I came to retro game collecting without nostalgia or childhood attachment, which means I approach it practically. Coming from construction, I understand something about how markets work and how value is created. The retro game market is fascinating because it’s driven by nostalgia, scarcity, and perception in ways that don’t apply to other markets. Understanding what retro games actually cost right now requires understanding what creates value in the retro market and why prices vary…

I played Banjo-Kazooie in 2023, completely fresh, with no childhood attachment. I expected a charming relic of gaming’s past – the kind of game that’s “good for its time” but would feel dated compared to modern design. Instead, I found myself playing something that’s just plain good, full stop. And more importantly, I realized something about how the collectathon genre immediately got worse after this game established the template. Every collectathon since Banjo-Kazooie – and…

I came to Super Mario 64 late, which probably gave me an unfair advantage in understanding it. Most people who grew up with this game have it wrapped up in nostalgia – their first experience with 3D gaming, their first memories of the N64. I first played it in 2021, sitting in my basement after a long day at the construction site, with zero childhood attachment and just my own assessment of whether the design…

Coming to Donkey Kong Country without 1994 context means I missed the “holy crap look at these graphics” moment that defined its launch. I played it for the first time in 2021, three decades after release, when pre-rendered 3D sprites look quaint compared to modern games. So I can tell you objectively: once you get past the dated graphics, Donkey Kong Country is a legitimately great platformer with excellent level design and tight controls. During…

Coming to retro gaming without childhood nostalgia means I judge games purely on how they play today, not how they made me feel in 1991. So when the New Player Ready crew insisted Super Mario World deserved a top-five spot on our SNES rankings, I was skeptical. Another Mario platformer. How good could it really be? Then I actually played it properly – not just a few levels, but the full 96-exit completion -…

I came to Chrono Trigger embarrassingly late. No childhood nostalgia clouding my judgment, no rose-tinted memories of Christmas morning 1995. I first played it in 2019, sitting in my basement after the kids went to bed, expecting to appreciate a “classic” the way you appreciate old architecture – impressive for its time, but ultimately dated. I was completely, utterly wrong. Chrono Trigger isn’t just good “for a 1995 game.” It’s one of the best RPGs…