UNITED STATES—I am a fan of old school gaming, but I feel like that world is no more. Why? It seems technology has advanced so much that the notion of 2D gaming which I was a massive fan of, has transitioned to all 3D if not 4D at this point. When I refer to 2D gaming I’m referring to the Atari system, Nintendo (the system that came out in the 80s), the Sega Genesis, the Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Gear, Virtual Boy, those systems were advanced for their time and then in the late 90s we started to see changes.

There was the ushering in of the Play Station, Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Play Station 2, 3, 4 and currently 5, there was also the introduction of the Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One and we have the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Switch. Yes, a ton of things have changed in the world of gaming as a result of the advancements made in technology.

The gaming industry has become so advanced that you have become immersed in the gaming arena in a way that I cannot explain with words. You can wear glasses and actual play the game as if you’re playing the game. How can I break that down in lament terms: you become the actual game! Those 3D visors that Apple and so many other industries have begun to release are a testament to those things people. Do I like the notion of punching, kicking, jumping and running as if I’m playing a game in real life, but I’m not?

It depends on who you ask. For me personally, I don’t love it. I like the 2D version of gaming because I find he games a bit more difficult; there is a challenge. It is not as easy to be successful in the game that you are playing. It requires a bit more strategy, technique and patience. I remember old school gaming would take me hours upon hours upon hours to complete. It was not as simple as 2-3 hours and you’ve accomplished the game.

As a kid, I would spend all day gaming like literally 10-12 hours and still find little to no success. I would make progress, but perhaps my brain was not as developed to remember key things that I can easily do today. I guess I have developed a skill that many youngers deem speed gaming. If you have not heard of it, it’s where people watch others who game, E Sports. The challenge is to see how quickly you can complete a particular task or stage in a game.

I do find speed gaming quite intriguing because it is completely connected to your memory and skill. Do you remember certain things in a game where less exploration is needed to complete a task? In addition, what skills are you aware of that can help you accomplish something quicker than others may not know about? I’ll give you a prime example with many games you are forced to do things in order. You cannot jump between levels because it is a difficult thing to do without certain items per se. A great example of this would be “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” which was released in the early 90s on the Super Nintendo gaming system.

I always thought upon entering the Dark World you had to complete the 7 stages in chronological order, but guess what that is not true. You do have to complete castle 1 before you can move onto any of the other castles, but you can jump to castle 4 after completing castle 1. After 1 and 4 have been completed, you can move to castle 6 and castle 7. Yes, it is quite fun jumping around and exploring and you start to realize what skills you can utilize to navigate a world you knew, but you can explore in a new way.

I just wish we could have a combination of the old with the new, but it seems the game creators of the present don’t want to return to the past, but there is a niche out there who enjoy old school gaming and nostalgia. Nostalgia is becoming more potent in today’s society and I’m not referring to just movies, music and TV shows, even gaming is part of that realm. To the old school gamers out there, the classics will never die we just have to find ways to reinvent them for a new audience.

Written By Davy Jones