The Rise of the Retro Game Market

Battletoads was one of my favorite games for the NES.  Not that I ever got very far in the game.  My 15 year old self just couldn't handle the challenge of what is widely considered one of the most difficult games ever made.  I've often thought if I could go back to the game as an adult, with all my years of gaming experience, could I get past that damn third level.

Well, with the boom in the retro gaming market it is conceivable that I could go back and find out.  Where I'm from, there are no less than 4 locally owned and very successful businesses that specialize in selling older titles - no current generation titles allowed.  It has been fascinating to watch these stores grow.  One of the more successful stores actually has multiple locations within the region.

I've wondered if this is a local trend, or if it is something happening across the country.  I think I got my answer this week when Gamestop announced they will begin selling retro games going all the way back to the NES.  For now they will only sell them online.  But if Gamestop has decided there is money to be made I'm assuming retro gaming is more widely popular and not just confined to my part of the woods.

Emulators that allow you to go back and play many of these retro titles for free have been popular for years, so why is this suddenly a trendy segment of the gaming marketplace?  I imagine it has something to do with the fact that members of the Mario generation are now entering the 30s and 40 and have more disposable income to spend, and are looking for ways to reminisce about their earlier days of gaming.  And walking into one of these stores definitely brings back memories.  Out of curiosity I went into one the local retro stores.  The first game that caught my eye was Bayou Billy for the NES.  I immediately thought of sneaking downstairs with my cousin after hours to play that game until 4 in the morning.  In one corner of the store was an CRT monitor set up with an NES playing the original Ninja Gaiden.  I immediately thought back to when a friend opened the game on his Birthday.  We rushed downstairs and passed up cake and an open pool ( on a very hot day) to sit in his basement and play for the remainder of his party.

Somehow I managed to walk out without buying one of the refurbished NES systems and a handful of the cartridges.

If you have a few of these stores in your area, I would highly recommend stopping in to look around.  If nothing else it will jog your memory.  But just in case...bring your wallet.