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Editorials   Blockbuster: Where's the Difference?
- By Mike Ryan [Senior Editor]

For years, Blockbuster Video has always prided itself with having more selections than any other rental facility. Many of us can think of at least one or two “mom & pop” video stores that were driven out of business due to the giant corporation’s presence. I will always have a warm place in my own heart for Beggars Video and Mt. Greenwood Records and Tapes. These were my two places of video game rental. But alas, these, and many others like them, closed down because of Blockbuster Video.

But this editorial is not about corporate America driving out these small businesses. No, that topic has been done time and time again, and we don’t need yet another anti-corporation editorial on the ‘net. But I do have one major complaint about Blockbuster, and their supposed “endless selection” of video games. We all have no problem going to our local Blockbuster, grabbing a copy of Luigi’s Mansion or Resident Evil, and coming home to try to beat it in 5 days. The issue I have has to do with Blockbuster’s selection, or lack thereof, of Game Boy Advance titles. Now, before I continue, I must point out that what I am writing about is based off my experiences with my local Blockbusters. Your results may vary.

When the Game Boy Advance was released, Blockbuster Video had a cornucopia of GBA games and systems for rent. Anyone who owned a Game Boy Advance could rent a game such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Moon or Pac Man: Collection, either for a quick play, or to make sure it was buyable. Life was good. Now, over a year later, and many, many games later, we are still stuck with the same dozen-or-so games that first came out when the system was released, and nothing more. Why is it that the Game Boy Advance, which broke all console sales records, is so poorly represented in this rental industry? I wondered that question myself.

My first trip was to my local Blockbuster. After noticing that the most recent Game Boy Advance game available was Mario Kart, I decided to inquire with the nearest sales associate. I expressed my concern that there were no new GBA games available, and I asked if any were on order. After a response that had more “ums” than actual words, I was left with the easy way out – “We just put out what they give us.”

Well isn’t that convenient. Fair enough, the drones had no clue, no big surprise there. I still wanted at least an explanation why games like Golden Sun and Tekken Advance were not available. Hell, I’d even take Mortal Kombat Advance at this point. Anyway, a few weeks ago I perused the Blockbuster Video website for any kind of information that could shine some light on the whereabouts of our little black cartridges. After a search that yielded no results, I decided to fill out the “let us know what you think” section of the website. Keep in mind it says at the top of the screen that they will respond to your question within 72 hours. Well kids, it seems as though Blockbuster time goes by a bit slower than the rest of the world. I still have yet to receive a response from the bigwigs – but I don’t plan on holding my breath.

So here I sit, answerless, expressing my disappointment with the conglomerate. Maybe it’s just me, but if Blockbuster Video is driving out local rental stores, then they should at least take the responsibility of making everything available to everyone. When Game Boy Color was out, there were games-a-plenty. During my search for GBA games, I must have seen at least three copies of Mary-Kate and Ashley games for the GBC. I won’t go into that, though – my disgust with that can wait for another editorial. I only have one idea why there may not be any new GBA games available. Game Boy Advance is labeled as the system for the “casual gamer.” Perhaps Joe Blockbuster thinks that nobody will rent GBA games because they aren’t hardcore enough for the public. Or maybe he’s just a cheap-o.

Regardless, the point of this editorial (and yes, there is one) is that the honchos at Blockbuster Video really should be doing more with their money than making cheesy characters out of cgi rabbits and guinea pigs. Game Boy Advance games are only around ten or twenty dollars cheaper than the console games. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I really do not feel like gambling away 30 or 40 bucks on a game that I hope will keep me enjoyed on those long trips to my unibomber-style shack in the deep Indiana woods. So if you feel the same way I do, express your opinion to your local Blockbuster manager. Hey – if they can afford to purchase ten copies per store of PS2’s Britney’s Dance Beat, I’m sure they can at least throw Street Fighter Alpha 3 in there somewhere.