We have no excuses anymore
Backwards compatibility has always been a problem for the games industry. It is one of the limitations that has kept and still keeps videogames from becoming a form of entertainment or art even to rival music or movies. The cyclical nature of the industry with each upcoming generation rarely supporting the previous generations does not help either. Sony promised a while back that its own systems will always support backwards compatibility. Of course as with many promises this one proved empty and the company introduced a cheaper non-PS2 compatible Playstation 3 which will eventually be the version that sells the most.
This meant that if you wanted to play an older game, like Super Mario Bros, you needed to have the NES console connected to your tv alongside the current generation's consoles. Not very practical is it. The porting of games from console to console was a mixed blessing as the quality of the game always varied so it could never really considered a substitute. Then we had the emulators with which you could play NES games on your PC or arcades on hacked Xbox'es. But it was never going be the manner in which old games would re-establish their presence.
Thankfully now with downloadable content this is about to change. All three consoles have online stores where you can download either NES, Mega Drive, PS1 or Xbox games. There is no need to own all consoles ever made in order to play them. I know that videogamers are usually more concerned with current generation games as they are attracted to shinier graphics and more online capabilities.
But there is a legacy. And it is a strong one. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Sonic: The Hedgehog, Metal Gear Solid, Halo: Combat Evolved the list goes on and on.
Some of the biggest entertainment classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Star Wars and (Led Zeppelin) were all created before i was born and yet i have read, watched and listened to all three. The majority of the greatest games of all time are not of the current generation consoles. Aren't you interested in playing them?
Now we can.
Re: We have no excuses anymore
We who lived the evolution of gaming we are very lucky...We all played those games and loved them...the 1st Civilization, Larry, Monkey Island, Prince of Persia, Mario, Zelda, FF, and the list goes and goes...
personally i missed playing those old skool games....but bro think for example Wolf-3D and Call Of Duty 4... the difference is from hell to paradise!!! you and me might wanna play again those games...but imagine our younger brothers like Con360 or Spidey where they never tried those old skool 2 color, 4 color 16 color games...they will laugh and tell you man forget it...i am playing WOW or Call or whatever...
we spend a fortune on Plasma tv's, surround etc etc not to play 1942 or wonder boy!!!
but if we see those games in front of us is melancholic....you miss them and i feel you....
but life goes on...you have to be dynamic and adapt to the environment....
feel the new experience...go with the flow...and show those little rascals how good we are on all genres!!!
AND HELL YEAH I WANNA PLAY ALL THOSE OLD GAMES>>>ABANDONWARE!!!!!!;)
Re: We have no excuses anymore
I fully agree with you that for newer generation gamers going back to play games which technically appear inferior to newer versions is very difficult. This is one of the things that i don't like about the industry. Its fascination and sometimes obession with graphics and engines which has a trickle effect on gamers.
But like i said we owed to ourselves to have alook at these games. For example Ocarina of Time is widely considered to be The Citizen Kane of videogames i.e the greatest videogame of all time. People who are attracted to that particular genre should see what this game is about if not actually complete the game.
Like you i keep wanting to go back than forward and play the games i missed.