How Should I Retro? (OC, Long Post)

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Even the most experienced capital-G Gamers have at some point pondered where, or often how, the best way to play a game is. We are fortunate to live in an era where we often have choice on what platform we game on. Third party publishers (in other words, publishers not named Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft) generally release their titles on multiple platforms, allowing video game enthusiasts the ability to play the biggest, new release on whatever system they own. Got a PC? Great, you’re playing the new Diablo game! Only have an Xbox? Sweet, Lies of P is heading your way. And if you only have a PlayStation 5, don’t worry, Microsoft just signed an agreement that Call of Duty is still heading to your system for the foreseeable future despite them likely buying-out Activision. With the recent surge in allowing gamers to party with friends on other systems through cross-platform play and a recent PlayStation and Xbox integration of Discord making cross-platform chat possible, the stress of picking the best gaming platform for your needs is easier than ever. Well, at least when it comes to modern games – for classic games, it might be more confusing than ever.

Classic Games, Classic Systems

If you’re a video game ‘purist’ like me, the obvious answer to how to play classic games is in their original state. NES games are best enjoyed with an NES controller. Handheld Pokemon games should be played on smaller screens with tactile buttons. Civilization games should absolutely be played on a PC with a keyboard and mouse, and Final Fantasy VII works perfectly with a D-Pad and doesn’t need analog sticks. I think that by using original hardware and controls, it allows us to experience classic games in the ways they were made in the past without giving us direct comparisons to modern games being released decades later. Additionally, modern controllers don’t necessarily fix control issues past releases had – seriously, try playing any 3D DS game like the remake of Super Mario 64 or the port of Rayman 2 on a 3DS and try to use the circle pad for analog control (I’ll save you the trouble, it’s rough). Modern conveniences can distract us from appreciating games designed around the restraints of their era, and may even make the experience worse or frustrating.

However, modern devices not only increase the accessibility to playing classic games, but it also makes it far more realistic for most living spaces. More hardcore gaming purists than me will take it a step further and say classic games must be played on old technology such as CRT TVs to really be accurately experienced. So someone who would want to play the original Mario Kart 64 in an ‘authentic’ way would not only need to track down a working Nintendo 64, Mario Kart 64 game cartridge, four decent N64 controllers, but also a heavy TV big enough to facilitate the space you want to race in. While you could likely hunt for deals and you may not need a full set of controllers, a quick search on eBay can give us a snapshot of the price it could take. An N64 with four controllers would cost around $180 for the system and controllers, $20 for the game, and around $100 for a 19″ CRT TV for a total of nearly $300. Just to play one game from 1996! Once you factor in the cost of space to store everything, the dream of playing games in their original states becomes less and less realistic, plus the cost only increases if you want a bigger screen.

Is Emulation the Solution?

The term ’emulation’ is often viewed as a ‘dirty’ term popularized by video game pirates who would rather download games to play them instead of purchasing them. While the harm of piracy is often debated and can be viewed from multiple angles to fit the frame and argument being presented, emulation is simply the ability to run a game on hardware that it was not originally designed for, and is often used by original publishers of games to make them compatible with modern hardware. Original Xbox and Xbox 360 games are available on the newest Xbox Series systems through emulation. While not quite emulation, classic PlayStation, PS2, and PS3 games can be streamed to PS4 and 5 systems if a player subscribes to Sony’s Premium online service. Even Nintendo, often viewed as the company most aggressive toward emulation, has embraced it through their Nintendo Switch Online applications that allow subscribers to play classic Nintendo games on their Nintendo Switch systems.

Emulation certainly makes playing older games easier and more accessible, but it still presents issues such as not using the controllers they were designed to accommodate. This is less of an issue with games released during the 6th generation of consoles (GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox) as the controllers haven’t changed too drastically with Nintendo being the exception. Sony and Microsoft controllers have certainly changed since 2000 to become more comfortable and adapt to modern sensibilities like wireless connections and rechargeable batteries, but they still mostly have the same basic features; two analog sticks, a D-Pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and two triggers. Playing Jak and Daxter or Gears of War doesn’t feel much different playing on the 6th generation controllers as they do with their 9th generation counterparts.

Emulation has assisted in bringing nearly accurate classic experiences through classic console releases as well. Nintendo, Sony, and Sega have released mini versions of their classic systems with the NES Mini, SNES Mini, PlayStation Classic, and Sega Genesis Mini. These come bundled with re-released controllers fitting the system and pre-loaded with many iconic games for their respective console. They even try to assist with recreating the feeling of playing them at release through providing options in their emulators like a 4:3 aspect ratio and CRT TV filters. While not perfect, these attempts go a long way in reducing cost of storage and game availability associated with trying to accurately play legacy titles. Nintendo and Sega also provide these filter options on their respective online apps and classic collection releases. Nintendo takes it a step further by offering Switch-compatible NES, SNES, and Genesis controllers for purchase online.

Availability First, Features Second

Returning back to the discussion on how best to play Mario Kart 64, let’s say you don’t already have an N64 and CRT TV lying around but you’re a modern player who already owns a Nintendo Switch, and since you like multiplayer games, you likely already have the basic Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) plan. The emulated version of Mario Kart 64 requires the expansion pack of their online service, so an extra $30 for NSO. Since we’re trying to play ‘authentically’, you’ll need to buy 4 N64 controllers from Nintendo’s website for $50 each (assuming they’re even available for purchase). Total, you’ll be shelling out $230 and won’t be playing on a classic TV. However, for $70 less and having access to other classic games from the N64 era like Goldeneye or Mario Party 1-3, it works out to be quite a bit cheaper to play classic games if you don’t mind emulation. And if you’re willing to forego the controllers, you could be playing Mario Kart 64 for $30 if you already have four compatible controllers or your buddies could bring some over – just $10 more than buying the original cartridge and you have access to other games. Of course it’s also a subscription so you may not always have access to it in the future, but that’s a whole different discussion.

There is also a problem that it is very possible to already own all of the classic hardware and games, it's not always simple to attach it to a modern display. My two PC monitors, nor my TV have the classic component or composite cables to attach my old N64, GameCube, Wii, Dreamcast, or PS2 systems that I own and play any of the classic games I still have. While the availability of ROMs (game files taken from original releases and uploaded to a computer and can be played on emulators) is debated on how, well, 'legal' they are, it's often believed that using emulators to play games you legally own is acceptable. Of course this often means one is sacrificing playing with original controllers, and definitely the original hardware, to have the convenience of playing on modern displays without the need to store outdated hardware somewhere in the home; but hey, at least you can play them!

And the Winner Is?

It may seem silly to come to this conclusion after weighing all of the different options, but the best way to play a game is strictly up to the player. The freedom of being able to play games anywhere and anytime is far more valuable than having it restricted to relics of the past. Methods to play in classic ways are also still available even if you play a game on a different platform after finishing a title – if you play Final Fantasy VI on a keyboard and loved it, you’re always able to hop back onto an SNES and experience just as it was in 1994.

Simply being able to play a game is the most important consideration – even if you believe playing Sonic the Hedgehog on an original Sega Genesis is critical to appreciating the game, it is hard to argue that someone playing a PS4 re-release on the Sega Genesis Classics with a PS5 controller is worse than not playing it at all. I do think some systems provide a game play experience unique to the system they were released on – I believe that Super Mario Sunshine is best played with a GameCube controller because of its analog shoulder buttons, but playing the Switch’s re-release in Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy one of the most unique games the plumber has starred in. Pokemon Red and Blue might feel the best with a D-Pad and buttons, but if you can only play it through using your phone, go catch ’em all!