I am a fan of retrogaming. Some call this classic gaming or just retro but it is all the same. It is usually old games on old consoles or newer games made to resemble old games in some fashion (usually graphics). Playing games is a passion for me to say the least about it. While I enjoy a good round or twelve of Super Mario Bros on the Nintendo Entertainment System, I also enjoy playing newer games on platforms such as Android (GPD XD Android device being my favorite right now). The problem with being a retrogaming fan with newer hardware is that it is nearly impossible to find classic games in the digital stores. Go ahead, check out the Playstation Network, Xbox Live, Steam on computers and Google Play and the iTunes App Store. I will wait.
Back? How was your quest for classic gaming, also known as retrogaming? You probably used the search function after realizing there is no category for classic games. That surely yielded a lot of unrelated games and probably more than once you saw Retro City Rampage in your search results, depending on the digital store used. That is the point I am trying to make here. Classic games on newer hardware usually doesn't sell all that well and publishers blame the fans for not supporting that type of content- then they go back to making racing games, first person shooters and sports titles (or worse, shovelware that is just a collection of mini-games).
How can classic gaming fans support the latest pixel based 8-Bit homage 2D side scrolling action platformer if they don't know about it? Sure, they can read my site, Retro Gaming Magazine, but even then they will miss out on some great games (I only have so many staff- but always hiring more- I have cookies). What needs to happen is on the digital store side of the equation.
Sony (Playstation Network), Microsoft (Xbox Live), Valve (Steam), Apple (iTunes) and Google (Google Play) to name just a few need to add a retro, retrogaming, retro gaming or classic or some other category for publishers to list these types of games in. That will help fans like me find them easier and in return be able to show more support to those publishers and the store owner earns more money because there are more sales.
Have you had a similar bit of trouble with digital stores?
Modern platforms want you to pay again for games you've already played and paid for. As long as we keep buying closed platforms that do not support emulators this is what we get.
Very true. While I don't mind buying some games over again on a newer platform, I am a bit frugal about it. I won't just buy another copy of Super Mario Bros 3 but how Nintendo handled it on the Game Boy Advance, or earlier in Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo, then I am inclined to support it. Now, if it is just a straight port and there are no extras added other than convenience of a newer platform and higher screen resolution that offers, then I usually won't search out something and buy it.
Now, newer games in the style of the classics is another story altogether. The problem, as outlined in the article, is finding either newer classic style games or even the classics themselves.
I have a PC for emulation purposes. I do a lot of videos and screen capturing for reviews and other coverage like for game hacks.