Classic Gaming!

[Julius Terrell]

I created this thread because I feel like us first generation gamers have somehow fallen out of favor with the changing times. I started on the old atari 2600 and remained fairly strong till the ps2 came out.

I feel like now-a-days gaming has changed too much for my tastes and I can't relate to modern gamers. I can't stand all the popular genres and wish everything would just stay 2d like it used to be. If I could get my hands on every NES and SNES game(Neo geo included) I'd never touch a modern console ever again. I surely can't be the only one who feels this way? Lastly, I'm 35 before anyone asks.

Also, I want to say that it's not that I can't appreciate more modern games. There has been some fantastic games that have come out in recent generations.

 

[SSJBlastoise]

I grew up with the SNES so I'm not as old or exactly used to the gaming back then but it's really easy now to download an emulator and play pretty much every classic game you want. I've managed to find some I only played once and loved.

 

[Keoul]

Here watch this
Pretty much sums up my feelings on the current gaming industry.
I'm just going to wait it out before buying games again, save for the few gems that are still churned out.

 

[Smooth Operator]

You got ebay, buy the old consoles and you are set for life, or if they can't be found there are about a million emulators out there that will bring those games to any device nowdays.

Not to mention half the indie scene right now it obsessed with 2D sprite games, so you really can't be lacking in choice.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Not to mention half the indie scene right now it obsessed with 2D sprite games, so you really can't be lacking in choice.

This right here is the big thing. Thanks to the explosion of indie gamnes, we're right now living through the best time for 2D sprite based games since the end of the 16 bit era. It was the 32 bit era, and the industry wide marketing obsession with polygonal 3D, where 2D stopped being the norm. And quality wise, the best modern indie games are actually /better/ than the best of the old era, although I will say that the worst is also worse, since these are mostly self published deals with the only real quality control being feedback from people buying them. In other words, if they suck, you probably haven't heard of them.

That said, the AAA industry is also in the /worst/ place it's been since the crash of '83. I don't know if another crash is really going to happen, but if it does, I'd be perfectly fine subsisting on indie games for a few years while waiting for the current bedroom programmers to become the new majors. This market is due for an adjustment, it's too anti-consumer right now to be sustainable. Indie devs, whatever else you can say about them, tend to treat their customers right.

I know I come off like a total indie hipster, but I'm really not. I just like some of the better indie games, and really appreciate the way the devs tend to treat their customers.

 

[corneth]

wish everything would just stay 2d like it used to be.

The indie scene has become very infatuated with old-looking games recently, you might like:

Super Meat Boy
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
Braid
VVVVVV
Limbo
Lone Survivor

These games take advantage of modern technology (ie. large worlds, complicated mechanics, better save systems) while still maintaining an older or at least simpler aesthetic.

Happy Playing!

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I'm a decade younger than OP and I have slightly similar feelings when it comes to gaming. I'm not completely against modern gaming but I don't like the direction things seem to be going. I started by played the family NES when I was 2 (if Dad is to be believed) and was eventually upgraded to a mostly-personal SNES when I was roughly 6. I grew up in an environment where I couldn't afford all the games I wanted or all of the latest titles but was lucky enough to have a manipulative father who bought my love with games be able to play most of the big games that defined console gaming in the 90's and 2000's. My working life is basically devoted to me rebuilding my SNES collection and trying to amass a collection of N64, NES and various other systems and games. My girlfriend enables the HELL out of me and I'm lucky to share gaming with her!

Most of what I've been playing recently has been classic games. I've never beaten Final Fantasy VI for example and once my PS2 gets hooked back up I'm going to go back in and beat that mother.

 

[wooty]

I'm 25 and I grew up on the old Mega Drive/SNES/NES too and do have fond memories of it. But I dont think I'd want to just play the old games forever without the new ones.

If I dont like the look of a modern game or a genre, I just dont go near it or part with my money. Sure I'll try it at a friends house or download a demo, but I get bored easily and playing the same shit for 20+ years would personally do my head in.

 

[Treeinthewoods]

I can't say I relate to OP very well, I guess I have just been way too excited about the new things that keep coming out. The way gaming has advanced technologically continues to blow my mind almost any time I play. Every time I play Skyrim or Borderlands 2 I can't help but reflect on games I used to think were amazing and smile a little. Truthfully, if my ten year old self had somehow had a chance to play a game like I now play daily I would have shit myself with ecstasy.

All I am waiting for now is my childhood dream of full on Virtual Reality gaming, and with the growth of motion controls I feel like I might get my wish one day.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

wish everything would just stay 2d like it used to be.

The indie scene has become very infatuated with old-looking games recently, you might like:

Super Meat Boy
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
Braid
VVVVVV
Limbo
Lone Survivor

These games take advantage of modern technology (ie. large worlds, complicated mechanics, better save systems) while still maintaining an older or at least simpler aesthetic.

Happy Playing!

I am certain you mean well, but most of these games have mainly just retro visuals, but they are generally not of the 'easy-to-pick-up', 'hard-to-put-down' nature of proper 8-bit or 16-bit era games. I like, nay, love some of these games, but it has to be acknowledged that they come with what I would like to describe as a narrative or philosophical tumour that tends to drag everything down - either right from the get-go, or - eventually - limiting any and all replay value.

See, if I pick a NES/SNES/Genesis/Neo-Geo game (any and all optical media versions or messed-up visuals and ruined pixel aspect PSN, Virtual Console or iOS provided titles excluded), it's normally instant fun and entertainment for as long as I/we feel like playing. Should I put the pad down, there's only choice titles that rely on saving data, requiring some sort of servicing every 10-15 years or so. The vast majority of games is instant-on, looks decent to superb when seen on either a proper CRT or through some scanlines-added and pixel-perfection decreased visual magic. The limitations of the old machines resulted in awesome games that are still very entertaining to play. Most of the modern games we won't even be able to play ten years for now, either because those Full HD graphics will look antiquated or because the implemented online and/or DRM features will inevitably shut them down.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I'm 37 and I've been gaming since the Intellivision/Commodore 64. I loved gaming as a kid, I loved gaming as a teenager, I loved gaming as a young man, and I love gaming now as an adult. I suspect 20 years from now I will still love gaming. I loved M.U.L.E. and I loved Mass Effect. Gaming has never alienated me or made me feel disenfranchised by changing gears or moving in new directions. I got a little owly when XCOM was getting rebooted as a first person shooter, but that straightened itself out, and lately it seems like TBS is enjoying a renaissance.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

You got ebay, buy the old consoles and you are set for life, or if they can't be found there are about a million emulators out there that will bring those games to any device nowdays.

Not to mention half the indie scene right now it obsessed with 2D sprite games, so you really can't be lacking in choice.

This is pretty much why I love the current generation. In my opinion, there are still some fantastic games coming out, but we also have decades of classics to play if we so desire. It's also easier than it's been since the early days of home computing to build your own games.

What a wonderful time to be a gamer...

 

[veloper]

I have no desire to replay anything that came before the NES and the only oldies that I frequently return to are complex turn-based games from the 90s.
Those really old titles may still be very hard, but the gameplay is too simplistic to keep me interested. I'd rather play some mediocre clone of a modern, third person shooter even and I don't have to, because I still have old strategy games and now things are looking up in the new game section aswell.

 

[AD-Stu]

I'm probably one gaming generation behind OP (31 years old, started gaming in the 8-bit console era) but I feel quite differently.

Personally there's little about the games I played as a kid that I miss - maybe that's because I suck at platformers, I don't know. But the almost universal absence of plot, the limited scope and yes, the crappy graphics... I'm a much happier gamer today than I was back then.

 

[Rad Party God]

I get nostalgic from time to time and I just rock out some SNES, Genesis, N64 or PS1 games from time to time, heck, even the 5th generation had it's fair share of great 3D games (I've may been browsing and buying too much from GOG lately), as for 2D stuff, as some may have already recommended, check out the current indie scene, there's a fair share of 2D platformers around and some hybrid 2.5D ones too.

Heck, there's even some great 2D AAA games (or the only one I can think out outside of Nintendo) like Rayman Origins, that game definitely has that "SNES era" vibe to it, kinda reminds me of Donkey Kong Country fused with Sonic (and Sonic Colors/Generations is awesome too).

Also, I'm 24 and I've been gaming since the NES era, loving every single generation that has come and gone through the years, I'm on your boat about the typical COD / Gears of War clone, but you seem to forget there's still PLENTY of variety on newer games too.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Look on the bright side OP. All those old games you like? You can play them on your phone now. I've been hitting up some oldies on my phone lately.

I know where you're coming from. I'm a gen Xer as well and I have a friend who wont even play games with analog sticks.

Also as others have pointed out there are some good new games that are throwbacks to the old 2d platformers: Fez, Braid, Super Meat Boy. I've also downloaded a couple that are like the old 2d, top down, double stick shooters.

 

[Cheesepower5]

I'm maybe a little young to post in this thread (odd, since I'm old enough to enjoy a frosty beer and die for my country) but I branched out into games that by my time were considered "retro." We do exist, silly boys. err... Men? ;S Wait... Damn, wrong sub-group... I'm a younger dude who likes retro games, not a "gurl gamrr." Let me try again.

I don't much like modern gaming trends either, I still enjoy plenty of games from 2009 or so to now (mostly on hand-helds) but there are good ones. I think you're having more trouble talking to every Joe and Jane calling themselves a gamer now because anyone from Frat-House Freddy playing with his cod to Great-Granny Gladis feeding her itch with an angry bird can call themselves that. If you enjoy retro Shooters like Doom or Quake, RPGs Eastern or Western, Side-Scrolling Platformers or Text/Point'n'Click Adventure games the fact is, as a "gamer" you're in the minority nowadays. The market is just bigger for Black Ops and Temple Run right now. On the bright side? They're gonna' get shoved into the sidelines one day too.

 

[Julius Terrell]

Braid is fantastic. I listen to the soundtrack all the time. I remember when I played peggle for the first on Xbox Live. I couldn't put it down. I guess I will have to look into the indie scene further. I would feel different had I been younger, but those days of playing super dodgeball and the Gaurdian legend just won't leave me.

Also, it just turns my stomach whenever people just talk about the pretty 3d graphics, as if nothing else actually matters. I'd be a little happier if there was some happy medium with the industry. I mean if old genres and modern genres had the same popularity, but the populairty of FPS and War Games just completely overshadows everything else that comes out. Heck, If I try to walk into a gamestop, and even ask for something that isn't modern, I get some pretty sad looks from the clerk behind the desk.

The more this happens the more it makes me realise that modern video gaming isn't for me. I hate feeling this way. It's like I'm being forced underground, because of the changing times. I'll take everything you guys have said to heart.

 

[floppylobster]

I created this thread because I feel like us first generation gamers have somehow fallen out of favor with the changing times. I started on the old atari 2600 and remained fairly strong till the ps2 came out.

I feel like now-a-days gaming has changed too much for my tastes and I can't relate to modern gamers. I can't stand all the popular genres and wish everything would just stay 2d like it used to be. If I could get my hands on every NES and SNES game(Neo geo included) I'd never touch a modern console ever again. I surely can't be the only one who feels this way? Lastly, I'm 35 before anyone asks.

Also, I want to say that it's not that I can't appreciate more modern games. There has been some fantastic games that have come out in recent generations.

Well I'm 40 now. Grew up with the SC-3000. Still have it hooked up to my old CRT television. And just last week a new game was released for it! It's also available for other systems so check it out -

[link]http://www.revival-studios.com/?page=148[/link]

The retro scene is more alive than you may think.

As for 'modern' games. I bought my Xbox 360 just to play Geometry Wars. Which is still great by the way. You could also get JetPac Refueled (because it has the original Spectrum JetPac game included). The Nintendo DS is also a great place to find some quality retro gaming experiences.

I don't understand your desire for Neo Geo though. They're one of the reasons gaming declined in the era you pin-pointed as 'the end'. Cheap shoddy Neo Geo knock-offs of classic Capcom games helped kill off the arcade scene (I was working in the industry at the time and watched it all unfold). Some people rave about Metal Slug, but apart from very appealing art direction the gameplay balance and level design in those games is no where near the level of something like Contra/Gryzor.

These days I've been modding my Xbox with Coin-Ops and have connected it to an X-Arcade Panel. That and my collection and Game & Watches will keep me going until something 'new' that's good comes out again.

 

[Tanakh]

I'm 37 and I've been gaming since the Intellivision/Commodore 64. I loved gaming as a kid, I loved gaming as a teenager, I loved gaming as a young man, and I love gaming now as an adult. I suspect 20 years from now I will still love gaming. I loved M.U.L.E. and I loved Mass Effect. Gaming has never alienated me or made me feel disenfranchised by changing gears or moving in new directions. I got a little owly when XCOM was getting rebooted as a first person shooter, but that straightened itself out, and lately it seems like TBS is enjoying a renaissance.

Guppy for president! Well... when he gets to master league in SC II then Guppy for president!