Perhaps it’s the convoluted pre-order schemes, the microtransactions being brought in for or after launch, or even the updates required after full release, but many of us players have once again found a fondness for the games of old.

There’s no doubt that there have been some grand and intriguing titles this year, such as Metro Exodus, The Outer Worlds, Death Stranding, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Planet Zoo, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, and many more, but sometimes, despite them being a thing of the past, we crave old gaming – a fact that game developers know all too well.

Not only are games bringing in retro aspects and using them as main selling points, but developers are also actively reviving old games, hoping that our nostalgia brings us in, while others remake the games entirely for a new age of technology. Some will say that this phase of reboots isn’t helping to progress the industry, but from what’s been done so far, few older gamers will be complaining.

Bringing in some throwback gaming

All gamers know that every four years, the greatest athletes in the world meet in one tremendous city to compete in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. This year, in preparation for the 2020 Games, Mario, Sonic, and all of their franchises’ biggest characters will be going for gold in Tokyo.

In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, there are ten events in retro 2D form. It’s a kickback to the Tokyo 1964 events, featuring events like the 100m, long jump, kayak, judo, and shooting in glorious old school graphics. Even the menu, when you slide from the Tokyo 2020 to Tokyo 1964 section, changes from modern to classic chimes in its sounds. As seen above, it’s become a major selling point for the Nintendo title.

Reviving an old and traditional game

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone whose parents or grandparents didn’t play bingo at a local hall. However, as time has gone on and entertainment has become increasingly internet-centric, those old days of dotting papers nearly went extinct. While bingo halls are trying to make a resurgence, the real comeback of the traditional game has occurred in the, today, far more relevant online space.

That said, it wasn’t a simple case of putting the base game on a website. Now, the best online bingo features a huge range of themed and varied bingo games, including Rainbow Riches, Diamond Room, and Age of the Gods, all with differing jackpots and ticket prices. Going digital has enabled this old school game to bring back those who enjoy the classic game simply due to it now being convenient and diverse.

Giving the old games a tune-up and a lick of paint

If you’re lucky enough to still own a working version of an old console and have the adaptors required to operate it on a modern TV, it can be great fun to jump back into one of your favourite classic games. But at some point, while it’s still enjoyable, you will notice the incredible downgrade in graphics and gameplay mechanics when compared to modern masterpieces.

Knowing that true greats of the old consoles retain their audiences, developers have been more and more eager to remaster their titles of the past. In 2019 alone, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, MediEvil, and Resident Evil 2 have been remastered and placed on the shelves to much fanfare. Resident Evil 2, in particular, did very well with critics, earning an unprecedented 91/100 aggregated review score. It was updated graphically, and any of the elements that hindered gameplay in the original version were either ironed-out or recreated.

For as long as we hold fond memories of old games, developers will continue to seek ways of bringing them back for us to enjoy – and to make them a bit of cash.