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The gaming industry has changed drastically since the 80s and 90s, sometimes for the better and sometimes for worse. Although there are many problems with the state of the industry right now, there seems to be some truth in the idea of the “golden age” of gaming, as gaming is cheaper now than it’s ever been, as a diverse as ever and there are things that we definitely don’t miss about gaming – little access to gaming reviews is one example. However, we’re still can’t help but be nostalgic about the following:
1. When Games Came Complete
Before the internet became widespread, a game had to be shipped finished as a complete package instead of a static creation. Take Fallout 76, Destiny, or Anthem which all came out with multiple glitches and problems – most of which aren’t fixed. With every patched game (No Mans Sky) there are at least 10 games that lack content, rushed to meet deadlines, or recalled. Although the internet gives games a chance to improve, they often don’t. Back in the day, games had to be good immediately or they failed – which meant developers and publishers were expected to take their time and make a fantastic, whole-packaged game.
2. Local Multiplayer
Let’s be honest – online multiplayer has its perks, but we wish there was a balance between online and local gaming. Some games benefit from online play, for example, casino-based games, but there is no comparison with the rush of playing Mario Kart in your living room with a group of friends. What’s more annoying is that most games are multiplayer compatible, but they won’t let you play with a person sitting next to you. This was a ploy to sell more copies of the same game. Nintendo is still keeping local multiplay alive, so if you’re interested in reliving the days of retro gaming it’s possible.
3. Cheats
If you lived in the Grand Theft Auto 3/San Andreas era and didn’t have a handwritten sheet of paper with cheats on it – you’re probably too young. After playing the game how it’s meant to be played, punching in a code that gave you a rocket launcher, a helicopter, or removal of your wanted level scratched the surface on the possibilities. Most retro games had these options, with some being cosmetic, and others breaking the entire game. Nowadays, cheats are still a thing but there are normally negatives attached to them like disabling achievements or being unable to complete the story.
4. Lives
Yes, lives are still a thing in modern games but the price of dying in the 80s and 90s was a lot higher. Gone are the days of 3 lives, no continues. Now with the use of auto-saves, multiple checkpoints and infinite lives you are basically unstoppable. Even games like Dark Souls let you come back where you left off. Take Ghouls & Ghosts – once you lose 3 lives, you need to try again from the beginning of the level. Now, games are easier, which can be a positive or negative, depending on how you live to play.
5. Save Scuming and Memory Cards
For those unfamiliar, save-scumming is when you restart a game and try again at a difficult part for a better run. This is usually done to conserve health, ammo, or to achieve a better time. Of course, you can still do that in some games. For example, games like Resident Evil 7 and 2 both use a similar system for days past, but most games have an auto-save feature that can’t be turned off. In online games, save-scumming isn’t even possible, but in retro titles, you can abuse this feature endless.
The main benefit of save-scumming was the use of a memory card, which helps to save your progress multiple times on different cards, and allows you to hold a lot of data. Since the PlayStation or N64 saved all of its components on the console and the games separate in the memory card, there was actually more space for gaming. Nowadays, you’re competing with useless apps you can’t uninstall like the shop, certain settings, chat features, and the television.
