I never made a conscious decision to start primarily buying and playing older video games - typically referred to as retro or classic gaming - but if I look at my current log of games, I’m definitely skewed towards the old-school. For instance, I sold the XBOX One I bought in Summer of 2014 this August for 200 dollars because I hadn’t played it. In the past two months, I’ve spent more time on my original PlayStation and Sega Genesis than I have on any modern console. This might seem counter-active, but it’s how I am, and I have a few reasons why.
Though they’re not on the mass market anymore, there’s never been an easier time to get into retro gaming. High-quality emulation has existed on computers for years, though it’s a little legally dicey, but many developers have started re-releasing their classic hits through services like Steam and Nintendo’s Virtual Console. These games are typically low-cost, and provide about the same experience as the originals did.
On the whole, retro gaming skews less expensive than modern gaming does. Though you see some ridiculous prices every now and then (there are some PlayStation games you’d be lucky to find under $150.00, like "Suikoden II"), for the most part, it’s possible to find great classic games for a fraction of the 60 dollar price tag typical of a modern release.
With thirty years of games and the development of a culture where everyone can and will share their personal opinions - as I’m doing here on this very site - any prospective retro game fan can find a swath of literature and other media cataloguing and critiquing older games. There are great sites, like Game Boy World and Chrontendo, which are dedicated to documenting an entire console’s lifespan, and podcasts like "Retronauts" tell stories about their most influential classic games. I’ve learned so much about classic games that I had never played before through these venues.
With 30 plus years of game releases, it would be impossible for one player to get through everything. I see that as an opportunity - I know I’ll never play everything, but I know I’ll always have room to find a surprise, something old yet new to me, that will change my mindset on gaming just a little bit. I've discovered games like "No One Can Stop Mr. Domino!", "Another World", and "Heart of Darkness", games that - while a little bit older and a little bit sloppier than today's hits - have a spirit and a desire to take risks that caused them to become some of my best-remembered gaming moments.
That's why I look back when I play games. When you live in their future, you can appreciate what they did to make it to your present-day. People study and love classic literature and film every day, and I love looking back at classic gaming as well.
