27th Mar2023

Pixel Art and the Retro PC Gaming Revival

by James Smith

For those of us who are old enough to remember, getting our daily fix of gaming used to require time and patience in the 80s. Digital information was still measured in kilobytes, cassette tapes were the standard medium used for software, and 8-bit graphics were still able to impress.

Patiently waiting to play

Early machines usually featured a tape deck, requiring the insertion of a cassette tape, akin to the kind of medium used by music and that most fabled of portable devices, the Sony Walkman. Loading some if the games also felt like an eternity, accompanied by colourful lines on our screens, and an awful screeching sound as data was loaded, if we had forgotten to turn down the volume.

Once they did eventually load, the graphics were typically blocky and quite simple. This was, after all, the third generation of video gaming, commonly referred to as the 8-bit era. Popular home computers of the period included the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, along with its uniquely funky little keyboard. This machine even boasted its own Australian ZX Users’ Association dating back to 1981, along with enjoying success in the United Kingdom and around Europe.

Around the same time there was the Commodore VIC-20, shortly followed by the Commodore 64, along with rival platforms including the Amstrad CPC by the mid-80s. They all had one thing in common, and that was games based around 8-bit graphics, which almost seemed like the peak of technology for much of the decade.

Starting with ram chips featuring a whopping 16K at the time, gamers were eventually treated to upgraded models of these wonderful home computers, rising incrementally to 48K by the middle of the 80s, then even 64K and 128K towards the back end of the decade. And instead of cassette tapes, posh versions came with a floppy disk drive instead, which loaded games quicker and considered to be the hight of luxury.

Rediscovering that 80s game feeling

These days we seem to live in quite a choosy age, whereby the quality of games is often judged by the resolution of graphics, especially now that gaming platforms and new releases are capable of 4K resolutions and supreme clarity. But way back yonder, we didn’t really have much choice and graphics largely remained the same for a long time. Nevertheless, those of us who lived through this timespan have some great memories of the games available.

For this reason, over the last several years, getting to see these timeless (in our minds) classics given a new lease of life, well, that’s certainly something to be celebrated. Software is available that emulates those old home computers on modern PC’s, while digital repositories like the Internet Archive have thousands of golden oldies available for download, including many that were originally available on the Commodore and Sinclair machines.

Equally thrilling for the retro gaming afficionados, filled with nostalgia for those bygone classic gaming years, modern developers have also designed new releases that recapture the 8-bit feel. Just browse through the myriad selection of games available on platforms like Steam, you will quickly find titles with graphics that lovingly transport us back in time. Another storefront is GOG.com, where they tweak ‘Good Old Games’ to run directly on modern systems.

What this means is that modern gamers can experience the delights of 8-bit gaming, even if there are some who grimace at the very idea, disgusted by the blocky visuals and limited colours. But hey, they are also missing out on some truly memorable gameplay, and that is essentially what drives the nostalgia surrounding retro gaming, mostly because they worked properly and kept us entertained for hours, without the need for patches or updates.

Introducing retro themes to a wider audience

Now that we live in what is largely considered to be a digital golden age, with gaming now very much part of the mainstream insofar as entertainment is concerned, the choices available are practically without limit. Likewise, convenience is king when considering the platforms we can use, whether it be console or desktop PC, albeit with both now vastly overshadowed by mobile devices.

But game developers have been keen to retain the charm of yesteryear, still releasing titles with an authentic retro flavour, including many indie developers that are based in Australia. They haven’t forgotten what great gaming is about, making the country itself quite the hub for both local and international studios. Many of these have also taken the 8-bit era to an entirely different audience, given the rising popularity of online casinos in the last couple of decades.

Commonly referred to as video slots in most countries, down under in Australia, they are typically known as pokies, and the range of themes and genres they cover is quite remarkable. But with such a varied choice of games, many people who are playing online pokies for real money enjoy themes covering numerous genres, ranging from movies and music to fantasy fiction and even sporting events.

And some of the latest pokies are based entirely around retro video gaming themes, reminiscent of outstanding titles that many of us enjoyed back in the 80s and 90s. These include classics like Street Fighter and Barbarian, amongst many others, combining 8-bit gameplay with modern features around the spinning reels. For those of us thrilled by retro gaming, even before landing any prizes, it’s like hitting the jackpot already.

Back to basics

Truth be told, it’s fair to say that pixel art remains a cherished part of the pop culture surrounding video game. Likewise, rather than being retro in the truest sense, the desire to play these games has always remained present, continually drawing in admirers who are keen to experience what seemed a much more simplistic era of gaming.

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