If you've ever played a retro console to impress young relatives.......

[STICH666]

Every time my little cousins come over I fire up the 2600. The look on their faces knowing that some of the games are older than their parents is priceless.

 

Sign if you have ever done the same.

Edited April 12, 2009 by STICH666

[potatohead]

I do it.

 

Always fun too. Be sure and play Medival Mayhem, or WARLORDS with them. 4 player paddle action is an experience they will get into quick.

[the maddestman]

Yup, I still fire up Star Raiders and watch peoples jaws drop when they see the "COPYRIGHT ATARI 1979" message, haha

[godslabrat]

Yup, I still fire up Star Raiders and watch peoples jaws drop when they see the "COPYRIGHT ATARI 1979" message, haha

 

I've occasionally tried that, but either my relatives aren't young enough, or my games aren't old enough. I remember one cousin in awe over my gold LoZ, insisting I should keep the game put away and never play it, because it clearly must be valuable! I couldn't quite convince him there were several million other copies floating around, that it was pretty well-selling game in its day. I also had relatives who needed to be convinced that "Mario Bros." and "Super Mario Bros." were two different games.

 

In reality, I was always the one trying to dig up treasures from before my time. When I was a kid (this would be like, 1993), I stayed at my uncle's house, and he'd had a basement turned into a playroom for his grandkids. Well, I was hanging out down there, and I noticed that there was an odd box tucked away in the corner. I opened it up, and found an Atari with a good 30+ games. This wasn't my first exposure to the 2600, but it was the day I learned a lot more about the system than I ever had before! I actually wasn't sure if my uncle wanted me rooting around through his boxes or hooking stuff up to his TV, so I had to do it on the sly... trying my best to not disturb the setup any more than needed.

 

I actually don't know who owned that 2600... could have been one of my other cousins, or maybe my aunt had just been holding onto some old stuff for a friend. I never asked... but to this day, I wonder what became of that treasure trove I found that night.

[Chickybaby]

Now they're 13 and almost 15 yr old angsty, desperate for attention, alternative/emo type, My Chemical Romance, Panic At the Disco (although that was so 4 months ago so who knows), going to hot topic, girls so it's -

 

"That so ooolllllllddddd"

"It was like foorreevveerrr ago"

or

"Eeewwww you're such a dork".

*Sigh*

 

Now, dealing with customers at the garage or some of the families I know the guys would usually reminisce and the wives roll their eyes.

 

Not as bad as when I turned 30 (and being sensitive enough about that particular age) the older one I raised said "Oh My God You're old". Thanks kiddo.

When daughter was born I very stoically remonded her that I was her age when she was born and I was taking care of her. The look of quasi-horror was priceless.

 

Probably why I belong here or go to video game shows. It's a lonly place out here.

[A Sprite]

No, but I've dug up video of a high resolution 1st person death match game originally created in 1973 to great effect.

 

Anything more powerful than an NES in the 70's and 80's wins points...

 

Or, if I really want to impress growing minds, I enlist them to help design old school ( 2600, NES ) graphics, which is a game in of itself.

 

Actual games don't have the same effect - my younger brother thought I was insane for playing Darius Gaiden, with it's antique low res 2d graphics...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...when it was still new.

[Kripto]

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

[+Ransom]

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

 

That's so true. It's quite a culture shock for the modern gamers. Their first time playing many of those games, within thirty seconds the game's over! It's a great lead in to one of those old-fart, "When I was your age..." monologues.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Ransom

[JamesD]

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

LOL, and many home versions were a little kinder than the original arcade games. They would really hate the originals!

[jferio]

That's so true. It's quite a culture shock for the modern gamers. Their first time playing many of those games, within thirty seconds the game's over! It's a great lead in to one of those old-fart, "When I was your age..." monologues.

 

<old man voice>Why, when I was your age, kid, we had one button, and we were just plain happy to have that one button. And we didn't have even multicolored sprites, we had a misshapen, blocky, single color hollow duck!</old man voice>

[Artlover]

No, but I've dug up video of a high resolution 1st person death match game originally created in 1973 to great effect.

Eh?

 

*EDIT*: After some googling... You talking about Maze War or Spasim?

Edited April 12, 2009 by Artlover

[Lord Thag]

All the time. I mentor a friend of mine's kid. First time he came over he was blown away, and we've spent many hours since playing everything from Atari 2600 to Neo Geo. I hold periodic tournaments as well, and he usually brings a couple of his buddies.

 

Fun times

[STICH666]

Yeah I was playing Combat and the sight of it had my cousin (he's 9 btw) say "why would you play those games?!?! The graphics are terrible". I facepalmed so hard it left an indent in my head.

 

I brought my 2600 in to my video class to record some footage for a project and I overheard some wigger (yo yo I only play Gears and COD) kid say "Damn was that made in like the 1800's?!?!?!?!?!"

[godslabrat]

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

 

Holy crap! A game that actually doesn't FORCE you to win! No save points, no tutorial, no walkthrough! If you didn't get good, YOU DIDN'T BEAT THE GAME!

 

I'm amazed that some people actually prefer gaming when there's no possible way to not win, except to stop playing.

[VectorGamer]

I fire up the Colecovision with Defender, Centipede, Carnival, Donkey Kong, Mouse Trap and others to get the kids hooked...

[cubejunky]

I don't really ever play them infront of relatives but if they ask I will let them play them.. 9 times out of 10 they do since I have my consoles on display and they always want to know what an Atari or Coleco is... and if it was made by Nintendo or Sony.

[STICH666]

I don't really ever play them infront of relatives but if they ask I will let them play them.. 9 times out of 10 they do since I have my consoles on display and they always want to know what an Atari or Coleco is... and if it was made by Nintendo or Sony.

hahahah What a coincidence!! I was just at my cousin's for dinner and he asked if Atari was made by Nintendo.

[BeerGnome]

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

 

Holy crap! A game that actually doesn't FORCE you to win! No save points, no tutorial, no walkthrough! If you didn't get good, YOU DIDN'T BEAT THE GAME!

 

I'm amazed that some people actually prefer gaming when there's no possible way to not win, except to stop playing.

 

kinda like this?

[christianscott27]

The Vectrex is great for that, never fails to interest even the most jaded person. I find that kids like to play Super Mario Bros on my playchoice-10 because theres just enough connection between that Mario world and the one they know from the Wii.

[Poopopyo]

I always play Super Mario Brothers around little kids. I don't know why but it seems like they all suck at it.

[BDW]

I don't really ever play them infront of relatives but if they ask I will let them play them.. 9 times out of 10 they do since I have my consoles on display and they always want to know what an Atari or Coleco is... and if it was made by Nintendo or Sony.

 

Unfortunately, this is a common question in my household.

[chrisbid]

not yet, (she just turned 2 months old today), but if she plays any video games at all, atari will be a part of that

[Sgt.Pepper1983]

My nephew has been playing all types of Mario games since he was old enough to pick up the control. I can't remember what the first game I let him play was but he plays everything from pong to ps3. On his birthday two years ago he and a few friends stayed over and spent the evening playing Mario 1. I've given him an atari, an nes and his mom has an snes. As I replace loose cartridges with cib copies he gets the old cartridge.

[Video]

I've had all my younger friends and relatives play my older consoles at one time or other, mostly just wanting them to know there's something out there besides playstations and X-boxes. Some of them have gone on to likeing the old stuff, but mostly just emulate it, but most of them grew out of likeing it.

 

Holy crap! A game that actually doesn't FORCE you to win! No save points, no tutorial, no walkthrough! If you didn't get good, YOU DIDN'T BEAT THE GAME!

 

I'm amazed that some people actually prefer gaming when there's no possible way to not win, except to stop playing.

 

Actually, you'd be surprised at how many games are never finished due to simply being to long. I'me one of the few people I know, among all my friends that will play something long enouggh to finish it, beyond the relm of World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy.

 

I always get a kick out of it when someone is playing some RPG, and says they wouldn't waist time on a FPS cause it "takes to long"

 

A lot of non-classic gamers are shocked by how older games can be "such bastards", in that they are intent on killing the player ASAP, due to their arcade roots.

 

I do get twisted enjoyment from watching non-classic gamers take a shot at some arcade Robotron level ten difficulty action... No relaxing ten minute cut scene for you!

 

Holy crap! A game that actually doesn't FORCE you to win! No save points, no tutorial, no walkthrough! If you didn't get good, YOU DIDN'T BEAT THE GAME!

 

I'm amazed that some people actually prefer gaming when there's no possible way to not win, except to stop playing.

 

kinda like this?

 

I loved that movie, don't remember all the explosions though, but I do remember how they caused it to stop, by starting up a game of TicTacToe (which technically, if both players are evenly matched, is uncompleteable)

[+FujiSkunk]

I loved that movie, don't remember all the explosions though, but I do remember how they caused it to stop, by starting up a game of TicTacToe (which technically, if both players are evenly matched, is uncompleteable)

 

Actually the explosions came after the round of Tic Tac Toe. The computer was about to crack the missile launch codes and they were frantically trying to convince the computer it was not worth firing them off. So they play Tic Tac Toe, and no one ever wins. The computer gets a clue, runs through a few bazillion nuclear war scenarios (with lots and lots of virtual explosions), realizes it's pointless, and shuts itself down (mostly).

 

Yes, I am a movie geek.