Lately, it is hard not to notice that all the stuff from the end of the 20th century gets trendy again. Shops are filled with retro-inspired clothes, and we binge-watch Stranger Things enjoying the spirit of the 80s. The gaming offers us amazing games with ultra-high resolution, sophisticated gameplay, VR, and other beauties of modern technology. But we still treasure the memory of sitting in front of the TV and playing ROM games.
Our nostalgia is not remaining unnoticed. Quite fortunately for us, we have a chance to dive into the world of retro console games, even the n64 ROMs. For example, RomsPlanet offers thousands of cool ROMs for:
- Nintendo
- PlayStation
- Sega
- PSP
- GameBoy
Here you can also get an emulator for games to enjoy the authentic gameplay. And the best thing is that you’re not limited to several games now. There is no need to stack cartridges anymore – just download ROMs and play.
Why do we feel nostalgic about games?
It might seem like a quite weird thing to be nostalgic about. But in reality, it is rather logical that we miss days sparkled with SNES ROMs and other console games. First of all, most of us were kids back then, and childhood is usually one of the best times of our lives.
But also, do you remember how we used to share those nes ROMs on cartridges? We used to hunt for rare games, exchange ones we had, fight for the right to play around. Gaming always was that thread connecting people and establishing tight relationships. Of course, modern online games also have their communities, and players often even bring their in-game relationships into real life. But for some reason, it was much more fun in getting that cartridge with nes ROMs out of your school backpack and submerging into gaming.
Moreover, different researches show that players have strong relationships with the characters from past games. Simply think of Mario or Sonic, or one of your favorite fighters in Mortal Combat (have you heard the iconic music from the “Choose your fighter” screen?). Researchers say that players establish complex relationships with the characters and even see them as extensions of their own personalities.
Another research involved almost 600 participants. They had to write an essay about a new or an old game, playing alone or with others. These four topics were assigned randomly, and the essays were meant to help participants dive deeper into the memories. After they were finished with essays, they had to answer questions about the psychological needs old-school consoles used to satisfy.
Predictably enough, participants that had to write about older games felt more nostalgic than those who were writing about the recent stuff they played. Moreover, essays about old game ROMs often described thoughts about all the challenges and enjoyment gamers were exposed to. They also were telling how they had a greater sense of belonging with family and friends – most participants recall how they played console games with their parents.
Can nostalgic gaming be beneficial?
It’s great that today we can enjoy free ROMs on emulators that feel like a real console. Not only because of the nostalgy but because playing games from our childhood, we tend to experience more joy. Researches show that gaming can be beneficial for mental health relieving players from stress. Also, games can delay the onset of dementia and have a positive influence on cognitive health.
It is not quite clear why exactly gaming brings all these benefits. Probably because receiving pleasurable experience we balance out our level of hormones thanks to the produced dopamine. Thus, the level of adrenaline – the stress hormone – decreases, and we feel calmer, happier, and better overall. Additionally, most games require players to think rather a lot – especially if we’re talking about strategic and quest kinds of video games. It can explain the positive impact on our cognitive abilities.
So it is safe to assume that if games, in general, bring so many advantages, nostalgic gaming must intensify the benefits. Because immersing into childhood fun we usually have a more pleasurable and fun experience. Thus, enjoy emulator ROMs and allow yourself to feel like a kid again.
Instead of the conclusion
No matter who thinks what about video games, they obviously have their benefits. Of course, the positive effect appears only when you remain moderate with your gaming time.
In the future, we can expect games to be even more useful both for our mental and physical health. Developers already create games that are meant to help players with depression and anxiety. Also, we now have advanced technologies like gesture control. This feature makes us move when we’re playing. Thus, the game becomes a real workout.
But in the meanwhile, treat yourself with favorite ROMs and allow yourself to be nostalgic sometimes. Because it is a great feeling to have!
