Gamesack is one of the best lesser-known channels for retro gaming on Youtube. A typical Gamesack episode consists of the two hosts each advocating several games each that adhere to that episodes chosen theme. They layout key details on systems like the Master System and the Playstation 2 with overviews of some of the must own games. Equally interesting are some of the more unusual assortments, such as games that only came out in Europe, Games with Minimal Violence and even Really Bad Games!. The groupings are the best thing about the channel; some themes that do not sound interesting turn out to be the best (their friendly parody video of other Youtubers is another highlight). Joe and Dave successfully managed to produce a show that is densely packed with both fact and opinion that somehow manages to be immensely entertaining at the same time. They’re both, fanboy jokes aside, very fair and reflective on each title and don’t resort to easy hyperbole. Uploading alternate Sundays, episodes tend to be towards 30 minutes in length so unlike many shorter videos its a channel you can sit back and enjoy.
Continue? is another show that feels like it deserves a much bigger audience than it has. Like the hosts sometimes explain; its not a lets play, its not a review show, but it has a bit of both. The premise is a strong concept in itself. Paul, Nick and Josh play about the first half hour of a game (or until they’ve had enough) and decide whether or not they want to continue playing. Some hilarious editing and wild tangents make this highly binge-able by itself, but the honest, immediate and surprising reactions to games make this a great place to get a feel for whether or not a game is worth trying. Not necessarily aiming at the same audience for retro gaming on Youtube the channel covers a wide range of systems, though current generation content is still very much an exception. Some great games are so immediately off-putting its a wonder anyone learned to like them in the first place, and more often than not the truly awful games start to look like the most fun. If you’ve looking for something to listen to then their now defunct podcast is also worth checking out.
Metal Jesus Rocks features a wider array of content than other channels, including lengthy pick-up videos, new product reviews and even cooking segments. Some of these might be of interest to you, some won’t, so don’t go in expecting to love each and every video here. The real selling point here is the buying guides and hidden gems videos which are among the best of retro gaming on Youtube. If you’re new to collecting, or are considering picking up a new retro system, this channel is the best places to start.
SNES Drunk may be a step-down in terms of polish from some of these other channels (and won’t be winning any prizes for channel name) but amidst a sea of Youtubers willing to shout their opinions on video games into the void SNES Drunk manages to stand out in terms of content compared to other retro gaming on Youtube. Some videos are the same types of recommendations and hidden gems videos that are on offer elsewhere, but new and unique suggestions do show up here that aren’t elsewhere – a testament to the research and originality that goes into these videos. Other videos follow the theme of ‘Are They Worth Playing Today?’ which similarly offer balanced reflections on how well games have aged and whether they offer anything unique. The channel is mostly Super Nintendo based,as the name suggests, but Mega Drive, NES and Gameboy titles, as well as 16 bit inspired digital titles, seem to be cropping up more and more.
DidYouKnowGaming? is by far the most popular of the channels mentioned here, but is also the easiest to get into. The channel produces short, to the point videos that drop facts about your favourite gaming characters of franchises. The videos are well-produced and are often voiced by other prominent Youtubers. You can’t help but walk away from each video having learned a new and surprising fact. The channel is definitely less in-depth than some of the other channels mentioned on this list, and as one would expect it lacks the same practical information for retro collectors. The videos are always entertaining, however, and are a quick and enjoyable way to get a retro gaming fix.
