Welcome to Super Potato, also known as the pure video game paradise of the Far East. The store, which stretches over several floors in Akihabara, is crammed with everything that makes retro gamers' hearts beat faster: Super Nintendo role-playing games, Dreamcast consoles, The Legend of Zelda walkthrough books, Final Fantasy soundtracks, most of it between five and twenty dollars - except, of course, the very special gems, such as limited-edition figures or rare versi…

When I was twelve years old, I called a children's show on TV on Saturday morning because the nice woman and a talking hand puppet were giving away a Super Nintendo Entertainment System, including Donkey Kong Country. And they also put a green Game Boy on top. I guessed the lion was out of place in the picture puzzle and won. That was the best day of my life. Really. That was the best day of my life. My Super Nintendo and I were inseparable. Not only did mere ownersh…