The Unlikely Comeback of VHS in Gaming Culture
In an era where digital streaming dominates, physical media is making a surprising resurgence among younger gamers. The humble VHS tape has emerged as an unexpected archive, capturing the messy and magical evolution of video gaming from the 1980s and 1990s. For collectors and enthusiasts, this represents a vital quest to preserve a fading cultural heritage, one eBay bid at a time.
A Personal Journey into Retro Gaming Nostalgia
Driven by nostalgia, many of a certain age are revisiting the VHS era. Recently, I acquired a VHS video recorder and won a 32-inch CRT television at an auction in Shepton Mallet. This setup allows me to play old videos discovered in my loft, including a 1990s youth TV show segment where I discussed sexism and Tomb Raider. Beyond personal memories, it offers a new avenue for investing in fragile video-game nostalgia.
The rise of the games industry in the 1980s and 1990s coincided with the explosion of the home-video business, leading to fascinating crossovers. Key treasures include VHS copies of Street Fighter: The Movie and the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, as well as early games-inspired films like The Last Starfighter, The Wizard, and WarGames. Many of these were rented from local video shops, which also sold computer games by budget publishers like Mastertronic, highlighting the synergy between these entertainment formats.
Rare Finds and Promotional Treasures
The hunt extends to rarer videos, such as tie-in cartoons from the era. Examples include VHS tapes of the early 1980s Pac-Man and Pole Position cartoons, and later series like The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which blended animation and live-action. I am currently bidding on a VHS tape of Captain N: The Game Master, a poorly received cartoon about a boy transported into Nintendo game worlds. Notably, some quality anime adaptations, like those for Street Fighter and Tekken, also exist on VHS.
Before the internet, VHS tapes served as crucial promotional tools for games publishers. Arcade companies like Konami and Irem produced promo videotapes for distributors, while Capcom ran a Japanese fanclub that distributed videotapes with trailers and developer interviews. Many of these items can still be found on eBay and Japanese auction sites, aided by tools like the Doorzo app.
In the UK, gaming magazines often included covermounted VHS tapes with demos, trailers, and tips. For instance, the first issue of DC-UK magazine in 1999 featured a demo video of Dreamcast launch titles, a challenging production effort. Other memorable tapes include Mean Machines magazine's Sega Preview Tape, showcasing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the infamous Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! footage.
Why VHS Appeals to a New Generation
Gen Z teenagers, weary of smartphone and subscription-based content, are embracing physical media. Vinyl records paved the way, and now trends include old-school digital cameras and DVD collections. The interest in VHS and Betamax tapes stems partly from nostalgia for the rituals of renting and rewinding. For gaming fans, VHS tapes share similarities with old video game cartridges: they are chunky, come in artful boxes, and produce glitchy, low-resolution images that evoke a bygone era.
Preserving these tapes often requires effort, such as using mould removers from sites like VHS is Life, but it is worthwhile to rescue treasures like the 1998 Pokemon movie. These tapes reveal how gaming tentatively connected with other screen cultures. Given the game industry's poor archival practices, collectors play a crucial role in preservation and curation.
While many demos and cartoons are available on YouTube, the primary artifact—its packaging, smell, quirks, and frailties—is essential for understanding history. This belief drives bids on items like a Japanese rental copy of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, emphasizing the risk of loss if not cared for.
Retro Gaming Highlights and Industry News
In related retro gaming news, Nutmeg! is a new PC game blending 1990s football management with deck-building card mechanics. It features real player names from the era and nostalgic elements like old PCs and cork boards, appealing to fans of classics like Kevin Toms Football Star Manager.
The games industry faces challenges, as seen with Epic Games laying off over 1,000 staff due to declining Fortnite engagement and competitive pressures. Additionally, AI-generated art has inadvertently appeared in games like Crimson Desert, The Alters, and others, sparking controversies.
On a lighter note, Minecraft World is set to open at Chessington World of Adventures in 2027, and a new book, CTRL: Essays on Video Games, compiles insightful writing from authors and game creators.
Recalling Gaming Quizshows of the Past
Retro gaming culture includes memorable TV quizshows. The BBC's First Class (1984-1988) featured trivia rounds and video game segments with titles like Paperboy and Hyper Sports. Earlier, the US show Starcade (1982) included games such as Donkey Kong and BurgerTime. The UK's GamesMaster (1992), hosted by Dominik Diamond, is considered a zenith, suggesting potential for a modern revival blending concepts like 1 vs. 100 with games like Fortnite.
This exploration underscores the importance of preserving VHS-era gaming culture, not just as nostalgia, but as a vital archive of an evolving medium. Each tape rescued is a step toward safeguarding gaming's rich history for future generations.
