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RetroGame Start

Your Complete Guidebook to Playing Retro Video Games

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  • Console Play
    • The HDMI Atari 2600: RetroN 77 + Updated Firmware & Stella Emulator
    • 8 Ways to Play Super Famicom Games - On the SNES & More
    • Yes, You Can Play Japanese Famicom Games on an NES
    • How to Translate Famicom / Super Famicom Games to English
    • Why Atari Is the Best: Brilliant Atari 2600 Games Still Worth Playing
    • Why Do NES Games Flicker - A Visual Explanation
    • The Reason Why NES Cartridges Are So Big
  • Computer Gaming
    • Learn Commodore 64 BASIC Programming - Type-In Text-Based Games
    • Text Adventures: The Colossal Reasons We (esp Kids) Need Them Now
    • Download New (Homebrew) Games Onto Your C64 Mini, Maxi or Commodore 64
  • Clean, Repair & DIY
    • The Best Way to Clean Your NES Game Cartridges - Alcohol and Beyond
    • Fix the NES Blinking Red Light - 72 Pin Connector Repair / Replace
    • Replace That C64 Power Supply - Voltage Failure Will Kill Your C64
    • Remove Sharpie From Cartridges, and More Video Game Cleaning Tips
    • Atari 2600 Paddle Controller Fix: Potentiometer Cleaning or Replacement
    • How to Open a Famicom (or Super Famicom) Cartridge
    • How to Find a Cheap, Brand Name Intellivision 2 Power Supply
  • Big Ideas
    • Why Is Retro Video Gaming So Popular? It’s Much More Than Nostalgia.
    • The Reason Some Retro Games Are Overpriced
    • NES, SNES, Atari: CRT vs LCD/LED - Which is Better?
  • The HDMI Atari 2600: RetroN 77 + Updated Firmware & Stella Emulator

    Play vintage Atari 2600 games in full HD on your modern TV

    At our house, we enjoy playing our Atari 2600 quite a bit, since the games have such a simple brilliance. Sometimes though, it’s nice to play something on our main flat screen TV, not the Trinitron (CRT television). When I discovered that the RetroN 77 emulation console lets you do Atari in HD, I got interested. 720p, here we come.

  • Why Is Retro Video Gaming So Popular? It’s Much More Than Nostalgia.

    Wake up from the cultural hypnosis, and discover that the most forward-thinking move can be backward

    I got my start playing video and computer games as a kid in the mid 70s, so I have seen how dramatically they have changed over the years. Yet, I keep being drawn back to the old-school gaming experiences. I initially wondered if it was just nostalgia, but after watching how kids react to them, I figured it must be something more.

  • Text Adventures: The Colossal Reasons We (esp Kids) Need Them Now

    Text adventures are mentally stimulating, and stress reducing to play

    I started out on text adventures as a kid, so it was natural to introduce my daughter to them when she got to be about the same age. Coming back was like stepping into a favorite book I hadn’t opened in a long time, and I was surprised at how refreshing the contemplative style and pacing are in today’s world of sensory overload.

  • Text Adventures: Download and Play Classic Interactive Fiction

    Download and play the best classic text adventures

    I was astonished when I discovered text adventures in the early days - the perfect combination of written stories and computers. It felt like stepping through the looking glass. Even today, they still radiate that deep charm. Getting inside a story, and using imagination to unravel a mysterious scenario never goes out of style. 

  • Learn Commodore 64 BASIC Programming - Type-In Text-Based Games

    BASIC, and BASIC computers - the Commodore 64, the Commodore PET

    When I bought my C64 Mini, I was very interested to discover that it didn’t just have pre-loaded games, but also included C64 BASIC. BASIC is the original programming language designed for the average person, and it’s still a great way to play some fun games while you learn about coding logic.

  • Replace That C64 Power Supply - Voltage Failure Will Kill Your C64

    Do not use an original C64 power supply brick with your C64, or you may ruin you computer!

    One of the joys of retro gaming is the opportunity to get things you never had “back in the day.” So it was with great enthusiasm that I laid hold of a vintage “breadbin” Commodore 64 (actually, it was a box with 3 of them). Fortunately, I had already heard about how the old ”Brick of Death” power supplies can fry your motherboard, and I dodged a bullet.

  • Remove Sharpie From Cartridges, and More Video Game Cleaning Tips

    Details of my cleaned consoles - Sega Genesis, and NES

    I love it when I make a great find - a game, or console that I’ve been wanting. Often times though, because we’re talking about older, used items, they often show signs of use. Grunge, stickers, and even Sharpie marker. I don’t let this stuff put me off, since there are plenty of ways to make it pristine.

  • How to Translate Famicom / Super Famicom Games to English

    Pixelly enlargement of art and Japanese text from the Super Famicom game The Great Battle II - The Last Fighter Twin

    It was very cool to discover that I could play Japanese Famicom and Super Famicom games here in the U.S. This opened up a whole new world of games with a very different style and flavor. However, after a bit of experimentation, I started wondering how I could get past the language barrier. New tech to the rescue.

  • Why Do NES Games Flicker - A Visual Explanation

    Pixel closeup of NES Batman, and MOS 6502 chip

    While playing recently on my NES, I saw game characters start to flicker, and it reminded me how much things have changed since the 80s. Vintage hardware had real limitations, and creative workarounds led to some familiar behaviors, like “sprite flicker” where characters sometimes flash quickly - a clever solution to maxing out the system’s abilities.

  • Atari 2600 Paddle Controller Fix: Potentiometer Cleaning or Replacement

    Atari 2600 Paddle Controller Fix: Potentiometer Cleaning or Replacement

    Back in the day, Atari controllers seemed darned near indestructible. Now, 40 years later, they sometimes have issues, due to being around so long. The Atari paddle controllers have one main part where the difficulty shows up: The potentiometer - the part that turns your twisting into signals the Atari understands. Many times, they are just dirty from being 40 years old, and you can clean them without too much trouble.

  • How to Open a Famicom (or Super Famicom) Cartridge

    Use a trigger clamp to open your Famicom game cartridge

    When I realized I could play Japanese Famicom (and Super Famicom) games, I was pretty jazzed. But I had already figured out how important it is to thoroughly clean the contacts on my games. If I don’t, they don't always work consistently, and might gunk my console cartridge slot. So as soon as I got a look at the Famicom cartridge case - no screws - I realized I had a challenge on my hands.

  • The Best Way to Clean Your NES Game Cartridges - Alcohol and Beyond

    Mouth end of three NES game cartridges - Get thorough cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and more

    When I first started out playing my new-to-me NES, I would just pop a game in and… it didn’t always work. I know you always see people blowing into their cartridges, but I had heard that was a bad idea. So what is the right way to get a game working properly?

  • Fix the NES Blinking Red Light - 72 Pin Connector Repair / Replace

    NES blinking red light of death

    I was very excited to get my hands on an NES again after so long. It was in great-looking shape, but when I popped in a game, I got a blinking red power light, and black screen. What would I need to do to get my games to play? Fortunately, I already knew about this common issue: the NES 72-pin connector.

  • Download New (Homebrew) Games Onto Your C64 Mini, C64 Maxi or Commodore 64

    Montage of images from new C64 homebrew games

    I never owned a Commodore 64 during the 80s, but when I started reading about its revival via the new C64 Mini and full-size C64 Maxi, I sat up and took notice. Not only do they come pre-loaded with 64 games (similar to many “classic” versions being released for other systems), but it’s designed to let you load games via disk files on a USB stick. This opens the door for newly produced Commodore 64 games.

  • How to Find a Cheap, Brand Name Intellivision 2 Power Supply

    Intellivision 2 power jack and Microsurgeon game screen

    I was very excited when I got a great deal on an Intellivision 2 console. But like most of these, mine came without a power supply. Original power supplies are not always easy to come by, and I’m wary of off-brand units that could have quality and safety issues. So what’s a good substitute?

  • 8 Ways to Play Super Famicom Games - On the SNES & More

    The Super NES and Ultraman on the Super Famicom

    I understand why people like to collect more exotic hardware, like a real Super Famicom. For me though, the idea that I could play games from the Japanese game catalog without having to get a dedicated Japanese console was an attractive idea. When I researched, I found several worthwhile options, starting with some free ones.

  • NES, SNES, Atari: CRT vs LCD/LED - Which is Better?

    Ultra closeup of CRT phosphors

    When I first came back to retro games, it was well after flatpanel HDTVs had taken over the market. Hooking my Super Nintendo up to my HDTV with an RCA-to-coax adapter was easy, but gave me grungy results. So what’s the best way to play my retro game consoles?

  • Yes, You Can Play Japanese Famicom Games on an NES

    Montage of Akira and Famicom game Cartridge

    When I owned my original NES back in the 80s, the Famicom, or “Family Computer” market (the Japanese version of the NES) was not on my radar. But now that I can get my hands on these Japanese game cartridges, will they work in my NES?

  • Why Atari Is the Best: Brilliant Atari 2600 Games Still Worth Playing

    Why Atari Is the Best: Brilliant Atari 2600 Games Still Worth Playing

    I found myself wondering why I would want a game console from the 70s, when it’s well into the 21st century. Was it nostalgia? Sure, but that was only a slice of the pie. My “tween” daughter was having fun playing it, too. She kept coming back and asking to get some time on Breakout. What charm could such a primitive console really have outside of nostalgia? As it turns out, quite a bit.

  • The Reason Some Retro Games Are Overpriced

    Glitched image of SNES games for sale

    When I got back into retro games and bought a console, I got an Atari 2600 and a SNES (Super Nintendo) at $20 for the pair. All the cartridges I bought were less than $5. But often now, I’m seeing some steep prices. What’s up?

  • The Reason Why NES Cartridges Are So Big

    NES cartridge laid over Metal Storm game screen

    NES cartridges were a departure from the standard form factor at the time. They are thinner, but bigger overall. The first time I opened up an NES cartridge, I was surprised at the small size of the actual electronics, and large amount of empty space. Why is the cartridge so big?

Jay McDonald - Web and Marketing Communications Professional Since the 90s, Computer and Video Game Player Since the 70s

Hi, I’m Jay McDonald. I have been playing computer and video games since the 70s, when I was a kid. By day, I am a web and marketing communications professional. I decided to combine these two things, and create RetroGame Start to contribute helpful information, and thought-provoking ideas around old-school gaming. Learn more about me.

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RetroGame Start was created to help people who are getting into (or further into) retro computer and video gaming. The objective is to create the kind of helpful guides that I wish I had found when I was getting back into old school games. I’m also wanting to unpack meaningful thoughts around retro gaming as a phenomenon - why it’s popular, and some of the benefits of playing vintage computer and video games. Learn more.

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