What is Retro?
Within the last few years, there has been a rising interest in retro technology, including old-school video game consoles, portable audio players, and even mobile phones. The word retro is the latin prefix for “backwards” and refers to memorable objects from the past. Because the definition of retro is fluid over time, the objects we classify as “retro” become a matter of perspective. For instance, older generations of people may classify “retro” as the 1970s and 1980s, whereas the current generation of kids may classify “retro” as anything beyond 10 years old. Many of these retro technology collectibles are hard to find and tend to be very expensive, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. So what exactly is spurring on this retro revival?
The Retro Strikes Back
There are a variety of reasons why retro is making a comeback. Some people crave that strong sense of nostalgia from their childhoods and a desire to relive better times, while others are reminded of the unique creative expression and imagination of previous eras. Some individuals even prefer vintage technology for its lack of internet connectivity because it allows them to completely disconnect from today’s highly sophisticated technological world.
Because vintage technology is trending again, retro enthusiasts have formed whole communities to collectively document and share detailed information on different retro devices. For those interested in classic cartridge-based game consoles of the 70s’ and 80s’, communities such as AtariAge and NesDev offer great resources for Atari or Nintendo Entertainment System game development respectively. The Internet Archive is another community that provides many informative books, videos, and webpages on the technical specifications of retro technology that are available to download for free. Other old-school communities are hosted on Reddit and Discord channels as well.
But Wait, There’s More!
The TODAY show recently reported on a special news story about how retro technology is trending again. I have uploaded the news story from YouTube below. From the Sony Walkman audio player to the Nintendo GameBoy and beyond, retro is undeniably back in style and doesn’t have any intentions on leaving anytime soon.
Follow along with me on our journey as we explore the origins and inner workings of retro technology from hardware to software. Out with the new, in with the retro!