Press Start: A Journey Through the Super Nintendo Entertainment System's PastAs avid gaming enthusiasts, it's time to take a joyful and nostalgic journey back into the halcyon days of the gaming world. Today, we'll delve into the history of one of the world's most iconic gaming consoles, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Released in North America in August 1991, the SNES forever shaped the gaming industry and defined a generation of gamers with its influential hardware, ground-breaking graphics, and legendary game library. So, grab your contr...
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require an Expansion Pak?Which Nintendo 64 Games Require an Expansion Pak? Nintendo first released the Nintendo 64 console in June of 1996 with 4MB of RAM and it featured an upgradable memory slot on the front of the console for potential later use. Competition in the console market heated up with the release of the Sega Dreamcast in November of 1998 which featured 16MB of memory onboard and improved graphics. Nintendo released the 4MB Expansion Pak in 1998 to double the available memory on the Nintendo 64 to 8MB. ...
Why the Gameboy Micro was a Total Failure!The Game Boy Micro was the final system that was launched in the VERY successful Nintendo Game Boy Line. It was released on September 13, 2005 which was two years after the release of the Game Boy Advance SP which sold over 40 million units world wide! The system was a great design and state of the art. It measured just 4 inches wide, 2 inches tall and 0.7 inches deep making it a VERY tiny device that could tuck into your pocket easily. The 2" screen was almost an inch smaller then t...
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require a Memory Card?Which Nintendo 64 Games Require a Memory Card? Nintendo went through a few technology upgrades during the release of the Nintendo 64 console. This has led to a huge misconception as to which games actually require a memory card and which ones saved to the cartridge. The technology that the games use to save information includes the use of EEPROM’s, Flash Memory and SRAM but we aren’t going to be discussing them in any detail. The most important thing here is which ones actually require ...
Retro Video Games as an InvestmentWhen I first opened Power Up Gaming we had just over $20,000 worth of retro video game inventory. Now 6 years later we have grown that inventory to well in excess of $500,000. One thing that people don't understand is that the pricing on the majority of games goes up in value so even if I hadn't increased our store inventory, the resell value on those games would have gone up anyway. To give an immediate example, when we first opened we used to sell games like Super Smash Bros for ...
Website Redesign and increased Mobile FriendlinessThis is a bit of a late blog post but better late then never. :) We are pleased to announce that our website has gone through a FULL redesign! The original design was first launched back in 2017 and it was great back then but times have changed. While we had kept it up all this time with updates and bandages, it was starting to show it's age. This was especially noticeable on Mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Not sure if you are aware but interesting enough, our customers are...
Power Up Gaming Rewards ProgramPower Up Gaming has had a rewards program since we opened our doors in 2012 but it has evolved somewhat over the years but the principal of it has always been the same. The main purpose of this rewards program has always been to build loyalty from our customers while offering them a real value in return for that loyalty. Here is how our rewards program works at Power Up Gaming. When you shop with us, you earn one reward point for every dollar that you spend before tax. When you accumulate ...
Retro Video Game Security Bit and Battery Cross-Reference MatrixRetro Video Game Security Bit and Battery Cross-Reference Matrix Starting to collect retro video games is HUGE fun but you always come across annoyances along the way. One of those annoyances is games that will no longer save and other games that just won’t play because the contacts are corroded/dirty. And what about that console you bought which needs the nicotine stains removed but you don’t want to do it without opening it up first! You grab your tool box and then notice some weird scr...
PowerUpGaming.ca New E-Commerce Site LaunchWe are very proud to announce that we have officially launched our new E-Commerce site! Our old e-commerce site was taken down in October of 2016 to make way for our new one which took all this time to get ready to launch. It features over 10,000 products and growing on a daily basis! Here are list of features we are most excited about: Completely integrates into our new Point of Sale system which means we have one inventory system to maintain. It also means that customers from anywhere c...
Well, It's nearing the end of 2022 and We Have Survived COVID-19!Well, it's 2022 and COVID-19 is "sort of" a thing of the past... Or at least we hope it is. The past number of years are almost a blur and I am sure just like myself, you want to forget a lot of it. At the beginning of COVID-19 there was a LOT of uncertainty of what exactly was happening and what was or wasn't allowed in the retail scene. One day we were allowed to be open and the next we were being forced to close our doors to the public. Our own internal policies surrou...
A Button-Mashing Blast from the Past: The Nintendo Entertainment System's North American OdysseyGreetings to all the gaming aficionados out there! Today, we're time-traveling back to the heart of the 80s, an era when video games experienced a colossal turnaround and stepped into the mainstream cultural realm. We'll be focusing on a console that not only dominated living rooms but also resurrected an industry on the brink of collapse: The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Nintendo, a name that resonates with gamers of all generations, emerged from an unusual lineage. The comp...
The Bat Witch Cavern - The Other Business of OursWe have owned Power Up Gaming since August of 2012 and it has always brought us extreme pleasure to deal with the customers of this business! But most don't know that we own multiple businesses. At the beginning of COVID we decided to branch out and start a Metaphysical online business that specializes in products very much different from those featured at Power up Gaming. The Bat Witch Cavern carries products that are geared to nature worship, witchcraft, paganism, crystals, herbali...
The Nintendo 64's Legacy in Video GamingWelcome to a nostalgic journey through one of the most iconic periods in video gaming history, brought to you by Power Up Gaming. Today, we dive deep into the legendary Nintendo 64 (N64), a console that not only revolutionized the gaming landscape with its 3D graphics and innovative controller design but continues to hold a special place in the hearts of gamers around the world. Whether you're a collector or a casual player, understanding the N64's impact can enhance your appreciation...
Press Start: A Journey Through the Super Nintendo Entertainment System's Past
As avid gaming enthusiasts, it's time to take a joyful and nostalgic journey back into the halcyon days of the gaming world. Today, we'll delve into the history of one of the world's most iconic gaming consoles, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Released in North America in August 1991, the SNES forever shaped the gaming industry and defined a generation of gamers with its influential hardware, ground-breaking graphics, and legendary game library. So, grab your contr...
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require an Expansion Pak?
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require an Expansion Pak? Nintendo first released the Nintendo 64 console in June of 1996 with 4MB of RAM and it featured an upgradable memory slot on the front of the console for potential later use. Competition in the console market heated up with the release of the Sega Dreamcast in November of 1998 which featured 16MB of memory onboard and improved graphics. Nintendo released the 4MB Expansion Pak in 1998 to double the available memory on the Nintendo 64 to 8MB. ...
Why the Gameboy Micro was a Total Failure!
The Game Boy Micro was the final system that was launched in the VERY successful Nintendo Game Boy Line. It was released on September 13, 2005 which was two years after the release of the Game Boy Advance SP which sold over 40 million units world wide! The system was a great design and state of the art. It measured just 4 inches wide, 2 inches tall and 0.7 inches deep making it a VERY tiny device that could tuck into your pocket easily. The 2" screen was almost an inch smaller then t...
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require a Memory Card?
Which Nintendo 64 Games Require a Memory Card? Nintendo went through a few technology upgrades during the release of the Nintendo 64 console. This has led to a huge misconception as to which games actually require a memory card and which ones saved to the cartridge. The technology that the games use to save information includes the use of EEPROM’s, Flash Memory and SRAM but we aren’t going to be discussing them in any detail. The most important thing here is which ones actually require ...
Retro Video Games as an Investment
When I first opened Power Up Gaming we had just over $20,000 worth of retro video game inventory. Now 6 years later we have grown that inventory to well in excess of $500,000. One thing that people don't understand is that the pricing on the majority of games goes up in value so even if I hadn't increased our store inventory, the resell value on those games would have gone up anyway. To give an immediate example, when we first opened we used to sell games like Super Smash Bros for ...
Website Redesign and increased Mobile Friendliness
This is a bit of a late blog post but better late then never. :) We are pleased to announce that our website has gone through a FULL redesign! The original design was first launched back in 2017 and it was great back then but times have changed. While we had kept it up all this time with updates and bandages, it was starting to show it's age. This was especially noticeable on Mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Not sure if you are aware but interesting enough, our customers are...
Power Up Gaming Rewards Program
Power Up Gaming has had a rewards program since we opened our doors in 2012 but it has evolved somewhat over the years but the principal of it has always been the same. The main purpose of this rewards program has always been to build loyalty from our customers while offering them a real value in return for that loyalty. Here is how our rewards program works at Power Up Gaming. When you shop with us, you earn one reward point for every dollar that you spend before tax. When you accumulate ...
Retro Video Game Security Bit and Battery Cross-Reference Matrix
Retro Video Game Security Bit and Battery Cross-Reference Matrix Starting to collect retro video games is HUGE fun but you always come across annoyances along the way. One of those annoyances is games that will no longer save and other games that just won’t play because the contacts are corroded/dirty. And what about that console you bought which needs the nicotine stains removed but you don’t want to do it without opening it up first! You grab your tool box and then notice some weird scr...
PowerUpGaming.ca New E-Commerce Site Launch
We are very proud to announce that we have officially launched our new E-Commerce site! Our old e-commerce site was taken down in October of 2016 to make way for our new one which took all this time to get ready to launch. It features over 10,000 products and growing on a daily basis! Here are list of features we are most excited about: Completely integrates into our new Point of Sale system which means we have one inventory system to maintain. It also means that customers from anywhere c...
Well, It's nearing the end of 2022 and We Have Survived COVID-19!
Well, it's 2022 and COVID-19 is "sort of" a thing of the past... Or at least we hope it is. The past number of years are almost a blur and I am sure just like myself, you want to forget a lot of it. At the beginning of COVID-19 there was a LOT of uncertainty of what exactly was happening and what was or wasn't allowed in the retail scene. One day we were allowed to be open and the next we were being forced to close our doors to the public. Our own internal policies surrou...
A Button-Mashing Blast from the Past: The Nintendo Entertainment System's North American Odyssey
Greetings to all the gaming aficionados out there! Today, we're time-traveling back to the heart of the 80s, an era when video games experienced a colossal turnaround and stepped into the mainstream cultural realm. We'll be focusing on a console that not only dominated living rooms but also resurrected an industry on the brink of collapse: The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Nintendo, a name that resonates with gamers of all generations, emerged from an unusual lineage. The comp...
The Bat Witch Cavern - The Other Business of Ours
We have owned Power Up Gaming since August of 2012 and it has always brought us extreme pleasure to deal with the customers of this business! But most don't know that we own multiple businesses. At the beginning of COVID we decided to branch out and start a Metaphysical online business that specializes in products very much different from those featured at Power up Gaming. The Bat Witch Cavern carries products that are geared to nature worship, witchcraft, paganism, crystals, herbali...
The Nintendo 64's Legacy in Video Gaming
Welcome to a nostalgic journey through one of the most iconic periods in video gaming history, brought to you by Power Up Gaming. Today, we dive deep into the legendary Nintendo 64 (N64), a console that not only revolutionized the gaming landscape with its 3D graphics and innovative controller design but continues to hold a special place in the hearts of gamers around the world. Whether you're a collector or a casual player, understanding the N64's impact can enhance your appreciation...
