Will find a good video tour and put it up when I can, but I went to "Doorway to Dorkness" today for the first time, which is a retro and gaming place in Doncaster. And despite having seen loads of photos and vids about it, I honestly couldn't believe how good it was.
Absolutely stacked with incredible and interesting stuff (really well priced too). Really big store and has an entire section for figures, toys etc too.
Also have "Super Retro Video Games" right near me in Woodseats in Sheffield and then Arcade Club in Leeds that I have only been to once, but that my kid always asks when we are going back.
What are the good physical stores or spaces like that near everyone else?
I think I saw that in a Retro Dodo video and I've wanted to go check it out ever since and see what GB-GBA games I can find. I don't think we have anything anywhere near that cool in Manchester.
There's a shop in Glasgow that a friend goes to for retro games but I want impressed when I visited. Although that was probably ten years ago now that I think about it.
I have to make do with my weekly excitement of what 5 games CEX has in the window every time I go, which is usually 3 Pokemon GBA games for £80 and Link's Awakening for £80 and the odd Game Gear game.
I think I saw that in a Retro Dodo video and I've wanted to go check it out ever since and see what GB-GBA games I can find. I don't think we have anything anywhere near that cool in Manchester.
The place in Afflecks used to be good but too expensive, I have some photos of that last I went which ended up being right before it closed.
There's a pretty good retro games shop in the deeply unpromising (in every way) location of Port Talbot, called The Retro Stash. If Doncaster is too bleak for you, Port Talbot is on a whole other level. Ridley Scott took inspiration from Port Talbot when he was creating the landscape of Blade Runner's Los Angeles, specifically the sections that are industrial, terrifying, and partially on fire. It's quite cool and spectacular to drive past, but not so nice to actually visit.
The shop itself is small but packed with retro games and stuff, split across two actual stores, so if you want to go from the section with the games to the section with hundreds of wrestling figures, you have to go outside, back into Port Talbot. If you like rummaging through buckets of Game Boy and SNES cartridges, this is the place for you. The prices are quite reasonable, and the staff enthusiastic, albeit it in a slightly scary Port Talbot way. One word of warning if anyone decides to visit though - they're never open when you expect them to be. The opening times listed on the website seem to be a rough guide, prone to change, presumably depending on which parts of Port Talbot are on fire that day.
My dad's side of the family are all from Skewen, Neath and Port Talbot. I have looked into that abyss many times. And it has looked back at me and smiled.
I like it when you have to give someone directions through the town. "Turn right at the house with no roof…"
I worked on a pub refit in Port Talbot years ago, but can't remember the name of it now. Will have a look for some videos of the actual shop though.
