Fans looking to take a virtual stroll down memory lane can now jam the “X” and “Y” buttons on their controllers to perform a combo move that will send them back through time.
Older video game systems like the original Nintendo (NES) and Sega Genesis have been hitting the reset button for fans of the systems and a newer generation of gamers alike.
Keith Burregi, owner of Play N Trade on Bluebonnet Road, said retro games have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Burregi said the surge in popularity has been fueled by nostalgia and a desire to compare old games to newer ones.
Burregi said his store opened in October 2010 and has offered a wide selection of retro video games since its opening.
About 25 percent of Burregi’s business is the sale of retro games and systems, and another 40 percent comes from the repair of these systems, he said.
“If it was out — if people bought it — there’s still someone who wants to buy it,” Burregi said.
He said his store sees a wide range of customers looking for retro games. And it’s not only Millennials. Burregi said people in their 60s and 70s often come into the store to buy retro games because they don’t understand the newer game systems.
Some customers are on the hunt for certain systems’ games. Burregi said some people will spend hours shopping for specific games for the Sega Genesis and other systems.
He said some of the games can be extremely expensive and hard to find. Burregi said it is difficult for someone to find the original “Tetris” or “Super Mario RPG” for less than $100.
Burregi said the NES game system is priced at $34 and the Super NES costs $39.
Steve Martin, general manager of Gameware in the Mall of Louisiana, said that although the store has been selling retro games for the past 14 years, their popularity has only risen in the past five years.
Martin attributes the increase in customer interest to new systems that play old games.
He said the systems offer the same experience and graphics as their original counterparts.
Undeclared freshman Lexi Schlamp keeps her Game Boy Color on hand as she walks around campus, and she still owns her old Nintendo 64.
Schlamp said part of the appeal of older video games is the nostalgia that comes with reexperiencing childhood favorites. She said newer versions of old games don’t compare to the originals.
“The old graphics and the crappy stuff is what made it great,” she said.
Martin said the majority of people who are interested in retro games are people who are around the age of 30 and grew up with the classic video games.
However, he said players as young as 8 also show interest in the classic Nintendo games thanks to their interest in the current ones.
Martin identified “Mario Kart” and “Super Mario