March 24th 2024.
I was intrigued by the recent articles discussing the London Gaming Market and it sparked my interest to attend the one in Birmingham when it's on. I've always enjoyed revisiting older games and it's no secret that I have a collection of retro consoles and computers. However, I never saw myself as a "retro gamer" until recently. This realization came about when I noticed that modern games were no longer appealing to me.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy some new titles such as Elden Ring and Nintendo's releases, but I have no interest in playing online or live service games. Plus, I'm getting tired of the lengthy narrative adventures with limited gameplay and mediocre stories. As a father of three, I don't have much time for games, so naturally, shorter titles from the past are more appealing to me. But it's not just about time, there's something about the simplicity of older games that makes them more compatible with my modern lifestyle.
Of course, there's also a sense of nostalgia that comes with playing retro games, but for me, that's just a small part of the appeal. I actually enjoy discovering new games that I've never played before. The collector in me also loves the challenge of finding rare imports from Japan or games that had a limited release in the West. It can be expensive and difficult, but the research involved adds to the enjoyment and helps me appreciate the game even more.
Speaking of collecting, there's something satisfying about owning physical copies of games. I'm not into merchandise or action figures, but there's a sense of pride in looking at my gaming collection displayed on my bookshelves. Unfortunately, with the rise of digital-only games, this may not be possible in the near future.
Compared to endlessly playing sports games from EA, I find retro gaming to be more stimulating and diverse. I'm always on the lookout for new games to try or reading through guides to find hidden gems in games I thought I knew well. Back then, everything was included in the game and there was no need for additional downloadable content.
Now, I don't want to come off as an old fuddy-duddy, but I truly believe that older games offer a different form of entertainment compared to modern games. The majority of big publishers seem to focus on a certain type of game, with the exception of Nintendo. For me, the Xbox 360 era marked the shift between the retro and modern era, and I find myself drawn more to games before that time.
I do make an exception for indie games, even though they're digital-only. But most of them are just homages to retro games, and in those cases, I prefer playing the original. If major publishers were putting out indie-style games, I would definitely be interested in their output, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
I'm not bitter or angry about the state of mainstream gaming, as it's clear that it no longer caters to my preferences. But that's okay, because I can always turn to retro games for my gaming fix. And who knows, maybe one day the industry will shift back to focusing on games that appeal to me, but until then, I'll stick with my beloved retro games.
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