Retro gaming
Retro gaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and collection of personal computers, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon systems that are outmoded or discontinued, although ported retro gaming allows games to be played on modern hardware via ports, emulations or compilations. It is typically for nostalgia, preservation, or authenticity. A new game could be retro styled, such as an RPG with turn-based combat and pixel art in isometric camera perspective, as well as chip-tune styled music.
Retro gaming has existed since the early years of the video game industry, and was popularized with the Internet and emulation technology. It is argued that the main reasons players are drawn to retro games are nostalgia for different eras, the idea that older games are more innovative and original, and the simplicity of the games.
Retro gaming and retrocomputing have been described as preservation activity and as aspects of the remix culture.
Games
The distinction between retro and modern is heavily debated, but it usually coincides with either the shift from 2D to 3D games, the turn of the millennium and the increase in online gaming, or the switch from analog to digital for audiovisual output and from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio. They can be played on original hardware or in modern emulation. The retro game focused television program GameCenter CX determines that a console has to be 20 years or older to be included in the retro game challenges.History
In the early to mid-1990s, a fanbase for older video games grew through self-published fanzines such as Tim Duarte's 2600 Connection, Joe Santulli's Digital Press and Frank Polosky's Video Magic. In 1997, Ralph Barbagallo of Digital Diner magazine stated that the contemporary interest of older video games grew with the emergence of the internet through Usenet discussion groups like rec.games.video.classic and its own dedicated IRC channel. Several regulars from these discussion groups began developing their own personal web pages, such as popular sites like Greg Chance's The History of Home Video Games Homepage.Prior to the mid 1990s, older video games would occasionally be re-released for a few consoles with Barbagallos summarizing that "for a while it seemed the game industry had no memory of the years before 1985."
In 1995, Next Generation highlighted the revival of long dormant video game franchises. This included Activision releasing Return to Zork and Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Atari with Tempest 2000, and Nintendo with Donkey Kong, with Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong.
Following the new interest of these games, companies began re-releasing their back catalog in video game compilations commercially, such as Microsoft Arcade for Windows, and the 1995 releases of the first games in the Atari 2600 Action Pack series for home computers and the Namco Museum series for the PlayStation.
Fans also began developing releases independently, such as Stella Gets a New Brain, a re-release on compact disc of cassette tape-based games for the Atari 2600. New games also began appearing for the Atari 2600, such as the 1995 release of Ed Federmeyer's rendition of Tetris titled EdTris 2600. Barbagallo stated that Video game emulators became increasingly popular as personal computers were now fast enough to simulate hardware from consoles such as the ColecoVision, Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Game Boy as well as computers such as the MSX and Commodore 64.
Retro gaming methods
With increasing nostalgia and success of retro compilations in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generations of consoles, retro gaming has become a motif in modern games. Modern retro games impose limitations on color palette, resolution, and memory well below the actual limits of the hardware, to mimic the look of old hardware. These may be based on a general concept of retro, as with Cave Story, or an attempt to imitate a specific piece of hardware, as with the MSX color palette of La Mulana.This concept, known as deliberate retro and NosCon, gained popularity due part to the independent gaming scene, where the short development time was attractive and commercial viability was not a concern. Major publishers have embraced modern retro gaming with releases such as Mega Man 9 which mimics NES hardware; Retro Game Challenge, a compilation of new games on faux-NES hardware; and Sega's Fantasy Zone II remake, which uses emulated System 16 hardware running on PlayStation 2 to create a 16-bit reimagining of the 8-bit original.
Vintage retro gaming
Vintage retro gaming can involve collecting original cartridge and disc media and arcade and console hardware, which can be expensive and rare. Most are priced lower than their original retail prices. The popularity of vintage retro gaming has led to counterfeit media, which generally lack collectible value.During the COVID-19 pandemic, prices for vintage hardware began to spike as the millennial generation pursued the hobby during lockdowns due to boredom as well as nostalgia.
Retro game emulation
Retro gaming may involve older game systems being emulated on modern hardware. It bypasses the need to collect older consoles and original games. Read-only memory files are copied by third parties, directly from the original media. They are then typically put online through file sharing sites. They are often sold as re-releases, typically in compilations containing multiple games running on emulation software. The accessibility of emulation popularized and expanded on retro gaming.Ported retro gaming
Ported retro gaming involves original games being converted to native on new systems, just as in emulation but without original ROM files. Ported games are available through official collections, console-based downloads, and plug and play systems. Ported retro gaming is comparatively rare, since emulation is a much easier and more accurate method.Remakes
Modern retro gaming may be more broadly applied to retro-style designs and reimaginings with more modern graphics. These enhanced remakes include Pac-Man: Championship Edition, Space Invaders Extreme, Super Mega Worm, and 3D Dot Game Heroes. Some are based directly upon the enhanced emulation of original games, as with Nintendo's NES Remix.File:Paku-paku4-dos.png|thumb|Paku Paku is a Pac-Man remake that targets the obscure 160×100×16 mode of the CGA graphic card.
When remakes are created by an individual or a group of enthusiasts without commercial motivation, such games sometimes are also called fangames. These are often motivated by the phenomenon of abandonware, which is the discontinuation of sales and support by the original producers. Examples of fan-made remakes are King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown, King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones, and Freeciv.
The nostalgia-based revival of past game styles has also been accompanied by the development of the modern chiptune genre of game music. Chiptunes are characterized by severe limitations of sound imposed by the author's self-restriction to using only the original sound chips from 8-bit or 16-bit games. These compositions are featured in many retro-style modern games and are popular in the demoscene.
Re-releases
With the new possibility of online distribution in the mid-2000s, the commercial distribution of older games became feasible, as deployment and storage costs dropped significantly:A digital distributor specialized in bringing older games out of abandonware is GOG.com who started in 2008 to search for copyright holders of older games to re-release them legally and DRM-free. Other companies have also been established to rerelease retro games, including Limited Run Games and iam8bit.
Online platforms for older video game re-releases include Nintendo's Virtual Console and Sony's PlayStation Network.
Mobile application developers have been purchasing the rights and licensing to re-release older arcade games on iOS and Android operating systems. Some publishers are creating spinoffs to their older games, keeping the core gameplay while adding new features, levels, and styles of play.
Plug-and-play systems
have been released or licensed by companies such as Atari, Sega, and Nintendo. These systems include stand-alone game libraries and plug directly into the user's television.Retro gaming community
The retro gaming market is active with online and physical spaces where retro games are discussed, collected, and played.Online
Several websites and online forums are devoted to retro gaming. The content on these online platforms typically includes reviews of older games, interviews with developers, fan-made content, game walkthroughs, and message boards for discussions. Many gameplay videos posted online feature attempts at breaking speedrun or high score records.Some YouTube channels dedicated to retro gaming have gained a considerable following, such as the Angry Video Game Nerd and Game Sack.