Shoutout to that one thrift store in the next town over

I've been hunting for a copy of EarthBound on the SNES for what feels like ages. Every weekend, I'd check garage sales and flea markets, but came up empty. Then, last month, I was on a delivery run (my day job) and pulled into a thrift store I'd never seen before. Right there, in a stack of old sports titles, was the game, box a little beat up but all there. After all that waiting, I was stunned. They only asked a few bucks for it, which made my day. It really proves that if you keep looking, you might just get lucky, no matter how long it takes. Now I'm finally giving it a play, and yeah, it's awesome.

5 comments

5 Comments

mia1028h ago

It's not just about it being old, the_matthew. The hunt is for a specific kind of experience a new game can't copy. It's the weird, handmade feel of the box art, the smell of the old manual, and the clunky charm of the writing. Finding that particular vibe, complete with a beat up box someone else loved, is the whole point. A digital download just doesn't hit the same.

the_matthew9h ago

All that fuss over an old game?

uma6598h ago

My buddy Jake found a love note in a 1998 manual. @the_matthew totally gets it now.

logan_anderson404h ago

Man, we find old notes jammed in pipes all the time, same surprise vibe.

barbaradavis4h ago

Reading a piece on vintage gaming, the author described finding a pizza order slip in a Sega Genesis manual. @mia102 is right about that handmade feel being key. It's not just the game, it's the history in the box. Those little surprises make the hunt worth it.