People have asked me why I still play retro games when there are newer games that look better. Playing old arcade classics such as Donkey Kong or Mr. Do still interests me. Why have I spent time finding games I used to play on systems such as the Atari St, Spectrum, and Amiga when I can just buy a PS4 and enjoy these amazing games? What do older games and systems have that the latest consoles don’t?
NOSTALGIA
Our world has programmed us to replace the old with the new. My Atari 2600 was replaced with a Spectrum, then an Atari ST, then an Amiga, and finally several PCs, each more powerful than the last. It’s out with the old and in with the new. What’s the point of going back to something inferior? remember discovering these systems for the first time. When I remember playing classic adventure games like The Secret of ST Brides and Twin Kingdom Valley on the Spectrum, I feel warm and fuzzy. I remember playing Chuckie Egg in my bedroom and trying to get past the near impossible Level 40. First time hearing sampled sounds in a game on an Atari ST. A game does not necessarily need amazing graphics and effects. The pleasure you get from a game matters.
HIGH SCORE TABLES
After you complete certain games on newer systems, you might not play them again for a while. You know the story and have completed the quests. Each level gets harder and more challenging and you can record your score each time you play older games. Especially if you are competing against a friend, you get more out of a game if you aim to get a high score. The high score on an arcade game might be beaten later by another player.
EASIER CONTROL SYSTEM
Earlier control systems had an eight-way joystick and a single fire button. You can even define your own keys. From the Atari 2600 to the Amiga. Megadrive and Nintendo later offered more buttons but kept gameplay simple. You could get into the game quicker with an easier control system. Up, down, left, right, and jump/fire were the main controls. As you progress in the game, later systems, such as the PlayStation 3, introduced many different combinations.
WIDER VARIETY OF GAMES
Game developers need to offer a lot for the money they charge on the PS4. There are hours of movie footage, huge maps, and fancy visual effects. Games ranged from free to budget to full commercial price on older systems. On a more modern system, static screen platformers, text adventure games, rebound games, or simply shoot em ups would never see the light of day unless they were bundled with a pack.
NO MORE TO PAY
In the old days, you bought a game and that was it. Today’s games are money magnets, where people buy packs to get extras, where you could earn them in older games. Even though you can earn things by playing, you’ll usually find paying for something saves you a lot of time.
CONCLUSION
A game is all about what you get out of it. It’s not necessary to play the latest games. On Facebook, there are many retro gamers who still play old games, but enjoy modern games on PS4. Please excuse me while I get Mario past the castle.