The Great Retro Debate

So, are we calling it retro now or what?

Okay so...I'm not dead. Yay for living!! I've just been so wrapped up in my life lately that I didn't have much time to blog. 2016 turned out to be an eventful year for me. I feel rejuvenated and ready to write again.

This post is to highlight the great retro debate. You know, that awkward conversation where we gamers try and decide amongst ourselves which consoles are considered retro and which are not. If done correctly, it can spur some seriously good debate. If done incorrectly, well, it can turn into the equivalent of hitting someone with a red/blue shell or dropping an UNO draw four card on them. Simply, it can be a source of tension. Warning: this will be a LONG post.

For most people, some systems and concepts are easily defined as retro. For example, a lot of people consider the original Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom retro. I mean, the NES made its initial appearance way back in 1983. That's nearly 34 years ago and coincidentally, it's even older than I am. It uses an 8-bit processor, cartridges, and many of the accessories simply look dated. They do hold up very well, though. That's a testament to their durability and overall feel, in my humble opinion. The NES is a part of the third generation of video games which is also known as the 8-bit era.

To put that into clearer perspective, there were two generations that preceded and overlapped the 8-bit era. The first generation of video game consoles began in 1972 with the Magnavox Odyssey. That generation lasted until 1980 and was followed by the second generation which overlapped the first beginning in 1976 with the Fairchild Channel F and Radofin Electronics' 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System and lasted until the discontinuation of the Atari 2600 on January 1, 1992 . The third generation began in 1983 and marked the end of the North American video game crash. The end of the third generation video games came as 8-bit consoles became obsolete in graphics and processing power compared to 16-bit consoles. It came to an official end in 2003. Still a bit confused since the generations overlapped? No problem.

There are quite a number of distinguishing characteristics of the first generation that include:

• Discrete transistor based digital game logic
• Games were native components of consoles instead of external or removable media 
• Entire game playfield occupied only one screen
• Players and objects consisted of basic lines, dots, or blocks
• Color graphics were basic
• Either single channel or no audio
• Lacked features of second gen consoles like microprocessor logic, ROM cartridges, flip screen playfields, sprite based and multi-color graphics

Think Pong

Okay, now for the second generation:

• Microprocessor game logic
• AI simulation of computer based opponents which allowed for single player gaming
• ROM cartridges that stored games and allowed any number of different games to be played on one console
• Game playfields were able to span multiple flip screen areas
• Blocky and simplistic looking sprites with a screen resolution of around 160 x 192 pixels
• Basic color graphics which were generally between 2-color (1 bit) and 16-color (4 bit)
• Up to three channel audio
• Lacked features of third gen consoles like scrolling tile based playfields

Pac-Man on the Atari 2600

And that brings us back around to the third generation in which my beloved NES resides:

• D-pad game controllers
• Screen modes with resolutions up to 256 x 240 or 320 x 200
• 25-32 colors on screen from a palette of 53-256 colors
• Tile based playfields with smooth multi-directional hardware scrolling
• Advanced hardware scrolling that included multi-directional, diagonal, and line scrolling
• 64-100 sprites on screen, each with 4-16 colors and 8 x 8 to 16 x 16 pixel sizes
• Up to five channel (primarily square wave) mono PSG audio

Die, Goomba! Super Mario Bros. 

Alright, so I just gave you guys a lot of information to work with. Let's let that digest for a moment.

So knowing what we know about those particular generations, can we comfortably call those consoles and games retro? Maybe, but it depends on who you ask. Like I stated earlier, the third generation of video game consoles ended in 2003. If we want to be technical and include all consoles released during that time, it would take us up to the GameCube, Playstation 2 and Xbox even though those consoles would be a part of the sixth generation or the 128-bit era.

Gets murky right there, huh? Remember, the generations tend to overlap.

So how can we determine what's retro and what's not? Do you base it on overall age or processing power? Or do you simply base it on what just looks retro? Do you create subcategories like retro vs classic vs vintage, etc.?

I personally use the rule of 20 (my rule). If it's been at least 20 years since the initial release, I'm going to call it retro. That's probably oversimplifying things, but I'm comfortable with it. Again, that's my preference and not a hard rule. Let's face it; the year 2020 will mark 30 years since 1990. Now if THAT doesn't make your head spin, I don't know what will. So yes, I call the first Playstation retro. I've run into people who are willing to consider the N64 retro but not the Playstation. Two sides of the same coin if you ask me.

And yet even with my own rule, I tend to still sub-categorize things. That's the beauty of this particular debate. You could break it down any number of ways and no one way would technically be wrong. Even though I presented a lot of hard facts, it still boils down to personal preference.

Since I've been gone for awhile, I had to come back with a bang. I hope this post gets the gears turning and sparks some debate either here, Twitter, or within your circle of friends. Let me know what you think.

Game on, my friends.

Blerd Alert

Warning. This post contains the ramblings of a nerdy hermit. Proceed with caution. 

Now that that's out of the way, allow me to explain what the word blerd means.  Firstly, blerd is a portmanteau word.  Okay, so what in the world is a portmanteau word?  It's simply a combination of two words to form one new word.  You know, like smog is smoke and fog?  Well, blerd is black nerd.  Cool, right?  Not really, but now you know the meaning of the word.  I'm self described as many things.  I'm Black, and that's a fact.  I'm a woman, and that's also a fact.  There's no disputing those two things.  I describe myself as a gamer, nerd, hermit, introvert, etc.  I suppose those things are up for debate depending on your perspective, but I embrace every term.

Every so often, I like to delve a little deeper into my personal thoughts and feelings outside of the world of video games.  So please allow me to go off topic for a bit, but I sometimes just have a need to get my feelings out with the written word.

It's hard being a woman.  It's even harder being a Black woman.  It's even harder still to be a Black woman who's introverted that likes video games, novels, comic books, and cartoons.  It's hard to be a Black woman who likes all of those things and typically lives inside of her head all day.  It freaks some people out when I don't fit their expectations.  Instead of valuing me as an individual, they try to put me inside a box that society says I should fit into, and I don't.

Maybe I'm really a hermit.  I am an introvert, but I'm not so shy that it cripples my social interactions.  I am a bit awkward, but I can function just fine out in public.  I just prefer to be home.  I find that I can do everything I like to do from home.  I don't see the problem with enjoying my sanctuary.  That would be my home.  I read, write, eat, watch television and movies, browse the Internet, work out, and watch YouTube from my sanctuary. 

Society thinks I should be outgoing, gregarious, and just in your face.  I am friendly, but I'm really low key.  I'm not supposed to enjoy games, comics, anime, and everything else I like.  Why am I not allowed to be myself?  Why am I not allowed the freedom to be in my skin and enjoy the nerdy things I love?  Can I live?

The people who are closest to me understand how I work.  I'm always thinking, creating, and wondering how I can contribute positively to this world as a human.  I want to experience a full life; I don't want to just do things because they are expected of me based on my race and gender.

Again I ask, can I live?

If you absolutely desire to place me into a package, then consider me a blerd.  I'm simply a black nerd.  We come in all shapes and sizes.  Variety is the spice of life.  Even though blerd sounds limiting, it's actually a freeing term.  It embodies the essence of who I am.  To me, the word nerd isn't even a derogatory term.  No, it's a term of empowerment and endearment.  We're no longer thought of as just weirdos that wear glasses and shirts with pocket protectors. We are some of the coolest and most well rounded people you can meet.  I am a blerd, and that's okay.  Self acceptance and security in who you are forces others to accept you as you are.

Maybe in time society will realize that we really exist, and it will adjust to accept us as mainstream.  I'm not unique, but I am under represented.  Maybe as we become more mainstream and have more of a collective voice, people will stop being alarmed by me and just let me be me.

Until then, I'll just continue to enjoy my blerdy existence and keep on trucking.

Anyway, I just needed to get that off my chest.  The next post will be back to regularly scheduled programming.

Game on, my friends.

Beat 'Em Up Goodness (Streets of Rage 2 Spotlight)

Streets of Rage 2, I love you so much.

First of all, Happy New Year everyone!  I'm back and ready to make the best of 2016.

Now back to business.  I make no secret of being a Nintendo fan.  Nintendo made up the bulk of my childhood and is the reason I'm a full fledged gamer today, but I ventured off into Sega Land more than a few times.  One of the games that I absolutely adored on the Sega Genesis is Streets of Rage 2.  I could talk about Sonic all day and I will, but there's something special about Streets of Rage 2.  Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 3 were good, but I hold a special place in my heart for the second game of the series.  I'll detail that love below.  Deep in my heart, I'm a beat 'em up fan.  Nothing better than punching everything on the screen and advancing to the right.  Follow me...

If this doesn't get you hyped to play, then you don't have a pulse.

Okay, I'll give a little background on Streets of Rage and the events that led to Streets of Rage 2.  Streets of Rage is side scrolling beat 'em up that was released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis.  The game featured three playable characters:  Adam Hunter (an accomplished boxer), Axel Stone (a skilled martial artist), and Blaze Fielding (a judo expert and my favorite character).  Their once peaceful city was overrun by a crime syndicate led by Mr. X who is conveniently featured in the video above.  Our three heroes are ex-cops that left the force in order to battle the syndicate.

Our heroes

After punching and kicking their way through eight rounds and six bosses, they get to do battle with Mr. X himself.  Depending on whether the game is played as one-player or a two-player co-op, and whether the player accepts Mr. X's invitation to whoop good guy butt with him and join his crime syndicate, a possible ending can unlock where the player assumes control of the new crime syndicate.  Otherwise, evil is defeated and the good guys win (I am massively simplifying this).

Enter Streets of Rage 2.

Streets of Rage 2 takes place one year after the events of Streets of Rage.  Our three heroes hang out and celebrate their win over Mr. X.  Axel and Blaze move out of the city, and Adam re-joins the police force and lives with his younger brother.  All is well until Axel receives a phone call from Eddie "Skate" Hunter, Adam's younger brother.  He tells Axel that Adam was kidnapped by none other than Mr. X.  So what's a little brother to do?  Kick some butt, of course.

Hooray for new characters!

In Streets of Rage 2, Axel and Blaze are joined by two new characters. One is the aforementioned Skate and the other is Max Thunder, a professional wrestler.

Crime has begun to overtake the city once again. Axel and Skate realize they will need some crime butt kicker help, so they inform Blaze of the situation and bring her back into the fold. Together, the quartet set out on a search and rescue mission for Adam.  Our heroes punch, kick, and throw their way through 8 levels that lead to a confrontation with Mr. X and his bodyguard Shiva.  Unlike Streets of Rage 2, there is only one ending.  This is the "good" ending where Mr. X is defeated, Adam is rescued, and our 5 heroes celebrate the defeat of evil.  They probably toasted their victory over Mr. X once again with cocktails, I don't know.  If so, Skate had a virgin drink, of course. All was well until the events of Streets of Rage 3 (which I am not going to detail).

The game itself has a simple plot, but the magic lies in the details.  The music, the sound effects, the difficulty being just right, and the simple controls all make for a satisfying gaming experience.  

Streets of Rage 2 was released on December 20, 1992 (yay for Christmas) for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.  It was critically acclaimed upon release and has been considered one of the greatest games of all time.

The soundtrack of Streets of Rage 2 was composed by Yuzo Koshiro and featured contributions from Motohiro Kawashima.  It was composed using NEC PC-8801 hardware and an original programming language developed by Koshiro.  The soundtrack was heavily influenced by electronic dance music, specifically house, techno, hardcore techno, and breakbeat.  This led to a soundtrack widely praised for being ahead of its time.  My favorite track is Go Straight.  Check it out.

Ten minute version for your listening pleasure

Talk about an epic song to begin a gameplay!  Even now, this song still gets me hyped.

As I stated previously, this game went on to receive critical acclaim.  It received scores above 90% from most video game magazines at the time.  It has, in my opinion, survived the test of time.  So if you've never played this one, please do so.  It's a worthwhile addition to your "Played It" video game list and your collection.  

To prevent myself from rambling on about this game, I think I'll end it here.  Cheers to the beat 'em up goodness of Streets of Rage 2.

Let's share the love.

Game on, my friends.

Q&A Session with Myself

Black Gamer Girl, could you answer a few questions, please?

Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough that someone will care enough to ask me questions.  Since I'm not there yet, I figured I would ask and answer my own questions.  It'll be a nice change of pace from my usual posts, and it'll give you guys a little insight into what makes me tick.  Oh, and I can be a little crazy.  Let's roll.

So, Black Gamer Girl, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure.  Well, I was born in...

Um, let's not go that far back.  How about you tell us about how you became a gamer?

Oh, my bad.  Okay, that's easy.  I was fortunate enough to be born into a family that already had gamers in it.  I've been surrounded by games my entire life.  So the condensed answer to telling your intial question is that I'm a Black woman who was fortunate enough to be raised around other gamers.  I just feel like it's right for me.

Is that so?

Indeed.  Some of my earliest memories involve playing video games.  I mean, I remember being in the crib and reading for the first time, but I also remember playing Atari.  I remember that as clearly as just about anything else.

Now we're getting somewhere (laughs). Could you describe that time?

Sure.  I remember some of my cousins had an Atari.  I didn't yet know the exact details of the console, but I knew it was an Atari from their conversations.  I remember they had a crate full of cartridges.  I used to love sitting on the floor and watching them play.

Did they ever let you play?

Sometimes.  I mostly just sat and watched them play.  On the rare occasion, they would let me play Pac-Man.  At that time, it was good enough.  I mean, there was no better feeling than controlling something on the television.  I didn't really know what I was doing, but I knew that I loved doing it.

How old were you at that time?

Maybe about four.  Yeah, I think about four.

Okay.  So when would you say that you started to game for yourself and not just because someone let you press a button?

Umm, maybe the following year when I was five.  That sounds about right.

Five years old.  So that would have been 19...

Yup.  That year.

Alright.  What do you remember about your fifth year?

Well, I've told this story before.

I don't believe I've heard it.

Really?

Yeah, really.  I mean, you're nobody important.

Wow...I mean, that's true.  But you didn't need to say it like that.

I don't sugarcoat anything.

That's obvious.  Well, I played Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.

Two Nintendo classics.  

Indeed.  Nintendo and Super Nintendo made up the bulk of my childhood.  To this day, I still have a dislike for the dog from Duck Hunt.  I would put the Zapper up to the TV and well, zap him (laughs).

Any favorites from that era?

Besides Super Mario Bros, I have a few.  I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, Mega Man, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat.  Oh, and I can't forget Super Mario World.  So many hours spent playing that.  I'm leaving out a lot, but I've played so many games in my lifetime.  I remember my mom would let me rent a game every Friday evening.

Did you only play consoles?

Nah, I played whatever was available.  I also played lots of coin-ops and pinball, too.  My grandma used to babysit me.  Whenever she would go to the laundromat, I would spend quarters on the coin-ops there.

Care to name a few?

I spent many quarters on Mrs. Pac-Man and Galaga.  I'd be rich if I had saved all of those quarters.  I also loved to play House of the Dead.  I think my favorite pinball machine of all time is The Addams Family.  I remember going to this arcade called Planet Xtreme every weekend in high school.  Again, if I had saved those quarters...

You might be richer financially, but you wouldn't have those great gamer memories!

(Laughing) That's true!  I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

Alright, so you started to come into your own as a gamer during the Nintendo/Super Nintendo years.  How did you know that you had a love for games?  I mean, what was the trigger?

I don't know if there was a trigger.  I just became accustomed to renting a different game every weekend from the local video store.  I loved playing those Tiger Electronics handheld games.  I played the Game & Watch from Nintendo.  When I received a Game Boy on Christmas, it was on.  I don't know, really.  I've just always been drawn to playing video games.

Fair enough.  So let's fast forward to today.  Are there any games that you're currently playing and loving?

My favorite game out currently is Fallout 4, but sometimes I get the urge to play some older games. I still play games like GTA IV, Fallout 3, and Left 4 Dead 2.  There is no reason to give up on the older stuff just because new games keep being released.

I totally agree with that.  Besides, those older games are like a part of our DNA.  They help to make us who we are.

They really do.

Okay.  So, where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?  Still an avid gamer?

Most definitely.  I don't think I'll ever stop buying and playing video games.  I mean, I still watch cartoons.  I watch the old and the new stuff.  I don't see why I wouldn't keep buying and playing video games.  I want to expand and meet other gamers.  Start going to Comic-Con and if I'm lucky, E3 one of these days.

Do you hope that you'll find a partner who loves cartoons and games, as well?

I can only hope.

I hope you do find him.  Now for a few random questions.

Cool, shoot.

Favorite movie?  Food?  Sports?  Music?

Um, I have too many favorite movies.  It's tough to pick just one, so I'll just name two off the top of my head.  Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Pulp Fiction.  As for food, I guess pepperoni pizza and mac and cheese.  I'm a fan of Philadelphia sports teams.  I like a little of bit of everything with music.

Well, I think that'll wrap up this interview.  Anything else that you would like to say?

Yes, actually.  Game on, my friends.

Okay...alright.  Thanks for this interview, Black Gamer Girl.  It's been rather...interesting.

I appreciate you taking the time to interview me.  I look forward to our next meeting.

I really don't, but you're welcome.  I enjoyed it in a strange way.

Yeah!  Game on, my friend!

(Rolls eyes and sighs) Yeah!  Game on, indeed.

This Gamer's Life

We keep spending most our lives living in the gamer's paradise.

(Toad has nothing to do with this post.  This pic is just so cute.  They're so happy about that star.)

I am a gamer.  If you've been reading my posts thus far, you already know that.  I'm certain that even if you didn't read them, you could deduce that from the name of my blog.  It's what I do.  Even still, I sometimes feel like a unicorn.  People either want to believe in my existence or try so hard to deny it.

For instance, my mother wonders why I love video games so much.  I've just always been drawn to them, but I can't convey that in a way that she'll ever understand.  In her mind, I should find some other way to be productive with my life.  Trust that I am and I play in my spare time, but she considers it a childish activity.  Or even worse, a BOY activity.  

Pffft.  Later for that nonsense. (I lied about Toad, and I'm going to use him to demonstrate emotion.)

A good chunk of my life revolves around acquiring and playing games, and there's nothing shameful about that.  If that's the worst habit in the world, I'll gladly accept it.  I'm tired of explaining why I play video games, so I actively befriend others who are into the culture.  I'm living in a gamer's paradise.

What do I mean by a gamer's paradise?  Simple.  In my life up to this point, playing video games is simply my greatest joy.  I don't have kids, so I dote on my games.  I love meeting with like minded individuals and sharing our mutual love for video games.  I love being a part of this culture.  It's special.

And don't think I'm only a pseudo gamer to impress anybody.  Please!  I couldn't care any less than I already don't about what people think about my habit.  Either accept that we're probably going to game when you come to visit me, or you can catch a turnip to the face.  Real talk (in my gangster voice). 

Seriously though, there is no age limit for this.  There are no racial or gender boundaries for this.  That's the beauty of it all.  We can all connect and share this common interest.  We are gamers.  For better or for worse, we're connected.  We don't grow out of it; we simply evolve with it.  I'm amazed when I think about how far we've come from the North American video game crash of 1983.  

Here's a fun graphic detailing and projecting global video game sales in 2014 and 2019.  Research!

I hope to continue to nurture and feed the need to game.  I don't want to live in a world where I can't shoot enemies, drive on the sidewalk, fast travel, battle dragons, fly, create weapons from junk, transform, or take bullets to the face and heal myself like it's nothing  And the fact that I can do it time and time again?  Paradise.

So to my fellow gamers out there, I got nothin' but love for ya.  We're a unique bunch.  In our world, we can be as serious or goofy as we want to be.  We can be competitive with one another, or we can work together.  Our common enemy is the tedium of everyday life that we escape when we power on our consoles and PCs.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Oh, and I am proud to admit that my current obsession is Fallout 4.  I love that game!  Feel free to check out my previous blog post.  I started a short story that's inspired by Fallout.  I hope you guys are enjoying the new releases, as well.

Game on, my friends.