I really connected with the nostalgia topic we discussed in class. It never occurred to me that there may be different kinds of nostalgia and that people can experience it so radically differently. As far back as I can remember playing games has been a big part of my life. I can think fondly back on playing Mario Kart with friends, trying to teach my grandma how to play Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour on the Sega Dreamcast, and countless hours hiding away in my room playing Harvest Moon 64.

However, it struck a chord with me that there are different types of nostalgia and that those experiences can’t always be replicated properly. I think that’s why the indie game genre has boomed so much over the years. I have tried to go back and play some of these childhood favorites and it’s usually pretty disappointing. I’ve been spoiled with modern controls and graphics. The N64 controller was really ridiculous and not intuitive at all. Some of the graphics on these older games are so outdated, I’m amazed sometimes that I was ever able to determine what was happening on the screen when I was a kid. The control mapping is often clunky and limited. This is not to say these weren’t great games at the time they were released, just that games have advanced so much since then.

So, while I’ve never actually played Shovel Knight, I can relate with the excitement of playing a game that captures that retro feeling without actually being retro. I think this is one of the reasons I love Stardew Valley so much. Harvest Moon was one of my all-time favorite games growing up, and Stardew Valley is beautiful homage to it. It captures a lot of the same whimsy, relaxation, and appreciation for the little things in life and keeps a bit of the retro feeling by implementing pixel art as it’s graphical medium. However, there are so many quality of life updates and so many more options for game play that I don’t experience nearly the same amount of frustration as I would if I was actually playing Harvest Moon.

I’m always impressed by people that can religiously play retro games and recapture some of those nostalgic feelings. They’re so dedicated to keeping the old games alive and continuing the passion for them. I applaud them for their dedication. But I also think it’s still important to appreciate what indie developers are doing to help those of us with less patience experience some quality nostalgia.