Simulator games are very popular in the indie game community and this example is truly inspired. Retro Rewind: Video Store Simulator lets you relive the Blockbuster heyday of yesteryear type video rental stuff.
It’s by Canadian indie game devs Blood Pact Studios and launched on PC in March 2026. As the player, you get to run a video store! And it’s set in the 1990s!! Cue our Back in My Day rant in 3… 2… 1…
Relive VHS Rentals in Retro Rewind
If you were around in the ’80s and ’90s you’ll remember what this was all about. You could rent the latest film release, or pick up the odd classic, from places like Blockbuster.
Blockbuster was a huge deal for quite some time, but then failed to adapt to the internet era and streaming services. The result is the business is now defunct, although as of 2026 peak streaming addiction seems to dipping somewhat. Many people have an urge for physical media like Blu-rays and some independent video rental stores still exist.
Thus, Retro Rewind is perfectly timed to tap into that glorious nostalgia propaganda.
The game has already sold over 100,00 units on Steam and has an Overwhelmingly Positive set of 7,500+ Steam reviews. AND WHY WOULDN’T IT, EH!? As you get to manage the video rental store and:
- Take orders
- Restock shelves
- Deal with customers
- Stock some more
- Rewind returned VHS tapes
- Sell popcorn and slushies
With some 14,000 fictional movies to rent out to the local community, you’ve got your work cut out to keep the SOB in order. And that’s where all the fun is had. Got a spare 90 minutes?! Of course you do, so behold the first chunk of the game.
We never did work in a shop like this back in our 20s. We did have ONE kind of job audition at Blockbuster around 2010. Managers were hiring a part-time staff member to stand around on the floor, instructing customers that certain deals were on (3 films for 2 etc.) by pointing out the signs clearly located around the store…
That was the stupidest thing we’ve ever had to do for any job ever, for over the course of an hour. Everyone we pointed the marketing signs out to had the same response of, “Yeah, thanks, I know…” Humiliating and pointless and of course, our very esteemed Mr. Wapojif made it clear he wasn’t going to do that job.
No wonder Blockbuster went defunct with that sort of bollocks. Anyway, just getting that bitter resentment off our chests after 16 years!
That aside, Retro Rewind: Video Store Simulator is a grand old time of it. As long as you like this type of thing. Simulator games promote themself as revelling in boring mundanity and day-to-day gubbins. That’s not going to appeal to every type of gamer, but if you’ve ever wanted to run a video rental shop… now is your chance.
There’s a lot of intended repetition, stocking, restocking, rewinding, and it hit our best video games for autistic adults button immediately and we went ape for it. There’s even an ’80s style cheesy soundtrack to go with your Blockbustering antics.
You can add into the whole experience around 20 hours of Retro Rewind fun and games. We think it’s a fab game and Blood Pact Studios has really outdone itself on concept delivery.
What could have been tired and hackneyed is, instead, an intricately detailed gameplay experience that’ll appeal to your nostalgia, whilst also dusting off your need for organisation. Double thumbs up.
