Why you should play Retro Games over Modern Games
At 31, I thought I was done with video games. For years, I’d pick up new releases-titles like Diablo IV, Pokémon Switch games, or Dragon Age-only to feel let down. They often felt like soulless cash grabs, leaving me burnt out and wondering if gaming just wasn’t for me anymore. Was it my age? Had I outgrown the hobby I loved as a kid? Then I got my hands on an Anbernic RG40XX H, a retro handheld gaming device, and everything changed. It wasn’t my age that was the issue-it was modern games that had lost their spark. Playing retro titles on this device rekindled my love for gaming, reminding me why I fell in love with it in the first place.
The Anbernic RG40XX H is a compact, affordable device designed to emulate classic games from consoles like the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, and more. When I first got it, I upgraded it with a new SD card loaded with a custom operating system called Knulli, which made navigation smooth and intuitive. I installed a mix of Game Boy Advance and PlayStation games, and the experience was nothing short of magical. These older games, from the late ’90s and early 2000s, have a charm that’s hard to find in today’s AAA titles. They feel like they were crafted with care, with a soul that modern games often lack.
One of the first games I played on the RG40XX H was Chrono Cross, a PlayStation classic I’d never tried before. From the moment I booted it up, I was hooked. The music, in particular, struck a chord. Even though I hadn’t played Chrono Cross growing up, its soundtrack felt nostalgic, likely because it shares the same sound libraries as other PlayStation RPGs from my childhood, like Final Fantasy VII or Suikoden. The orchestral, lo-fi melodies were soothing yet evocative, a testament to the care composers like Yasunori Mitsuda poured into their work. You can feel the passion in every note, something I rarely sense in the bombastic, overproduced soundtracks of modern games.
Turn-based retro RPGs like Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy VII, and Suikoden have aged remarkably well. Their stories are compelling, their mechanics are engaging, and they respect the player’s intelligence without holding their hand. Playing these games on the RG40XX H, I realized how much I missed this style of gaming. It’s a shame that we don’t see many games like this anymore. When they do come along, they’re often from indie studios, which I love supporting, but it’s disheartening that AAA studios rarely capture this kind of magic. The focus in modern gaming seems to have shifted toward microtransactions, live-service models, and flashy graphics over substance, leaving fans of classic RPGs like me wanting more.
Take Pokémon, for example-one of my favorite franchises as a kid, right up there with Dragon Ball. I adored the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance eras, where catching ’em all was the heart of the experience. But Pokémon hasn’t been the same since the series moved to the Nintendo 3DS. Don’t get me wrong-games like X & Y and Sun & Moon have their merits, but they introduced mechanics like the always-on EXP Share, which made the games feel like they were on easy mode. It stripped away the challenge and sense of accomplishment I loved in earlier titles like Pokémon Emerald or FireRed.
When the Switch era arrived, I was excited for Pokémon Sword and Shield, but my enthusiasm quickly turned to frustration. The absence of a National Pokédex was a gut punch. “Gotta catch ’em all” had been the series’ mantra since I was a kid, and removing the ability to collect every Pokémon felt like a betrayal of the franchise’s core identity. Disillusioned, I skipped Pokémon Scarlet and Violet entirely, unwilling to invest in games that didn’t respect what made Pokémon special to me.
But my craving for Pokémon never went away. I wanted something fresh yet true to the series’ roots. That’s when I discovered Pokémon ROM hacks-fan-made modifications of classic Pokémon games. I loaded a few onto my RG40XX H, including Emerald Seaglass, Crystal Clear, Prism, and Fool’s Gold, and I was blown away. These games, crafted by passionate fans, were incredible. They introduced new stories, regions, mechanics, and even Pokémon variants while preserving the charm of the originals. I was particularly impressed by how polished they were. Back when I was 14 in 2008, ROM hacks were often buggy, incomplete, or barely playable. But the ROM hacking community has matured significantly, producing games that rival or even surpass official releases in creativity and quality.
Playing these ROM hacks made me question why Game Freak, the developers behind Pokémon, seems to have lost their way. If fans can create such engaging, high-quality experiences in their spare time, why can’t a multi-billion-dollar company do the same? It’s frustrating to see a franchise I love feel so stagnant when the potential for greatness is clear in these fan projects. ROM hacks like Crystal Clear, with its open-world approach and quality-of-life improvements, or Fool’s Gold, with its creative type reworks, show that the Pokémon formula can still feel fresh and exciting. They’ve given me the Pokémon experience I’ve been craving, and I’m grateful for the dedicated fans keeping the spirit of the series alive.
That’s not to say all modern games are bad. There are still gems out there that capture the magic of gaming. Titles like Black Myth: Wukong, with its stunning visuals and tight combat; Endless Space, a deep and replayable strategy game; Undertale, a heartfelt indie masterpiece; Brotato, a fun and addictive roguelike; and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, which brought my childhood anime dreams to life, prove that modern gaming can still deliver. But these games are the exception, not the rule. For every Undertale or Black Myth: Wukong, there’s a slew of uninspired releases that prioritize profit over passion.
If you’re feeling burnt out on gaming like I was, I can’t recommend a retro handheld like the Anbernic RG40XX H enough. It’s a gateway to a treasure trove of classic games that still hold up today. Whether it’s revisiting RPGs like Final Fantasy VII or discovering fan-made Pokémon ROM hacks, these older titles remind me why I fell in love with gaming in the first place. They’re not just games-they’re experiences crafted with care, designed to spark joy and wonder. The RG40XX H has shown me that gaming isn’t something I’ve outgrown; I just needed to find the right games to reignite that spark. So, if modern games have left you feeling jaded, grab a retro handheld, load up some classics, and rediscover the soul of gaming. You might be surprised at how much fun you’ll have.