Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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. Re:DOS games by Jane_the_Great · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How much gameplay is there in many of those old DOS games though? I see this opinion that today's games look better but the gameplay is poor in comparison to the games of yesteryear bandied about on Slashdot quite a bit. Just because a game looks like crap, does not mean that it's got amazing gameplay. Likewise, just because a game looks good, the gameplay is not guaranteed to be garbage. Comparing say Commander Keen to Ratchet and Clank, I would say that the latter takes the prize in both the gameplay and graphics departments easily.

    --
    THIS ACCOUNT IS OFFICIALLY RETIRED/RETARDED.
  3. Classic gaming by veganjay · · Score: 5, Informative

    I completely agree with the earlier comment that gameplay is most important - not the graphics.

    Also, perhaps it's my age - I'm now 30 and honestly have less time to play games. I can afford the fifteen minutes needed to play Qix - but something like Final Fantasy X needs to be played in hour sittings!

    The NYT article just brushes the surface. For more info on the on-line classic gaming community, check out some of these sites:
    AtariAge
    Retrogaming Radio
    Classic gaming

    Magazines:
    Armchair Arcade
    Classic Gamer
    Manci Games
    Retrogamer

    Also, there are quite a few gaming conventions, most notably Philly Classic and Classic Gaming Expo.

    --
    jason