Recently, the rise of retro gaming has refocused our attention towards old and classic games. But bringing these gems to a new generation presents a unique challenge: translation. And why even translation, so that this huge generation and cultural gap can be filled? Gaming translation plays an important role in this regard. Retro games were born in a different era, filled with cultural references, slang, and puns. With only proper translation, these references can be understood or else they might fly over the heads of modern players.
Basically, these retro games are a nostalgic trip to the past for millennials and an insight into that past for Gen Z. So now let’s talk about these retro games and what challenges arise when gaming translation services translate these games for the target audiences.
In the 1970s, came retro games which were a very new concept at that time. In simple words, these games are old school games that are out of print today. There are different schools of thought that describe retro games according to their understanding. One school of thought claims, any game which is older than 10 years becomes a retro game. These games are played on PS3, Xbox 360, and PSP.
These games were hugely popular back in the day, even though their graphics wouldn’t impress someone who is used to fancy smartphones or super powerful gaming consoles which are trending these days. Retro games are all about the fun gameplay, catchy tunes, and simple controls that anyone can pick up and play. For instance, Minecraft, Pacman, Mario Bros, and many more.
Despite the fun that these retro games bring, there are certain challenges that arise during their translation. The whole point of translation is to make these games accessible to global audiences. These games are a mirror that showcases what people before us used to play and how fun and engaging that was.
Let’s talk about the guardian of these games and how important a role it plays, intellectual property translation agency. IP translation services help developers navigate the legal complexities of different target markets while protecting your game titles, characters and storylines. They translate copyright and trademarks to ensure legal protection of your creative assets in foreign markets and help your game get global recognition.
There are certain words that are used in these retro games that were the custom back in the day. However, today these words might not be in use that much especially by Gen Z. For instance, words like “phat beats” or “phat rides” sound very old to this new generation. Therefore, translators need to find a way to explain these references or swap out these words t for something more relevant, like “epic tunes” or “sweet cars. If you remember, in the 1980s and 1990s, the term floppy disk was very common. Casual gamers today might not even recognize the icon so forget about the concept. Here, translators need to find out ways to explain these bygone references to the new generation.
For instance, “You need 3 floppy disks to save your game” can be translated into “Saving yourself requires additional storage space”. In the 1990s, pirates were the most prominent thing in American culture, probably because of Johnny Depp’s character, Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean. So the term, “Talk like a Pirate Day” was very much heard in the games. Translators need to replace them with something relevant to the current audience.
Sometimes, direct translation won’t capture the original humor or meaning. So translators need to localize the joke to fit the modern context. For instance, in a retro game, a character says, “This is bananas!” (meaning crazy). A modern translation might keep the spirit of the phrase but change it to, “This is wild!”
The revolution of retro games is proof of the timeless appeal of fun gameplay. Gaming translation plays a crucial role in bridging the generation gap and cultural barriers that exist between these classic titles and a modern audience. These translators are not just converting words. They are providing a window into the past and making it accessible for the global audience.