I'm not sure if I've brought this up in a previous thread... but I'm curious...

When it comes to myself and gaming I have to admit I'm more of a retro gamer yet I really kind of hate that label for some reason.

Maybe because I think people will automatically think I believe that older games are better? I don't think they are better per say... but I do enjoy them more. Yeah, I know nostalgia plays a big part of that because everyone thinks the stuff they grew up with was "the best" (e.g. the various versions of TMNT being a good example) but I'm a wrong in thinking there is a negative connotation with the term "retro gamer" or do I just imagine this?

If there's anything negative about it, I'm not aware of it and I've been calling myself a retro gamer for years. I think a few of my friends just see some of the stuff I play as "old games" and that's fine...I don't expect people child-reared on PS1 graphics to understand the enthusiasm some of us have for Atari or NES classics.

I think there is sort of a reverse logic, in that some people think some of us are only doing retro gaming because it's cool at the moment. So it feels good to sit down, show them a full deathless run of Castlevania, Contra or Ninja Gaiden (games that have taken on a reputation of being overly difficult) and just be like, "yeah, I grew up with this shit. I LIVED it".

I think retro is a relative term. To many people in their early 20's, I'm sure FFVII feels retro, but to myself, it feels very modern, popeye arms and all.

Going back to Goldfish X's point, though, about living through the NES. There is a vague, yet continual divide between shovelling sidewalks for weeks in 1987 to afford the newest Megaman, getting home, ripping it open, playing it into the night and talking about it amongst friends the next day at school, and simply downloading it 25 years after the fact on your 3DS. Whose memories will be more profound? The mechanism by which we 'experience' games may not change much, but the epochs that allow this divide to exist can really influence the mindset of the person perceiving them. And this isn't true of just games. Who do suppose will remember Michael Jackson more? The guy who danced to Billie Jean at a wedding, or the guy who saw him do his first moonwalk at Motown 25 on live TV?

EDIT: My point was probably about as clear as mud (I'm typing this on my 3DS, by the way). Basically, 'retro' as moot of a term it is, is nothing to have negative feelings for. I can't say I'm proud to have been there for the NES, because I had nothing to do with it. But I am proud to have stuck with Mario and Megaman.

I agree, "retro" means different things to everyone. The PS1/Saturn/N64 (and the Dreamcast to an extent) generation is kind of like a divider for me, it's the point where games became taylored for a wider audience and moved to 3D, but still maintained a lot of aspects of the previous generations. Anything before that = "retro", anything after that = "modern" to me. But whether or not to call Klonoa 1, Jumping Flash 2 or FFVII "retro" is a crap-shoot sometimes.

What you say about "experiencing" the games in their own time is also true too. It's why I love watching a lot of retro channels, because  a lot of times, the guys doing the video probably grew up with the game and can explain why they enjoy the experience and what type of impact it had.

On the same hand, I played (and enjoyed) ET on Atari 2600 when I was younger, so people look at me like I have 3 heads sometimes when I try to say it's not THAT bad of a game. I think there's a bit of revisionist history from the media and people who have never touched the game to say it caused the videogame crash in 1983.

Sorry to revive such an old thread... but I kind of had an odd experience at a Gamestop the other day.

I went in and the girl working the counter asked me the most innocent question... that I kind of had trouble answering.

She asked me "What are you playing?"

I kind of stumbled and I was like "I'm... uh... kind of... playing the PS1."

Man I felt so out of place.

I know it's my own hangup... but yeah, it's kind of odd admitting that you're three generations like that.

I only really go into Gamestop to look for things for my friends... I don't really get this feeling when going into the Game X-Change since they have retro.

Well they can't hawk warranties for PS1s anymore so they likely don't know what one of those are at GameSlop. Plus, I don't think the PS1 registered as a retro game console yet in their eyes -- if it's not NES they probably have no clue.

I typically only buy older games on eBay because buyers prices are fairer and conditions are typically better if you have patience to keep on watching for the right ones/sellers. I wish it weren't like this because I used to love game hunting but so many "retro" game stores now operate under the ignorance of street level buyers, hefty leases thereby justifying endless Mario 3 lose carts are "rare", worth $30.