Technology: The growing phenomenon of retrogaming isn’t just nostalgia
There are elements that made an era unforgettable. Let’s think for example of the boom in mini-golf, go-karts and of course the flowering of arcade video games in the 1980s. Although Quentin Tarantino’s bestselling book Cinema Speculation focuses on the films of the Seventies, the American director cites Back to the Future as one of the seven perfect films ever made. The others are Jaws by Steven Spielberg, Junior Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and then again: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Annie Hall, The Wild Bunch, The Exorcist. In fact, having to choose just one title to describe and encompass the eighties, many would choose Robert Zemeckis’ film.
A work capable of lasting over time and being handed down to posterity. The same happened with certain video games, which today are re-evaluated, rediscovered and reviewed by young users who at the time were certainly too young to have experienced them, as they say.
The late 1980s and early 1990s marked the heyday of arcades. Children could line their pockets with little money and play their favorite machines until they ran out of luck (or money). Game consoles were so new that they were not household objects, so the only place to play was in an arcade, a place that had now become more of a legend to be passed down than a territorial reality.
The profusion of game consoles in every home has fundamentally challenged the arcade. Was it now just a birthday party venue, devoid of wonder? Yes, for a while. But arcade games are making a fierce comeback in myriad ways, to be enjoyed by older gamers seeking a little slice of nostalgia and by younger generations watching in wonder, contemplating why such a great machine is needed to run a game so simple and basic in design.
With an understanding of the impact of arcades and the games they housed on our culture, it’s time to look back at the best arcade games of all time. Vintage arcade games are the most iconic. Many of these retro gaming classics were ported to consoles for new generations to enjoy, but they are fondly remembered as the arcade classics that they are. Others may not be remembered as arcade classics, but they spawned franchises of epic console games. One of the games that is worth celebrating is undoubtedly Wonder Boy, an undisputed classic, an intergenerational cult that now involves fathers and sons.
Wonder boy today
Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection will likely be the most definitive collection of retro Wonder Boy games we’ll see in one package on Nintendo Switch. Originally released in physical form just last year, the title finally gets a digital release allowing many more Wonder Boy fans, old and new, to immerse themselves in the retro goodness. A smaller Wonder Boy Collection was released last year, which comes in at a more affordable price point but is missing Wonder Boy and the Dragon’s Trap and Wonder Boy III Monster Lair, two rather significant titles in the series. If you’re a retro gaming fan or a Wonder Boy fan, avoid it and get this collection instead. The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is the best way to enjoy six classic games in one package.
The original arcade classic first released in 1986, where you run right doing your best to avoid enemies while keeping your stamina bar high while collecting food. It’s one hit and you’re down, but if you pick up a power-up, like a skateboard, you can take a hit. The game is incredibly difficult but super fun to play. Except for a remake of this version, the series would never return to this formula. Instead of transforming into the Adventure Island series, however, it still leaves its notable mark. what we are trying to do today is linked to the concept of emulation compared to what we have seen in the past. Game producers have realized that the arcades of the past, despite their limitations and defects, had a completely different level of gameplay and usability compared to current titles. As with any retro collection, today there are some additional features to get the most out of each game while also making it more appreciable to a general audience.
Moreover, the same type of problem was faced some time ago by producers of online games as with classic attractions such as slot machines, baccarat, blackjack and digital roulette. Today everything that is nostalgic, vintage and past, lives again in the present with new ways of use and enjoyment. The gaming industry definitely has the wind in its sails, apparently with a variety of products and releases every month that does not yet reveal the boundaries of this business segment.