So what counts as "classic" gaming?

[Rhomaios]

Didn't Sega have some arcade hologram game out back around 1990 or 1991?

Hologram Time Traveler, basically a "holographic" version of Dragon's Lair.

[RetroGamer8048]

My definition if Classic Gaming would be anything, whether it would be consoles, handhelds and video games that were released from 1985 until 2000.

[famicommander]

Anything two generations or more old.

 

So, pretty much anything that came out before the DS and PSP.

[ledzep]

The "classic" term is more or less useless because not only can nobody pin down what it means, nobody can pin down what it applies to, either. It's the same with "classic" cars or "classic" rock, it doesn't help narrow down what you're talking about because some people think classic means old, some think it means really old, some think it means best, some think it means memorable, etc.

 

What defines something as a "classic" car? Well, old, but what else? Important? Significant? Popular? It's a bullshit designation. Same goes for "classic" rock, what do you mean by that? Hard rock? Rock? Soft rock? Simply old? Or old but also important? It makes no sense to use that term for anything when you're trying to get specific.

 

It is far better to stick to actual designations that everyone can agree with like 1st Gen/2nd Gen/3rd Gen or 8-bit/16-bit/32-bit or pre-1980/1980-1985 or something. Because then everyone will know (or can look up) what falls into that actual defined group vs. just ending up with a shitload of references to everything that isn't recent or current.

[BydoEmpire]

that everyone can agree with like 1st Gen/2nd Gen/3rd Gen

I agree with your overall point, but to be fair, people still disagree one what constitutes which "gen" - but that's a topic for another thread... ^_^

 

 

 

 

My definition if Classic Gaming would be anything, whether it would be consoles, handhelds and video games that were released from 1985 until 2000.

My definition if Classic Gaming would be anything, whether it would be consoles, handhelds and video games that were released from 1985 until 2000.So what about the real classic games... you know, the ones released before 1985. hehe

Edited July 30, 2015 by BydoEmpire

[Andromeda Stardust]

I agree with your overall point, but to be fair, people still disagree one what constitutes which "gen" - but that's a topic for another thread... ^_^

 

I think the "gen" definition really goes a long way towards defining age in terms everyone can understand. "I like Atari" or "I like Nintendo" or "I love early 80s arcade" or "I prefer 3rd and 4th gen console games" clearly defines that an individual likes a specific category of Retro games, rather than "I'm a gamer" Which could mean anything from Atari VCS to Xbox One.

 

Same with music. Saying "I listen to music" could mean anything from Elvis to Justin Beiber. Saying "I like 70s Classic Rock" or "I like 90s hip hop" narrowly defines an era and a musical genre, giving people a better idea of things you like. And it's perfectly acceptable to like and dislike many things, whether music, movies, games, or whatnot.

 

Retro or Classic as a definition is too broad whereas generations of hardware have clearly defined definitions. Whether you agree with them or not, most game systems are actively sold over a period averaging 5-6 years before they are replaced with a successor, and competitors generally tend to release new hardware within about a year's time span. This creates logical divisions based on date of release as well as technical capabilities and gaming trends.

 

And of course there are outliers such as GBA, which I tend to lump with retro being a 2D system, even though it is technically 6th gen.

Edited July 31, 2015 by stardust4ever

[bkrownd]

My idea of "classic video gaming" is arcade games before the 1990's "fighting games" started. The home console and home computer games were knock-offs of the arcade games. (ignoring computer RPGs which are another thing entirely)