Today we go back in time and look at the nostalgia of buying games in person.
Getting a new game used to feel like a big deal. Maybe you had been saving your pocket money for weeks, or waiting for your birthday with one game at the top of your list. You might have seen it in a magazine, played it at a friend’s house or spent ages looking at the box in a shop.
By the time you finally got it, you were already excited. It was not just another game to add to a library. It was the one you had been thinking about all week, and you could not wait to get home and play.
THE TRIP
Walking into a game shop was part of the fun. You would look through the shelves, turn the boxes over and try to work out which game was worth your money. Sometimes you knew exactly what you wanted. Other times, you went in for one thing and left with something completely different.
There was usually a game you picked up every visit, even when you knew you could not buy it yet. And if you were choosing between two, it could feel like a massive decision. You wanted something that would keep you busy for more than a weekend.
THE EXCITING-LY LONG JOURNEY HOME
Once you had bought it, getting home suddenly seemed to take forever. If someone had another shop to visit first, that was the last thing you wanted to hear.
You would read the back of the box again, look through the manual and imagine what the game was going to be like. Even before playing, you might have already picked your favourite character or decided which car you wanted, the excitement was eating us all alive!
Then you finally got home, put the game in and heard the console start up. After all that waiting, even the first menu felt exciting.
THE BAD NEWS
The bad news nowadays is that, this doesn't really exist as much as it used to.
Local game shops are closing down and digital gaming is controlling the market, infact some companies are even thinking about virtual-only releases!
Here at Kaico we disagree, we think all games should have disc releases, as you really own the game your paying for on disc, you can display it in your collection, and if for some reason you dislike it or want to sell it, the option is there. The problem with Virtual only games is that, you don't really own it, you just have the license to play it.
Whats your take on this?
BRINGING THE OLD FEELING BACK
It is easy to miss the whole experience, not just the game. The saving up, choosing carefully and spending the journey home looking at the box all became part of the memory.
You do not have to build a huge collection to enjoy that again. Finding one game you always wanted, or getting an old favourite out for the first time in years, can be enough. Put your phone down, get comfortable and give it a proper evening rather than switching between five different things.
If your old console is still packed away, maybe this is your excuse to bring it back out.
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