36 • Off icial Kids Mag • MARCH & APRIL 2018
The before time
In the beginning, there were my video
games. Growing up in the 1980s I played
as much as my parents would allow. Video
games were new then, and I loved them.
That time in my life was
special, and to this day, I
have fond memories of
my childhood. But then,
completely without want
or warning, it happened.
I grew up.
After that came
responsibility. Many
years later, I'm married,
have two kids, and things
are a bit different. I still
have all my games, but
instead of being shown
off in the living room,
they're hidden in closets
or tucked away in cabinets.
However, as my family grows, and my boys
get older, I see a large part of me coming
through in them. You will too. As my sons'
interest in gaming becomes greater, mine are
rekindled, and a new beginning is formed. A
beginning where they come to me seeking
answers to tough questions. Who is Mario
and why does he fight a big dinosaur? Why is
Sonic fast? What is an Atari?
We'll eventually answer those questions and
more, but this month we're talking about retro
gaming. We'll discuss why it's popular and the
best way to enjoy those classic games now.
The retro
revolution
Largely in part to
movies like Wreck it
Ralph and YouTubers
playing older games,
it's no coincidence that
these "retro" games
are now popular among
today's kids like you.
(There are a few other
reasons, but I'll get to
those in a bit.) My boys
were no exception.
However, in our house,
there's no shortage
of those kinds of games. Even so, I was
skeptical when I saw games like Excite Bike, Dr.
Mario, Super Mario RPG and Metroid on their
Christmas lists. When they're surrounded by
consoles and games that are superior in every
way to those of my generation, why would
they want a game from 1984?
I think the answer is in the way the game
treats the player.
There's a certain amount of explanation
that a good game should provide. Too much
explanation with tutorials make the game
experience bland. At that point, there's no
true exploration and no sense of discovery.
No thinking for yourself. That's where retro
games usually differ. Most retro games don't
When they (kids)
are surrounded
by consoles and
games that are
superior in every
way to those of my
generation, why
would they want a
game from 1984?
