Being a Gamer VS Being a Retro Gamer

[Tempest]

I'm definitely a retro gamer. I don't own any of the modern systems, and while some modern games interest me, I know I won't purchase them until the systems are last gen so I can pick up the titles for much cheaper. Technically the Wii U is the last modern system I purchased, but it was one week before the Switch launched and the system was already commercially dead by then. I brought a PS2, Gamecube, and Dreamcast during their life times and a Saturn, Mega Drive, and Master System prior to that. Everything else has been after that generation.

Also, I prefer to play and purchase games that have stood the test of time. I don't care about keeping up with modern fads and would much rather spend my time and money on something that has proven itself to be a classic within the community (with a few exceptions, of course). When retro gaming was a cheaper hobby, I didn't mind checking out titles that weren't classified as classics but sounded interesting to me (brought a few duds, but enjoyed most), but that's no longer a viable option with retro game prices so high at the moment.

[pook99]

There's a PS4?!

Who knew?!

Yes, and I've played the latest and most cutting edge games on it.

Games I've played on PS4 so far...

Grand Theft Auto III
Castlevania Dracula X Rondo of Blood
Castlevania Symphony of the Night

This made me legit laugh out loud.

Lately I definitely have had trouble getting into modern games, I think the lack of ease of pick up and play adds to that. I started darksiders 3 a few weeks ago, I was enjoying it and played it for a few hours, but then I put it down. I wanted to pick it back up yesterday and I had no idea where to go. There are no in game indicators other than this stupid skull at the top of the screen which doesnt really help at all. I wandered around for a half hour or so, then unistalled the game and spent the rest of my day alternating between actraiser 2 and a fan game called castlevania: the bloodletting.

[Mad_Hatter]

Always like reading your threads, Ziggy!

Not trying to take a shot at you, but yes, I think it has to do with getting older too. I've been doing through the same thing. That's why I sold my PS4. It wasn't getting played much. Even for sports games, I like playing the Dreamcast sports games over the newer stuff. I don't care about the older rosters, blurry graphics... it's what I like.

And I don't do this just with video games now. But I do it with movies, tv shows, books, and music as well. :/

Anyways, I like your comparisons, and I've been through similar.

I'm a big fan of of the GTA series as well, but have not touched 5. I beat 4, but never came back to it. But I've replayed San Andreas (a top 5 game for me) and Vice City countless times. I love those games. I love their followers and online community as well. They still have modders and coders keeping that game alive. It's amazing.

I love the Mortal Kombat series, but I beat Mortal Kombat X once and felt no need to replay it or play online.

One thing I don't like about current video games is how immense they are. I feel like I will never "beat" the game. I watched my brother play GTA 5, and the map is HUGE. And even if you do beat it, there's a ton of stuff to do online probably. I'm a "complet-ist" in video games. I like to beat games from start to finish, side missions and all, explore everything.

Sports games have countless controls now. Back then, it was move, pass, shoot, sprint. Now you got endless combinations.

I'm never going to want to learn all those controls now. I don't want to dedicate all that time to a new video game, when I can have just as much fun playing an older game I already know. Lot of it has to do with me getting older. I got a 8 to 5 now with a long commute. When I get the time, I usually try to exercise otherwise I will get my back pains. And I try to sleep as much as I can.

This is not to say I don't game anymore. But it happens in spurts. A couple of months ago, I was back into WarCraft 3 (my all time favorite game). I was playing that like crazy. But it was getting bad. I was staying up in the AM playing that game. I had to uninstall. I need rest.

I'm not sure if this will be classified as a "retro gamer" though. I don't think this makes me a "retro gamer". When I think of a retro gamer, I think of somebody like the Angry Video Game Nerd. Somebody who is always playing old stuff and discovering and playing "new" games for old consoles. There's a bunch of games I never played on the Genesis, Saturn, SNES, etc. For this reason, I don't consider myself a retro gamer. I'm just a guy who likes his old stuff. Just like an older person listening to their favorite music album again.

Anyways, I'm trying to break out of that habit. I'm too young to start acting like that. I watched the new Tarantino movie in the theater, so I was in a Tarantino mood. I was going to rewatch Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds. But, instead I watched Jackie Brown and Death Proof, which I have never seen before but enjoyed. I plan to start doing this with my consoles as well. Instead of replaying a game, I should try one of the games listed on the articles on here.

[noiseredux]

, blurry graphics... it's what I like.

Blurry graphics... it's in the game!

And I don't do this just with video games now. But I do it with movies, tv shows, books, and music as well. :/

While I play just as many 2019 games as I do retro games, I do tend to lean this way with other stuff. Like, most of the time I'm listening to albums I've loved since the 90's. And we watch a lot of movies and shows from the 90's and early 00's.

I'm a big fan of of the GTA series as well, but have not touched 5.

One thing I don't like about current video games is how immense they are. I feel like I will never "beat" the game. I watched my brother play GTA 5, and the map is HUGE. And even if you do beat it, there's a ton of stuff to do online probably. I'm a "complet-ist" in video games. I like to beat games from start to finish, side missions and all, explore everything.

I guess if you're a completionist then 5 would be rough. For me, I spent a couple weeks knocking out the main story; and I spent I have no idea how many hours doing stupid shit like just exploring the world, searching for proof of aliens, and messing with the AI. I absolutely adored that aspect of 5. I thought the story was fine, but I actually liked doing nothing in that world more than the game proper.

I kind of feel the same way about Skyrim. I knocked out the main story rapidly last year, but that was after I'd spend tens of hours just playing around in that vast world and loving just seeing what might happen.

But, instead I watched Jackie Brown and Death Proof, which I have never seen before but enjoyed.

Death Proof is so so awesome. I love that movie hard.

[Ziggy]

Always like reading your threads, Ziggy!

Thanks, Mad Hatter! That kind of feedback is always good to hear!

One thing I don't like about current video games is how immense they are. I feel like I will never "beat" the game. I watched my brother play GTA 5, and the map is HUGE. And even if you do beat it, there's a ton of stuff to do online probably. I'm a "complet-ist" in video games. I like to beat games from start to finish, side missions and all, explore everything.

Sports games have countless controls now. Back then, it was move, pass, shoot, sprint. Now you got endless combinations.

I'm never going to want to learn all those controls now. I don't want to dedicate all that time to a new video game, when I can have just as much fun playing an older game I already know. Lot of it has to do with me getting older. I got a 8 to 5 now with a long commute. When I get the time, I usually try to exercise otherwise I will get my back pains. And I try to sleep as much as I can.

Same here, man. There's a lot of games on my to-play list that I really want to play, but I know they will require a LOT of time and I just don't have enough. And I know exactly what you mean about some games having too many complicated controls to learn.

This kind of thinking is exactly what inspired my idea for an article about "pick up and play games." Thread here: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=52871

Instead of replaying a game, I should try one of the games listed on the articles on here.

I always say I'm gonna do that. But when the time comes around to turn on a game, it almost always ends up being one that I've played already.