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What We Found in the Vault

quality nintendo nes circle seal vs oval seal

Nintendo Seal of Quality: Complete History & NES Label Variants

Learn about Nintendo Seal of Quality variants on NES cartridges, from the original black/gold seal to white/gold...

Top 10 retro video game consoles featuring logos from Sega, NES, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and TurboGrafx-16.

Nostalgia Ranked: The 10 Best Retro Gaming Consoles

From pixelated adventures to unforgettable boss battles, retro gaming connects generations through nostalgia and...

Family playing Nintendo NES together with Super Mario Bros on screen – smiling kids and parents enjoying a retro gaming experience

Parent Pick: The Best NES Games for Kids – Fun, Easy & Family-Friendly Classics

Back in the 80s, we were glued to our Nintendo consoles while our parents wondered what was so exciting about little...

Fake Pokémon Crystal Game Boy Color cartridge with incorrect label art and 'It's a Fake' warning overlay.

Pokemon Crystal Real vs Fake: How to Authenticate Cartridges

Retro gaming can be tricky, especially for collectors. If you’ve picked up a Pokémon Crystal cartridge, you need to...

Exploring the authenticity of Pokémon GBA games: A guide to spotting fake and counterfeit cartridges.

Pokemon Emerald Real vs Fake: How to Spot Authentic Cartridges

Updated November -2025 Counterfeit Pokémon Emerald cartridges flood online marketplaces like eBay. After examining...

Visual Guide for Identifying Counterfeit Pokémon DS Games

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Real vs Fake: Authentication Guide

I popped in a Pokémon DS game that wouldn’t load. The pins looked clean, so I started to suspect it might be a fake....

Portable gaming consoles and handheld devices for casual and mobile gaming

Portable Video Games – How Mobile Play Is Redefining Where We Game

Discover how casual, portable, and mobile gaming are changing where and how we play. The landscape of gaming has...

PlayStation 1 vs Nintendo 64 console comparison – retro gaming console wars graphic from The Old School Game Vault

PS1 vs N64: Which Console Left the Better Retro Gaming Legacy?

This article compares the PS1 and N64, concluding that the PS1 won the legacy war, but the N64 remains the better...

Cartoon of Superman blowing into a Nintendo NES cartridge with a "Busted" stamp and the phrase "blow me" – referencing the retro gaming myth about cartridge blowing

Quick Answer – Does Blowing Into NES Cartridges Actually Work?

If you grew up with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), chances are you’ve blown into a game cartridge more...

Luigi looking shocked with text overlay saying "Terrible NES Games" – humorous retro-style image referencing bad Nintendo titles

Quick Answer: 5 Terrible Nintendo NES Games That Should Never Be Played

Skip these stinkers unless you're collecting for comedy—or enjoy suffering. Skip these stinkers unless you're...