"Mass Replay" Creator on Retro Gaming & YouTube Success

John (0:03)

So, we're back on Love Your Channel. This is where we talk to YouTube creators and get to know something about them, their channels, and how they use YouTube to share their interests, hobbies, passions, opinions, expertise, and so on with the world. So, every now and then, you see something on YouTube that gets your attention because it's different. And I don't necessarily mean a whole new topic, but just like a fresh take or a unique twist on a familiar topic. And that's what I saw a few weeks ago from a channel called Mass Replay. Okay, so the channel is all about retro gaming, and the video that was recommended to me was about how much it would have cost, back in the day, to beat a game called Dragon's Lair, which took me back immediately because I remember this game as a kid. Nothing special today, but at the time, it was like, wow, graphically, it was like another universe. But anyway, that's a different subject. Maybe we'll talk about that later. But so again, how much would it cost to finish the game? Because you have to remember, back in the day, you had to feed quarters into the machine and you had to feed lots into the machine if you wanted to progress and actually beat the game. In fact, I think Dragon's Lair may have been two quarters at a time. I think it was, as a matter of fact. But so anyway, I see this video. I'm thinking this is a great angle, great way to combine lots of things about retro gaming. And all the while, I'm watching the Dragon's Lair video, other videos in the series. I'm visualizing all these quarters disappearing into the machine. Anyway, I reached out to the creator behind the channel. I'm happy to say he's agreed to come on and talk to me about the channel, Dragon's Lair and retro gaming and lots of other stuff. His name is Steve. Before we go any further, let's give a warm welcome to Steve. Thanks for joining me on Love Your Channel.

Steve (1:39)

Hi, John. Thanks for having me. All right.

John (1:42)

Everybody gets the first question, the same first question I should say, Steve. Let's say you meet somebody who just learns that you have a YouTube channel. They ask you what it's all about. How do you answer?

Steve (1:54)

So my YouTube channel is about retro gaming with a very heavy focus on arcades. My main series on the channel is called Arcade Economy, where I take a look at old arcade games, determine how much it costs to beat them back in the day. And by that, I mean, then I will adjust that cost for inflation today to really see how much it would have cost with the purchasing power. But also, I take a look at how fair the games were to. And I have created what's called a predatory meter, if you think of a predatory loan, to determine really how fair each game was. And while I'm doing that, I provide a lot of context for the games, in case maybe you're not familiar with the games. So I go into the development and the history of it, and some of the gameplay mechanics, and then I kind of give my take on like, why I think it's fair or why I think it's unfair.

And yeah, I guess that's my main series, but I do have a few other videos on the channel, but that's really the one that's been taking off.

John (3:02)

So tell us something more about yourself and what you're all about. What keeps you busy when you're not playing retro games, making videos about retro games, talking about retro games and so on?

Steve (3:13)

As many people have noticed, I'm a very big metalhead with my Gojira shirt and my black Sabbath hat. I do attend a lot of metal concerts annually. I think I'm actually going to see Iron Maiden for the seventh time this year. Seventh time over the course of my lifetime, not in one year. But I believe they're playing with Meganathan Anthrax, like three of my favorite bands there.

So I'm a really big metalhead. In my day job, I'm a digital marketer, and I play a ton of video, not just retro games, but this is coming out the end of February. I believe Resident Evil 9 just dropped today. That's something I'm looking forward to getting into.

John (3:59)

Let me start with a big picture question about retro games, especially today in this age of perfect graphics and huge productions and online multiplayer and so on. There's still a huge fan base for games that were released 40 years ago or more. How do you explain or what's your take on the fact that these games still have an enduring appeal despite what on paper look like better options today?