Retro Classics Video Games — Attraction in Somerville

Hands down one of the worst retro game stores I ever been to... the store is absolutely cluttered like a hoarder. You could tell this place takes in way more than they sell, that goes on to my next thing which is the prices, they are giving DKOldies vibes with prices like $215 for pokemon soul silver when in reality it's about $150 and also all the gameboy Pokémon games being about 40% over what they go for and having absolutely the worst labels and cartridges ever with bite marks, sharpie, fades, scratches, etc and not even having the batteries replaced. I go and check for some GameCube Games after too and they were priced way higher, for example Spirits and Spells is like a $90 game (COMPLETE MIND YOU WITH THE MANUALS INSERTS CLEAN CASE DISC EVERYTHING) they were asking $160 for it not even complete. I get the area is way more upper class than where some of these other retro game stores are, but cmon no wonder why they barely sell anything. On the register desk they have this huge like octagon case which would be really nice to display and have higher end games, the thing was just absolutely cluttered with games thrown everywhere like a tornado came in and the employee told me to stop looking around the desk the games their aren't for sale besides what's hung up on the shelves behind the counter. With all that being said, I came in their to check out the store because I'm from Clifton and never checked the store out obviously and wanted to do a trade-in. I had some gamecube games and a couple lower end GBA games, the employee tells me to look around before even giving me a price and then when I didn't have something picked out he got mad at me and was like what were you doing this whole time... who the hell wants you to pick out a game before they tell you your trade in value, how am I going to know how much credit your giving me, also too because the store is so incredibly cluttered they had games all over the counter and some other game stuff and the employee got confused literally asking me which stuff was mine for the trade-in and which stuff was theirs on the table already... which the stores stuff WAS PRICED ALREADY... anyways I go and grab a game and bring it to the counter and the guy goes oh bro this is like $50 I'm only gonna give you $30 in store credit I can't stretch it out that far... like wtf I told him you never heard of paying the difference before and, he's like yeah I guess you can do that but with the trade ins I can't give you a value slip or anything you're just gonna have to use the credit right now... so I put that game back and go look at the switch games behind the counter. I see a final fantasy game for $35 and he's like oh I can be nice and stretch it for you and do the $35... which in all fairness was nice. Me now being skeptical with everything I said before and some previous reviews I wasn't taking any shots on used games anymore because I didn't want to have to drive 40 mins back if the game didn't work. So I asked him about any sealed switch games and instead of telling me or showing me he freaked out and grabbed every single switch game off the rack and dumped it on the counter and said here you figure out which ones are the ones that are sealed and what you want just go through it yourself... so unprofessional in so many ways. I was also just being nice about the store and making small talk I told them I like their retro neon Mario signs and he goes, "oh if you're actually serious about buying them go to the bank and take out $10,000 in cash and put the money down and I'll call my boss in to see if he'll even consider that offer" in absolutely the most passive aggressive jerk tone I ever heard. I personally didn't mean to go on a rant on here, but because of just how insanely rude and disrespectful the one employee was. Absolutely killed my vibe and the passion I have for retro game hunting, so unwelcoming, and the store looks like an absolute hell hole. I really hope the owner sees this too because that employee needs to either be fully retrained all over...

Even while I was shopping and spending money at Retro Classics, the staff were rude, dismissive, and showed zero interest in helping. It’s frustrating to be treated like an inconvenience as a paying customer. On top of that, the prices are way too high. It honestly feels like they’re scamming people who aren’t familiar with fair market value. If you're looking for a better experience, I highly recommend checking out Digital Press Video Games instead with way better service and much more reasonable pricing.

Updated Experience

I wanted to follow up on my experience at Retro Classics. It’s clear the owner didn’t fully read or understand my original review, and their response came off as hostile instead of helpful, which only reinforces the poor customer service I experienced.

Despite that, I still chose to be respectful and spent $83 on three items: a third-party controller and two overpriced games. But after this visit, I decided to take my business elsewhere to a store that not only values its customers but also keeps up with fair, current pricing.

Let me be clear: the only reason I gave this place two stars is because of one polite gentleman who helped me during my visit. Even after cutting himself while assisting me, he remained professional and kind, unlike the owner, who barked “what are you waiting for?” at me while I was still browsing. That’s not customer service that’s being aggressive and rude.

And here's something even more disturbing: I learned from the other retro store I visited (where I happily spent over $200) that Retro Classics allegedly has an issue with a certain demographic of customers. I was told that some people have even been told not to return, solely based on that. If that’s true, it's beyond unacceptable.

So, sir, be grateful for the 2 stars. You didn’t earn them, but your...

It's a great place overall! Massive upgrade from the old store on Division Street for sure. A couple of things for anyone interested in visiting:

The staff are very very helpful! Couldn't have gotten anywhere without them. The owner is super super nice and all of the employees are very patient with everything. They are experts in all fields with video games so I would go to them with questions.

They do have a dog as a pet, but he is super super nice! Puppers (Name of the dog) is super friendly and a great pet to have around. They sell cute stickers of him at the counter! Great addition to the store! :)

Everything is organized, clean, and takes you back to the 80s and 90s. The LED signs all over the place that pop out at you with the words "Nintendo" and the boxed games and systems behind the shelf are great displays and put you in awe.

Overall, great place! I do have to say though, they can be very tough with negotiations, but in a good way since they also have to make some money. Sold my Nintendo 64 system, 4 controllers, and about 10 games including Donkey Kong and Mario 64 for about $300. I was expecting a little more, but overall I was happy.

They have everything, and when I mean everything, I mean it. From Atari to Xbox and from Nintendo to PlayStation, they have it all. New and old. They will have anything that you are looking for. Amazing place and...