If you’re asking whether you should play classic or retail World of Warcraft (WoW), you probably weren’t around when Blizzard Entertainment released the iconic game in 2004. And that’s a good thing, as you can experience this massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with fresh eyes and mind.
The following games and expansions of WoW build on the lore and gameplay of the original, treating a generation of gamers to stunning visuals and dynamic character building once unparalleled in the MMORPG world.
This article dissects different elements of the gaming experience to help you decide which game is for you. This includes the following:
- General experience
- Graphics
- Class balance, talent, and races
- Leveling
- Endgame content
- Population
These gaming elements should give you a glimpse into what to expect, helping you choose which one to boot up the next time you hit Azeroth.
General experience
Players who enjoy classic WoW take pride in the hard work they put in and the success it entailed. Everything is that much harder in classic WoW, requiring the grind old-school RPG fans know and love. But while the grind can be tedious, it also gives players a sense of accomplishment with every level and item they gain. The challenge WoW classic offers is what hardcore fans believe gave this version its edge.
On the flip side, if you want to enjoy the content and the gameplay, the retail version might be for you. Retail WoW allows players with little to no MMORPG experience to jump right into the action and explore the adventures that await in the more expansive world of Azeroth. It’s ideal if you don’t have hours to spend gaming.
Of course, you can always go to game-boosting websites such as www.kboosting.com and purchase a WoW boosting service to help you skip the grind.
Graphics
The classic version looked like what games released in 2004 did. Absent the technologies that gave the retail version its visual dynamism, it appears decidedly retro. However, with Gen Z developing a taste for retro games, this could be a plus for classic WoW.
Retail WoW’s unmistakable visual styling is one of the primary things that set it apart from other MMORPGs, especially during the era of the first expansions. The action featured bursting spell and attack effects from characters with distinct, eye-catching, and vibrant skins. Retail is undeniably the way to go if you’re particular about superior graphics.
Class balance, talent, and races
Character development is pitifully limited in classic WoW, with players only able to build characters one specific way. This means you can only turn your character into a tank, healer, or damage dealer, as resetting requires going to a quest trainer and paying to redistribute talent points. In addition, each reset gets more expensive than the last. And while this might make you a lethal specialist, it hinders you from becoming a diverse player.
Conversely, retail WoW has an independent talent tree for each specialization. Resetting is also free, which allows players to develop and play as healers, damage dealers, and tanks. Retail WoW also has more balanced classes, empowering player creativity and thinking outside the box. As you might imagine, this leads to a more diverse breed of players.
Leveling
As alluded to earlier, everything is much more challenging in classic WoW. Leveling up requires doing nearly all available quests. In addition, spells are more expensive, forcing players to be more conscientious with using them. Apart from paying for boosting services, you must grind to develop your character and complete the skill tree. But as with things that require hard work, the achievements are far more rewarding.
This isn’t the case with the retail version, where you can level your character without specializing in a single profession. And while this allows you to enjoy what the game offers quickly, seasoned WoW players feel like something is lost when the game serves everything on a platter. Again, this is a matter of preference and time players have on their hands. Although, this is something “Dragonflight” appears to address, with a player reported grinding for 200 days to reach max level.
Endgame content
When you finish the game, retail WoW offers new arenas, battlegrounds, and dungeons with new difficulty levels, allowing you to enjoy more WoW. The upcoming “Dragonflight” expansion has six major updates in store for players. Unfortunately, there’s no endgame content in classic WoW, ultimately limiting it to a one-off experience for most gamers.
Population
Classic WoW is more community-driven, where you interact with other players to get things done. Following the hype surrounding its 2019 release, gamers have reverted to retail WoW. A significantly lower player base makes it exponentially more challenging to get anything done than on classic WoW, much less enjoy its limited game content.
In addition, it’s much easier to find groups to explore dungeons and perform quests in retail WoW using its group finder (although some fans have expressed frustration with the limited feature). Classic WoW doesn’t have this feature, requiring players to do dungeons manually. This might be classic WoW’s most significant issue, as even those willing to grind may not have people to play with.
Final words
Despite their differences, both games received generally positive reviews following their respective releases. When Blizzard released classic WoW in 2019, critics and fans noted that the retro gaming experience had aged well despite games with more advanced graphic engines and sophisticated storylines. Similarly, the expansion releases of the retail version received high marks from critics and fans alike.
Ultimately, when it comes to classic vs. retail WoW, it’s not a question of which one you should play, as there’s a time and place for both. If you missed out on the challenging, albeit rewarding, gameplay and retro visuals, you might enjoy the classic WoW grind. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more straightforward gaming experience full of content, you’d be best served by the retail version.
As with most things, classic and retail WoW have pros and cons, with unique offerings for different gamers. You can’t go wrong with either choice, as World of Warcraft’s enduring lore and gameplay has become a generation’s staple.