games basically include 8-bit and earlier systems. A classic game is anything that retains the "feel" of those vintage games in its gameplay and/or graphics, etc. Obviously classic games are still released today, but they become less common as time goes by. I don't think it has any connection to the quality of a game either. A game can be classic and still suck.

[Oobgarm]

I think that 'classic' is whatever seems nostalgic to you as an individual. Everyone has different things that trigger the nostalgia emotion for them.

A more definite answer: anything 8 bit and prior, or everything covered in the DP7 guide.

[digitalpress]

I see classic and vintage gaming as 2 different things. Vintage games basically include 8-bit and earlier systems. A classic game is anything that retains the "feel" of those vintage games in its gameplay and/or graphics, etc. Obviously classic games are still released today, but they become less common as time goes by.

I agree, in fact this could be an extension of rule #4

Not sure I understand the separation of vintage and classic though. Why separate them?

I don't think it has any connection to the quality of a game either. A game can be classic and still suck.

I agree again, though consider this.

I would consider any RCA Studio II game "classic", even though I think every game on the console sucks.

I would only consider the very best of PlayStation games "classic".

I think the suck factor evaporates over time, so perhaps I have a little of the "age matters" mentality in my personal theory after all.

[YoshiM]

Hmmmm. Interesting thoughts.

I see something as "classic" when it makes a milestone or shines like a beacon amongst the other like titles out there. Typically one can't really see something as "classic" until some time has passed so you can make comparisons with newer games. However many people lump "old" with "classic" and that just ain't so. I agree with Keir about "vintage". There are a LOT of vintage games but they aren't classic.

[rolenta]

My definition will be in an upcoming issue of Manci Games!

[tynstar]

I agree with #4 but all games NES and older are classics. Just some of them are classic crap.

[Keir]

I see classic and vintage gaming as 2 different things. Vintage games basically include 8-bit and earlier systems. A classic game is anything that retains the "feel" of those vintage games in its gameplay and/or graphics, etc. Obviously classic games are still released today, but they become less common as time goes by.

I agree, in fact this could be an extension of rule #4

Not sure I understand the separation of vintage and classic though. Why separate them?

What I was trying to say is that vintage is a subset of classic.

[Mayhem]

I follow #4 and hydr0x's definition. There's a similar argument going on over on the AtariAge boards funnily enough. "Classic" to me means something which is or will be fondly remember now or in the future as not only a great game, but one people want to keep playing and have kept playing. It doesn't matter how old it is, be it Defender, Wizball, Goldeneye or Halo. Classic <> retro in my book. Retro IS a part definition of something old, or from previous generations (which by that token would mean PS1 still!). Of course we have our own take on it. Retro in my eyes is something from at least 2 generations ago, so currently that would go up to SNES and Megadrive (Genesis).

[IntvGene]

Classic is indeed a word that gets overused and misused alot, probably by everyone (me included). Here's what one of the online dictionary (M-W) had... I've edited a bit to get rid of the non-essential parts of the definition:

1 a : serving as a standard of excellence : of recognized value b : traditional, enduring

2 : of or relating to the ancient Greeks and Romans or their culture

3 a : historically memorable b : noted because of special literary or historical associations

4 a : authentic, authoritative b : typical

5 capitalized : of or relating to the period of highest development of Mesoamerican and especially Mayan culture about A.D. 300-900


Now, I agree first off with Oobgarm that classic is different for everyone.

I see important parts of those above definitions to me that apply to "classic games"... games that are enduring, pass a standard of excellence, relate to a certain time or culture (often involving the highest development of that culture.. ahem.. 80's), historically memorable or unique.

My definition includes all of these, and I sort of cringe whenever I hear "it doesn't have to be old to be classic". I think that a time period definitely has to pass so that it can be judged in history, along with the consoles and games of the time, and those that preceeded it. I think that it's tough to do that until, say the system is dead for a bit.

[RetroYoungen]

I'd also go with #4. There definately are modern day classics, like GTA III, Ikaruga, Prince of Persia: SoT, and even going back a short ways to an era many would refer to as neo-classic, like Super Mario World, Final Fantasy II and III, and Uniracers.

It doesn't have to be old to be classic!

[Kid Ice]

I hold firmly to definition #1. For me, the Colecovision was the last classic console (OK maybe the Vectrex) and Robotron was the last classic arcade game.

In my mind, the NES and arcade games like Gauntlet and Spy Hunter started a definitive new era in gaming that I would not regard as "classic".

Part of this is me showing my age. I remember the crash and how it appeared that videogames were "over". It seemed at the time that they would never be back. So that whole pre-crash era is like a closed book to me, and definitively classic.

[le geek]

I think a classic game has to either be:

A) X amount of years old. So for example all Saturn games, Early Playstation Games, probably not Dreamcast games (yet!). This has to do with games that feel different than the current generation, for example Jumping Flash and Tomb Raider were still early forays into how to do 3-D games and play differently than games made today. I guess you could argue that the Resident Evil series is somewhat classic, since they haven't updated the controls!

B) made in a classic style. At this point any 2-D game fits the bill. Before that any games with single screens and arcade like goals (vs. the Super Mario mold of go to the right and fight the "Boss")

Cheers,
Ben

[Ed Oscuro]

I would consider any RCA Studio II game "classic", even though I think every game on the console sucks.

This is more a difference on opinion regarding the English language. I like to say that the common usage of a word defines the language, not the other way around. As we see various old movies referred to as "classics," but others evade this description, it's safe to assume that some old movies aren't considered classics. I'm certainly willing to do the same for some stuff like that RCA system...it has an unimpressive game library and just doesn't meet the common definition of the word "classic."

I agree with the Retrogaming Roundtable credo of "It doesn't have to be old to be classic!"

[LazingBlazers]

Classic to me is something that is long out of production and that holds a high sentimental value to you.

When you think of the game/system/whathaveyou in question, it is instantly synonomous with the word classic.

Otherwise I agree with #4, but after something has been played and then put back on the shelf for a period of time. Eventually you'll come back to it because it really is a classic. In the past it was just a great game.

[Sph1nx]

classic = everything can be classic but not every old game is
retro = everything not current-gen

Never though it it like that... but it's a good description. I've usually thought of anything not current gen as classic... but I guess retro is a better description. Classic is esentially "timeless".