Here is the video about tackling backlogs that I mentioned: th-cam.com/video/-wbDmPYB-Z0/w-d-xo.html Games played: Golden Axe (0:00), Mr. Heli (0:09), Mario Party (0:15), Fighters Megamix (0:34), Donkey Kong Country (1:15), Snatcher (4:25), Castlevania III (5:40), Breath of the Wild (6:05)
Just wanna say you are 100% right about putting down your phone. Personally, I almost never use my phone anymore. Having said that, I use my iPad a LOT. But I must say that I find myself doing more “substantial” activities when using a tablet vs. a phone. Not all the time but most of the time. Wasting time on a smart phone tends to be primarily looking at stupid stuff that you barely remember the moment you put it down.
Just break down and play them alphabetically. 1 hour minium no matter how bad the game is. Then you can move on. Or you've found one you like and play to beat it. Then you go to the next on the list. Keeps you from having decision issues.
@@TheMysteryDriver Another good option is listing a bunch in a random picker wheel online. Bonus points if you have friends that would be willing to watch you stream and chat while you play. 😊
As a 60+ year old, I'm nearing retirement and my plan is as follows. Wake up late, consume much caffeine, walk my dogs, and play video games. Rinse and repeat... I have a backlog of games from hell to play and I'm looking forward to quality ME time!!! Thanks for the vid and seeya on the next one!!!
I'm in my early 50's and the only thing I "waste" money on is video games. I plan on retiring as soon as I can. Sleep to when I feel like it, get up look at the markets, have caffeine, exercise, do any S___work that needs to be done for the day, then shower and game. EDIT: Haha was listening while I typed this and heard finances. The reason I prioritize them is that I will soon get the freedom to not have to drive to work for 10 hours a day to do 💩that I don't want to do. Once you learn how they work it isn't so time consuming.
Single dad here too. My youngest likes to play too, we were playing cuphead this week. I tend to play my games late at night. My biggest gripe is there isn’t enough time in a day and sleep is necessary. I wish days were 48 hrs with work hours still being standard 8-12hrs. Time flies when I’m playing and I get mad when the clock says 9pm when I start and 2:30am it what seems like an hour. 😅
I'm a psychologist from Spain and you don't know how many times I have to talk with my patients about the time they lose with the phone. I call it "the scroll tiranny". People who are depressed because they feel like they lose the things that made them happy in the past, and when you ask them about how much time they spend with the social media and other things they find that they lose 2-3 hours per day. When they get to the point that allow them to not use too much the phone they start enjoying again videogames, reading, enjoy movies, create art... I love your videos and your humor. And, in this case, I love how you treat that issue directly. I think that not most people understand how dangerous is the phone in terms of losing the point of what kind of things you really LOVE to do in tour life (specially when you're adult and time is limited, as you explained).
I found a video game club online where we all play the same game each month and then get together on discord to discuss the game at the end of the month. We have a rule that the game must be beatable in 10 hours or less. I find this removes the guilt feeling for me because I know a bunch of other people are doing the same thing and it’s a social interaction too. Highly recommend it.
Just became a digital hoarder and then find it even to find a game on your Down time but deep down you know I’ve got most of my nostalgic games somewhere 😂
Definitely one of the better ones, but it really depends on what you're looking for. I found hungrygoriya recently and she does these little reviews of ancient games almost nobody in the modern day knows with a soothing voice. Baberuthless is cool if you like classic fighting games, she covers the unbelievably niche genre of fighting game backgrounds and trying to find their real world inspirations when applicable. It's pretty neat. Gamesack is a bit long winded and not as fun today with just the one host, but I like the transitions and they cover a lot of different content. I've got some others but can't think of them atm, though I imagine most RPG-centric channels generally focus on PS1 and SNES.
I have to play games between 2 and 4 am because I have to take care of a family, 4 dogs,cleaning the house,fixing things around house and working on my gameroom I have been working on it for 4years (gameroom) never get any sleep lol
Going back to using official hardware on a real CRT has helped me a lot. I love RetroArch, but I'd find my gaming sessions being slowed down or halted by technical issues (driver/monitor stuff, controller sync, frame rate problems, etc) half the time. Now I turn on the CRT, turn on a console, and play. Having the setup in a physically separate place helps as well as there are no distractions from other media.
I literally configure the settings one time per core (at most) in retroarch and map the buttons if need be, and never have to touch it again. Sounds like a you problem XD
To be fair, Retroarch can be cumbersome to configure correctly and the UI is complex in many areas. I'm technical enough to compile my own versions of MAME and even I had trouble until I figured out how to get Retroarch to switch the refresh rates of my LCD monitor and TV to match the emulated hardware. Now I have zero desire to ever see a goddamn CRT ever again unless it's an oscilloscope.
@@the.littlest.toaster Oh I hate that too, game overload, there are too many options. I feel like we are in the golden age of gaming, but I sure do miss the old days of gaming, few options on the shelf, mastering what you had.
You’re not alone. I still wonder to this day how I played games for 6 hour or more at a stretch. That energy is long gone, lol. Now an hour is a stretch.
Damn, Retro Bird you really do get it. Being an adult is kind of the worst. I can never relax or enjoy just being lazy or playing video games for days on end because there’s always something i should be doing instead. Ugh, adult freedom is nice but now I’m chained down to all of the shit I had to buy and now how to take care of. Almost 40 years old, single, no kids, good career and good money, and have another 30 years of keeping all of it up before I finally get to die.
Being a dad to child with disabilities, and irregular sleep patterns, is extremely tough, because I always feel like I should sleep whenever I have the chance in the evening, because I will probably be woken up in the middle of the night for a few hours. I have found out that almost all newer triple A titles are out of the question because they take too long time to complete, but retro games are fantastic, because it’s instant action and fun, and even after playing only 15 minutes, I can still feel like I accomplished something, instead of grinding for hours to unlock key components to be able to advance.
I love AAA titles, but I agree… games are just getting way too long. 30hrs is a sweet spot for completion and revisiting, but most are easily 80-150hrs to thoroughly play through.
For me, its my high school age kids, wife, and helping take care of my mother in law who lives with us due to health issues. But i am happy when i do get time, its fun and therapeutic.
I once decided to play a few minutes of Final Fantasy Tactics before bed. It felt like a couple of hour TOPS, but as I noticed the morning light splash into my room, I was shocked. That day was the hardest day of work I have ever had.
This is possibly the most relatable video I’ve ever seen… in fact, I carved out a little slice of “The time when the world stops” just to watch this video. Now it’s time to go back to feeling guilty for staying up too late to play silly games 👍
i play 1 hour aday roughly, but then i dont need to much in the house to keep it clean 30 mins a day to keep it clean is to much. Keeping a todo list and a time for fun is needed.
I got a 2DS around the time my son was born and I absolutely loved it. Being able to flick a switch and suspend a game - any game - and pick up later was amazing. Even in simple things like running an errand my wife would drive so I could get 5-10 minutes extra gaming in
I work 5 days a week at Amazon. Only work 30 hours. However during those 5 days a week I am lifting bags that weigh an avg of 40 pounds. I put about 9 of those on a cart sometimes it's boxes on there or mixed. This is on 1 cart. I usually do anywhere from 10-20 carts just pulling them with a lot of weight every day to prepare the packages for the drivers. So basically dealing with heavy boxes all day long. When I come home from work I go straight to me bed & take a nap because I am really tired. I basically watch old tv shows now because it's way easier just watching something than playing games. Playing my games takes a lot of mental effort that I just don't have anymore. I don't play couch coop or vs because all my friends work different schedules than me. That's really hard now to get your friends over to play too. Then on my days off I play a couple of hours if my games. I really want to start focusing on playing games when I get home from work & I feel guilty not playing enough now.
I'm currently working 12 hour shifts so this video hits hard. Everyday I try to play for 30 minutes at the end of the day but I usually end up dozing off.
Good advantage of public transport. Playing on the way to work. I did the same, but I have changed jobs now and van cycle to work. The extra time and energy I get now is great. I spend less than 30 per day on my commute now.
Yep, for me work doesn't strictly end when I leave, phone calls, emails etc. I have to set a personal cut off time after which, I don't care until the next day.
This is the best video about gaming I've ever seen! You can add the guilt of trying to stay healthy and not be a couch Potato. I got up early this weekend so I could game, go for a run, then game some more before the wife wanted to leave the house. You gave me a great idea though.. Instead of scrolling on my phone, I will game.
The reason that the phone defaults as entertainment over video games: plausible deniability. I might seem to be doing something useful, and can set the phone aside at a moment’s notice when inevitably summoned to another task. If I go through the rigamarole to get settled playing a video game, I’m obviously and unavoidably just here for myself. I’m a dad with little kids and the work doesn’t stop when they go to bed.
“Eventually you will get to them”…….the problem is YOU NEVER WILL. Time will become more precious and goes faster (yes it does!) the older you get and interesting games keep being published. So the backlog keeps growing and then you realize you have way too many games. So I quit buying them as I can’t play games more than a few hours a week and will never finish a game like Elden Ring or the 30+ hours Ubisoft trash. So nowadays I buy a game……and finish it. And then buy a new game. Usually they are already discounted then as I don’t buy everything on release date anymore, so gaming becomes more fun and cheaper. Thanks for again a great video @RetroBirdGaming
I may have the time, but i definitely don't have the physical ability! If i play games for too long, i end up getting wrist and hand pain. I love long rpgs, but i end up taking lots of breaks from gaming (days to weeks at a time) to make sure im not stressing my hands. I have other hobbies too, so i just rotate.
this is where game music comes to play. listening to the game can take my mind on the same adventure as playing it. as long as i'm familiar with the game of course.
I found that smartphone point really helpful. If you feel guilt or pressure of any kind when it comes to playing the games you enjoy, just think about the time you waste on your phone! Putting down the phone and trading in that time for gaming is a smart move-and it’s actually better for your brain!
Have you tried having a notepad or note doc on your phone where you can list all the things? It tends to help me set them aside to write them down when they intrude upon whatever I'm trying to focus on.
I find more time to play games if I schedule it. Like, on Mondays from 5-7 or some time that I can dedicate. It’s not that video games are as important as other things, but doing something you enjoy is self-care, which is important to do so you can keep doing all the required things you don’t like
This was so relatable across the board. The part about just staring at your games nails it for me. I think part of it is as you're going through you reminisce on the memories of past experiences with the various games you've played. It's kind of a stroll down memory lane. At least that's what it is for me.
Working from home in IT lends to my free time to play through my retro backlog. I get my stuff done as early and as fast as possible, multitasking a bunch, then get to shut the world off for hours each evening. Also prioritizing my 'me time' and the power of being able to just say no to people/things helps a lot. Nothing wrong with a little self care in whatever form that takes for you!
I have time to play video games - despite working fulltime and having 3 kids. Now do I have time to play all my games? Not even close. I have a huge retro and modern gaming collection but I have to prioritize what I want to play if I intend to beat it or not lose intrest in it.
I used to have time, and then I got older. I used to enjoy large open worlds or long RPGs. Now I greatly prefer games that can be completed in 10 hours or fewer.
_Trying to make time for video games can be dangerous if you choose the wrong time._ I played PUBG mobile on my phone and didn't realize that I was still sitting in the middle of traffic. Horns were honking and people yelling. 😂
Thank you for this video. This was as good for me as a month’s worth of therapy. I have so much internalized guilt around taking time to play games. It hit me pretty deeply hearing you say that as someone who loves video games, taking time to play them is truly a necessity for a healthy life. Maybe with the money saved on therapy cost, I can buy an original copy of Chrono Trigger and give myself permission to take the time to play through it; something I’ve wanted for my whole adult life, but felt guilty about both the cost and time commitment required.
The guilt is a very real struggle. We all deserve to do the things we enjoy the most. Like I said in the video, it's nourishing and makes us better in the other parts of our lives :) Sometimes I find it helps to get a little something done right before jumping into a gaming session. Even if it's small, it gets you in a good mindset to let go of everything else and enjoy some games.
I have lots of free time to play video games, but I still find it hard to make progress in games due to having so many games to play and make progress on. I have almost completely cut out MMORPG games and online multiplayer games that demand too much time for too little progress. I now try to focus on single-player games that have an actual end to them that I can enjoy in my own time instead of playing a game like Destiny 2 that demands all your spare time to keep your gear and level up to date and doing daily and weekly activities. That have limited time availability which causes stress and make gaming feel like work and not fun which they are meant to be.
I always have more to do than I have time to spend. Usually, my game time is just a very brief respite after my kids go to bed or playing with them on the weekends. I do hit a wall now and then, and my wife is very understanding if I need to unwind for a few hours from time to time. It's very rare that I don't feel that pang of guilt while playing, but once in awhile, I get to sink my teeth in unfettered and just play, and it's always happy.
I stare and appreciate my collection until I feel which game to play, setup the necessary console, then play it until I am bored... and then stay up until 3 am playing BG3 😅😅❤
I’m so glad you brought up the whole idea of spending too much time on the phone. I was in a rut, always thinking I didn’t have time to play games. And then noticed I was playing more games than ever, just on my mobile device. After a long internal dialogue, I deleted just about every game on my phone and went back to my consoles. I was a lot happier this way.
This video is gold! Gaming time is hard to come by, and also why I groan when every game is open world now. 60 hour game? Well that should only take me 4 months to beat.
Hahaha that's exactly how it is for me. The guilt I feel when playing video games, that I should be doing something else. 2 kids and a full time job doesn't lend much time for games. Then when I do have time I'm usually to tired, so instead watch gaming videos on TH-cam that require less energy 😂.
Best video yet! Very poignant. Having a high pressure job, kids, and a wife and striving to keep all parties content, I neglect self care and take gratitude in the small instances I get to game. Setting myself up for retirement.Be well.
This is very true. Having a baby makes finding gaming time harder. I have switched to handhelds, but it is still hard to make time. One suggestion. Take a sick day once in awhile. Games are fun and finding time for them makes me happy.
Absolutely nailed it. After getting the kids to bed, walking the dogs and cleaning up I played about 30 minutes before passing out. Only to get up, walk and feed the dogs and play before the kids get up.
Young family here and my wife has many physical/mental health needs, so time is very lacking and definitely a victim of the guilt for wanting time for me! I mainly play handheld games so it's definitely the evening or if I'm lucky a 15-30 minute burst when there are fewer people about. I've commented it before, but my lunch break at work is definitely my main gaming time!! Amazing vids as always, thank you!
if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else. it's vital to always remember this. don't confuse it with being selfish. nobody else is going to look out for you to the degree you need, not even your family or wife.
You do it like this. You choose an old game that is skill based. You play to see how far you get then when you run out of continues you decide if you would like to play again or if there is no time you should do something else. So it's like 30 minutes.
So after work I hang out with my wife in the garage and play side pocket a pool game on Genesis. It’s also the laundry room so I “do laundry “ and play as well. So before I’m called in for dinner I play what I feel like. I also work on my car in the garage so there’s that too. But we usually have our friend over and play nba jam after dinner. But it helps to include the significant other.
I maintain gaming time by watching pretty much no movies or television. Not a sacrifice everyone is willing to make, but for how much I love gaming, it's a no brainer for me.
I'm 50 & about 6 years ago i made a career change. Figured i was 2 old to do stressful jobs & got a Night Security Job. Then about 2 years ago my kids school work went beyond me, so they are on there own. With that said my free time is wide open & i've been living my best video game life after work! Best way to describe it is watching Season 1of Grimsburg Episode 4. I'm basically the janitor at nights but instead of relaxing by an open fire I'm playing video games. Thanks for the bird seeds to the Mr. Heli video game!
"I dont judge people, thats a job for passive agressive distant relatives" that is one of the greatest lines ive ever heard. Its also FRICKING TRUE. My 88 year old papa cant understand why i play video games. I have two special needs kids. One of which has a 1 in 45,000 genetic disease and he cant walk at 5. I told him "papa its either video games, or drugs."
Hey chick, I came back to this just to say this for you: you're a good parent. Drugs will make you unfit to be the loving parent you are and may actually harm your ability to properly love. Your video games keep you a proper parent. Keep on loving your kids and being there for them. Always choose those games over that other, lesser option.
I have a day job to make money, but I have a second "dream" hobby outside of work. So it became a question of chasing that dream versus relaxing with gaming. So instead I fill the gaming itch by vicariously gaming through little videos like this on occasion.
Yeah and also when he said about when choosing video games to play, think of it like renting a few out at a time, and focusing on only those select games for a while.
@@TheMysteryDriver that doesn’t really work you gotta be in the right mood to play certain types of games, and that is something that’s variable and unpredictable. Like there’s times to play racing games, fighting games, platformers, RPG’s, FPS, even Real Time Strategy games on PC - and everything in between.
Amazing video, insights hit right on the nail. Related to everything you said so much I already watched this 2 and a half times instead of playing video games 😭 Absolutely agree, whatever it is you *want* to be doing, games or otherwise, you gotta clearly establish your boundaries, whether that be with your job, your friends/fam, or other commitments, and firmly set aside that uninterruptible “me time”. If there’s love and respect between you and your lawn, your lawn will understand.
"I don't have time" is something I have zero tolerance for hearing. This excuse will _always_ be used by the same people who somehow manage to sit and scroll through their phone for hours at a time. Even the busiest person can find time. You might just need to rely on handhelds more than you used to.
I went indie after working for PlayStation for about a decade. For me, indie life is hard and rewarding (not so much financially). It is a constant struggle to keep the lights on and the team paid. Because of that, I have overwhelming anxiety nearly every time I go to play games. “Why play games when you should be working?”. I do have a retro room though and sometimes just sitting down and recalling all the stories for each game / system can feel very recharging.
From the perspective of having time to play video games a lot of the time, it’s actually a negative too. It’s definitely easy to give into the “you have time, go play this” or “go play that since you aren’t doing anything or don’t want to do anything” and it actually becomes quite bad as you begin to prioritize video game time over everything else. Keeping busy is definitely something I’d stress to do, as without having deadlines or due dates on anything video games can creep into your head more then they should. This is quite common for me as I also deal with social anxiety so I stress and procrastinate while overthinking about important things and how I’ll do on them.
As a teacher, I have basically no time to play games during the school year, but a massive chunk of uninterrupted time alone during vacations to tackle my backlog and focus on more high-demand games. It’s not a bad trade off :)
I don't get off work until 2:30 A.M. If i go to Bed by 5 A.M. i can get 1 & 1/2 - 2 Hrs. of Gaming a night Which isn't "A Lot", but since i started this Job, I've still managed to beat 6 Star Fox Games, 7 Sonic Games, 2 MegaMan Games, and i Just started Pokémon Colosseum! So it's Something!
@tonyp9313 that just means I slowly Chip at my Games Like I said, I Just started Pokémon Colosseum, and between 2 Days of Playing, I've only got 1 Hr. 20-something Min on my Playtime Save File! Again, it's not A Lot, but it's Something! And I'm Fine with that!
retrobird, I gotta say, you are propably the cozyest content creator ever. I love that your videos are such a nice safe space for gamers. Sometimes I feel so ashamed playing video games because "it's just a silly game" but hearing you discuss exactly that makes me feel so mich better about my hobby. Great work man, thank you so much!
This guy is Humble, and honest, and true and most importantly real, keep it up my dude. As you get older it's tough, I have no kids, no gf / wife and it's tough. You come home from work and you have maybe 4 to 5 hours max to enjoy videogames / Life! Sometimes you get to tired, so you just want to watch someone play a video game, or watch youtube videos... But, once you find that game that clicks for that time, it's a blast, but, I find it hard to find that game now, I can download a zillion games and not feel anything, but, again once you do, it's magic and why I still Love video Games.
I purchase around five to ten retro games a week, and I find myself just putting them in their designated console and testing the game for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure it works. Once I do that I add it to my collection and sometimes I may not pick it up for another year.
Here is the video about tackling backlogs that I mentioned: th-cam.com/video/-wbDmPYB-Z0/w-d-xo.html
Games played: Golden Axe (0:00), Mr. Heli (0:09), Mario Party (0:15), Fighters Megamix (0:34), Donkey Kong Country (1:15), Snatcher (4:25), Castlevania III (5:40), Breath of the Wild (6:05)
What you deserve is Donkey Kong on gameboy from 1994........... 👍
Just wanna say you are 100% right about putting down your phone. Personally, I almost never use my phone anymore. Having said that, I use my iPad a LOT. But I must say that I find myself doing more “substantial” activities when using a tablet vs. a phone. Not all the time but most of the time. Wasting time on a smart phone tends to be primarily looking at stupid stuff that you barely remember the moment you put it down.
Mr. Heli is awesome but so difficult! I can't imagine beating a real arcade cabinet version.
Friendly reminder that the more time you spend watching Retro Bird videos is less time you spend actually playing video games.
@@leeartlee915 FYI you can play games on your phone
I try to make time to play but mostly just stare at my games before bed and let them know I'll eventually get to them.
They know you care that way :)
The time really melts away during a good video game stare-down. I swear I’ve lost hours some nights.
Just break down and play them alphabetically. 1 hour minium no matter how bad the game is. Then you can move on. Or you've found one you like and play to beat it. Then you go to the next on the list. Keeps you from having decision issues.
@@TheMysteryDriver
Another good option is listing a bunch in a random picker wheel online.
Bonus points if you have friends that would be willing to watch you stream and chat while you play. 😊
I like to pet mine a little and give them a few kisses.
As a 60+ year old, I'm nearing retirement and my plan is as follows. Wake up late, consume much caffeine, walk my dogs, and play video games. Rinse and repeat... I have a backlog of games from hell to play and I'm looking forward to quality ME time!!! Thanks for the vid and seeya on the next one!!!
Enjoy retirement!
You're living the dream!
I'm in my early 50's and the only thing I "waste" money on is video games. I plan on retiring as soon as I can. Sleep to when I feel like it, get up look at the markets, have caffeine, exercise, do any S___work that needs to be done for the day, then shower and game. EDIT: Haha was listening while I typed this and heard finances. The reason I prioritize them is that I will soon get the freedom to not have to drive to work for 10 hours a day to do 💩that I don't want to do. Once you learn how they work it isn't so time consuming.
I hope you have another 60 years left in ya to live it up like this
teach me your ways@@DigitalHaze65536
Instead of playing my backlog, i hate myself for buying more games i'll never get to
That “You don’t deserve to Donkey Kong” bit was great!😂
Too real
It was fantastic
You don't deserve to Donkey Kong 🦍
It was hilarious and catchy at the same time, lol!.
It’s stuck in my head now lol
Appreciate our guy taking the time out of his own lack of gaming time to entertain us 👍
It's a genius plan. "No, honey, I'm not goofing off playing Katamari Damacy. I'm working! This is research!"
Now that I am retired I play in the morning while drinking coffee.
Sounds like a win-win situation!
Sounds pretty nice!
What's this retired you speak of? 😅
I heard they moved the retirement age to 69. Are you that old? If not, put the gloves back on. 😂
Nice! I’ll be working till death sadly
As an almost 40 year old single father, the guilt of playing sometimes is overwhelming...I needed this video. Thanks man!
Single dad here too. My youngest likes to play too, we were playing cuphead this week. I tend to play my games late at night. My biggest gripe is there isn’t enough time in a day and sleep is necessary. I wish days were 48 hrs with work hours still being standard 8-12hrs. Time flies when I’m playing and I get mad when the clock says 9pm when I start and 2:30am it what seems like an hour. 😅
Millennial with young kids here. Free time? No energy. Energy? No free time.
The struggle is real.
Kids are overrated
A millennial with kids very rare you must have full time custody
Energy is overrated.
My kids are 16 and 12, I have time when I make time but I just have little interest in playing
I'm a psychologist from Spain and you don't know how many times I have to talk with my patients about the time they lose with the phone. I call it "the scroll tiranny". People who are depressed because they feel like they lose the things that made them happy in the past, and when you ask them about how much time they spend with the social media and other things they find that they lose 2-3 hours per day. When they get to the point that allow them to not use too much the phone they start enjoying again videogames, reading, enjoy movies, create art...
I love your videos and your humor. And, in this case, I love how you treat that issue directly. I think that not most people understand how dangerous is the phone in terms of losing the point of what kind of things you really LOVE to do in tour life (specially when you're adult and time is limited, as you explained).
Thank you for sharing this!
I found a video game club online where we all play the same game each month and then get together on discord to discuss the game at the end of the month. We have a rule that the game must be beatable in 10 hours or less. I find this removes the guilt feeling for me because I know a bunch of other people are doing the same thing and it’s a social interaction too. Highly recommend it.
This sounds great!
What's it called? It's hard for me to find people in meat space to game with.
As a 40+ year old, uninterrupted time gaming is highly underrated!
I can't agree more!
I agree 100 percent. I work 10 hours day and only have 2 days off to 5 days off a week.
When I have free time that is actually free, it's glorious
Just be lonely with no kids, spouse, or friends. Plenty of time for games.
Just became a digital hoarder and then find it even to find a game on your Down time but deep down you know
I’ve got most of my nostalgic games somewhere 😂
@@Stu2be2 ive been downloading games since 1995 lol
Best retro gaming channel. Hands down!😂
Definitely one of the better ones, but it really depends on what you're looking for.
I found hungrygoriya recently and she does these little reviews of ancient games almost nobody in the modern day knows with a soothing voice.
Baberuthless is cool if you like classic fighting games, she covers the unbelievably niche genre of fighting game backgrounds and trying to find their real world inspirations when applicable. It's pretty neat.
Gamesack is a bit long winded and not as fun today with just the one host, but I like the transitions and they cover a lot of different content.
I've got some others but can't think of them atm, though I imagine most RPG-centric channels generally focus on PS1 and SNES.
@@StomachPlug Big Ole Words is good retro gaming channel if you like the NES
@@elgatofelix8917
Thank you for the suggestion, I'll give 'em a look.
I like what you have to say.
I like how he says it, too.
I have to play games between 2 and 4 am because I have to take care of a family, 4 dogs,cleaning the house,fixing things around house and working on my gameroom I have been working on it for 4years (gameroom) never get any sleep lol
He's the retro bird oh yeah....
Youre absolutely right about your phone. Everyone wastes time, including me, watching mindless content instead of doing something more enjoyable 😂
i put it away completely on occassion and im always surprised how much more free time i get
I’m doing that right now. Dammit!
You deserve to Donkey Kong!
We agree
Appreciated :)
I'll never unhear "You don't deserve the Donkey Kong" repeatedly.
to
This is the paradox, I have every game I could ever want on a fingernail sized SD card, and no time to play.
Is it a 5 terabyte SD card?
So stolen games?
@@bjornironsides6474 Yes
What's the point if your comment? You think people who "steal" video games care what some insignificant loser has to say online?
@@bens3767 I’d argue the person with no money to buy games legitimately, is the loser.
Oh my god, as a 42 year old husband and dad, but also as gamer of over 35 years, I've never related to a video so much in my life...
As a 95 year old husband and an 87 year old gamer, I don't know where I am right now
Going back to using official hardware on a real CRT has helped me a lot. I love RetroArch, but I'd find my gaming sessions being slowed down or halted by technical issues (driver/monitor stuff, controller sync, frame rate problems, etc) half the time.
Now I turn on the CRT, turn on a console, and play. Having the setup in a physically separate place helps as well as there are no distractions from other media.
Same for me. Hooking up my Genesis, SNES and PS2 to a CRT has been the most fun I've had in my gaming carrer. Sessions are short but sweet!
I literally configure the settings one time per core (at most) in retroarch and map the buttons if need be, and never have to touch it again. Sounds like a you problem XD
Yeah, I have 'me' problems. Seems to be fewer of those on original hardware, but I realize that won't be the case for everyone.
To be fair, Retroarch can be cumbersome to configure correctly and the UI is complex in many areas. I'm technical enough to compile my own versions of MAME and even I had trouble until I figured out how to get Retroarch to switch the refresh rates of my LCD monitor and TV to match the emulated hardware. Now I have zero desire to ever see a goddamn CRT ever again unless it's an oscilloscope.
Exactly it makes it so much more official and more nostalgic too
I hate that I relate to this video 😢 I want my endless video game weekends back from childhood!
2:00 wow this is literally my mind
That inner voice bit at the beginning was amazing.
I hate being too tired to even push some buttons but yeah I know how that feels, once upon a time I never dreamed that even possible.
😂 fr sometimes i turn on my pc or console get stuck choosing a game or searching the market place and thats as far as i get then i knock out.
@@the.littlest.toaster Oh I hate that too, game overload, there are too many options. I feel like we are in the golden age of gaming, but I sure do miss the old days of gaming, few options on the shelf, mastering what you had.
You’re not alone. I still wonder to this day how I played games for 6 hour or more at a stretch.
That energy is long gone, lol. Now an hour is a stretch.
Exactly @@majorgear1021
Damn, Retro Bird you really do get it. Being an adult is kind of the worst. I can never relax or enjoy just being lazy or playing video games for days on end because there’s always something i should be doing instead. Ugh, adult freedom is nice but now I’m chained down to all of the shit I had to buy and now how to take care of. Almost 40 years old, single, no kids, good career and good money, and have another 30 years of keeping all of it up before I finally get to die.
You sound like me. Lol
Something I try to keep in mind at all times.
"If you enjoyed the time you wasted, then it wasn't wasted time."
underrated comment
Cooking more at home for the family to save money. It has put a damper on my gaming time. Mainly weekends and holidays are best.
Being a dad to child with disabilities, and irregular sleep patterns, is extremely tough, because I always feel like I should sleep whenever I have the chance in the evening, because I will probably be woken up in the middle of the night for a few hours. I have found out that almost all newer triple A titles are out of the question because they take too long time to complete, but retro games are fantastic, because it’s instant action and fun, and even after playing only 15 minutes, I can still feel like I accomplished something, instead of grinding for hours to unlock key components to be able to advance.
I love AAA titles, but I agree… games are just getting way too long. 30hrs is a sweet spot for completion and revisiting, but most are easily 80-150hrs to thoroughly play through.
I usually make it a point to play video games at least once a day. On days off from work that's when I do the majority of game playing
For me, its my high school age kids, wife, and helping take care of my mother in law who lives with us due to health issues. But i am happy when i do get time, its fun and therapeutic.
I look forward to your videos every week, and am never disappointed. Thank you :)
Thank you for watching every week!
same here
I once decided to play a few minutes of Final Fantasy Tactics before bed. It felt like a couple of hour TOPS, but as I noticed the morning light splash into my room, I was shocked. That day was the hardest day of work I have ever had.
I was so inspired by this video that I put down my phone and stared at my games for a whole 10 minutes!
This is possibly the most relatable video I’ve ever seen… in fact, I carved out a little slice of “The time when the world stops” just to watch this video. Now it’s time to go back to feeling guilty for staying up too late to play silly games 👍
i play 1 hour aday roughly, but then i dont need to much in the house to keep it clean 30 mins a day to keep it clean is to much. Keeping a todo list and a time for fun is needed.
I got a 2DS around the time my son was born and I absolutely loved it. Being able to flick a switch and suspend a game - any game - and pick up later was amazing. Even in simple things like running an errand my wife would drive so I could get 5-10 minutes extra gaming in
Handheld gaming is the way to go! I was always fond of them growing up and now that i'm an adult it just makes more sense. Game on!
Yes the DSs are so covenient in that regard. Steam Deck comes close though.
I do play on weekends for 3 hours straight and I had made my peace on not beating the backlog of my games.
I work 5 days a week at Amazon. Only work 30 hours. However during those 5 days a week I am lifting bags that weigh an avg of 40 pounds. I put about 9 of those on a cart sometimes it's boxes on there or mixed. This is on 1 cart. I usually do anywhere from 10-20 carts just pulling them with a lot of weight every day to prepare the packages for the drivers.
So basically dealing with heavy boxes all day long. When I come home from work I go straight to me bed & take a nap because I am really tired. I basically watch old tv shows now because it's way easier just watching something than playing games.
Playing my games takes a lot of mental effort that I just don't have anymore. I don't play couch coop or vs because all my friends work different schedules than me. That's really hard now to get your friends over to play too. Then on my days off I play a couple of hours if my games. I really want to start focusing on playing games when I get home from work & I feel guilty not playing enough now.
If you'd rather just play on your days off, I see nothing wrong with that. Whatever helps you relax the most after each day of work is what's best!
I'm currently working 12 hour shifts so this video hits hard. Everyday I try to play for 30 minutes at the end of the day but I usually end up dozing off.
Don’t feel bad. I tend to read a book before bed, heck, in bed! … when I’m low energy.
My brain suggests “game?” and my body replies “book”
I find work gets a lot of my time. Not just being AT work, but the hour long commute each way. Very thankful for handhelds!
Oh yeah the buses can be terrible. I drive to my work.
Good advantage of public transport. Playing on the way to work. I did the same, but I have changed jobs now and van cycle to work. The extra time and energy I get now is great. I spend less than 30 per day on my commute now.
Yep, for me work doesn't strictly end when I leave, phone calls, emails etc. I have to set a personal cut off time after which, I don't care until the next day.
This is the best video about gaming I've ever seen! You can add the guilt of trying to stay healthy and not be a couch Potato. I got up early this weekend so I could game, go for a run, then game some more before the wife wanted to leave the house. You gave me a great idea though.. Instead of scrolling on my phone, I will game.
Nowadays I have more time watching TH-camrs like this guy than playing video games. Thank you for your service to the gaming community Sir.
The reason that the phone defaults as entertainment over video games: plausible deniability. I might seem to be doing something useful, and can set the phone aside at a moment’s notice when inevitably summoned to another task. If I go through the rigamarole to get settled playing a video game, I’m obviously and unavoidably just here for myself. I’m a dad with little kids and the work doesn’t stop when they go to bed.
That's a very astute way of looking at it!
“Eventually you will get to them”…….the problem is YOU NEVER WILL.
Time will become more precious and goes faster (yes it does!) the older you get and interesting games keep being published.
So the backlog keeps growing and then you realize you have way too many games.
So I quit buying them as I can’t play games more than a few hours a week and will never finish a game like Elden Ring or the 30+ hours Ubisoft trash.
So nowadays I buy a game……and finish it. And then buy a new game. Usually they are already discounted then as I don’t buy everything on release date anymore, so gaming becomes more fun and cheaper.
Thanks for again a great video @RetroBirdGaming
I may have the time, but i definitely don't have the physical ability!
If i play games for too long, i end up getting wrist and hand pain. I love long rpgs, but i end up taking lots of breaks from gaming (days to weeks at a time) to make sure im not stressing my hands.
I have other hobbies too, so i just rotate.
this is where game music comes to play. listening to the game can take my mind on the same adventure as playing it. as long as i'm familiar with the game of course.
I found that smartphone point really helpful. If you feel guilt or pressure of any kind when it comes to playing the games you enjoy, just think about the time you waste on your phone! Putting down the phone and trading in that time for gaming is a smart move-and it’s actually better for your brain!
The whole voices in my head skit is exactly what happens to me every time I try to relax
Have you tried having a notepad or note doc on your phone where you can list all the things? It tends to help me set them aside to write them down when they intrude upon whatever I'm trying to focus on.
@@KikiAelita thanks. I will try that
I find more time to play games if I schedule it. Like, on Mondays from 5-7 or some time that I can dedicate. It’s not that video games are as important as other things, but doing something you enjoy is self-care, which is important to do so you can keep doing all the required things you don’t like
This was so relatable across the board. The part about just staring at your games nails it for me. I think part of it is as you're going through you reminisce on the memories of past experiences with the various games you've played. It's kind of a stroll down memory lane. At least that's what it is for me.
Working from home in IT lends to my free time to play through my retro backlog. I get my stuff done as early and as fast as possible, multitasking a bunch, then get to shut the world off for hours each evening. Also prioritizing my 'me time' and the power of being able to just say no to people/things helps a lot. Nothing wrong with a little self care in whatever form that takes for you!
Playing video games is better then the most time consuming and idiotic pastime activity people still have nowadays: watching the TV program.
I have time to play video games - despite working fulltime and having 3 kids. Now do I have time to play all my games? Not even close. I have a huge retro and modern gaming collection but I have to prioritize what I want to play if I intend to beat it or not lose intrest in it.
Now I’m older with money I buy rare and expensive games then don’t play them too
I used to have time, and then I got older. I used to enjoy large open worlds or long RPGs. Now I greatly prefer games that can be completed in 10 hours or fewer.
Every time... "YOUR CAR NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE"
.... it takes like 20-30 mins though? Grab a beer and do it. Hell, I changed a CV shaft over my lunch.
@@the_kombinator It's more that it's just "one more thing" we need to get to.
@@RetroBirdGaming ... yeah and those things are easily ignored. Play more games!
Thanks for the reminder. Even though I let the dealership do it, I’m still stuck in their waiting room until it’s done.
_Trying to make time for video games can be dangerous if you choose the wrong time._
I played PUBG mobile on my phone and didn't realize that I was still sitting in the middle of traffic.
Horns were honking and people yelling. 😂
Thank you for this video. This was as good for me as a month’s worth of therapy. I have so much internalized guilt around taking time to play games. It hit me pretty deeply hearing you say that as someone who loves video games, taking time to play them is truly a necessity for a healthy life. Maybe with the money saved on therapy cost, I can buy an original copy of Chrono Trigger and give myself permission to take the time to play through it; something I’ve wanted for my whole adult life, but felt guilty about both the cost and time commitment required.
The guilt is a very real struggle. We all deserve to do the things we enjoy the most. Like I said in the video, it's nourishing and makes us better in the other parts of our lives :) Sometimes I find it helps to get a little something done right before jumping into a gaming session. Even if it's small, it gets you in a good mindset to let go of everything else and enjoy some games.
Yes! you do need the time & energy to even play a video games as we all grown old and have a lot of responsibility.
I have lots of free time to play video games, but I still find it hard to make progress in games due to having so many games to play and make progress on. I have almost completely cut out MMORPG games and online multiplayer games that demand too much time for too little progress.
I now try to focus on single-player games that have an actual end to them that I can enjoy in my own time instead of playing a game like Destiny 2 that demands all your spare time to keep your gear and level up to date and doing daily and weekly activities. That have limited time availability which causes stress and make gaming feel like work and not fun which they are meant to be.
I always have more to do than I have time to spend. Usually, my game time is just a very brief respite after my kids go to bed or playing with them on the weekends. I do hit a wall now and then, and my wife is very understanding if I need to unwind for a few hours from time to time. It's very rare that I don't feel that pang of guilt while playing, but once in awhile, I get to sink my teeth in unfettered and just play, and it's always happy.
I stare and appreciate my collection until I feel which game to play, setup the necessary console, then play it until I am bored... and then stay up until 3 am playing BG3 😅😅❤
Oh my I thought I was the only one with those internal voices making me feel guilty while gaming!!!!!!
I’m so glad you brought up the whole idea of spending too much time on the phone. I was in a rut, always thinking I didn’t have time to play games. And then noticed I was playing more games than ever, just on my mobile device. After a long internal dialogue, I deleted just about every game on my phone and went back to my consoles. I was a lot happier this way.
This video is gold! Gaming time is hard to come by, and also why I groan when every game is open world now. 60 hour game? Well that should only take me 4 months to beat.
This is all too relatable. I actively need to reserve time to play my games, otherwise it isn't happening.
I have only time to collect. It is very rare these days that I would actually play a game. I am simply tired after work
I wait till everyones asleep and game for 2-3 hours.
Hahaha that's exactly how it is for me. The guilt I feel when playing video games, that I should be doing something else. 2 kids and a full time job doesn't lend much time for games. Then when I do have time I'm usually to tired, so instead watch gaming videos on TH-cam that require less energy 😂.
Best video yet! Very poignant. Having a high pressure job, kids, and a wife and striving to keep all parties content, I neglect self care and take gratitude in the small instances I get to game. Setting myself up for retirement.Be well.
This is very true. Having a baby makes finding gaming time harder. I have switched to handhelds, but it is still hard to make time. One suggestion. Take a sick day once in awhile. Games are fun and finding time for them makes me happy.
Everybody should have time to, at least, play a single Road Rash race a week!
I enjoy Road Rash 2!
Anyways, these games have hilarious cut scenes after finishing the race 😂
@@Nightowl1981Love the 16-bit and 32-bit versions, great games!
Remember after hitting a cow in RR2 hitting the pause button immediately for an extended "Mooooo!" (You probably know about this hilarious trick... 😆)
@@Nightowl1981 I didn't know this!
@@roberto1519 Think this also works if you hit a moose in the Alaska track 🫎, haha.
The “you don’t deserve to donkey kong, your car needs an oil change” hit me hard 😂
Absolutely nailed it. After getting the kids to bed, walking the dogs and cleaning up I played about 30 minutes before passing out. Only to get up, walk and feed the dogs and play before the kids get up.
Young family here and my wife has many physical/mental health needs, so time is very lacking and definitely a victim of the guilt for wanting time for me! I mainly play handheld games so it's definitely the evening or if I'm lucky a 15-30 minute burst when there are fewer people about.
I've commented it before, but my lunch break at work is definitely my main gaming time!!
Amazing vids as always, thank you!
if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else. it's vital to always remember this. don't confuse it with being selfish. nobody else is going to look out for you to the degree you need, not even your family or wife.
Lunch breaks are a great way to break up the day. Glad to hear you are making such good use out of them.
Amazing video as always!
Wow, this really nails what gaming is like at this point in my life. Thanks for another great video!
You do it like this. You choose an old game that is skill based. You play to see how far you get then when you run out of continues you decide if you would like to play again or if there is no time you should do something else. So it's like 30 minutes.
Come on over and have some fun with Crazy Taxi!! ;)
So after work I hang out with my wife in the garage and play side pocket a pool game on Genesis. It’s also the laundry room so I “do laundry “ and play as well. So before I’m called in for dinner I play what I feel like. I also work on my car in the garage so there’s that too. But we usually have our friend over and play nba jam after dinner. But it helps to include the significant other.
I also have a NeoGeo mini bedside that I play before bed or if I’m too tired to hang in the garage.
That sounds like a great setup!
I maintain gaming time by watching pretty much no movies or television. Not a sacrifice everyone is willing to make, but for how much I love gaming, it's a no brainer for me.
I own a Steam Deck with Emudeck. It allows me to play while my wife and I relax after the kids go to bed🎉
Had a week off the other week, managed to play through one sonic game but that was it. Being an adult sucks ha
I'm 50 & about 6 years ago i made a career change. Figured i was 2 old to do stressful jobs & got a Night Security Job. Then about 2 years ago my kids school work went beyond me, so they are on there own. With that said my free time is wide open & i've been living my best video game life after work! Best way to describe it is watching Season 1of Grimsburg Episode 4. I'm basically the janitor at nights but instead of relaxing by an open fire I'm playing video games. Thanks for the bird seeds to the Mr. Heli video game!
"I dont judge people, thats a job for passive agressive distant relatives" that is one of the greatest lines ive ever heard. Its also FRICKING TRUE. My 88 year old papa cant understand why i play video games. I have two special needs kids. One of which has a 1 in 45,000 genetic disease and he cant walk at 5. I told him "papa its either video games, or drugs."
Hey chick, I came back to this just to say this for you: you're a good parent. Drugs will make you unfit to be the loving parent you are and may actually harm your ability to properly love. Your video games keep you a proper parent. Keep on loving your kids and being there for them. Always choose those games over that other, lesser option.
I have a day job to make money, but I have a second "dream" hobby outside of work. So it became a question of chasing that dream versus relaxing with gaming. So instead I fill the gaming itch by vicariously gaming through little videos like this on occasion.
The best advice you gave was in the backlog video, and that is to decide the night before which game to play the next day.
Just do it alphabetically. Even less to decide.
Yeah and also when he said about when choosing video games to play, think of it like renting a few out at a time, and focusing on only those select games for a while.
@@TheMysteryDriver that doesn’t really work you gotta be in the right mood to play certain types of games, and that is something that’s variable and unpredictable. Like there’s times to play racing games, fighting games, platformers, RPG’s, FPS, even Real Time Strategy games on PC - and everything in between.
Yeah, that really is one of my biggest pieces of advice. Makes things a lot smoother.
Amazing video, insights hit right on the nail. Related to everything you said so much I already watched this 2 and a half times instead of playing video games 😭 Absolutely agree, whatever it is you *want* to be doing, games or otherwise, you gotta clearly establish your boundaries, whether that be with your job, your friends/fam, or other commitments, and firmly set aside that uninterruptible “me time”. If there’s love and respect between you and your lawn, your lawn will understand.
As a single 40 year old man without children, I have a lot of time to play games, though somehow my backlog doesn't ever seem to budge 😅
"I don't have time" is something I have zero tolerance for hearing.
This excuse will _always_ be used by the same people who somehow manage to sit and scroll through their phone for hours at a time.
Even the busiest person can find time. You might just need to rely on handhelds more than you used to.
Did you watch until the end? I end up making some of the same points you do.
I went indie after working for PlayStation for about a decade. For me, indie life is hard and rewarding (not so much financially). It is a constant struggle to keep the lights on and the team paid. Because of that, I have overwhelming anxiety nearly every time I go to play games. “Why play games when you should be working?”. I do have a retro room though and sometimes just sitting down and recalling all the stories for each game / system can feel very recharging.
09:41 This is absolutely true and very well written! I catch myself scrolling from time to time and it always brings me down!
Yeah, its designed to be addictive.
From the perspective of having time to play video games a lot of the time, it’s actually a negative too. It’s definitely easy to give into the “you have time, go play this” or “go play that since you aren’t doing anything or don’t want to do anything” and it actually becomes quite bad as you begin to prioritize video game time over everything else. Keeping busy is definitely something I’d stress to do, as without having deadlines or due dates on anything video games can creep into your head more then they should.
This is quite common for me as I also deal with social anxiety so I stress and procrastinate while overthinking about important things and how I’ll do on them.
Definitely. Finding a nice balance between everything is the key :)
I have been on night shift for almost six years, and don't even get me started on how little free time I have for anything outside of work.
As a teacher, I have basically no time to play games during the school year, but a massive chunk of uninterrupted time alone during vacations to tackle my backlog and focus on more high-demand games. It’s not a bad trade off :)
We appreciate the time you take to make these videos brother.
I don't get off work until 2:30 A.M.
If i go to Bed by 5 A.M. i can get 1 & 1/2 - 2 Hrs. of Gaming a night
Which isn't "A Lot", but since i started this Job, I've still managed to beat 6 Star Fox Games, 7 Sonic Games, 2 MegaMan Games, and i Just started Pokémon Colosseum!
So it's Something!
2:30 am wow. Yeah I be very tired too if I finished at that time.
@tonyp9313 I mean, its 4pm - 2:30am
I'm not "Super" tired at the end of the day, but there is a Limit to how long I can stay up
@@nerdrage3626 Wow 10 hours. Yeah that's long. I only work 6 hours a day. Yeah for sure you need rest. Video games require a lot of time & effort
@tonyp9313 that just means I slowly Chip at my Games
Like I said, I Just started Pokémon Colosseum, and between 2 Days of Playing, I've only got 1 Hr. 20-something Min on my Playtime Save File!
Again, it's not A Lot, but it's Something! And I'm Fine with that!
@@nerdrage3626 Ok cool
retrobird, I gotta say, you are propably the cozyest content creator ever. I love that your videos are such a nice safe space for gamers. Sometimes I feel so ashamed playing video games because "it's just a silly game" but hearing you discuss exactly that makes me feel so mich better about my hobby. Great work man, thank you so much!
Happy to hear that my friend :)
This guy is Humble, and honest, and true and most importantly real, keep it up my dude. As you get older it's tough, I have no kids, no gf / wife and it's tough. You come home from work and you have maybe 4 to 5 hours max to enjoy videogames / Life! Sometimes you get to tired, so you just want to watch someone play a video game, or watch youtube videos... But, once you find that game that clicks for that time, it's a blast, but, I find it hard to find that game now, I can download a zillion games and not feel anything, but, again once you do, it's magic and why I still Love video Games.
I purchase around five to ten retro games a week, and I find myself just putting them in their designated console and testing the game for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure it works. Once I do that I add it to my collection and sometimes I may not pick it up for another year.
I love your videos been watching for few weeks, your the best !