By 
Gaming on the bus on the way to school? Yeah, this is the reality today, but back in the previous century, this was unimaginable. Kids back then had an entirely different experience with video games, and although many titles and game series are still active since the 80s, gaming has changed significantly.
It was so much harder to game back then, but kids from the 80s and 90s remember this as phenomenal because of the revolutionary technology that just appeared. How did gaming change? How was it back then, and why do these older generations keep talking about it like it was heaven?
They didn’t know anything better. It was the first time in human history alternate reality became available. Kids were mesmerized by it. This article shares five things that mark gaming in the previous century. If you want to know how it was back then, keep reading and find out.
1. Gamers rented games
There was nothing close to today’s options for playing a particular game. There was no internet, no downloads, and no GG.deals site providing discounts and unlimited gaming options. There were physical stores, and everyone had to walk in and spend top dollars.
Since gaming was a revolutionary industry, new releases were expensive. Most kids couldn’t afford to buy a new game, so they rented. Specialized stores were available where you could rent games for a particular period, after which they had to be returned. Imagine going back with the disc in your hands right before the most exciting level. Chaotic!
2. Games often had to be installed using numerous discs
This one was nonsense. By the end of the 90s, the industry grew so fast that developers often created new games with so many details that the size of the game was enormous compared to the disc’s capacity.
Many games were packed and sold in cases where the game was spread across multiple discs. Gamers had to install disc number one, take it out in the middle of the installation process, and put in the second, third, and so on. It was a true struggle.
3. Multiplayer meant sitting shoulder to shoulder
When you connect for multiplayer today, your friends enjoy the comfort of their homes. Still, back in the previous century, multiplayer meant going to a friend’s house, carrying your joystick, and sitting shoulder to shoulder while playing a game.
Games often use a split-screen interface. Suppose you were playing a racing game. One player was watching the top half of the screen, while the other was driving a car at the bottom. Exciting times, indeed.
4. Cables spread out across the room
What is the equipment you’re using for gaming today? A laptop with an impressive battery that lasts for the entire day? Not in the 90s. Everything back then was connected with a cable. The console had to be connected to the TV set, just as the joystick, keyboard, and everything else going with it had a line.
The house was like an electrician’s workshop. There were cables everywhere, and the gaming evening was over if the host’s parents didn’t notice some of the wires and tripped. It was not simple to replace a broken cable, just as the parent’s temper was impossible to calm.
5. There was no cheating
What’s the most annoying thing today when you’re gaming online aside from an unstable internet connection? It is someone logging in and using cheats. Playing CS: GO and seeing someone nailing headshots with every bullet is annoying.
There was no cheating back then. It was impossible to cheat. You could’ve won only if you were great at the game. This is one of the reasons why many kids used to love video games – the bullies couldn’t be better than them. There was no way to punch their way through it and win.
Conclusion
Remember when you’re relaxing with a video game on your laptop while drinking a soda and having a snack? Remember what “ancient” gamers had to go through to enjoy this commodity. Video games and the gaming industry went through a lot for today’s gamers to enjoy the fruits of decades of struggles.
Comments