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[Musashi Wins!]

Just curious. The whole gaming industry (and this board obviously) is so hype/news driven, everything is dragged forward by the latest rumor and screenshot, next platform or sequel. For good or ill. I'm just wondering if there are people here who primarily focus their game playing time on "dead" systems or at least play newer games only when the hype factor has passed.

I guess this board would probably not be the main focus for gamers like that, to the extent they exist.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I am.

I still play the occasional new release(For instance, I'm enjoying Paper Mario 2 and Viewtiful Joe 2 as we speak). But for every new game I buy, I probably buy 20 older titles. I don't play the Halos, GTAs, Metal Gear Solids, Metroid Primes, or Need for Speed Undergrounds. They're just not fun to me, and don't keep me interested. If I wanna play a game, I'll play one that'll entertain me instead of playing the latest game simply to say "I played that". I'm not sure if its because of the current state of the industry(like you said, "hype-driven games"), or simply my own inability to adapt to the changing times. Either way, I much perfer the way games were made 10 or even 15 years ago.

Guess I'm just an

 

[DaCocoBrova]

I emulate far more than I play the new sh!t (until 4th quarter when everything good came out).

I grew up in arcades and bodegas. I'm wired for 2D.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I'm probably 50/50. I like new games, but play a lot of emulated or collected games, as well. Often I don't have a lot of time to play, so I'll pop in Midway Arcade Treauses on my console or fire up MAME on my laptop.

 

[Tain]

I play old games pretty often, but I also think games are, in most ways, better than they've ever been. 40/60?

 

[jedimike]

I play a lot of the newer games when it comes to consoles, but Namco Museum has been stuck in my GBA:SP for 3 or 4 months now. There's just something comforting about playing DigDug and Ms. Pac-Man.

 

[iapetus]

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3137498

 

[mashoutposse]

I used to play lots of MAME, and I still go back to it for days/weeks at a time when the PC and consoles are in a drought.

 

[mattiewheels]

I don't own any systems, mostly just play 16-bit stuff. And graphic adventures, wooo!

 

[mashoutposse]

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3137498

Their comments on SF2:CE are killing me.

 

[Lyte Edge]

I'm probably 50/50. I like new games, but play a lot of emulated or collected games, as well. Often I don't have a lot of time to play, so I'll pop in Midway Arcade Treauses on my console or fire up MAME on my laptop.

Yeah, same here. I get lots of new games, but still spend a large amount of time playing older systems. Mostly emulated though; I still have plenty of older NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. games, but it's so much more convenient being able to play everything on my modded XBox. It even lets me use my Sega CD games right from the DVD drive.

I don't think I'll ever quit playing CPS2 and Neo-Geo fighting games either. Can't put down Vampire Chronicle for the PSP even though I've played all the Darkstalkers games to death already.

 

[oldskool]

Anybody else digging those plug-n-play controllers? I've got the Atari joystick and the Namco joysticks. I want the Konami controller and hope Nintendo and Sega jump on the bandwagon. Although I doubt Nintendo would, they're making too much of a killing with those retro GBA games.

 

[jarrod]

Can't put down Vampire Chronicle for the PSP even though I've played all the Darkstalkers games to death already.

I've been wondering (after johnnyram's initial TGS concerns) how's the game play with PSP's D-pad? Are things comfortable/accurate enough?

 

[Lyte Edge]

Even though Nintendo would never do it, I wish companies like Konami and Capcom would make plug-in joysticks with NES games like Contra and Mega Man on them.

I've been wondering (after johnnyram's initial TGS concerns) how's the game play with PSP's D-pad? Are things comfortable/accurate enough?

If you use the PSX/PS2 controller, you shouldn't have any problems using the PSP d-pad; it's pretty much the same size and has a similar feel.

 

[jarrod]

If you use the PSX/PS2 controller, you shouldn't have any problems using the PSP d-pad; it's pretty much the same size and has a similar feel.

Good enough for me.

 

[tedtropy]

I have a romantic obsession with the SNES-era of games. To me, most NES games look so dated as to be difficult to play, but when the 16-bit era arrived, 2D graphical capabilities advanced enough for games to really take on distinct artistic styles. Look at some of the greater SNES games, even to this day they look great, while all 8-bit era titles have a decidedly primitive look. This is not to say those older titles aren't still fun, but the 16-bit generation was the perfect combination of graphical advancement and old-school, simple gameplay. NEO GEO, TG16, and especially the SNES were home to some of my favorites.

 

[wobedraggled]

PC engine baby, still the best console EVER

I play pce stuff all the time, then the rest of my time is split up between newer stuff.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Yes, right here. I keep old consoles working and hooked up and divide my time about 50/50 between old and new. There's a good variety of gaming styles that are deemed "old" or commercially nonviable (and therefore irrelevant) these days that I absolutely refuse to give up. Besides, the existing catalog of games that were released before the current generation is something that nobody should ignore, as I really believe there's something to be found for everyone's tastes. There's just so much out there that you could explore older stuff for years and keep finding games that are still vibrant and fresh. (I know I do!) The games are available, they're cheap, and the ones that were good in the first place will always be good. And no matter how badly innovation, gameplay, and art direction are hurt by the seemingly-inevitable consolidation the industry is going through, the good stuff will always be there for us to play it.

My personal tastes swing toward the 16-bit era - mostly on Genesis - because I feel that's when action gaming really hit its stride with the most interesting mechanics and well-realized level and art design. There are plenty of greats on NES, SNES, PCE, and especially Saturn that I like to indulge in, too.

 

[pops619]

Pretty much. I've never really been a big fan of 3D games. Everything ends up having to be too "epic" these days, and I just can't keep an interest. Then again, my taste in games in general has changed drastically. I used to love RPGs. Now I just read books and watch movies. I mean, the only real point in playing an RPG is to enjoy the story. Most RPG stories really aren't that special anyway, and the gameplay is pretty tedious. At this point, the only things I can handle are games I can pick-up and play for a little. I like action platformers and shooters and puzzle games. Heck, I like Halo 2, but only multiplayer. I tried to play single player and I couldn't keep interest through the first level.

So I guess I'm pretty much done with video games for the most part. There is literally nothing I'm looking forward to in the future. There's plenty for me to go back and catch up on, though.

 

[Fatghost]

I don't really consider myself a retro or new gamer. But I have found that I spend most of my time playing older 2D games than newer ones.

In 2004 for example, I think I played Metal Slug 3 (on Xbox) and SF3 Third Strike (on PS2) more than every other game in my collection combined.

 

[Agent X]

I'm probably 50/50. I like new games, but play a lot of emulated or collected games, as well. Often I don't have a lot of time to play, so I'll pop in Midway Arcade Treauses on my console or fire up MAME on my laptop.

This would describe me as well, although for me it's more like 70-30 in favor of modern games. I'm a huge fan of classic video games (just look at some of my posts here ), and I still play a fair amount of my old favorites. Much of my classic gaming is done via emulators on my PC, or some of the classic game compilations for PS2 and GBA, but I do play the actual "old" systems occasionally too.

Even though I play modern games more than the oldies, some of the best classics from a decade or two ago are still worth playing even now.

Anybody else digging those plug-n-play controllers? I've got the Atari joystick and the Namco joysticks. I want the Konami controller and hope Nintendo and Sega jump on the bandwagon. Although I doubt Nintendo would, they're making too much of a killing with those retro GBA games.

Yeah, I've got a few of them. I've got the TV Games Atari Joystick from Jakks, the deluxe version of the TV Games Ms. Pac-Man from Jakks, and the Commodore 64 Direct-to-TV. The last two are currently only available from QVC (QVC's Ms. Pac-Man unit is different from the one sold in most stores--it has two extra games and a high score save feature).

The Atari joystick is merely OK--the sound is different, and the gameplay is altered in a couple of the games, but still enjoyable enough for a quick fix. The other two are really good, especially the C64DTV which is widely considered to be the best device of this kind on the market (see this thread for more information on the C64DTV).

Nintendo really should consider making this kind of unit.

 

[fennec fox]

I play a great deal of modern games (it's part of my job, after all), but in my free time, I deal almost exclusively in older games/magazines. Lately it's been Genesis/Sega CD, with a but of Japanese Saturn adventuring on the side.