Retro Handheld Gameplay | Classic and Retro Games
2Retrogaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and/or collecting of older (or older versions of) personal computers, consoles, and/or video games (generally arcade), in contemporary times. Usually, retrogaming is based upon systems that are obsolete or discontinued. It is typically put into practice for the purpose of nostalgia, preservation, or the need to achieve authenticity.
Retrogaming has three main activities; vintage retrogaming, retrogaming emulation, and ported retrogaming. Vintage retrogaming includes games that are played on the original hardware. Emulation involves newer systems simulating old gaming systems, while ported retrogaming allows games to be played on modern hardware via ports or compilations. Additionally, the term could apply to a newer game, but with features similar to those of older games, such as a "retro RPG" which features turn-based combat and an isometric camera perspective.
Participants in the hobby are sometimes known as retrogamers in the United Kingdom, while the terms "classic gamers" or "old school gamers" are more prevalent in the United States. Similarly, the games are known as retro games, classic games, or old school games.
Retrogaming has existed since the early years of the video game industry but was popularized with the popularity of the Internet and emulation technology. It is argued that the main reasons players are drawn to retro games are nostalgia for different eras,[ the idea that older games are more innovative and original, and the simplicity of the games that require fewer hours of gameplay.
Retrogaming and retrocomputing have been described as preservation activities and as aspects of the remix culture.