The truly great video games never go out of style or fade into the background. Nowadays, we’re starting to see which retro games are true classics, as they remain popular with younger audiences. In fact, many games of yesteryear are making a comeback and continue to resonate with younger gamers. Perhaps the pertinent question is why some of these retro games are making a comeback decades after they first became popular.
Remakes
Hollywood has remade countless films over the past handful of years, taking classics and creating a modern version of them. Naturally, that trend has made its way to the gaming industry as well. Games from the Resident Evil and Final Fantasy franchises, among others, have been remade with new stories, as well as modern graphics and gameplay. This has piqued the interest that young gamers have in the original version of those games. It has helped to bring retro games to the forefront, bridging a gap between classic games and their modern doppelgängers.
Accessibility
The overall growth of the gaming industry in recent years is largely tied to accessibility. Gamers no longer need to have a specific console to play retro games; those games can be downloaded online. Granted, retro consoles like Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo have enjoyed a return. But the ability to play games online or with a mobile device at any time has allowed retro games to be played by a new generation of gamers. Also, older games at the top-rated casinos online are being brought back to life. These platforms have a massive selection of games because they don’t have the space limitations of brick-and-mortar casinos. Therefore, popular retro games like Wheel of Fortune, Starburst, and Reel Kings are becoming popular again, just like classic console games, thanks to modern technology and accessibility.
Gaming Communities
The gaming community itself is playing a critical role in helping several retro titles make a comeback. Online forums allow gamers from all generations to interact with each other. Older gamers can share the names of classic titles that the younger generation of gamers might enjoy. This opens up the possibility for retro games to go viral all over again. Gaming conventions can have a similar effect. At these events, younger gamers can find merchandise or participate in tournaments of retro games, bringing them back to the forefront.
Simplicity
Believe it or not, the simplicity of retro games has helped to keep them relevant. While not always easy to beat, classics like Super Mario or Zelda have simple concepts and simple gameplay. You don’t need hours of practice to get good at them or enjoy playing them. This has helped their appeal with younger audiences, who occasionally want something different from some of the more complex games of today. Again, while retro games are simple to play, they are difficult to master, which means younger players stick with them for a while. The longer they stick with them, the easier it is for the word to spread amongst gamers about the appeal of retro titles, which might be old but are never boring.
Nostalgia
Last but not least, we can never underestimate the power of nostalgia. Older generations of gamers still cling to the past and favor the games they played in the ‘80s and ‘90s. As mentioned, those games have become more accessible these days, even if you don’t have a console from that era that works. Once these gamers start to remember what it was like to play these games, nostalgia kicks in and they get hooked on them all over again. They can also introduce those games to their kids or grandkids, allowing the younger generation to enjoy retro games.