And yes, category 3 includes those who favor emulation. Games played: Mario Party 2 (0:01), Super Mario All-Stars (0:15), Einhander (0:25), Sonic Mania (0:50), Chrono Trigger (1:25), Contra: Hard Corps (2:05)
I'm the type of retro gamer that doesn't really play much of anything anymore, but I totally enjoy all the you-tubers because it's great energy while you do other things.
That's about where I'm at. I'm 42 and have just about lost interest in playing video games, but I still have a lot of nostalgia for retro games, so I watch UA-cam videos on the games I love. Once in a while, I'll get the itch to play. A couple of months ago I was prepping for my colonoscopy, and I knew I had to chill and stay close to the toilet, so I started a new file in Final Fantasy IV.
Plus having a gigantic collection. I think I have somewhat 500 games to my disposal and play maybe 1-2 a year. By that time I'm gonna be dead before having booted all of them.
Your point about moving is so spot on. Packing up all your games, being careful with it all so nothing gets damaged, telling everyone else who handles those boxes to treat them as though they're priceless delicate pieces of ...whatever, lol. It's not fun. It's so, so much work on top of what is already an arduous task. I'd say I'm 55%, 35%, 10% for your three types. There's something to be said for each of those, and you said it well. Great video!
Sadly life dictated that my collection had to be sold..... and way cheaper than worth due to desperation. I am thankful for emulation....@@RetroBirdGaming
My category might be, “old enough to have played and loved retro games on original hardware while also technical enough to have been emulating ever since while these days preferring to play all of my games on a single, unified, tightly curated platform where I can jukebox everything I’ve ever loved AND replicate incredibly authentic experiences via emulation tweaks.”
Yep, sounds like my area too. Mostly emulated retro for the last few years but now joined the Mister community too. Newer games haven't been grabbing me so thought I'd dive back into childhood faves to reasonable authenticity through fpga and original controllers
Do you know what the BAED is on original Xbox? Bigass Emuation Disc. If I recall it was maybe 4 gbs, and had every console and every game (except n64) at the time... What's your machine of choice now? Steam Deck or something better? For me I think the wii u is very capable for emulation, but it doesn't get the massive support like the gamecube does. Even an extremely dated computer can run everything reasonable, up to the ps3, which isn't perfect, but is becoming better and better by the day.
Remember when even the NES and SNES emulators were kind of iffy, and you still went to random Angelfire sites to find your roms (and would occasionally get scared by all the "you need to have an original copy of the game to download these roms" warnings, lol)? I grew up with the original hardware too, but that's how old I am in "emulation years", lol.
RetroBird you are responsible for my wife being mad at me 😂 You have made me buy a SNES and a Genesis in the same week! I’m looking forward to reliving my simpler times! I enjoy your channel very much. Thank you for some Wholesome content.
@@Patrick-bn5rpI do. I have a Steamdeck and a pi 5 but having the actual carts and consoles on a display in my game room is hitting on another level for me right now. Seeing them makes me want to play them.
@@danielboles1177Gotcha. I have a hard time sitting down and playing games now so I've been having to do most of my gaming on pocketable devices when I'm on the go. I beat Mario 64 for the first time during a road trip a few weeks back. Retroid Pocket 2S specifically was the device I used.
I was the kid who had a room that looked like a bomb went off, yet my game collection was pristine and orderly. I had all my games stacked in a shelf with full box and instruction booklet (if it had one). I _always_ put the game back in the box when I was done and would regularly dust my collection as well. And, yeah, moving was a huge hassle with the amount of games I collected physically. I am way more laid back with games now. I still prefer physical copies of games, but I do appreciate the convenience of digitally downloaded games.
Having a Jaguar in the bathroom could go two ways. 1) You can game as you sit on the throne. 2) You have a well-trained feline that knows how to use a toilet.
I am a minimalist occasional retro gamer. Once in a blue moon I will want to play a Nintendo, Arcade or PC game from my youth. I don't want to devote a room to media that I have to dust. I have the appropriate emulators and rom sets to accomplish my minimal requirements.
Considering the current state of the video game industry, it has never been a better time to be a retro video game connoisseur. Thank you for spreading the good word, Retro Bird!
I dunno, 10 years ago or so was peak! CRTs at thrift shops for a few bucks, young adults giving away their SNES to whoever wants it, and so on. Though I will say the 'grey market's stuff now is amazing. Flash carts, ODEs, MiSTER, RetroArch and its shaders... If you're fine to be a full-on pirate, things are beautiful!
Say what you will about current gaming, the last few years have been very good to me. Elden Ring, Armored Core 6, Aegis Rim, Mad Rat Dead, Like a Dragon 8, FF7 Rebirth, Gundam Breaker 4, Ninja Saviors remake....
@RippahRooJizah I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt until you said ff7 rebirth. Any true retro game would never touch a game that destroys the core or such a classic. You're a wolf in gamers clothing
@@Danarchy3 Guess Retrobird forgot the 4th type of Retro Gamer: the one who gatekeeps who can call themselves a retro gamer based on (dis)liking the same games...
I'm definitely category 2. Recently dove back into my childhood and purchased modern TV hookups so that I could plug in my SNES and have been loving the heck out of my old games. Plus, started finding some of the ones mom made me sell on eBay lol.
I'm probably the first category but I try not to get precious about it. My 7 year old son and I love to watch your videos together. I've exposed him to a ton of retro/vintage games. He doesn't like them that much now (he prefers newer games) but I think as he ages he'll appreciate all the different systems we have and all the great titles. I'm hoping someday he'll come to love some of these games as much as we do. I'm very much a "get on my lawn" kind of a dad. We also just threw a birthday party for him in a retro arcade and a few kids got to play video games for the very first time in their lives. And the fact that it was on 30 or 40 year old cabinets, I think is a wonderful thing.
I am probably 60% 10% 30%… I am a retro gamer and collector, but I also enjoy the easy of an emulator. I am also a huge collector of vinyl and cds, but I still love the ease of Spotify. It’s the exact same with dvd’s. I collect dvd”s, but again I love the ease of streaming. I still enjoy and use my old consoles games, and my vinyl records a lot. It is definitely more of a zen pure experience. I love the feel and sound when you manually load a game cartridge. It is the same when I hear the needle on the vinyl record. Unfortunately I opt for the easier solution twice as often than then the retro.
Dude I just found that Contra Anniversary Collection on my Switch a few days ago and was shocked at the low price! Bought it and a few Mega Man collections while they were on sale. Tremendous value!
I would definitely be 80% category 2, the coincidental (or contemporaneous) retro gamer. I just always continued playing the games I loved as a kid right through my adult years (while still saving time for new games). In university, I was known as the guy who still had his original NES, and people would ask me to bring it to parties all the time so that we could play Blades of Steel or Dodge Ball or Duck Hunt or even Track and Field with the Nintendo power pad. If something is still fun, why part with it?
If I may offer one more category -- the hopeless nostalgic. I'm not interested in collecting for collectings sake. For me, its all about trying to reignite the spark of childhood. The awe of seeing Hyrule field on OoT, the shock of feeling rumble in a controller, or trying that one SNES game that was always rented out at Blockbuster. And while I could play these in 4k via emulation or remasters, I seek out original hardware hooked up with RF and composite as though there's some special magic there. Its a fool's errand as that feeling can never truly come back. But I keep trying.
I'm a conglomerate of category 1, 3 and 4. I like collecting for the fun of collecting, honestly the journey is the best part of game collecting, receiving another game in the mail, testing it out and finding that perfect place on the shelf next to other games I like is always great. Some games I don't mind getting digitally, I just want to play them. In my head, it kind of works in like an importance thing, where if I think a game is very important for a platform, I'll get it physically, but if I don't, I'll just get it digitally. Most the games I get digitally are usually spin-offs, remasters, remakes or ports, obscure titles and digital-only games, but some games I chose to get digitally for whatever reason, such as Super Mario Odyssey. Then there's the fact that my dad was a small game collector for a while when I was younger, he had a Genesis and Game Gear collection he had built up, and I played on the systems a few times when I was a kid. Unfortunately he sold all of his collection just a couple years before I got into it, but by this point I've already got a Genesis and Game Gear back in my possession.
I definitely fall most into the second category, with a little of the first. I really loved your comparison between "hardcore gamer" and "movie buff." I never thought about how different our perception and expectations of a hardcore gamer are. Especially when you brought up that a hardcore gamer may only play a few games whereas nobody would accept a movie buff who only watches a few films.
I know more than a few movie buffs that do not pay attention to new releases at all though. They will circle back to them later if they are not deemed to be garbage. Like, people who are writing for modern TV, doing decently considering, they are watching old films and old TV on their movie nights, all trying to find little ways to be as clever as the old stuff was, at a time when everything that came out was pretty amazing! In a way, I do think there are "retro" movie buffs, and way more of them than you'd realize, and the clear distinction is there just as it is for some retro gamers. Anyways, sorry to go off topic a bit, but I just wanted to add that bit, bc some people are turning away from modern entertainment in general. Personally, I don't really wanna watch anything post 2014, unless it has passed the test of time and comes with a strong recommendation. We still get some very good film and TV, but it's way less common now that we're in the post entertainment era of entertainment, which I consider to have started sometime around the year 2015.
I’m 50% category 1, and definitely a rare type here, because what matters the most for me is playing with an original controller and era-appropriate screen (that’s why I have a CRT, HD CRT, Plasma, OLED TVs, and also 6 different monitors for 2 PCs and a Steam Deck). But don’t care about physical games, it’s so expensive and doesn’t give me much joy, so it makes me 40% category 3. I’m happy with ROMs, Everdrives and SD carts, because TVs, consoles, monitors, computers and handhelds take a lot of space already. As well as accessories! I love different controllers and accessories: gamepads, joysticks, steering wheels, light guns, Guitar Hero and Rock Band stuff… And 10% goes to category 2 nowadays, because I don’t see much sense in playing modern games from the launch. They always tend to get better after 5 years and all the patching done. I don’t want to complete a game and realize 3 years later that it’s a much better game now with much more content there. Makes me feel that I wasted my time. That’s why now I feel like 2024 is a nice year for starting Cyberpunk, Witcher 3 or Skyrim! Didn’t play those yet😁
I'm exactly the same! I've got a giant 36" D-Series and a 32" Toshiba HD CRT and almost every console is modded or has a flash cart. I do love collecting games, but only what I find cheap thrifting and that dried up a few years ago. When a game is really special to me, I go out of my way to get a copy, but that's not nearly as important as playing on original hardware and displays to me.
Oh, yes, absolutely play Skyrim if you haven't already, great game, and you can apply so many mods to make the game look even better than it already does.
That's cool. I'm w you, I enjoy original hardware, with original controllers, but I have changed up from caring about the original physical copies for the most part. Multicarts for every significant retro console are truly a blessing! Like the other guy said, if it's a real important game to me, I will get a copy, otherwise, CFW for most of my consoles keeps me pretty happy.
@6:54, you ever consider going butterfly on your A mashing? I can mash w the quickest of them. Thanks Paintball! Just a fun suggestion. Cool video. I always enjoy your positivity.
I'm a category 3 and I loved your point about the value of something and the loss of that individual connection with a certain game. I've moved my modern gaming library all to digital and I tend to play older games on emulators (or stuff like my Analogue Pocket) because I love how much you can enhance them. There's something lost in that. Great video!
I'm probably 90% Category one - i have done meticulous research, own thousands of games, have shrines for the PSX, 90s Nintendo and Sony dev hardware on display, but i got into the hobby over 20 years ago. and even though i had sold all my old games by the time i went to college, i started collecting them back a year later when i had a job. i never stopped loving 90s games and even as games got more advanced through the 2000s, 2010s and beyond, i always felt myself more drawn to "retro" games. I did keep a lot of my old PC games, which i loved looking at on the shelf, and that made me want to get into console collecting and get all my sweet sweet Genesis, SNES & PSX games back when they were all still dirt cheap. So i guess i'm also 40% the "coincidental retro gamer". I'm 130% retro gamer!
Good comment, me too, even as the games advanced and stuff got better, I was turning back to play the cool games I remember renting on the old systems. When gamecube was out, I was buying Batman Returns, Turtles in Time, and Hook on the snes....when xbox 360 was out, I was playing mario kart 64 w my college buddies and learning to speedrun Mario 64. Lately I've been on a wii u kick, since I missed that when it originally released and I never did get a switch. I can't help but take the sure bet, the products I know were good, that I happened to have missed out on or wanna play again, instead of betting a significantly higher amount of money on brand new games and hoping I will enjoy them. I got to play Red Dead Redemption 2 and Breath of the Wild for the first time this year, both were very good, and I paid zero dollars to do so. It pays to be patient. There is a growing % of players playing games that are 5-10 years out from release now, and that's no coincidence, it's a trend and a response to the offerings and practices. IMO coincidental retro gamers are coming into the space left and right, all the time, bc the water is warmer over here, and people are realizing that whenever modern gaming shows its greedy lil behind, and turn people off the idea of being a hardcore gamer or a modern gamer. I hope you enjoy your collection, and if there are any modern titles you're looking forward to, I hope they are high quality, low scam, and worth the price!
Mike Matei is definitely a combination of category 1 and 2 lol. He has an enormous collection but is the original owner of many of the games and consoles. I’m purely category 2. So glad I held on to my Super Nintendo, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and Xbox games! I do buy some retro games but am far from a hardcore collector.
4:53 I traded my SNES and all its accompanying games for $20 so I could buy Ma$e - Harlem World. Great album, but I'd like to develop time travel so I could full-body tackle past-me into submission. 😭
Im 50% category 1 and 50% category 2. Ive been collecting intermittently since 1996. Many of the games I have owned I sourced at yard sales, thrift stores or swap meets. I have acquired many games over the years not because i intentionally bought 'retro' games but because many were being sold inexpensively when the newer generation of games released. I've just never sold any of them 😂
Oh man... I'm definitely a Type 1 retro gamer. It all started with an SNES and Wii, then I bought a PS2 and Genesis, now I'm looking at adding a PS3 slim and Switch to my set-up once funds permit such additions.
I am the type of retro gamer that likes to take the original cart and push it down into the console, and then hear the click when I turn it on. I enjoy those old games, they were fun then and they are fun now. Nothing has changed. I don't mind having it CIB, but the cart will do. I have a lot of games that I am the original owner. I don't want all the games for a console, just the ones that I know that I will have fun with. And I am always on the look out for a deal on one of those old games.
I found myself identifying with group 1 as a direct correlation to group 2. I have a room dedicated to my old games and systems that I had growing up. I still play all that stuff on the regular.
Great analogy about being a movie buff! It really highlights how silly the double standards can be. I also appreciated the bit around the devaluation of old games. I have mixed feelings on this phenomenon: while I do think some games don't get the respect they deserve, at least partially due to being shovelled into larger, budget-priced collections, I'd say it's ultimately a net positive: pricing them low helps ensure that they are accessible to more people, and it makes it easier for us to discover "new" old games. There are plenty of games that I've played and enjoyed, which I wouldn't have been willing to buy on their own (seeing as I didn't know how much I'd like them!). Whether it's gifts, Steam sales, freebies, or these compilations, it really comes down to us as the players to enjoy and value these games if we're so inclined.
I really loved this breakdown of retro gamers, very informative and true! I sit between type 2 and type 3 myself and try to preserve the experience without breaking bank. Flash carting is epic!
I have a big collection, I play every day. I am almost only on Sega’s console. I hade to sell half of my collection because I moved … to Japan . Impossible to bring everything
There's another kind. The kind like me. The kind who spend more time watching videos about retro games than actually playing retro games. Anyone else or is that just me?
I'm too young to be in any category, but if i were to try describe the type of retro gamer i am I'd say the type that spends any spare money they have on older games (unless something I'm looking forward to is coming out like mario wonder, a new Zelda etc.)
I’m equal parts 1 and 2 with a dash of 3. My mindset is mostly games are games, if they’re fun I’ll play them (though I do love a collection and/or a sale), although whether I’m in the mood for retro definitely affects what I play that day. I love doing research either on history or just the best way to play for the price. I emulate for convenience but I also love original hardware.
My older brother is 100 percent category 2, but I’m a mix of all 3. If I really love a game then I will want a real, physical copy, but if it’s a okay game then I’m fine just playing it in a compilation. Absolutely people that rom dump into an SD card are overwhelmed with having too many options.
I buy games I really like as well. I also play on ever drives with roms on a sd card. The great thing about having many games is that I play the games I like which aren't a lot. Not going to play & beat 1000's of games, it's just there if I want quick games of Mortal Kombat, Golden Axe & whatever game I can beat in 30 min to 1 hour.
My 8 year old son is in the category 4 as you mentioned! We were just playing SMB 3 together a couple days ago. However, I don't need to force him to appreciate retro games 😊
The compilations are such a double edged sword…you’re right that it can cheapen the experience and you start power cycling through the titles, but the ones I really like I take my time with and cherish. Very interested to know your thoughts on the Rocket Knight compilation. Cheers
I'm like 85% category 2. I have amassed a collection of several hundred physical games by just... not getting rid of anything I buy and keeping it in good condition. I could probably barely tell you any games that came out since like 2010 but I did just beat my favorite PS2 game for the 10th time in 20 years so... that's something.
Fantastic topic, I feel seen! Definitely mostly category one for me, prob about 90%, with the other 10% comprised of category two. Your point about perceived value was a really interesting and salient one too.
In still have my old SNES, PS1, import PS1 with portable screen I bought in Japan, Halo Edition Xbox and a bunch of games. I’ve been on a recent Import Japanese Sega Saturn kick lately, I really just love the box art so much more than the American releases. There are some games like the Saturn Castlevania: SOTN that were for me worth the 180$ to acquire. I look at it as an investment. There is actually a growing trade market for retro games. Not that I would let any of them go but from cold dead hands 😂. That was dark but ya😂. I mostly just emulate. But some things I want physicals. Next I have my sites on Lunar Silver Star Complete on PS1. I don’t obsess or even play any of my retro games often. I just like to know I finally have some of these games I used to stare at in magazines as a kid but couldn’t afford.
Great video. Thanks!! I have a video game room with both the cartridges and CRT, but also the retro mini systems with a computer monitor to minimize latency. The room also shares bookshelves with collectables from the 80s… transformers, TMNT, and other action figures. I have hundreds of comic books and a box of hockey cards and X-men cards. I’m struggling to make this work in 90 sq ft. Finally, I’m trying to build a computer system with ROMs with hacks to either improve quality of life or to add more content (eg so many great Metroid rom hacks and JRPGs with language patches). Thanks again for the amazing channel
I love having physical Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Switch, Wii, GameCube, PS3, and PS4 games in my collection, but I’m definitely not too much of a purist to turn on my Raspberry Pi arcade cabinet, Anbernic handheld, hacked 2DS XL, or hacked Genesis Mini to emulate all of the old greats.
Case in point Space Marine 2. They never marketed its 10-12 hour campaign, they marketed its multiplayer. I don't have many gamer friends these days at 43 years old, and I am thoroughly enjoying the current generation. Thanks Mr. Retro Bird!
I'm the 3rd option, as long as I have a way to play these old games, I'm gonna play them. I'm mostly digital cause it's convenient and easy to pick up and play, but some games are nice to have physical copies of
I used to be digital on PS4 for 2 years. Then I quickly went back to physical on the Nintendo Switch. Digital takes way too long to download a game, it's on a library, you'll buy a lot more games & waste your time on low tier titles etc. Once I went physical with the Switch, I buy way less games & games install within 2 min & you own the game. So if servers shut down you have your purchase.
@@tonyp9313 when I was using my ps4, I used the PS+ with all streamable games, but I played all I wanted to and now I love all the retro stuff and indie games on switch, and the sales are really nice! That castlevania DS games collection that just came out is 👌👌👌
My type of retro gamer is hard core historian, i love playing and learning about games from all eras, and i often geek out about weird and obscure bits of gaming history that most people dont care about.
I'm the kind of retro gamer that just never stopped playing the games I liked as a kid. 30+ years later I find it easier to call myself retro gamer instead of just weirdo.
I'd put myself in category 3 honestly, though the biggest reason I appreciate emulation is the _improvements_ it can easily bring to an experience. Like yeah, "official" compilations are fine and all, but they're usually pretty basic and offer little in the way of extra features that aren't just the raw games themselves, while more openly-available emulator software can often allow for easy application of patches or other enhancements to games that *desperately* need them (like upping the framerate on 5th generation 3D games, which _heavily_ suffered on that side of things).
Just wanted to say that I appreciate you pointing out that most people are actually going to be a mix of types. I'm about 60% type 2, 25% type 1, and 15% type 3.
Good stuff, gaming is gaming sort of lol. I'm thinking I'm around 85% category 2, 10% category 1, and 5% category 3. There's definitely something to like in category, like compilations of classic games can be really cool if done right. Oh yeah, I'm working on category 4 w/my kids 😅
8:49 Thank you very much for that, time for me to hit the Nintendo E-Shop! Back on topic, if I didn't live in NYC, especially after the collapse of the housing market, I could be gamer type 1. I like looking videos about game rooms here in UA-cam every once in awhile and I'm admired by the dedication and creativity in how they structure those gaming rooms. I'd say I'm a mix of 2 and 3. 2 because I game for comfort which means mostly single player games and I might partake on online gaming during the weekends. I'm a huge Zelda fan as well as a fan of Squaresoft/Square Enix during their prime and I have 2 containers that I have stashed full of Zelda games and SQ games of yesteryear. I'll never part with those gems. I more recently became a 3 because of convenience. Once again I live in NYC in a one bedroom apartment that I'm grateful to find in an affordable price by NYC standards. I've recently come to embrace compilations, emulation, digital games because it's becoming more of a norm. If I can get it physical, I will go for that choice but I have no issue with getting a game via digitally just for the convenience factor.
I'm definitely a #2 with some #3. 90% of my collection is just the stuff I bought throughout my entire life. I also enjoy emulating games and the new collections that are released on modern consoles. I have a bunch of high quality monitors and a 120hz TV but also have a 27 inch Sony Wega TV for my retro games. I have a retropi hooked up to it as well. I am not about breaking the bank for my games but keeping around all the games I have acquired since growing up is the best.
I really connect with the "associating value with the price of the game". I have a whole retro setup, but I still just emulate for the most part. I built this habit of picking my next game and buying an actual copy before starting to emulate it. After Castlevania Symphony of the Night I decided to let that habit go and just play the game appreciate them for what they are.
When you described type No. 2 I felt like : what are you doing in my head, you are to 90% describing me😂. It's fact that I safed a lot of money because I had many stuff when they weren't retro. The rest 10% go even between No. 1 and 2
I actually love all of gaming and the consoles we play those games on. I currently have around 14,200 games, 368 consoles and 45 complete console libraries. I've been gaming since 1978, but I started collecting in 1997 and haven't stopped since.
Recently stumbled upon your channel, I enjoy your style! Also yes, everyone should play Donkey Kong Country. I wish I kept all my old games, I'm just slowly getting my "top" 5 - 10 of SNES and 64.
I'm a combination of 2 and 3. I managed to save a LOT of my games over the years, especially my PS1, PS2, and Dreamcast games, along with my GB, GBA, and DS games. I bought my collection before retro gaming became such a huge thing, and in the case of my PS2 games, when I bought them, they were current at the time. I'm also not the type to shy away from gaming anthologies and collections, especially in terms of arcade games. A good chunk of my library includes anthologies from Capcom, Midway, and SNK.
I'm category 4. I have the retro consoles, but I've jail broken them and just pirate a bunch of games and stuff them on external HDD's to play them on actual hardware. Or in the case of something like the N64, go with an Everdrive. I started with Category 1, I would still prefer to have everything physically and go for this ginormous collection, but it didn't take me long to realize just how much I was spending and it wasn't sustainable for me. But since I had the consoles already, I figured I could save a lot more money just downloading anything I could ever want and playing it that way. I'm still a modern gamer too, so the money tends to go into that, while I do the retro thing for "free" (outside of buying the hardware)...it works for me.
I'm the kind of retro gamer that always prefers the real experience of my actual consoles and cartridges on a CRT TV but absolutely will not browbeat or chastise anyone for not doing the same. I did the bulk of my collecting 15 to 20 years ago when everything was cheap and no one cared, I don't expect anyone to pony up the kind of cash resellers are trying to swindle now. Play however you're able within your setup and budget, we're all here for the love of the hobby above all else.
I’m a bit of 2 and 3. I own a lot of older games but they’re either games I grew up with, games I wanted as a kid, or games that I fell in love with through you-know-what. I don’t why away from playing games on convenient formats though (like using you-know-what to play King’s Field on a Steam Deck). For me, convenience matters a lot. If I LOVE a game, I’ll try to buy it somehow to put it on my shelf.
I think I identify myself with 70% category 1, 25% category 2 and 5% category 3. In a couple of decades I was able to grow a substantial collection of retro games, at the same time I was buying the new releases for the concurrent generation. I also still own all of the games I had as a child, which came in handy when I started collecting for real. I also play games on emulator from time to time, specially with friends because many of them like retro games that I don't have.
I think I consider myself as part of the third category. I don’t go out of my way to play old games, I just play them when they strike my fancy. And/or when it’s part of a long running series I’m getting into. Case in point, I’m playing Tales of Xillia 2 because I’m working my way through the Tales series. I only bought it for the PS3 because I have a PS3 and that’s the only system it’s on. I’d be just as happy playing a port on the PS5.
I’m a mix of these categories. I held on to most of my old consoles and games, I’ve slowly re-collected some consoles and games I sold over the years, and I’ve been discovering old games that I never heard of as a kid in the 90’s. Mostly Game Boy. It’s not a life devotion, but it is a fun hobby among my other hobbies. Also, why don’t you own a WonderSwan?
I'm like a combo of 2 and 3. I have a collection from when I was a kid, but I'm more than happy to play stuff through collections or digitally if it's more convenient. Actually, as an adult with big hands, playing Game Boy games on original hardware is not my preferred method.
I was one of those gamers who had multiple consoles, set up to my up scaler to HD, CRT on a TV wall shelf for light gun games which meant 2 PS2 and Saturn consoles 1of each solely for light gun games. But in the end I ran out room and time, with a half built rally car in the garage, an irate wife and a son constantly asking, “ am I ever gonna ride in that car?” So I decided to sell a lot of it. Did it hurt? Yes. Does it irk me? Damn right. But I’ve still got the parts that are important to me in terms of original set ups and emulation. Plus a lot of downloads and playing SNES games on Nintendo online. On the plus side I have a Rally car on the road and a boy with a hankering for a Saturday morning drive turbo rush. Wife is still irate though.
Oh man, I'm a big fan of the ps2 light gun games, so fun. Obviously Time Crisis 2 and 3 were great, but did you ever play Ninja Assault or Vampire Night? They had just the right cheesy vibes haha. I've had to turn to the wii u to get my light gun fix, and it isn't quite the same, but it scratches the itch. Congrats on getting your project built!
Another potential 4th category: Retro Gamer who owns old, working hardware, but actually plays the games on emulation to save wear and tear on the old systems. This is me. I use modded minis to get as close to the original feel as possible. However, in a number of cases, emulation isn't ideal (looking at you, Atari paddle games), in which case I bust out the OG equipment, but I do try to do that sparingly.
I'm the type that likes to find digital copies of retro games from websites, throw them onto all the emulation-capable devices I own (if compatible), tune the settings appropriately for each device, then enjoy the games. So I guess that makes me a piretro gamer? A pirate-ro gam- Whatever. Doesn't matter to me if it's the real deal, these games are really fun, and emulation helps them be more quick pick-up-and-play kind of games since saving can be done anytime which is so convenient in adulthood. Btw I don't force my kids to play retro games, I only encourage it. They have their favorites like Flicky, Bomberman, F-Zero X, Super Mario 64, Super Monkey Ball, Chew-Man-Fu, Balloon Fight, and more. Hope you have a gnarly, gaming-filled weekend RB!
I'm mostly a #2. Backward compatibility has let me get rid of a few devices. I only need a Gameboy Advance to play all Gameboy games on. I still have an OG PS3 which can play PS2 and PS1 games. Between that and the PS5, I'm covered for all PlayStation games, I think I'm going to pull out Einhänder. A new thing over the past few years is now that batteries are dying in cartridges, I started "MU"ing a few things. My soldering skills ruined a Super Metroid.and I discovered fan translations of things I couldn't play otherwise.
Since 2018, and especially during covid, I became a retro gamer of convenience. I have modded mini-versions of the Sega and Snes so I can have all the games I did and didn't have/beat as a kid. But for PS1 and Saturn, we still have all our old games and I still collect games from those systems every few months. I will play some AAA or indie PS5 game for a month or two, but I sprinkle in a Snes RPG or Jet Moto inbetween sessions just to keep myself from getting burned out on one game.
I felt targeted in this video, how dare you call out my fear of moving with all my games lol. Great job on this video as well, right on the money or naners.
The Canadian Wrinkle: Trying to find Canadian stylized boxes, manuals, and carts for some consoles. With a drastically smaller market in the 80's and 90's of 25-30 million people, not a lot got manufactured and less got saved from recycling bins.
And yes, category 3 includes those who favor emulation. Games played: Mario Party 2 (0:01), Super Mario All-Stars (0:15), Einhander (0:25), Sonic Mania (0:50), Chrono Trigger (1:25), Contra: Hard Corps (2:05)
Einhander is one game that really opened my eyes to the genre
REALLY appreciate the timestamps with the gameplay!
Thanks for this was about to ask about einhander
Telling my kids this was Scott the Woz’s dad
I'm pretty sure Bird is one of the Beastie Boys
he definitely has a license to ill
all of this.
Scott the woz came out of a test tube
@@Gadro1994 Scott the Woz wishes he could be this funny.
I'm the type of retro gamer that doesn't really play much of anything anymore, but I totally enjoy all the you-tubers because it's great energy while you do other things.
That's about where I'm at. I'm 42 and have just about lost interest in playing video games, but I still have a lot of nostalgia for retro games, so I watch UA-cam videos on the games I love. Once in a while, I'll get the itch to play. A couple of months ago I was prepping for my colonoscopy, and I knew I had to chill and stay close to the toilet, so I started a new file in Final Fantasy IV.
I play retro games & games on the switch.
Plus having a gigantic collection.
I think I have somewhat 500 games to my disposal and play maybe 1-2 a year.
By that time I'm gonna be dead before having booted all of them.
That just sounds like you're a parent, and expectedly, have no time for gaming 😆
Get a retro handheld. It's about the closest you get to playing anything
The kind that loves this damn channel
I appreciate it!
@@RetroBirdGamingsir, I hope you play lots of donkey kong this weekend. Bless.
Your point about moving is so spot on. Packing up all your games, being careful with it all so nothing gets damaged, telling everyone else who handles those boxes to treat them as though they're priceless delicate pieces of ...whatever, lol. It's not fun. It's so, so much work on top of what is already an arduous task.
I'd say I'm 55%, 35%, 10% for your three types. There's something to be said for each of those, and you said it well. Great video!
Thank you and glad that the part about moving resonated with you.
Sadly life dictated that my collection had to be sold..... and way cheaper than worth due to desperation.
I am thankful for emulation....@@RetroBirdGaming
The games are NEVER the problem. It is moving the CRT's.
I'm the type of retro gamer that doesn't deserve to Donkey Kong.
One has to earn the right to be taken through this monkey rap.
Dankey Kang. 😂
My category might be, “old enough to have played and loved retro games on original hardware while also technical enough to have been emulating ever since while these days preferring to play all of my games on a single, unified, tightly curated platform where I can jukebox everything I’ve ever loved AND replicate incredibly authentic experiences via emulation tweaks.”
Ditto, Category 3
So you have a MiSTer setup? Or is that the next rabbit hole..?
Yep, sounds like my area too. Mostly emulated retro for the last few years but now joined the Mister community too. Newer games haven't been grabbing me so thought I'd dive back into childhood faves to reasonable authenticity through fpga and original controllers
Do you know what the BAED is on original Xbox? Bigass Emuation Disc. If I recall it was maybe 4 gbs, and had every console and every game (except n64) at the time...
What's your machine of choice now? Steam Deck or something better? For me I think the wii u is very capable for emulation, but it doesn't get the massive support like the gamecube does. Even an extremely dated computer can run everything reasonable, up to the ps3, which isn't perfect, but is becoming better and better by the day.
Remember when even the NES and SNES emulators were kind of iffy, and you still went to random Angelfire sites to find your roms (and would occasionally get scared by all the "you need to have an original copy of the game to download these roms" warnings, lol)? I grew up with the original hardware too, but that's how old I am in "emulation years", lol.
RetroBird you are responsible for my wife being mad at me 😂 You have made me buy a SNES and a Genesis in the same week! I’m looking forward to reliving my simpler times! I enjoy your channel very much. Thank you for some Wholesome content.
Got your hands on a retro handheld yet? If you just want to play PS1 and below, they run for pretty cheap.
Maybe change wife haha
@@danielboles1177 💪
@@Patrick-bn5rpI do. I have a Steamdeck and a pi 5 but having the actual carts and consoles on a display in my game room is hitting on another level for me right now. Seeing them makes me want to play them.
@@danielboles1177Gotcha. I have a hard time sitting down and playing games now so I've been having to do most of my gaming on pocketable devices when I'm on the go. I beat Mario 64 for the first time during a road trip a few weeks back. Retroid Pocket 2S specifically was the device I used.
I was the kid who had a room that looked like a bomb went off, yet my game collection was pristine and orderly. I had all my games stacked in a shelf with full box and instruction booklet (if it had one). I _always_ put the game back in the box when I was done and would regularly dust my collection as well.
And, yeah, moving was a huge hassle with the amount of games I collected physically. I am way more laid back with games now. I still prefer physical copies of games, but I do appreciate the convenience of digitally downloaded games.
I like when Mrs Doubtfire throws the fruit at the back of James Bond's head at the pool.
The drive by fruiting 😂
That part is truly great. I may need to watch it again.
Man in blue t-shirt bewildered. Robin Williams "what you look at" 😂😂
And it’s completely improvise 😂
That should have been a game mode in Goldeneye. Talk about a missed opportunity!
Having a Jaguar in the bathroom could go two ways.
1) You can game as you sit on the throne.
2) You have a well-trained feline that knows how to use a toilet.
I like to rev it up to add some smoke to the steam
Not to mention that the super rare Jaguar CD add-on even looks like a toilet
😂
Dammit! Who pooped on my Jaguar CD?
@@FelixGameRoom lol i just had that AVGN scene go through my head.
@@Tall_Order That was my intention 😂
I'm the kind that loves going back to my childhood when I have the chance, while appreciating the games I missed out on in the early to mid 2000's.
I am a minimalist occasional retro gamer. Once in a blue moon I will want to play a Nintendo, Arcade or PC game from my youth. I don't want to devote a room to media that I have to dust. I have the appropriate emulators and rom sets to accomplish my minimal requirements.
Considering the current state of the video game industry, it has never been a better time to be a retro video game connoisseur. Thank you for spreading the good word, Retro Bird!
I dunno, 10 years ago or so was peak! CRTs at thrift shops for a few bucks, young adults giving away their SNES to whoever wants it, and so on.
Though I will say the 'grey market's stuff now is amazing. Flash carts, ODEs, MiSTER, RetroArch and its shaders... If you're fine to be a full-on pirate, things are beautiful!
Yeah, it's a lot of fun seeing Nintendo AI lawyers DMCA all our childhoods and ensuring that our children won't have easy access.
Say what you will about current gaming, the last few years have been very good to me. Elden Ring, Armored Core 6, Aegis Rim, Mad Rat Dead, Like a Dragon 8, FF7 Rebirth, Gundam Breaker 4, Ninja Saviors remake....
@RippahRooJizah I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt until you said ff7 rebirth. Any true retro game would never touch a game that destroys the core or such a classic. You're a wolf in gamers clothing
@@Danarchy3 Guess Retrobird forgot the 4th type of Retro Gamer: the one who gatekeeps who can call themselves a retro gamer based on (dis)liking the same games...
I'm definitely category 2. Recently dove back into my childhood and purchased modern TV hookups so that I could plug in my SNES and have been loving the heck out of my old games. Plus, started finding some of the ones mom made me sell on eBay lol.
I was going to ask why was the atari jaguar in the bathroom. But the question answered itself. 😅
Mr. Bird, sir. Why don't you own a Wonder Swan? It is retro and it IS a bird
You make a good case!
I'm probably the first category but I try not to get precious about it. My 7 year old son and I love to watch your videos together. I've exposed him to a ton of retro/vintage games. He doesn't like them that much now (he prefers newer games) but I think as he ages he'll appreciate all the different systems we have and all the great titles. I'm hoping someday he'll come to love some of these games as much as we do. I'm very much a "get on my lawn" kind of a dad. We also just threw a birthday party for him in a retro arcade and a few kids got to play video games for the very first time in their lives. And the fact that it was on 30 or 40 year old cabinets, I think is a wonderful thing.
I am probably 60% 10% 30%… I am a retro gamer and collector, but I also enjoy the easy of an emulator. I am also a huge collector of vinyl and cds, but I still love the ease of Spotify. It’s the exact same with dvd’s. I collect dvd”s, but again I love the ease of streaming. I still enjoy and use my old consoles games, and my vinyl records a lot. It is definitely more of a zen pure experience. I love the feel and sound when you manually load a game cartridge. It is the same when I hear the needle on the vinyl record. Unfortunately I opt for the easier solution twice as often than then the retro.
6:45 just bought that one on apple tv cause its so hard to find
Dude I just found that Contra Anniversary Collection on my Switch a few days ago and was shocked at the low price! Bought it and a few Mega Man collections while they were on sale. Tremendous value!
I would definitely be 80% category 2, the coincidental (or contemporaneous) retro gamer. I just always continued playing the games I loved as a kid right through my adult years (while still saving time for new games). In university, I was known as the guy who still had his original NES, and people would ask me to bring it to parties all the time so that we could play Blades of Steel or Dodge Ball or Duck Hunt or even Track and Field with the Nintendo power pad. If something is still fun, why part with it?
If I may offer one more category -- the hopeless nostalgic.
I'm not interested in collecting for collectings sake. For me, its all about trying to reignite the spark of childhood. The awe of seeing Hyrule field on OoT, the shock of feeling rumble in a controller, or trying that one SNES game that was always rented out at Blockbuster. And while I could play these in 4k via emulation or remasters, I seek out original hardware hooked up with RF and composite as though there's some special magic there.
Its a fool's errand as that feeling can never truly come back. But I keep trying.
Chasing the dragon of homsickness aka nostalgia
2:27 I’m dying, bro. I legit laughed so hard.
I'm a conglomerate of category 1, 3 and 4. I like collecting for the fun of collecting, honestly the journey is the best part of game collecting, receiving another game in the mail, testing it out and finding that perfect place on the shelf next to other games I like is always great. Some games I don't mind getting digitally, I just want to play them. In my head, it kind of works in like an importance thing, where if I think a game is very important for a platform, I'll get it physically, but if I don't, I'll just get it digitally. Most the games I get digitally are usually spin-offs, remasters, remakes or ports, obscure titles and digital-only games, but some games I chose to get digitally for whatever reason, such as Super Mario Odyssey. Then there's the fact that my dad was a small game collector for a while when I was younger, he had a Genesis and Game Gear collection he had built up, and I played on the systems a few times when I was a kid. Unfortunately he sold all of his collection just a couple years before I got into it, but by this point I've already got a Genesis and Game Gear back in my possession.
I definitely fall most into the second category, with a little of the first. I really loved your comparison between "hardcore gamer" and "movie buff." I never thought about how different our perception and expectations of a hardcore gamer are. Especially when you brought up that a hardcore gamer may only play a few games whereas nobody would accept a movie buff who only watches a few films.
I know more than a few movie buffs that do not pay attention to new releases at all though. They will circle back to them later if they are not deemed to be garbage. Like, people who are writing for modern TV, doing decently considering, they are watching old films and old TV on their movie nights, all trying to find little ways to be as clever as the old stuff was, at a time when everything that came out was pretty amazing! In a way, I do think there are "retro" movie buffs, and way more of them than you'd realize, and the clear distinction is there just as it is for some retro gamers.
Anyways, sorry to go off topic a bit, but I just wanted to add that bit, bc some people are turning away from modern entertainment in general.
Personally, I don't really wanna watch anything post 2014, unless it has passed the test of time and comes with a strong recommendation. We still get some very good film and TV, but it's way less common now that we're in the post entertainment era of entertainment, which I consider to have started sometime around the year 2015.
I’m 50% category 1, and definitely a rare type here, because what matters the most for me is playing with an original controller and era-appropriate screen (that’s why I have a CRT, HD CRT, Plasma, OLED TVs, and also 6 different monitors for 2 PCs and a Steam Deck).
But don’t care about physical games, it’s so expensive and doesn’t give me much joy, so it makes me 40% category 3. I’m happy with ROMs, Everdrives and SD carts, because TVs, consoles, monitors, computers and handhelds take a lot of space already. As well as accessories! I love different controllers and accessories: gamepads, joysticks, steering wheels, light guns, Guitar Hero and Rock Band stuff…
And 10% goes to category 2 nowadays, because I don’t see much sense in playing modern games from the launch. They always tend to get better after 5 years and all the patching done. I don’t want to complete a game and realize 3 years later that it’s a much better game now with much more content there. Makes me feel that I wasted my time.
That’s why now I feel like 2024 is a nice year for starting Cyberpunk, Witcher 3 or Skyrim! Didn’t play those yet😁
I'm exactly the same! I've got a giant 36" D-Series and a 32" Toshiba HD CRT and almost every console is modded or has a flash cart. I do love collecting games, but only what I find cheap thrifting and that dried up a few years ago. When a game is really special to me, I go out of my way to get a copy, but that's not nearly as important as playing on original hardware and displays to me.
Oh, yes, absolutely play Skyrim if you haven't already, great game, and you can apply so many mods to make the game look even better than it already does.
That's cool. I'm w you, I enjoy original hardware, with original controllers, but I have changed up from caring about the original physical copies for the most part. Multicarts for every significant retro console are truly a blessing! Like the other guy said, if it's a real important game to me, I will get a copy, otherwise, CFW for most of my consoles keeps me pretty happy.
Definitely laughed the most at category one! I wake up and think about retro game, I go to sleep thinking about retro games! Great video!
@6:54, you ever consider going butterfly on your A mashing? I can mash w the quickest of them. Thanks Paintball!
Just a fun suggestion. Cool video. I always enjoy your positivity.
I appreciate the idea!
I'm category 3 but with 1 exception... IT MUST BE ON A CRT
3:30 I appreciate you mentioning game collection getting out of hand and a more curated collection
I'm a category 3 and I loved your point about the value of something and the loss of that individual connection with a certain game. I've moved my modern gaming library all to digital and I tend to play older games on emulators (or stuff like my Analogue Pocket) because I love how much you can enhance them. There's something lost in that. Great video!
Shout out to Einhander. My "favorite" game.
2:31 has to be the funniest thing I've seen in quite a while, you're the best Retro Bird 😄👍
I'm probably 90% Category one - i have done meticulous research, own thousands of games, have shrines for the PSX, 90s Nintendo and Sony dev hardware on display, but i got into the hobby over 20 years ago. and even though i had sold all my old games by the time i went to college, i started collecting them back a year later when i had a job. i never stopped loving 90s games and even as games got more advanced through the 2000s, 2010s and beyond, i always felt myself more drawn to "retro" games. I did keep a lot of my old PC games, which i loved looking at on the shelf, and that made me want to get into console collecting and get all my sweet sweet Genesis, SNES & PSX games back when they were all still dirt cheap. So i guess i'm also 40% the "coincidental retro gamer". I'm 130% retro gamer!
Good comment, me too, even as the games advanced and stuff got better, I was turning back to play the cool games I remember renting on the old systems. When gamecube was out, I was buying Batman Returns, Turtles in Time, and Hook on the snes....when xbox 360 was out, I was playing mario kart 64 w my college buddies and learning to speedrun Mario 64.
Lately I've been on a wii u kick, since I missed that when it originally released and I never did get a switch.
I can't help but take the sure bet, the products I know were good, that I happened to have missed out on or wanna play again, instead of betting a significantly higher amount of money on brand new games and hoping I will enjoy them. I got to play Red Dead Redemption 2 and Breath of the Wild for the first time this year, both were very good, and I paid zero dollars to do so. It pays to be patient.
There is a growing % of players playing games that are 5-10 years out from release now, and that's no coincidence, it's a trend and a response to the offerings and practices. IMO coincidental retro gamers are coming into the space left and right, all the time, bc the water is warmer over here, and people are realizing that whenever modern gaming shows its greedy lil behind, and turn people off the idea of being a hardcore gamer or a modern gamer.
I hope you enjoy your collection, and if there are any modern titles you're looking forward to, I hope they are high quality, low scam, and worth the price!
Mike Matei is definitely a combination of category 1 and 2 lol. He has an enormous collection but is the original owner of many of the games and consoles. I’m purely category 2. So glad I held on to my Super Nintendo, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and Xbox games! I do buy some retro games but am far from a hardcore collector.
Are the Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 considered retro? If not now, when?
I’d say ever since the pandemic they’ve been considered retro.
4:53 I traded my SNES and all its accompanying games for $20 so I could buy Ma$e - Harlem World. Great album, but I'd like to develop time travel so I could full-body tackle past-me into submission. 😭
Im 50% category 1 and 50% category 2. Ive been collecting intermittently since 1996. Many of the games I have owned I sourced at yard sales, thrift stores or swap meets. I have acquired many games over the years not because i intentionally bought 'retro' games but because many were being sold inexpensively when the newer generation of games released. I've just never sold any of them 😂
Late to the party with this channel but I love it!! Always makes me laugh 🤣
Oh man... I'm definitely a Type 1 retro gamer. It all started with an SNES and Wii, then I bought a PS2 and Genesis, now I'm looking at adding a PS3 slim and Switch to my set-up once funds permit such additions.
I am the type of retro gamer that likes to take the original cart and push it down into the console, and then hear the click when I turn it on. I enjoy those old games, they were fun then and they are fun now. Nothing has changed. I don't mind having it CIB, but the cart will do. I have a lot of games that I am the original owner. I don't want all the games for a console, just the ones that I know that I will have fun with. And I am always on the look out for a deal on one of those old games.
I found myself identifying with group 1 as a direct correlation to group 2. I have a room dedicated to my old games and systems that I had growing up. I still play all that stuff on the regular.
Great analogy about being a movie buff! It really highlights how silly the double standards can be.
I also appreciated the bit around the devaluation of old games. I have mixed feelings on this phenomenon: while I do think some games don't get the respect they deserve, at least partially due to being shovelled into larger, budget-priced collections, I'd say it's ultimately a net positive: pricing them low helps ensure that they are accessible to more people, and it makes it easier for us to discover "new" old games. There are plenty of games that I've played and enjoyed, which I wouldn't have been willing to buy on their own (seeing as I didn't know how much I'd like them!).
Whether it's gifts, Steam sales, freebies, or these compilations, it really comes down to us as the players to enjoy and value these games if we're so inclined.
I really loved this breakdown of retro gamers, very informative and true! I sit between type 2 and type 3 myself and try to preserve the experience without breaking bank. Flash carting is epic!
I have a big collection, I play every day. I am almost only on Sega’s console. I hade to sell half of my collection because I moved … to Japan . Impossible to bring everything
There's another kind. The kind like me. The kind who spend more time watching videos about retro games than actually playing retro games. Anyone else or is that just me?
I started my son on retro games. He plays new ones but has an appreciation for the classics.
I will never stop wanting to go play Donkey Kong and Moon Patrol in that teatre in 1984
I'm too young to be in any category, but if i were to try describe the type of retro gamer i am I'd say the type that spends any spare money they have on older games (unless something I'm looking forward to is coming out like mario wonder, a new Zelda etc.)
Clicked for the title and stayed for the wordplay, good god you're funny!
I’m equal parts 1 and 2 with a dash of 3. My mindset is mostly games are games, if they’re fun I’ll play them (though I do love a collection and/or a sale), although whether I’m in the mood for retro definitely affects what I play that day. I love doing research either on history or just the best way to play for the price. I emulate for convenience but I also love original hardware.
I'm 100% category 1 and will never change.
My older brother is 100 percent category 2, but I’m a mix of all 3. If I really love a game then I will want a real, physical copy, but if it’s a okay game then I’m fine just playing it in a compilation. Absolutely people that rom dump into an SD card are overwhelmed with having too many options.
I buy games I really like as well. I also play on ever drives with roms on a sd card. The great thing about having many games is that I play the games I like which aren't a lot. Not going to play & beat 1000's of games, it's just there if I want quick games of Mortal Kombat, Golden Axe & whatever game I can beat in 30 min to 1 hour.
I still find it nuts to watch someone play Sonic on a Switch.
My 8 year old son is in the category 4 as you mentioned!
We were just playing SMB 3 together a couple days ago.
However, I don't need to force him to appreciate retro games 😊
Legendary games will always live on & it's moments like this that keeps the games alive so I applaud you for sharing great experiences
The compilations are such a double edged sword…you’re right that it can cheapen the experience and you start power cycling through the titles, but the ones I really like I take my time with and cherish. Very interested to know your thoughts on the Rocket Knight compilation. Cheers
I'm just glad the compilation for Rocket Knight exists. Love to see more people have the chance to play it.
I'm like 85% category 2. I have amassed a collection of several hundred physical games by just... not getting rid of anything I buy and keeping it in good condition. I could probably barely tell you any games that came out since like 2010 but I did just beat my favorite PS2 game for the 10th time in 20 years so... that's something.
You the man Bird!!!!!
Thank you for just existing.
Fantastic topic, I feel seen! Definitely mostly category one for me, prob about 90%, with the other 10% comprised of category two. Your point about perceived value was a really interesting and salient one too.
In still have my old SNES, PS1, import PS1 with portable screen I bought in Japan, Halo Edition Xbox and a bunch of games. I’ve been on a recent Import Japanese Sega Saturn kick lately, I really just love the box art so much more than the American releases. There are some games like the Saturn Castlevania: SOTN that were for me worth the 180$ to acquire. I look at it as an investment. There is actually a growing trade market for retro games. Not that I would let any of them go but from cold dead hands 😂. That was dark but ya😂. I mostly just emulate. But some things I want physicals. Next I have my sites on Lunar Silver Star Complete on PS1. I don’t obsess or even play any of my retro games often. I just like to know I finally have some of these games I used to stare at in magazines as a kid but couldn’t afford.
Great video. Thanks!!
I have a video game room with both the cartridges and CRT, but also the retro mini systems with a computer monitor to minimize latency. The room also shares bookshelves with collectables from the 80s… transformers, TMNT, and other action figures. I have hundreds of comic books and a box of hockey cards and X-men cards. I’m struggling to make this work in 90 sq ft.
Finally, I’m trying to build a computer system with ROMs with hacks to either improve quality of life or to add more content (eg so many great Metroid rom hacks and JRPGs with language patches).
Thanks again for the amazing channel
I love having physical Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Switch, Wii, GameCube, PS3, and PS4 games in my collection, but I’m definitely not too much of a purist to turn on my Raspberry Pi arcade cabinet, Anbernic handheld, hacked 2DS XL, or hacked Genesis Mini to emulate all of the old greats.
Man I wish I could attend the Portland expo and meet ya
I suggested it over going to NY during the same time 😅
Case in point Space Marine 2. They never marketed its 10-12 hour campaign, they marketed its multiplayer. I don't have many gamer friends these days at 43 years old, and I am thoroughly enjoying the current generation. Thanks Mr. Retro Bird!
I'm the 3rd option, as long as I have a way to play these old games, I'm gonna play them. I'm mostly digital cause it's convenient and easy to pick up and play, but some games are nice to have physical copies of
I used to be digital on PS4 for 2 years. Then I quickly went back to physical on the Nintendo Switch.
Digital takes way too long to download a game, it's on a library, you'll buy a lot more games & waste your time on low tier titles etc.
Once I went physical with the Switch, I buy way less games & games install within 2 min & you own the game. So if servers shut down you have your purchase.
@@tonyp9313 when I was using my ps4, I used the PS+ with all streamable games, but I played all I wanted to and now I love all the retro stuff and indie games on switch, and the sales are really nice! That castlevania DS games collection that just came out is 👌👌👌
My type of retro gamer is hard core historian, i love playing and learning about games from all eras, and i often geek out about weird and obscure bits of gaming history that most people dont care about.
I'm the kind of retro gamer that just never stopped playing the games I liked as a kid. 30+ years later I find it easier to call myself retro gamer instead of just weirdo.
I'd put myself in category 3 honestly, though the biggest reason I appreciate emulation is the _improvements_ it can easily bring to an experience.
Like yeah, "official" compilations are fine and all, but they're usually pretty basic and offer little in the way of extra features that aren't just the raw games themselves, while more openly-available emulator software can often allow for easy application of patches or other enhancements to games that *desperately* need them (like upping the framerate on 5th generation 3D games, which _heavily_ suffered on that side of things).
Just wanted to say that I appreciate you pointing out that most people are actually going to be a mix of types.
I'm about 60% type 2, 25% type 1, and 15% type 3.
Good stuff, gaming is gaming sort of lol. I'm thinking I'm around 85% category 2, 10% category 1, and 5% category 3. There's definitely something to like in category, like compilations of classic games can be really cool if done right. Oh yeah, I'm working on category 4 w/my kids 😅
8:49 Thank you very much for that, time for me to hit the Nintendo E-Shop!
Back on topic, if I didn't live in NYC, especially after the collapse of the housing market, I could be gamer type 1. I like looking videos about game rooms here in UA-cam every once in awhile and I'm admired by the dedication and creativity in how they structure those gaming rooms.
I'd say I'm a mix of 2 and 3. 2 because I game for comfort which means mostly single player games and I might partake on online gaming during the weekends. I'm a huge Zelda fan as well as a fan of Squaresoft/Square Enix during their prime and I have 2 containers that I have stashed full of Zelda games and SQ games of yesteryear. I'll never part with those gems. I more recently became a 3 because of convenience. Once again I live in NYC in a one bedroom apartment that I'm grateful to find in an affordable price by NYC standards. I've recently come to embrace compilations, emulation, digital games because it's becoming more of a norm. If I can get it physical, I will go for that choice but I have no issue with getting a game via digitally just for the convenience factor.
I'm definitely a #2 with some #3. 90% of my collection is just the stuff I bought throughout my entire life. I also enjoy emulating games and the new collections that are released on modern consoles. I have a bunch of high quality monitors and a 120hz TV but also have a 27 inch Sony Wega TV for my retro games. I have a retropi hooked up to it as well. I am not about breaking the bank for my games but keeping around all the games I have acquired since growing up is the best.
I really connect with the "associating value with the price of the game".
I have a whole retro setup, but I still just emulate for the most part.
I built this habit of picking my next game and buying an actual copy before starting to emulate it.
After Castlevania Symphony of the Night I decided to let that habit go and just play the game appreciate them for what they are.
I'm not a "retro gamer," I'm and OLD gamer, and I play OLD games 😆✌️
I'm a 3, firmly. I used to be a 2, but then we moved; and we didn't know quite where we'd end up, so there went the entire set.
This was great!
When you described type No. 2 I felt like : what are you doing in my head, you are to 90% describing me😂. It's fact that I safed a lot of money because I had many stuff when they weren't retro.
The rest 10% go even between No. 1 and 2
I actually love all of gaming and the consoles we play those games on. I currently have around 14,200 games, 368 consoles and 45 complete console libraries. I've been gaming since 1978, but I started collecting in 1997 and haven't stopped since.
Recently stumbled upon your channel, I enjoy your style! Also yes, everyone should play Donkey Kong Country. I wish I kept all my old games, I'm just slowly getting my "top" 5 - 10 of SNES and 64.
I'm a combination of 2 and 3. I managed to save a LOT of my games over the years, especially my PS1, PS2, and Dreamcast games, along with my GB, GBA, and DS games. I bought my collection before retro gaming became such a huge thing, and in the case of my PS2 games, when I bought them, they were current at the time. I'm also not the type to shy away from gaming anthologies and collections, especially in terms of arcade games. A good chunk of my library includes anthologies from Capcom, Midway, and SNK.
I mostly started as category two, but am currently a semi-lapsed category one (what with how the market still kind of is).
I'm category 4. I have the retro consoles, but I've jail broken them and just pirate a bunch of games and stuff them on external HDD's to play them on actual hardware. Or in the case of something like the N64, go with an Everdrive.
I started with Category 1, I would still prefer to have everything physically and go for this ginormous collection, but it didn't take me long to realize just how much I was spending and it wasn't sustainable for me. But since I had the consoles already, I figured I could save a lot more money just downloading anything I could ever want and playing it that way. I'm still a modern gamer too, so the money tends to go into that, while I do the retro thing for "free" (outside of buying the hardware)...it works for me.
I'm the kind of retro gamer that always prefers the real experience of my actual consoles and cartridges on a CRT TV but absolutely will not browbeat or chastise anyone for not doing the same. I did the bulk of my collecting 15 to 20 years ago when everything was cheap and no one cared, I don't expect anyone to pony up the kind of cash resellers are trying to swindle now. Play however you're able within your setup and budget, we're all here for the love of the hobby above all else.
I’m a bit of 2 and 3. I own a lot of older games but they’re either games I grew up with, games I wanted as a kid, or games that I fell in love with through you-know-what. I don’t why away from playing games on convenient formats though (like using you-know-what to play King’s Field on a Steam Deck). For me, convenience matters a lot. If I LOVE a game, I’ll try to buy it somehow to put it on my shelf.
I think I identify myself with 70% category 1, 25% category 2 and 5% category 3.
In a couple of decades I was able to grow a substantial collection of retro games, at the same time I was buying the new releases for the concurrent generation. I also still own all of the games I had as a child, which came in handy when I started collecting for real. I also play games on emulator from time to time, specially with friends because many of them like retro games that I don't have.
I think I consider myself as part of the third category. I don’t go out of my way to play old games, I just play them when they strike my fancy. And/or when it’s part of a long running series I’m getting into. Case in point, I’m playing Tales of Xillia 2 because I’m working my way through the Tales series. I only bought it for the PS3 because I have a PS3 and that’s the only system it’s on. I’d be just as happy playing a port on the PS5.
I’m a mix of these categories. I held on to most of my old consoles and games, I’ve slowly re-collected some consoles and games I sold over the years, and I’ve been discovering old games that I never heard of as a kid in the 90’s. Mostly Game Boy. It’s not a life devotion, but it is a fun hobby among my other hobbies.
Also, why don’t you own a WonderSwan?
I'm like a combo of 2 and 3. I have a collection from when I was a kid, but I'm more than happy to play stuff through collections or digitally if it's more convenient. Actually, as an adult with big hands, playing Game Boy games on original hardware is not my preferred method.
I was one of those gamers who had multiple consoles, set up to my up scaler to HD, CRT on a TV wall shelf for light gun games which meant 2 PS2 and Saturn consoles 1of each solely for light gun games. But in the end I ran out room and time, with a half built rally car in the garage, an irate wife and a son constantly asking, “ am I ever gonna ride in that car?” So I decided to sell a lot of it. Did it hurt? Yes. Does it irk me? Damn right. But I’ve still got the parts that are important to me in terms of original set ups and emulation. Plus a lot of downloads and playing SNES games on Nintendo online. On the plus side I have a Rally car on the road and a boy with a hankering for a Saturday morning drive turbo rush. Wife is still irate though.
Oh man, I'm a big fan of the ps2 light gun games, so fun. Obviously Time Crisis 2 and 3 were great, but did you ever play Ninja Assault or Vampire Night? They had just the right cheesy vibes haha. I've had to turn to the wii u to get my light gun fix, and it isn't quite the same, but it scratches the itch. Congrats on getting your project built!
You become a retro gamer if you get bitten by a retro gamer on a full moon. Stay safe people!
So happy to see you reminding people that the Contra Anniversary Collection is going for $3.99 right now *sheds a manly tear*
"Right Timmy?" That killed me
Another potential 4th category: Retro Gamer who owns old, working hardware, but actually plays the games on emulation to save wear and tear on the old systems. This is me. I use modded minis to get as close to the original feel as possible. However, in a number of cases, emulation isn't ideal (looking at you, Atari paddle games), in which case I bust out the OG equipment, but I do try to do that sparingly.
why would anyone want to play an atari paddle game?
I'm the type that likes to find digital copies of retro games from websites, throw them onto all the emulation-capable devices I own (if compatible), tune the settings appropriately for each device, then enjoy the games. So I guess that makes me a piretro gamer? A pirate-ro gam- Whatever.
Doesn't matter to me if it's the real deal, these games are really fun, and emulation helps them be more quick pick-up-and-play kind of games since saving can be done anytime which is so convenient in adulthood.
Btw I don't force my kids to play retro games, I only encourage it. They have their favorites like Flicky, Bomberman, F-Zero X, Super Mario 64, Super Monkey Ball, Chew-Man-Fu, Balloon Fight, and more.
Hope you have a gnarly, gaming-filled weekend RB!
I'm mostly a #2. Backward compatibility has let me get rid of a few devices. I only need a Gameboy Advance to play all Gameboy games on. I still have an OG PS3 which can play PS2 and PS1 games. Between that and the PS5, I'm covered for all PlayStation games, I think I'm going to pull out Einhänder. A new thing over the past few years is now that batteries are dying in cartridges, I started "MU"ing a few things. My soldering skills ruined a Super Metroid.and I discovered fan translations of things I couldn't play otherwise.
Since 2018, and especially during covid, I became a retro gamer of convenience. I have modded mini-versions of the Sega and Snes so I can have all the games I did and didn't have/beat as a kid. But for PS1 and Saturn, we still have all our old games and I still collect games from those systems every few months. I will play some AAA or indie PS5 game for a month or two, but I sprinkle in a Snes RPG or Jet Moto inbetween sessions just to keep myself from getting burned out on one game.
I felt targeted in this video, how dare you call out my fear of moving with all my games lol. Great job on this video as well, right on the money or naners.
The Canadian Wrinkle: Trying to find Canadian stylized boxes, manuals, and carts for some consoles. With a drastically smaller market in the 80's and 90's of 25-30 million people, not a lot got manufactured and less got saved from recycling bins.