Why Retro? Why Not!

 I am often asked, usually after a guest sees the collection of game systems nesting under my TV, "Why do I hang on to so much gaming stuff?"

At first it seemed kind of ridiculous, in college I kept a Sega Genesis/CD/32X hooked up to the same TV with my PS2 and had a drawer in my desk full of Carts and a CDs. Now that I am married and in my mid-20s my TV has a NEX, Sega Genesis/CD/32X, Wii and a PS3 nesting under it. While that isn't too strange I keep a DVD rack full of PS2 & 3 games plus some Wii titles and have stuffed an ottoman and CD binder full of Carts for everything from the NES to the Playstation 1. I was asked a few years back for a TV interview how much my collection cost and I gave a rough estimate of around $2,000, just games. The reporter gasped.

It really wasn't that hard for me to crest the one hundred, two hundred and three hundred game hurtles, I don't trade stuff in. I've had people complain and complain about me not trading things in, especially around moving time. It just isn't something I do because I view each game as something I might want to play later. I don't know what type of game I might want to play on March 30th 2022. So I just kind of horde games.

I also really love old games. Most people claim that it is just nostalgia and that old games just are not as good as new ones. I disagree sure console FPSs have come a long way but some genres just never get old. When was the last time you played a platformer as good as Sonic 2 or Super Metroid? Or does the story of Final Fantasy 6 have any less impact now that we are on Final Fantasy 13? Some games just age gracefully, others not so much. The good thing about retro gaming is that hindsight is 20/20. You know that Ducktales was a really good game and it wasn't great just because of the TV show. Also as an adult you're sometimes better than you were as a kid, 6 year old me could never have beaten Mega Man 2, I couldn't make it all the way through the Baldur's Gate series with one character until I was out of college. I am not saying new games are not great, I'm just saying that the bad old games have already been sifted out so the best rise to the top.

This love of retro games and refusal to give games to Gamestop, (Let's face it you are basically giving it to them) have lead to me having one seriously swelled game collection. Have I beaten them all, no, do I plan on it, no, will I give it my best shot, yes!

 I am often asked, usually after a guest sees the collection of game systems nesting under my TV, "Why do I hang on to so much gaming stuff?"

At first it seemed kind of ridiculous, in college I kept a Sega Genesis/CD/32X hooked up to the same TV with my PS2 and had a drawer in my desk full of Carts and a CDs. Now that I am married and in my mid-20s my TV has a NEX, Sega Genesis/CD/32X, Wii and a PS3 nesting under it. While that isn't too strange I keep a DVD rack full of PS2 & 3 games plus some Wii titles and have stuffed an ottoman and CD binder full of Carts for everything from the NES to the Playstation 1. I was asked a few years back for a TV interview how much my collection cost and I gave a rough estimate of around $2,000, just games. The reporter gasped.

It really wasn't that hard for me to crest the one hundred, two hundred and three hundred game hurtles, I don't trade stuff in. I've had people complain and complain about me not trading things in, especially around moving time. It just isn't something I do because I view each game as something I might want to play later. I don't know what type of game I might want to play on March 30th 2022. So I just kind of horde games.

I also really love old games. Most people claim that it is just nostalgia and that old games just are not as good as new ones. I disagree sure console FPSs have come a long way but some genres just never get old. When was the last time you played a platformer as good as Sonic 2 or Super Metroid? Or does the story of Final Fantasy 6 have any less impact now that we are on Final Fantasy 13? Some games just age gracefully, others not so much. The good thing about retro gaming is that hindsight is 20/20. You know that Ducktales was a really good game and it wasn't great just because of the TV show. Also as an adult you're sometimes better than you were as a kid, 6 year old me could never have beaten Mega Man 2, I couldn't make it all the way through the Baldur's Gate series with one character until I was out of college. I am not saying new games are not great, I'm just saying that the bad old games have already been sifted out so the best rise to the top.

This love of retro games and refusal to give games to Gamestop, (Let's face it you are basically giving it to them) have lead to me having one seriously swelled game collection. Have I beaten them all, no, do I plan on it, no, will I give it my best shot, yes!

I just don't see the point of playing the same games over and over again + I have no love for nostalgia at all, even though you claim its not about nostalgia. 
 I agree there are alot of gems, but I have already played them so why should I play them again. I seldom rewatch old movies or series either though. 
 Besides, there is a retro waves sweeping over us with NEW games done with a retro feel (like most DS games), I would rather play them than replay Suikoden again. 
 
then again.... there are some sweet old games I havent played that I would want to play, like Persona 4. 
 
I have a really hard time understanding nostalgia, it feels like the most nostalgic people are trying to savor their memories of their childhood by trying to relive their old enthusiasm.... for me it just dont work that way :/

" @floodiastus:  It isn't really about replaying a game in the traditional sense it is about finding new fun in an old game. Like with Mega Man 2 I could not truely appreciate it as a kid but as an adult I can delve deeper into it. It takes a bit of digging but you can find new experiences in those old games. I replayed Suikoden the Christmas before last and this time found all 108 stars, something I didn't do the first time. It helps to not think of it as re-doing your previous play-through but expanding upon it. "

" persona 4's like 2 years old :/ "

You're right floodiastus it is a lot like replaying them, but you do it because you like them and want to. If you think "newer" is synonymous with "better" than you have a long way to go in life my friend. Mass Effect 2 is really good but Baldur's Gate 2 is way better (damn near perfect) like wise Super Mario Galaxy 2 is really good but Super Mario Bros. 3 is perfect. If you ignore classic games you're going to miss out. A game you could have hated 3, 5, or 10 years ago could be the game you end up loving now.
Also don't download emulators to play a PS2 game; find it and buy it. Atlus deserves to be compensated for their work on bringing Persona 4 stateside. It was a big risk on their part and it should be repaid.

you can like both old and new games. I have a PSP filled with a bunch of old ps1 games that I actually own on disc.
But hey they are all in one place now and load faster and no swapping discs and portability.