You've got the latest AAA gaming title with the most stunning graphics and engaging gameplay. Then why do you still feel the longing to dust off and pop in that dinosaur with the fuzzy graphics and simple gameplay? You're likely in the grip of nostalgia, and you're not alone. Many of us still feel the pull to old games. Here's why.
The Science Behind Nostalgia
Image via Flickr by Lee-yoshi
Popular culture is always taking advantage of our love for the past. It seems like half our "new" films are reboots or sequels to our old favorites, and our favorite TV shows take us back to when life seemed simpler and the music was better. All of these pop culture artifacts are drawing on nostalgia. Psychologists have studied how we associate certain experiences with a simpler time where we were less worried about work, finances, and the other stresses of modern life.
These associations go beyond sounds and smells, but are also associated with other symbols, like, say, a video game. According to psychologists, we long for these symbols and experiences because we associate them with good memories, and we hold onto good memories of our past longer than bad ones, which means that good memories (and the associated symbols) may influence us more strongly.
Video Games and Nostalgia
If nostalgia is a kind of homesickness, then, as scholar Sean Fenty argues, video games can be a place to which we yearn to return. While the rest of life constantly changes around us, video games become a home, and, as Fenty says, "because they are stored, unchanging data, they tease with the hope for a possibility of return, if only we can gain access to them." Even when the flashiest, densest games are begging to be explored on our newest console, we still sometimes long for the stability of pixels.
Video games spark nostalgic feelings because associated with them are a multitude of powerful emotions. A video game is an experience, one that draws out emotions ranging from frustration and satisfaction to joy and disappointment. We may associate memories with siblings with the competition of Nintendo 64's original Super Smash Bros. Some of our favorite stories and our formative experiences with good and evil may come from the rolling texts of The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy. These powerful feelings and experiences leave a lasting impression that draws you back, even decades after you first popped in the cartridge.
How Modern Games and Game Companies Use Nostalgia
Modern video game and online gaming companies understand the power that comes from nostalgia, and frequently capitalize on our longing for the past. Long-running franchises like Super Mario Bros, Pokemon, and many others continue to pay homage to the past even while they aim to be innovative. Some new games aim to feel nostalgic, even if they're not relying on the prestige of a large franchise. Octopath Traveler, for example, is a relatively new game for the Nintendo Switch featuring pixel graphics and the gameplay of a classic role-playing game.
However, AAA game developers and other large gaming companies aren't the only ones taking advantage of gaming and nostalgia. Mobile games frequently draw on the graphics and gameplay simplicity of an earlier era in order to capitalize on nostalgia. Other industries, like casinos, also integrate the nostalgia of gaming, whether through a classic theme like Wizards of Oz, or in a game like 8-bit Intruders, which draws on classic arcade games like Space Invaders.
How to Play Your Old Favorites
How do you feed that nostalgic craving if you no longer have any of your old consoles? There are many ways to access these old games, whether on websites like Free Games Empire, or by using services on your Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch. Many of these new consoles allow you to play classic games without having to get your hands on old software or hardware.
Whatever your nostalgic craving may be, you can satisfy that longing for the past with a stroll down memory lane in the shoes of your favorite classic video game character. Thanks to the many avenues available to access these old games, you can make new memories with old friends.
