[gamescom 26] A Journey Through Gaming Memories in the Retro & Family Area

[gamescom 26] 추억 속 게임 여행, 레트로·패밀리 에리어

gamemeca • Kim Hyung Jong 게임메카 김형종 기자 2026.08.30 16:51 UTC+9

AI Summary

Gamescom 2026 features a retro and family area celebrating 8-bit and 16-bit classics. Visitors enjoy vintage consoles, CRT monitors, and nostalgic multiplayer sessions. This heartwarming space bridges generations through shared gaming memories.

Look, let's be honest, Gamescom 2026 brought something genuinely charming to the show floor: the Retro, Family Area. It is packed with classic 8-bit and 16-bit titles. We are talking about restored vintage gems, lovingly crafted nostalgic consoles, and indie studios inspired by retro aesthetics showing off their brand new games for everyone to get hands-on with.

Crucially, the magic here is the brilliant marriage of retro nostalgia and family bonding. Seeing mums and dads who grew up with these classics holding hands with their kids, gifting them a slice of gaming history, is enough to put a cheeky smile on anyone's face. Kids today might not fully vibe with pixel art at first glance, but gazing at those crisp pixels through chunky, heavy CRT monitors—heaven knows where the organisers dug those up—nails the authentic period vibe. I grabbed my camera to capture this heartwarming bridge between the past and the present.

▲ Gamescom Retro, Family Area (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Various companies exhibiting classic retro games (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Classics like Tetris and Pac-Man making an appearance (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Playing a shoot 'em up with a vintage-style keyboard (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Games that look awfully familiar (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A Sailor Moon beat 'em up game (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Enjoying Super Mario with a giant controller (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Third-party retro controllers are also available for testing (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A competitive Tetris tournament is underway right in the centre (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Player number 3 dashing forward (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Seriously, where did they even find monitors like these (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Retro-styled third-party consoles have also made an appearance (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ The universally beloved Metal Slug (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Plenty of nostalgic hits like Bomberman (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Next up, Virtua Fighter—a tough one for any veteran to walk past (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Families huddled together enjoying classic fighting games (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Alongside Tekken (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Even Duck Hunt makes the cut (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A solid lineup of retro-inspired titles reimagining classic gaming (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Each showing off its own quirky charm (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Inside the room-style exhibition spaces (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ You can relive the good old days of gaming right from a living room sofa

▲ Even vintage controllers make a faithful return (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A delightful themed zone where the whole family can gather and play (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

게임스컴 2026에는 독특한 체험 공간이 열렸다. 바로 '레트로, 패밀리 에리어'로 고전 8비트, 16비트 시절 게임들이 다수 등장했다. 고전게임을 복원하거나, 옛 감성이 가득한 콘솔 기기를 만들거나, 레트로 게임에 영감을 받은 개발팀이 자신의 신작을 들고 출품해 많은 이들이 체험할 수 있도록 했다.

특히 중요한 점은 바로 이런 레트로 감성과 '가족'을 결합했다는 점이다. 고전게임의 추억이 있는 아버지, 어머니들이 자식들의 손을 잡고 직접 옛 기억을 선물하며 함께하는 모습은 미소를 부르기에 충분했다. 특히 요즘 아이들은 도트 감성을 잘 이해하지 못하는데, 어디서 구했지 모를 CRT, 브라운관 모니터를 통해 바라보는 도트 그래픽은 당대의 감성을 확실하게 전했다. 옛과 지금을 잇는 행복한 공간을 카메라로 담아봤다.