Technology has expanded to such an extent that video gaming has risen in quality that a decade ago seemed impossible. Yet, despite this, retro gaming is coming back with an even greater vengeance. The yearning for the simpler days of arcade and traditional games, but now with the added technological advancements, has been the catalyst as
Where is it rising?
You only have to witness the boom in online bingo game sites to understand how retro is coming back into play. The ability to play from the comfort of your own home has seen the dab replaced by the mouse and the bingo caller replaced by a screen as technology continues to break new ground.
And, as the rest of the once-consigned-to-the-scrapheap gaming world takes advantage of the expansion in technology, the number of gaming arcades and cafes popping up with vintage devices has increased considerably also. The US and Japan are currently leading the way in this regard.
One such example is the National Videogame Arcade in Nottingham, opened in 2015. With gaming machines galore, the centre is a celebration of the gaming industry, honouring where the industry has come from and placing it right in the present and future with old games such as PacMan on show, ready to be played.
Why has it risen?
Nostalgia is one of the key reasons as to why retro gaming is back on the scene. Recreating that childhood memory of playing your favourite game in front of the TV was always going to be a big hit for gamers around in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
And, whilst technology and innovation have been responsible for so many groundbreaking achievements, sometimes that modern complexity finds itself superseded by a desire for the simpler times. Now, early gamers want to unwind and return to what they loved as kids in a ‘carefree’ period of their lives.
The simplicity of earlier gaming consoles with basic control pads and systems that don’t take a technology nerd to work out offer an escape to the current mindblowing machines. An easily shareable joy of playing the traditional system has been transferred into the 21st century.
A modern twist
The level of investment given to the technological world has enabled the retro industry to bring a modern twist to its nostalgic creations. The Nintendo Switch is a perfect example, with the incorporation of multiplayer enhancing its popularity. The Switch can even be played through the TV for better visuals or in the hand for convenience.
And, the stunning graphics displayed on handheld devices such as the Switch are unlike anything that the previous retro world had ever seen.
Nintendo took this a step further in 2016 when it released a Nintendo Classic Mini NES, which sold out immediately upon release. The Japanese company was not prepared to cope with the high demand with the Classic Mini sell out overtaking consoles such as the Playstation 4 and even the Switch.
But, modernity has also found its way into the gambling world too. Experiencing a virtual casino through virtual reality when, before, going to a brick-and-mortar establishment was the only way to access this kind of entertainment, is now more than possible in your own home.
Retro v modern
You might be a gamer that plays Fortnite on a modern Xbox One or Playstation 4, but there is hardly the same attachment to that of the early gamers and the simple, authentic, stripped-back platforms. And, as technology continues to improve, that past nostalgia has been brought into the future. Retro gaming is far from over, in fact, it’s more than ready to take the present by storm.
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