Public Service Announcement: There are only two retrogaming enthusiasts in the world worth everyone's time: Racketboy.com for written coverage and LGR for videos. For those wanting to dive deeper into specific hardware, message boards like Atariage.com and Lemon64.com are invaluable resources. All the aforementioned websites are more credible source than I'll ever be.
Definition of Retro
“Retro” in the video game industry is jargon that defies the word’s meaning in common parlance. In popular usage, Retro is “an imitation of the recent past.” Applied in the video game industry, it would refer to most indie games or early access games that employ 16-bit art directions, purely single-player experiences, and archaic gameplay designs like save points. In short, retrogaming should have meant games that were designed around the limitations of the past hardware. The term “retro” in retrogaming is more accurately described by the word “vintage.” Vintage means a group of things that were produced during a particular period of time. It should have been “vintage gaming”, but the word retro usurped its rightful place.
A scenario where gamers agree on something is a product of substance-induced psychosis. Hence, there is still no definitive definition of what is retro. Some haphazardly define retrogaming as playing games released on hardware just two generations old. Most gamers take the liberal approach of putting the retro line at the time when the hardware is discontinued. However, these views would entail that retrogaming is inherently console-centric since PC hardware does not subscribe to rapid obsolesce. The more inclusive view is that retrogaming delineates with the absence of current technology.
Meaning, if the game does not enjoy the features of current gaming, such as availability on digital storefronts, online features (which do not necessarily connote a multiplayer aspect, as leaderboards would suffice), and adherence to the resolutions and aspect ratios of modern displays, it is retro. We take this view as our yardstick in our coverage of retrogaming. Hence, retrogaming is playing games released on the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Gamecube, and older.
Hardware Recs for Retrogaming
The retrogaming scene has exploded in recent times, starting with the COVID pandemic. The hyper-focus on new hardware by content creators feels disingenuous, as this is mostly to drive affiliate and sponsorship revenues. The unprofitable truth is that the combination of a Steam Deck and a Nintendo 3DS (3DS) provides a complete retro gaming experience.
The 3DS’ unique dual-screen functionality is irreplaceable for many classic titles. It is also a consolidated way to play both DS and 3DS titles. No retro handheld can approximate the experience of playing the best 3DS or DS games. Well, there is Aya Neo Flip DS, but that is too fucking expensive just to play 3DS or DS games. In fact, you can buy both a 3DS and a Steam Deck OLED for the price of one Flip DS, with the latter option not providing stereoscopic 3D. There is just no other way around playing 3DS games but to play them on an actual 3DS.
As for the Steam Deck, it can run every possible emulator. It can also play PC games, especially the indies and early access games, which incarnate the spirit or relieve the retro experience. It is of my humble opinion that retro games are not all that, and the overwhelming majority of them have been surpassed in quality and, most especially, playability by subsequently released titles, even those mobile games. Dare I say that even Flash-based browser games in the mid-2000s to early 2010s exceeded most NES, Commodore 64, and Atari 7600 games? Hence, just buy a Steam deck and play modern PC games, especially if you were born in the 2000s or later. It is rough playing these games without rose-tinted glasses.
Video games released prior to the Sega Genesis aged disgracefully. True, there are exceptions like Tetris and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening on the Game Boy, Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and Wonder Boy on the Master System. But the aforementioned are exceptions because, how do we go about this? They are exceptional games. Most retro games, by modern standards, are plainly and simply garbage.
Is retrogaming worth it?
The honest answer is no. It is expensive to partake if done legally and awkward in a lot of its aspects. There are better hobbies to pursue, and most of them may not be video games at all. Do not fall into the trap of hyperconsumerism, which is fueled by the exploitation of nostalgic feelings. Remember, most content creators that are into retrogaming are in their late 30s and well into their 40s. Chalk this all up to a midlife crisis. Enjoy your youth.
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