Origin Story

Two brothers, one treasure chest, and a whole lot of cartridges. Welcome to the first issue of The Cache Chronicles, the monthly issue from Hero's Cache Gaming.

How it started

Every collection has an origin story. Here's Doug's:

"My first game was Super Mario Bros. on the NES. My grandfather gave me the NES and the game when I was around five years old. It was my first console, and the beginning of a lifelong love of video games and collecting."

Years later, that love turned into shelves, then boxes, then a game room that needed an intervention. So we did the only reasonable thing. We started Hero's Cache.

The mission is simple: find great games, test every one, photograph them for real, and sell them straight. No mystery condition. No repros passed off as the real thing.

From the hunt

Doug's own photo from the shop.

This month's best find: Xenogears for the original PlayStation. Doug spotted it sitting on the shelf at Back to the Media, a retro game and media shop in Winchester, Virginia. Finding a classic like this in the wild is exactly why we hunt. You never know what you're going to find.

Repro Watch

Fake cartridges are everywhere, and the good ones fool experienced collectors. Your quickest first check: the deal itself. If the price is way under what the game actually sells for, or one seller has five perfect copies of a rare game, slow down. Real collections are messy. Fakes are usually brand new and identical.

Full guide, all six checks: How to spot a fake retro game cartridge.

Your move

Tell us what you're hunting. Drop it in the Discord or send us a DM on Instagram, and it goes on the wanted list. We read them all.

Want to talk games between issues? The Hero's Cache Discord is open: first looks at new finds, deal drops, and live stream alerts.

Next issue

The Cache Chronicles #2: "What's It Worth?" How to find the real value of any game in about two minutes.

Doug and Dustin
Hero's Cache Gaming