I actually only stopped by here for a few minutes when I was in the area, as I'd never been before. Didn't get the chance to buy anything quite yet, but I will definitely be back regularly. These types of stores tend to be on the unorganized side, but GOOD LORD this place was meticulously arranged for what it is. Retro games were ALPHABETIZED. I was in heaven. It's fun just to poke around in this place, as opposed to other used gaming or second hand stores where it's basically all a jumble like some sadistic treasure hunt. Prices are fair. Obviously you're not going to get eBay-type prices, but this goes for any physical store selling items like this. Core Gaming's prices are very fair when compared to other stores of this type. I love searching around in bargain bins of N64 games and things like that, and this place had well organized bargain bins. WELL ORGANIZED BARGAIN BINS. That sounds like an oxymoron, but I assure you it is not. The location is good. The parking lot can be a bear to get in and out of at certain times of day, but I assure you that this is the fault of the city of Salem NH and not of Core Gaming. read more

I used to love coming here. They tend to have really cool things and lots of items in stock. However their prices tend to be insanely high on most things, to the point where you'd might as well buy them online. They also wouldn't let me price match a game on their own website while I was in the store! The game was twice as much in the store than it was on their own website! This location has gotten terrible in the last 2 years... read more

Great prices and workers were very nice. Got some amazing games and consoles here and had a blast read more

Core Gaming - Games I got once - Videos & Video Game Rental Near Me - Salem, New Hampshire

Good choice of games at that shop. Wide selection of different games for old school and new consoles.

Reviewing this place again just to say this is my favorite place to buy video games, period. Fantastic place with a lot to find. Keep supporting it. read more

Awesome store with a crazy vast selection. I found tons of old games I used to love and was able to pick up some new ones to try. Staff were friendly and helpful read more

Core Gaming - Videos & Video Game Rental Near Me - Salem, New Hampshire

Core has it all: consoles, accessories, games from 1980's vintage to the latest releases. People are knowledgeable & friendly. Prices are competitive. Core is all things a gaming store should be but usually isn't! I'll be back. read more

This place is amazing not only they have every single gaming console that I remember as a kid but they had a ton of games to choose from. Ended up walking away with four PlayStation 3 games for 10 bucks unbeatable I will definitely be going back. The customer service was incredible. These people are very easy to work with and will help you with anything you need. read more

I want to like this place but your pricing is horrible. Brought some games in for trade in valued at 100$ each and was offered 40$ a piece. I understand you have to make a profit but 1/3 of the game price is insulting, and this is store credit I asked for. I use price charting and a typical game that sold on eBay in good condition. For 50$ is selling there for 75$. Unfortunately your better off buying online read more

My son and I love video games, both old and new systems, right now we are on a Nintendo kick. This place is amazing, filled with every system in the gaming industry. They have games for everyone's budget. My son got two games and a few sleaves and was quite happy. The also have funko pops and anything game related, toys, pins, drinks etc. Fantastic store that we will now support for all of our gaming neeeds. read more

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Great store, fair trade in prices, highly recommended, big selection, always visit when im nearby

When I'm in the area I always stop in and have to walk out with something. Always filling my collection with more and more stuff from here. Fun and cool store. read more

Great prices, helpful staff, unique selection for all types of gamers. Worth stopping in!

Wide variety of everything common and rare !! Super friendly , informative and helpful staff. One of the best shops I've been in.

Used to be cool several years ago, then the owner Matt became a cheap tool. It is no secret that retro gaming from the atari to the dreamcast is now deemed "collectible" so it doesn't shock me that Matt has become a price gouger for game cartridges that will eventually die out . I have purchased stuff here, but there were times I traded. When you trade you can see it in Matt's eyes that he is reluctant to offer fair prices on console or game trade ins for cash. Also this place is uncomfortable. Video games are fun and I want a fun place to buy affordable used games and talk with people. Buy games online, these used game stores are going to make themselves extinct within the coming decade with their price gouging. read more

As someone that's been around all of the North East looking for retro games, I can say fairly honestly and without any bias that this place is near the top of **retail** game stores in the area. I put the **retail** part with stars because people sometimes forget that these places are a BUSINESS and are there to make money. Naturally they're going to know what they have and price things accordingly. You want to bilk someone cheaply out of their valuable games, don't expect to do it at a brick and mortar that has to pay bills. Having said that, if anything, you should be glad that if you're local to this store you have access to a place like it... because again speaking from experience, most game stores wouldn't measure up to the selection and overall fair pricing. Also, the guys behind the counter seemed like everyday sort of blokes to me. Just younger guys minding a business. The prices to me were very fair (they use Ebay completed listings which to me isn't as good as Pricecharting.com but itsn't awful either). Plus they can deal with you fairly if you're buying a ton and knock some of the price down. That right there is fantastic and not something most stores will do... and if you're a serious collector like myself you know what that means in the long run. To me, this is what a store selling retro-games should be about. Definitely recommended. read more

This place is great, my only gripe is that it can be a pain to get in and out of. The prices are fair and the staff is always friendly and willing to answer any questions you have. It's harder and harder to find game stores like this even though "Retro" gaming seems to be the rage right now, you'd think there would be more. read more

The employees at this business are great! The trade in values are extremely fair and the selection is the largest I have seen in New England. I recommend stopping in and bringing some trades! read more

Prices have gone over eBay and Amazon prices. They don't pay you for sports games, but will still take them without telling you they are not giving you any money for them. I'm sure they do that for other titles too but I only caught them on the sports games. The store is pretty cramped for being a lot bigger than most retro game stores. The change in the reward program is ridiculous. You can only either redeem or gain points, which no other rewards program ever has done. A lot of the Blu-ray games end up having top scratches, which makes the games unplayable. I had to pass on a lot of games as there were large top scratches. Lastly only one of the guys there will take in cards for trade, for some reason it's beyond the other employees to take in cards. Honestly just buy something from someone off eBay, Amazon, etc... you'll get a better deal and it will probably be in better condition, cost less, plus 30 day returns. read more

My friend was looking for a very specific cable for one of his old consoles. He could not find one anyplace. So in his research he heard of Core Gaming. He found the cord he needed and told me I had to check the place out. So the next week we made a trip down to Salem. It's a little farther than we usually go but once I got there it was obviously worth the trip. Core gaming has the best selections of retro video games and videos that I know of. As an avid Atari collector I was very impressed by their display of Atari related equiptment and software. They have stacks and stack of cartridges. They have endless rows of Sega, Nintendo, Sony and Xbox games and some very full display cases with the more rarer stuff. They also have an awesome rack of vintage and collectable memorabilia along the ceiling for display only. I've been back a few more times. The people always seem friendly enough. They dont act like video game snobs the way employees at the chain video game places do. They carry a lot of different consoles and handhelds including alot of hard to find stuff like the Dream Cast. They have some in-store mix and match style discounts and a rewards program. So if you are looking for retro games or videos you should check out Core Gaming. Oh and it's very easy to get to. Not alot of traffic lights on the way and plenty of parking. read more

They know their stuff here and have a great selection. In the past I would go to Plaistow (and MANY years before that Kingston) for trading, selling and buying games. CORE is my go-to game store for anything Gamestop doesn't want or carry anymore. Even if Gamestop does carry it, you will probably get a better deal at CORE should the item you are looking for be in stock. And as a big bonus, you don't get people trying to stuff pre-orders down your throat when you just want to buy a game. read more

Great deals, friendly, knowledgable service, people that don't talk down to you but appreciate your interest, great selection, a great find for retro gamers. It's so excellent to be able to see the items that you love rather than see them on some website in a photo from untrustworthy sources. If you're in the area, visit here before you buy online - you may find a selection of the thing you are looking for without any hassle and without any question about quality. This place will honor the sale and back you up if you need help. What more could you ask for? Good choice, feel solid going in there. read more

It takes me a good 45 minutes to drive here, but it is so worth it. The selection is massive and the prices for purchases and trade-ins are totally on point. read more

An awesome place to buy video games for many systems, including older systems, especially games that are hard to find! So happy to spend our money here. read more

Hard to find stores from retro gaming unless you're in a big city. Core Gaming has been my go too place for all my needs since they've opened. Just joined they're members club which is free and pays you back 10% on the dollar if you spend over $20. Lots of selections and fair prices. Check them out. read more

This is a really cool place to come and check out those games you used to play as a kid. The the owner is nice and really knows his stuff. I have a beard, and you always trust the bearded man. Check this place out! read more

This place was great I bought a ps2 and the mummy returns and mgs:2, there was such a large collection of games I thought I'd go bankrupt! But all jokes aside this is a great place to stop and shop. read more

Very friendly staff and awesome set up! We had fun browsing the store for about an hour and deciding on several games. I even got to surprise my husband with Twilight Princess for the Game Cube :) read more

This place is a joke. They are closed for snow no matter how little the amount is. When I made a comment about it on there Facebook page they deleted my comment and blocked me from the page. Real mature for a business. Rude and in reliable and there prices are outrages. Iv gave them business in the past but not anymore. They need to grow up. read more

That guy Matt really knows his stuff even the customers are funny but that guy zac is always late for work

I've always like coming to this place. Great selection of games both new and old. The owner Matt is always willing to help and sees that all he's customers get all their questions answered! :) read more

Such a solid place. Store is huge, well organized and most importantly prices are reasonable. I can go in there and look at NES games see prices and figure out in my own head where they came up with the price- they make sense. It's a great place to spend time in, I can't stop looking through all their stock, it's fascinating. Guys seem good at getting you what your looking for, a buddy who lives down the street said they let him know when they have things he's looking for. read more

D.S. Is full of B.S. This place is fantastic. The staff is amazing. The prices are spot on. eBay is full of flippers, and you never know exactly what is going to come in the mail. They are a bunch of hipsters though. (not really) Also, Shaq selection is incomparable. read more

Good place to find rare games. Workers are nice and knowledgeable. Cool atmosphere and the store is very clean. You can pretty much find whatever you're looking for. read more

Great selection of retro and modern games with reasonable prices. I will definitely be coming back for more purchases!

I went last year (I don't go much due to it being a 45 min drive and through a toll plaza) I went with my sights set on a Sega Saturn luckily they had 1 in stock , went in and was blown away by the sheer volume of retro games every thing from those Sears plug and play pong kits from the '70s no joke they had one, to imports like Famicom and super famicom games most of which is fairly priced and can be cheaper than eBay !!! Only problem I had with my Sega Saturn was it wouldn't save but that was due to the large C battery(they like large watch batteries) was dead probably been sitting too long so just a hopskip to Walmart to pick one up !!! Some of the rarer titles yes they have a copy of snatcher (last I was there) for the Sega cd in its original jeweled case for the low price of $800 which is its value due to the rarity of the game , but they have a large selection of loose and in original box game carts from NES,SNES to Sega Genesis games , even turbo graphix 16 games , to newer console titles (ps4,XBO etc) this place is your family friendly ma and pa retro video game store !!! read more

For new games, they charge the same as GameStop. But for old games not at GameStop, they charge a lot. They charge a lot less online, but if your buying a console, you might save money because they don't come with any wires or controllers. It's a cool place. read more

I won't be returning. I stopped in to compare some prices on games I recently picked up and was shocked to see used games going for more than sealed games on ebay. One example is Capcom Classics Collection for PS2. It was $14.99 for a beat up used copy when they sell sealed copies for $11.00 shipped online. There's a Super Mario 3 for $30 in the display case that looks like a kid colored it with a fluorescent marker. It's sad to see that most retro game stores have become the scalpers. They just disguise themselves as hippies to lure you in. I would have given 1 star, but to their credit, the store was incredibly clean and well organized and the staff was friendly. If you like paying higher than ebay, this is the place otherwise steer clear. read more

they are really nice prices not high old fashion games they sell nintendos its a hole lot of fun games like its christmas already