A gamer has demonstrated that even the latest installments of Nintendo’s RPG franchise,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, still look pretty great on old-school CRT TVs. The gamer in question posted the game running on a CRT unit on social media, complete with the scan lines in all their glory. It isn’t the first such post of a modern game running on an old TV to get attention, another example beingHalo Infinitedisplayed on a CRT TV.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetwerereleased in November 2022, as the most recent mainlinePokemongames for Nintendo’s current generation Switch hardware. The games are set in an open-world Paldea, with three separate storylines available: “Victory Road,” “Starfall Street,” and “Path of Legends.” The games feature 400 Pokemon, 110 of them brand new toScarlet and Violet.CollectivelyPokemon Scarlet and Violetsold more than 10 million copies in the first three days after release, accounting for Nintendo’s biggest game launch ever, and have now sold over 20 million copies.
RELATED:Pokemon Fan Designs Human Versions of Cyndaquil, Totodile Evolution Lines
User RockerXt posted a screenshot of the game on what appears to be a Sony Wega TV on thePokemon Scarletand Violetsubreddit. The caption of the post reads: “The only way to play is on a CRT.” The unit in question appears to be a Sony Wega model from 2004, outputting at 480i. The model features a flat glass panel, likely a 32" one. This particular Wega CRT features Sony’s Hi-Scan feature and TruSurround SRS with Steady Sound automatic volume control, as well as CineMotion 3-2 Pulldown—a feature that supposedly preserves the quality of older video shot at 24FPS. It is part of the FD Trinitron line which isamong the most highly sought-after types of CRT TVamong retro gaming enthusiasts. As others pointed out in the post’s comments, even newer games likePokemon Scarlet and Violetsometimes look sharper on CRT models.
Cathode-ray Tube (CRT) TVs utilize electron gunsto “draw” the screen with electron beams. CRTs, though considered “outdated” compared to more recent video display technologies like LCD and OLED, do retain a few advantages, including true blacks and lack of motion blur as well as minimal input lag thanks to the use of an analog signal. Playing on a CRT is considered a must for retro gaming purists, as CRT was the technology most classic games were generally created for.
CRT can also make newer games look good as well, and lend them a retro flair, as RockerXt demonstrated with their post. Many users in the comments section expressed their feeling of nostalgia at seeingPokemon Scarlet and Violetrunning on the older technology. One commenter simply quipped, “Super Mario Sunshinevibes.” Many classic game system emulators also feature a CRT display mode to capture the “old-school” feel of older games. As noted in the comments, even newer games can look better on CRT in the eyes of some gamers.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available now for Nintendo Switch.
