The first time the two of us walked through the doors of Game Dude, we understood why they claim to be the largest independent game store in the U.S. (or the universe). In fact, we were so shocked by the sheer massiveness of their inventory, that we stood dumbfounded, mouths gaping open, for about 5 to 10 minutes, trying to decide where in the world to focus our attention first.
The store is a warehouse sized space, filled with a winding maze of glass cabinets, behind which employees pace back and forth, fulfilling customer needs. Customers aren’t allowed to touch the merchandise without it being handed to them. And, if they decide to purchase something, it’s taken to the register on their behalf.
It’s a unique layout for certain and not as inconvenient as it sounds. The main purpose is to prevent theft, which is a concern for any retailer, especially one this size. But, intentional or not, it’s also a brilliant set-up which ensures close interaction between employees and potential buyers.
Each cabinet represents a specific system type (or related types) and is filled to the brim with games, consoles, and accessories. Typed pricing lists are found atop each cabinet that go along with the inventory that you might potentially see in that area. For those who also love to shop movies and TV seasons, there’s a nice sized corner of the store just for that.
Over our many trips to Game Dude, we’ve learned a few things that we can do to make our visit as enjoyable as possible. In case you’re planning a trip to the store in the near future, here’s our top 5 suggestions of how to make your shopping experience a success.
- Set aside plenty of time to shop, especially if it’s your first time in the store. We recommend 1 ½ – 2 hours.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Take time to talk to the employees, not just about what you need, but in general about games and the industry. They’re lively, fun, and knowledgeable. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
- Use the price lists to steer you through the various parts of the store.
- If you’re a collector looking for hard to find games, bring a list with you of what you’re looking for. It’s much more efficient to ask employees if they have it on hand rather than look, at a distance, through all the game titles to try and find what you need. This will also help you zone in on the items you want to know prices for when looking at the typed pricing lists.
Now, that you’re prepared for your shopping trip, here’s a list of what you’ll find once you’re inside the store.
NOTE:
Pricing/Inventory currently in the store will most likely vary from what’s mentioned in the article. This information is from our visit in June 2017.
Offerings:
Buy/Sell/Trade
Video Games
Video Game Systems
Gaming Accessories
Strategy Guides
DVD’s
Blu-Ray Movies
Standouts:
Fantastic Manager: Nacho!
Largest Independent Game Retailer in the U.S.
Outstanding Customer Service – These guys/ gals know their products and are all about serving the customer.
They have a tremendous variety of retro games, from less expensive to collectible, for NES, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, SNES, Genesis 32X, 3DO, N64, Sega CD, LYNX Jaguar, Gameboy/ Gameboy Color, Sega Saturn, Neo Geo/ Neo Geo Pocket Color, Turbo Grafx 16, Dreamcast, Super Famicom, Atari.
Strategy Guides (like all items) are kept out of reach which means they’re in great shape/ not torn, bent, or damaged from being handled.
When they have a sale, they mean it – For example, back in June, they had several used XB360 titles priced $1-2.
They carry an eclectic mix of indie titles (especially on the PS4) such as Overcooked, Kromaia, 88 Heroes, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, and Reus, just to name a few.
This is the place to go if you’re looking for NIS games on any system.
This is a must-visit for anyone shopping for PSP games/movies as well as rare PS Vita games.
They have a terrific selection of Acorn Media productions on DVD.
In addition:
If you’re unable to go to the store in person, you can sell or purchase items via mail. You can also purchase inventory by e-mail, phone, or fax. (For instructions on all of this, go to their website).
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We can’t say enough good things about Game Dude and hope that you’ll stop by and see them if you’re in the area.
A big shout out to Nacho and all of the employees who always make us feel welcome during our visits. We hope to see you again next June!
Location
12104 Sherman Way
North Hollywood, CA 91605
818-764-2442
