Xbox 360

[davyk]

What are the feelings on the 360 being retro?  (or for that matter PS3 - but i don't own one).

It's possibly a step too far but within another gen I think it's getting there. My personal rule of thumb is current_gen - 2 = retro.  I note that there is no Microsoft section here and I'd consider Oldbox retro since Gamecube and PS2 are.

It's hard to look at games on a 360 and consider them retro. But it brings up the question of whether retro is finite. If we draw a line somewhere instead of moving it along as time progresses then that does make it finite.

Recent gens of games haven't exactly created new experiences - esp. since 360 which brought excellent online integration to gaming.  Apart from VR I don't see much else happening apart from "more" realism which itself tends to age in the eyes of those who care about it.

I've built up a rather nice physical 360 collection based mainly around 2D shmups. It's a superb console for that and none of them have been made BC with the newer consoles - leaving it the only way to experience most of Cave's finest examples of the genre. My personal feelings have the console on my shortlist for best ever.

[Shadowrunner]

I don't consider it retro. With backwards compatibility I still play 360 games quite often on my Series X. I was actually playing the 360 game Crysis 2 this afternoon. The graphics aren't as impressive as new games but they still don't feel retro to me.

As far as the future, I guess it depends just how much more advanced games become.

[davyk]

With respect to the types of games I like and play the Gamecube/PS2 are as powerful a machine as I need to be honest.

I'm really into the 2D shooters that were made by Cave and the 360 got good ports of them. PS2/GC probably could have hosted them.

360 games to me look stunning. Trials HD, Pacman CE, Rockstar Table Tennis look as good as they need to. I don't see what modern hardware could do for me over and above being the only way to play some yet to be released shooters.

I suppose it comes back to what one considers retro. I don't really think most games are retro. They are just games.

I have the 360 on my shortlist for greatest console ever. And that really is saying something for someone who is a real fan of Atari, Nintendo and Sega.

[Sanddancer]

I've recently been thinking about buying some of the more sought after 360 games before the prices start getting silly, and have been looking at shooters like dodonpachi. What other good shooters are they on the system that are not to expensive.

[davyk]

Haven't checked prices recently, but the PAL games are probably still reasonable...

DoDonPachi Resurrection, Deathsmiles, Akai Katana and Under Defeat HD got PAL releases. All are excellent. They used to be very cheap but I reckon they will probably be sitting a full price modern release price levels now. That's probably as reasonable as you will get but there may be deals around.

There are some really expensive PAL games like Eschatos and Ginga Force I wish I had picked up - mad prices now.

The JP region free games would be expensive now.  I'm lucky enough to have picked them up at sensible levels before the world went mad. For the record these are :-

Musihihimasama Futari
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou
Espgaluda II BL
Muchi Muchi Pork & Pink Sweets

[Shadowrunner]

There are some good digital games you can buy too. Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun are both on the Xbox store for cheap. Also if you ever upgrade to a newer Xbox you will still be able to play them.

[davyk]

Aye. There's also Shooting Love 200X, Guwange and Caladrius on digital release in PAL. Good stuff.