Retrogaming

Usually, when you get a new-to-you console, you can usually find or remember the major games to check out. But what happens when you need something different to play? This is where the "Hidden Gems" come in.

It's pretty easy to find a list of "The Top Nintendo 64 Games" or some similar ranking, but most of them were written back when the system was cutting edge and almost all of them only compare the games against other N64 games. This is all fine if the N64 is the only console you own and ever plan to own.  Because of this, I thought it would be a good idea to develop a list of games that are still relevant in today's market because of their unique gameplay that has not been improved upon on other systems.

The 16-bit generation was really the heyday of the 2D fighter.  It was the genre that defined the arcade of the late 80s and early 90s, fueled much of the gaming violence debate through the decade, and holds within its ranks the title that many point to when debating how Nintendo ultimately won the generation's console war over Sega.  And in the United States, we ate it up.  For many of us, dreams of the hits that sucked us into gaming came from our arcades, and ports of those same titles brought us to love our home consoles.

It's pretty easy to find a list of "The Top 10 Dreamcast Games" or some similar ranking, but most of them were written back when the console was still on the retail scene and almost all of them only compare the games against other Dreamcast games. This is all fine if the Dreamcast is the only console you own and ever plan to own. However, I know for a fact that most Dreamcast owners now are hardcore retro fans that happen to own a few different consoles - both old and new. There may also be a few gamers out there wondering if they should bother adding a Dreamcast to their collection. Because of this, I thought it would be a good idea to develop a list of games that are still relevant in today's gaming market because of their unique gameplay that has not been improved upon on other consoles.

Usually, when you get a new-to-you console, you can usually find or remember the major games to check out. But what happens when you need something different to play? This is where the "Hidden Gems" come in.

Usually, when you get a new-to-you console, you can usually find or remember the major games to check out. But what happens when you need something different to play? This is where the "Hidden Gems" come in.

Were you one of the next generation of gamers that didn't think RPGs were cool until Final Fantasy VII?  Own a Super Famicom, but have no clue what to play for it?  Wondering what the role-playing classics of Nintendo's entry in the 16-bit generation were?  Well look no further.  Here at Racketboy.com we've got a list of suggestions that you just gotta try.  So sit back, chill with a nice frosty potion, and prepare yourself to experience the world of SNES RPGs.

With the recent announcement of Genesis games being playable on the Revolution, I thought this would be a wonderful time to review some classics. Ever since Super Mario Bros was released on the NES, the platformer has been a constant genre in the video game industry. While many of the platformers were simply Mario clones, the 16-bit era was kicked off with Sonic the Hedgehog and never looked back. The Genesis had an especially great selection of interesting and unique platformers that helped Sega compete with Nintendo and the more powerful SNES.

For my next revision to the Cheapest Games series , I wanted to revisit the Sega Saturn. The values of the popular Saturn games have increased significantly over the last few years - especially for complete copies of the game.  Because of this, I've bumped up my criteria for the list to games that are under $25.   Now keep in mind, the prices quoted below are for complete copies of the game in excellent condition.  If you want to save a lot of money, you can usually find disc-only versions of the games.

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console or handheld that they don't know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured machine, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

Nintendo took their sweet time in bringing a console to match the Saturn, Playstation and the other 3D "powerhouses" that were popping up in the console market.    And of course, back in the later half of the 1990's many of us made fun of Nintendo as they stuck with the cartridge format instead of joining in on the CD-ROM bandwagon and the multimedia revolution that came with it.  However, for all it's limitations, it is interesting to see some of the things that were capable on the N64 and its aging format.   There are also a number of great games that only Nintendo and Rareware could provide that you just won't find anywhere else.

Before Sega made wave with the Genesis/Megadrive in the 16-bit era, it had its first international console release with the Sega Master System.  It didn't have nearly the success in the US as the Nintendo Entertainment System, but it had large market share in Europe and Brazil and still has quite a following.  We'll try to cover all the basics about the Master System, but if you have any other tips or tidbits of info about this little machine, feel free to share it in the comments below.

After Sega established a strong lead in the console market in the early 1990's, the company saw the possibilities that the new CD-ROM format could bring to gaming.  Sega produced the Sega CD add-on for the Genesis to bring the technology to the many Genesis owners around the world without requiring them to invest in a completely new system.  Unfortunately, they did not completely follow through with their vision.  Even though it was not a commercial success, that does not mean that a Sega CD isn't worth picking up for a reasonable price to expand on one's classic Sega collection.  The Sega CD is still an interesting piece of hardware and has some games that are still worth checking out.

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don't know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured machine, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

Originally designed to be a peripheral for the Super Nintendo, Sony's PlayStation brand would go on a steady climb through the late 1990s to dominate the market for two generations of games. But before it could get there, it would have to go toe to toe with the giants of the 16-bit era, Nintendo and Sega. The PlayStation, sometimes referred to as the PS, PS1, or even PSX, would also see an influx of gamers coming into the field while an older generation began looking for more mature titles. The little gray console would see one of the longest production runs in gaming history, running for over 11 years. Production would finally be halted on March 23, 2006.

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console or handheld that they don't know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured machine, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

I started the Cheapest Games series quite a while ago and I figured I should revise some of the posts to reflect some of the changing values and give more relevant recommendations.   Hopefully, this revised list of PS1 games will help you start or build up your collection without having to spend much - I've even included some affordable "hidden gems" at the bottom if you need to round out your collection on the cheap.

If you've played all the blockbuster games on the Game Boy already and need to dig into the lesser-known-but-equally-exciting games, this is the guide for you.   I know a lot of people have been waiting a while for this guide, but we wanted to take the time to find some real gems for you.  I've had many discussions with many experienced Game Boy fans in order to determine a list of all the best Gameboy  games that most people haven't played (or possibly even heard of). Much like previous entries in the Hidden Gems series, this guide is divided up by genre to help you find games that suit your tastes.

Usually, when you get a new-to-you console, you can usually find or remember the major games to check out. But what happens when you need something different to play? This is where the "Hidden Gems" come in.

While it wouldn't actually be the first cartridge-based home game console, the Atari 2600 would prove to be the first big hit, ushering in the first golden age of home gaming while the golden age of the American arcade scene was in full force.  And though its popularity would inevitably decline with the onset of the video game crash of 1983, the console would still have appeal years later.