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Revenge Of Pac-Man - Vintage Gaming Still Hot?

Posted by simoniker on from the same-as-it-ever-was dept.

Thanks to the New York Times for its article (free reg. req.) discussing the cresting popularity of retro game chic over many types of media, noting: "Last month Saturn introduced a commercial featuring its Vue sport utility vehicle rolling through a town, absorbing dots to the officially licensed sounds of a grazing Pac-Man. Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart includes 'Game Over (Flip),' a song by the rapper Lil' Flip that contains a beat built from the sounds of Pac-Man." There's also insight into the financial benefits: "Robert Ennis, chief operating officer of Namco, publisher of the transcendent Pac-Man, said that classics represented about 5 percent of his company's revenue. More important, he said, the company's several 'museum' collections have involved little financial risk."

3 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. Two Categories: Nostalgia and Fun by Thyamine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find that most of the old games fall into one of two categories: games that we sit back and say 'remember blah blah blah' or games that I still play (Gameboy Advanced, MAME, emulator on my laptop, etc).

    Most of those old games are fun for about 5 minutes; long enough to realize that it was better to have just left well enough alone and enjoyed the memories. Otherwise, games like Zelda et al. I currently have in some form or fashion so that I can play them when I want to.

    --
    I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces. Illyria
  2. Vintage Gaming on the GBA... by GTRacer · · Score: 4, Insightful
    My wife and I have 3 of the retro collections - Konami, Namco and Williams. We grew up on these games, and the ones in the collection are pretty much all twitch games. Great fun for short periods of time and you don't feel too bad if you have to switch off and get back to life (Unlike being midway through a two-hour enduro in Le Mans or GT3).

    HOWEVER, why, pray tell, do NONE of these collections have a high-score save, options for control and difficulty, or proper collision detection (Williams, I'm looking at YOU!)?

    It's a real PITA to have to remember high scores or keep a piece of paper with scores handy. Those GBAs go everywhere...

    GTRacer
    - Needs some SMB3 goodness...

    --
    Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
  3. Re:DOS games by Teddy+Beartuzzi · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Not immersive? I suggest you try different games then.

    I find it's quite the opposite. Almost everything modern I try is fun for a few minutes, but then you realise it's pretty much the same as every other recent release, all flash and no substance.