--- title: Gaming Articles and Retro Gaming Blogs | The Old School Game Vault - Page 9 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. - Page 9 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: 1467 --- > **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. [ ![Claw grip hand position on a PlayStation controller – alternative gaming control style for competitive players](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Types_of_Gaming_POV.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/684-gaming-perspectives "How Perspective and Genre Mixing Keep Games From Getting Boring") Explore how first-person, third-person, and hybrid perspectives shape the way we play, experience stories, and interact with modern video games. [ ![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. [ ![](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Sexism-in-Video-Games.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/metroid-last-of-us-representation "Sexism in Gaming: How Metroid and The Last of Us Got It Right") Metroid revealed Samus was a woman at the end, not as the game's focus, but just as a fact. The Last of Us did the same with Ellie in the Left Behind DLC. Both got it right. [ ![Famous video game characters including Mario, Sonic, Pac-Man, Lara Croft, Spyro, and Ryu – iconic gaming mascots from different eras](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/why-retro-gaming-is-so-huge.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/753-retro-gaming-is-growing "Why Is Retro Gaming So Popular? 10 Reasons It's Making a Comeback") Buy a used Xbox 360, and you'll get the Red Ring of Death. Order an old NES off eBay? Dollars to donuts it runs like a dream. Old consoles were built to last. [ ![The Mystery Bottom Port under an original Nintendo NES Console](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Nintendo-Expansion-Ports.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/1101-expansion-ports-nes-n64 "NES & N64 Expansion Ports: Purpose and Why Most Went Unused") In over 15 years, buyers only joked about the NES expansion port. They say it was a great place to hide joints. Most Nintendo console ports ended up unused. [ ![Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV with "Overrated?" text questioning the game's legacy and critical acclaim](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Grand_Theft_Auto_IV-Review.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/750-the-flaws-of-gtaiv "GTA Retrospective: Why Grand Theft Auto IV Never Won Me Over") Reflecting on GTA IV in 2026, I want to share my views. Its open world, sharp satire, and mission design are notable. Despite the game's ambition, I never connected with it. [ ![Visual Guide for Identifying Counterfeit Pokémon DS Games](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/How%20to%20Spot%20Fake%20Pokemon%20DS%20Game%20Cartridges.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/952-counterfeit-pokemon-ds-games "How to Spot a Fake DS Cartridge: Real vs Counterfeit Examples") Don't get scammed on eBay. Use our hands-on checklist for serial codes, shell colors, and fonts. This article helps you identify fake Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver cartridges. [ ![Final Fantasy Tactics War of the Lions cover art with I Quit sign – review on PSP performance issues](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/final-fantasy-tactics-psp-i-quit.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/956-ff-tactics-war-of-the-lions "I Quit Final Fantasy Tactics After 30 Hours: PSP Lag Killed It") A nostalgic yet critical look at Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions for PSP, exploring its tactical brilliance, frustrating performance issues, and better modern alternatives. [ ![Final Fantasy VII original vs remake – Cloud Strife character comparison in classic and modern RPG gaming](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/images/Blog_Images/Intro%20Images/Nostalgic-Video-Games-that-dont-age-FF7.webp) ](https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/624-retro-video-gaming-hard-to-play "Which Old Games Are Worth Revisiting? Nostalgia Isn't Enough") I tried replaying Champions of Krynn. I quit after an hour. The split-screen interface was unbearable. But Super Mario still holds up perfectly. Not all old games hold up. After over 17 years in retro gaming, I know which ones are worth a second look and which should stay in the past. ### 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)