It's no secret that homebrew has been a thing for a while now on the popular platforms of the old days (the NES, SNES, Genesis, Amiga...), and new consoles have come out to play them, greatly improving on the shitty Famiclones of yesteryear. Even at the lower end, HDMI enabled clone consoles like the Super Retro Trio Plus are playing much better than they used to, and we have bangin' high-end options like the AVS, Analogue Nt Mini/Super Nt, and the upcoming Mega Sg. And of course, the Retron 5 is still a thing, and still very worth it (just throw away that fucking controller it comes with and use either an OEM controller or one of the awesome premium controllers Hyperkin is putting out now). I hear the Retro Freak is also pretty awesome. Gotta give that one a try, if only because it supports TG-16.
Then there are the re-releases. In the last couple years, Retro-Bit has been working with obscure companies to bring NES and SNES cartridges out, from the Data East All-Star Collection and Holy Diver on NES, to SNES offerings like the Jaleco Brawler's Pack and R-Type Returns. Retro-Bit has even gone one extra by putting out a bundle of the SR3+ with a Joe and Mac Ultimate Caveman Collection cart.
The rise in quality of the controllers being offered, that's understandable, as controllers break and a good replacement is worth its weight in gold (by the say, about time someone started putting out quality Saturn controllers, cannot fucking wait!). But the spike in quality of the clones is interesting. One would think that Retro-bit would try to make its own take on the Retron5/Retro Freak emulation consoles and call it a day, but it seems that improving the old NOACs into something with better compatibility is on both major retro company's minds (both RetronHD and RES+ play Castlevania III!).
So why is it that we're seeing this huge rise in interest with retro gaming platforms? Can't just be us crotchety ol' folks, as most of us have the original systems and ways to get good output out of them if that's what we're in for. Young folks? I'd be amazed if they even recognize the difference between hardware-based solutions and emulators on their PC, but someone's gotta be buying all this shit.
So it defies all sense that there's this growing niche of gamers who are putting money into gaming that's this damned old, but here we are. Is it all just nostalgia, or is there something that modern gaming is missing that is driving people back? More Xbox gamers are probably pining for single player and local multiplayer, but the Switch and PS4 offer one or both of those in spades. Perhaps games are too complex nowadays? I can see people being turned off by all the buttons, motion controls, VR and other extraneous bull that gets in the way of just playing a game.
Either way, it looks like we're in a boom market for the older consoles, and it doesn't look to be letting up any time soon. I for one welcome the comeback of old-school gaming. How about you guys? Any of you enjoying the new retro resurgence?
On a side note, you might wonder why I suddenly got this on my mind. Well, I have the Retron5, AVS and Analogue Super Nt, with plans to get the Mega SG on its release, and just recently picked up a couple of Hyperkin Cadet NES controllers and the Data East All-Star Collection. Look forward to my thoughts after I've played with 'em some more, but suffice to say, they're mostly positive.
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