Modern games pull you in with advanced graphics, immersive experiences, and high-definition sounds that make it feel like you’re living in the moment. However, when you’ve completed the game, the experience is very much finished. People rarely go back to re-complete modern-day games, but for some reason, retro classics can be played hundreds of times over, without becoming tiresome.
Simplicity is Key
One major reason simple games offer more replayability is that they make winning difficult. Modern-day games tend to have a linear route of progression. It’s not hard to win, if you invest enough time in them. Whether you’re storming beaches with a platoon or exploring long-lost tombs, there are always checkpoints, and auto-save features, so it’s just a case of going through the motions.
Retro games, on the other hand, don’t tend to have checkpoints. If you lose, you have to start all over again, which helps to create a more exciting experience. The win is also much sweeter in the end, with failure being life’s best teacher. If you got a high score on games like Tetris, you’d have bragging rights, but with modern-day games, they don’t offer the same level of satisfaction. Although the experiences are more immersive, complex and time-consuming, the thrill of advancing to a high level isn’t as present, as you don’t run the risk of losing everything, because of one simple mistake.
Finding the Right Balance
It all comes down to finding the right balance. Classic slots and games have been around for many years, but they have since transformed, and are now available in a digital format with many themes to choose from. Games like 7s Wild Gold still offer the classic fruit symbols, but with the addition of progressive symbols and bonuses. All of the things people love about traditional slots are still present, but the concept has been enhanced over time. Modern game creators need to take note of things like this, by embracing all the great things retro games have to offer, but at the same time, putting them in a more modern format.
Titles like Plants vs. Zombies were huge when they were released. They had modern graphics, smooth gameplay and the ability to work through levels, but with the simplicity and threat of failure that makes retro games so fun. The replayability is also incredibly high with these games, as they present a constant challenge as people try to refine their strategy in order to reach the next level. Clash of Clans is another example. It’s an in-depth strategy game that involves you having to protect villagers, create tower defences and even go to war with other clans, but at the heart of it all, it has a lot of retro features such as simple gameplay, increasing difficulty and intuitive controls.
Modern-day game creators need to look back to move forward, by looking at why retro games offer so much replayability and using this as a way to increase the potential of the games they’re creating. Although DLC does offer incentive for players to return, a self-sustaining game can be far more valuable.