We here at The Pixel Parlor love our retro games. Yeah, I know, big shock. However, what is the actual state of retro gaming these days?

If you’re new to retro gaming or a long-time retro gamer, you essentially have two options available to you. You can either source your games from your local retro game shop, or you can become a digital pirate (Argh) and get into roms and emulation software. Now, I know this topic can be a bit controversial, especially if you’re into reselling retro games, but that’s not what this article is about. I’m here to just spell out your options! Of course, there are a few ethical concerns to be discussed, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

Let’s talk about purchasing retro consoles and games! As you can imagine, this is the most ethical and best option for the retro game economy as a whole. Becoming a patron for one of your local retro game stores not only fosters a positive community around nerd culture, but helps create a place where like minded people can meet up and discuss their passions with each other. Not to mention, it helps put food on the table for that particular shop owner. Trust me, most independant retro game stores are just scraping by, so supporting them as much as you can keeps the money out of the hands of the corporate guys trying to hop on something they think is trendy. Looking at you, Gamestop Retro…

Beyond that, going into a physical space to purchase video games brings a level of immersion that buying online just can’t replicate. Come on, we’ve all been to a store with shelves stacked floor to ceiling with games and random merch everywhere. We walk in, and we feel like we’ve been transported to our happy space, standing alone within space and time. There’s old retro figurines from the 80s and 90s, there’s a few arcade cabinets scattered around, and there’s always that one employee that never greets you, but you two have a silent understanding that this is what you both love and you will respect their merchandise. It’s truly a unique experience that I’m SO happy is thriving these days.

Now, there’s also a very noticeable downside to retro gaming that our bank accounts are all too familiar with. Man, it is not an inexpensive hobby. Some games can reach upwards of $200, which is mind-boggling when you have bills to pay and kids to feed. Of course, you can always find a good deal somewhere, but most of those banger collectors’ items will kick you right in the wallet. As time goes on, physical retro gaming is going to keep increasing in value, making things more and more expensive. But that’s just the price you pay for such an amazing hobby!

There’s another side of the coin that is retro gaming that has divided the community for quite some time, and honestly, I doubt the debate will end anytime soon. Oh yeah, I’m talking about emulating roms. For those who don’t know what that means, it’s essentially using a program to mimic the functionality of video game consoles, while roms are digital copies of a game. Emulation has been the go-to route for many retro games for so long, even catching the wrath of Nintendo who will try to shut down any site that is giving free roms of Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon. Many great websites have been demolished because of that, making it more difficult to find roms these days, but there’s still ways.

I get it, believe me. These companies work hard on these games and invest a ton of money into them only to have some digital pirates give away their games for free. It makes sense, right? I mean, I’d hate for someone to just give away one of my novels for free without my permission. However, there’s a solid argument to that story. Many gamers have complained over the years that these companies simply let these incredible games fade away instead of preserving them for future use. In their eyes, emulation isn’t pirating. It’s preserving gaming history.

Here’s my conclusion: Do both like me. I love collecting and playing games on their original hardware, but do I love just popping my Gameboy Advance app on my phone and playing Zelda whenever I want? You betcha. Emulation has its place in the nerd culture world just as collecting physical games does, and both should be embraced and encouraged. As long as we’re all doing what we love, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy retro gaming because that’s why it exists. It’s there to give you a place to go when the world around you is so dang hard. If you want to collect those games on your bookshelf and fill a game room with awesome lights, then do it! If you want every game known to man in your pocket for easy access, then please do that, too!

Enjoy gaming the way you want.

-John

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