Retro gaming vs Modern Day Games
So what has changed over the years in gaming? Sure the graphics have gotten better but have the games? If so then why is retro gaming so popular. It's time to look at the difference between the games of yesterday and the games we pay now
The Beginning
So one of the main differences between modern day gaming and retro gaming is the fact that most retro games originated from the Arcades. The games were intended for you to spend your quarters (as many as possible). Modern day games are different, most game developers want to built a long term relation with their fan base ensuring that they wil play their games for a long time.
For retro games this means that the games were hard, and I mean really hard. You had to work to get that high score or get to the ending. Even when games were ported or developed for home console this way developing games was not changed.
Try getting through a level of metal slug without dying three times
Modern day games are different and are more about the gaming experience. They are meant for a broad audience and not only for the hardcore gamers. There are some hardcore games available like Dark Souls or Ninja Gaiden but these are the exceptions. Giving the players a nice gaming experience and getting them to play the game for as long as possible seem to be primary focus of modern day games.
Mainstreaming it
Retro games were unpredictable, you never knew what you were gonna get with a game. Sure you had your basic genres like sports games, fighting games but many game developers were trying out new things. I mean how would you categorize a game like Toe Jam & Earl?
ToeJam & Earl is a game about 2 Alien rappers who come to earth
In modern day gaming developers go out of their way to let the gamers know exactly what they are getting. The number of sequels outweighs the release of new IP's. A lot of games use the same formula, for example if you have ever played Tomb Rader, you will have no problems with the controls of Uncharted.
The Developers
Sega, Nintendo, SNK, all these game developers wanted to do was make good games, in their attempts they often went overboard. Things like costs or return on investment almost didn't seem to matter. This often resulted in outrageous projects.
Moderns day developers are more cautious and more in tune with the business side of the Gaming Industry. They often follow a certain formula and if this formula is successful they will not change it and certainly not take chances that might lead to a decline in sales. Most notorious example is Activision with their Call of Duty series.
Activision has been accuded of milking the "Modern Warfare" cow . The game series has had no significant changes since the release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Gaming has become a multi-billions business and with it gaming has become mainstream. This has its advantages but also takes some of the romance out of gaming. Game developers find it difficult to take chances and stick to proven success formulas. For innovation we often have to look at Indie developers but the big developers tend to play it safe.
Where retro games were all about the quick fix, modern day game play the long con. This is why currently there is a lot of interest in retro games, they remind us of a time where anything was possible.
When will we see more innovation and madness like in Gunstar Heroes?
Let me know what you thing of Retro Gaming vs Modern day gaming in the comment section
The vidéo game of today have no soul...:
Just Check chrono trigger.final fantasy 3 ... mario World 1 and 2 ....Nothing can surpass that today
Retro games also had distinction between them. Games today are mostly first person shooters that are set in some "realistic" location and therefore share A LOT in common graphically.
First person shooters back in the day were unique enough for gamers to know, this is Doom, or this is not Doom, or this is Unreal, or this is some military shooter. Today, most gamers would be hard pressed to just look at a screenshot and in five seconds tell you that game is, or is not, another. Shoot, even the heads up displays are starting to blend together with each other.
When was the last time we got a good 2D side scrolling action adventure? We thought it was going to happen with that Gianna Sisters remake. Nope. Not quite. Then it was Mighty No. 9. Then next up, for me anyhow, was Wonder Boy which has so far, held decent reviews but I like to wait a few months before buying games anymore. Give the people that bought it time to speak up (it is amazing how well a game can do with reviewers that got a free copy versus those that paid their hard earned cash for it).
When was the last time we got a good turn based strategy game? Where is the new Shining Force from Sega? Why has Nintendo dragged their feet with bringing Fire Emblem over here (more of them anyhow)? Why did Square Enix forsake the Final Fantasy Tactics series or Front Mission?
Games back in the day used to be fun and different. Even between publishers, they rarely released quite similar games under two different names close together. Now, publishers get a semi-hit game and then hammer the hell out of it with sequels and remakes while forsaking everything else.
Gaming used to be fun, now it is kind of sad. On top of that, console makers are making gamers pay a premium to even get the full game (Plus, Live, Nintendo's coming service all for multiplayer and DLC access).
Seeing the ending of a game in the 80's and 90's was a reward. Seeing it today is just expected.
the old school games had some wicked tunes! lol
True, they knew how to squeeze everything they had both out of the music and graphics
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The issue is not only in the views and wants of the developers, but also largely dependent on how much computing power we have in our gaming devices.
Since the devs needed to use "tricks" to get gameplay from such minuscule power that often came up with creative ways to create gameplay.
Great post ! Would you mind if I included it in todays "best of gaming"?
True they had little to work with and because of that had to be very inventive. I'd be happy to be included in "best of gaming" thank you for including me.
I choose Retro games. In my opinion, they have a soul. Really. I just remember how I was happy when I played some games on Playstation when I was a child and how Ip layed modern games on PC one year ago. Is topped playing. Only sometimes like to use some ROMs https://killerroms.com/roms/playstation to remember how it can be great to play some old games.