Classic Retro Gaming Machines Revisited

Well, we never had a guest post at Retro Treasures, but that's about to change, as a friend of this blog, James Mowey, shares his thoughts on classic gaming.

What is it about retro gaming machines that make them so popular? Today, when you watch a television commercial that promotes the newest and best game on the market, you are completely blown away by the sound, video, and graphics. You would think this would make people forget about the classic games of the past such a Donkey Kong, Berserker, or Centipede. So, what is so appealing about these gaming systems that invigorates so many to keep collecting them? Well, the answer is no different than the reasons why classic movies are so popular: they are classics. That means they are timeless. Ironically, in addition to being timeless, they also remain time capsules to an era that was long ago.

Many people may have fond memories of playing on an Atari 2600 on a black and white television. Such imagery harkens back to the early 1980s and nothing that leads you to think back into the past exists in a vacuum. In other words, you do not merely re-experience the game play. You also experience the sights, sounds, and feelings of the prior era. This is why so many older people have a love for collecting the older retro gaming machines (both arcade size and home entertainment models) and investing more than a little bit of leisure time playing them. You could consider the experience something akin to a feel good therapy sessions. That is, such games allow the person to drift back to a simpler time in their life. Granted, not everyone taking part in playing these retro games will realize what is occurring. The impact may be subconscious but the pleasure sensation it yields will be there. Either way, it is all good. Such gaming sessions can be a great deal of fun which is why they are so popular. Yes, what is old is new again.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to led tv.