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Retro gaming has become increasingly popular in recent years. Playing old-school computer and arcade games using new technology and smart devices is something that appeals across the generations.
Retro Slots
Retro slot games fall into this category of a much-loved game given new energy with the introduction of the latest technology. New definition is offered to the player with the latest visual and sound effects, bringing out a different experience.
The essential element is a nostalgic look back to a past when the original concept was unique and enticing. Retro-gaming plugs into that excitement and rebrands it in a way without losing any of its original appeal. Slots making use of all sorts of themes can make playing them fun and exciting. The combination of the unique essentials of the games with new tech make for a quick slice of entertainment.
Pac-Man
Retro games are a perfect example of retrofitting the past into an enjoyable new context. A great example of this is the famous game, Pac-Man. Originally served up back in 1980, the yellow dot-munching character has been a constant presence throughout the transformation of arcade and console technology.
Different styles of games have been introduced along the way, but the central concept has remained the same. The core idea is to get Pac-Man eating all the dots in a maze while avoiding ghosts and progressing to the next level.
New styles of retro-fitted consoles are another huge aspect of retro gaming, and Pac-Man can be found there too. A new miniature version of the classic Nintendo Entertainment System includes this title as one of its games.
A huge symbol of video-game culture up to this day, this game was originally conceived as a response to the popular arcade shooting-style games of the 1980s. One of which, we shall encounter next…
Space Invaders
Space Invaders was first released into the world back in 1978. Influenced by science-fiction films such as Star Wars and previous target-shooting arcade games, the game was immensely successful straight away.
Brought into the arcades by the Taito Corporation, the game was a simple concept of shooting down enemies as they advance, row by row. Its simplicity was its strength, and at the time nothing of the kind had ever been seen before. Space Invaders is cited as the first ‘fixed shooter’ game, meaning that the action takes place on a single screen. This made the game easy to understand and enjoy, and led to a constant source of players keen to get a new high score.
The popularity of the game intensified even further when it was released onto the American Atari console. From then on, the legendary status of the game was assured, with billions of dollars of profit raised and countless points scored.
Today, the influence of Space Invaders is beyond doubt. Original arcade machines hosting the titles sell for fantastic sums to retro fans. The game is regularly used as a signpost of early 1980s nostalgia in film and TV productions. A new version of the game targeting retro-lovers was also recently released on the Nintendo Switch.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Another hugely popular game character, Sonic is the flagship face for the Japanese development house Sega. Debuting in 1991, the lightning-fast hedgehog has been a hit throughout the years. For many gamers, he offers a nostalgic view of console play and childhood fun. The retro appeal of the character is even big enough to inspire a hit movie starring the smart-talking spiky creature.
Sonic has also appeared in comics, animation and crossovers with other games such as Super Smash Bros. In many ways, he’s been far more popular than the company that designed him.
Sega has struggled to compete with its rivals outputs for consoles and hardware, and today it concentrates on games for third-party consoles. The fact that today the famous hedgehog can be found on Nintendo machines is a clue to how things have changed since the ‘90s. It is also definite proof of retro gaming’s demand for famous games and characters remodelled for today’s world.
Mario Bros
The sight of the famous Mario Brothers newly imagined with state-of-the-art graphics and animation offers gamers a uniquely emotive experience. Developers are only too aware of this and have successively released Mario games with ever-improving definition and quality. It is the instantly recognisable characters that are the game’s brand. They are the core reason for its ongoing success.
Ever since its release in 1983, the platform game featuring the two plumber brothers has been present on a variety of gaming platforms. The classic game has been reimagined in a variety of ways. With hardware and software being retro-fitted to appeal to a new generation of gamers, Mario and Luigi look set to remain just as popular. There has even been a new version of the classic game and watch mobile device starring the Bros. that many gamers of a certain age fondly remember.
The overlapping of games and themes and the retrofitting of them in a new context looks here to stay. Media companies love to have a ready-made character and concept that consumers can interact with straight away. All of these games have the core ingredients for ongoing relevance and popularity.