What is the main thing that attracts you to legacy gaming?

Nostalgia.

For me, nowadays, there are very few games on modern consoles that I actually find fun. Nothing seems original anymore, and may games that are touted as 'new' and 'original' nowadays just seem wacky and 'different for the sake of being different'. Of course, many developers, while chasing obsessively after graphical photorealism, miss the point when it comes to gameplay. I love searching in shops for retro games. The thrill of coming across a sought-after game for a bargain price is wonderful, and chatting to game shop staff about retro gaming is so much fun. I love the fact you can pick up 20 PS2 games for the price of a new Xbox 360 game, and have 20 times the fun. Most consumers can't see past the dated graphics, and miss the fact that old games are still fun. When it comes down to it, hooking up a crusty old Sega Mega Drive to an equally crusty old CRT television to play a bit of Sonic 2 or Road Rash beats to hell out of playing the latest rehashed Call of Duty title online with a tantrum throwing crowd of prepubescent kids.Nismology

platformers with great art direction
and ofc platforming itself

also the fact that they have aged perfectly

2d ones anyway, and last gen games as well.

The games from back then just had a lot more charm, imo. JRPGs like Lunar and Suikoden II had much more gripping stories (and fewer cutscenes) than the likes of Final Fanasy XIII. The games also seemed more unique. The 3 Super Mario Bros games for the NES were all different from each other. The first one introduced the series, the second made a radical departure with its turnip-based combat (used to be Doki Doki Panic, I know) and the 3rd one introduced several new gameplay elements. Now the "New" Super Mario Bros series keeps churning out practical clones of each other and selling millions. There are still some unique and enjoyable games for modern systems (Brutal Legend, Valkyria Chronicles), but not nearly as many as I would like.

For me it isnt so much that developers lost their creativity, because I love a lot of games that came out this generation. With that being said I must still say that this is the most dissapointing generation for me yet. PS3 and 360 had so much potential that they just didnt tap into. The great thing about retro gaming is that often times gameplay mechanics were already as advanced as they needed to be. Like the person said above me, their will never be another Chrono Trigger. What I mean by that is that the simplicity of a great game with easy controls will probably never be made again. Gone are the charming days of great turn based RPG's, and adventure games that are as much fun as they are challenging. Nostalgia doesnt play a role for me, because I still collect and play games I never owned when I was younger. You cant have nostalgia about something you never experienced before. I absolutely LOVE old school turn based JRPG's and it scares me that unless the gaming industry realizes there is still a HUGE fanbase that it will die off completely. I am very excited to hear about that new game console releasing soon *something to do with android... someone help me out, its like $100 or something), but I hate that it is going to be all digital. The reason I am so excited for that is because it will allow very small indy companies to stand a chance in producing games that will sell. MEANING that true game players can release their own JRPG style games with old school game mechanics. I truly believe in this next generation of gaming that JRPG's will FINALLY make a comeback after many years. I can only hope I guess.... However, look what happened to fighting games. I loved the old SNES and GEN fighting games and they all but disappeared before coming back STRONGER than ever! I can only hope that turn based RPG's will do the same. The lack of that genre of games is what really ruined this generation for me. I know that sooner or later, they will make a comeback, but until then I will bide my time. I really hope this new android based system "kick starts" the idea back into producers heads that consumers STILL want those games. Their may be a fanbase for games like the last few Final Fantasy games released, but Im not in that base. I want classic play and classic adventure. Turnbase by the book GREAT storyline, GREAT easy to use interfaces, CHALLENGING puzzles, and charm!

I for one know that if they made another cart based console full of new JRPG style games, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Eventually somebody will jump on that possibility and the resurgence of greatness will return (anybody hear about the Neo Geo that is being released in gamestop in the near future? A preorder also gets you a free game!). I still hold that hope because after over 10 years I could finally put Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 to the side and play Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. If the fighting genre can "fight" back, then so can my favorite genre of all. See, it isnt that Chrono Trigger is such a good game.... it has its cult following because it is an easy to pick up and play RPG that is memorable. If they would just start making games like that again, the gaming world would be a better place.

Heres to wishing that games like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, and Dragon Warrior/Quest go back to their roots, and perhaps even some new series arise.

Until then though, I will play retro RPGs because they are better then the crap RPGs we have today.

The overall simplicity of the games.

The challenge, music, nostalgia, price, and overall gameplay of older games.

Really it is the nostolgia but I think for me a big part of it does stem from the simple fact that newer isn't always better. It feels good to get back to basics every now and then. It can really make you appreciate what makes the good games great and what elements fail to hold up (regardless of how good they look).

What attracts me about legacy gameing is the fact that I lived through it all as it developed and the games I always wanted to play are now dirt cheap.

They just don't make games like they used to.

It's a lot of things, but mostly I love playing video games that I remember fondly from my childhood and adolescents, and it's also that I just enjoy the overall experience of playing retro games more. As some have stated, they possess a certain charm and originality that is lacking in many modern video games. In addition to this, the gameplay is usually a lot more simple, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I love games with simple, straight forward gameplay because it allows for you to focus on the actual game more and less on flash and over-complexity. With that said, retro games are usually not easy games despite their simple gameplay, however having a straight forward experience allows you to face the challenging difficulty directly, making it fun.

Also, as many have mentioned, retro gaming is mostly way more affordable then modern gaming, allowing me to enjoy more video games with a lot less money.

I do still play modern video games, however I have serious doubts that I wil be buying and playing new video games past this current gen. This mostly has to do with the way the industry is moving more so then the actual games. I just feel like developers and publishers have become way to lazy and greedy, and the gamers are the ones paying for it. Sadly, most gamers (I think it's mostly younger gamers under the age of 18) don't seem to care or know they are being ripped off left and right with DLC, disc-locked content, online passes, digital distribution and all the other BS that is becoming more and more common in console gaming. While I would be sad to no longer play newer games, that would just mean I would have a lot more money to spend on retro games, which there are literely thousands that I don't own that I do wish to own eventually. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I still play the old games because the old games are still good. I play good new games too.

I remember when the NES, SNES Sega Genesis etc were brand new consoles. So the nostaligia factor does play a part. The 16-bit 4th generation is still my favorite era of gaming. followed by the 6th Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube era.

Nostalgia

Games nowadays are better by miles, I have no idea how anyone could say old games are better than new ones. Let's don't forget online gaming, the best thing ever made.

The fact that i've never played them before. I've grown to love 16 bit shoot 'em ups, i prefer them over 'bullet hell' shooters.

The main thing that attracts me is that i already had a pretty big collection on the PS2 while it was part of the latest generation of consoles. Then the new stuff came out (X360 + PS3) and i questioned the point of starting a new collection that will offer much the same in the way of gameplay but be more expensive and smaller in number.

I already made the switch from PS1 to PS2 and i still miss some of the games from the earlier console, but with PS2 there are so many decent titles that i doubt the PS3's library could even begin to match it. The only drawback is the games i want and haven't got are becoming harder to find as they're snapped-up by other collectors like me, and that in turn forces prices up of the non-ruined examples.

The same could be said for recent PC games too. I've got hundreds of old titles that do the same things that the latest ones do.

I guess the bottom line being i don't see the point in having the latest of everything when it's all been done before.

For me it is many reasons:

-the new systems are WAY, WAY too expensive. And the games are too!

-legacy games are a true escape from reality. My favorite style is 16 bit 2D gaming, and that feels whimsical to me. Nowdays, the games look so life-like that it is not an escape at all from reality......rather it seems to be diving into a nightmare at times. People have developed PTSD from games being too life-like.

-legacy gaming brings out nostalgia for me. I lived through those years. Great, great time to be alive in gaming.

-legacy games have a certain charm that current stuff will never be able to match.

-by collecting legacy games, I feel like I am preserving a piece of history.

-the hunt for the games is so satisfying as well. I don't have to go into Gamestop anymore and now scour the mom and pop, non-chain stores, and Craigslist for my games. Sure don't miss the chain stores.

I've recently have been getting back into older games. New games in the last few years have felt flat. It feels like everything is some variation of a button mashing hack n' slash or a action shooter of some kind. They all seem the same and are pretty boring IMO. Because of this, I started playing some of my older games and remembering how much fun they are. Plus I have no shortage of choices because there were several titles i missed the first time around due to being a kid with limited funds.

-legacy games are a true escape from reality. My favorite style is 16 bit 2D gaming, and that feels whimsical to me. Nowdays, the games look so life-like that it is not an escape at all from reality......rather it seems to be diving into a nightmare at times. People have developed PTSD from games being too life-like.

-legacy games have a certain charm that current stuff will never be able to match.

jefferyjosephh

That's it 1000000%!!

I miss picking up floating power-ups and hearts.

The games, period.Dudersaper

The nostalgia

The games, mixed in with a bit of nostalgia.

The nostalgia and preserving our gaming history!

-by collecting legacy games, I feel like I am preserving a piece of history.

-the hunt for the games is so satisfying as well. I don't have to go into Gamestop anymore and now scour the mom and pop, non-chain stores, and Craigslist for my games. Sure don't miss the chain stores.

jefferyjosephh

story,music,variety. and nostalgia

i feel these days i'm just playing the same game with a different name and theme. kinda like half-life and the cry of fear thing

while i do greatly enjoy games this gen i just feel games from like 20 or so years ago were better.

I wouldn't say nostalgia, because I play legacy games that I have never played before. I think though, since there is a wider selection of older games, there is essentially more games to be had that fulfill what I am looking for. This gen has a lot of, too much for me, multiplayer centered games, and what I really want in games is good story telling and good characterization. I used to like multiplayer, but I don't really like it at all anymore because it has become so stale and reptitive. That doesn't mean games with multiplayer can't have good campaigns and stories, I'm saying that a game where the developer can pool all resources into the story, it usually turns out better. There are some good games from this gen, but it's weird how rare they are, considering how long this gen has been.

The fun gameplay because honestly, it's hard to find it in games these days

I've really gotten into JRPGs and the selection of current gen JRPGs is pretty pathetic, so, with a few exceptions, you've got to go retro to play great JRPGs.

As far as other games (in addition to JRPGs) are concerned, I think that developers used to be more creative as far as gameplay scenarios are concerned.

Just the sheer awsomeness. My kids even love playing Super Mario Brothers, 1942, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Tecmo Super Bowl, etc. even with the current gen console staring them in the face daily.

Being 32 the nostalgia.

The simple yet engaging gameplay, the charming graphics ( I absolutely love 16 bit sprite graphics in particular), the nostalgia and above all the incredible amount of amazing games released back in the old days. Offers almost infinite replayability for me.