For an enthusiast, a library of backlogged games is almost inevitable. Whether you own a copy or not, you've found yourself unable to finish or even begin a game you told yourself you'd would. But that daunting and almost shameful pile of games can be more beneficial than you may think.

Replaying games f. Games like Super Mario World and ActRaiser have seamlessly found their way back in their appropriate consoles throughout my lifetime.

Though these games were doing their job by feeding my nostalgia, the one thing I notice is the amount of boredom I experience. This boredom, I later found out, was directly linked to the lack of discovery I was having. One of the greatest feelings I remember experiencing as a child was the excitement I felt when discovering new worlds and defeating new enemies; even opening that brand new cardboard box or plastic case containing the game and being hit with that new-game-smell was great. That feeling was all but gone now that those games have been mastered and those boxes/plastic cases were either lost or destroyed. That realization then took me on an even more exciting journey I now find myself engulfed in.

Now, even though I have decided to shorten my list of backlogged games, there is a limit to what I’m willing to spend money and time on. So before I started scavenging the obvious flea markets, yard sales and websites, I had to hone in on what I considered worthy material. Games like E.T. for the Atari 2600, Milon's Secret Castle for NES or even Bubsy for the Sega Genesis were out of the question. Though, the use of 8 and 16 bit graphics and sound as well as the unnecessary cartridge blow is enough to fill anyone's nostalgia meter to the brim, It wouldn't, however, be the quality I'm looking for. Besides, what's the point in going back generations to only play the bad titles. That's not fun.

The game I ended up starting with was Castlevania. I've heard many great things over the years about it; one in particular being how perfectly placed and well thought out the game’s levels and enemies were. There are plenty of videos on YouTube throwing praise towards this game, and seeing actual footage peaked my interest even more. This game was fantastic in feeding my nostalgia for old games while also introducing new environments and music I won’t soon be forgetting. I couldn't help but be sucked back to a time where all games were an entirely new discovery for me. There was no worry of being jaded or even overwhelmed by a game’s depth or lack thereof. I had all the time in the world at that age to become completely engrossed in whatever I chose to shove in that little grey toaster we called the NES. I had found the perfect mix of new and old feelings laying at my fingertips.

A backlog can be nothing short of an overwhelming behemoth of monstrous proportions if let be; often times leaving many “gamers” feeling left out or embarrassed they might not live up to this now cool-like moniker of "nerd". I recommend embracing these past missed opportunities and not return to games responsible for the carpal tunnel you now suffer from. Head over to Amazon or a flea market and embrace new discoveries while also feeding your nostalgia and shortening that lengthy backlog.