Retro gaming has been on the rise: the games that were played and enjoyed by those who can now afford to buy the modern version and understand what it means are more popular than ever. Just like the trend of those who prefer vinyl over streaming music, the crazes of the past have captivated many and become big business. The question that this begins to pose is whether these games remain retro if they are now being remade and produced in a modern world, or is it just a marketing ploy?
What Is Retro Gaming?
Many of us now spend time and money trying to use and embrace old-school gaming in a time of mass media consumption, high internet connectivity, and complicated digital entertainment. It is a strange juxtaposition between the old and the new, and one which has taken off in a big way across the globe. The nostalgia of playing these old games, either on the original hardware or remastered to be played on a new platform, is the main rationale for the booming retro games industry.
The Choices Available
From sporting games such as the first Amstrad tennis (Pong) to the blocky writing and single-channel audio of Nintendo, these games have proven to be as popular if not more so than when they were first released. The latest Nintendo Entertainment System, with 30 preloaded games, sold out across the country and at prices that were 10 times the original price. The popularity of old-school computer games and online casino games is at an all-time high.
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There are also various groups or โretro gaming tribesโ that have made access to retro gaming easier for a larger number of consumers. There are free retro games available online and old handheld titles such as Donkey Kong or Sonic are making comebacks, with arcade games also being reworked and remastered.
Retro gaming is here to stay and as such it has begun to create one of the biggest online tribes of any gaming genre. The digital tribe that is interested in retro gaming is bigger than ever before, and this has provided the impetus for further discussion and development of those titles that gamers love.
As the trend becomes mainstream, retro gaming (it is argued) could challenge for the top spot, as all those who have played a game in the past look to recreate those feelings at no extra cost. The economics of retro gaming means that it is here to stay, and the problem is that surely once engrained in popular current culture, these games may begin to lose their retro feel and become overly modernized. So, in conclusion, the rise of retro gaming could very well be the demise of the retro game itself. Games are remastered for new tech, soundtracks are added, and changes could be made to pinball machines to fit them on coffee tables. Retro is indeed all the rage; but is it actually still retro?
