Retro gaming has always been popular. Some of the triple-A games we are seeing at the moment feature next-generation graphics and cutting edge tech, but some people just prefer good old retro gaming. From consoles to browsers – and whether it’s the franchise, the characters, the gameplay, the lore, or the community following that particular game – it’s clear that the classics are staying classics for a reason..
Today, we are going to look at some of the biggest franchises and names in retro gaming who have almost defined themselves as timeless, being just as popular today as they have been over previous decades. And so, as technology progresses and we see things such as VR coming to the forefront, will retro gaming stay as popular?
A lot of people perceive their interest in retro gaming as just wanting to feel some nostalgia but it is in fact much more than that. Of course, nostalgia will always be a contributing factor. Especially for those who were youngsters when the daily games came out and they’re wanting to revisit their youth. But a lot of the credit has to go to the developers of these games and how they’ve ensured, through marketing, that they have survived and stayed as popular to this day.
Poker
Poker is a game that’s withstanded the centuries. From the tables of saloons in gold-prospecting LA to the high-glamour glitz of Macau, poker is still poker. The core of the game has remained consistent. However, that hasn’t stopped it from being innovated!
There are plenty of examples of online gambling platforms taking poker’s essence and creating new variations. What these platforms tend to focus on is the speed of the gameplay. That’s the crux of the appeal of online casinos: they are a) convenient and b) much faster to play. iGaming developers saw to it that poker kept up.
Additionally, another variation can be found at crypto casinos, where the world of poker has enabled cryptocurrency holders to bet with Bitcoin, as well as Ethereum and other altcoins.
So not only has poker withstood efforts to modernise its gameplay, but it’s withstood the infrastructure being modernised around it.
Pokemon
The first franchise or genre we’re going to look at is Pokemon. Which is by far to this day one of, or if not, the most valuable game franchises in the world. The first Pokemon games came out back in 1996, nearly three decades ago. These were Pokemon Green and Red and were available on the original Game Boy. The game was so popular that it spurred the release of a cartoon TV series and then two movies that hit cinema screens worldwide.
And to this day, this retro franchise has kept influencing the gaming world. The latest hit is Pokemon Go, an augmented-reality-inspired game downloaded onto people’s smartphones that allows them to go around hunting and collecting virtual Pokemon.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Another retro game that a lot of people may not quite appreciate just how long it has been. The first version of the game, aptly named Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0, was released in 1982, 42 years ago. It has kept its position at the throne of the flight simulation game sector since its inception. Popular amongst budding wannabe pilots and plane enthusiasts alike, the latest version of the game came out in 2020, 38 years after the debut and the difference between the original graphics and those of the latest edition in the franchise is absolutely breathtaking.
Street Fighter
This one made its debut back in 1987, around 37 years ago. Developed by Japanese gaming giants Capcom, as the name suggests, it was a fighter vs. fighter set up with a total of six different moves per player. Since then, it has inspired many big-name games, including Tekken, just to mention one. The latest installment in the franchise came out in 2023 and is still going strong to this day, with something of a cult following that continues to value its original iterations.
These are just a few of the biggest genres of retro games that have remained strong throughout the decades and have made a name for themselves. They’ve established a strong and loyal following over the years and a fanbase between them of hundreds of millions, and most of us can agree at least one holds a special place in our hearts.
