Charlie

Released as an experiment in Japan, this series of Gameboy Advance games, called bitGenerations, tested the current market's interest in "retro" gaming. More specifically, the graphics and high-brow storylines have taken a backseat to basic gameplay akin to what it was like back in the day (i.e. Space Invaders, Pong, Tron).

I've only managed to find a few of them for download, but they all seem to share some common characteristics. First and foremost, the style of the graphics is extremely clean and modern. Much like the music and sound effects, the overall presentation of the game is meticulously refined and highly stylized - which is something I would think is essential to this type of game. With the gameplay being so basic and "retro", presenting the entire package in a refreshing and new way is probably very important in stirring public interest.

The gameplay itself is exactly like advertised. Every game is based off of an older "classic" from back in the day - Boundish features 5 mini-games all derived from Pong, while DotStream loosely uses the race mechanics of Tron. And for the most part, there isn't much more than that. No complex gaming modes or features here. Is it really fitting to have all of that? Probably not. The gameplay is quick, fun, and thankfully doesn't require much thought. Most sessions don't last more than 30 seconds, and there is enough simplicity and enjoyment that keeps you playing.

However, it doesn't really keep you coming back for long. This type of gameplay is usually found as "mini-games" within full-length, complex games today and are nothing but a sidetrack. While I found myself playing DotStream for a solid hour, it quickly got old. There is not much to lure you back in the next day, as there's little to uncover beyond the surface level.

Perhaps the GBA is the most appropriate platform for this type of game then - while I think this series would seriously flounder on the likes of Playstation 2 or X-Box, having this quick-fire, no-brainer type of gameplay on a system that is meant for travel and fast play sessions, bitGenerations has an appropriate and fitting home on the GBA.

bitGenerations website (Japanese only)
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GBA Emulator
BitGenerations ROM