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Retro Gaming With Chris, 227 Wells Ave S, Renton, WA (2026)

06/20/2026

Heading to SummerCon at the Puyallup Fairgrounds tomorrow, and this time I'm focused on retro gaming.

I'm always on the hunt for NES, SNES, N64, Sega, PlayStation, and other retro gaming treasures, but half the fun is finding something you didn't know you needed until you saw it sitting on a vendor's table.

As my collection keeps growing, I'm trying to decide what should be on my priority list. Rare games? Hidden gems? Boxed games? Accessories? Consoles? Promotional items? Strategy guides?

So let's hear it from the retro gaming crowd:
What's the best retro gaming find you've ever picked up at a convention, and what should I be looking for this weekend?

I'll share my haul after the show and let everyone know what made it back home with me.

06/20/2026

Tomorrow I'm heading to SummerCon at the Puyallup Fairgrounds, and as always, I'm going in with a list... but we all know that list usually goes out the window once the treasure hunting starts. 😆

My main collections are retro video games, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, TMNT, comics, and other 80s/90s nostalgia. The fun of these shows is finding that one item you weren't even looking for that suddenly becomes the highlight of the day.

So I'm curious...

If you were walking the show floor with me, what would be the first thing you'd tell me to keep an eye out for? Hidden gems? Underrated toy lines? Grails? Retro gaming finds? Vintage collectibles?
I'll post my haul after the show and let everyone know what followed me home.

06/20/2026

Picked up a few NES additions at Dpad Retro Games & Collectibles today, and I'm pretty happy with this haul.

Kid Icarus was the big one for me. I've played it over the years, but I don't think I've ever actually owned a copy myself. It's one of those classic NES games that feels a little different every time you go back to it, and I'm looking forward to finally giving it a permanent spot on the shelf.

I also couldn't pass up Track & Field and Track & Field II. Those games are pure NES-era competition and button-mashing chaos. If you grew up with a Power Pad or spent afternoons trying to beat your friends in the running events, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

And then there's WWF WrestleMania. Was it a must-have title? Maybe not. But for $6, there was no way I was leaving it behind. Sometimes part of collecting is finding those inexpensive games that bring back memories just as much as the heavy hitters.

Nothing rare or earth-shattering today, just a few games that fill gaps in the collection and remind me why I enjoy the hunt in the first place.

What game from this group did you spend the most time playing?

06/19/2026

One of the best parts of collecting isn't the stuff—it's the people you share the hobby with.

I've known this guy Padgett EL since we were around 12 years old, and for most of our lives we've been collecting one thing or another. We've spent countless hours hunting toys, comics, games, figures, and memorabilia at conventions, flea markets, toy shows, comic shops, and anywhere else we thought we might find a hidden gem.

Over the years he's become more like a brother than a friend, and watching his collection grow has been almost as much fun as building my own.

These photos are only a portion of what he's accumulated over the years. Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, TMNT, comics, vehicles, playsets, and more. Every shelf has a story behind it, and every piece reminds me of the excitement we felt as kids when we'd save up allowance money hoping to find that next favorite figure.

People sometimes ask why adults still collect toys. For me, it's simple. These aren't just toys. They're memories of Saturday mornings, toy aisles, cartoons after school, comic books, friendships, and a time when life was a little simpler.

And sometimes the best part of the collection isn't what's on the shelf—it's having a lifelong friend to share the journey with.

Anyone else still collecting alongside friends they've known since childhood?

06/17/2026

Today's Transformers post is about the comic books that helped pull me back into the hobby.

About three years ago, I started working in a building that happened to be right down the street from a comic book store. Looking back, that was both a blessing and a curse.

What started as an occasional visit during lunch breaks quickly turned into a weekly routine. Before long, I was picking up Transformers comics, following new storylines, hunting down variant covers, and reconnecting with characters I had loved since I was a kid.

That comic shop is really what reignited my Transformers obsession.

The current Skybound run has been fantastic, and I've been collecting issues whenever I can. In the photos are most of the issues I've picked up so far, along with a few of my favorite covers.

The photo with the three comics is especially interesting:

- On the left is an alternate cover of issue #1 from the current Skybound run.
- In the middle is an alternate foil cover of issue #25.
- On the right is a reissue of issue #1 from the original Marvel Transformers series.

I also keep them stored in a Transformers-themed comic box that has become almost as much of a display piece as the comics themselves.

It's funny how one small thing can pull you back into a hobby. For me, it wasn't a toy, a cartoon, or a movie. It was a comic shop a short walk from work.

Three years later, I'm sorting G1 accessories, displaying Omega Supreme, hunting down missing figures, and reading Transformers comics again like I'm 10 years old.

Has a comic, toy, game, or movie ever pulled you back into a hobby you thought you'd left behind?

06/17/2026

Today's retro gaming post is about something I've realized while rebuilding my collection: it's not always about finding the rarest games. It's about finding the games you enjoyed and the ones that bring back memories.

My SNES and N64 collections are still pretty small compared to my NES collection, but they're steadily growing.

On the SNES side, classics like Super Mario World, Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, and NBA Jam are the foundation of the collection. Those are the games that defined the system for me and still hold up today. The newest additions are Vegas Stakes and Clue, and while they may not be the first games people think of when they hear Super Nintendo, part of the fun of collecting is picking up games you never owned back in the day and giving them a chance.

For the N64, Ocarina of Time is an all-time favorite. Star Wars Episode I: Racer, Cruis'n USA, Road Rash 64, and 1080 Snowboarding all remind me why I loved the system so much. And then there's Super Mario 64, a game that completely changed gaming. The jump from 2D to fully explorable 3D worlds was something special to experience when it was new.

One thing I've really enjoyed about collecting is that every convention, game store visit, flea market, or Facebook Marketplace find feels like a treasure hunt. In fact, I'm planning to see if I can add a few more SNES and N64 games to the collection at SummerCon this Sunday.

What SNES or N64 game would you recommend I keep an eye out for?

06/16/2026

Today's Transformers post is about one of the centerpieces of my collection: Omega Supreme.

This was the very first G1 figure I added back into my collection when I started collecting again. I picked him up at my first comic convention for $125, and at the time I felt like I was spending a fortune. Looking back, it was one of the best purchases I've ever made.

He's still one of my favorite Transformers of all time, second only to the Dinobots. There was just something incredible about a giant Autobot that transformed into an entire defensive base complete with a rocket, tank, and track system. As a kid, Omega Supreme felt massive compared to everything else.

What makes this one special to me is that it's an original 1985 release and it's still in the box. The box definitely shows its age, but after more than 40 years that's part of the story. The only thing missing is the instruction sheet. Everything else is still here, including the styrofoam insert, accessories, track pieces, rocket, tank, and the figure itself.

Of all the original G1 Transformers in my collection, this is the only one I still have boxed. Every time I pull it out, it reminds me why Omega Supreme left such a huge impression on so many of us growing up.

Where does Omega Supreme rank on your list of favorite G1 Transformers?

06/16/2026

My top 5 movies revolving around video games.

06/16/2026

Today's retro gaming discussion is about movies that revolve around video games or gaming culture.

My personal Top 5 are:

1. Tron – The OG. The idea of being transported inside a computer was mind-blowing when I first saw it, and the pure nerdiness of it was absolutely perfect for me.

2. The Last Starfighter – This one hit home because of the fantasy of escaping reality. What gamer didn't dream that mastering a game could lead to an adventure bigger than everyday life?

3. The Wizard – If you grew up in the NES era, this movie was impossible not to love. The gameplay footage, the competition, and getting our first look at Super Mario Bros. 3 made it unforgettable.

4. Pixels – Just plain fun. Seeing classic arcade characters like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, and Galaga brought to life was a nostalgia trip.

5. Mortal Kombat (1995) – The soundtrack, the martial arts, the costumes, and the fact that it actually felt like Mortal Kombat. I still think that opening theme gets people pumped up instantly.

Honorable mentions: WarGames, Ready Player One, The King of Kong, Free Guy, Street Fighter, and the Super Mario Bros. movies.

What gaming-related movies make your Top 5?

06/16/2026

One unexpected benefit of cataloging my NES collection...

When I started documenting my NES collection, my goal was simple: figure out exactly what I own, what condition it's in, and what I'm still missing.
What I didn't expect was how much I'd learn along the way.

As I started entering games into my spreadsheet and researching different releases, I found myself paying attention to details I had completely ignored for decades. Things like revision labels, cartridge variants, box variations, and even the difference between 3-screw and 5-screw NES cartridges.

That sent me down a rabbit hole, and before long I was checking every early NES game I owned.
The result? I discovered that I have several 5-screw cartridges in my collection, including games like Gyromite, Wild Gunman, Baseball, Kung Fu, Donkey Kong Jr., and a few others.

None of them were hidden, and I have had some of them for years. I just never knew to look.

That's one of the things I've enjoyed most about this hobby lately. It's not just about owning the games—it's about learning the history behind them. Every time I research a title, a variant, or an accessory, I end up discovering something new about the early days of Nintendo and video game collecting.

Have you ever found something in your collection that you'd owned for years but didn't realize was special until you started documenting it?

Retro Gaming With Chris

06/20/2026

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