Play Like It's 1988: This Subscription Service Will Deliver Retro Video Game Magazines to Your Door

Before the internet allowed gamers to pick up on every rumor, hint, tip, and bit of news related to video games, there were video game magazines. Gamers in the 1980s and 1990s relied on publications like Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, and Nintendo Power to feed them information. Each issue was packed with coverage and ads, getting players excited for what was coming next.

Retro gamers and nostalgia lovers can recreate that feeling thanks to the Video Game History Foundation, which recently launched a subscription service for classic gaming mags.

Dubbed the "Blind Box" Vintage Video Game Magazines subscription service, the offer allows members to receive one original vintage video game magazine for $15 per month. The “blind” refers to the fact that subscribers won’t be sure which one they’ll get, though the issues offered were published between 1981 and 2010. There’s even a chance you might score a copy of the first issue of Nintendo Power from 1988. (A copy in fair condition recently sold for $185 on eBay.)

In building up their archival magazine collection, the foundation acquired some duplicate issues. The subscription service allows them to dispense their unused copies. Each one will come in a protective mylar bag and with a certificate of authenticity. You can also buy single issues without a subscription for $20 each.

If the price seems a little steep for a magazine raving over Bonk’s Adventure, keep in mind the fees go toward operating costs for the foundation’s archival efforts. You can sign up here.