The Popularity Of Retro Gaming Explained

Retro Gaming is big business and has been popular for some time now. The current generation of gamers are playing the games from way back when either as remastered versions or the originals. But why is retro gaming so popular?

Simplicity

Retro games are all about simplicity. No tutorials are needed, no need learning how to operate a dual analogue gamepad, no downloading patches. What you see is what you get. Just plug in the cartridge or read the short instructions on the arcade cabinet and just start playing.

Because most retro games are influenced by arcade games, they are designed to be easy accessible for everyone. There is a certain charm and attraction being able to just jump into a game and have fun playing it.

Just one directive, shoot everything that crosses your path

Affordable

The current generation of gaming consoles will set you back around $400, buying a decent gaming PC even more. A second hand retro gaming console with games is a nice cheap alternative for some good gaming experiences.

Available games

The list of games available for consoles like the Nintendo SNES, computers like the Commodore Amiga or arcade classics is immense. So there are plenty opportunities available to find something to your liking.

Classic

Just like we how can enjoy a classic car, so can we enjoy a classic game. It may not be as modern as we are used to but it still can be very enjoyable to take her out for a spin. Just like classic cars a lot of retro games are considered timeless. Games like Donkey Kong, Mario, Sonic, Space invaders, Pac Man are considered the ones that started it all. Replaying those oldies with their addicting gameplay is something that we can still enjoy today.

The classic Donkey Kong starring a soon to be famous plumber

Quality

The makers of games back then had less to work with so they had to squeeze everything out of the limited hardware and software. This often led to a high level quality of games. The games had to be of high quality to stand out in the arcades and the developers were in a constant battle to outdo each other. Graphics (Art), Sound, Gameplay, Controls everything had to be topnotch for them to lure you to their cabinet or console.

The graphics

The 8-bit/16-bit pixel graphics are still considered beautiful. The bright colors intended to draw in arcade visitors are often just pure works of art. It shows that good gameplay and beautiful art is more important than 4K graphics.

The Punisher by Capcom, just check the detail and light effects

Nostalgia

If you grew up around the time that Street Fighter II was the biggest thing in the arcades or the Nintendo SNES was just released, chances are that you can not resist reliving those moments again. Replaying all those games from your youth or playing games that you didn't get to play because you couldn't afford it at the time, is just priceless.

Difficulty

Arcades defined a lot of retro games and these games were meant for you to spend your coins. No respawns, hints or do-overs. The arcades have spawned some of the most difficult games ever. Reaching the end credits of an arcade game was only accomplished by enormous skill or a large wad of cash. Consoles continued this trend and games like Battletoads and Metal Slug are infamous for their level of difficulty. Try finishing one of those games game without losing a life, I dare you...

The complaint with modern day games is that they are often too easy. For example Uncharted 4 is a beautiful game but when I played it, I never felt challenged, the puzzles were very easy to solve and the same goes for the shooting, jump-climbing and driving parts. The game looks good, the story is good but the difficulty laughable.
There is a reason why games like Ninja Gaiden and the Soul series are popular. They present a challenge and on completion you really feel that you have accomplished something.

Metal Slug, Hard as Nails

Diversity

In trying to upstage each other, developers of Retro Games were always trying to come up with new things. A lot were gimmicky but it also led to some brilliant games. Games like Karateka, Street Fighter II or Track and Field were all games that had innovative gameplay, in contrast with modern day games where everyone seems to be either busy making another first-person shooter or open world game. The developers back then were constantly trying out new things to distinguish themselves from the competition. This led to a great variety in games and gameplay.

Passion

But one of the most important factors is that Retro Games herald from a time where the developers were passionate about the thing they were creating. That passion is what makes their game enjoyable until now. The developers didn't seem to be bothered much with returns on investment but just wanted to make good games. They took chances that modern day big developers would never take, sometimes it paid off and sometimes it did not. In the end it doesn't matter because even the weird games are something that we can enjoy just for the mere fact that they were made with passion.

Samurai Shodown II, one of my favorite retrogames

Do you play retro games and why do you like playing them? Let me know in the comment section.

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