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We all have very fond memories of the first games that we played as these were the ones that got us addicted to gaming. Be it in the heady old days of the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore or the age of the Master System or Nes we all reminisce about those early days of gaming. Frequently put forward opinions are that the old games were the best and that they have never or will ever be beaten. I'd like to put an end to this rubbish right now!
How many of these people singing the praises of old machines and truly ancient games have dusted off their old consoles and had a play on them recently. What hardly any...nobody? Well thats a suprise, maybe if some people did this then the blanket would be lifted from their eyes and they would see the retro games in their own light.
Firstly to put the record straight on where I am coming from. I started gaming at a very young age on a Spectrum ZX. From this I progressed to a Sega Master system, then mega drive to my current beloved Playstation which I have had for around 4 years. I used to be one of those people who reminisced fondly of the good old days every now and again. Whenever the subject of old systems and games came up rest assured I would be in the conversation.
That was until last week when I undertook the mammoth task of clearing out the loft. I soon became bored of this when I discovered my old long since forgotten games consoles and decided it would be a laugh to travel back in time ten or so years. This was a big mistake as my fond view of retro gaming was shattered in the next few days.
The first system that I set up was my dusty old spectrum. For those of you who can't remember this machine it was produced right back in the early days of gaming when games were not made on CD's, must be catridges then I hear you yell, nope before that, think way back to when games for the spectrum were made on audio tape type things.
I searched through the dwindling selection of games until I found a likely looking suspect that I vaguely remember to be a kind of pre-frogger game involving a rabbit. (if anyone has any information concerning this game or system I would be grateful for it) I carefully and respectfully put this game into my antique Spectrum and waited and waited and waited. 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min loading time, I tell you waiting that long will sure take your loving view of retro games away. In the end I gave up waiting for the game to load and moved forward a couple of years to my aged Master System.
Now this is probably a console that you can remember properly, does Alex the Kid ring a bell...yes thought it would. Now I used to remember this game as one of the best I have ever played-thats looking back for you! The master system seemed to me a phenominal step forward in gaming with shorter loading times crisper graphics and catridges. It was a great gaming console of the time make no mistake but play on it now and you will either be disapointed or you will laugh at it as I did. This was mainly out of disbelief that I could have rated some of these games as unbeatable.
I will talk now about Alex the kid which I am sure most Master system owners will be familiar with as it was the game that came on if the console was turned on with no catridge inside- I have always thought this to be a great idea and wondered why Sega did not carry it through to the Mega Drive.
Anyway whilst playing this game I was amazed out how different it was to what I remebered it to be. It was now a very annoying game where you controlled a monkey boy called Alex with the biggest ears you've ever seen. I won't go in to the playabilty and graphics of this game too much but suffice it to say they were poor. One thing I must comment on about this game as to the overall point of the game. As far as I could work out the main objective of this game was to make Alex eat as many burgers as possible. Obviously we didn't care about this in the master systems heyday but how many of you would trade in the great games of today for this. Not many I would think.
Now I do not want to be too down on the Master system so I will say this, it was one of the only two good consoles available in the day along with the snes and was very good for its time. Another downfall of this console that people seem to forget with time is that it had no save function. This made longer games like Fantastic Dizzy, you know the one with the egg, almost impossible to complete. So if you think retro games are the best ever maybe you should throw away your memory cards to be back in the olden or 'golden' age of gaming. No takers-Didn't think so.
Finally I came on to the most modern of my retro machines and games the Sega Mega drive. Now this is the sort of retro I can handle, so the graphics are lets face it crap, but the games are genuinly playable. Games like Sonic the Hedgehog are actually good and can still be played today as the spark of a good idea is still there. I was quite pleased with the way that the mega drive all be it fairly old could still hold its own against my playstation in terms of which one I played on. However this did not last long and I'm sure that even the most avid retro games fan would have to agree that you need to play on modern games to get back in to the present time.
Retro gaming. In my view it is probably best for you to carry on dreaming those hazy dreams of old when gaming was much better than it is now. If you do, as I did, decide to replay some of these old games be prepared to have your illusions shattered. In another ten years I will probably fondly remember games like Gran Turismo 2 and Final fantasy 7 but I could never imagine dragging them out again and thinking they were rubbish. This feeling is where the love of retro games comes from and is why everyone has good memories.
Retro Games-Best left untouched in my opinion.
How many of these people singing the praises of old machines and truly ancient games have dusted off their old consoles and had a play on them recently. What hardly any...nobody? Well thats a suprise, maybe if some people did this then the blanket would be lifted from their eyes and they would see the retro games in their own light.
Firstly to put the record straight on where I am coming from. I started gaming at a very young age on a Spectrum ZX. From this I progressed to a Sega Master system, then mega drive to my current beloved Playstation which I have had for around 4 years. I used to be one of those people who reminisced fondly of the good old days every now and again. Whenever the subject of old systems and games came up rest assured I would be in the conversation.
That was until last week when I undertook the mammoth task of clearing out the loft. I soon became bored of this when I discovered my old long since forgotten games consoles and decided it would be a laugh to travel back in time ten or so years. This was a big mistake as my fond view of retro gaming was shattered in the next few days.
The first system that I set up was my dusty old spectrum. For those of you who can't remember this machine it was produced right back in the early days of gaming when games were not made on CD's, must be catridges then I hear you yell, nope before that, think way back to when games for the spectrum were made on audio tape type things.
I searched through the dwindling selection of games until I found a likely looking suspect that I vaguely remember to be a kind of pre-frogger game involving a rabbit. (if anyone has any information concerning this game or system I would be grateful for it) I carefully and respectfully put this game into my antique Spectrum and waited and waited and waited. 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min loading time, I tell you waiting that long will sure take your loving view of retro games away. In the end I gave up waiting for the game to load and moved forward a couple of years to my aged Master System.
Now this is probably a console that you can remember properly, does Alex the Kid ring a bell...yes thought it would. Now I used to remember this game as one of the best I have ever played-thats looking back for you! The master system seemed to me a phenominal step forward in gaming with shorter loading times crisper graphics and catridges. It was a great gaming console of the time make no mistake but play on it now and you will either be disapointed or you will laugh at it as I did. This was mainly out of disbelief that I could have rated some of these games as unbeatable.
I will talk now about Alex the kid which I am sure most Master system owners will be familiar with as it was the game that came on if the console was turned on with no catridge inside- I have always thought this to be a great idea and wondered why Sega did not carry it through to the Mega Drive.
Anyway whilst playing this game I was amazed out how different it was to what I remebered it to be. It was now a very annoying game where you controlled a monkey boy called Alex with the biggest ears you've ever seen. I won't go in to the playabilty and graphics of this game too much but suffice it to say they were poor. One thing I must comment on about this game as to the overall point of the game. As far as I could work out the main objective of this game was to make Alex eat as many burgers as possible. Obviously we didn't care about this in the master systems heyday but how many of you would trade in the great games of today for this. Not many I would think.
Now I do not want to be too down on the Master system so I will say this, it was one of the only two good consoles available in the day along with the snes and was very good for its time. Another downfall of this console that people seem to forget with time is that it had no save function. This made longer games like Fantastic Dizzy, you know the one with the egg, almost impossible to complete. So if you think retro games are the best ever maybe you should throw away your memory cards to be back in the olden or 'golden' age of gaming. No takers-Didn't think so.
Finally I came on to the most modern of my retro machines and games the Sega Mega drive. Now this is the sort of retro I can handle, so the graphics are lets face it crap, but the games are genuinly playable. Games like Sonic the Hedgehog are actually good and can still be played today as the spark of a good idea is still there. I was quite pleased with the way that the mega drive all be it fairly old could still hold its own against my playstation in terms of which one I played on. However this did not last long and I'm sure that even the most avid retro games fan would have to agree that you need to play on modern games to get back in to the present time.
Retro gaming. In my view it is probably best for you to carry on dreaming those hazy dreams of old when gaming was much better than it is now. If you do, as I did, decide to replay some of these old games be prepared to have your illusions shattered. In another ten years I will probably fondly remember games like Gran Turismo 2 and Final fantasy 7 but I could never imagine dragging them out again and thinking they were rubbish. This feeling is where the love of retro games comes from and is why everyone has good memories.
Retro Games-Best left untouched in my opinion.
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We all have very fond memories of the first games that we played as these were the ones that got us addicted to gaming. Be it in the heady old days of the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore or the age of the Master System or Nes we all reminisce about those early days of gaming. Frequently put forward opinions are that the old games were the best and that they have never or will ever be beaten. I'd like to put an end to this rubbish right now!
How many of these people singing the praises of old machines and truly ancient games have dusted off their old consoles and had a play on them recently. What hardly any...nobody? Well thats a suprise, maybe if some people did this then the blanket would be lifted from their eyes and they would see the retro games in their own light.
Firstly to put the record straight on where I am coming from. I started gaming at a very young age on a Spectrum ZX. From this I progressed to a Sega Master system, then mega drive to my current beloved Playstation which I have had for around 4 years. I used to be one of those people who reminisced fondly of the good old days every now and again. Whenever the subject of old systems and games came up rest assured I would be in the conversation.
That was until last week when I undertook the mammoth task of clearing out the loft. I soon became bored of this when I discovered my old long since forgotten games consoles and decided it would be a laugh to travel back in time ten or so years. This was a big mistake as my fond view of retro gaming was shattered in the next few days.
The first system that I set up was my dusty old spectrum. For those of you who can't remember this machine it was produced right back in the early days of gaming when games were not made on CD's, must be catridges then I hear you yell, nope before that, think way back to when games for the spectrum were made on audio tape type things.
I searched through the dwindling selection of games until I found a likely looking suspect that I vaguely remember to be a kind of pre-frogger game involving a rabbit. (if anyone has any information concerning this game or system I would be grateful for it) I carefully and respectfully put this game into my antique Spectrum and waited and waited and waited. 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min loading time, I tell you waiting that long will sure take your loving view of retro games away. In the end I gave up waiting for the game to load and moved forward a couple of years to my aged Master System.
Now this is probably a console that you can remember properly, does Alex the Kid ring a bell...yes thought it would. Now I used to remember this game as one of the best I have ever played-thats looking back for you! The master system seemed to me a phenominal step forward in gaming with shorter loading times crisper graphics and catridges. It was a great gaming console of the time make no mistake but play on it now and you will either be disapointed or you will laugh at it as I did. This was mainly out of disbelief that I could have rated some of these games as unbeatable.
I will talk now about Alex the kid which I am sure most Master system owners will be familiar with as it was the game that came on if the console was turned on with no catridge inside- I have always thought this to be a great idea and wondered why Sega did not carry it through to the Mega Drive.
Anyway whilst playing this game I was amazed out how different it was to what I remebered it to be. It was now a very annoying game where you controlled a monkey boy called Alex with the biggest ears you've ever seen. I won't go in to the playabilty and graphics of this game too much but suffice it to say they were poor. One thing I must comment on about this game as to the overall point of the game. As far as I could work out the main objective of this game was to make Alex eat as many burgers as possible. Obviously we didn't care about this in the master systems heyday but how many of you would trade in the great games of today for this. Not many I would think.
Now I do not want to be too down on the Master system so I will say this, it was one of the only two good consoles available in the day along with the snes and was very good for its time. Another downfall of this console that people seem to forget with time is that it had no save function. This made longer games like Fantastic Dizzy, you know the one with the egg, almost impossible to complete. So if you think retro games are the best ever maybe you should throw away your memory cards to be back in the olden or 'golden' age of gaming. No takers-Didn't think so.
Finally I came on to the most modern of my retro machines and games the Sega Mega drive. Now this is the sort of retro I can handle, so the graphics are lets face it crap, but the games are genuinly playable. Games like Sonic the Hedgehog are actually good and can still be played today as the spark of a good idea is still there. I was quite pleased with the way that the mega drive all be it fairly old could still hold its own against my playstation in terms of which one I played on. However this did not last long and I'm sure that even the most avid retro games fan would have to agree that you need to play on modern games to get back in to the present time.
Retro gaming. In my view it is probably best for you to carry on dreaming those hazy dreams of old when gaming was much better than it is now. If you do, as I did, decide to replay some of these old games be prepared to have your illusions shattered. In another ten years I will probably fondly remember games like Gran Turismo 2 and Final fantasy 7 but I could never imagine dragging them out again and thinking they were rubbish. This feeling is where the love of retro games comes from and is why everyone has good memories.
Retro Games-Best left untouched in my opinion.
How many of these people singing the praises of old machines and truly ancient games have dusted off their old consoles and had a play on them recently. What hardly any...nobody? Well thats a suprise, maybe if some people did this then the blanket would be lifted from their eyes and they would see the retro games in their own light.
Firstly to put the record straight on where I am coming from. I started gaming at a very young age on a Spectrum ZX. From this I progressed to a Sega Master system, then mega drive to my current beloved Playstation which I have had for around 4 years. I used to be one of those people who reminisced fondly of the good old days every now and again. Whenever the subject of old systems and games came up rest assured I would be in the conversation.
That was until last week when I undertook the mammoth task of clearing out the loft. I soon became bored of this when I discovered my old long since forgotten games consoles and decided it would be a laugh to travel back in time ten or so years. This was a big mistake as my fond view of retro gaming was shattered in the next few days.
The first system that I set up was my dusty old spectrum. For those of you who can't remember this machine it was produced right back in the early days of gaming when games were not made on CD's, must be catridges then I hear you yell, nope before that, think way back to when games for the spectrum were made on audio tape type things.
I searched through the dwindling selection of games until I found a likely looking suspect that I vaguely remember to be a kind of pre-frogger game involving a rabbit. (if anyone has any information concerning this game or system I would be grateful for it) I carefully and respectfully put this game into my antique Spectrum and waited and waited and waited. 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min loading time, I tell you waiting that long will sure take your loving view of retro games away. In the end I gave up waiting for the game to load and moved forward a couple of years to my aged Master System.
Now this is probably a console that you can remember properly, does Alex the Kid ring a bell...yes thought it would. Now I used to remember this game as one of the best I have ever played-thats looking back for you! The master system seemed to me a phenominal step forward in gaming with shorter loading times crisper graphics and catridges. It was a great gaming console of the time make no mistake but play on it now and you will either be disapointed or you will laugh at it as I did. This was mainly out of disbelief that I could have rated some of these games as unbeatable.
I will talk now about Alex the kid which I am sure most Master system owners will be familiar with as it was the game that came on if the console was turned on with no catridge inside- I have always thought this to be a great idea and wondered why Sega did not carry it through to the Mega Drive.
Anyway whilst playing this game I was amazed out how different it was to what I remebered it to be. It was now a very annoying game where you controlled a monkey boy called Alex with the biggest ears you've ever seen. I won't go in to the playabilty and graphics of this game too much but suffice it to say they were poor. One thing I must comment on about this game as to the overall point of the game. As far as I could work out the main objective of this game was to make Alex eat as many burgers as possible. Obviously we didn't care about this in the master systems heyday but how many of you would trade in the great games of today for this. Not many I would think.
Now I do not want to be too down on the Master system so I will say this, it was one of the only two good consoles available in the day along with the snes and was very good for its time. Another downfall of this console that people seem to forget with time is that it had no save function. This made longer games like Fantastic Dizzy, you know the one with the egg, almost impossible to complete. So if you think retro games are the best ever maybe you should throw away your memory cards to be back in the olden or 'golden' age of gaming. No takers-Didn't think so.
Finally I came on to the most modern of my retro machines and games the Sega Mega drive. Now this is the sort of retro I can handle, so the graphics are lets face it crap, but the games are genuinly playable. Games like Sonic the Hedgehog are actually good and can still be played today as the spark of a good idea is still there. I was quite pleased with the way that the mega drive all be it fairly old could still hold its own against my playstation in terms of which one I played on. However this did not last long and I'm sure that even the most avid retro games fan would have to agree that you need to play on modern games to get back in to the present time.
Retro gaming. In my view it is probably best for you to carry on dreaming those hazy dreams of old when gaming was much better than it is now. If you do, as I did, decide to replay some of these old games be prepared to have your illusions shattered. In another ten years I will probably fondly remember games like Gran Turismo 2 and Final fantasy 7 but I could never imagine dragging them out again and thinking they were rubbish. This feeling is where the love of retro games comes from and is why everyone has good memories.
Retro Games-Best left untouched in my opinion.