Filthy Games Room — Local services in Saint Charles

My son and I first visited on August 17th after finding out this store was less then 3 minutes from our home. At the time everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming and we were excited to return. Today I called to inquire about the price of a ps3 controller and it was going to be the same price as Amazon so wanting to shop local we went there to purchase. We bought a single controller and a game. Within 2 hours or less my son was experiencing issues with the controller so I made a second phone call asking if it would be alright if we came in to have them take a look at it. Before we showed up it was obvious that Ben, the owner, had already made up his mind that we were somehow out to scam them. The controller we purhcased was in a bin of controllers on the floor in front of the ps3 games. It’s the exact controller we returned however they accused us of going home and bringing back a broken controller to “get one over them” because they’re a mom and pop shop. I was in disbelief. They gave my son a replacement and we left. I even asked if there were any additonal costs to pay and was told no. Within minutes the owner Ben using my phone number from my purchase receipt took it upon himself to once again call and continue the accusation now saying they took it apart and there’s a 3rd party battery in it. I once again was in complete shock that this man would go to these lengths without zero proof and refused to listen. Not once did they test the controller to see what issue my son was having. I never once asked for a refund. They could have fixed the controller and it would have been fine but that’s not the customer service experience we received. We were told not to come back but trust me I had no intentions of ever stepping foot back in that place. If you are going to make a purchase from this store my advice before leaving the building is to take photos of every angle and every detail because God forbid there’s an issue with the item you’ll most likely be treated like some criminal mastermind out to bankrupt their business. Also whatever you do DO NOT remove the price tag either because apparently we should have kept that on at all times.

EDIT: Since the owner still continues with the accusations here are time stamped receipts of where I was yesterday since apparently returning within hours wasn't sufficient enough. I went to The Edge Fitness center in St. Peters. Feel free to verify. My son texted that after playing his game the controller was giving him an issue. I told him it would need to wait until I was done. I then went to Schnucks where I called the store asking if we could run by. I told the owner I was at the store and wanted to be sure I could arrive before they close. It is appalling the lengths someone would go to over a ps3 USED CONTROLLER and to assume that there was malicious intent without any proof. I have no idea why you had that controller on the floor or why it was sold to us but there was no sinister intent to scam $35! Literally a business owner going to this length over something this ridiculous. And yes it's ridiculous bc I should have just gone to Amazon but we liked the store and the people we met first. Yes I called as I stated to ask if you sold used Sony PS3 controllers. Just as I had called previously to inquire about a game. I mentioned my sons condition because as a mother and someone who spent $50 at your store I couldn't wrap my brain around the behavior and accusation that him or I were trying to scam over a used controller. And I didn't go nuclear until you took it upon yourself to CALL MY PHONE to continue the accusation and say "we got what we wanted." This review is 100% earned and accurate because you don't treat customers like criminals! It's absolutely possible you guys made a mistake or a controller ended up where it shouldn't have been but instead you run your business this way. Shame on you and...

I’m inclined to give any locally owned retro game shop a 5 star review for simply continuing to exist in 2025. It seems the hobby reached the apogee of its popularity during COVID, and while diehard gamers willing to spend money are certainly still out there, owners tell me it’s gotten increasingly difficult to turn a profit while maintaining overhead costs. So, appreciate the fact these places even keep the lights on.

All that said: I’ve written a lot of reviews for retro game stores around the world, mostly in the U.S. and Japan. Giving every single one of them a top score obviously isn’t helpful to you, the person reading this review. Here are therefore the reasons I think Filthy is one of the best I’ve visited:

The selection is awesome for collectors seeking the rare and obscure. The reason I even found out about Filthy is because another retro game shop in the St. Louis metro recommended it after realizing I was disappointed by the other store’s “vanilla” selection. Filthy by comparison had a boxed SEGA Saturn MPEG card! That’s become increasingly difficult to find even in Japanese retro game stores. Someone had also traded in what appeared to be a pristine CIB collection of Atari Jaguar games. It was quite the “holy grail” location for standard NA releases, too, with a complete copy of Keio Flying Squadron and Panzer Dragoon Saga. Sure, someone could read this review and buy all that stuff tomorrow and it would be gone. I can tell the owner and staff are clearly into the hardcore collecting scene, however, so I have a feeling those type of games will continue cycling through the store.

The prices are reasonable. Yeah, it’s probably the Buy It Now price on eBay, but lemme tell you, buddy, it can be much worse. If you check out some of my other reviews, you’ll find a certain store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area - also with a phenomenal inventory - that decided during COVID to give a huge mark up to every sought after game they had, apparently because they’re greedy and thought they could cash in on the hype. Filthy isn’t like that. Maybe it’s no bargain bin, but they’ll open up and show you anything you want to buy, so it’s big step up over eBay.

The owner and staff are genuinely down-to-earth, nice people. I came in with two small children who fought with each other the entire time, and they were way more understanding of the situation than I was! They also answered every question I had and let me inspect multiple games, despite the store being a little busy. They all came off as genuine fans of the hobby excited to discuss and share what they knew. That’s cool, because I’ve been to plenty of retrogames stores where the staff either thought they were too cool to deal with you or, on the other extreme, had no clue what they were selling.

There are couches with multiple CRT TVs set up in the back where you can just sit down and play games. They also had a few arcade cabinets in the front of the store that all seemed set up for free play. Those might seem like small things, but it contributed to my sense that the store actually wants to cater to the retro gaming community, instead of running people out the door as soon as they got their money.

Anyway, I was clearly impressed with Filthy and I think you...

I read the reviews before going in, and they were so glowing that I honestly thought some were fake. After going in, I 100% understand the positive reviews.

This store is top notch. The selection is unbeatable and considering the size of the store, they utilize every inch. And I do mean EVERY inch. They take care of the games as well, and I would bet odds they clean or care for the items before resale unlike some other places where some of the items can be stained or sticky (you know the place). Everything is wrapped for cartridge games which I love, and the disc games are all in cases mostly with a few slips. The owner; Ben was there at the time and introduced himself, and was very friendly. Helped me find exactly what I needed and another game I was hunting for cheap, and their price was perfect. Someone else mentioned their pricing was just slightly over market, but I disagree. Condition matters, and the games selling for at market were in far better shape than those you’ll find elsewhere/eBay. The N64 cartridge I got for example was clean, no wear on the labels or permanent marker names on it, clean contacts, and it was 5 dollars more than ones on eBay with multiples of those issues. I will gladly pay a few percent more for the condition. The Dreamcast disc I got matches pricing for those on eBay that are slightly scratched, and their copy was spotless. Not a hairline scratch even or dust particle.

I went a bit off the rails on this review. But if you’re looking for a hard to find video game, or even a regular classic, or console, I’d start here (and probably finish). If they have it, it’s likely in the best condition you’ll find at a good price. Owner and staff are friendly,...