Which criteria makes games "retro"?

[CaffeineAddict]

I'm curious what do you think or believe could be a list of rules, a criteria, that makes some game a retro game?

e.g. hardware requirements, release date etc. and which values approximately.

 

[KGIII]

The definition I see is 'older than 15 years'.

There's no hardware requirement for that, really. Even a fairly old computer can emulate any of those platforms and all the ROMs are out there for those who are into pirating/preserving.

Some people like to use old hardware. They like hardware that was available when the games were played, meaning console or an old computer.

 

[APTI]

the way to tell is simple. If I played it as a kid, it is retro.

 

[KGIII]

the way to tell is simple. If I played it as a kid, it is retro.

LOL I pretty much predate all commercial video games. Technically, the Magnavox system came out in 1972 but I was already 15 by then. There were a couple of arcade games (usually in bars, bowling alleys, and that sort of stuff) but I never saw one until I was over 18. I've since played some truly retro arcade games that I didn't see but they were very basic and the first one I recall seeing was Pac-Man and I want to say it was an actual table.

So, if we use our childhood as a definition then I'd be pretty darned limited in my choices.

We did have amazingly complex pinball games. I own one today and there's no way I'm going to try to repair it when it breaks. Well, I might take a quick look at it and fix it if it's simple. Otherwise, I'm calling in a professional.

 

[theLegionWithin]

for me, "retro" is defined as "stuff I experienced as a child" - so, 1980s hair metal bands are retro, max headroom is retro, wolf3d/doom are retro. even my first car is kind of retro

pretty sure everyone has a different definition

 

[MikeRocor]

the way to tell is simple. If I played it as a kid, it is retro.

Hmmm... If I played it as a kid, it didn't involve a computer.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

The definition I see is 'older than 15 years'.

I like this to simple and to the point definition because for me any game older than 10 yrs is "old", so 15 yo minimum seems reasonable to qualify as retro.

 

[KGIII]

I like this to simple and to the point definition because for me any game older than 10 yrs is "old", so 15 yo minimum seems reasonable to qualify as retro.

It's a bit arbitrary, but I suppose that's what's needed for that definition.

I have less frequently seen that anything more than two generations old is retro. We're currently in the 9th generation, but the 10th generation will be along shortly. (The PS6 and whatever XBox does.) The 7th gen is roughly defined as 'new in 2005', which would actually be 20 years old. So, that'd fit well within the 'older than 15' definition.

The handheld consoles may muddy the 'generational' categories. I suppose the current crop of 'em (excluding retro-gaming handhelds, meant to play ROMs) would be included with the 9th generation simply due to the era they're in. The retro-gaming consoles are an item apart and not (yet, that I know of) categorized with generations.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

We're currently in the 9th generation, but the 10th generation will be along shortly.

What is a generation? is this a well defined term? in regard to game releases.

 

[Fanboi]

retro game /rɛtroʊ ɡeɪm/

noun​

1. A game not taking up 100s of GB of disk space, not requiring constant internet connection, not needing 20,000 updates and bug fixes the week of launch, not requiring the purchase of excessively expensive hardware.
2. A game than can be run out the box by inserting a coin/token into a machine or a cartridge/disc into console without an installation or registration process.
3. A game prioritising immersion through gameplay, mechanics, storyline, character-development, sound track, or a combination over photo realistic graphics.
4. A game generally considered "old" by Generation Z.
5. A game that is played generally for recreation and does not constitute a chore or a means of employment.

 

[KGIII]

What is a generation? is this a well defined term? in regard to game releases.

Fairly well defined, yes.

History of video game consoles - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Fairly well defined, yes.

History of video game consoles - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nice thanks! this generation spans however seem to apply to console games only.

 

[KGIII]

Nice thanks! this generation spans however seem to apply to console games only.

You might want to read the title of the page or the link itself.

 

[Detelpa725]

Age: Generally, games that are 15-20 years old or older.
Platform Generation: Games from early console generations (e.g., NES, SNES, Sega Genesis) or early PC gaming eras.
Graphical Style: Titles featuring pixel art, 2D graphics, or early 3D graphics reminiscent of past gaming eras.

 

[Detelpa725]

Some people argue PS3/Xbox 360 games are retro now, but I’m not ready to accept that.

 

[KGIII]

Some people argue PS3/Xbox 360 games are retro now, but I’m not ready to accept that.

The good news is that not everyone agrees on the definition. Some say that anything newer than the advent of 3D games is retro, for example.

I think PS3 would be retro (by the 15-year thing), as would the Xbox. I believe the Xbox 360 isn't quite 15 years old, though I suppose I could look it up again. (I looked it up when writing an earlier post, so I'm going from memory. Man, I'm lazy today...)

 

[dos2unix]

For me.. it's mostly a 2-d vs 3-d thing. I know that isn't 100% true. But consider
super mario, defender or pacman vs call of duty, destiny2, or outland.

 

[KGIII]

For me.. it's mostly a 2-d vs 3-d thing. I know that isn't 100% true. But consider
super mario, defender or pacman vs call of duty, destiny2, or outland.

As someone who didn't really grow up with gaming (but played a bunch of games later in life), I'm kind of partial to the 15 year rule. It's arbitrary and I like that. That gives adequate time for tech advancements between the generations and game systems that old don't tend to get much additional development.

(There are people still releasing new games on cartridges for the old systems, they're just not making a ton of money on it.)

So, that's my preference and it's a definition used by others. After 15 years, you're not going to see any manufacturer support and there won't be any significant official game launches or the like. You're not going to go into a store and find new games outside of collector stores where they'll charge a lot of money for an old game or an old game that was preserved new in box.

That definition works for me, but it's a fuzzy topic and folks can pretty much use any definition they'd like.

As an aside, I stopped gaming pretty much immediately at one point.

Fallout and Fallout 2 were, at the time and in my opinion, the greatest games ever made. I still think they're the greatest I've experienced.

Then, they released Fallout Tactics...

It came with so many bugs that it wasn't playable and I'd spent money pre-ordering the game. (This would later be quite common, or so the journalists and gamers would tell me.)

I didn't wait around for that to happen a 2nd time. I don't stand for abuse and I considered that abusive. The game literally could not be won until they released a few patches and I had paid for working software even before it was released because I liked the franchise.

It wasn't until just recently that I decided to do some retro stuff. I'll have to set up a VM so that I can revisit Fallout 2. (I'm not going to pay for another copy/license.)