Sometimes Living in the Past is Good

Retro Games are Here to Stay

Retro Gaming Exhibit A: Castle Crashers...simply stunning

Full Disclosure: I am a child of the golden years of video gaming...NES, SNES, and N64 for the win! That said I think it's time we delve into the world of retro gaming in today's market, and why it's good for developers to live in the past. For anyone who owns an XBOX Live or PSN account, you'll notice that there are a flurry of downloadable games we can digitally get our paws on, with many of them sticking to the basic gameplay formulas of the past. Retro games like "Castle Crashers," "Limbo," and "Bionic Commando: Rearmed" prove that games with simple gameplay can be successful in today's market of complex games. Just like with many things in life, sometimes it's better to keep it simple, rather than get lost in pressing too many buttons.

Double Dragon...and no its not a sexual position

In order to understand why retro gaming is important, we should look at some of the more popular games from back in the day. One of the most overused retro gameplay types are "beat-em-ups." These games force players to walk through an entire level while defeating hordes of baddies that get in your way. Think of it as a Jackie Chan movie that allows you to press two to three buttons in any combination, thus allowing you to release an arsenal of attacks that rain pain on your enemies. Video games of the golden age like Double Dragon, Final Fight, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are classified as beat-em-ups, and all were very successful. But why?

Scott Pilgrim the game, now with more sodium!

Speaking just in my experience, one key to the success of beat-em-ups is that it allowed you to play with more than just one person. As with many games nowadays, the gaming experience you can share with someone else is always a major plus. But besides that, it was simple controls that allowed for anyone to jump in and play regardless of their gaming experience. Games that stick to three button presses make it easier for anyone to follow along and keep the pacing going. But it's not that beat-em-ups are for dummies...If executed correctly, a good beat-em-up will have simple controls and a complex strategy in using those controls. For example, solely pressing the A button the whole game isn't fun, but if you're forced to switch between dodging, blocking, picking up an item, and then attacking...you've got something a little more satisfying.

Midgets and 6-foot lizards at your disposal

Another oldie but goldie retro genre is the "platformer." Platformers force players to navigate through a level using timed based movements like jumping and running, and may also include attacks and puzzles. The king of this genre of course is Mr. Super Mario. Mario Brothers changed the landscape of gaming which has influenced games even to this day. Modern retro games (I think that's an oxymoron) like "Limbo" and "Splosion Man" borrow heavily from the moustachioed plumber in their platforming elements such as the use of timed jumps and increasingly difficult level progression. But again, the key to these games is the simple controls. The basic element required in most platformers is two-to-three buttons, sprinkled in with some strategic gameplay elements.

That's right Ice-MAN! I am a difficult game

So if most retro games are simple, why is it that not everyone plays them? The difficulty. Ask anyone who played a game of "Mega Man" or the original "Legend of Zelda" and they'll tell you that those games don't go easy on you. Mega Man was a blistering hard game to beat because of how relentless the enemies and environment were. As for Zelda, that game forced you to figure out on your own where you had to go next. Sure it was frustrating, but the games weren't impossible. Gamers knew if they practiced just a little bit, then they could overcome the challenges ahead...and that was the biggest payoff for gamers of the NES days.

Limbo, a beautiful platformer that has gruesome deaths

The whole point in this rabble is that many modern games are too complex for their own sake, and a bit on the easy "sleazy" street, but I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Complex games like Starcraft or even Final Fantasy are engrossing and fun, but I think there is a similar, if not, greater satisfaction to be had with old school retro gaming. I'd love to see an experienced studio that focuses solely on developing retro style games for today's gamers. It would really separate the nerds from the mega-nerds. Games like "Castle Crashers" and "Scott Pilgrim vs the World" prove that we still love to live in the good ol' days where a challenging game was fun, even if it did make you want to grab a head of lettuce and bash it in with your fists.