What We Found in the Vault

Expert Recap: Best Retro Horror Games – Scary Titles from the ’80s and ’90s
Most retro gaming fans have a closet full of widely-known platformers, RPGs, and party games. And why wouldn’t they?...

Expert Recap: The Complete Original Nintendo NES Label / Seal Guide
The late 1970s saw the release of the Atari 2600 and the rise of the home gaming console. But by the early 1980s, the...

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP) – Why I Quit Playing
A nostalgic yet critical look at Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions for PSP, exploring its tactical brilliance,...

Game Labels Explained – Black Label vs Greatest Hits & Player’s Choice
This guide breaks down the differences between Black Label, Greatest Hits, Player’s Choice, and other game...

GameCube Guide – How to Spot Fake Artwork vs Real Collector Inserts
Learn how to spot fake GameCube case artwork with real examples, covering paper quality, spine alignment, barcode...

Life Lessons: What Classic Video Games Taught Us About Real Life
A couple of years back, while visiting with family over Thanksgiving, my cousins and siblings and I started playing...

Lost Gems: Learn the History of Handheld Consoles Before the Game Boy
Whether it lived in your backpack or under your pillow, handheld consoles were more than just portable — they were...

Mech Games – The 10 Best Giant Robot Battles of All Time
Explore the best mech games of all time, from classic strategy titles to explosive action shooters, and relive the...

NES Cartridge Screws Explained: 5-Screw vs 3-Screw Variants & Why They Matter
In 1985, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America, forever changing the video game...

NES Collector Guide – How to Identify First-Print NES Games
From identifying rare first prints to spotting fake cartridges, our NES blog dives deep into the history, collecting...