The Sinclair GamerCard sounds like a gimmick. It even looks like a gimmick, a credit card-sized slab of plastic with a pixel screen, a couple of buttons, and branding that feels like a half-remembered 1980s computer that never happened. It’s easy to write off. A toy. A novelty. A throwback no one asked for. But here’s the thing: that’s exactly what makes it special, and, more importantly, exactly why it matters.
You see, I’ve been in a rut recently with my love of retro gaming. It used to be fun, interesting, with each new release not just a trip down memory lane but a celebration of the culture I grew up on. The best retro consoles feel like a love letter to the games of old, and the art and creativity around them. And yet, it’s now a business. Big business, even. A report in The Times suggests our love of old stuff will exceed $1 billion this year.
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