Gaming History → Extra Life Retro

Posted on September 19, 2026

Why Batman Was Always Destined for Video Games

Batman was suited to video games long before video games were capable of doing everything Batman does.

The character already possessed almost every ingredient game designers spend years trying to create: hand-to-hand combat, stealth, detective work, gadgets, vehicles, traversal, environmental problem-solving and a world filled with distinctive locations, villains and visual atmosphere.

Category: Action, Action-Adventure, Arcade, Beat ’Em Up, Commentaries Tags: Arkham Asylum, Batman, Batman Day, Batman Games, DC Comics, Gaming History, Retro Batman Games, retro gaming, Superhero Games, Video Game History

Why 16-Bit Pixel Art Still Looks Timeless

by Big Willie Retro

The enduring appeal of 16-bit graphics isn’t just nostalgia for cartridges, CRT televisions or afternoons spent sitting too close to the screen. It comes from something deeper: artists working within severe technological boundaries developed an extraordinarily expressive visual language built around color, silhouette, animation, suggestion and imagination.

Category: Commentaries Tags: 16-Bit Gaming, Gaming History, retro gaming, sega genesis, SNES, Video Game Art

Why Retro Game Re-Releases Matter More Than Ever

by Big Willie Retro

The games we grew up with shouldn’t become museum pieces we can remember, collect, and watch—but no longer easily play. There was a time when rediscovering an old game could happen almost by accident. Maybe you spotted a… Read More

Category: Commentaries Tags: Classic Games, Game Collecting, Gaming History, GOG, Nintendo Switch Online, remasters, Retro Game Re-Releases, retro gaming, Retro Gaming Culture, Video Game Preservation