You will be overwhelmed the moment you step inside this place! The floor, walls, and even sealing is packed to the brim with amazing video game memorabilia. Both me and my girlfriend have been looking for a place to purchase old super nintendo, gamecube, gba, and rare ds games. Usually the only way to obtain these is from ebay, but it can be hit or miss because you can't see/hold the game in person. The man who owns this store has a fantastic selection running from atari all the way through ps4. He has excellent prices and will even lower prices depending on how much you spend/want. He also is a passionate gamer who cares about what comes in and goes out of his store. A great example of this, is from a purchase I made from him of a number of gba games. I have been looking for many rpg's and he happened to have quite a few great ones for the gameboy advance, one of these games was Pokemon Firered. Two weeks later I started to play it and I noticed something odd, a "the game is now being loaded" message as soon as I booted it up. I than took a closer look at the cartridge and quickly realized it was a bootleg version. I called him up (do not get annoyed if he doesn't answer the first few times. His phone is also how he processes credit cards, if he is doing a credit transaction the call goes straight to voice mail. Not to mention he is the only one working in the store....please have patience) and explained. He was very upset that he sold me a fake game and said to come in so he could see it. I showed him the game a few days later and he tried it out on one of his gameboys and refunded the amount ( I decided to use it against a purchase that day). This is the big thing that matters, HE ASKED HOW I KNEW IT WAS A FAKE! We spent 15 minutes discussing the ways to notice if a gba or ds game is fake, while he marked the Firered as bootleg and dramatically lowered the price and returned it to the case. He actually made the effort to learn so he wouldn't do it in the future, HE ACTUALLY CARED. This should mean a lot to any hardcore game player/collector. If you purchase a product through him and something is wrong, he will back up his product. He survives off of customer satisfaction and good will. I live an hour away from his shop, but I make the trip because I have never found anywhere with as good of a selection, or excellent service! read more

This store is amazing! I use yelp a lot to get information about places I might visit but this store was so awesome I signed up to review it. I'm still thinking about my visit a day later - it's that good. The owner, Dom, is an amazing person. He's collected just about every video game accessory and game you could want. I was in awe of his collection - a truly unique set of games and goods. Prices were on par with the Internet which if you think about it is amazing by itself - Internet sales are cut throat. If his prices weren't on par, he was more than willing to negotiate and my friend walked out with two free games with his new system without even asking for them. Also - to those who have never been, ask for prices as many games are unmarked or marked with old prices. Usually, the price is lower than you'd expect and Dom is incredibly fair in pricing. Dom was very knowledgeable about the games and gave us some useful tips on taking care of some of the older items my friend bought (he even threw in some video game cleaning kits). While there, a group of kids came in to sell their old system and Dom treated them very kindly and gave them fair prices for what they traded. I thought it was pretty cool that he even checked with their parents before selling teen rated games to the kids. There was a level of respect from customers and Dom - something you don't find at other game stores. Sad to say, the atmosphere has all but disappeared elsewhere and is something I haven't experienced in ages. In my almost hour spent in this tiny store, it became clear that almost everyone is a regular here. And for good reason. This store is a relic - it's what larger stores like Game Stop have put out of business. Real customer service, real advice. And somehow Dom is doing it on price with the larger guys. This place was worth the trip from Burlington, Vermont. If you like vintage games in the slightest, want to repurchase that game you had when you were a kid or just want an amazing experience - you HAVE to check this place out! read more

Jam-packed with games both old and new from wall to wall to wall, Sudden Impact is a winner in a realm of retail that I initially believed was a lonely existence: classic game retail. When I picked out a copy of Shenmue for Sega Dreamcast, Dom knew the story behind that exact second-hand copy. Turns out it was never touched, as the original owner had a lack of interest in that type of game, thus the case and the disc remained in mint condition; a tough sale to refuse for a game this awesome. He even throws in a new battery for every Dreamcast memory card you purchase. More recently, I came in with a stack of used Wii and Wii U games with inquiry for how much store credit it'd net me towards Sega Dreamcast games. Without giving me a price estimate, Dom simply told me to pick out any Dreamcast game I like until he says stop. It's little examples like such that you don't experience when patronizing mainstream video game chains like GameStop or EB Games, in which a stack of Wii games would probably get you $8.75 in store credit and some belly button lint. Instead, I walked home with a stack of rad Dreamcast games (including Crazy Taxi 1 & 2, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, a super-rare Dreamcast magazine-exclusive demo disc, and then some) as well as a couple VMU memory cards still in their original boxes (seriously, how does one get their hands on that?) while only having to pay $35. Of course, what you trade in or buy and its according values will vary, but Dom isn't the type of guy that will wharton you out of a reasonable deal. He checks online shops and thrift stores around the clock and is well-informed whenever value goes up or down for a specific game or system. If you're in the market for reliving your childhood, or wish to embark on a journey through the veins of gaming history, then this friendly, family-run business should certainly be on your go-to list. Its incredible atmosphere alone trumps the monotony of lurking Ebay and Amazon for classic games. read more

Sudden Impact is quite possibly the best retro gaming store I have yet to visit in New England. Immediately as you walk in, you will be greeted with a friendly smile from Dom, the owner. He will ask you what it is you are looking to buy- this question will be irrelevant, because you will want to purchase everything in the store. In writing this review, I could simply not do the store justice to try and describe what Sudden Impact has to offer. To name what I can remember, Atari 2600, 5200, Jaguar, Jaguar CD, Turbografx, 3DO, Neo Geo, Colecovision, Intellivision, NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance/Micro, DS, 3DS, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox, and Xbox 360 were in the store. do any of those catch your attention? I can guarantee there will be something for you in the store, and no matter how far you are from Winthrop, making the drive out will be well worth your time. Among all of the consoles I listed above are controllers, accessories, and many games that are reasonably priced. Disk resurfacing is available for games that have scratches. Additionally, there are collectibles and memorabilia from all eras. I would recommend calling ahead if you are looking for a specific item. The hours are reasonable enough and the Sudden Impact Facebook page is a good place to check for a closing just in case. Finally, I am giving the store a 5 for my sole experience with purchasing a SNES console and a few games. I was not displeased with my purchase in any way, and from my understandings, the 62-pin connector for the console was cleaned. Dom also cleaned the three games which I purchased, provided me with a cleaning kit, and made sure I understood that any future games must be cleaned. I spent over an hour rummaging through the store and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. read more

Visited for the first time today, and I'll be back. This is a charming, no-frills retro gaming store. It promises lots of games and systems from every era, and it delivers that. The establishment itself is quite small, but that's not a problem. It gives the place a cozy, homelike feel. You step inside and you know you're in a place for gamers, run by a gamer. The owner, Dom, was extremely friendly and chatty, and made me feel quite welcome. He was eager to help with whatever I was looking for, and I got a fair deal on what I purchased. I did a quick scan on the prices, and everything seemed quite fair, comparable to what I've seen at other shops. They're not necessarily bargains, but then who goes into a retro shop expecting below-market prices? All I need from a retro shop are a good supply of games and hardware and fair prices, and this place offers both in spades. More than that, Dom was willing to negotiate on prices within reason, which is plenty generous if you ask me. And let me reiterate: this place is like gaming history concentrate. Every console I could imagine was up for sale, as far as I could tell with full cables and controllers. Games line the shelves to thickly that they're like wallpaper. Don't let the small building fool you; this place is chock full with everything you could possibly want in a video game store. The location ended up being accessible with mass transit. Take the blue line to Orient Heights, and the 713 bus from that station drops you off almost right next to the store. All told, given the dearth of retro gaming stores in Boston, finding Sudden Impact was a godsend for me. I'll definitely be back, and I look forward to my next visit. read more

Oh my! I don't even know where to begin! Sudden Impact has probably had the greatest impact on my life. It all started in late 2013 when I had just turned 10 years old. I began a hobby of collecting old/retro games, but I did not know where a place would be that sold such vintage media that was preserved decades ago. I had my fair share of times with my Nintendo Wii, Wii U, and 3DS. So I thought to myself why not take a journey into the past realm. Where games I hadn't played or seen or even knew existed I could finally get my hands on. So later in early 2014, I stumbled upon this store on the internet, where the name of the place read "Sudden Impact", this is the very first time I found out about this place and I couldn't believe what I'd discovered. Then finally on the day I first stepped foot into that place. I felt as if I'd entered a whole another world entirely, one I'd never want to leave. The place was jam packed with literally every video game related kind of merchandise and stuff you could imagine. The place has got decorations everywhere! Probably the best part about this place is the one behind it all. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the man himself Dom Cerulli is without a doubt one of the most friendly energetic store owners you could ever come across. He has amazing knowledge about everything in games and is a great sales guy who absolutely rocks at his job. So if you ever wanna shop at a game store weather it has stuff old or new? Go to Sudden Impact I'm telling you! read more

Exceptional store with a lot to offer, if you can get there at the right times. I find that there are a lot of people that go there seeking specific games out and they end up gobbling all the good stuff up. The store can be overwhelming at times because nearly everywhere there was something that I wanted. For the few times that I've been there, Dom has always been a pleasure to work with. He gave us fair prices on trades, and he is generally a fair person overall and treats everyone with respect. Even all the kids that come in. He is a genuine person. One time my boyfriend and I had gone there and he was closing up early, when we came by the next weekend, he remembered us, and was delighted that we had come back and stated that he felt so bad that he had to leave. We both truly enjoy making dates to get over there, we're from the North Shore so it's a pretty decent ride for us. It's funny because now what we will do, is seek out the games and accessories that we want to buy and see if we can get them at Sudden Impact before we make make a hasty purchase because we know Dom is so fair. He is active in the community and sets up shop at Comic-Con and PAXEast. He is knowledgeable about his products. He cleans and cares for the products that you purchase. He has given us open box games for free! Even knowing that they can and have had some value! I do and will continue to recommend this store to my friends. :) read more

I had visited your store earlier today and had purchased a Nintendo 64 game console with two games to go with it. I just wanted to say that I was extremely overwhelmed with all that you had in stock and available. I was even able to snatch the very last (at the time) Super Mario 64 that you had, which is probably the most popular title for the Nintendo 64 sought after by collectors everywhere. I was also impressed at your very positive attitude and helpfulness, even when the store can get almost crowded to the point where no one else can possibly fit. Anyway, when I arrived back at my home, I set up the system to test it out. Both games work to perfection. It's almost as if I was back in 1996 buying the system when it had first hit the market. Also, the way that you cleaned off the cartridges before placing them in the bag was very helpful. You even showed me how to clean them and maintain their usefulness over time and even gave me a little baggie with the materials. That was very much appreciated. I just wanted to send this friendly email to you to let you know that when it comes to retro gaming, you folks are definitely a top tier, high quality place to be. And I also wanted to thank you for all your help this afternoon. I will definitely be coming back to continue purchasing to help complete my own nostalgic video game collection, as well as recommend your store to any and all of my friends. read more

I used to live in Winthrop a few years back, so after visiting some relatives in town I noticed this place while driving around(the sign out front helps grab attention by the way). Looking at it from outside it looks wicked small but once you walk in it's overwhelming how many games, systems and toys he has crammed in there! The layout is great and you can easily find what you are looking for considering how much there is. The shop owner Dominic is in there every time I stroll in and he is great. Once I bought a original NES system from Dominic and after plugging it in at my grandmother's place the games all had vertical white lines running through. (yes my nana is a gamer haha) We had no idea how to fix it so I went back and he explained that it was probably the RF switch. I brought in the system and we tested it right there. Bam, he was right! The NES he sold us had av cables, not a RF switch since we had one already from a previous NES. (he said av cables are better anyway but our TV was old and didn't accept them) He gave us a RF switch for free and said "I just want to make sure my customers are happy". Top notch service and the prices are reasonable too! He also mentioned they have a booth at PAX I believe. Usually it would be Anime Boston too but both conventions happen to be on the same weekend in 2012... oyvay. So visit him if you are at the con! read more

I'll start by saying I made a Yelp account to write this review. I'm not romanticizing when I say that this store singlehandedly makes the case for small business in the US. It's hard to do much more than add to what other reviewers have said. I was in Sudden Impact for an hour after the official closing time last night and the owner had no qualms about keeping it open late to help out a couple customers. He's incredibly knowledgable, friendly, and offers great deals on anything he sells. He honestly wants to help people reconnect with their childhood video games. He'll call you if he doesn't have a game in stock and you want to wait for it. He offered us free delivery on anything we found we'd forgotten to buy. As some others have pointed out the prices here are very, very reasonable. Of course they don't compete completely directly with E-Bay or Amazon sellers but as the owner would be quick to point out that's simply not a realistic expectation. They're very, very, close but if you buy game at this store you'll get a 90 day guarantee on returns if something doesn't work and you can actually see the quality of the game you're buying before you buy it. Can't say enough about the store or the owner, will certainly be going back soon and often. I dropped $270 the first time I was there and left with a well worth it box of my childhood. read more

Was looking for a place to fill my retro gaming needs and I think I've found it. Dom was absolutely phenomenal and gave me a great deal on the n64 stuff I was looking to buy. The store is smaller then you might expect but the selection is amazing. I was born in 85 right so walking into this store was like traveling back in time and it was awesome. If you re looking to buy retro games then I can't recommend this place enough as Dom knows his stuff, doesn't try and sell you anything you don't want and even throws in some free stuff with your purchase the amount depending on what and how much you buy. I went in there with a certain amount in mind that I wanted to spend and I walked out with more stuff then I thought I would be able to get for that amount. I bought the n64 system 2 games(Mario 64 and Zelda) and he threw in 2 free games of my choosing and he even threw in a free memory card for any games in the future I buy that may need it. He also showed me how to clean the games and told me where I could get the material to do so. All in all this is a great place, Dom is awesome and I may not be able to go in as often as I would like( its about 45 minutes away from me) but I can tell you whenever I plan to buy any retro games I will be going to Dom's store read more

This store is absolutely wonderful. For everything from retro games, consoles, unique gift items, rare finds, etc....you will be thrilled with Sudden Impact! Dom, the owner, is one of a kind! He is so helpful and will always take the time to help you find what you are looking for. He is totally NOT pushy and is 100% honest! He will guide you in the right direction for your needs. I have been coming here for almost 7 years and I'm being sincere when I say it is my favorite store. I love coming here to buy games, gifts for others, or just little "nick nacks". I went to stores like this in Japan and believe me, you can find way more here at Sudden Impact in Winthrop! The shopping experience is very pleasant, very laid back, the owner is enthusiastic about helping video game fans- ESPECIALLY kids- walk away with some super cool item at the best possible price. I recommend this shop without hesitation! read more

This is by far the best gaming store I have ever been to. The man who runs this store has fair prices and quality items. Some of the items he has are games and systems for a Nintendo 64 and a Coleco Vision system. He also has many other retro items like an NES and a Sega Dreamcast, he has games for these systems too. Some systems are even still sealed in their boxes. He also has some newer games at his store. Today was the first day I visited this store and I walked out of it happy, with a controller and six games for the Nintendo 64. The owner was there to help at every second I was in this store. If you want a store with retro games and other quality gaming items this is the place to go. I strongly reccomend this store to anyone into gaming, or anyone who might have little interest in gaming. Once you go to this store you will become interested and educated about gaming. read more

I'm another who joined Yelp just to rave about Sudden Impact. Absolutely Recommended. My son is into Skylanders, and if you've been looking for them, you know that you can go into your local GameStop or BestBuy every week and "just miss" the last one as it walks out the door. Not so here. There are literally HUNDREDS of the little buggers ranging from about $15 to $45 (for the rarer ones). We had purchased multiple 3-packs over the last month, as each had 1-2 guys we didn't yet have. We were able to work out a trade, swapping the dupes we had for ones we didn't. We came away with a bagful of new Skylanders, and spent the evening playing. I can't say enough about the store, Dom, and would absolutely, positively go back when the next batch of Skylander characters are released. read more

Wow. This place was probably the best game store i have ever been in. The owner Dom was so genuine and so nice to me while in the store that I couldn't help but buy games. Super fair prices and was even willing to bargain with me a little bit. Also, he had games that I had been hunting down for months at game stores nearer to my home, which is almost six hours away. Super fair prices and was even willing to bargain with me a little bit. I was in Boston for the weekend and made it a point to go out to this game store, because of the good reviews on this site, and I figured I should contribute to the positive vibe. I've e-mailed with Dom and I'm actually going to trade with him through the mail, which is awesome that he lets people do that. Seriously, this place was gamer heaven. read more

The question are YOU impacting suddenly? If you're looking for classic games no need to go anywhere else. Dom Is knowledgeable about everything in the store. Most of the time when I go I go just to talk. I spend hours at times just shooting the shit over classic video games. At first are you going to not like spending a little extra money than you think on a game? Yes. Is it worth it? EVERY DAMN PENNY! He always gives you deals on buying multiple items and especially repeat customers, he loves them. I try to go as often as I can. Dom keeps the feeling of classic video games alive and he does every day. The place is also jam packed with more games, swag, collectibles than you know what to do with. Go to this place and you won't be disappointed! Tell em large marge sent ya! read more

I've yet to post a review to Yelp but I found this shop and just had to give my 2 cents. My neighbor told me about this place and I checked it out today. I have to say it was better than I expected. I don't want to sound redundant, but like the other reviewers said, Dom is really nice and very knowledgeable. You can tell this isn't just a job to him. The prices are very competitive, although I wouldn't mind paying a dollar or two more to support a local business like this. The customer service here blows Gamestop out of the water. The game selection is outstanding. Stepping into this store is like stepping into a time machine. If you are looking for that hard to find game or console, you'll probably find it here. It's worth checking out. You won't be sorry you did. read more

I visited this store today and was completely blown away upon walking in the door. This store has it all: games, consoles, clothes, dolls, toys, keychains, basically anything you could think of. Lots of variety in the consoles as well, including lots of different types of game boys etc. The selection is incredible; I had to restrain myself from grabbing all the games from my childhood that I had forgotten about. The owner, Domenic, is super nice and friendly, and you can tell he cares about the customer more than anything else. He gave me a great deal on my purchase and will bend over backwards to make sure the customer leaves happy, which you don't see enough these days. It sounds cliche, but I would give this store more than five stars if I could. read more

This store is a gamer's paradise. I'm going to echo my brother's glowing praise for what is nothing less than a heaven-on-earth of old-school video game merchandise, accessories and memorabilia. Did you know the owner knows Adam Sessler? You know, the editor-in-chief of G4TV and the host of X-Play? You can find a picture of them on SI's website, and that's what sparked my interest to make a trip here. They've got Nintendo 64 games, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Dreamcast, Saturn games, old rare Playstation RPGs, you name it. If you bring old games in, you'll get a much better trade-in deal than you would at Gamestop. Dom really loves video games, and he shows it. Do yourself a favor and take a trip down nostalgia lane at Sudden Impact! read more