Every hobby now-a-days has some form of paraphernalia to keep the hobbyist busy at all times. T-shirts, action figures, posters, music, etc., can all be forms of gaming related junk to get your mitts on, and there’s more to getting them than just making a simple purchase at your local game shop or E-Bay.
One of the simplest things to get are gaming related T-shits, since they seem to be a major part of the “retro” trend going on. You can easily come across some of these shirts at places like Hot Topic, Lik-Sang.com, or some other online retailer, but I know you want to set yourself apart from the rest of these poser types. The easiest way to do this is to start pre-ordering games, because a lot of big-title games will normally come with some sort of promotional item (t-shirts, art books, figurines, etc.). Take note that some store chains might not be giving out the same item for pre-orders, so it’s best to ask around.
Do you like those big in-store displays? They make perfect decorations for any gaming area, and are unique to own. Well, all you normally have to do is ask the store manager about the one you want, and you can normally get it with no problem. If not, just find another store that will, because eventually someone’s going to want to use that advertising space for the next upcoming titles.
If you ever want to fill out your movie collection, there are always new animated series, live-action movies, and animes based on or about video games. Most of the popular game series’ have some sort of show or movie related to it, and shouldn’t be hard to find online.
It’s also possible to find soundtracks of a lot of video games using the Internet as well. They are usually referred to as OST’s, or Original Soundtracks. Most will end up being Japanese, so you might have to deal with slightly higher prices than a regular CD.
Throw away your G.I. Joe’s and Barbie dolls (especially you, Paul Franzen; the complete collection of Malibu Stacy and Barbie must go now), because video game action figures and statues are the way to go (with the exception of comic book, sci-fi, and anime-related ones). It is always easy to obtain a hefty supply of figurines form GameStop and various toy stores. If you fancy statues and busts, online shopping and E-Bay are the way to go.
Really, the best advice is to keep an ear out for game promotions. People on big online communities like Digitpress.com are bound to be on top of the next freebies to be on the rise. For example, the recent 2003 promotions at Burger King with the Nintendo toys and McDonalds with its Sega related toys. Just pay attention to stuff like that; it could become a nice additive to your collection. Besides this, do some searching; there’s tons of things out there like Mario bed spreads, Sonic plushies, PlayStation carrying cases, Atari pins, and anything else you can think of (within reason, you sickos).
Just keep in mind that this is all in the name of fun, and is for your personal enjoyment only. In the meantime, game on, my brothas and sistas.
