Retro video gaming has become something of a pop culture phenomenon lately, with video game music and themes featured in television commercials for Hummer and Saturn sport utility vehicles. A top 20 R&B hit, “Game Over (Flip)” by Lil’ Flip features sound effects from “Pac-Man.”

It’s not just nostalgia that’s fueling retro video interest, says O’Hara. He thinks the old games were simply more fun to play: “There’s a phrase that’s used a lot in marketing – ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ – that describes most classic video games.” —Michael Felberbaum —Classic Video Games Make a Comeback (AP|MyWay)