Ever since my beloved Game Hits closed, I almost stop buying and trading games locally. I refused to go to Game Stop because they're a giant rip off when it comes to trading in your games, they can't much help anyone with their classic gaming needs past the PlayStation 2, and they have a habit of spamming you with offers when it comes time for checkout. Play N Trade's about as bad, although they have a better selection, they still don't give you very much for your games.
So, my only other option was to try Video Game Exchange Inc. and I've found it to be almost as good as Game Hits was. When I went in to get an AV hook up for a working Dreamcast deck I had purchased for $2 at a yard sale, they had the cord, along with controllers, memory cards and a decent selection of games - all at fair prices.
A few months later, my sister showed interest in getting a Game Boy Advance SP for Christmas after sampling a friend's system. It was the Christmas session, so when we checked in, the store's selection was limited. They did happen to have a lovely used Nintendo DSI ready for purchase, though. By the end, we had purchased the DSI along with several Advance and DS games, along with Sonic The Hedgehog for the Genesis. Near the end of the purchase, we were asked "is the gift for a boy, or a girl?". When we answered "girl" the cashier came back out from the back with a carrying case similar to a purse. The case, the charger for the DSI, and an Atari game for my friend, were all free.
On the topic of trading in games, Game Exchange is way better then the other local competition. I recently brought in a broken original Xbox and some other goodies, and was given $30 in store credit. The $30 store credit went towards replacing my PSP which had bitten the dust just a few days before, as well as the $3 Devil May Cry 2 Official Strategy Guide (strictly for the cool poster it STILL had inside). There were 3 PSPs in stock - all where different in color and condition. The nicest, newest, and sharpest one was gold colored and priced at $90 - $60 after credit. The golden PSP was mine! I took it home, charged it, and proceeded to play - but there was an issue... the screen would turn off randomly while the game, audio, and other functions were still running. I've never died so much in Dissidia!
This brings me to customer service. Upon bring the issue up over the phone yesterday, the store agreed to fix or replace the PSP. Although my playing will be postponed for a little while, I'm overjoyed at the fact that they're willing to fix the issue with no cost to me.
My only complaints about the store in general concerns the employees playing games on the job. It's not so mush the fact that they play games, it's more of an issue concerning the fact that the guy playing "online/live" without a pause button helps the customers out first, verses the guy playing Final Fantasy XIII in the corner, with a pause button, sitting there like like we're his mom telling him it's lunch time. Although the main cashier probably died several times in Call of Duty because he was helping us, he never complained about it once.
In closing, I very much enjoy Video Game Exchange. Although it doesn't have quite the inviting, warming feel that I've grown accustom to with Game Hits (the game posters on the wall, the more spread out displays, the arcade machines hovering in back, the Mario standee my buddy bought when they went under, the cashiers I knew and loved, and the overall closeness one gains form MANY years of business together) I can put all that aside. Game Hits is gone. I knew it'd happen eventually in my gut when they moved from Apple Ave. over near the Mall. 2 or 3 Game Stops within a mile radius of each other spells out trouble for the local gaming businesses. Game Exchange is further out, but still worth the trip. Time only knows if they'll be able to replace Game Hits in my heart, but with the great service and selection I've experienced overall, it's highly possible. read more
