Just got a "Play N Trade" store in town.

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:12 pm

So across from out local hastings a Play N Trade store went in. I walked inside and was really happy to find that they had many games for older systems. The store was fairly new but they had a good selection. The owner was really nice and helpful. This was certainly a nice breath of fresh air from GameStop. They had many NES, SNES, Genesis games. They even had a Vectrex for sale and also about 3 kinds of those NES/SNES knockoff systems that play both to some extent.

Our store is really new here but I would like to know how the company compares with Gamestop. Our Gamestop here is really shitty with unhelpful lathargic "gamerz" behind the counter. They don't know shit from shit unless it's Halo based. They don't sell any older games and can't remember games from more than 3 years ago.

Will this Play N Trade store eventually become like Gamestop? Ours is too new to really get a feel for how the company does things.

CStarFlare · Post by **CStarFlare** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:58 pm

The local play 'n trade is my favorite game store. It's got plenty of space (probably too much wasted space, tbh) and a good selection. The staff there seemed to be fairly knowledgeable whenever I talk to them. They also do a lot of tournaments, which is cool (though I never participate).

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:19 pm

Anyone else heard of this company? Maybe it is new I have no idea.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:22 am

I walked into a Play N Trade a few weeks ago, it just recently opened here in Vegas. I've never heard of these guys either but I was very surprised that they had retro games at all. Only a small selection right now but it's suppose to grow eventually. Some atari 2600, nes, n64, third party controllers, and famiclones...the item that caught my eye was their Intellivision console for $39.99! Great deal whoever gets it.

I have high hopes for the place, the workers are cool and their price are decent. Their loose NES carts w/ manual are like $2.99 a piece which ain't bad. One of the clerks said he wants to start a Blades of Steel (NES) tournament. I'm all in for that if it happens.

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:16 am

Sounds like my kind of place, we don't have one here yet, but boy do I wish we did. So long as they continue to sell the retro titles and have knowledge about them, they are ok in my book.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:04 am

I just recently checked out a Play N Trade that opened up near my place, too. Fantastic place. The guys working there were super nice and helpful, even though I told them right off the bat I was really just there to take a look. From what I could see, stuff was very reasonably priced. Super Nintendo consoles for something like $30-$40 bucks, with a free game. They even had Japanese PS3s, and told me they could get in a Japanese PS2s and import games for me if I wanted.

The coolest thing is that they will let you try games in the store as much as you want before you take it home. It's great to not only have access to NES carts at a game retailer, but also be able to see how they run before you shell out any cash. Additionally, if you ask for a game that they don't have in at the moment, you can give them your phone number and name and it will print out on their store receipt if anyone trades that game in, and they'll call and let you know. Pretty cool.

It's nice to finally see someone taking on Gamestop, and doing things the right way.

Octopod · Post by **Octopod** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:07 pm

Sounds pretty cool. Hopefully they will open up one of those closer to me. Kind of near me we have a place called Video Game Exchange...http://www.vidgameexchange.com/..(that website suuucks). They are way overpriced on everything but the store is f'ing stocked.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:48 pm

I recall seen an ad for inquiring about such a "Play 'N' Trade" video game store franchise. You call this number and ask about how to "buy into" this franchise. With a bit of upstart capital, you can be on your way with your very own video game store. Of course, it helps to have such knowledgable employees who know about the classic retro games from the early 1980's era. ^_~

I don't recall seeing such Play 'n' Trade stores in the Modesto, CA area...perhaps one will appear shortly. There are already three Gamestop stores and single GameCrazy store in the greater Modesto, CA area as of right now. ^_~

Here's the Play "n" Trade franchise ad in it's entirety (as seen in USA Today dated 6/27/2007):

---------------------------
Own Your Own Retail Video Game Franchise

Play 'N' Trade Video Games

Single, multi-unit and Area Developer opportunities available

* Tournaments
* New and used games
* Try before you buy
* Unique store design
*Console & disc repair and more!

Call 1(877)225-4411 or go to http://www.pntgame.com for further infomation.

"Owning your own business is wonderful. Owning your own gamestore...THE BEST!" -- Bo Stewart, Area Developer, South Texas

Play 'N' Trade is regarded as one of magazine Entrepreneur's Top 500 franchises to "buy into" in it's 28th Annual Franchise 500 list.
---------------------------

After doing a bit of research on this Play "n" Trade, it's corporate office is at this Southern California address:

Play 'N' Trade Corporate Headquarters
3400 Irvine Ave. Suite #205, , Newport Beach
California, 92660, United States of America

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

I'm Alec · Post by **I'm Alec** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:02 am

Ok the place sounds kinda cool. If one pops up around here, I'll poke my head inside and look around.

Gamestop does indeed suck. But there is this girl that works there that flirts with me every time I stop in (only twice in the last several months). I went in on MGS4 launch date and she wouldn't sell me a copy, made me pinky swear I would next time and told me she'd break my finger if I didn't. The next time I was there I was looking for a joystick for PS3. She said, "soooo....you want to play with a stick?" I was too slow to think of a witty response (should have told her she would like playing with the stick if she would only try it out) and left feeling retarded. I want to go back to talk head to her, but theres really nothing there I want, retail-wise.

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:33 am

It feels really odd having something like this in Montana of all places.

Serously Montana? Oh well, count my blessings I guess.

CStarFlare · Post by **CStarFlare** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:30 pm

Mine's in North Dakota. :P

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:57 pm

We have one out here in the Denver area, but it's on the north end of town near a community college. It will be interesting to see if we get anymore of them. It would be worth the trek if they have a Vectrex!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 5:25 pm

dave4shmups wrote:We have one out here in the Denver area, but it's on the north end of town near a community college. It will be interesting to see if we get anymore of them. It would be worth the trek if they have a Vectrex!

You might recall that GCE (General Consumer Electronics) folded in 1984. It was during the Great Video Game Crash of 1983-1984 that you could buy such a brand new and boxed Vectrex console for a mere fifty smackers (when they used to retail for the expensive sum of $199.99 USD back in 1982 during it's intial debut).

I had to break down and buy one. Did end up snagging one up back in 1984. Best fifty bucks I ever spent getting such a brand new Vectrex. And if you could find such brand new Vectrex games, they were price to move at $5.00 USD a pop -- one heck of a bargin back in 1984 (when the average Vectrex game used to sell for $29.99 USD back in 1982 and into 1983).

The cincher was to pick up such a spare Vectrex control panel -- that's what was most Vectrex owners were looking for to replace their intial "broken" one that came with said console. It wasn't possible to find such Vectrex controllers back in the late 1980's until the advent of eBay and such came along in the 1990's.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:22 am

Bloodreign wrote:Sounds like my kind of place, we don't have one here yet, but boy do I wish we did. So long as they continue to sell the retro titles and have knowledge about them, they are ok in my book.

Lo and behold, I got my wish, one opened in town as of today, wish this worked for wishing to be rich as well.