The Unexpected Revival of VHS in Gaming Culture
In an era dominated by digital streaming and smartphones, a surprising trend is unfolding among younger gamers: a renewed interest in physical media. This movement, spearheaded by the resurgence of vinyl records, has now extended to VHS tapes, which are being embraced as cherished artefacts of gaming's formative years. For those of a certain age, like myself, this has sparked a nostalgic quest to preserve the VHS-era gaming culture, one eBay bid at a time.
A Personal Journey into Retro Gaming Archives
My own journey began with the acquisition of a VHS video recorder and a 32-inch CRT television, won at an auction in Shepton Mallet. This was not merely for playing old videos found in my loft, such as a 1990s youth TV show segment where I discussed sexism and Tomb Raider, but also to indulge in a new hobby: collecting fragile video-game nostalgia. The rise of the games industry in the 1980s and 90s coincided with the explosion of the home-video business, creating fascinating crossovers between these two entertainment formats.
I am on a mission to acquire VHS copies of iconic titles like Street Fighter: The Movie and the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, as well as early games-inspired films such as The Last Starfighter, The Wizard, and WarGames. Many of these were rented from local video shops in the 80s, which often sold computer games by budget publishers like Mastertronic, highlighting an intriguing intersection of media.
Rare Finds and Promotional Treasures
Beyond mainstream movies, there are rarer VHS tapes to track down. This era saw a plethora of tie-in cartoons, as TV channels tapped into gaming's massive appeal. Examples include collections of episodes from the early 1980s Pac-Man and Pole Position cartoons, and later series like The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which blended animation and live-action. I am currently bidding on a VHS tape of Captain N: The Game Master, a notoriously bad cartoon about a boy transported into Nintendo game worlds.
Videotapes also served as valuable promotional tools for games publishers before the internet era. Arcade companies like Konami and Irem produced promo tapes for distributors, while Capcom's Japanese fanclub sent out videotapes with trailers and developer interviews. In the UK, gaming magazines often covermounted VHS tapes filled with demos, trailers, and tips. For instance, the first issue of DC-UK magazine in 1999 included a demo video, a challenging production feat at the time.
The Appeal of Physical Media for Gen Z
Gen Z teenagers, weary of smartphone-fed content and subscription services, are increasingly drawn to physical media. The tactile nature of VHS tapes—chunky boxes with lovely art, glitchy low-resolution images, and the patina of another era—mirrors the appeal of old video game cartridges. This nostalgia extends to the rituals of renting, playing, and rewinding, making VHS a unique archive of gaming's messy, magical evolution.
Preserving these tapes often requires effort, such as using mould removers from fansites like VHS is Life, but it is a worthwhile endeavour. As the game industry has been poor at archiving its own history, collectors play a vital role in curation. While many demos and cartoons are available on YouTube, the primary artefact—its packaging, smell, quirks, and frailties—offers an irreplaceable experience of understanding history.
A Call to Action for Preservation
Each time I bid on a Japanese rental copy of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie on eBay, I remind myself of the importance of this preservation work. If not cared for, these fragile objects might be lost forever. This quest is not just about nostalgia; it is about safeguarding a cultural legacy that reveals how an emerging medium connected with other screen cultures, ensuring future generations can appreciate gaming's rich history.
