--- title: Gaming Articles and Retro Gaming Blogs | The Old School Game Vault description: Browse the latest gaming articles and retro gaming blogs from The Old School Game Vault. Explore expert reviews, collector tips, console guides, and video game history. canonical_url: https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles language: en-GB date: 2025-12-08T20:33:53Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles. markdown-tokens: 1448 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. # Retro Gaming Articles & Opinions [ ![In-Game Advertising Example: Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds Billboards, IGA](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/IGA-Example-Billboards.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/635-in-game-advertising-iga "In-Game Advertising: From Billboards to Battle Passes") Shaun White Skateboarding turned Stride gum ads into unlockable achievements in 2010. Now, Fortnite makes you pay to become the ad yourself. How in-game advertising got worse. [ ![Mario kart racing evolution from SNES to Switch 2 across multiple Nintendo generations.](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Mario-Kart-Evvolution.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/kart-racing-games "Kart Racing Games That Never Get Old: Mario Kart to Lego 2K Drive") Kart racing hooked me in the early 90s and never really let go. Here's how the genre followed me from high school through adulthood, and what my kid and I have been playing together now. [ ![Timeline of Nintendo console releases from NES (1985) to SNES (2091) showing units sold and release years](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Nintendo-Console-Sale-Timeline.avif) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/console-generation-behind-gaming-strategy "Why Gaming a Console Generation Behind Saves You Hundreds") Staying current is great, but being behind is fantastic. Gaming a generation behind saves money and dodges launch chaos. [ ![quality nintendo nes circle seal vs oval seal](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/NES-Seal-of-Quality-Guide.avif) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/1104-nintendo-nes-label-seal-guide "NES Seal of Quality: Label Variants, Red Labels, and Value") Learn about Nintendo Seal of Quality variants on NES cartridges, from the original black/gold seal to white/gold changes, plus red-top Canadian labels and Classic Series reprints. [ ![NES Cartridge Variants: How to Spot 5-Screw vs 3-Screw from the Bottom](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/5%20Screw%20Vs%203%20Screw%20NES%20Game%20Difference.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/the-variations-reasoning-of-nintendo-nes-cartridges-screws "NES 5-Screw Cartridges: History, Value, and How to Identify Them") A 5-screw Mike Tyson's Punch-Out sells for $250 while the 3-screw version goes for $47 - the screw count isn't just trivia, it's the difference between common and collectible. [ ![Side-by-side comparison of 60-pin Famicom board, Famicom to NES adapter, and 72-pin NES board showing internal converter structure](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/NES-Famicom-Board-How-to-Find-Them.avif) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/1053-the-elusive-nes-famicom-adapter "How to Find NES Famicom Adapters in Gyromite & Other Launch Games") My employees get excited when they find a Famicom adapter. However, 90% of NES collections lack them. Here's how to spot the rare ones using the weight test and screw count method. [ ![Original Final Fantasy VII PS1 character model compared to the modern Final Fantasy VII Remake Cloud Strife.](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/PS1-FFVi-Compared-to-FFvii-Rebirth.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/ff7-original-and-remake-at-the-same-time "How Playing the Original FF7 Made Me Fall in Love with the Remake") Before diving into FF7 Remake and Rebirth, I went back to the 1997 original, and it made both games infinitely richer. Here's how I structured the experience. [ ![Red Dead Redemption PS3 box art – Regular vs Game of the Year vs Greatest Hits versions](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/greatest-hits-vs-original-game-labels.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/1017-greatest-hits-versions-of-video-games "Black Label vs Greatest Hits: Which Game Versions Are Worth More?") Black label PS1 games sell for two to four times what greatest hits versions bring. But on GameCube, I can sell Player's Choice at close to black label pricing. Label variants matter differently by console. [ ![Enemy leveling systems can really make or break an RPG. The key is knowing when to fight and when to run away.](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Final-Fantasy-XII-T-Rex-Encounter.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/enemy-leveling-systems "Enemy Leveling Systems in RPGs: When to Fight and When to Run") Enemy leveling systems can make or break an RPG. Oblivion proved what happens when you get it wrong. Final Fantasy XII's T. rex shows what getting it right looks like. ### Sell Your Retro Video Games for Cash The Old School Game Vault has been buying since 2008 with an A+ BBB rating and 4.99 on Trustpilot. - Instant quotes, no listing fees - Free shipping - Cash payment in 3 to 4 days [ Sell Your Retro Video Games ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/search-results) [ ![BBB Accredited Business A+ Rating](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/BBB_TheOSGVault-Seal.webp) ](https://www.bbb.org/us/il/morton-grove/profile/video-game-dealers/the-old-school-game-vault-0654-88378868) [ ![4.99 on Trustpilot](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/trustpilot-theosgv-image.webp) ](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/theoldschoolgamevault.com)