Retro Road Trip Part 2: Digital Press

Digital Press Videogames
387 Piaget Avenue
Clifton, New Jersey
973-772-1111
www.digitpress.com

Anyone who's visited the massive retro gaming forums over at digitpress.com has at least heard of their brick and mortar store out in Clifton New Jersey. If you haven't, that's a problem I recommend you remedy ASAP! Digital Press Videogames is not only one of the largest vintage game stores in the country, it's also one of the most well known. Out of all the incredible stops on our road trip, this was by far the one I was most excited about. The store plays host to the North Atlantic Video Games Aficionados (NAVA), which has entitled them to some retro-gaming celebrity visitors such as James Rolphe (The Angry Video Game Nerd), and the late Bill Kunkel (the game doctor). The unique nature of the store also made it the perfect place for Capital One to shoot one of their commercials some time back.

Why all the fuss over just one game store? Sadly, without going there in person you can't truly know, but hopefully the following photos will give you some idea of why I got so excited at least.

Behold! Your last stop for that thing you couldn't find anywhere else.

The miniature arcade that greets you on your way in is a nice touch.

I was lucky enough to catch them in the middle of maintenance. These people know what they're doing!

Imagine visiting a museum where you can buy the exhibits straight from their case. That's what this felt like.

I played on one of these kiosks as a boy. It's more impressive now than it was then.

The first time I played on one of these I couldn't figure out how to turn on the other two color channels...
Then they told me it's supposed to be red. 32 bits, one color.

An incredible retro 3DO advert. The sheer amount of vintage POP was staggering.

This POP is more in my wheelhouse.
Sadly, I only own the Sega CD version of this classic. Muted colors and shit music for me.

The hand-painted pixel art in the gallery at the back of the store is worth a look;
especially if you're looking for that unique addition to your game room that no one else has.

Their bargain bin actually had a better selection than some stores I've been in. *cough Gamestop *cough!

Sorry for the terrible iPhone 3G picture here.
The mini-museum was far more impressive in person.

Yes. That is indeed a SuperGrafx running Ghouls n' Ghosts.
I know, I never thought I'd see one in person either.

Ah yes, the successor to my beloved PC-Engine. One of these days... You will be mine.

Neo Geo MVS carts! The perfect gift for that bat-shit crazy collector that has everything.

That wraps up my tour through the hallowed halls of the Digital Press store in New Jersey. Very knowledgable staff who were incredibly accommodating to my pregnant wife and I. I was pretty close to buying an Arcade card for my PC-Engine Duo R here, but then the responsibility bug bit me. Ah well, next time!

Check out the world's largest arcade on the next exciting update!

Retro Road Trip (part 1 of 4)

Game Zone
270 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970
Salem, Massachusetts
978-744-2630


A lucky find! One second we were touring the hallowed streets of Salem Massachusetts and learning about the prosecution of alleged witches. Then, BAM! We find what is probably the best retro video games store in the United States (or at least it's in the top 3). The serendipitous encounter would become the first retro gaming shopping trip on our travels.


A small, unassuming brick facade houses the culmination of decades worth of video game history. Just name it. Commodore 64? Of course it's here! Neo Geo AES? You want the box with that? If I had to pick out one fatal flaw (besides not being within walking distance of my house), it would be that they do not appear to have any sort of website. I can't complain too much though. The harder it is for me to buy from there the less likely I am to drive myself broke. Sadly, I did not buy anything here. Not because they didn't have anything I wanted, just because money was a little tight this trip, and there was plenty more to see on this trip without blowing my wad here.

If you've been looking for it, chance are these guys have it.

No, your eyes do not deceive you. That is in fact a boxed Neo Geo. $600 and she could be yours.

Speaking of boxed stuff... This is one unit I coveted in my youth above most others.
The box was as big as I was, and promised a whole new world of mind-blowing entertainment.
I finally got one of these a few years back but no original box sadly.

I don't actually recognize that grey sucker in the center. You learn so much traveling to these places.

BAM! You've been Robbed!

The unusual suspects. Speaking of unusual...

Fuck! Just when I thought you guys were on the ball...

There are a few more pictures (including the one I teased this series with), on my flickr photostream if you want to see some more of this amazing store. If I ever find myself in Salem again, you'd better believe I'm going back there.


Do check in next week when we visit Digital Press!