World's Game Store — Local services in Salt Lake City

Pros: -the selection of games is really wide and there’s a lot of options to choose from for all console generations new and old, so you’re bound to see some good selections

Cons: Pretty much everything else.

-The lighting in the store is awful. It’s either too dark that making out game titles on shelves is nearly impossible, or games in some of the cases are backlit by incredibly bright light fixtures facing outwards to where it’s blinding to look in.

-The general organization of everything is a mess. Generally a selection of a console’s games will be together unless it’s a big franchise, then it might be on the other side of the store. But there’s also a lot of bins just sitting around with lower quality/desired titles just haphazardly thrown in, sometimes with discs just sitting exposed. Most things are on the shelves behind the counter so anything you might be interested in has to be requested to be looked at which is incredibly inconvenient unless you are going in knowing what you want.

-The prices are obscenely high. I can only imagine the benefit of the wide selection the store has is for people who either don’t know how to look up/order games online via eBay or Facebook marketplace, or who just generally are clueless about games. Some of the prices are closer to their online value for more disposable titles , but many items in their store that are older than the 7th generation of game consoles (Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3) are 200%+ the value you can find online easily. There are other stores in town or even pawn shops that sell these games for closer to the value you can find online.

EDIT: In response to the owner’s response. No, I am not a competitor. I don’t even know what competitor this particular store has outside of Gamestop or the few sporadic stores in the area that sell old games. That being said, of all the places I’ve been to, this was the lowest quality outside of the selection. I compared the prices with those you can find on Ebay and elsewhere because, for example, selling a $20 valued game you can get practically anywhere else for $50 online or physically if it’s available in the area for being ‘vintage’, as you put it, is ridiculous. It also fails to address any of the other complaints about the organization of the store itself. I visited the Sandy store a few times before it closed and I would have given it 3 stars for at least being somewhat more organized and not having loose games sitting exposed in a bin. This location feels less like a store and more of a haphazard way for someone to show off their collection. It’s also, in my opinion, unprofessional how many of the other negative reviews and my own are handled by the owner who doesn’t seem to handle...

As an owner of a video game store in Denver CO visiting SLC, I must admit I was genuinely impressed by the sheer volume of retro items available at World's Game Store. Their collection is undeniably extensive and offers a treasure trove for vintage game enthusiasts.

However, my experience was marred by the overall condition of the store. The space appeared disorganized and dusty, with noticeable buildup on many of the products. This level of neglect suggests a lack of regular upkeep, which is concerning given the potential value of these items. Dust accumulation is often a telltale sign that prices are not aligned with current market values, and it was evident that some items may be significantly overpriced.

The staff member I spoke with mentioned that the disarray was due to the recent merging of their Sandy location. While I understand transitions can be challenging, the state of the store raises questions about inventory management and pricing strategies. Previous reviews from over five years ago also referenced similar issues, indicating that these might be ongoing concerns rather than temporary setbacks.

Regarding pricing, I was surprised to see a 6.5 graded Conker’s game priced at $1,600-$1,700, which seems well above the typical market value of around $980. It remains unclear whether the store is open to haggling, but considering the marked-up prices and the condition of the inventory, potential buyers should approach with realistic expectations.

In summary, World's Game Store boasts an impressive collection but would benefit greatly from improved store organization, regular maintenance, and more competitive pricing. For dedicated collectors, it might be worth a visit, but caution and careful market research are advised before making any purchases.

Edit due to Owners Response: Hello Gregory Suvorov, Thank you for your response. My intention with the review was to share an honest perspective based on my experience and conversations with other game store owners and customers. I believe that constructive feedback can help identify areas for improvement, and I appreciate your suggestions for alternative avenues such as your buy 2, get 3 free deal, thrift stores, and swap meets, which are indeed valuable resources.

Please note, my initial review was focused on providing a detailed account of my visit, highlighting both the strengths and areas where the store could enhance the overall experience. I do not see this as a competitive critique but rather as feedback aimed at supporting ongoing growth and customer satisfaction.

I wish you continued success with your store, Worlds Game Store, and hope that my observations can contribute positively to...

Fundamentally Dishonest. A basic expectation of any retail consumer is that you will walk out with what you paid for. World's Game Store failed in this basic expectation and gave me no reason to expect any different in the future. I purchased a Nintendo Switch which stated on the box that it included a code for Mario Odyssey. I confirmed at the time of purchase that it was new. After taking it home, I found that the code was missing. Dreading the prospect of trying to convince the store that I had not taken it myself, I contacted Nintendo for help. Luckily they were able to provide me with another code. I returned to the store to inform them that the code had likely been stolen. When I told the employee of the problem, he shocked me by admitting that, unbeknownst to him, his boss had taken the code out of the box and sold it separately, leaving no indication of the misdeed on the box or informing anyone else. He offered me another code to make up for it. Not wishing to defraud whatever poor sucker bought the next box he would have taken the code from or however else this additional code would have been conjured up and having no use for two copies of the same game, I declined. He seemed confused why I would refuse to benefit myself at the expense of another.

I suppose I shouldn't have expected any different from a store that is full of pirated game consoles infringing on the rights of the legitimate owners, but it pains me to think ill of a store that still sells Atari games. Still, in light of my experience, I cannot recommend shopping there. If their eclectic selection has something you just can't find anywhere else, be sure to open the box in the store and count everything in there. Plug it in and make sure it works if you can. You should take these precautions because, unlike most other retail establishments, you cannot trust the staff for even the most basic of expectations.

Update: I returned a few days later to speak with the manager. I would have returned sooner, but they didn't open at their posted hours on Monday. I was in the middle of calmly explaining what happened when the manager exploded. He yelled, he threw things at me, and he kicked me out of the store, threatening to call the police and banning me forever. I wasn't planning on returning anyway. He denied taking the game code out of the switch box. So either he was lying or one of his employees is stealing from the merchandise and he doesn't know and doesn't...