Thoughts on the Classic Game Consoles

[Tech_0ne]

I don't see the appeal myself, if you want to emulate retro consoles just do that, no need to buy a specialist piece of hardware. If you want the absolute original experience you need the original console, emulation is close but not exact. I suppose if you want to collect them, that's a reason to get them.

[0x00]

The whole reason I play classic games at all is because of emulators. Having tens of thousands of hours worth of games that are all hardware emulated, to me is a bargain I can't look away from. I'm not even interested in AAA games till they get dated after 10 years and wind up being capable of being emulated on a modern PC. Every single PS1 game fits on less than a terabyte of space.

[Spect3r]

I'm not trying to be that guy, but that number of people is a lot more dramatic than you'd think. Even among people who own PC's, most of us don't want to hook it up to the TV and use a bunch of dongles to hook up controllers every day when we just want to sit down to play some Mario or go over to a friend's house. Then there's still the cost and age issues and everything else I mentioned. Classic consoles are just really convenient, play well and are well priced for newcomers. (At least, the Nintendo ones are.)

Maybe you are right, is just still confusing to me spending money on these consoles.
We will agree to disagree

That's basically what I was getting at; I don't condemn using software that's not available anymore if the companies are long-gone and you legitimately can't find it anywhere. For commercial purposes, that's a much bigger no-no. But as far as these games go that are being re-released, they are available. And I agree that it's a big problem that they're not preserving and selling whole libraries, but that's the unfortunate nature of copyright law. As with Marvel and Disney, companies lease out and sell off these things in such a way that nobody can really do that. It sucks but there's no way around it. I'm personally for copyright and patent reform. I think 14 years for a patent and maybe 30 for a copyright before something goes into the public domain is good enough. If we keep going like we're going right now, Disney will own 80% of the intellectual properties that exist. I don't think the way we're doing things right now is reasonable or good for creativity and innovation. But y'know, they don't listen to me, so. *shrugs*

This i am 100% on board with you

[Hyperweasle]

I'm not trying to be that guy, but that number of people is a lot more dramatic than you'd think. Even among people who own PC's, most of us don't want to hook it up to the TV and use a bunch of dongles to hook up controllers every day when we just want to sit down to play some Mario or go over to a friend's house. Then there's still the cost and age issues and everything else I mentioned. Classic consoles are just really convenient, play well and are well priced for newcomers. (At least, the Nintendo ones are.)

Talking about hooking things up to the TV, it would've been nice if the 3Ds had a mini HDMI and a mini usb controller ports, so you could hook it up to a TV easily and play NES, Gameboy or even the 3Ds library and it would have acted very similarly to these classic consoles. I understand the resolution would look a bit fuzzier for like the 3Ds games, but it would have been more of a bonus and you could just carry it around like you normally would and if go over to a friends house all you have to do is stash the controllers, HDMI cable, and charger and you have a two in one gaming console that's easily portable.

[StanTheStrongArm]

They have a right to exist, but until one comes along with a wildly rare game that I don't own, then I see no need to get any.

[Musou Tensei]

They are cool but I don't really care, I have a big retro collection, all original consoles to play them and a Retron 5 as well. I also have a PS3 for PS1 games, I have Earthbound on Virtual Console etc.

Now, a N64 Classic would actually be interesting as I have no way so far to play N64 games per HDMI (without using a converter), so getting a N64 Classic and hack it to put more games on it is something I would do.
A Dreamcast Classic idk, I have a DC but was never a big fan, it heavily lacks my favorite genre (JRPG) so it really depends on the games it would have, I don't see me buying one tbh.

[Tom]

I am LF to get Nvidia shield and have all-in-one classic console and have ps2 separately.

[trashfire]

I'll never buy one of these classic game consoles unless it has every game i want for that console on it. They need to port the games, or put out sanctioned emulators and roms.

[SnarkyJay]

I'm all for classic game consoles if they are done properly. I own most original gaming consoles, so I know I am not the intended audience, but Nintendo has done a much better job than Sony based on the little I've messed with these retro game machines. I own a Sega Saturn console, but if Sega released a classic version I would pick one up. I find I have much more difficulty acquiring Saturn games as opposed to Dreamcast or cartridge games. Also, Saturn games tend to be a bit pricier when it comes to the really good games from the system. I must also mention that I have had to repair my Saturn 3 times in the last 10 years for various problems, so an emulation based system would be pretty sweet. I know this is wishful thinking considering the lifecycle of the system when it was originally released, but a man can dream!

[Fexel]

Overall, I'd say they're mostly a net positive for playing retro titles, and possibly an easier way to start a rom collection in the era of DMCA takedowns and lawsuits on a regular basis by Nintendo and the like. Though the recent PlayStation classic was a real flip between the title choices to avoid eating into the revenue of remaster titles like Spyro and crash bandicoot. I'm also dubious of those Soulja Boy emulator consoles, which seems really out of left field and probably a cash grab.

[Spect3r]

Because not everyone wants an emulator, or to take a laptop with them wherever they go. A classic console costs less than buying a computer that will run an emulator, especially if you don't know about Raspberry Pi or don't have time to set one up, hunt down all the games, download them, etc. It's easier to hook up a classic console on-the-go and to just throw it in a backpack or suitcase. Most people's kids don't have their own computer. Some people don't even own a computer. Some people are non-technical people who don't even know what an emulator is.

I can understand the idea that not everyone is tech savvy enough to know how to get it/use it, but other than that, almost everyone already has a laptop/pc and is not like is needed an i7 to run a simple emulator.
There are even emulators for tablets.

And I mean, as someone who works in the IT / Communications industry, I have to mention that emulators are illegal. You shouldn't use unlicensed software if you have the option to purchase it. That's theft.

If is a new thing, i agree.
Now, to play a game that is no longer coming out on a console that is no longer produced i cant defend that idea.
And these new releases dont change that since they dont run the old cartriges and they dont bring the entire catalog either.

[Murray]

A Dreamcast Classic would be pretty sweet, but something I'm missing from most of these Classic machines is that they don't run the games properly. They usually have subpar emulation and the PSX Classic was just a wreck. I mean, PAL games? Really?

I recently got an Analogue Super Nt for SNES games and it runs the games much more true to the originals. That's how I would have wanted the Classic machines to run. Lots of options, lots of settings outside of just the games and the games running properly according to the originals.

[Spect3r]

The Nintendo ones are legitimately good systems with good emulation. They also are easier to hook up and play anywhere with HDMI than lugging around an earlier platform that might play them. Also there are tons of kids everywhere who have never played these games, so it's also a great gift to them. The demand is very high for various reasons, not just nostalgia.

Why not just use an emulator?

[Spect3r]

I cant understand why people buy these "classic consoles".
All i see is a cash grab by the companies.

[Hyperweasle]

Yeah, having these games on PC would be great! The only one fairly good about putting classic games on PC is Sega, Nintendo really needs to get on that, also separate official classic usb peripherals sound awesome, without having to buy a 70 - 100 dollar console.

Also funny thing about the Saturn is that the only Saturn game I've played is Sonic R and that was on the Gamecube. However I just find it strange that these companies try to pander to Nostalgia, yet consoles like PlayStation Classic are released in such terrible state that you're better off just using the old hardware. Since the companies are starting to get into 3D Classic Consoles, they need to be able to have a significant advantage over the original hardware, like a new interface with more options, HD rendering, and a online market place to download more games instead of just being stuck with the preloaded games, either that or release on the PC like you said. Just re-branding the console as slim version is going to lose the Nostalgia factor after a while. However I think remaking games like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, is in the right steps forward, because to be honest some games just don't age well and to have a more updated version as an option really gives the appeal back to older games.