Visit the NEScene (http://nescene.brinstar.com)! The Rise of Retro Gaming In the last couple of years, gamers have witnessed the arrival of a new trend. At first, they were considered "freaksih". When they turned away from new consoles, they were thought of as almost "amish". They started digging at garage sales and used game stores, and then they were branded almost "cultish". Now, they may be the last hope for video gaming. I'm referring to people who play and buy old videogames, the ones who are called "retro gamers". Instead of playing Mario 64, they play Super Mario Brothers. Instead of awaiting the upcoming PSX title "Pac-Man: Ghost Zone", they bust out their old copy of the original Pac-Man. And the whole time, "normal" gamers think "What is wrong with them?" The rise of retro gaming can be attributed to a number of things. One of the biggest would be the lack of good gameplay in today's videogames. Video game companies spend much more time on graphics than before, leaving less time for gameplay design (seeing as these companies have deadlines to meet). This has led to a lot of games with good graphics but no gameplay. It's the equivalent of a Porshe with a go-kart engine. Another reason that retro gaming has become so big is money. With Nintendo 64 games in the area of $60-$70, and the average used NES game costing around $5-8, it's little wonder why gamers opt to buy a few old games instead of one new game. There's also a lot less risk involved in buying old NES games. If you buy a stinker, then you've only wasted a few bucks, and you won't be too mad. If you buy a poor N64 game, you'll be angry for a long time. Plus, you can find a review for just about any NES game you can imagine, but for a new N64 game, you might have to wait a while. Nostalgia also plays a big part in retro gaming. Retro gamers have fond memories of old games, and enjoy searching for, buying, and playing that old game that provided so much entertainment way back then. This is especially true for mid-to-late teenagers, for those old NES games are associated with their childhood (it's a timing thing. Today's teens were children during the NES heyday). There's nothing quite like fond childhood memories. Now that the rise of retro gaming has been explained, I'm sure you're asking: "What about that part in the beginning of the article in which you said that retro gamers might be the last hope for video gaming?" Well, it's fairly simple. Game companies will make whatever kind of games that people will buy. If people scream for great graphics and sound, they will be provided. That's what is happening today. Gamers want great graphics, so great graphics and gameplay are provided, and the games are purchased. So long as this continues, little will change. If gamers stopped buying games with good graphics/poor gameplay, game companies would catch on and start spending time on making a game that plays well. Here's where retro gamers come in. They're the ones who've turned away from glitzy graphics in favor of serious gameplay. The more retro gamers that surface, the more companies will pay attention and start designing a game that those gamers will buy. If you want and scream for gameplay, but you go and buy games with good graphics/poor gameplay, then you're part of the problem. Actions (and sales figures) speak louder than words. Remember: Game companies exist solely for you and other gamers. You directly dictate what games get made thrtough what games you buy. Don't spend money on a game that's all eye-candy. Buy quality games, and you'll be helping in gamers' quest to to get more quality games. Brendon Rapp HTML Writer's Guild Questions? Comments? Email the author at rappb@usa.net