Retro Gaming Endures

By: David Montgomery, 42, father and lifelong gamer

When you walk into my living room, it might seem like you’ve stepped back in time. Instead of the sleek, all-encompassing virtual reality setups that have become the norm, you’ll find a classic television, a couple of game consoles, and a stack of controllers. To some of my friends, this setup is downright strange. They’re used to fully immersive gaming experiences, where you’re plugged into the digital world, eyes glazed over, as you navigate vast virtual landscapes alone. They’re less familiar with the kind of gaming where you’re sitting shoulder to shoulder with your kids, or friends, frantically mashing buttons and laughing until your sides hurt. But once they pick up a controller and dive into the experience, their skepticism fades, replaced by the pure joy of gaming as it used to be.

I’m 42 years old, and I love playing video games with my two children. But my love for these old-school games wasn’t something I grew up with—it’s a passion that was passed down to me in a rather unexpected way. When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother brought me a box of old gaming consoles that had been collecting dust in an old storage unit. At first, I thought it was a bit strange, especially since these systems were relics from over a century ago. But during my summer break from college, I decided to give them a try, and in doing so, I found a new way to bond with my grandmother.

She told me that these consoles once belonged to her grandparents, who had passed them down to her. They had been lost in storage for years, only to be rediscovered when she had to clear out the unit after my grandfather died. That summer, we spent hours together playing games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Sonic the Hedgehog. It was like stepping into a time machine, not just to experience these classic games but to connect with the generations that came before me. After that summer, I was hooked on old-school games and physical consoles.

And I’m not alone. If you look at the industry data, retro games still sell strong, and retro-inspired games are still being developed today. Even though physical consoles have largely fallen out of popularity, you can still find them selling online at auctions for tons of cash. The old consoles I play with my kids could fetch a great deal of money if I decided to sell them, but to me, the time I spend with my kids playing these games is priceless.

There’s something about those old consoles that modern gaming, with all its advancements, just can’t replicate. It’s not just the nostalgia—it’s the tactile experience of holding a controller in your hands, the thrill of beating a tough level, and the joy of sharing those moments with the people around you. Sure, gaming has evolved in incredible ways, but there’s a reason why Super Mario Bros. and other retro games are still beloved 150 years later.

In a world where gaming is often a solitary, immersive experience, it’s important to remember the joy of playing together, in the same room, sharing the highs and lows. That’s why, despite the advances in technology, these old games and consoles continue to endure. They remind us that gaming isn’t just about the pixels on the screen—it’s about the connections we make while playing. And that’s something that will never go out of style.