~Xcessive Gamer- Classic Games~

Classic Games:
Why old folks like them so much

Article By: Gary V. Ambrose II
Webmaster/Founder of Xcessive Gamer Magazine

If you a young gamer, you probably don't remember all those classic games like Defender, Robotron 2084, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Joust, ect. ect.. The list just goes on and on. If your that young, you probably don't see what's the big deal with retro games either. Your probably thinking: "Why would anyone in their right mind want to play old games like Stargate, when there's so many great new games such as Final Fantasy VII available?".

For those of you that think that way, I'll try to enlighten you by relating my experiences with those games.

I'm now 31 years of age, and probably much older then most of the people who will read this article. I was there when this video game thing first started. I remember the first time I seen "Pong", and I was amazed. This may sound dumb now, but Pong was a technical marvel once released. It amazed virtually everyone who seen it. If this sounds funny to you, think back when you first saw "Mortal Kombat". Were you, or were you not amazed at what you saw?!! And, I think you'll agree, like Pong, Mortal Kombat looks really dated now. Yet each one was a great technical achievement in it's time.

As the years progressed, the games kept getting better and better. First it was games like Space Invaders, and Asteriods. Then it moved to an even higher level. Great games like Galaxian, and Defender started to emerge. Each game was totally unique, and each game had better and better gameplay. Sorta like today, but the difference is new gameplay elements are a rarity now, and every advance is currently expected. Back then we never knew that the current crop of games could become better. We always thought the newest game was the best it would ever get. Yes, we were young and naive, but we really thought technology reached it's max.

Another thing was the home market was never even close to the arcade back when it began. If you played a game like Ms. Pac Man at home, it was worlds apart from the arcade counterpart. Anyone remember the Atari 2600 version of that game? Nothing like the arcade!! Today there is a noticible drop in arcade conversions, but not near as noticable as back then. Now you get a few less frames, back then you got a totally different game with the same name. Still, we loved our home games, because we thought it was the best it would ever be.

I tell you, when I was about 16 years old, I would've sold my 13 year old brother to slavery for an upright version of Defender, Robotron 2084, Joust, or any of those top arcade games. Now, I have perfect arcade ports of all those games (courtesy of Williams), on my home computer. Heck, it only cost me about $25.00 for all. Back then, I spent more then that every week on them.

It wasn't just the newness of the games that made them so good, it was the way they played. They seemed to draw you in. They kept you playing again and again. You always had a reason to play. Now, the primary objective is to complete the game. How many people do you know who complete a game, then see if they can do it faster? Or, see if they could do it on a harder level? Designers are now incorporating more endings to games to add replay, but to me it still doesn't beat the "old school" of thought. Back in my day, we played for high scores. Didn't matter if I was trying to beat my personal best, or a friends, or maybe even a world high score (They were printed in early gaming magazines). I just wanted to beat some score. It didn't matter if I played the game a hundered times, I didn't mind going through it again. I just wanted to do it better the next time I played. And enevitably, that's what happened. I got better after every quarter I spent!

Today, I'm sorry to say, graphics get more emphasis then gameplay. Back then, all graphics were crude, so developers were forced to spent most of their time focusing on gameplay. To me that was great!! I've seen great graphics today, and would rather play a graphically challenged game that is unique and fun.

Take a game like "Stargate (a.k.a. Defender II)". This game was perfect from both a arcade owner's point of view, and a gamers point of view. To the player you got to play an awsome arcade game, that was action packed from the get go. Heck, if you were really good, you could warp to higher (and tougher) levels really quick, and gain many points in the process. Bragging to your friends that you made "XXXXX" points was quite awesome. The arcade owner was equally impressed. Here he purchased the machine, and intended to make a profit. To make a profit you have to have a cool game, that players don't spend much time in front of. Stargate was perfect for this! It actually rewarded you for doing good, by warping you to higher (and much harder) levels, and giving you many points. You actually played your hardest, so you could have a shorter game (Must be noted that it was very intense and well worth it!!).

The whole point to this article is this: The older games just had alot or qualities that the newer games lack. I'd never give up the new ones for the old, but I'll always remember the old and play them when I can. It was a very fun period back then. You played for different reasons, and had different goals. Those reasons, and goals are forever etched into my brain. To me, it was the best gaming I've ever had.

In conclusion, I'd like to say: If your a young video gamer, try a retro game. It's gonna look outdated, so you'll need to overlook that. Just give it a try though! The gameplay and replay value are worth the time, and just may draw you in!!

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