Are the 1980s cool again? Did I miss a memo? Should I be growing my mullet again and pulling out my cassettes? What is it with game publishers, book publishers, video game studios, and Hollywood all converging on the 80s suddenly?
Are you a child of the 80s like me? If so, have you noticed everyone heading back to the 80s? This past year I noticed it starting with a serious rush of nostalgia in my hobbies the past few months. It started when I picked up the G.I. Joe Deck Building Game and pre-ordered the G.I. Joe RPG, which just arrived last month. I loved watching the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero cartoon back in 1983. That was the early hints to the big hair decade renaissance that became a nostalgic mosh pit of excitement in recent months.
Next up was the release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredders Revenge releasing for the PS4. I enjoy the original comic, but it really was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness RPG of 1985 that began my interest in the mutant martial artists. So much mutant and post apocalyptic fun playing that ttrpg with my friends in high school and college. And to cap off this turtle time, I picked up The Last Ronin graphic novel and relished returning to the story of the Turtles.
Last weekend, I went to see Top Gun Maverick as my first in theater movie in three years. I remember seeing the original Top Gun back in 1986, becoming a favorite movie with one of THE best soundtracks of all time. This new movie took my breath away just like the first one.
This week saw USPS delivering to my doorstep the new Spelljammer: Adventures in Space for D&D 5e. I am a huge fan of the original Spelljammer campaign from 1989, with a nearly complete set of the rpg materials and all the novels. This time, I get to play in the ttrpg rather than DM it! Can’t wait for our Spelljammer campaign to start!
I also watched Wizards Presents 2022 which announced, amongst many other things, the release of a new Dragonlance campaign setting for D&D 5e. I read the original Dragonlance Chronicles back in 1984, with Sturm Brightblade quickly becoming my favorite character in the stories as a huge fan of knights and paladins.
And to top this 80s nostalgia tour off, I saw a poster that Stryper will be in concert nearby. Not going to the concert, but I still love listening to Soldiers Under Command from 1985 when I need my big hair metal fix. Now I have Battle Hymn of the Republic as an ear worm and love it!
Time to pull on my ripped jeans, tie a bandana to my leg, put my hat on backwards, and slip into my untied high tops. Gotta enjoy this nostalgia while it lasts!
What do you find nostalgic? Have you ever had a convergence of nostalgia where so many things bring back memories all at once that it has to be more than a coincidence?