When you want a new video game, where do you go?  Gamestop?  Toys R Us?  The internets?  You’ve got a lot of options, whether you’re borrowing, renting or purchasing.  But what about those of us who love yesteryear?  When we find out about an old NES game we must have, what are our choices?  It may seem like we’re out of luck, but with a little hunting you can snag some gems here and there.  Keep reading for a list of where to begin your search, regardless of your geographic location.


Living in New York City, I have the wonderful opportunity to shop at a few stores that specialize in the old school.  My drug of choice is Video Games New York (featured in the video below) on East 6th and 3rd Ave.  The place is about as big as my apartment, probably smaller, but has every single video game anything you can imagine.  From walls of cartridges, current generation imports, and custom console cases, to new Dreamcasts for sale, Virtual Boys, Commodore Datasettes, and piles and piles of controllers, there’s nothing I’ve ever wanted that hasn’t been in here.  Just last week, I found out about a music composing system in the game Dance Aerobics.  I went to VGNY, searched the wall, found it, paid and left.  It’s a marvelous thing.  There’s also a shop closer to me in Brooklyn, Game Champ (8 Nevins St.) that has a similar set up, but not quite the selection. 

What about those you not in a big city?  Not to worry.  I grew up in rural Virginia, and still managed to find some pretty good stuff.  It takes a bit of looking, and persistence, but it’s out there.  You just have to know where to look.  Start with your local thrift stores.  Goodwill, Salvation Army, and local pawn shops are hit or miss, but when they hit they hit big.  I have a huge collection of Master System and Intellivision cartridges, still in the box, manuals and overlays in tact, that I got for $1 each at a Goodwill in VA.  Also, yard sales or garage sales sometimes have diamonds in the rough.  Kids grow up and move away, and their parents perhaps go through the attic, find some old Sega games, and decide to get rid of them.  There’s a thrill to the hunt, to finding that certain game or system buried under pots and pans.  And while it’s not always yielding returns, it’s fun and always ends up with a good story to tell.

Now if you’re really adventuresome, or don’t like to leave the house, the internet has got you covered.  My only problem with this, is that it’s a huge ocean, and the big fish know how valuable they are.  Most people on eBay or Craigslist aren’t just giving away Saturn games, but a few might.  When meticulously searching these sites, don’t be afraid to search common misspellings or generic lots.  Search the Toys section, and not just the Games or Electronics.  People sometimes don’t know better.  Also, seek out message boards or other retro communities.  Places like 8BitCollective have a very active For Sale/Trade/Wanted board that includes gaming, modding, and all the like.

Places like these should be a good start to add to your collection or feed your retro gaming addiction.  Good luck and happy hunting!

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