Retro Games Evolution & How They Shaped Modern Gaming

Gaming is an ever-evolving landscape where cutting-edge graphics and immersive gameplay dominate the market. Nowadays, triple-A games rule the roost, to the benefit and detriment of gamers everywhere.

While it’s arguable that games now provide unparalleled experiences many could never have dreamed of, it’s also a little sad to see many games start to follow a cookie-cutter format.

Retro Gaming Evolution

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these games, it’s a stark contrast to the wild, wild west that was the retro game scene of yesteryear. Thus, today we’ll be shifting the magnifying glass to that interesting gaming time. Together, we’ll get a closer look at the games that defined the many different retro eras and how they shaped the future of gaming as we know it!

What Makes a Game Retro?

Now, what exactly qualifies a game as retro? It’s a surprisingly fierce debate among gamers due to the rate at which video game development has lengthened over the years. Technically speaking, the term retro should apply to any game that’s older than ten years old. However, with many 10-year-old games still holding up to a modern standard, many gamers reject this definition.

For most people, a retro game refers to a video game that belongs to an earlier era of gaming history. Generally, retro games are associated with the early days of arcade machines, home consoles, and personal computers. They typically have simple graphics, and limited processing power, though gameplay can range from straightforward to wildly experimental.

We’ll go with the second definition for today’s article, with some exceptions here and there. For the most part, retro now often refers more to an aesthetic and idea than a specific period. That’s how indie game developers can have “retro-inspired” games, which don’t necessarily capture an era of gaming, but just evoke a sense of nostalgia from players.

The Birth of Retro Gaming

For most gamers, the birth of retro games is firmly set within the arcade scenes of the late 1970s. Most retro-influenced looks harken back to an idealistic picture of their neon highlights and dark, grungy atmospheres. Kids would gather at arcade cabinets with tokens and quarters in hand, waiting for their turns at arcade machines. The game of this era was wildly experimental, as the rules weren’t yet set in stone.

Games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Galaga were simple, building the foundation for the future of their genres. There’s a lot of variation in gameplay, even between games of the same genre. Fast-paced puzzle games were a common sight thanks to easy gameplay loops that can retain gamers’ attention. The early traces of fighting games would also be born here, with the original Street Fighter.

These simple yet addictive games laid the foundation for what was to come, establishing gaming as a mainstream form of entertainment. Over time, these basic building blocks would be elaborated on further, evolving into the beloved gaming genres we know today. Of course, these would take time to show results, and the first step to this was with the home console market.

The Rise of Home Consoles

With brand-new technological advancements came more powerful hardware, resulting in the rise of home consoles as arcade alternatives. While the visuals weren’t on the same level as arcade machines, consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Sega Genesis brought a level of convenience that an arcade could not match.

On top of this, console makers would invest heavily in exclusive content, resulting in gaming icons like Super Mario and Sonic. Their games would serve as the pinnacle of the platforming genre, introducing the world to a whole new genre of video games. The mass success of these exclusives would incentivise other developers to explore new projects and ideas, leading to plenty of innovation.

By the time the next generation of consoles began to roll around, spearheaded by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) introduction, developers were getting pretty good at making great games. Nintendo and Sega, the two biggest players, also discovered that investing in sequels to popular games drew customers in, leading to the concept of video game franchises.

This short period within the era of retro gaming would birth vast numbers of new ideas, such as console exclusives, innovation within game genres and thriving game franchises. Great strides were taken, pushing the medium forward and creating opportunities for future developers to explore. Now, how does all this impact modern gaming in particular?

The Impact of Retro Games on Modern Gaming

While retro games may seem primitive by today’s standards, their impact on modern gaming cannot be overstated. Many of the advancements and common practices we take for granted today found their beginnings in the days of retro gaming. We’ve already gone through a few of these above, but we’d like to dig a little deeper to see what we can find for this section.

1. The Creation of New Genres

Retro gaming involves a lot of innovation, with developers finding every possible way to create new gaming experiences. The tools they had were incredibly limited, and with these limits in place, they’d work tirelessly to make something fresh. With the advent of the first home consoles allowing players to retain their progress, so too came the chance to make longer games.

While we’ve already discussed how the platforming genre saw its birth due to platform exclusivity and a desire to create value, this also applies to many other genres. For example, RPGs resulted from developers wanting to create more immersive adventure games. Square Enix would fill this void with games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest kickstarting the massive JRPG genre.

Castlevania and Metroid would establish their spin-off of the platforming genre named after themselves in Metroidvanias. Even open-world games would find their start here, with non-linear exploration being a big component of games like The Legend of Zelda. All of these genres would find their start here, propelled by sheer creativity and passion.

2. Storytelling and Narratives For More Compelling Games

Gameplay was always king back in the retro gaming days, and the reason for this was that it was difficult to create engaging narratives in games. Consoles were only so powerful, and crafting a great story with such limited space on each cartridge wasn’t easy. This did not stop developers from doing everything they could to put massive stories into their games.

Usually, these sprawling plots would be occasionally hinted at in-game through small dialogue options. Most of the story would stay within information booklets. Games like Metroid, The Legend of Zelda and Castlevania would show off incredible amounts of lore through printed story details and many different environmental hints scattered throughout their worlds.

JRPGs like Pokemon and Final Fantasy would try to fit whatever story they could into their games. Against all odds, these games would manage to cram interesting characters and stories that would last throughout the years, becoming iconic in their own right. Nowadays, it’s incredibly simple to create engrossing stories with cinematic graphics, and it all started back in the days of retro gaming.

3. A Bigger Focus on Competitive and Multiplayer Gaming

Are you a big fan of esports? Then you’ll be glad to know that retro games started the whole competitive angle to gaming. One of the earliest known video games, Pong, was in and of itself a competitive multiplayer experience. With two players controlling different paddles attempting to hit a tiny ball past the opponent, competition has always been baked into the basic DNA of gaming.

When it comes to actual competitions, however, no game kicked off competitive gaming quite as much as Street Fighter II. The Street Fighter franchise itself has grown monumentally since then, and the fighting game genre as a whole arguably only exists thanks to Street Fighter II. Esports, in general, kicked off a bit later than the retro gaming era, but its roots were laid out from the start.

Co-op in video games also found its start in retro gaming, with titles like Contra and Donkey Kong 2 giving players incentive to push for goals together. This social aspect of gaming would mean you had to know other gamers to fully experience a game. These setbacks would inevitably lead to the explosive growth of today’s online multiplayer gaming scene, allowing you to connect and play with people worldwide.

4. Lasting Principles that Define Game Design

While a bit more all-encompassing, many game design principles from the retro gaming era persist to this day. Most of these are untouched concepts that haven’t changed much, like clever-level design fundamentals. Other aspects of game design, like power-ups, engaging difficulty progression throughout a game and especially boss battles, all are lasting contributions from the retro era.

Some concepts, like game save and certain RPG mechanics, have evolved from their early incarnations. Save games used to be incredibly utilitarian and limited, but now they’re often baked into the games through more interesting means. In Resident Evil 4, for example, the game can only be saved at random typewriters scattered throughout the game, adding tension to the game.

The Enduring Popularity of Retro Gaming

Despite the leaps and bounds made in gaming technology, retro games continue to captivate players of all ages. The nostalgia factor plays a significant role in their enduring popularity, as gamers reminisce about their formative gaming experiences. Additionally, the simplicity and accessibility of retro games make them appealing to casual gamers and those seeking a break from the complexity of modern titles.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in retro games. Retro-inspired indie games, such as Shovel Knight and Stardew Valley, pay homage to the classics while infusing new ideas and modern design sensibilities. Other games pay respects to their favourite retro games in smaller ways, like cameos and references.

Retro games hold a special place in the hearts of gamers and have left an indelible mark on the industry. From the early days of arcade cabinets to the rise of home consoles, retro games have shaped modern gaming in countless ways. It’s always important to recognize the roots of your hobbies, so dust off that old console or fire up an emulator, and take a journey back in time to relive the magic of retro gaming.