Each State’s Favorite Retro Video Gaming Consoles of 2020

Summer is here and the game is on—video games, that is. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the gaming industry is doing better than ever, and Nintendo’s net profit increased by 33%.

With social isolation rules in place, we’re finding that quarantine is a whole lot better with video games and a fridge full of snacks. And turns out our gaming habits are actually a good thing. Time magazine reports that playing video games can be healthy for kids (and adults). And studies show that gaming helps people de-stress and connect socially.

But it’s not just the new releases that are getting all the attention. Retro video games are still getting love all around the world. Don’t believe us? Try buying Harvest Moon for Nintendo 64 or GoldenEye 007—they go for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

So, which vintage games and game consoles are top sellers in your state? We crunched the numbers to find out the most popular retro consoles in each state, and while we were at it we looked up which old Game Stop game every state likes best.

The Nintendo 64 (released in 1996) is the most popular retro video game console in the US. The PlayStation 2 (a 2000 baby), Game Boy (1989), and GameCube (2001) also make the top-four list. Here are some interesting callouts from around the country:

• The East Coast loves the PlayStation 2, with the exception of Maine, who’d rather play on a Nintendo 64.
• West Coast states like California, Oregon, and Washington love GameCube.
• Utah, Idaho, and North Dakota are Nintendo 64 fans—maybe feeling nostalgic for the ‘90s?
• Although Game Boy is one of the most popular retro consoles nationwide, it didn’t top the list as the favorite for any state.

You’ll notice that Atari 2600 (which was released in 1977) isn’t included on our list. Everyone who lived through the ‘80s will remember playing Space Invaders, PAC-MAN, or Frogger on the Atari, but since these consoles aren’t compatible with modern TVs, they aren’t in high demand these days.

Although Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch, can play many retro video games, GameCube games aren’t among them, making them more elusive (and forgotten) to modern gamers. So, we decided to see which ones are still stirring up some love and where.

We found that the most popular retro GameCube games in the US are Mario Kart: Double Dash, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Monkey Ball, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. These games will cost you anywhere from $30 to $180 or more for a deluxe edition in an unopened box.

Pandemic or not, video games are here to stay. Yes, games can be educational—they can give you a way to socialize during the pandemic and learn grit and endurance. Gaming can distract you from the stress of isolation and current events. But, in the end, we play video games just because we like them.

The interest in retro gaming indicates that we humans enjoy simple pleasures and epic battles. You don’t have to spend thousands on the latest gaming system—any old console will do. And the adventures you have while gaming with friends and family can be epic.

Game on!

To figure out each state’s favorite retro game consoles, the team at SatelliteInternet.com created a list of the most popular consoles ranging from the ‘90s to the 2000s, placed it in Google Trends, narrowed it down by state, and let Google work its magic. To find each state’s favorite GameCube games, we looked at the most sought after GameCube games on Amazon and compared them by state in Google Trends.