Welcome to retroweekly!
retroweekly is a new weekly newsletter about retro video games, written by a guy who likes games (obviously), likes to groove, and wears flannel (a lot).
My first video game was Super Mario Bros.
More specifically, it was the Super Mario Bros. and Dunk Hunt combo pictured above. The NES controller felt awkward and its angles were harsh and pointed. It was large in my small 3-year-old hands, but I didn’t care. The images on the screen had already reeled me in, fixating my eyes on the pixelated plumber on a quest to save a princess. I was hooked then and am still hooked nearly 3 decades later.
We’ve all got that first moment when we picked up a controller (or a mouse and keyboard for all you PC master race folk). Even if you don’t have that special memory, there’s no doubt that some game at some point in your life gave you a good time, took your mind off of things, or simply made you smile - or in the case of oh, let’s say, Ninja Gaiden or Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, throw your controller in frustration at the TV. Yep, video games definitely inspire the gamut of human emotions, just like any other pop culture medium.
What is retroweekly?
retroweekly is an attempt to view retro video games through my personal lens and share that with you, dear reader. I’ll attempt to capture how a particular game each week impacted me when I first played it, or if I’ve never played it, how that game differs from what I’ve heard over the years to my actual experience. Basically, I want to research and play old games and write about how cool (or not cool) they are, and hopefully, you like reading my rambling and want to shout back at me.
I’m aiming to provide fresh content to your inbox every Friday.
What kind of content?
I’m talking reviews, retrospectives, histories, best-of lists, and, when the time and budget allow, podcasts and Let’s Play-style videos. More often than not, each issue of retroweekly will include one long-form article plus some other goodies. Eventually, I want retroweekly to grow into something bigger, but I’m more than happy just pecking away at my keyboard, writing about old video games for the enjoyment of a few nerds - myself included.
Why write as groovinflannel?
I love playing and listening to music. I’ve played bass and guitar for a number of years and continue to noodle every now and again.
A not insignificant portion of my wardrobe is flannel shirts. I tend to dress like the stereotypical image of a lumberjack during fall, except my jeans are skinnier and I’m nowhere near as buff.
Boom - groovinflannel.
What is your goal with retroweekly?
To build a positive, chill, and fun-loving community around the video games that we love. I’m human - we all are. I’ll probably make some missteps along the way. But at the end of the day, I want a community where all people feel welcome and included to chat about retro gaming and other gaming topics.
I’m planning on having a Discord for subscribers, perks and giveaways, donations to various charities, the whole damn thing. It’ll take time, but that’s the direction I want this train to go.
Anything else?
I think that’s it for this intro post. I’m currently working hard to get the first batch of articles written and situated in the pipeline. There will be more updates and introductory posts in the coming months, so be sure to subscribe to have all of those and issue #1 of retroweekly delivered straight to your inbox.
Happy reading and happy gaming!
-groovin’
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