How Do You Define ‘Retro’?

Still, 10 years feels a tad too short to us if we’re looking to establish a dictionary definition of “https://www.nintendolife.com/retro”. 15 years maybe? 20? Perhaps console generations are an easier way to delineate and define the term. Take the hardware launch timeline of any big platform holder, go back two consoles, and anything released prior is proper retro. So, for Nintendo, it’s GameCube and earlier. ‘The PS2 and original Xbox are retro consoles.’ Yeah, that sounds about right.

Obviously, with Nintendo ducking out of the specs race and coming out to bat with its double-duct-taped-GameCube console in 2006, there are some blurred lines, for sure. We wouldn’t baulk if someone called Wii Sports retro. Then again, as our deputy editor Alana said on a recent call, “Mario Galaxy 2 is 14 years old today? Hang on, that can’t be righ—Oh my.”

Minecraft is 15 years old. Fortnite turns seven this year. We’re a bit worn out on all the ‘X is now the same age as Y when X came out’ memes, but damn it if they don’t keep smacking us in the chops. Why are we constantly surprised about time!?

You hear that? That’s the 50th anniversary of the Famicom coming for you in 2033. If ‘Switch 2’ launches next year and has a lifespan as long as the current console, we’ll reach that milestone with that Nintendo console in our hands. When does “https://www.nintendolife.com/retro” become ‘antique’?

So, retro, then. What is it? How do you define it? What is game? Let us know in the poll.

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Shoutout to Happy_Gamer for suggesting this topic. Retro lubbers and Time Extension types feel free to head down to the comments to regale us with tales of the good ol’ arcade days when a ha’penny would get you 17 hours of Pac-Man, a trip to the talkies, a soda pop, a whizzbang, and a new tyre for your penny farthing.

And any fellow kids below the age of 40? Let’s chat about, oh you know, cool-kid stuff. Roblox and La Roux and embedding Tik-Toks in articles.