The Rise of Retro Gaming: Three Titles that Remain as Popular as Ever

by Staff & Contributors on September 9, 2015

in Culture

We undoubtedly live in a golden age of gaming, with an incredible range of platforms and titles available to players. From the re-emergence of the popular desktop format and the rise of mobile gaming to the omnipresent console market, players have incredible choice when it comes to indulging their favorite pastime. This is being embellished further by the emergence of cross-platform gaming, which makes an entire library of titles accessible across mobile, desktop and consoles.

Every so-often, however, we yearn from simpler gaming experiences that defined primitive platforms in the 1980’s. These repetitive and arcade-inspired games created an incredibly immersive experience, and while they have been largely overshadowed by more sophisticated graphics and audio effects many of them remain popular to this day. Some have even been repurposed and regenerated for the modern age, continuing a reputation that began more than two decades ago.

 

Donkey Kong  

The game that launched the career of the Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong will always have a special place in the heart of console gamers. This 1981 arcade hit remains one of the most loved and enjoyable games of all time, and is considered to be largely responsible for establishing Nintendo as a brand that has survived to this day.

There have been a considerable number of innovative Donkey Kong spin-offs in the 34 years since, each of which is welcomed by an instant fan base. If you have never played this game you will have missed out, but fortunately there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy it across Nintendo and mobile-based platforms.

 

Retro Reels and Fruits Slots

If you were to appraise the contemporary gaming market, what is the one key trend that you would take from it? It would most likely be the popularization of casino sites, which have revolutionized mobile gaming and brought the freemium model into the mainstream.

Given that the typical demographic of casino gamers are older and aged 36 or above, it stands to reason that developers would have replicated a number of classic experiences in the virtual realm. This is particularly relevant in the online slot games sector where games such as Retro Reels Extreme Heat and Fruit Slots take players back to a bygone age. Including 5 reels and every famous slot machine symbol, these games are timeless and continue to appeal to a broader target market.

 

Pac-Man

The archetypal retro game, Pac-Man is one of the longest-running game franchises from the age of the arcade. First developed by Namco and released on 22nd May, 1980, it quickly became a major hit in the U.S. and subsequently emerged as a smash global sensation.

Pac-Man also remains as popular today as it ever has, with the original game still available on classic arcades and modern consoles. The developers have also looked to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the game, with new titles released on a regular basis, a top-ten single and even an animated television series based on the adventures of Pac-Man. With versions now available on seventh generation consoles such as the PlayStation 3, even those who have never played have an opportunity to do so in 2015.

Dex1138 (@Dex1138) September 9, 2015 at 8:26 pm

What is insane is the number of retro/pixel art games that are being cranked out. It cracks me up every time I browse Steam and see all these games I could have played in the 90s if they existed being made for PCs that can render life-like graphics.

temple run March 26, 2019 at 3:11 am

The game you share is very nice and attractive. A fun addictive game. I enjoyed playing this game.

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