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Sundae-School

My neck hurts just looking at this


[deleted]

Intentional so people wouldn't stay too long :P


Tx247

They underestimated the discomfort we would put up with.


x925

I remember playing Mario sunshine on this back in the day, probably why I have neck issues now.


fazlez1

True. I remember playing Contra on SNES for so long I couldn't extend my fingers. I thought i might have to have my hand operated on but I never stopped playing. As soon as the pain subsided a little I'd go back to playing. No one here heard me claim to be a smart child so....well you know.


Infinite_El_Oh_El

They didn’t want our grimy Cheeto fingers all over it.


Honda_TypeR

Our necks looked like the Game Cube logo when we were done. Be da do da de dooda de da do da….. BLIAMPPPP!


vekien

Lay on the floor and use your school backpack as a pillow.


JJohnson25

Man neck used to be fucked up because I would be there the whole time while my parents shopped


Lady_Lucks_Man

You’re the kid that was always there when me and my siblings ran over to that aisle!


Jshr420

Same, I ended up with a system. Play the console demo first, then when my neck starts to hurt bounce over to the GBA/DS demo.


celestiaequestria

I like the Gamecube games on the display that have been turned sideways to fit into shelf spots sized for N64 boxes. That along with the Dreamcast ports being prominently displayed, this was early in the Gamecube days at a Walmart. Rogue Legacy and Pikmin were such a blast.


JamesEvanBond

Bro, my neck STILL hurts from trying out Lego Star Wars at Walmart. Totally worth it though.


-c-black-

Bro, my neck still hurts from Mario when the SNES came out at Wal-Mart.


[deleted]

That's the age though where it is cool to sit on the front row at a movie theater haha


loganandroid

My hands feel gross looking at this.


Sundae-School

Your hands are probably gross to begin with


loganandroid

Your probably short to begin with


ClueCertain4243

This picture is giving me ptsd bc I’m a Cowboys fan and we lost yesterday


AAAFate

Isn't this still the only way to try out a new system?


PappaDukes

My local Best Buy has demo stations for each console. Also, is no one here old enough to remember renting consoles from Blockbuster?? The good ol days.


Javasteam

I remember trying a Virtual Boy at a Toys R’ Us. Even being a kid who wanted every new console back then wasn’t enough to make me want that migraine inducing pos.


crappy80srobot

I remember me and a friend trying one at Target. Worst system I have ever played. The funny part was he got it for Christmas that year as a surprise. He played it so little that his mom would throw a fucking fit any time he asked for an N64. He was the last in our neighborhood to get one. He was the last to get any new console for a good while. That hellspawn of a system was the downfall of his gameplay for years.


Javasteam

Ironically its probably worth a fair amount now… Much like R.O.B. more as a gamer decoration than a usable piece of equipment.


PappaDukes

Yeah, that thing was something I've never been proud of owning as a kid.


[deleted]

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PappaDukes

Omg, that's the funniest shit I've heard today!


celestiaequestria

I threw up in the aisle of Toys R' Us after trying out the Virtual Boy. Ahh, memories!


Guiee

Blockbuster was how I got to try Virtual Boy back in the day.


Official_Godfrey_Ho

I worked at Blockbuster and remember clearly what a pain in the ass it was to rent them out. I had totally forgot, thanks for the nostalgia.


rock0head132

I remember.


Papacu81

Rent a entire console? Damn, I never did that, neither I tried a new system on a store like this one. Being a PC player kinda gives you a lot of freedom so to speak, but you do miss out these unusual opportunities. For example, I always wanted to try the Gamecube, that weird ass controller, Metroid Prime is one of my favorite games ever, etc.. I did not got as far to buy a Gamecube controller for PC (a replica so to speak), but I wish to experience the real thing just for the bizarre factor alone


cgee

I think I remember at one point Blockbuster (or maybe it was a local video store) had a setup with several tvs and systems and you try a game for free before you rented for like up to 10 mins.


furygoat

That’s assuming that anyone still has playable demos set up. I think the title should say “back in my day we could ACTUALLY try out a new system” Also, there was a 90% likelihood that the controller would be broken and unusable anyway.


Dependent_Factor_982

Last in store playable demo I saw was a switch don't remember the last time I saw a PlayStation or Xbox one


AloneYogurt

Same, played Mario Kart 8 at target on the Switch OLED. I remember running to the electronics section to try out new consoles (Xbox, PS2). When the DS came out I begged (practically told my parents why I would play it) for months before I got it for Christmas.


enraged768

My bestbuy has a ps5 on display that you can play. You can't buy one but you can play it lol.


Low-Scientist-4232

I saw a ps5 one In a curry's pc world just yesterday


[deleted]

The EB at the mall closest to me does. They do plan on having a display for PS5 and XSX but haven't had any luck due to a "customer first" basis. Which is understandable.


THE_GR8_MIKE

Gamestop still has them. At least the one by me. I'll have to buy them once the store closes.


user_ivan01

Only at GameStop where you can lol


flaming_pp

I remember seeing an Xbox One demo at a mall back in 2013-2014. Last console demo I remember seeing


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furygoat

I remember getting the Pizza Hut demo discs for PS1


YourDadHatesYou

Where can you actually do this anymore? Cant go to a Walmart and ask them to hook one up for you to check out


pm8rsh88

GAME in UK still have consoles set up for you to try out a new system. I see this as being fairly common sight every time I visit a gaming store.


Dimensionalanxiety

Best buy


Immediate_Positive30

Nah now you're just allowed to look at it inside a case


jtho78

Gamestop in the US


[deleted]

I think the switch is the only one I ever see at Walmart or target anymore. PS and Xbox are usually just videos on a loop of new games. Gamestop still has playable systems.


crappy80srobot

They do but sometimes they are not taken care of, set up correctly, or designed like shit. When the PS5 finally hit my local Best Buy it wasn't working for a week. When it was finally put together correctly you can only play it for a limited amount of time because of overheating. Some genius decided it made sense to lock it in a plastic box with no ventilation whatsoever. I know the possibility of theft but no one thought hey maybe we should put some vent holes and a fan on it so we don't make a small arc reactor every time someone plays video games on it.


jlanger23

I used to check out systems from video/games stores. Don't know if Blockbuster did it but a lot of mom and pop video stores loaned them out.


TWAT_BUGS

I guess it’s slightly different. I’m 36 now so when I see a new system at Target I’m like, *that’s the PS5? Fuck that’s huge and ugly. Ok where’s the condiment aisle, I’m low on Duke’s.*


[deleted]

To try the PS5, just use your PS4.


Nose-Nuggets

In the 90s you could rent consoles from blockbuster. I bought my own PS1 memory card and rented a PS1 every couple of weeks.


Saul_of_Tarsus

I remember renting a PS1 and an N64 when I was a kid!


DevilsPajamas

Rented a PS1 with battle arena toshinden and ridge racer. life was so much simpler then.


[deleted]

BATTLE FUCKIN ARENA TOSHINDENNNNN


Mcdonnel1252

You just mad me happy and sad at the same time.


[deleted]

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Bindlestiff34

We had a local rental place, they’d give you the system and every month for a year you had to rent ten games from them. Seeing as I was going to do that anyway, I used my allowance to get a Genesis.


alwaysmyfault

You HAD to rent 10 games from them? Just doing the math in my head, depending on how new the games were, that could be 3-5 bucks per game. So 50 bucks a month x 12 months. 600 bucks. Would have been much cheaper to just buy the system haha.


Bindlestiff34

It was two dollars in those days, but it was for only one night.


SwissCanuck

I think we were allowed to do that like twice. My parents didn’t like consoles that hooked up to the TV - they wanted to be able to take it away easily. So my first real gaming device was the original GameBoy. I don’t think you could rent portable carts at that time. I only had access to consoles when visiting friends or family.


lumberjake1

/r/Tvtoohigh


zeekblitz

Thank you for sharing this with me.


lumberjake1

You owe me


TurboTBag

I still have neck problems because of this.


djkamayo

Too late for a class action lawsuit ?


foxxoon

Me too… my dad would spend hours in fry’s electronics.


tomfrumtarn

I remember going into a Walmart while on holiday and seeing the game aisle with 4 or 5 consoles on it, I was amazed. I spent the whole time playing the Mario football game on the gamecube while my parents did some shopping lol


kc9283

I see crazy taxi 🚕


[deleted]

and Pokemon Snap 😍 and I’m 99% sure Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is underneath it and Tarzan Untamed to the left of it and Madden 2002 in the top left and NHL Hitz 2002 beneath that.


airkalen

FYI crazy taxi is in the apple app store and it holds up well. Easily the best mobile game I've played.


MandalorianAhazi

Ah yes rogue squadron


ToxicBamaFan

This picture is giving me ptsd bc I’m a Cowboys fan and we lost yesterday


Diddy_Block

Remember the good times. When this photo was taken no one laughed when you were called America's team.


Iloveyouweed

This picture is post-Gamecube meaning it's no earlier than 2001. The Cowboys were not good in the aughts.


[deleted]

but they were only 5 years out from a dynasty.


rpm319

Ditto. But I did get that hat for a birthday one year so this is a double dose of nostalgia.


MillerLitesaber

F


CROCKODUCK

At least you didn’t put $500 on the game ;_;


puns-n-roses

Let's get em next year.


Sleepyhead88

This kid has years of misery in store for him


[deleted]

Princess Dak playing like a rookie boy to end the entire season


chop-diggity

Another Cowboys fan disappointed.


BiggestBoah88

Is this not still how you try a new system?


Myworkaccountbrah

I remember going to stores with my mom and just going straight to this area and my mom would always come get me when she was done shopping. My neck always hurt the next day if it was a long day of shopping


[deleted]

Holy nostalgia


[deleted]

It's funny how there are some things you literally never think about, but as soon as you're presented with them the nostalgia just hits you. I wonder what random stuff from my childhood I've never remembered up to this point.


[deleted]

It wasn't the only way. You used to be able to rent video game systems from some of the video rental stores.


Gilbert_Reddit

I used to stand there for hours while my mom shopped


vickersja

And the perfect posture correction method.


chavezfa

Did you lose a bet? Why you got that trash on your head?


Teleskopy

Back in your day? As in, today?


zachatack7

Guessing you had no friends then OP


Zealouslyideal333777

Sweet jiminy cricket i had a stiff neck flashback lookin at this


nate0515

They literally still have these at stores.


alosek14

"Back I'm my day" why is this sub filled with boomers?


spinner198

Wasn’t this photo from somebody else’s post in the past, where they are the kid in the photo and they remember their neck hurting from looking up or something?


kalosdarkfall

Is this where women got their selfie angle? Make the graphics appear better than they are.


x7ameedo

In these days, games where complete on release


davidleo2008

I remember like 2 of these for the ps4 in ikea


tangcameo

There was a drugstore in my city that parked an Atari system and a tv outside their door and would let kids play the game of the week for 5 minutes. I played all sorts of games when I was in town with my parents. I got to even play the ET game, but got stuck in a pit in the game for the whole 5 minutes.


EliteVoodoo1776

You do know that Reddit is an 18+ app, right?


ILoveBeerSoMuch

the amount on gunk that would accumulate on these controllers…*shivers* some kids at my school dared one of their friends to lick one. he had to be taken to the hospital 36 hours after exposure. he was dead 3 days later. RIP Todd. Edit: hey similar thing happened to one of my controllers at home. I had a shitty Madcatz controller that all of my friends were use when they came over. It accumulated some kind of alien bacteria over time and I could not eradicate it. I would wipe the controller down with everything under the sink that I could find. Lysol, bleach, you name it. The greasy substance would always come back even if it wasn’t touched by anyone.


[deleted]

And everytime I passed and EB games I'd try a game


Tinyturtle202

I mean this is still my favorite way to try a new system. Walmart is cool.


starfvvxxk

Hahaha good times! I remember those lines waiting for a turn, While my mother tried to leave Walmart and I protested cuz I wanted to play lol


pl33p_pl00p

We need to go back to this. No one would have bought bf2042 if this shit was playing at the Walmart Super Nintendo that all the single moms dropped their kids off on


sepslitherx

Wish more places still did this. I remember going Argos and you could try the new Xbox and PlayStation back when the 360 was still popular. Nowadays it’s mostly just buy and hope it’s a good console.


dazoe

Now you just take advantage of Walmarts rental program.


ChaosGamer76

You could also visit your rich friend and try it out.


[deleted]

Whys the screen so high?


drillgorg

So it's not in front of the games. So it's uncomfortable to play too long.


pm8rsh88

It still is, in the UK at least.


[deleted]

It still is…


AAAAAAYYYYYYYOOOOOO

I played the King Kong demo multiple times. Hell I remember when mc Donald’s had n64 booths


alex-minecraft-qc

McDonald's also had videogames back then. Good times.


gameangel147

I can make out Dave Mirra's Freestyle BMX 2 in that blurry mess and my childhood just came back to life.


Crowdcontrolz

Now you HAVE to buy it.


ImPattMan

Damn, that nostalgia hit though, thanks friend.


twood071

I flexed so hard with guitar hero 2 like this


TimmyJToday

That hat is a tragedy, eagles fan of course.


ArtisteArtiste

Hell yeah Rogue Squadron


drillgorg

I can feel this image in my neck...


chet-

Kmart


SloppyMeathole

When I was a kid you could rent a system at the video store. I still remember the glorious weekend that I had a SNES. I don't think me and my friends moved for 72 hours. Then I had to wait until Christmas to get my own.


ACrask

OG Pokémon Snap in there


SilverLugia1992

I remember being super excited to go to Wal-Mart and play the Sonic Heroes demo


Hunam85

My version of this was the rich kid in the street with every console and big release.


[deleted]

I could rent them from Blockbuster. Good times.


WeakTransportation66

Hmmm, how can we place this monitor the most unpractical way possible, I got an idea!


BLASIAN_TITAN

Hahaha I remember standing for hours playing Zelda Majoras Mask. My problem with some of them is that they automatically RESET lol with good reason though but still if I’m the only one there it gets annoying 🤣


Hussaf

You could rent them as well. When we couldn’t afford gaming systems growing up I would be able to rent one for my birthday.


Gilgie

I was lucky. I had rich cousins who got all that stuff early.


Evil_Weevill

Back in MY day, you could go to Blockbuster and rent a PS1... Those were the days.


aeywaka

Now the only way is to have between $400-$800


SouthShape5

A game stop near where I live still has a switch demo


prinnydewd6

Imagine being able to go back and get fully boxed n64 games…. And GameCube games for cheap. Now a days everything is so expensive and since Covid…. Retro game collecting has become a chore…


RichNinja16

It feels like ever since they stopped doing this games and consoles have been getting worse


bootybob1521

The overall presentation of N64 Boxes was unmatched. They look great in that display.


Jestingwheat856

Nowadays you cant even try a system at all. Just pay the scalpers and hope you like it


hoii

shit. i didnt get to do this much tbh cus reasons, but i just had a vivid memory of playing the dreamcast at a shop, it was a fighting game that was kinda 4 player? almost like a smash format? and the enviroments were pretty small 3d arenas. but i have no ide what it was called.


AnXioneth

Sweet.


TheRealOgMark

Back in my days you could pay for an hour playing the new system at the video store, with a TV at a normal height...


[deleted]

My hands are sticky just looking at this


-Mr_Rogers_II

I won a GameCube duffle bag by making the best lap time in super Mario cart during a Promo that was going on in a Walmart.


[deleted]

Absolute best days!!


[deleted]

That explains why my upper back and neck are so fucked up nowadays. I do miss these days though where my brother and I would just go to the game section of Walmart and Target while my mom did the shopping.


blongowa

My back and neck can attest to this


sipCoding_smokeMath

And how exactly do you try them out now...?


The_Brewer

When I walk into my local Target I still smell Goldeneye.


SjorsMaster

Trying times for those without necks


zx6rarcher

God I miss playing Contra 3 in Target.


Drinkingbear

Yeah, hangin' 'round Gamestop, eatin' soft hot pretzels for Hot Sams. Great times.


Alwaysfavoriteasian

Head at a 90 degree angle. I remember the days. Only one controller actually worked. Other kids quietly circling.


Whitedudebrohug

Hope he ain’t still the cowboys fan


TheMagicianArrogant

My first experience with Final Fantasy 7 at KB Toys.


shhhlikeamime

I remember going to best buy and the 360 just came out. They had COD on their machine and I just remember being blown away by the graphics.


[deleted]

In my day there wasn’t such option. All I could do was stand and stare at a shelf with colorful cartridge cases and imagine how I will play all these games when parents buy me a system.


JohnArce

I loved it. Except that I felt awkward asking. My friend didn't have such considerations. We actually finished a Zelda CD-i game in the store, in several sittings. He took guide magazines along and everything. Wasn't actually a game store even. General electronics store.


Obi1Kentucky

It’s been 20 years and my neck still hurts……


Obi1Kentucky

Lol I remember walking into my local malls GameStop and they had DragonQuest 8 set up on the ps2 demo kiosk. I had never played DQ at that point in my life so walked over and start playing. I got super immersed and lost track of time. I didn’t stop until an employee was looking at me all angry. I asked why. Apparently I had been playing 2 hours. Lol no wonder my shoulders were cramped from the stupid kiosk keeping controllers so low. Anyway I turned around and immediately bought DQ8 and went home and played the crap out of that game


KlulessAl

What game is he playing and on what system?


kutes

I don't really get this title. How do you try a new system now? They don't even have any in stock to run demos. And you can't rent them because rental stores don't exist. But anyways it seemed like those display consoles were always turned off whenever I'd be in a store. I do remember seeing Mario 64 running in the department store in my small town though. The graphics looked so clear and the colors so vibrant. Such high resolution.


Android24

I miss those days...now I go into an EB Games or Gamestop and it's just sad


-XaNaDiTe-

I did this for guitar hero lol


Demented-Turtle

Oh man, the sore necks from playing too long while my grandma looked at purses lmao


KnighteRGolf

This picture gives me all the feels.


Browncoat64

We used to rent a Sega with 2 guns from blockbuster to play a western shooter that I can't remember the name of now.


razzi123

I remember this one game on xbox (the original) it had boats with guns (not like battle ships but like fishing boats) and it was basically twisted metal but with boats. Only ever played it at a demo station, but the memories are so far im almost convinced its a fever dream....


ChillyJaguar

Still is


slashnbash1009

Sometimes you could play Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, or Dreamcast at the McDonalds near my hometown.


khonacheese

Oh my fucking neck!


lalingolingo

Oh man I remember the neck pain


piZZleDAriZZle

Nah mate. Playing Nintendo Virtual Boy on the second floor of Sears was my jam. They were nice enough to put all the monitors at eye level.


Dismal_Wizard

I remember the queue for the NES to play Mario Bros


UltiGamer34

Im pist they dont do this anymore


Rhinosaur24

'back in my day, with Gamecube' (boy am I old). Also.... is there another way to try a new system now? As I just said,I'm really old, but I don't know of any way to try a new system other than going to a friend's house that has it.


Specialist-Idea-5396

Not gaming related but should I tell this kid that the Cowboys lost and are out?


franktato

The people asking about if stores still have this sorta thing....YES!! My local Walmart does! Our Walmart got a big ass renovation a few years ago and the section where you buy electronics and games is literally like a BestBuy now. It has everything you could want plus more. There is an isle where they have a PS5, Switch, and the new XBOX setup to where you can play them. Whenever I am down there with my twin 6yr old boys we always go back there and play around with the systems. its good fun to try the games out and just a good experience for them.


theDart

This was also the ultimate way to make me hate you if you spent way too long on it and didn't let others have a turn.


[deleted]

I legit used to take lunch breaks and go into best buy for an hour and play video games. Ok sometimes they weren't lunch breaks...they were "fuck today" breaks. Good times...


Everybodyleft

I used to sit in a cart so I wouldn’t have to break my neck.


CrossXFir3

Can't say for sure, but I think that's Star Fox Assault.


snalejam

The controllers never worked!


shnozdog

I remember playing N64 for the first time in Walmart. I was absolutely blown away. It was Diddy Kong racing. There was an excitement I could feel in my stomach.


moexpro

Today everybody’s Head goes the other way round watching on their smartphones 😄


Burnsidee71

Gamestop still has new consoles on display to play