WHY PHYSICAL GAMES FEEL SO SPECIAL
There is something different about picking a game from your shelf instead of scrolling through a digital library. You see the cover, remember when you got it and start thinking about the last time you played. Sometimes you have already decided what to play before the console is even switched on.
MORE THAN JUST THE GAME
A lot of the memories are about more than the game itself. Maybe it was a birthday present you played all weekend, or a game you borrowed from a friend and did not want to give back. You might remember sitting on the floor with someone, taking turns on a difficult level and insisting you would stop after “one more go”.
Even the case or cartridge can bring those memories back. You might recognise the cover straight away, then realise you had completely forgotten about a character or level inside the game. That is part of the fun of finding an old favourite again.
Physical games are also fun to collect for that reason. Some people like hunting down games they missed when they were younger, while others just want to keep the favourites they grew up with. Your collection does not need to be huge or expensive to mean something to you. A few games you actually want to play can be more than enough.
May we also mention, how cool disc art can be!
WHY DOES OWNING ONE MATTER?
There has been a lot of discussion recently about digital-only games and what happens when an online store closes or a game’s servers shut down.
With a physical game, you have a copy you can keep, lend to a friend or put back on your shelf. That does not mean every disc will work forever without downloads or online services, but it is easy to see why many players still want the option to buy one.
You also own the game forever with a disc, with a digital game you own the 'license' to play it.
Here at kaico we are very against the policies of having digital only games, we very much support the idea of people still having access to discs, wether its for art, collecting, selling later on, or just to own!
OLD GAMES, BUT NEWER MEMORIES
Of course, games are even better when they are played rather than left on display. Taking one off the shelf, putting it into your old console and seeing that familiar start-up screen again is a great feeling. It is a small part of the experience, but it makes sitting down to play feel like a choice rather than just something to do while you are bored.
It is easy to put an old console away and forget about it for years. Then one day you get it working again, pick a game you remember loving and end up playing for much longer than you planned. You might finally get past a level that frustrated you as a kid, or find that a game you used to be great at is harder than you remember.
Sharing those games with someone else can be just as fun. Showing a friend your favourite game, hearing what they think of it and playing together gives you a new memory to go with the old one.
And retro gaming does not have to be only about replaying the past. There are still new things to discover on old consoles!
If you have a Nintendo 64 and want to try something different alongside your physical games, the SC64 lets you play homebrew games on the original hardware.
➡️ SC64 Available here!: https://amzn.to/4worwJT