Service was good, the owner was nice and always gives away bracelets and other store merch like it is candy. The selection is the definition of "a little bit of this and a little of that" because he is most likely to have games for the mainstream systems but the amount might be limited the more rare and niche it is but that is not the fault of the store. The value is a little over normal market price but that is okay compared to many other stores I went to which were more expensive. BUT the big problem I have with this store is the hours. I know the owner is having some medical problems but I think that these hours are way too short! I recommend moving the hours from 3-6 if you want to get the most customers in my opinion because you can get student customers who come from school after 2:00 and workers who finish their 9-5 jobs. But in conclusion the store is great but the hours is its biggest flaw. read more

The store is amazingly packed with retro, vintage, miscellaneous toys and games. The owner is so nice, and he'll usually throw in a few extras for my son! read more

One of my favorite retro shops in New England! The owner Dom is a super nice guy, offer reasonable prices for trade-ins (will even work with you on a fair price) and for what's available (noticed some exceptions where some were a bit too high, but scored some amazing deals on majority of visits). Main thing of note: hours are very limited, to just a small handful of hours and the shop can be closed randomly, so if you plan to visit, make sure you check social media or if there's a way you can contact to make sure it's open before traveling way out there, so just plan accordingly. Outside of that, I highly recommend it otherwise! read more

Ok listen, This is a real great place! I've been going here with my grandfather since, well, I can't remember! It's a great place, and Dom is a great guy! Quality products, good service, Very good deals and value, And a super wide and great selection. Me myself got a Blue Gameboy Advance. Definitely recommend! read more

Sudden Impact - Gameboy advance SP - Video Game Stores Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

An incredibly well-stocked store, run by an owner with humor and heart. If the Fortune 100 companies were run with this kind of customer service and caring, this country would be an economic powerhouse for twenty years, guaranteed. read more

Went to this place for the first time and was impressed by the amount of games and merch in the store. Definitely a lot of cool stuff in there! The owner was really nice too. read more

Looks like a super cool place! Unfortunately sign on door says closed until further notice. Would've been nice to know before driving out. Not listed on website read more

My husband has been a patron at Sudden Impact for a little over five years. In the last 5+ years after tons of purchases, only two times were there issues with the games (we are buying some games that are older than we are LOL) - and the owner made it right 100 percent on those two occasions. Not only is the selection impressive, but the owner always has suggestions for games that he suggests that we would enjoy. Other video game stores do not have the knowledge, selection, and quality of games that Sudden Impact offers. Although my husband and I no longer live nearby, we are planning on venturing back out soon. Even though there is a retro video game store 5 minutes from our home, the quality and customer service doesn't compare to what Sudden Impact has to offer. read more

Excellent store! It's worth the trip for anyone interested in video games! The owner is very generous and always gives me great deals on games! If you are ever in the area this place should be on your to do list! read more

My husband loves to go here. He grew up near New Hampshire and it's always been worth the trip to go to Winthrop! Great selection, competitive pricing. He'll be back again! read more

I'm very glad that the salesperson at Game Stop told me about Sudden Impact. It's a small place but packed with many great retro game consoles and handhelds. I was greeted right away by the owner of the store Dom. He was very helpful as I told him I was looking for a gameboy with Tetris. Dom had large selection in games and colors of gameboys. I decided to buy two gameboys with Mario, Donkey Kong, Batman, and Tetris. Dom even give free batteries with the gameboys. I bought the gameboys a few months ago and I still bring them to every flight we have. I will be back soon to buy more games and possibly a Super Nintendo with Mario. read more

Sudden Impact - Entertained on every flight. Thank you Dom from the Sudden Impact Store - Video Game Stores Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

LOVE this place. If you are in or around Winthrop come check it out! The owner, Dom is a super nice guy who really knows what he's talking about. He's very helpful and knows what you want by just describing what you like to play. Great little store, with some amazing games and finds! If you're looking for something special or the older games, come in and check it out! A MUST SEE for any gamers or anyone who wants to relive their childhood! read more

Sudden Impact - Love this place! Stop in and check it out! A MUST SEE if you're in or around Winthrop! - Video Game Stores Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

Great COVID policies - masks required, 1 group at a time allowed in store, owner behind plexiglass, hand sanitizer provided. And he keeps stocking awesome things - picked up a Japanese import Kirby ninja stuffie. read more

I haven't been here in a while due to living in California, but whenever I am in Mass I like to swing out to this shop to browse the fabulous selection of old games. And occasionally get replacement cords and whatnot for my older consoles. Dom knows his retro gear, and can always answer your questions. read more

To hell with GameStop, This is your go to place for pre owned and retro video games. Dom has everything you want if you miss your old retro video game system. And he gives you a great deal on your trade ins . Nes, Snes , Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sega game gear, Game Boy and its variants, PS1,2,3,4 N64, GameCube WII ,Wiiu all the Xboxes he's even got famicon the Japanese version of Snes . Got a hankering for space invaders and Asteroids? He's got Atari! Eat that game stop! If you have a game you bought from him and it doesn't work this guy goes above and beyond to make sure the problem is remedied. I have never seen a larger collection of video game themed merchandise in my life. Pokémon, Mario , PAC Man and The Legend of Zelda plushes , Clocks and other novelties. Skip the trip to the corporate screw job trade in video game store and try out sudden impact. read more

Talk about a blast from the past! As many of the reviews say, it's truly a place to find just about any & every old school, retro, classic game systems, games & paraphernalia. As a person who grew up in the early gaming years of the 80's & 90's. I recognized a lot of the stuff. Some of which I happen to still have at home. The only reason I found this place is because it was shown on the side suggestions when I was Yelping other places in Boston. The store can be found in a quiet area in Winthrop. Which is just outside Boston. It can be pretty easy to miss. When my GPS said I was there. I thought I might be in the wrong place. There was a food shop next door & a church across the street. Aside from those, the rest appeared to be residences. The store itself is quite small. But it's packed to the rafters with stuff. It took me quite awhile to look through everything in the shop. Chatted with the owner, Dom, about video games & hockey. Nice guy. In the age of Amazon and the like, where one can get almost anything one wants with the click of a button. It's great to see places like this still exist. read more

I just wanted to say the owner here is great. My wife and I came through in 2016 and left with multiple games. Don gave us some goodies as we were visiting from Australia. I hope business is still going well!! read more

Such an awesome little store. I traveled there with my friend for his bday to get him something nice. Owner was immediately welcoming and accommodating. He was the perfect salesperson, direct and personable, never pushy, just telling it like it is. From Atari to PS4, there was so many things to choose from. Accessories, collectibles, rare games, both my friend and I's jaws were on the floor for the duration of our visit. Prices were very fair. We saw an awesome portable SNES, yes that's right, completely legit. I picked that and a game for a good deal, left very satisfied. Overall it's certainly the place to go for retro stuff and I'll certainly return as I've begun collecting SNES. read more

Can you say heaven on Earth?! The definition of every kids to adults favorite place; amazing place to come to anytime you can. Great selection of classic and retro games, so cozy and welcoming every time we come in! Dom is the best, we love seeing him and talking about games. He runs an honest and amazing shop, always willing to get you top quality for a great price. It's amazing to see places like this are still around, support it for future generations! read more

Solid collection. Really solid ownership. My buddy spent two hours just looking at everything and taking it in. A small place with a big impact. read more

I LOVE Sudden Impact - you'll find a huge selection of classic video games, systems and peripherals. Owner Dom is endearingly friendly, funny and welcoming. He either knows already knows you by name or soon becomes friends with you. We made the trip from Brighton to Winthrop to pick up a replacement N64 controller (we love old school Mario Kart, what can we say). We thought about getting one on e-bay, but this way we wouldn't have to wait for it to be shipped to us and the price would be the same considering shipping (plus, we wanted to test out the controller before buying it). The second we walked in, Dom greeted us and showed us around without hovering. There were hundreds of Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64, Sega, Xbox, Xbox 360 and other games! Dom also gave us a great deal on some trade-in N64 games. We only wound up shelling out $5 for the $19 N64 controller and an $11 NES games! He even pointed out that we should pick a controller that had a "tight" joystick, which we thought was cool because he could have just let us get a crappy one without us realizing. Seriously, Sudden Impact has reminded me how awesome local merchants can be. When my fiancee and I left the store, we both said "That place was AWESOME." We'll definitely go back, even though we have to pay a toll on the trip back. Oh yeah, stop by Nick's Place while you're in the area. Tasty subs and giant servings of fries (the small order was maybe 1.5x the size of a large order at other places). read more

Pretty cool shop. Nice vibe and ambience. However, when you walk in, it is very narrow and the clerk seems to try and rush you through the store, so not the best experience can be had. Some of the prices are also a little on the higher end. read more

This store is just awesome. My friend, my girlfriend and I took the drive out here from Allston on Saturday afternoon after hearing good things about the store on Yelp and we had a great time. My friend went in looking for one specific N64 game and ended up buying 4 or 5. I was interested in buying an N64 but ended up leaving with an FC Twin (aftermarket console that plays NES and SNES games) as well as a few games. Dominic, the store's owner, was a big help with everything and just an all around good guy. He threw in two free NES games with our console and gave my friend a free copy of Donkey Kong 64 to go along with his purchase. The store can seem a little overwhelming at first but you'll quickly grasp the layout if you've got 5-10 minutes to be looking around. Each game console has it's own section along the main wall for games and all consoles are in the back. There are even some test consoles set up for you to try out the cartridges. Dominic knows a TON about games. He had information on games ranging from Atari, Jaguar, NES, SNES, N64 all the way up to the current generations. I was even surprised to see that there are some sealed current gen (ps3, wii, xbox 360) games in the case available for sale as well. I want to start coming here for all my gaming purchases. Overall, I thought everything was a pretty good value. Some things are priced a little higher than you may find online, but everything seemed to be at least a little negotiable and you can't beat the convenience of walking into a storefront and picking out an NES title off the shelf like you could do 10-15 years ago. Overall, I can't recommend this store enough. It's truly a family operated business and you don't feel like just another customer when you shop here. Dominic is personable and friendly and takes care to make sure you're getting what you want. I even saw him make a call to his supplier to acquire a game for another customer while we were in the store. How many game stores can you say that about? I can't wait to go back. read more

Over the years I have given business to many different video game establishments offering new and older games/systems. But nestled in the center of Winthrop is a gem of a store, packed to the rafters with videogames of all kinds and origins. Sudden Impact is a small shop that is big on retro and vintage gaming. If you are looking for some more obscure games, this is definitely the place you should go. The store is owned by Dom, and he is very knowledgeable about games. A very friendly man, he will talk with you about just about any game or system, which is something you won't find if you go to Gamestop. Mention older stuff to the kids working there and watch their eyes glaze. But if it's older and you're looking for it, odds are Dom will have it in his shop. He has games and systems that were Japanese market only, and more importantly, he has the games and systems many of us grew up with. I have both bought and sold games/systems with Dom in the past, and he makes the process easy. Today I sold him two Nintendo 64 games I no longer wanted, and we agreed on price very quickly. About three months ago I bought a new N64 system from Dom when my old one died, and his prices are very reasonable. For both systems and games, you will be hard pressed to find a place that has more reasonable prices. Dom is also willing to share his knowledge about how to maintain older games, including the delicate process of cleaning them. His wealth of knowledge is rare, and not seen a lot these days. Dom does his best to make Sudden Impact your friendly neighborhood video game store, and this is a task he is very successful at. If you are at all curious about this little shop, you need to check it out. You will not be disappointed. You may even walk away with a little piece of your childhood. read more

In my crusade to hit every retro gaming store in this area (Gaming Underground in Framingham you're next!), I finally got around to checking out Sudden Impact in Winthrop just yesterday. I wouldn't say I was thrilled with my whole experience (like at Replay'd), but I felt like I was treated fairly, and that's what's important for stores like this. The place is jam packed with retro gaming swag, from Atari related things all the way up to Playstation 1. The owner seemed like a fair guy, who obviously knows the business he is in. All the loose carts were priced at what you'd expect the "fair market value" on them to be, so don't come into here looking to pull the wool over his eyes. Having said that, this place is heads and tails better then The Game Zone in Salem, mainly because the prices (although market-value and not low by any means), are negotiable. The owner, upon realizing I was there to spend some dough, made me a deal with what I was looking to buy, and I ended up spending around 200$ for a (holy grail of the SNES) Earthbound, tons of loose carts and a boxed SNES game. Will I be back? Yes, more then likely. Will it be as often as I plan on returning to Replay'd? No. Worth checking out. read more

This place is an absolute gem, retro video game stores simply do not exist anymore or are extremely rare. The last one I saw was 15 years ago - The video game castle in Chicopee Mass. There is also AC's Cards and Games in Revere but nothing matches the selection found at Sudden Impact. It's amazing to walk into the store and see every swag genesis game ever made on a shelf and a billion other things. All I needed at the time was a controller I needed for a pc game, which the owner Don has on had and priced fairly. I will be back to buy lots of toys. read more

Great little store loaded with older systems and games. Sold a functioning Game Boy Color and some old Xbox games found cleaning out my parents house and the owner Dom gave me a good fair price. He even threw in $5 for gas when he learned I drove down from the North Shore! Well worth the trip from the city or North Shore if you like your vintage gaming or have one to sell. read more

This is by far my new favorite retro game store. This place is awesome and it is a must see if you're remotely into gaming.

I wanted to check out this place for a while, but didn't know what to expect (whether I'd be buying a lot, or being lost in Winthrop). Anyways, I went to Sudden Impact, which is near the police station and on a bus route from Orient Heights. It reminded me of an old school game shop, with see-through counters where you can see the games and other electronics. It's a colorful and festive atmosphere. A small place, but there's plenty to see and check out. There are some of the newer systems, but concentration falls mostly from the Xbox/PS2/Wii generation and before, which is refreshing. Dom was pretty helpful in helping me find what I and my friend were looking for. I even got to try out the game in the store before I bought it. He was knowledgeable about games and is friendly. I would say the only caveat is about inventory and pricing. Things come and go fairly quickly, from what I understand, so you might not find what you're looking for. Prices may be slightly higher than what's on the internet too, but overall I was fairly satisfied with my experience. I would check it out again if it wasn't so far from me. read more

This is by far the best Video Game store I've ever been to, and the owner is extraordinarily kind. Every time I walk in I get overjoyed. There is just so much to look at. Every nook and cranny is stuffed with Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation, and anything else you can think of. If you're looking for something that has anything to do with video games, you'll find it at Sudden Impact for an outstanding price. It's the quintessential video game store, and the go to place for retro game paraphernalia. read more

Sudden Impact, in my opinion, is one of the two best video game stores in MA (the other being Games Underground in Framingham). The sheer amount of games and systems that fit in the small store space is incredible. The owner, Dom, obviously cares about games and his store, which really comes through when you talk to him. His game selection will appeal to collectors as there are the rarer items in the glass case up front, or gamers looking at the more bargain titles on the walls surrounding the store searching for that hidden gem. Dom makes sure you don't walk out of the store feeling cheated and will work with you on a happy medium price-wise (something that Game Zone in Salem could definitely take a tip on). Personally, i'm a Dreamcast collector/gamer and feel that the price points on the games are fair. The majority of prices are in line with middle-of-the-road Amazon and eBay pricing (and sometimes on the lower end of that pricing also) and brick and mortar stores need to charge a little more anyways to (a) stay in business and because (b) you get to inspect what you plan to purchase before pulling the trigger. Sudden Impact really reminds me of the cool neighborhood record store where you search through the records looking for THE ONE. The store is relatively organized but not to the point where you don't feel like you could still uncover something special and feel good about it. Still takes a little digging to look at everything for your desired console. If you're a vintage gamer of any sort, Sudden Impact is a priority stop. I've been to all of the game stores from Worcester to Boston and Sudden Impact is quite impressive. Support your local video game store! read more

Best retro game store EVER. I've seen some reviews that question the owner being a nice guy or not. Well he is a nice guy, just has a BIG PERSONALITY. I can see where some may not like that. He's young at heart and his interactions with his daughter, often joking or saying she's destroying the store, are just him having fun with his daughter while at work. If the store isn't full he will take the time to really talk to you. He will tell you about the item you're picking up if it's not some generic item or a specific game. For example I purchased the last limited edition wallet he had and it just happen to be the same one he was using. He went into how the wallets are much better than a lot of the stuff you can get in store (true story, it's heavy duty well made, better than Nintendo World New York quality wallets). The guy literally tosses me his wallet FULL JAM PACKED with his stuff! Take a lot of trust for that, but he wanted me to see the quality so what better way than actual proof. He discounted a few items when checking out. Also he gave my girlfriend a Yoshi trinket she was eyeing and both of us some stuff he had from PAX East for FREE. BTW I drove over 1.5 HRs to go here and I WILL BE BACK OFTEN! read more

The best place in New England for video games both old and new. Also a great selection in video game, movie and sports merchandise. Great owner too, he's the best. Overall amazing experience at Sudden Impact!!! read more

Sudden Impact - Boxed EarthBound complete - Video Game Stores Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

Sudden impact was one of my stops on our "Geek Tour" where we try to hit up as many retro video game and comic shops as we can in a day. The store has many old systems from the past and many game for them as well. So it can be a one stop shop if you feel like getting and old Nintendo and a set of games for it. We were greeted as we entered the store and was asked if we need help with anything. We were just browsing so there wasn't much help needed. Because we were browsing we had to kinda poke at everything. The problem with this store is that it's very cramped. It's not a browser friendly setup during the weekends. It was more designed for people who kind of know what they're looking for. This is not the owner's fault as he worked with the space he has. read more

Hands down this is the best store selling classic video games that I have come across, It's selection of consoles and games is both wide and deep, selling all of the classic consoles from 1979 to 2000, even my favorite console, the Magnavox Odyssey 2. Will be sure to be going there again soon! Gotta love Winthrop :-) read more

Sudden Impact - Video Game Stores Near Me - Winthrop, Massachusetts

I have been going to Sudden Impact for 10 years now. The owner is a very generous guy, personable and down to earth. He is always open to giving you good deals and really tailors a personal experience for you. Prices are always extremely fair and competitive with ebay pricing. Being able to physically hold the games you're going to buy is a pleasure in itself, as I always find stuff there I never knew existed. Sudden Impact is packed to the brim with both new and old games and consoles, and I can't stress enough how incredible the service is. Winthrop is an amazing location, and even though I live further out, me and my friends often make a day trip out of going to Sudden Impact. This store is like therapy for us, and sometimes we will go just to chat with Dom, the owner. This is my favorite store of all time, and I will always support a small business like Sudden Impact over Gamestop or ebay. read more

I decided to make the 45 minute drive from Salem after finding this shop on yelp. My wife and I were completely blown away...... This shop is absolutely amazing. We have a few retro game shops in North carolina (where we're visiting from), but nothing like this. The shop is small but is absolutely jammed packed with video game stuff. I spent an hour in there and barely scratched the surface. The owner was incredibly nice (and FUNNY). He took the time to remove several older consoles from their boxes helping me find exactly what I was looking for. $300 later I left a very happy guy :) The shop reminded me of the small shops you would find in Japan...small, packed and had a certain "vibe" that a lot of game shops are missing. PLEASE do yourself a favor and drop by, even if it's only for 5 minutes. I PROMISE you'll be taken back to your childhood. Who cares that the internet may be a few bucks cheaper (although his prices are GREAT, the console I bought was a STEAL), it's 100% worth supporting someone providing such a cool shop and experience to the community. man, I already miss it while i'm writing this. You local guys are so lucky! read more

Visited here originally to buy a gift for a friend since I was visiting Boston. But ended up buying a lot of random merchandise for myself. A lot of old school games and newer stuff; from Atari to X-Box One. I saw a wide range of old Nintendo games/ consoles. There's a good amount of cute plushies (Pikachu/Mario plushies are worth to cop if you're into that!). The owner is a wholesome man and really enjoys talking to his customers. Would come again just to look at all the neat merchadise if I'm ever in Boston again. read more

Wow - this place is really awesome. Huge selection of games, systems, and accessories. As others have said, Dom is extremely nice and knows his stuff. This place is worth the visit whether you're just browsing/taking a trip down memory lane or whether you're looking to get something new at a great price. Winthrop is a little bit out of the way, but it's well worth the drive. Gamestop is convenient, but this place blows Gamestop away when it comes to variety, personality and price. read more

When it comes down to video games, I, unfortunately, did not have a childhood. All I had was a Gameboy Color with only Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and a PS1 with only Bubsy 3D. Talk about opposites attract. No other consoles or handhelds, not even those stupid LCD games that you can get at McDonalds when you order a Happy Meal. NOTHING. I could have grown up with a nice used N64 or a Dreamcast, but NO. 10 years later, I'm looking to reinforce my name as a classic gamer, and Sudden Impact is the best place for me to do it. Even though it's a gamers paradise, Sudden Impact is the EPITOME of claustraphobic. I'm not kidding, this store is INCREDIBLY SMALL. But, the amount of video games and merchandise easily cover up that fact. So much so that I don't notice the size of the store because I'm too focused on buying video games! Speaking of, there's a lot here, obviously. But it's not like any other classic video game store where there are only so many classic games, NO. This store is OVERRUN with them! Everything from Atari 2600's to XBOX 360's are sold here. Hell, there's even some old-school PONG CONSOLES for sale! Hundreds of games from each console are available, from NES, Atari, even modern games are for sale! It's truly unbelievable how much variety lies within this store. I went into this store to buy an NES, I ended up going home with an FC-Twin, Two FREE NES Games, and two FREE SNES Games!! A great way to start off my collection without having to spend so much money on two seperate consoles!! TOO COOL!! The store even has some kick ass merchandise for sale, whether it be plush toys, action figures, or even bobbleheads, Sudden Impact has got 'em! The store owner, Dominic, is extremely friendly and helpful. He's always willing to help out his customers in any way he can. He's also really good with young kids looking to buy newer games. I went in to buy a SEGA Genesis to replace the broken one that my cousin gave me, (FYI, he didn't know it was broken), and Dom gave me the Genesis he used in store! Overall, Sudden Impact is the ideal place for all gamers to go to. Young or old, classic or modern, Sudden Impact has got you covered. With a wide variety of games old and new, an amazing amount of merchandise, and the friendliest staff I've seen at any store ever, Sudden Impact is pure gaming bliss. The only problem I have is that the store is really small, but that doesn't matter because you'll be so overwhelmed with games that you won't care about the size one bit!. If I could give this store ten stars, I would. If I could give it 100 stars, I would, if I could give it 10,000,000,000,000 stars, I would, and I would keep on going up until there were no more stars to give! But, for now, it's a perfect 5 out of 5. read more