London isn’t the city with the most thriving arcades and video game shops. In fact, in comparison with other parts of the world, London is game-phobic. We cruised through the video game crash of 1984 through our interest in the ZX Spectrum and our fascination with early computing. Later, in the 90s, the SNES and N64 became iconic in the UK. Sega also had a large portion of the market, and the arrival of the PlayStation tapped into our need for consoles with multiple uses. However, the UK didn’t escape the Pokemon craze. I remember riding that wave and being as engrossed as a hobbit at dinner time. Millions of people in the city love retro games and have been through some, or all, of the history I’ve just laid out. It’s early spring and we’ve arrived at the first Gaming Market of the year. Read on to discover some of the wonders on sale at this year’s London Gaming Market.
I traveled on the central line of the London Underground to reach Russel Square station in central London. The journey in the underground is usually fine, the carriages are quite old and some of the journeys is through deep tunnels, while other parts are open to the suburbs of East London. I had my GBA SP with me. I often start Tetris on this device and only lift my head once I reach my station. Mostly I don’t get a second look when playing an SP or other handheld hardware. I wonder, would I be viewed differently if I had been playing a PSP? I think it’s a misconception that simple 8-bit or 16-bit games are for children. 16-bit games are a lot harder than modern games on average. Titles like Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat are just as violent as modern iterations.
Beers or games?
Once I exited the station at Russel Square. I asked where the Royal National Hotel was. I was directed to a building down a road in the distance. I arrived and was able to queue jump because of my press pass credentials. I picked up my press pass and entered the venue. There’s a pub in a part of the building and it was bustling with football fans watching the Arsenal vs. Chelsea game. The Carabao Cup Final Liverpool vs. Newcastle was the game straight after. This meant that you were just as likely to have a conversation with a pierced-up emo Pokemon nerd as a sweaty, drunken northerner in a replica football shirt. The atmosphere was quite positive but there was a slight sense of distrust. Maybe that was because of some tight deals going on inside the venue.
Inside the venue, were stalls and stalls of modern and retro video game merchandise, consoles, games, and art. There were boxed and loose games of all kinds, Pokemon cards, art prints, and modded consoles. A whole range of magazines and memorabilia. I got chatting with a guy selling Game Boy games and consoles and Game Boy Color games and consoles. I decided to sell two of my Game Boys. I received £90 for a Game Boy Color, and a Game Boy Pocket. I know that I got slightly ripped off. They would go on to sell these consoles for £150 each. However, the consoles will end up sitting on a shelf for ages before someone wants to spend that money on them. The money was good for me as it helped me buy what I wanted in the venue. Just after that, my friend arrived.
A space full of gaming heaven
A good and kind man, marked with the strife of any 30-year-old from London, my friend was on the lookout for a games console, but more accurately, a device in which one could be content, and spend a pleasant time. Now that I had been slightly ripped off for my Game Boys, I wandered the packed space of the hall with my friend. I eventually decided to pick up a few N64 games. The N64 has less than 400 games, but its best games are better than any in the Sega Saturn, or PlayStation library. I picked up both Super Mario 64 and F-Zero X.
These are games that helped define the N64. I felt it was about time to rebuild my N64 collection. As a kid, I was into Pokemon, Mario, and Zelda; those series were well-represented on the N64. I decided to then buy a few old magazines. Reading the style of writing and how console rivalries could be portrayed can be insightful. My friend, decided to splash the cash and bought himself a Nintendo Switch. I wasn’t going to buy a new system. However, a Sega Master System that was available for £40 was tempting.
The vibe of the place was that cash was flowing, and items were being exchanged, but there was an undertone of ignorance regarding who was the real people getting ripped off. Was it the vendors, who know the value of items, or was it the happy shopper who was buying things and spending money that meant nothing to them? Maybe it depends on your frame of mind.
Choices and retro nostalgia
Soon after my friend had purchased the Switch with Fifa (a very European selection), we decided to head back. On our way to the station, we found a mall that had many quaint coffee shops. It was full of arty student types. Some who wouldn’t be seen dead with a video game console, unless it was a pink Nintendo DS Lite, and they were playing Nintendogs or Brain Training while drinking a latte and talking about politics. The afternoon had had real potential. This time of spring is so hopeful, we don’t know what is in store for the coming months. hopefully, the Switch 2 software showcase in April will reveal some great summer games. The March London Gaming Market definitely hadn’t been about what we’ll play in the future, it was about the past, and the classic retro games that we had spent countless late nights, and rainy afternoons with in our childhood.
Me and my friend departed from each other soon after a visit to one of those trendy cafes. After I had reached back to my area, I decided to get some food. Chicken wings and chips I thought would be good. I was full before finishing the six chicken wings. I decided to leave the last chicken wing.
The day had shown me much appreciation for retro gaming software. At the end of the day, it is up to you whether you eat that last chicken wing. Just remember that there are a lot more chicken wings where that one came from. Eating, or leaving the chicken wing isn’t a decision that matters. Don’t twist your mind into thinking it does. Happy gaming.
