why retro?

[Iron Draggon]

with modern consoles now offering retro games through emulation, and thus the best of both worlds, why do you still prefer retro consoles over modern consoles?

for me, it's the nostalgic authenticity of playing official retro software on official retro hardware... and knowing that many people simply download ROMS illegally (IE: they do so without already owning the original ROMS) which they play on PC's or modded modern consoles, and in the process they experience software glitches that don't occur when playing original ROMS on original hardware... of course that doesn't always happen with every ROM played through emulation, but the fact that it does happen sometimes fills me with pure joy every time I enjoy playing a retro game without any glitches

also, the current crop of modern consoles may offer a legal alternative to downloading ROMS illegally, but they still don't offer the authentic nostalgia of playing original official software on original official hardware... it may all be official, but it's not all original... and so it's still just not the same for me

but don't get me wrong... I think it's great that modern consoles are now offering affordable alternatives to those interested in retro gaming who simply don't have enough funds and/or enough patience to spend all the time and money required to track down and purchase original software and hardware

so I applaud modern console makers for recognizing the growing demand for retro games, and making them affordable and accessible to new players who would never get to experience them otherwise... and I give them extra props for doing so while offering those same players the best gaming that modern technology can offer... it truly is the best of both worlds, even if their retro worlds are still less authentic than original software on original hardware

however, as much as I love what modern gaming has to offer now, it still just doesn't compare to what the modern gaming of yesteryear had to offer... so I do all my modern gaming on the PC, and I do all my retro gaming on original hardware

I do love modern games every bit as much as I love retro games, but there's still something extra special about retro games that sets them apart from modern games... I guess it's the classic look and feel of retro graphics that really does it for me... I love the enhanced realism of 3D games with more detailed graphics that retro consoles could never handle, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for 2D games with less detailed graphics... I just have a much higher appreciation for the artistic qualities of such games, as well as their technical qualities, which required far more creative programming

what about you?

[MrSparkle]

To put it simply, theres nothing like the real thing. you can simulate, and emulate, and copy as much as you want. But playing your games on the systems they were made for, on the controllers it was made for, with the old school video output that it used is the way to go. Same reason some people prefer vinyl, its more authentic and you just cant simulate it no matter how hard you might try. Besides it lends itself well to my pack-rat collector mentality. 1000 of ROMs not impressive, bookshelf upon bookshelf stuffed with games from yesteryear pretty damned impressive (to me and most of you at least, some people do look at me like I'm crazy)

[darkslime]

Its just a cool feeling to play them on the system they were made for, and they're fun and a lot cheaper to collect than new games. Its alot more fun to collect for them because you actually have to go on a hunt to the flea market or ebay instead of just going to wal mart with new games.

I like playing new games just as much as retro games though.

[Astrosmash]

I guess I'm just a bit of a purist. I appreciate Virtual Console-type stuff as a good way to keep older games alive and introduce them to new audiences, but for me, there's nothing like playing the real games on the real equipment. I also like having a physical object to collect, rather than just a disembodied game file on a hard drive/in memory.

[j_factor]

I actually don't really care about the nostalgia/purism angle. I don't care about playing it on "the system they were meant for", and I don't care about the controller if there are decent control options for the new stuff. My main thing is that I just don't like not having a physical copy of every game. That, plus the fact that it's not like every game is available on the Virtual Console.

[SurfKahuna]

To put it simply, theres nothing like the real thing. you can simulate, and emulate, and copy as much as you want. But playing your games on the systems they were made for, on the controllers it was made for, with the old school video output that it used is the way to go.

Same deal for me. I have a full romset for almost every system. However, I continue to collect games. I have a PowerPak for my NES, but I hit Play N Trade, Goodwill, and other mom and pop shops every week to find NES carts. Heck, this is even why I went an purchased an original Street Fighter arcade cabinet. Sure, an X-Arcade is great with MAME, but MAME is not 100% dead-on. My video card doesn't hit the proper resolution/scanline ratio to take me back 15+ years. I could purchase a specific Arcade-emulation video card, but that would have cost the same as the arcade cabinet! You know?

[Dangerboy]

Because a GameCube controller is piss poor excuse for an Intellivision Disc controller.

Go INTV BOWLING!

Disc Pad thug for life! ^o^

[HYB]

I agree with everyone, while I do like playing games on the consoles they were meant to (except bc consoles -ps2), I just like having them on hand. I can play chrono trigger on a comp but I have to have it in my shelf sooner or later. Also the nostalgia factor is higher when playing on older consoles, it just feels so right.

[Mimi Nakamura]

My main thing is that I just don't like not having a physical copy of every game.

Couldn't agree more. I need something that I can hold and touch.

[kupomogli]

I'll never pay for a digital copy. If it's a game I like, either I'll already own it, I'll buy from a store whether import or domestic, or I'll have to bid on it on various areas like ebay(which is rarely something I'll do.)

I don't own Mega Man 9 or Bionic Commando Rearmed and I don't ever intend to unless they are released to a UMD, Blu Ray, or DVD disc.

[otaku]

My latest example is the neo geo aes. I could emulate much much more cheaply. But this is history, this is where it started this is how it was meant to be played. I love the huge carts (hell I love any carts but these things are godly!) and the system is so sleek and cool. Emulation just doesn't feel as good never has never will

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

As much as I love emulatiuon and having "collections" on one disc/drive/cartridge/etc, I'm a big fan of the aesthetics of retro consoles/controls.

However, I'm not a huge fan of low resolution or crappy output ... so where applicable I like to use any AV output options that retro consoles have available short of AV modding, which I'm not really skilled enough to do myself, and I have yet to meet and/or befrend anybody with said skills who will do that kind of thing for free on consoles I own that can support an AV mod.

When I ABSOLUTELY have to settle for RF I will, but that's my LEAST favorite thing about classic gaming on retro consoles.

... and for all of the gamers who won't buy games that don't have "physical copies" available ... are you all going to retire from gaming (or only play your back catalog) when the industry moves completely to digital distribution?

It's not a slight or a jab ... just a very legitimate question.

[Felixthegamer]

I don't mind not having the physical copy of the game so it is not that aspect for me. It is more about the feeling of playing the game the way I have played it all these years. If I grew up playing a certain game on a certain console, I like to play it that way now because it feels right. Even if the game was ported to multiple systems, I tend to go with what I had growing up and what I played.

[CosmicMonkey]

Every single home conversion of Garou: MotW and Last Blade 1 & 2 is flawed in some way. I can live with slight inaccuracies in the various Metal Slug ports, but not with the fighting games.

I have contemplated emulation in my more sensible moments, but nothing beats a real Home Cart system and those lovely big games.

[MrSparkle]

Same deal for me. I have a full romset for almost every system. However, I continue to collect games. I have a PowerPak for my NES, but I hit Play N Trade, Goodwill, and other mom and pop shops every week to find NES carts.


haha likewise ive got the powerpak and for about a day i was like well i guess this means i dont have to complete my nes collection. Haha collector mentality wins out again i still have the same drive to complete my nes collection even though i dont have to swap out carts anymore. BTW the powerpak is great but ive caught maybe like 30 emulation bugs in super mario bros 3 alone.

[Graham Mitchell]

In actuality, I prefer the emulated versions on the newer consoles. With the Wii, you can save anywhere (which means I don't have to finish Streets of Rage in one sitting) and the other machines have nice additions to their classics, like leaderboards, online play, achievements, etc. Plus, I really don't feel like making the investment to mod my classic machines to work better with the newer TV's. (Standard composite cable looks pretty blurry!)

But I keep the originals around because I like having the "library" for reference, I value the original packaging and artwork, and there's still a ton of games that aren't available on the newer consoles.

[PentiumMMX]

It all depends on the game; while I can easily enjoy Sonic 3 & Knuckles regardless of system, there's a few games that just aren't right when played on anything less than their original system (Sonic Adventure, for example).

[Astrosmash]

and for all of the gamers who won't buy games that don't have "physical copies" available ... are you all going to retire from gaming (or only play your back catalog) when the industry moves completely to digital distribution?

Can't speak for everyone of course, but when it comes to that I'm sure I'll just have to "get with the times." While I'm not a fan of the idea of digital distribution becoming the norm (for any media, not just games), it does seem that sooner or later that will become the norm.

I actually have bought a few digital releases, notably Mega Man 9 on Wii (it would be great if there was an actual box to display alongside the rest of the series carts/discs, but physical copy or not, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to play a new "8-bit" Mega Man game). I've also grabbed a few old arcade games off Xbox Live that I don't have on (or aren't available on) any compilations.

[Fuyukaze]

I like how no matter what new things they add to the new systems that can lock out or deleate the downloaded material on them, the old systems are exactly what they have been sense their release. No worries of getting locked out of your system, no worries about content being deleated, you know what to expect plain and simple. Also, the games tend to be cheaper on average for older systems then new. True, some genres of gaming can get expensive but on a whole, its cheaper.

[retro junkie]

You cannot duplicate the original feel, control, how the game looks, and plays, like it does on the original system, IMO. I don't think that I am a puriest when it comes to video games, but I like playing the real thing instead of the emulation.

I enjoy retro gaming and have not moved into the modern present generation of gaming systems. I really don't see myself moving into that direction. When I say that I am a retro gamer, I am saying that I am a serious retro gamer. I just love and enjoy those type of games and find them more appealing than any of the modern offerings. The only present generation of system that I own is a Nintendo DS. My favorite games for it are Geometry Wars: Galaxy, Retro Atari Classics, and Meteos.

[kupomogli]

As much as I love emulatiuon and
... and for all of the gamers who won't buy games that don't have "physical copies" available ... are you all going to retire from gaming (or only play your back catalog) when the industry moves completely to digital distribution?

It's not a slight or a jab ... just a very legitimate question.

I used to own a 360. I currently own a PS3, PSP, and DS as next gen systems.

Last time I've bought a game that wasn't DS or PSP was a few months ago. Currently everything else out looks bland or boring. Played Too Human at someone elses house, something I was going to keep the 360 for then decided not to. That wasn't so great though, so yeah. That and SC4(which sucks compared to SC2 were the last next gen games I've played.)

So to answer your question. On how much less enjoyable PS3 games and the XBOX360 games when I owned it from near release to earlier this year. Both systems have games that "mostly" suck compared to great games on a system like the PS2. FPS, some TPS, Dead Rising, and GTA4 are better or stack up to the games on GC, PS2, or XBOX games, but overall the majority of games have sucked.

So if gaming does go all digital then I won't be playing anything new. However, with the fact that games are taking dual layered DVDs, I doubt we'll end up seeing digital copies of games for a long long time.

[MrSparkle]

Let me drop an analogy bomb on you. Your childhood dog was one of your best friends (most likely lol). And all of a sudden RoboDog Inc is like hey we can recreate your childhood dog but better, faster, stronger, and with higher quality video output. I mean thats great and all (no it really isn't its a bit creepy) but its not going to replace Rex (that dog was a god damned saint!). Sometimes you just need your trusted friend who's been with you all along (or in this case your trusty console that hasn't quit kicking even after all these years.)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I used to own a 360. I currently own a PS3, PSP, and DS as next gen systems.

Last time I've bought a game that wasn't DS or PSP was a few months ago. Currently everything else out looks bland or boring. Played Too Human at someone elses house, something I was going to keep the 360 for then decided not to. That wasn't so great though, so yeah. That and SC4(which sucks compared to SC2 were the last next gen games I've played.)

So to answer your question. On how much less enjoyable PS3 games and the XBOX360 games when I owned it from near release to earlier this year. Both systems have games that "mostly" suck compared to great games on a system like the PS2. FPS, some TPS, Dead Rising, and GTA4 are better or stack up to the games on GC, PS2, or XBOX games, but overall the majority of games have sucked.

So if gaming does go all digital then I won't be playing anything new. However, with the fact that games are taking dual layered DVDs, I doubt we'll end up seeing digital copies of games for a long long time.

"So to answer your question..."

Um.

That couldn't have NOT answered my question any more than it did.

I wasn't asking for your opinion of the state or quality of games on modern systems.

[TheRealist50]

When I play retro games, I want it to be like when I was a kid. Original is always better. To be honest I'm not a huge game of the Virtual console or Xbox arcade unless its a game thats only released through the arcade (ie...Mega Man 9)

I have downloaded games like sonic and golden axe on xbox live though, but I don't like it.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I decided about two years ago that I wanted to start collecting classic games for all the old systems. I went through months of soul searching in order to decide between collecting the original hardware, or downloading the games onto the new systems or to the computer.

I went back and forth in my mind, and also did research on the Internet. I decided to go with collecting the original hardware. These were my reasons:

-Picking up a "new system controller" and picking an old game from a menu is not as fun as picking a cartridge off the shelf and placing it into the original system.

-Enjoying the artwork on the covers of cartridges and disk cases is part of the experience.

-Not everything is available to download, and sometimes there are glitches if you are talking about emulators

-I have warm memories of old games and original hardware, and wish to ignite some of those memories. It is like the difference between making mash potatoes made from scratch, or having them as a frozen microwave meal. The former brings back memories of cozy family meals, while the latter is not much of an experience at all

-Many games are more expensive if you download them to a virtual console. Original games however can be purchased in large lots off of E-bay for a much cheaper price. (I acknowledge there are a lot of games that are cheaper if you download them, and emulators are free)

-The price of the original hardware would eventually head down as more games become easy to find on the virtual consoles. (I'm not sure if this ever happened).

-I had concerns about what would happen if Nintendo, Sony, or X-box discontinued their download services, and I was also concerned about how many games I could download.

-I have fond memories of looking through gaming magazines such as EGM and seeing so many games and systems that I wanted, but could not afford. Now that I make enough money, I can fulfill those dreams. I don't think downloading them would have the same positive effect.

Of course, I also weighed the positive side of downloading:

-Slowdown, slowdown, slowdown. I hate it. Gradius 3 for the SNES is almost unplayable when you are using the original cartridge.

-The ability to not have to take out a mortgage to play MUSHA. etc.

-Old equipment breaks down over time. Sega CDs seem to be made of straw.

So that was my reasoning. I now have a video game room which has a whole wall full of systems. I enjoy going in there and just looking at the collection, even when I’m not playing them. I’m 33, and Retro gaming is part of my generation’s culture. I respect both sides of the issue, but for me, GIVE ME THE ORIGINAL STUFF! :-P

[MrSparkle]

when it comes to pc games im all about digital distribution as long as they provide you with the ability to redownload said content whenever you want for no additional fee. That makes it worth it in my mind as i can download my game onto any computer i want, i can redownload it after a format and not have to waste hundreds of additional gigs backing up setup files and isos. Plus looking through my vast library of pc games that i have in physical media alot of them are trashed, alot of them have lost their cases and thus their serials. I take much better care of these games than i used to but still its hard to argue against a format that cant be destroyed when comparing it to one that can. For example my rainbow 6 vegas disc is MINT like a damned mirror not a scratch or scuff on it but it only installed once and now it gives me CRC errors, So i can either take it back to gamestop and hope they can exchange it. Or the method i went with download the iso off thepiratebay and just use my serial. Now the second option incurs the risk of being sued by the company who will say that im not entitled to a digital backup, or that if i am i have to have made it myself. Spare me the hassle and just give me digital format for my pc games.

[SegaAges]

Hopefully all these digital retro games will make it cheaper for us to get the physical releases.

I am all for physical, but if I can't get physical, I will happily opt for digital (Braid, MegaMan 9, etc).

Here is a good example of physical versus digital.

My 2 older brothers know i am huge into games. Well look at my sig, one of the last games I played was Doom on 360. I own Doom on so many f'ing systems, and own the original cd version for pc, so why would I get the digital version? My brothers can't get their hands on a legal copy of Doom to play me online in 10 minutes flat, maybe less. They wanted to play some games with me, but don't have as many 360 games, and wanted to play something that was not uber complex. Doom was perfect. We all downloaded it (even if I own it for multiple other systems) and we played Doom until midnight last night.

Sometimes I download for convenience. Like Alien Hominid. I downloaded that for convenience. I could have tracked a copy down online, bought it, went through all my boxes to track down my cube or ps2, and then hooked that up and then had some alien hominid, or for the same price i could buy it and download it to my 360 and have it downloaded in like 10-20 minutes, instead of waiting multiple days.

I am really half and half, well, no, not really. I have over 50 360 games, and of those, only 12 or 13 are xbl games.

The way I see if, if I pay for it, it is mine. I don't care if it is on a 360 hard drive, my computer's hard drive, an optical drive, a dvd, a cartridge, either way, it is there, and hey, I do see xbl games being similar (in my eyes, MY EYES!) to loose carts. It would be like having a playchoice 10 or some type of modded system and saying that I shouldn't play a legit game on there because "it is not the original".

Hey, I love the old school controllers and all, but if it is a game I want and it is easier, faster, and cheaper to get it legally digitally, I will do just that.

I still love playing a SNES cart on an SNES, but if that option is not feasable for me, then I will get it from other means (legal means dudes).

I play Star Wars Galaxies. I own that game. I pay a fee to help them keep the servers up. If I wanted a choice for an online/offline rpg, I would play Phantasy Star Universe (or go buy it).

[Leo_A]

with modern consoles now offering retro games through emulation, and thus the best of both worlds, why do you still prefer retro consoles over modern consoles?


Last I checked, 99.5% of this stuff from the 70's through the 90's isn't available in any shape or form on modern consoles, with little prospect of ever appearing. I'm not about to give up on a classic console because 1/10th of 1% of it's library is available in modern form.

So kind of a easy question to answer for me.

[j_factor]

As much as I love emulatiuon and having "collections" on one disc/drive/cartridge/etc, I'm a big fan of the aesthetics of retro consoles/controls.

However, I'm not a huge fan of low resolution or crappy output ... so where applicable I like to use any AV output options that retro consoles have available short of AV modding, which I'm not really skilled enough to do myself, and I have yet to meet and/or befrend anybody with said skills who will do that kind of thing for free on consoles I own that can support an AV mod.

When I ABSOLUTELY have to settle for RF I will, but that's my LEAST favorite thing about classic gaming on retro consoles.

What difference does it make, if the console in question is Atari VCS or something? The way I see it, with the notable exception of the Turbo, every console already supports AV output options that are plenty considering the graphics of the system. You only have to settle for RF on pre-crash systems.


... and for all of the gamers who won't buy games that don't have "physical copies" available ... are you all going to retire from gaming (or only play your back catalog) when the industry moves completely to digital distribution?

It's not a slight or a jab ... just a very legitimate question.

That is a very good question. For starters, I think that this is actually further away than a lot of people are saying, but I do think it will happen eventually. But actually, I guess I've already made up my mind on this, based on Wiiware and other games that are only available digitally. If it's a game I'm really interested in, I will reluctantly download it, if no other options are available. But, I'm less likely overall to buy such games. So I guess, when the industry goes to digital distribution, I will begrudgingly go along with it, but I'll be buying fewer games, and I'll be less "into it" in general.

I do have a small handful of Virtual Console games. Half of them are games that cost way too much on their original systems (Bonk III for example). I would still prefer to get these games in physical form, but due to the price they go for, I know I won't be acquiring them anytime soon, so the download is essentially just "better than nothing". The other half are N64 games, which I download for two reasons: they're significantly better graphically than the original carts, and I don't own or plan to get an N64.

I guess I'm not against VC-style things if it involves a system that I don't own, and don't really want, but still has a handful of games that interest me. If they were to put Jaguar games on the Virtual Console, I would probably download a couple. But actually, this kind of goes back to the OP, and one of the reasons for retro systems: a ton of stuff isn't available to (legally) download, and won't be anytime in the near future.

[modest9797]

For me it is the fun of waking up early on a Sunday morning going to my local flea market and enjoying their awsome breakfast sandwiches and taking a look around for some video games.

[Steven]

What a lot of ppl have already stated...

1. Nostalgia

2. 'Purity' of owning the real thing, real controller in hand

3. Just something about buying all these old games I always wanted to play/own as a kid, but never could or had the opportunity... is a very cool feeling. One guy once said it's like he's "fulfilling his childhood dreams." I like the feeling of reclaiming bits and pieces of my childhood, because I loved that time so much, and the games that came out during that period. The 16-Bit Age was the best gaming era ever IMHO

Just sweet owning all these games and having a library to select from. Sorry, I just am not interested in today's games. Sure I'm missing out on Okami, Dead Space, whatever... but I'm cool; got plenty of unplayed gems left to discover that 15 years ago I wanted so badly to play but didn't have the means. How can you beat that? It's nice to have a stable backlog that is NOT increasing but RATHER decreasing as the months and years go on :)

You can't play 'em all I always say, so play what interest you most. I know what interests ME most, and I stick to that. It's a great way of keeping the flame going. When you feel overwhelmed, I feel that's when it's easiest to "burn out." It's all about simplifying, managing and moderation

[MrSparkle]

not owning a 360 i'm wondering do they tag your digital game copies by your xbox live account? Say for example your xbox 360 harddrive dies and you get a new one, can you redownload these games for no charge?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

What difference does it make, if the console in question is Atari VCS or something? The way I see it, with the notable exception of the Turbo, every console already supports AV output options that are plenty considering the graphics of the system. You only have to settle for RF on pre-crash systems.

Yeah. Mostly pre-crash stuff.

I don't mind the graphical limitations of a system like Atari, Intellivision, Coleco, etc. ... and when they're displayed with decent fidelity via AV I think they usually look pretty great.

There's nothing worse than having to deal with rolling lines or color bleed on a high-def set due to bad RF output.

It is a minor quibble.

[MrSparkle]

I don't really tend to upgrade the av output of 8bit systems. I find that a certain amount of blurriness helps to smooth out the very pixel intensive formats used in those days. 16 bit systems like the genesis do look a hell of alot better with svideo, or at least composite though.

[SegaAges]

not owning a 360 i'm wondering do they tag your digital game copies by your xbox live account? Say for example your xbox 360 harddrive dies and you get a new one, can you redownload these games for no charge?

Yes, you can.

You can even recover your gamertag on a completely different 360 and redownload all of your games.

My roommate did it when he got his new 360.

[MarioMania]

On the old Hardware for me...I like playing ZSNES & others on the PC, But sometimes I go and play it on the real hardware