You know what I just LOVE about classic gaming?

[Steven]

At the end of a long, hard, productive day, being able to set aside 30-45 minutes and just escape away from it all for a bit with a classic game you adore (whether for the 1st time or 1000th time)... there's no feeling like it. Especially with older games, there's a charming innocence about it... almost like you're stepping into a time portal and revisiting your childhood. It's just pure magic.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way! Video games don't talk back, don't have bills to be paid (except the first time of course, but then, you're scotch free and in the clear), don't need to be walked or fed, you just press start and enjoy. It's the gift that keeps on giving and never asks for a thing back in return. Of course, moderation is important, but handled correctly, video games are a great source of entertainment and a small sip of that "youth fountain."

I especially love going through a heralded RPG for the first time, since no other genre produces escapism like the RPG. God bless retro gaming!

[SparTonberry]

Video games don't talk back,

They love to kick your ass, though. Sometimes fairly, sometimes not.

[Steven]

They love to kick your ass, though. Sometimes fairly, sometimes not.

Haha, 'tis true! DKC2: DKQ kicked my ass up and down...

[The Adventurer]

I especially love going through a heralded RPG for the first time, since no other genre produces escapism like the RPG.

Adventure games would like to have a word with you... all the story and character development without the tedious grinding.

[Red Earth]

im a few weeks away from turning 30 and the games i played growing up still haven't lost their charm really is just like a time portal.

[IHatedSega]

Video games dont judge me, but they do kill me a lot.

[Collector_Gaming]

Video games dont judge me, but they do kill me a lot.

They give ya that appeal when they kick your ass and kill ya they restart and almost like they telling you. "wanna try again bro". Almost feels like that older brother that pushes ya to be tougher

[MrJacu]

yeah... but thinking about it, you say about the great, the ones you stick with all your life... but what about the bad ones. I still pop my nes, snes and 64 like the old days and have a great time with my favorite games, and for time to time you have to go down with the bad too.

well its not that bad, but after finishing once again the legend of zelda and go for the legeng of zelda majoras mask its when you really appreciate the best

[sneekyweezel]

Now that I'm in my mid thirties and have been through just about EVERY system in between Atari 2600
to ps3(turbografx 16 on up) I can say I've missed quite a few games (don't know how)- but since I got Mame and all my other emulators, been getting to play through them now- it rules.

[j1e]

At the end of a long, hard, productive day, being able to set aside 30-45 minutes and just escape away from it all for a bit with a classic game you adore (whether for the 1st time or 1000th time)... there's no feeling like it. Especially with older games, there's a charming innocence about it... almost like you're stepping into a time portal and revisiting your childhood. It's just pure magic.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way! Video games don't talk back, don't have bills to be paid (except the first time of course, but then, you're scotch free and in the clear), don't need to be walked or fed, you just press start and enjoy. It's the gift that keeps on giving and never asks for a thing back in return. Of course, moderation is important, but handled correctly, video games are a great source of entertainment and a small sip of that "youth fountain."

I especially love going through a heralded RPG for the first time, since no other genre produces escapism like the RPG. God bless retro gaming!

Amen, brother! I'm also in my mid-30's, and there's nothing like retro gaming And for some reason, especially at this time of the year. Quality post!

[kedawa]

I've played through Actraiser every year around xmas time since I got it as a gift over twenty years ago, and I love it just as much now as I did as a kid.

[Ace]

For me, sitting down with a game that was not released on the Nintendo 64 or anything 6th-gen or 7th-gen is discovering what I missed in the evolution of video games, and there are so many more games that are actually appealing to me on 5th-gen and older consoles than with any other console generation (save for the PlayStation 2 as it's the console I have the most amount of games for alongside the NES). Thanks to classic gaming, I've discovered so many games and entire series I like, some of which were released even before I was born.

This is the beauty of classic gaming for me: discovering the games I never got to play when they were new because I was either too young or not even born.

[RJ]

[Video games] don't need to be walked or fed, you just press start and enjoy. It's the gift that keeps on giving and never asks for a thing back in return.

I'm a retro gamer fan all the way but did you really compare them to having a pet? Our family dog shows constant unconditional love. & in that same 30-45 min you set aside for gaming, you & a pet can both enjoy as well as benefit from a walk.

I suppose you bought a pet rock way back when...


Oh yes, it's "scot" free, not "scotch" free.

[treismac]

There's plenty to love with retro gaming.

* The Time Machine Effect.
Playing games from my childhood taps into my storehouse of memories. Much of the physical landscape of my childhood may be gone but up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a remains eternal along with all of the memories of my friends who helped me defeat Red Falcon.

* The Time Machine Effect II- the Biff and Sports Almanac Factor.
Whenever I discover a new game, system, or controller it's like me "fixing" my gaming past.

"Man, I always wanted to play _____!"

"Why didn't Konami bring Crisis Zone to America? This game rocks!"

"How did I miss this amazing game as a kid?"

Also, I love beating old games of mine that I never had the fortitude to finish as a kid.

* Interactive History
It's satisfying to learn about as a subject firsthand. Video games are different than many subjects in that you can interact with them in ways not accessible to many subjects or hobbies. A Civil War buff can visit battlefields, collect artifacts, read books, watch documentaries, and take part in reenactments. A gamer fascinated with the 16-Bit Wars can pop in Sonic, Super Mario World, and a host of other games from the Genesis and SNES and actually return to the active battlefield preserved in the cartridges (and roms) and take up arms, then read up on it and watch some videos on it. The more research you do, the more you benefit from the Biff Sports Almanac Factor.

[Steven]

^ Great post! Exactamundo! It's why I love playing old favorites for the 200th time, why I love discovering gems I missed out on back in the day and why I love the "redemptive chance" at right 15+ year wrongs by finally playing Game X. Either one of those 3 are just flat out awesome experiences.

I'm a retro gamer fan all the way but did you really compare them to having a pet? Our family dog shows constant unconditional love. & in that same 30-45 min you set aside for gaming, you & a pet can both enjoy as well as benefit from a walk.

I suppose you bought a pet rock way back when...

Oh yes, it's "scot" free, not "scotch" free.

Heh, you're right, I wrote that bit in haste a bit, for sure. Nope, I never had a dog growing up (but always wanted to). Oops on the scotch thing. That's what I get for posting in the wee hours of the morning... :P