With the crush to get our hands on the latest, fastest and best tech, gaming feels like a never-ending race to get to the future first. A great example is the race for developing advanced processors and graphics cards that elevate gaming experiences for people who go down the route of PC building.
However, not all gaming involves a static setup, as many gamers prefer the freedom that comes with handheld devices. The corner space of mobile gaming was arguably cemented with the 1989 release of the Nintendo Game Boy, with competition soon sweeping in from the likes of the Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear.
Now, the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck have opened the world to huge volumes of cloud-based games. This has given a nod to the rich heritage of gaming with a big clamouring towards retro-style titles on these modern devices.
Old school cool
Retro returns us to times that we typically associate with childhood fun, and it’s not just gaming where old school cool has experienced a revival. The globally massive online casino gaming industry has seen a lot of retro-style titles being developed alongside innovative, dynamic newer ones like the popular Reactoonz slots by developers Play’n GO.
Reactoonz is packed with creative options like cascading reels and motion-based symbols, modern features that give it great appeal. However, simpler, classic-style fruit machine slots, along with titles that are deliberately designed with a retro feel, have their place alongside vast banks of modern video slots on secure, convenient online casino platforms.
Simpler days
When looking back, people tend to recall when times were much simpler, and this is a big part of the appeal of retro-style games. Modern games have certainly fallen into the trap of becoming increasingly complex, requiring players to commit to hundreds of hours of gameplay to complete.
They can also draw players in with complex storylines, and controls that need a lot of finesse, which can get a bit much for players. On the other hand, retro games have more of a grab-and-go appeal, where there aren’t steep learning curves, the objectives are right there in front of the player’s face and the mechanics of the game require less patience to understand.
Simplicity often leads to a more relaxed gaming experience, which makes old-school gaming a lot easier for players to get into and engage with. For the most part, this accessibility alongside being a long way from costly AAA game titles in terms of cost, makes retro gaming user-friendly and casual.
The phone revolution
Dedicated modern handheld gaming devices like the Steam Deck haven’t been immune to the touch of retro. Many classics, such as Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, can all be picked up for immediate download.
The mobile phone revolution has also led to players being able to go down the retro gaming rabbit hole for little cost. Due to the easy accessibility of the App Store and Google Play, retro games are readily available at the click of a button and with a quick download.
Since we all take our phones with gaming modes, high-definition screen and incredible graphics with us anyway, it can be a lot less cumbersome than lugging around a much bigger dedicated handheld gaming system.
There is also a vast number of free titles for Android and iOS as well, even though many still incorporate paid elements for features such as upgrades and going ad-free. It’s still a much lower barrier to entry into the world of retro gaming, and there is also a lot of demand for retro gaming, as evidenced by the sales of emulators.
Retro handheld emulators
Handheld emulators are small consoles that can replicate the feel and experience of classic machines such as the Game Boy, Nintendo DS and Sega Game Gear. Retro emulators are typically cheaper than phones, have save slots, long battery life and hundreds of preloaded retro games on them to relive older-style gaming experiences. They are fun and provide a bit more of a tactile gaming experience for players as it’s pressing buttons without a touchscreen in sight.
Pixelated pleasure
Gaming back in the 1980s and 1990s was a much different experience from what it is today. Of course, the pixels were fewer and the graphics terrible, but it was all about the actual gaming experience rather than anything else.
Retro games typically require skills and forced development to try and deal with common challenges such as limited lives and limited ways to save the progress of a level. There is very much a Vegas or bust type of mentality with retro games, something that’s lost today amid stunning graphics and complex controls.
Retro games tend to have more breaks in them as well, like crashing out of a level and having to restart. This makes it ideal for shorter gaming sessions when pulling out the phone during a work break or while sitting down for a quiet cup of afternoon tea. The shorter gameplay means less commitment overall.
A taste of the classics
For many people, just getting a taste of classic games that they may have heard their parents talk fondly about can be enough to send them on a search for retro titles. The older crowd who want to recapture their childhood memories of playing an old console device like a Nintendo DS will get a different kind of pleasure by actually revisiting the past.
Classic titles that flourished on handhelds are a fantastic branch of the gaming world’s history and timeline and they don’t make them like they used to when it comes to these arcade classics and pioneering console classics. Now, retro cool has had a big accessibility and quality upgrade thanks to modern mobile gaming.
More than a trend
It’s hard to call the leaning towards retro gaming a trend. It’s like an entire subculture of modern gaming all on its own, which proves the popularity and validity of this nostalgic way to play. Retro games provide an enduring, fun, low-commitment way to play, but still deliver high game satisfaction.
Technology continues to advance, but there’s no getting away from the enduring appeal of much simpler and yet well-crafted games. This quick reboot of nostalgia will continue to attract players of all ages, and modern handheld tech is helping support this revival.
