For a few years I've been meaning to get to playing retro games again, mostly SEGA and PS1 & 2 stuff but I always put it to the side, even though I look at places like CeX and see all the retro stuff for sale and games worth at least searching before downloading the relevant stuff.

I've generally been a PC person for a long time and despite having plenty of free time for a while, never got around to doing something I always wanted to return to, despite the corona times and so on, which is very regretful seeing that we'll probably never get to experience that kind of free time ever again.

The problem for me is other than a few distinct games I have forgot what I played back then, so I wanted to check if there's anything out there like recommended games for each console and stuff and I could like spin the wheel and pick a game at random? I might even upload to YouTube or stream somewhere eventually. Not for money or anything obviously because everyone and their kitchen sink does that and so you can't really do much these days on that side.

just play what you're interested in and stick with it
making a whole list and jumping from game to game for 3 minutes each is a recipe for getting annoyed really quickly and not playing any games

>>11799371 (OP)
As for finding new games if you browse /vr/ you will eventually find something that interests you.
Also sites like backloggd are great because you can filter by platform which makes it easier to find games.

But its like the other anon said, just do it, there is no need to overthink it

most can be played on emulator
for the ones that can't you use flash carts typically

>>11799371 (OP)
Fuck consoles, go by genre and try some entry level stuff.

Platformers-Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World, Mega Man 2, Sonic 2(genesis/mega drive), Donkey Kong Country

JRPGs-Final Fantasy 6(3 on the SNES), Final Fantasy 7, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest 3, Pokemon games

Puzzle-Tetris(NES or Gameboy), Columns, Solomons Key, Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move

Run n Gun-Contra, Super C, Metal Slug

Sports-Super Tecmo Bowl, Windjammers, Neo Turf Masters, NBA Jam, Baseball Stars 2

Racing-Daytona USA, Micro Machines, Gran Turismo 2

Kart Racers-Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Crash Team Racing

3D platformers-Super Mario 64, Crash 2, Spyro, Banjo Kazooie

Beat em up-Double Dragon 2, Streets of Rage 2, TMNT 2

Classic arcade-Galaga(Space Invaders too), Ms Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede

Metroidvania-Super Metroid, Symphony of the Night

RTS-Warcraft 2, Starcraft, Age if Empires, Command and Conquer Red Alert

For a start, these aren't the necessarily the best games in the genre or even their own series. I'm not even a big fan of a few of them but these are usually considered classics and will give a good example of what to expect from the genre. For example I think Donkey Kong Country 2 is a better game than DKC 1 but I also think it's a harder game so if you like the 1st one then play the 2nd when youre done. I also left out a lot of genres. CRPGs cause I don't thinknany of them are really entry level, some of the best ones are quite hard. I don't know much about shmups or 4X games but those have real dedicated fanbases.

>>11799626
Good recommendations, thanks.

If you actually want to go for a curated, enhanced experience, start with golden era arcade gaming. Space Invaders, Pac-Man and Donkey Kong are a must. Don't just play for 10 minutes, try to get decent scores. Play for several days and learn the games and get proficient. Feel the raw ludonics, the DNA of video games.
If you want more golden era arcade stuff you can delve into Colecovision, good console with lots of great arcade ports and some exclusives as well.
After you went through the golden age arcade stuff it's time for you to get into the actual golden era of gaming and go nuts with Famicom/NES. Don't just play the top 10 games like Zelda, Mario 3 or Castlevania right off the bat (heh), try to delve into early Famicom first. I recommend trying any early 90s famiclone multicart, they include many classics, many of which weren't released officially outside of Japan.
I think you will be busy with Famicom for a while. And after that you have Genesis and SNES. Honestly this journey is endless.

>>11801015
This is how I would do things if I could start fresh, desu. All of the lists you'll find online weren't written to actually help people discover new games, but to either confirm the biases of the reader, or to spark outrage for engagement. Lord help you if you fall into one of the rating site echo chambers like backloggd. A self-guided, chronological approach is probably the most holistic way to get a good sense of what the medium actually has to offer.

>>11799371 (OP)
I'd begin by choosing a device that can emulate most retro consoles well, it can be your smartphone or tablet with a telescopic controller, or a dedicated handheld, if you want to play in bed, or a laptop, desktop, modded console or emulation box if you'd prefer playing on a desk or couch with a bigger monitor or TV. Alright, now what? I'd download full ROM sets for most consoles, especially cartridge based ones since their full libraries are often less than 1GB in size, we never know when Nintendo will take it all down, so be safe. It's also nice to download some manual sets, but that's personal preference, I personally love them. Now here comes the part of choosing what to play, after you've set up your emulators and stuff, what ROM do you pick? So many choices...

What genres did you like playing before? What were your favorite IPs?

I'd start with those, begin with whatever's familiar, as what's familiar is also what's comfortable that'll motivate you early on since it'll be easier, after you play enough of your favorite genres and IPs, the hobby will feel more natural for you, but if you try to go for new things, with a learning curve, from the get go, it could be enough for it too feel like a chore and you could quit too soon.

>>11799371 (OP)
Also another related question - is it worth getting gamepads to try and make the playing as similar as possible? Like why play on a 360 pad when you can get a USB controller that has the exact same layout for the SNES?

>>11799371 (OP)
>How do I start with the whole Retro Game playing stuff?
Why the fuck do people ask utterly fucking insanely stupid questions like this?

Why don't you just play video games you're interested in?

Why would you want to "get started with the whole Retro Game playing stuff" if you don't actually HAVE any prior interest in it?

If you see a fucking game and think "Oh, I want to try playing that", then just play it, you fucking retard. Why are you treating this like.. what, exactly? A chance to earn a discord badge? What the fuck do you WANT?

>>11799371 (OP)
go for sports games first, then racing games then licensed games.

>>11802137
It's almost like some people want recommendations.

>>11801796
YES.

I'd say a lot of the real hardware experience is not worth the cost... of course, putting the cartridge in, seeing the boxes on your shelf, seeing the cover art and then the label... it's all great! However emulation's cost, or lack of cost really, and its convenience, make these things less of a deal breaker... controllers though? If there's one thing that helps the emulation experience feel a lot more like the real deal, when you're in front of the TV actually playing, is the controller in your hands. Get good ones, and many.

>>11802137
Based post.

>>11799371 (OP)
i would tell anyone interested in retro who doesnt already own a bunch of shit to still with 100% emulation and save themselves a lot of pain and time

>>11799371 (OP)
What to do: Play games, any games, LITERALLY ANYTHING and give them a fair try while maintaining a generous spirit, aiming for high scores if they're old games that seem to want you to do that or for 1CC if they're old arcade-style linear action games in which that seems to be an option - and not necessarily hitting what you aim at, but at least sincerely aiming for it for a while. What not to do: using truly evil filters that attempt to completely replace pixel boundaries with smoother-looking triangle mosaics or curved forms or whatever; playing in a severely wrong aspect ratio EVER (circles should look like circles and not like ovals); using emulator features that greatly increase screen resolution in 3D games; using savestates to heavily cheat; using savestates "just to practice for a serious run"

>I might even upload to YouTube or stream somewhere eventually.
Things not to do: spending any more time than necessary without gameplay on screen; attempting to be funnier than you are; speaking with more than slight vocal fry

>>11805663
>>I might even upload to YouTube or stream somewhere eventually.
>Things not to do:
oh and I forgot a super important one: being fat on camera