-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
An entire generation growing up who will never know the thrill of renting a game
- Thread starter Krejlooc
- Start date
This used to be Disneyland.
Like...I don't think people who have used online only rental places understand how exciting it was to go rent a game you want and the game actually being there, or even better...thinking the game is gone and asking a guy at the front desk if it's available and it recently arriving. It was like gambling, and if you didn't win then you had to settle for another game that might or might not end up being good just by how the box art and screenshots looked. No extensive previews of the game or anything.
One of the very last times I remember renting a game was Mario Kart 64. My friends and I were at blockbuster and I remember we were so incredibly stoked that it was in stock.
We played battle mode all night.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Uh, OP...
My Redboxes still only carry last gen games. : (
Various Artists
Banned
The biggest thrill for me came when you were at the end of your rental period but you know if you begged to keep the game just one more day that you could beat it.
Flame Lord
Member
Why would you think that? My brother rents stuff all the time, and I have to imagine there are quite a few kids that still do. They may not be renting them from stores like blockbuster or Hollywood Video, but they still have Redbox and Gamefly.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
I miss movie rental places too.
I rented a Virtual Boy at Blockbuster and I loved looking at all of the boxes on the shelf trying to decide what I wanted.
I rented a Virtual Boy at Blockbuster and I loved looking at all of the boxes on the shelf trying to decide what I wanted.
The answer to this, and similar questions, might just be found in the OP. *GASP*
Baron Von Beans
Member
The amount of digial offerings now overshadow that sinking feeling of looking forward to a game you saw last time, you getting to the rental place, and you find the game is out.
WAT. No, no! It can't be! All week at school, I was looking forward to this!
Now, you can just drive a few more minutes to find it at another extremely similar establishment. The video rental places by me, back in the day, always had VASTLY different stock. One place was where I would go for my Turbografix 16 games, always prefaced by "You know this is for Turb 16, right? NOT a nintendo game??" One place was for 5 day rentals, before they became the norm, but their selection suuuuuucked.
I guess the feeling of attempting to beat a game and return it within the time limit is still there in today's times, but with how media is almost over saturated with options, it's just not the same, at all.
I still see rental places from time to time...I really need to stop by those locations when I do see them. Likely there are some deals for sale in there.
WAT. No, no! It can't be! All week at school, I was looking forward to this!
Now, you can just drive a few more minutes to find it at another extremely similar establishment. The video rental places by me, back in the day, always had VASTLY different stock. One place was where I would go for my Turbografix 16 games, always prefaced by "You know this is for Turb 16, right? NOT a nintendo game??" One place was for 5 day rentals, before they became the norm, but their selection suuuuuucked.
I guess the feeling of attempting to beat a game and return it within the time limit is still there in today's times, but with how media is almost over saturated with options, it's just not the same, at all.
I still see rental places from time to time...I really need to stop by those locations when I do see them. Likely there are some deals for sale in there.
Knowing that if you went to the store too late on friday, you were going to have slim pickings.
Or shit, going to rent a movie/game on saturday was terrible. Everything worth renting out of stock.
Admiral Woofington
Member
I hated renting games. Sure it was cheaper if you were a fast player, but having to run to your local blockbuster and hope they still had that game in stock sucked so much.
Zeyphersan
Banned
What's so thrilling about it?
There was a certain magic to walking into a blockbuster store and looking at the shelf, picking something up at random or just reading the back of game covers. Talking to the clerk behind the register, finding out if they have the game you want...or better, the clerk goofs and gives you a random game instead of the one you wanted. Both times that ever happened to me I got Goemon instead of Quest 64 and Gunstar Heroes instead of Contra.
I got really bummed out when Blockbuster went under. There was a charm to the place. Also, Blockbuster Videogame Championships and Pokemon Snap Printer Kiosk. So many memories.
I got really bummed out when Blockbuster went under. There was a charm to the place. Also, Blockbuster Videogame Championships and Pokemon Snap Printer Kiosk. So many memories.
Every Friday after elementary school we would have weekly report cards that would go out with categories where the most you could score was 5. If I got 5's all the way down in each category, he would drive me to the Blockbuster down the street and let me rent a game. This was where most of my gaming memories were made for the N64 generation: Hey You Pikachu, Gex, Pokemom Stadium, Mickey Mouse Raceway etc.
I'll never forget the memories. It doesn't feel the same going to a Red Box. Mostly because each station has a crappy selection. Blockbusters would have old and new games, so I found a lot of obscure titles to play there too. They all had the same blockbuster logo as boxart so when picking one you honestly had no idea what you were in for. That made renting exciting.
You don't get that anymore.
I'll never forget the memories. It doesn't feel the same going to a Red Box. Mostly because each station has a crappy selection. Blockbusters would have old and new games, so I found a lot of obscure titles to play there too. They all had the same blockbuster logo as boxart so when picking one you honestly had no idea what you were in for. That made renting exciting.
You don't get that anymore.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
I remember renting Pokemon Yellow mutiple times and having to restart every time I rented it again and didn't care one bit. I miss those days.
IAmRandom31
Banned
GameFly?
PS Now?
There is still renting. Just not as easy as Blockbuster back in the day.
Also a whole generation who will never know the pain of a new game coming out, going to rent it and it not being available. Then driving all over town and striking out at every rental shop lol.
PS Now?
There is still renting. Just not as easy as Blockbuster back in the day.
Also a whole generation who will never know the pain of a new game coming out, going to rent it and it not being available. Then driving all over town and striking out at every rental shop lol.
Flame Lord
Member
I read the OP, and I still don't see your point. Kids may not be able to walk around a physical store for the game, but they still are just looking at box arts on a website or on a booth. I seriously doubt many kids go look up reviews and previews to make sure a game is good before they buy them.
Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
PS Now is renting. It's just a much lazier process.
Oh man,
I remember being a kid and RUNNING to the game section when we got to movie shop (little local joint) to see what they had in stock.
Or a long weekend or week off of school my mom would rent 2-3 games for me and I would poor through them all week long.
So many good memories.
I remember being a kid and RUNNING to the game section when we got to movie shop (little local joint) to see what they had in stock.
Or a long weekend or week off of school my mom would rent 2-3 games for me and I would poor through them all week long.
So many good memories.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
Uh, OP...
That's almost too public. You want your own section. I think GameFly has just delayed a person from buying.
I think what OP is talking about is how games use to come in their own case. You had stickers from the rental store plastered all over the actual game and you also didn't have a rental feel to your cinematic(s). I think once gaming began to have high production quality, you respected the value or worth of the game a lot more. Owning a game feels better IMO.
FMV and CGI cutscenes back in the mid and upper 90s were great to view, but you weren't consistently concentrating on them for the game to play out.
I don't rent from RedBox. I feel better owning. It gives the game a better feel to it. Renting is just something I ignore. I use to do it all the time. I'd rent a game and a movie. Then the DC and PS2 came out and I realized I wanted to own these next gen games. I didn't want the copy some guy just tossed around at his house.
LuciusAxelrod
Member
I grew up in a really small town far away from any sort of Blockbusters and such, so we only had one place with a small selection of games to rent. One weekend I was so bored that I rented the one game I hadn't yet: Barney's Hide and Seek. It was not a fun weekend; those kids didn't even try to hide.
RumblingRosco
Member
Y'all need to move to the Midwest. FamilyVideo is like OG Blockbuster but with better prices.
perfectchaos007
Member
Our local Hastings still rents games and movies. Fortunately that only takes up half their store, the other more profitable side SELLS books, movies, games, and has a coffee shop. I rarely see people on the rental side
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I'm in the Midwest and we have RedBox at all the large grocery stores. The last chain to go out was Blockbuster. Hell, I remember walking into HyVee and seeing those tiny slips. The small pieces of paper with the cover printed on the top. Now a days You'll just find a RedBox rip off somewhere around town.
I went to Hastings and Blockbusters a lot growing up. Hastings was the best for their Genesis and SNES selection. I walk into their store now and all I saw was their new games sitting out. I even bought my PS4 from a Hastings. I hadn't seen a store since I was in Missouri. I had to be in this small farmtown out in Nebraska for school for a while and that was the only thing keeping me sane.
I use to get this wonderful feeling walking in, but then it seemed like the stores just felt dirty and their selections were piss poor compared to the internet.
Arthr2ShdsJcksn
Banned
Nobody will know the joy of renting in general...Nevermind, I'll just go to Big Choice Video instead.
I loved going to the local convenience store to see what they got in each week. Because they weren't a chain, it was always an eclectic sampling of games and movies.
I never would have played Startropics or that rollerblade game for the NES if it wasn't for a store called Little Vittles that was within walking distance from my house.
Eventually my little town of 10,000 had three independent video rental stores, not to mention two gas stations and two grocery stores that had significant rentals of their own. It used to be a little adventure to see which place had something cool in stock. Ahh, nostalgia.
I loved going to the local convenience store to see what they got in each week. Because they weren't a chain, it was always an eclectic sampling of games and movies.
I never would have played Startropics or that rollerblade game for the NES if it wasn't for a store called Little Vittles that was within walking distance from my house.
Eventually my little town of 10,000 had three independent video rental stores, not to mention two gas stations and two grocery stores that had significant rentals of their own. It used to be a little adventure to see which place had something cool in stock. Ahh, nostalgia.
You talk about renting games as if that was the moment in your childhood you are nostalgic for but that isn't really true. As you elaborated your story it became obvious that the whole ritual of doing all these things that target you (video games, pizza, movie and cartoons) with your family (your sister from what you explained) is what you are nostalgic for. Your whole friday experience is what you miss, not paying money for a game that may or may not have been good.
I remember the rental days. I rented movies and video games on base and just like you it was a routine; go to the PX, buy 1 comicbook, get an ice cream sundae at Baskin Robins and rent a movie and maybe a video game, all with my family. Its fun to remember but I also remember that sinking feeling I got when I ran to the ONLY game I wanted to rent and seeing NOTHING behind the display copy. Then in a panicked state, going through the newly returned bin PRAYING it was there. Don't miss that so much.
I remember the rental days. I rented movies and video games on base and just like you it was a routine; go to the PX, buy 1 comicbook, get an ice cream sundae at Baskin Robins and rent a movie and maybe a video game, all with my family. Its fun to remember but I also remember that sinking feeling I got when I ran to the ONLY game I wanted to rent and seeing NOTHING behind the display copy. Then in a panicked state, going through the newly returned bin PRAYING it was there. Don't miss that so much.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
Because renting from a store different then looking them up on the internet or walking up to a machine. They're all technically renting, but the actual acts of renting are nothing alike.
The same way buying an iPod out of a vending machine or off the internet isn't the same experience as buying one in a store.
ThreePiMatt
Member
Nothing more thrilling than coming home from the video store with a copy of Nightmare Creatures for the N64, playing it for about 15 minutes, and then getting pissed off that you have to wait until next week when your parents take you back to rent something else.
Kost2Coast
Banned
Loved Nintendo games and getting other kids saved files because of the cartridges! Made you have a wtf moment as a kid whenever you picked up someone's ocarina of time save file and you had no idea where to go or what to do "those were the days!"
Renting is still a thing.
I'm still in awe that some libraries have games to rent. I mean, I've seen CDs and movies at mine but never games.
I'm still in awe that some libraries have games to rent. I mean, I've seen CDs and movies at mine but never games.
Remember when rental places used to clear stock, and they'd sell their games for dirt cheap? This was back when options for buying used games were very slim, so seeing a video rental place selling good games for dirt cheap was incredible.
I remember thats how I got Wonderboy in Monster World. I had rented and beaten the game so many times, and then, one day, it was for sale for like $20. Snatched it up so fast. I had never seen it for sale at any other store.
I remember thats how I got Wonderboy in Monster World. I had rented and beaten the game so many times, and then, one day, it was for sale for like $20. Snatched it up so fast. I had never seen it for sale at any other store.
Baron Von Beans
Member
The smell - oh LAWD the smell of those places really was something, too. And the "pros" that usually worked the counters were usually top notch, and something very absent in today's renting world.
Weekly rentals were a huge thing for my childhood as well. Initially it was from some local movie place that had games in a tiny back corner room, and I'd pretty much always rent a Genesis game, but then a Blockbuster opened up and had Saturn and Playstation and eventually N64 games to rent.
Between constant rentals and having all major consoles between my group of friends we got to play pretty much everything. It ruled.
Really glad I still have a Christmas Nights disc I got this way.
Between constant rentals and having all major consoles between my group of friends we got to play pretty much everything. It ruled.
Krejlooc said:
Really glad I still have a Christmas Nights disc I got this way.
Hmmmm, give up all the great benefits of living near a large diverse population like great food, cultural festivals, better job opportunity (for me at least) and just a diverse of things to do for the ability to........rent videos like the old days?
No thank you, lol.
boredofcanada
Member
And the thrill of late fees. I'm glad renting is done.
Yeah it's a shame. I used to go home and tune into Kids WB and do homework while watching Pokemon, Jackie Chan Adventures, and Yu-Gi-Oh! It's even more sad that as of almost 3 weeks ago, Saturday morning cartoons isn't a thing anymore either.
Shmuely Bully
Member
Renting wasn't a great system, at least for games (the prices were too dang high).
That being said what I do miss about renting-and not just games-is that it was a dedicated thing and that it almost forced you to become exposed to games that you otherwise wouldn't have known about or have been interested in while providing a limited enough selection to make deciding on one easy.
Steam is great from a pricing and availability perspective, but there really are too many options there and as PCs are extremely flexible there are too many options of other things to do while you're running Steam. The paradox of choice is real and it makes it a pain to just pick something and focus on it.
That being said what I do miss about renting-and not just games-is that it was a dedicated thing and that it almost forced you to become exposed to games that you otherwise wouldn't have known about or have been interested in while providing a limited enough selection to make deciding on one easy.
Steam is great from a pricing and availability perspective, but there really are too many options there and as PCs are extremely flexible there are too many options of other things to do while you're running Steam. The paradox of choice is real and it makes it a pain to just pick something and focus on it.
evilromero
Member
This for me. Just the act of being in the store and browsing was itself an event. The candy aisles, the used games, the new releases. Hell, the best was the black and white printed instructions! I remember my mom bringing home a rented SF2 on SNES right when it came out. I went fucking ape shit. And the game itself delivered in every way. That experience colored my youthful mind in a very meaningful way. I truly knew that nothing could ever beat the SNES in terms of that magic feel that it's games seemed to posses. I didn't need to own games then. I just needed to play them. That was pure bliss and being in Blockbuster and seeing all if those yet-to-be-played games like Demon's Crest, SF2 Turbo, Act Raiser, Secret of Mana. Holy shit my kid brain couldn't take it.
edit: I realize you can still rent games. I suppose I am more sad that there will be no more slowly roaming the aisles of the local video store in general.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
Now a days adults sit on TV or they're working jobs where people are telling them to get away from the TV and the computer. They think we're all unhealthy. I think it also has a lot to do with people trying to drive other people. Hence one of the reasons I don't like traveling to western Nebraska. Games also changed. We don't have the same box arts or platformers to rent. I think we've matured with the games and we're adding that into our lives. It works perfectly, but there's always someone who feels different about the situation.
JumpJeff84
Member
I've rented hundreds of games, starting with the NES. As a kid it was the best.
Haven't rented a game in like 5 years now though...
Haven't rented a game in like 5 years now though...
One of the coolest times ever was renting a whole console. We really only had a PC for games in those days so it was a pretty special experience. There was a weekend we got a Sega Saturn from Blockbuster with Virtua Fighter and Sega Rally Championship and we played it ever so much.
I'm not sure how much that cost overall, but I imagine doing it more than a few times would rapidly approach the cost of a console.
I'm not sure how much that cost overall, but I imagine doing it more than a few times would rapidly approach the cost of a console.
I remember, right after christmas 93, going to blockbuster and renting Ecco the Dolphin CD, because it was advertised on the back of Sonic CD's manual, along with Ren & Stimpy's Christmas and Ghostbusters (obviously movies). This must have been the first weekend after christmas, because I was still on vacation.
I vividly remember eating mushroom and pepperoni pizza watching ren & stimpy then diving into Ecco the Dolphin. That memory makes me warm inside.
I vividly remember eating mushroom and pepperoni pizza watching ren & stimpy then diving into Ecco the Dolphin. That memory makes me warm inside.
It was like $20 for a weekend, but you also had to put a deposit of the cost of the entire console or rent with a credit card.
JumpJeff84
Member
I remember back in 99, the Blockbuster near my house was selling copies of Paper Mario for N64 at $ 15 a pop. They probably had 30 copies of it.
EB Games was offering $ 30 trade in credit for it. I bought 'em all, and traded 'em all in. Pretty much paid for my Dreamcast preorder doing that. Good times.
LookAtMeGo
Member
For me it was all about the experience of physically going to the store and browsing the shelves full of games. Back in the day it was The Games Exchange, a small videogame store that I could buy or rent games for my SNES, NES, Genesis or straight up trade one for one, it was so fun, they even had little booths set up for you to try whatever game you wanted.
Then it was a place called Discount Games. I became friends with the owners when I was like 12 so they would let me rent M rated games. Walking to that store with my best friend all excited and talking about what games we wanted and hoped were not rented out was so great.
Redbox, streaming.. it just does not compare.
Then it was a place called Discount Games. I became friends with the owners when I was like 12 so they would let me rent M rated games. Walking to that store with my best friend all excited and talking about what games we wanted and hoped were not rented out was so great.
Redbox, streaming.. it just does not compare.