When is a console retro?

[Quore]

What do you consider retro? What point is new and what point is retro?

I like to think that, when there's a console they released at least 15-20 years ago AND when it's hard to find a good/new unit to buy for a proper price, THEN is considered a retro one

At least for me

Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2023

To me, "retro" gaming stops at the 16-bit era. The 32-bit and 64-bit generation (Saturn, PS1, N64) to me is not and never will be considered "retro gaming". These consoles that focus on polygon rendering vs 2D sprite rendering just don't scream oldschool for me.

Maybe it's because you lived a significant part of your life with these 3D rendering consoles.

Going the way, is curious to think that future generations will look to the consoles is our time and consider it a full retro

 

[salazarcosplay]

The Wii emulates retro hardware and now the Wii itself is arguably retro.

By this I would argue the Wii U is also retro. Since you have everything unified in one system.
When I used to think of retro game systems. I thought you instert the game/cartidge and you just play. Games did not have to install. You also used analog connectors red/white/yellow and component.

I think the Wii U was the last retro console because it was a upgraded wii, yet it did not fully get into the online experience that you see with the switch. It was kinda like in between.

I think the modern era started when consoles started resembling pc's more.

The PS2 had a Hardrive bay that was not really widespread in use. The Xbox had a hard drive, nut it was not for big installs and was used for saves, and to make it more convenient, and some xbox live content.

I think the modern era really began with PS3/360. HD graphics became a norm. Online gameplay became a standard, you even had a free to play online game like Fortnite come about.

Full downloaded online games could be purchased. Fortnite and GTA V got their start. Also where we started to see a hard drive be a necessity for the game to install. Not all the games in the beginning.

 

[SylverReZ]

The PS2 had a Hardrive bay that was not really widespread in use.

The PS2 didn't have a hard drive built-in, but they had a HDD adapter that adapts to a single IDE drive. They weren't that popular, but was used for online and PS2 Linux.

Softmodding is the go-to for these.

 

[DragonMals]

I would consider a console to be Retro when it's been 5 years past it's initial support ended. For instance, despite the Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 have been living since the 2010s, they aren't retro consoles because they're still being manufactured to this day.

 

[AncientBoi]

When the controllers don't work, or the screen is Blackened? Or both?

 

[CoolMe]

When the controllers don't work, or the screen is Blackened? Or both?

"Blackened"?

 

[salazarcosplay]

Usually 20-years later when they stop supporting it.

the ps3 is still getting "stability updates" I will think it will keep getting them for as long as ps3s are allowed to go into psn to sync trophies

 

[SylverReZ]

the ps3 is still getting "stability updates" I will think it will keep getting them for as long as ps3s are allowed to go into psn to sync trophies

Stability updates my ass. They're only there to block custom firmware.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

the ps3 is still getting "stability updates" I will think it will keep getting them for as long as ps3s are allowed to go into psn to sync trophies

Stability updates my ass. They're only there to block custom firmware.

Not quite, they're not doing anything to block CFW or "increase stability". At this point, the only thing the PS3 updates are doing really is updating AACS encryption keys so newer Blu-ray movies can still be played on the PS3. Blu-ray encryption keys expire and are updated every year or so, and so Sony pushes updates out whenever new keys are available because there's still a substantial number of people who use the PS3 as just a Blu-ray player.

None of the FWs Sony has released recently for the PS3 has attempted to remove any of the exploits for running CFW, which is why most of them are updated to work on the latest FW within a couple days and it's not really a big deal.

 

[Acid_Snake]

For me consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 can never be retro. Anything that has an HDMI is not retro. Anything that uses nothing but analog video is retro. So the Wii is retro, but the Wii U isn't. On portables I mark the PSP and DS as the last retro ones, with Vita and 3DS not being retro.

 

[Flame]

For me consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 can never be retro. Anything that has an HDMI is not retro. Anything that uses nothing but analog video is retro. So the Wii is retro, but the Wii U isn't. On portables I mark the PSP and DS as the last retro ones, with Vita and 3DS not being retro.

So if something new comes and replaces HDMI? Is it retro, then?

 

[BakerMan]

For me consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 can never be retro. Anything that has an HDMI is not retro. Anything that uses nothing but analog video is retro. So the Wii is retro, but the Wii U isn't. On portables I mark the PSP and DS as the last retro ones, with Vita and 3DS not being retro.

the ps3 and 360 are still going strong-ish with official support, support like the wii stopped getting 10 years ago

 

[Acid_Snake]

So if something new comes and replaces HDMI? Is it retro, then?

Yes. But the technology would have to be much different. A Display Port won't cut it.

 

[BakerMan]

Yes. But the technology would have to be much different. A Display Port won't cut it.

what if the nes had hdmi, but nothing else until the ps3/360 had it? would the nes not be retro?

 

[Flame]

what if the nes had hdmi, but nothing else until the ps3/360 had it? would the nes not be retro?

This inst the EOF. Shut the fuck up with dumb comments like that.

 

[Acid_Snake]

what if the nes had hdmi, but nothing else until the ps3/360 had it? would the nes not be retro?

HDMI wasn't a thing when the NES released. Aftermarket mods don't count.

Ok let me make it a bit more precise, a console is NOT retro if:
- It has 3D graphics and can output in HD via HDMI.
- It has Wifi and wireless controllers.
- It can download content form a store into internal memory (i.e. HDD or flash memory).

All of these features must be built into and a standard part of the console (though not necessarily at launch).
So basically, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U are the minimum for a NOT retro console. PS2, Wii, GC, OG Xbox, and Dreamcast are the last retro consoles.

On portables, I mark the line at Vita and 3DS being NOT retro and PSP and DS being the last retro portables.

 

[BakerMan]

HDMI wasn't a thing when the NES released. Aftermarket mods don't count.

Ok let me make it a bit more precise, a console is NOT retro if:
- It has 3D graphics and can output in HD via HDMI.
- It has Wifi and wireless controllers.
- It can download content form a store into internal memory (i.e. HDD or flash memory).

All of these features must be built into and a standard part of the console (though not necessarily at launch).
So basically, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U are the minimum for a NOT retro console. PS2, Wii, GC, OG Xbox, and Dreamcast are the last retro consoles.

On portables, I mark the line at Vita and 3DS being NOT retro and PSP and DS being the last retro portables.

it was a hypothetical argument, ever heard of one?

 

[mrgone]

for a long time my argument was, that if it has no 3d it is retro, ie snes, genesis, pcengine and neogeo...
but since the last game for the neogeo was published in 2004 and its uncomparable 2d power, i had to exclude it from that argument.

thinking over it, i think nowadays a console from 2 console generations ago is retro
this would make ds/lite, psp, ps3 & xbox 360 retro consoles.
not sure how the wii u fits in there, though, that i consider definitely retro

but i also accept other arguments, like a _native_ hdmi port makes a console automatically non-retro
but on the other hand, _native_ analog video means retro, right?
so wii u, ps3 and xbox360 are kinda on the brink of retro because they had both.

 

[Robert Newbie]

The problem is that we don't really have a term for what's transitioning into retro.

I think the PS2/GameCube/Xbox generation has made the full change into retro. The PS1, N64, and Sega Saturn are certainly there. The PS3, 360, and Wii are definitely in the process of becoming retro. Consoles like the PS4 and PS5 are too recent to be old.

EDIT: This post sounds more definitive than I intended. It does depend on whom you ask. The PS3/360/Wii may already be retro, but to be honest, it's whatever designations you personally feel comfortable with.

Unless you de-retroize an NES. Don't do that.

 

[CoolMe]

So the Wii is retro

Ok let me make it a bit more precise, a console is NOT retro if:
- It has 3D graphics and can output in HD via HDMI.
- It has Wifi and wireless controllers.
- It can download content form a store into internal memory (i.e. HDD or flash memory).

The Wii has the last 2, apart from the video signal it uses (component) which is totally not ancient (the 360 had it in its first few years before MS started to include hdmi ports on new revisions) and can still look pretty good, yet it is retro but not the 360?