What's the hardest type of nostalgia to recreate?

[80s_Atari_Guy]

Here in the UK, the most difficult would be the High Street shops. I really miss going into those old Computer Shops, seeing shelf after shelf of 80s computer games, and hardware.

These were so different times back then, times when staff were incredibly friendly, didn't ask for a mobile phone number/email address/post code, just to pay for your item. My local 80s games shops had all the major systems on show, and playing the latest releases.

[Cynicaster]

- multi-player games. I know they're still available to play, but the problem is, I don't know anybody else who would enjoy playing against me in Video Olympics (for example). I mean, you can always cajole friends and family into "humoring" you, but I can't have fun unless the other person is genuinely interested in it.

 

- arcade beat-em-ups. I used to love playing TMNT, Simpsons, Final Fight, etc. when all I cared about was big in-your-face graphics and sounds, but nowadays those games just feel like more of an amusement park ride than a game, in that you pay for a few minutes of fun, then you die because the game is impossible, then you pay more to ride again. Yawn.

 

- games that come from awkward "transitional" phases where technology was right in the middle of making a big change or step. For example, I have a lot of fond memories of PS1 games, but when I play them now, the visuals hurt my eyes because they're so ugly.

 

I guess this is why I gravitate toward the early 80s stuff these days: single player, skill/score based, with unabashedly basic audiovisuals. It also helps that these games are easy to squeeze into small windows of free time.