The Dark Knight is without a doubt one of the most beloved comic book characters and pop culture icons of all time. Over the decades, Batman’s brooding nature, ace detective skills and colorful gallery of villains has become second nature to most of us. Before Rock steady nailed the definitive Batman experience in the Arkham series of games, there were a lot of games that put players in the Caped Crusader’s shoes. Unfortunately, most of them were pure garbage and shamelessly attempted to cash in on Batman’s popularity. Fear not, though, dear reader. We went through the archives and found a whole slew of great batman games. The Batman games that are a lot of fun to play, even today. Strap on your pointy ears, and let’s begin! Batman (1991) from the Sega Genesis There have been a lot of Batman games on the Genesis console (there are more than one...

In a previous post, I discuss some classic games that you know and probably played, but that you should give a second look in the 2020s. Here I’ll discuss a trio of all-but-forgotten retro video games.  You may well have missed these games the first time around, but fear not! They’re all worth a play even today – read on to find out why. 3. Ikari Warriors Have you seen a Rambo movie? Okay, then you get the idea. Like the probably more famous NES game Commando, Ikari Warriors is a top-down, vertically scrolling shoot-em-up about foot soldiers. Unlike that game, your character in Ikari Warriors has a bandana and a friend. Co-op! On the NES! Co-op games were a rarity, and that makes Ikari Warriors a lot of fun if you’re looking for an 8-bit shmup fix. Ammo was limited, which is an interesting twist for the genre, plus you can...

The 1980s was a great decade because it aspired to that which it was not. It thought it was the future, and it wasn’t; it claimed the stock market would make everyone rich, and it didn’t. And after all the promises of wild monetary wealth and servant robots, all the 1980s mostly delivered were a bunch of “Rocky” sequels and a plasma globe from the Sharper Image. But aside from the kitsch—and the ‘80s produced a substantial amount—it will go down as a period of time notable for great optimism, great music and, of course, great video games. This was the time of the arcades and the rise of the home video game console; and for those of us who grew up during this era it was our decade, rendered in 8 bits. With that in mind, here is a list of games that defined a generation. Pac-Man There isn’t much...

It wasn’t easy for the N64 to earn its prestigious position in video gaming history. Despite a shocking lack of third-party support, the system made a name for itself with some of the best first-party titles ever made. Most often, the system is remembered for one-player cult classics like Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. But it also offers tons of excellent multiplayer titles that get far less credit than they deserve. Today, we’re going to remedy this injustice. The guide below lists the best N64 coop games you’ll ever play, period. If you’ve played all your other multiplayer games to death, try these additively competitive treats. 1. Super Smash Bros Yes, we know you’ve played several other games in this series. And that means that you know  how unique each version is. Specifically, most versions have exclusive playable characters, stages,...

A couple of decades ago, arcade games were all the rage. And one genre of games that were as ubiquitous as any were brawlers, button mashers, otherwise known as “beat em ups.” These games made a seamless transition to consoles, offering home gamers the opportunity to take out relentless hordes of oncoming villains.  And in the recent past, beat ‘em ups were reborn with the help of Xbox Live Arcade, allowing older players to rekindle their love for the button mashing genre while making some new fans in the process. So in the interest of nostalgia, here is everything you need to know about retro gaming brawlers. The origin of beat ‘em ups Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, arcade games were manufactured for one purpose: getting kids to feed quarters into machines with reckless abandon. There were few better ways to achieve this goal than by designing games with high...

The Super Nintendo Console, more popularly known as the SNES, was released in 1990. It quickly became one of the most popular gaming devices of its time, partly defining the fourth generation of video game consoles. The consoles shipped with a number of games, including the major hits Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country. To this day, their characters remain among the most well-known icons of video gaming. More than two decades later, many of the classic games of the Super Nintendo are still popular, largely thanks to emulator software for Windows as well as many other operating systems, including mobile ones.  Not only are SNES games available through emulation, but you can also buy Super Nintendo games, accessories and consoles here on our website. The SNES was the successor to the Nintendo Entertainment System The popular 8-bit console launched in the mid-eighties around the world. It introduced greatly improved...

In the summer of 1991, at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, video-game behemoth Nintendo revealed the follow-up to their much-adored NES console. The Super Nintendo would improve on the original in every way, featuring 16-bit system with phenomenal graphics and capacity for some 32,768 colors. And they had Mario. But a little system called the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in Japan) was determined to play David to Nintendo’s Goliath. With the same processing powers but just 512 colors, the Genesis previewed a game with an obscure blue protagonist no one had ever heard of. And Sonic the Hedgehog killed. To follow up on the buzz, Sega of America president proposed a wild idea—drop the console price to $149 while bundling it with Sonic. Sega Japan was vehement in its opposition, but after a chaotic board meeting that involved chair throwing, the American got his way. The gambit paid off: the Sonic...

Probably, no console manufacturer lost the initiative worse than Sega did after it slayed the dragon known as the Nintendo Entertainment System. In 1992, on the heels of a gambit that saw Sega bundle the Genesis system with Sonic the Hedgehog.

Over the last 40 years, dozens upon dozens of home video game consoles have been released across the globe. Some, like the NES, retailed for affordable prices ($89.99), while others, like the TurboGrafx-16, were prohibitively expensive ($399.99).  Then there’s SNK’s Neo Geo system Which was in a league of its own. The machine’s exorbitant $649.99 price tag (and this was in 1990 dollars) ensured that the only folks who could get their hands on it likely wore monocles and smoked cigarettes out of ivory holders fashioned from African elephant tusks. However, even after its release, the Neo Geo didn’t depreciate all that much in price. Today, gamers can still spend hundreds of dollars on an original system, and its used games are some of the priciest around. So what’s responsible for this gouging? Here are some reasons why the Neo-Geo and its catalog of titles was, is, and will always be...

In 1995, console gaming was on the cusp of a new era. 16-bit systems went the way of the buffalo as 32-bit became the new standard. Suddenly, home gaming could become so much more than side-scrolling platformers. Naturally, the console wars of this era were as brutal as a cannon fight between rival pirate ships. Each new console that came out was either a huge success or a complete failure. At this time, Sega released the Sega Saturn console—their 32-bit successor to the Sega Genesis. Sadly, due to some horrible marketing decisions by Sega, the Saturn crashed and burned right out of the gate The real tragedy is that Sega had an incredible selection of Saturn games already in development. Some of these are the best 90s games ever, and they’re not available anywhere else. To prove that Sega Saturn is the best failed console, we’ve listed the best Sega Saturn games...

It should be easier than ever to sell video game consoles online, as retro gaming has enjoyed a huge resurgence in recent years. As adults who grew up in the 80s and 90s look back wistfully on their pre-smartphone, pre-social media childhoods. In those days, Facebook and the iPhone were a long ways from defining an era, but what you can bet on is that most kids had some kind of video game console sitting on top of their old tube TV. And while retro video games are all the rage on the second-hand market, the video game consoles themselves often fetch a pretty on bidding sites too. When You Sell Video Game Consoles: The better the condition, the more you’ll earn We all know the general rules for getting the most for your used goods on the second-hand market: make sure the product is as close to new as possible. That means...

Lately, the game Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the Nintendo Switch has been all the rage. For older fans, it is a source of nostalgia, while for those new to the franchise, it is an opportunity to go back to the older generation titles. So, we decided to help you board the nostalgia train with this list of 5 best 90s Pokémon video games. Nintendo has had huge successful franchises in the form of Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Metroid some of the best-selling games before they released Pokémon. But what set Pokémon apart from the rest was not only was it released as a game, but a year later an anime adaptation was aired.  This created a cult following for the game, as people wanted to become the protagonist of their own story and be the very best Pokémon trainer. This cultural phenomenon gave way to the massive success...

You probably wouldn’t think that the retro gaming market pulls in over $200 million per year. That figure seems more apt for vintage collectables or niche artwork. But, technically, vintage video games are old collectables and niche artwork. Plus, their limited supply is constantly shrinking because they’re out of print. As such, many of these games are rare collectables—and getting rarer and more valuable all the time. For these reasons, collectable video games are especially valuable if they’re authentic and still in the original box. To illustrate, consider how this industry made over $3.5 million in less than a month with only 2 game sales. In case you’re wondering, the two games were Super Mario Bros on NES and Super Mario 64 on N64. Both the Super Mario games were factory-sealed, and rare first prints of the games.  Each game was then authenticated by Wata games and was sold on Heritage...

Playing the Best PS1 Hidden Gems.  Somewhere in the world, we imagine there’s a collector who keeps all 7,918 games behind security-enforced display cases. There they remain, day after day, barred from any human interaction. Gee, how fun. So when was the last time you played Koudelka, Top Shop, or Rival Schools on PS1? Just kidding! That was a trick question. If you’re like most gamers, you’ve never even heard of these titles before. And that’s a real shame because these games are true masterpieces of the PS1 era.  Sadly, though, there are loads of hidden PS1 gems like these that were simply overshadowed by other PS1 hits. Of course, this is bound to happen when such games are released alongside historical hits like Final Fantasy VII. . Read on to discover the best PS1 Hidden gems that you’ve been missing. 1. Bushido Blade As a retro gamer, you’ve probably played...

Aside from my first console and first computer, falling a console generation behind in the mid-nineties was the best thing that ever happened to me as a gamer.  In the early nineties, I missed the fourth generation of consoles (SNES, Sega Genesis, etc.) completely while getting into PC gaming (I played on my friends’ systems but never owned one). I’m thrilled to say that I’ve never caught up since. I love being a console generation behind because it means that for the last thirteen years, I’ve only paid 1/4 to 1/3 of the initial retail value for my consoles and games, so even when finances have been tight, I’ve been able to enjoy console gaming on the cheap—and the games I play are still new to me. With the holiday season now upon us, I recommend that you follow my example. I got my NES three years after release, a hand-me-down PlayStation...

Everyone loves a classic. There are games, movies and other pieces of pop culture that have stood the test of time and have been enjoyed and cherished by many a generation. Just the same, there is a strange kind of enjoyment that can be derived from watching a movie or playing a game that is just a failure on several fronts. In a weird way, some games are so bad that they’re good. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed many a game that makes you throw up your hands and ask yourself “Why? Why did they do it like this? What were the developers thinking?” Let's have some fun and point out some of the huge turds from the NES Library. Let us begin. King of Kings This game really exemplifies the premise of this article in that it is difficult to understand who this game is meant to serve. Is it...

Dear reader, since you are on this page, allow us to make a few assumptions about you. You are a connoisseur. Your childhood was awesome because you spent it with Mario, Zelda and games without 15-minute cinematics. You are tired of the escalating graphics and shaders arms race and long for a simpler time when games were about gameplay and fun. You are a gamer of exquisite taste and aren’t easily swayed by marketing hyperbole. Your prowess with a Nintendo or Atari controller is legendary.  You drive the gaming conversation in your circle, often interjecting to point out where a popular game mechanic originated back in the day.  You want the best retro gaming experience money can buy.  Well, you’re in luck because we have exactly what you need. Let’s talk a little bit about why you should buy used video games online from The Old School Game Vault. 1. Authenticity There’s...

We were going to start this article with a question. But we already know the answer. No, you’re not interested in getting into the retro shoot ’em up games. We get it. It’s a difficult genre for the uninitiated to break into. For one thing, we mean that literally. Shoot ‘em up games, or “shmups” tend to be very challenging. Also, the 80s and 90s spawned thousands of these games every year. If you’re trying to get into these games now, where do you start? So glad you asked. You start right here, of course. Below are the best SNES shmups that money can buy—or at least some of them. There are several notable mentions that we’ll save for a follow-up article. In any case, you must try these 10 SNES shoot ‘em ups for yourself. 10. Super R-Type Obviously, we couldn’t list the best SNES shmups without mentioning at least...

Ever since the advent of the VCR, it’s been a tradition for kids to pop in some horror flicks when Halloween night rolls around. But a new generation is here, one that grew up playing console video games, and one that saw the rise of the “survival horror” genre. So it makes you wonder what horror game character would make the best movie? As you can see, we've thought about that already It only makes sense, then, that Halloween tradition accommodate video games as much as movies. Who knows, with the rise of  technologies like VR, maybe gaming will become so immersive that one day soon it will render scary movies obsolete. In the meantime, here are some scary games perfect for Halloween night. First-person shooters, platformers, side-scrollers, shoot-em-ups—these are just a few of the many video game genres out there. Add all those sub-genres into the mix, and you have...

One of the most important retro gaming consoles in video game history was the original Sega genesis 16-Bit console. Made through a combination of third-party developers and by Sega itself.  The Sega Genesis original release date, was during the summer of 1989 in North American.  The European release was in 1990.  It had the benefit of being released to the North American market a full two years prior to its major competition, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The SNES wouldn't be released until August 1991 in the United States. Another one of the factors that set the Sega Genesis apart from the competition - at least in the early days - was its graphical capabilities. It is important to keep in mind that the Sega Genesis was released in North America at the time when its only true competition was the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The Nintendo NES has a massive...