Classic video games such as "Donkey Kong" and "Pac-Man" are once again enjoying popularity in Japan as vintage game enthusiasts flock to Tokyo's Akihabara district to reminisce their youth.
According to an article posted on Japan Today, Super Potato, a famous video game store in Japan, is slowly getting filled with gaming enthusiasts who are out to look for classic video games. The store has been reported to carry isles of gaming products from "Legend of Zelda" figurines to old Sega Mega Drive consoles in mint condition.
Matt, a 35-year old tourist from Britain reportedly told AFP that the classic games were of his generation, and that it was because of the retro video games that he came to Japan on holiday.
"At that age, when computer games were first coming out, there was nothing else like it," Matt says to AFP.
Vintage games have been getting a lot of press this year, with parties celebrating the birthdays of "Pac-Man" and "Super Mario," and with the video game-themed film "Pixels" grossing more than $200 million worldwide.
Big companies are also taking advantage of this trend, with Microsoft and Sony leading the pack in offering classic games to appeal to the older generation.
Japan, being the home of Nintendo and Sega, has been a haven for gamers, especially now that Tokyo is becoming the leading source of classic video game titles.
Although vintage video games still only have a small portion of the world video games market, it is said to be growing fast with an estimated worth of more than $90 billion. The growth is mainly attributed to classic game collectors who are willing to pay a hefty price for rare items.
Prices for the classic games have reportedly risen; "Nintendo World Championship" cartridge, for example, was selling for about $100,000 last year, based on its eBay listing.
It's truly not game over yet for these classic video games as long as there are players who are still willing to patronize them despite influx of newer titles.
