How to determine Retro Gaming?

[ckong]

This is a question also very often asked in the RetroGamer Magazine and Forum. Some people think only 8-bit games are allowed to be called retro games!! These people claim these games have a special status because they were made in the early days of game development, and very often started all kind of game genres. Although I appreciate these games very much (I myself have a CBM 64 since my childhood), I think these 8-bit games could also be called vintage or antique, not just retro.

I like to think that Retro Games are Games which are original, and which are still very nice to play after some years, and with which I have fond memories. For instance Soul Caliber on the DC (1999), Nights into Dreams on the Saturn (Superb, 1996), but also a lot of 16bit gams (did someone shout Donkey Kong Country?) but I also know it would be much easier to have an objective, clear description od retro games and retro gaming. So what about the definition that retro games are all games of yesteryear consoles. This would then include the DC, the PSX, the Xbox ( ), but not the PS2 (still in production).

[Lordstar]

its all down to personal preference. I guess i consider this gen (360, PS3 and Wii) and last gen (xbox, gamecube and PS2) to be current gaming. For me retro is DC at the very newest. you could argue that by my standards MVS/AES is current gen but I dont

but what do you make of megaman 9? is that retro or just retro style, or maybe you have another name for it?

discuss!

[ckong]

but what do you make of megaman 9? is that retro or just retro style, or maybe you have another name for it?

discuss!

That's a difficult one. I think the Megaman franchise is certainly a retro franchise, and the game design of Megaman 9 surely feels retro-ish. But I would not consider Megaman 9 to be a retro game yet, because in my point of view retro games have deserved their classic title because of their quality (playability, game design, novelty, uniqueness, sheer pleasure playing them). So let Megaman 9 be called a retro stylish game, perhaps with future (!) classic retro potential. The same can for instance be said for the latest contra outing on the DS (Contra is indeed a retro franchise).

[innerpattern]

In the strictest sense to me retro is the past history of games, remembering the past and all that. The stuff that the kids these days have no idea about without seeking them out for themselves. The stuff that is not "in" and "current". Just because megaman for instance is a retro franchise, with classic styling doesn't automatically mean it's latest title is retro, it depends what they do with it in terms of styling, etc. "western/cowboy" style movies have been around since the 20s, does that make a new western a retro movie by default? Again It depends on what they do with it. Certain types of games will always be with us, but to make them "retro" requires an almost deliberate nod to the past, to the things that aren't the current fad, to even a specific time and place.

[Xenepp]

I consider "retro" as anything from the NES to the N64 and PS1. Anything after that is current and anything before that is vintage.

-Joel

[j69]

In the simplest terms i think its just anything you cant buy 'New' anymore.

So anything from the DC to space invaders

[HAWKXP]

In the simplest terms i think its just anything you cant buy 'New' anymore.

So anything from the DC to space invaders

agreed !

there was a girl that worked in gamestation near to where i live and she was stating how she hated retro games, i wounded as to what she was on about, she said she hated the likes of tekken, virtua fighters and them sorts of games, meaning year whise 1996 type games, i thought to my self thems not retro, retros the likes of space invaders, pacman ............. na she was right, i think it also depends on the year you was born as well, she was only in her early 20s or so, to me thinking about retro id be thinking along the lines of pacman as being retro not tekken !

retro is anything that dosent sell anymore or is not classed as cool, or what the masses sell ................ sheep ! ........ bhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

[John James Pacinelli]

she was only in her early 20s or so

Were you hitting on her?

[HAWKXP]

she was only in her early 20s or so

Were you hitting on her?

naaaaa im gay

[dj_johnnyg]

I think that the Upper limit for Retro is probably Saturn / PS1 / N64

It **** me off that the retor section in games shops became full of PS1 games after the PS2 came out, and XBOX after the 360. Bring a generation old doesn't make it retro.

Maybe when the PS4 / XBOX RROD comes out, then the PS2 & XBOX can join the club, but until then, they are just old, not retro.

Although if I'm really honest anything younger than the MD / SNES doesn't really count

[Muse Hunter]

This is a question also very often asked in the RetroGamer Magazine and Forum. Some people think only 8-bit games are allowed to be called retro games!! These people claim these games have a special status because they were made in the early days of game development, and very often started all kind of game genres. Although I appreciate these games very much (I myself have a CBM 64 since my childhood), I think these 8-bit games could also be called vintage or antique, not just retro.

I like to think that Retro Games are Games which are original, and which are still very nice to play after some years, and with which I have fond memories. For instance Soul Caliber on the DC (1999), Nights into Dreams on the Saturn (Superb, 1996), but also a lot of 16bit gams (did someone shout Donkey Kong Country?) but I also know it would be much easier to have an objective, clear description od retro games and retro gaming. So what about the definition that retro games are all games of yesteryear consoles. This would then include the DC, the PSX, the Xbox ( ), but not the PS2 (still in production).

i used to post on that site a couple of years back, before i got banned , yeah some of the members there take retro talk waaay too seriously. I used to say they are talking ****

Regarding retro, i'd say anything that isn't curruent gen and no longer has official software being released on it

[John James Pacinelli]

Videogames for a console that is no longer in production. Period.

[markedkiller78]

the practice of modelling things such as clothes or music on styles from the past, or an example of such a practice