3D Games (the store, that is)

So there's a new used game store making the rounds, of which a new location recently opened at the local mall: 3D Games. While I don't really have anything against the GameStop juggernaut (I haven't had the horrible experiences some have had, thankfully), some alternatives certainly can't hurt, especially ones willing to sell more than just the current generation. 3D Games covers the most successful systems of every generation starting with the NES. That's a blow to Atari fans, sad to say, but if it helps, other niche consoles like the Saturn and the Neo*Geo also don't make the cut.

The good news is, they're willing to sell boxed games when they have the inventory to do so. The better news is, they sell consoles as well, and not just the official consoles. I now have a local opportunity to try out and buy the newest 3-in-1 clone, the Retron 3. So, these people have done at least enough homework to know many classic gamers with money are looking for more than just a pile of dirty Super Mario Bros. cartridges.

But therein lies the bad news. You look at their web site, which is aimed more toward potential franchisees than customers, and you look at some of their prices ($20 for Super Mario Bros. 3? $150 for Final Fantasy VII???) and you realize, they're in it strictly for the money. That's a bit depressing to game geeks like me who'd like to see at least a little passion for the old stuff, beyond just what it can do for one's pocketbook.

Still, you can't really fault someone trying to make an honest buck, even if they are pimping your childhood. And again, I'm all for bringing more competition into the used game market. So I decided to take a box of games, mostly thrift finds that have been sitting on my shelf for a while, nothing blindingly valuable but still some very respectable titles like Contra, Bubble Bobble and Kid Icarus for the NES, and Goldeneye and Ocarina of Time for the N64 (plus the aforementioned Super Mario Bros. 3, with its $20 price tag watching over us as they inventoried my offerings). I figured, $80 in store credit, enough to get one of the Retrons, and they could have these games, even if I could make a lot more if I got off my lazy butt and sold them myself. The grand total: $50 in store credit. I'm lousy at haggling, but still, I haggled, and eventually they offered $60. I declined.

All in all, having a new place to look for old games every week is cool, and I certainly hope they stick around for a while. If they get the right titles in for the right price, they'll get my money, and I just might buy a Retron from them anyway. But I still wish they could have been a little bit more than just a Gamestop clone with a broader catalog.

Hey Bookmans, when are you coming to Houston so I don't have to hop on a plane every time I want to shop at a truly awesome used game store?

Edited by FujiSkunk, Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:15 PM.