Dear Future Gamer,

Rumours are rife that the new generation console from Sony will be backwardly compatible. I am in two minds about this. It could be a good thing as it has previously seemed to me that software developers only start to really test a machine to its limit, producing its best ever games, in the few short months leading up to the system being replaced by a newer one.

For this reason, backwards compatibility would be an excellent idea. Developers used to the workings of the current system could employ their latest tricks in the first titles for the new system - hopefully leading to games which don’t just rely on new improved looks.

But then again - would this slow down the development of new games? Would we have had Super Mario 64 if the N64 had been developed to be compatible with SuperNES? Would we have Zelda 64 this side of the millennium?

And as for playing our old games once more - how many of us have rushed home from a car-boot sale with an old Atari VCS to find ourselves lamenting that fiver spent only 10 minutes later? Old games? Classics? We’re all guilty of looking back with rose-tinted glasses. No matter how much I enjoyed Paradroid on the C64 - I’m not going to suggest it can kiss the feet of GoldenEye 007 on N64. So which side will win? Backwards compatibility or not? I can’t make up my mind. Can Sony?

P. Tupman

FG: Backwards compatibility is something everyone thinks is a good idea but isn't often worth the effort. The games aren't any better because they're on a more powerful system and playing old games really isn't as much fun as we like to kid ourselves it is. We're all for it in principle though, because it at least gives the player the option to play their old games.