R-Type – a classic retro experience (Picture: Konami)

Readers discuss the world of retro video games and whether publishers are doing enough to support classic games and franchises.

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Gadfly, who asked how much you play older video games? Is it just a matter of nostalgia or are there things that the older games do that you can’t get from modern titles?

As you’d imagine, most people that responded were keen retro fans, although only a few suggested that they player older games more than newer ones.

Modern conveniences
I have been playing more retro games recently but mainly thanks to emulation. This is either through the mini-consoles or the emulation handhelds you can get these days. While it’s nice to have HDMI outputs directly to modern TVs, and other benefits of modern life like wireless controllers, the game changer for me has been the ability to save games whenever you want.

This takes the pain out of older games and has allowed me to complete games I never managed to back in the day (e.g. R-Type) and saved so much time and allows me to enjoy the games much more knowing if I die, I can just reload the save and try again.

It’s also a great way to enjoy older games again. Now I just wish someone to find a good way to make lightgun games work on modern TVs as I’d love to play some Virtua Cop on my flat screen TV.
Jonathan

Bulk and bloat
Retro games are all I play now. I mean, I say retro, I’m talking PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 (sorry if that makes you feel old). They haven’t all aged amazingly, but when things like Left 4 Dead are still the best game in their genre, and the classic THQ wrestling games are more fun and accessible for a quick pick up and play, (I don’t even watch wrestling anymore but the games are a blast) it’s a no-brainer.

I’m grateful to Microsoft making a variety of Xbox 360 games available on their modern consoles, it’s the best of both worlds, without the clutter.

I also bought a fat PlayStation 3, which still played PlayStation 2 discs a couple of years ago, ultimately sold it on due to a lack of space, but heavily regret the decision, especially with how their price has boomed. I have looked into emulation on my Xbox Series S, through Dev mode. There’s tons of possibilities, but ultimately I don’t have the required PC/laptop to help me download what’s needed onto a storage device. If only Sony just bit the bullet and made life easier on their consoles for their classics.

Too many modern games are too slow to get going, or have tons of depth and features, which isn’t a bad thing if you have the time, but the pick up and play days seem well and truly in the past. Even games like FIFA, or EAFC is you will, contain so much bulk and bloat on basic modes like career mode they just become chores, because it takes time to learn the new training modes and then balancing your squad’s fitness all before even playing a match.

Currently playing Bully Scholarship Edition via Xbox Series and loving every minute. Nostalgia can be a dangerous commodity when it comes to games and films, but sometimes nostalgia is just correct too.
Beems

Retro Gaming+
These days I consider myself something of a retro gamer. In the guest room/man cave I have my original Wii (with GameCube controllers too) and Wii U set up as well as three mini-consoles (NES, SNES, and Mega Drive). I also find myself watching lots of YouTube videos and channels about retro gaming (shout out to Retro Bird).

This is surely partly due to nostalgia but also due to some genres going out of fashion, such as 3D platformers or AA games for niches that don’t seem to get made anymore, for example snowboard games. Not to mention that some entries in the Zelda or Mario series are unique and always worth playing again.

I think with eShops on the major platforms, and things like Nintendo’s online service, it is easier than ever to play older games but publishers could still do a lot more. The interview you did a few months back with the Science Museum really showed how hard game preservation is, especially with original hardware. Not to mention all of the licensing problems that mean that games based on films or sports have a limited release time (even soundtracks cause problems, such as with the Tony Hawk games).

I’d like to see more publishers give us everything they have as a subscription service. The dream for this would be Nintendo. No more Virtual Consoles or Nintendo Switch Online, not even mini-consoles, I want every first party Nintendo game, let’s say up to the Wii, available at any time. Better stock of retro controllers that work with modern consoles would also be appreciated. If they do this for the Switch 2 I’ll buy it on release!
Barry

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What is retro?
As a long time gamer (been gaming since the 80s) I do have a bit of a soft spot for retro games. As with your Monty Mole review though, a lot of it is likely rose-tinted.

I occasionally play retro games, in a number of ways. Mainly I will use emulators, I have a multi-machine emulator on my tablet that can hook up to the TV. It gives a good insight into my childhood gaming experience. A lot of it fun, a lot of it is frustrating. A lot of it makes you wonder how they managed to fit so much into such a small amount of memory. Especially in the 8-bit era with no hard drives! How were 48K/64K games even possible?

My favourite retro experience from the old 8/16-bit era probably has been replaying some of the classics. I’ve got Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS and did enjoy playing that. Same with Sonic.

Depending on what you class as retro I also replayed Half-Life (yes… the first one) a few years ago. It is still great, but it has aged. I also just finished Fallout: New Vegas. Do you class that as retro? That was an amazing game, shonky graphics and all. But then I do love a Bethesda/Obsidian role-player. To me it held up so well. I would say a remaster would be nice, but it’s Bethesda so what’s the point?

I’m not sure people who weren’t around during those early days of gaming, when the arcade was king and gaming was in its infancy, can really understand how exciting those early gaming years were and how fast things improved. A bit like cinema moving from the silent era to talkies to colour I guess.

I love looking at gaming history. If anyone gets a chance to visit the National Videogame Museum in Sheffield I would recommend it! I went when it was in Nottingham and was so disappointed it moved. But they wanted to expand and couldn’t find a suitable location in Nottingham! Lucky Sheffield!

Anyway… after all that I definitely prefer my modern games, but think it’s fun and important to go back occasionally.

Have fun gaming y’all!
The Dude Abides

Define retro
I’ve been gaming since the mid 80s and I’d definitely consider myself a retro gaming enthusiast. I own an Evercade and subscribe to Retro Gamer magazine and numerous retro gaming YouTube channels. Battle of the Ports by RetroCore is a particular favourite and takes me back to the C64 vs. Spectrum playground battles. My Steam library is 90% retro and the first game(s) I’ll buy this year will likely be the Tomb Raider remasters.

In saying all this though, despite some obvious classics (e.g. Lemmings) games have never been better than they are now. I love the retro scene but it’s heavily based on nostalgia. The memories and feelings evoked by the Shadow Of The Beast soundtrack or Spectrum loading screens are in danger of being sullied if I were to actually play the games. Some stuff from the 16-bit era and onwards can hold up quite well but a lot of the earlier games are pretty much unplayable now.

I do love the Evercade collections though. They are a great way to take a trip through gaming/studio history. Despite what I said earlier about pre-16-bit games the Dizzy Collection is surprisingly good fun and the Namco and Data East arcade conversions still play pretty well. Not too expensive and they even include a manual. Don’t see those very often these days!

As an aside, I recently took my son and his cousin to the Arcade Club in Bury, where there is an entire floor dedicated to 80s and 90s coin-ops. For me, it’s an arcade paradise but when I try to get the kids playing them it just highlights how different today’s games and gamers’ expectations are. ‘He’s supposed to be tough, but he dies in one hit?!’ ‘He dies when he touches the water?!’ Rastan Saga is tougher than any Souls game! Wasn’t long before they went back to the floor with Fortnite and FIFA. Not my greatest parental moment!
Adam
PS: Just to start an In/Underbox argument. When do you consider games to be retro? For me it’s more than just age. The PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 era is definitely not retro.

Mostly retro
In what is probably not a shocker to anyone who’s seen my emails to GC over the years, I am a massive retro game fan. Modern publishers are extremely variable in how they treat their old IP but in general are not doing nearly enough to make their older games accessible. And even if they are they tend to be inferior to the original experience, in ways that could have been easily avoided.

I play a lot of older games, in fact it’s probably the majority of what I play these days. I tend to enjoy them more on average, but that’s just down to genres. The biggest reason I play them so much is that many of those old genres that I love (mostly the arcade derived ones) just aren’t represented that much in modern games, unless you scour the indies.

In future I’d like more effort at making the 32-bit era console libraries accessible. When the Switch successor comes out all three consoles should be able to easily handle even Saturn emulation and there’s so many classic games there that even the first time around many people never got to try, like Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force 3 scenario 1-3. Would be nice if Sega and Camelot could make up and finally give us a proper new Shining Force game too…
Lord Darkstorm
PS: I picked up the Another Code collection for £40, it seems like most retailers ignored the RRP.

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To be honest, I very rarely go back to any game I’ve already played, retro or otherwise. I’ve occasionally dipped into some of the retro offerings on the Switch, but whilst the true classics such as Super Mario Bros. 3 still hold up I find I’d always rather be playing something new, as there are a seemingly endless stream of potentially fantastic games constantly being released.

Having said that, I still think it’s a shame that it’s so hard to get hold of so many older games through legal means. The film and music industry certainly seem to be more interested in preserving their history than the games industry is.
drlowdon