I love fun, smart ways to store my retro gaming collection, so much so that I founded an eco-friendly brand called GAMENOOK last year that creates 100% recycled stands for handhelds, alongside cases for graded trading cards. It's safe to say I know retro storage in a minor way, even down to manufacturing processes.
So, when I saw that a company called Bitlounger were creating stackable storage solutions for cartridges, I was immediately intrigued because this was actually one of our first ideas when founding GAMENOOK, but it didn't work out, so I am glad that someone had a similar idea and actually brought it to reality.
"But Brandon, why didn't it work out? Why didn't you build this?". Now, I don't want this article to be about me and my failed inventions, but to put it simply, I couldn't find a source for fully recycled, sustainable acrylic that was affordable, and ultimately I didn't want to create even more virgin plastic in the world, which kinda goes against GAMENOOK's mission.
That said, even though these are made with virgin plastic, these are cool, and for those wanting affordable, stackable, modular solutions that are precisely made for cartridges, these are the best we've seen in a long time. They can be stored in what they are calling "Retro Drawers", with full UV protection; they slide out, and there are internal inserts that stand up your cartridges neatly and securely.
On top and the bottom of the drawers there are slots, like legs that connect to other drawers in a way that is stackable, helping you take full advantage of every room, collection and shelf that you place them on. They come in an array of choices and sizes, fitting cartridges such as GAME BOY, GAME BOY Color, GAME BOY Advance, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Switch and more.
These are created by BitLounger, a company that has created storage solutions for games for almost 10 years, so you know these will be good. The Kickstarter for these Retro Drawers went live a couple of days ago with a goal of £738. Drawers range from $28 for early birds to $108 if you want to go for the XL drawer.
Features List:
- Museum-grade protection with thick, archival-quality acrylic construction
- Nearly ¼-inch thick panels for exceptional rigidity and long-term durability
- UV-resistant material prevents label fading and sun damage from 90%+ of UV rays
- Crystal-clear display that showcases your collection instead of hiding it
- Premium feel that elevates the perceived value of your entire collection
- Instant access drawers eliminate the need to unstack, unbox, or reorganise
- Clean, modern aesthetic that blends seamlessly into contemporary living spaces
- Collector-built for collectors, engineered around real storage frustrations
- Future-proof system that evolves with your collection over time
- Ideal for display + play, balancing visual presentation with daily usability
- Protects your investment while keeping your games always within reach
If you're on the market for some unique storage systems for your array of cartridges, then we recommend backing this small company on Kickstarter and checking out their website, BitLounger, for acrylic-focused solutions. The Retro Drawers will ship in November if they are successfully backed. If you want something a bit more eco-friendly for your GAME BOYs and handhelds, feel free to check out GAMENOOK; though not as large, they're pretty cool, but I'm biased!
