Living in Hawaii was a blessing in many gaming ways – the Asian influence there provided Japanese bookstores with import game magazines and school friends who had software from Hong Kong and Japan. However, gaming retail in Hawaii was unlike the rest of the USA, as national big box stores such as Wal-Mart and Target did not have a presence there until the 90’s or even 2000’s. While Kay-Bee and Toys R Us eventually opened locations there in the 16-bit era, their prices were massively inflated as extra transport costs were passed directly to customers.
I vividly recall Phantasy Star III (Sega Genesis, 1991) being sold at the Ala Moana Center Kay-Bee for a ridiculous $119.99! It was thanks to the strong arcade scene and other types of businesses taking up the slack, that video games gained such a powerful presence in Hawaii and it changed my life! This month’s column will take a look at
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