It’s funny how the world works. We crave bigger, better, shinier things constantly.

Our phones have become “smart”, and doubled, even tripled in size. We can watch movies on them. In high definition.

Our tv’s are getting bigger, the colour is more intense and the pictures are sharper. They are also now “smart”, and even able to be viewed in 3D.

Our games consoles, have followed suit. Far gone are the days of joysticks, the Atari Universal tv adapter cables, and sticks that go up and down to try and stop a square “ball” from passing. Yes, Pong.

The Atari, The Original Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Dreamcast, so on and so forth. You remember, cartridge games, you had to blow in them to get them to function?

Now we have PlayStations, Xboxes and Steam Machines. Super computers. Not like your Commodore 64.

The graphics on the games for them have become so well done, almost too well done. Its hard to tell if you’re crushing on a real person, or a crazy CGI dreamboat. I’m looking at you Leon Kennedy. The hair looks real. You can count the strands. Eyes have depth and intensity, and blades of grass and water are so convincing. The story scenes are straight out of a movie.

It’s crazy. It’s amazing really. I am a fan.

But sometimes, I long for the days of the simple. I miss old controllers, that didn’t require me to use every finger at the same time to move my character. I miss the cutesy characters, and the easy plot lines and sometimes even dying…for real dying. Like as in you had to start over again. FROM THE BEGINNING!

Recently I have noticed a resurgence in Retro gaming. There’s a subculture out there that lives to play the ol’skool games and systems of yesterday. Let me say, these people are serious about games from the past.

Even kids, who are not even half my age… Like the first Playstation was already out before they were. But they become intrigued and start collecting and playing the old systems as well.Possibly because their parents own old systems already. I had a kid who couldn’t have been any older then 12 out logic me about an Original Nintendo cartridge and why it was shaped and stamped the way it was. It made me smirk. I felt proud of this kid. Mind you 5 minutes later I out logic’d him, but that’s besides the point.

The point is that retro gaming is making a huge come back. Or maybe it never left? But kids of all ages (us big ones as well) are enjoying the tales of my younger years. It’s nice to see. Especially when the youth are so hounded by super tech on the daily.

In our local small mall, there has emerged a retro gaming store. These guys have the old systems and games for purchase. Or if your system stops working you can bring it to them and they can repair it for you, usually. And pretty cheaply. Like they aren’t nickel and diming you.

It’s neat to see the past laid out on the shelves and walls. There’s systems there I have never even seen before. Systems I forgot even existed.

The cool thing is how the games are out on the floor, you can pick them up. Carry them to the counter, purchase them. Most game stores no longer have that. Games are locked away. Obviously, for good reasoning. Theft, or customer abuse (breakage). But these guys seem fairly trusting. It’s nice though that that’s the way it is. User friendly, with awesome customer service and advice from someone who actually knows about the product pretty much inside and out. I mean The Original Nintendo came out in 1985(North America, and ’83 in Japan). I was 2 years old. The owners would have been approx 4 and 1. I’m guesstimating their ages. So if that’s true, they have like 30 years’ experiences with these systems. If, of course they were like every other kid in the 80’s that had access to the systems from the very beginning. I know my parents had an Atari already by the time I was born and when Nintendo hit, they had it right away. Followed by Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Gamecube, Xbox, Playstation (1,2,3).

There are two owners. Robbie and Jason. Both seem like nice guys. Robbie has his own little glass case full of his favourite game growing up: Zelda. You can see his collection, but you can’t touch it. It’s clearly marked not for sale. But you can see why this guy would have such a shop. It’s kind of like the dream we all have of doing something we like for a living everyday. I’m a bit envious. Okay I’m A LOT envious. To work with something, you have always had a love for, all.day.long!!!! Seriously, isn’t that the dream though?

Their shop is called Monster Gamez and I’m going to shamelessly plug it here. Cause I want to see it succeed. You can go to places like Chumleigh’s and shops like Nexxus. But they aren’t the same. They deal in completely different merchandise and to a different subculture. This shop is for the electronic techno age gamers. While they do have a small selection of newer games for current console systems, the charm of this place is all due to the retro aspect. You need an Atari joystick, or universal adaptor? They got it.

You need a guitar for your system because yours broke from to much jamming out over the years? Got that too.

Or you’re bored? Hey pump some coins into the arcade machines they have on site and busy yourself for a bit before catching your transfer bus or while you’re waiting for your partner to finish shopping else where. Why not?

You can even sit on the funky little floor chairs and play a game if you ask.

The place is a buy, sell, and trade store. Everything is marked by normal going prices. They aren’t jacking up on anything to make a super profit. You can tell this is a shop run by guys who just love video gaming and want to provide others with that entertainment.

Anyways, I implore you to go check them out. It’s a total blast from the past and will fill you up with that nostalgic feeling only your childhood memories can give to you. Tell your friends and family about em’. Plug them everywhere you go. This is the sort of small time business that needs to stick around for years to come. This way our retro gaming past can stay alive and be enjoyed for generations to come!

You can check them out online or in person. Follow the links below.

Monster Gamez

Located: Frontenac Mall

1300 Bath Rd,

Kingston, ON

Tel: (343) 333-4263

Website: www.monster-gamez.ca (Under Construction)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/M0nsterGamez/