Review
A card-based drama on the pitch: why Nutmeg! is struggling to get off the bench
by Kim Muntinga
Retro Rewind’s bringing back video stores
7/4/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Philipp Rüegg
When you’re flicking mindlessly through Netflix’s offerings, do you ever think back to those dingy video stores from the 90s? Retro Rewind gives you the chance to relive that experience.
In the late 80s, we inherited my grandma’s old VCR. Not because of a tragic event, I should add. She was probably still enjoying retiree life with a new, high-end gadget, complete with auto-recording and slow-mo. After all, she did have cable TV, while all we had was an antenna with six channels. So when my brother and I finally got the chance to rent videotapes, the thrill was all the greater. It opened up a whole new world for us. Very few other places held as much appeal for us as the video store.
Stocking shelves, handling payments, handing out flyers
Retro Rewind’s made for people who, like me, sometimes pine for good old video rental stores. At the start of the game, I get the keys to my little shop. That’s where I’ll be spending 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. – or midnight on weekends – serving my customers. The game’s part of a wave of work simulators, among them Powerwash Simulator and Snowrunner, that have hit the market recently. They’re escapist games that involve carrying out seemingly dull everyday jobs. Although running my own video store has never been a dream of mine, the sense of nostalgia surrounding the game really strikes a chord with me.
I kick off my workday by entering videotapes that have been returned into the system. This involves scanning the individual tapes from a first-person perspective. Whenever a video’s returned late, it’s marked down in the system as such. The next time the customer comes in, I collect the late fee. Some films are reserved and need to be set aside. Meanwhile, the rest need to be put back on the shelves. At first, I only rent out horror films, the cornerstone of any video store. As a result, I don’t have any sorting to do. If you fill an aisle with videos belonging to just one genre, that aisle’s automatically named after said genre.
Once all the tapes are in their rightful place, I can open the store. Only then does the clock start ticking. Retro Rewind is a laid-back game. Seeing as you’re unable to run a deficit, things almost never get really chaotic. To attract customers, I hand out flyers. That said, there’s not a whole lot of pavement in front of the video store. Before I even reach the next building, I run into an invisible wall, and the game tells me I can’t leave the store unattended.
Back at the store, my first customers are already waiting in line at the till. Clicking on their VHS tapes allows me to scan them. Another click processes their payment, causing the till to pop open. The game’s pretty forgiving in this respect too – it’s impossible to give the customer the incorrect change. When customers hand in a videotape late or damaged, I have a chat with them to decide whether to accept their lame excuse or charge them late fees. Some people refuse to see reason and storm out of the store – though not before throwing a bunch of videotapes on the floor.
From horror flicks to porn
After a successful day, I shut the front door and take stock. Using a computer in the back room, I use the money I’ve earned that day to buy new films over the internet. I usually buy bundles, as they give you the best bang for your buck. There’s also an option to buy specific films based on star ratings and tags such as «old» or «good reviews». These videos are borrowed more often. A calendar hanging next to the computer reveals the day of the week and which events are coming up. Horror film rentals go up 50 per cent on Friday the 13th, so it’s worth ordering in some extra videos for the occasion. Over Thanksgiving, on the other hand, dramas are in high demand – and sales of chocolate bars increase by 25 per cent.
The snack shelf is one of many pieces of furniture you get to unlock as time goes on. You can choose whatever sweet and savoury snacks you want to fill it with. There are also aisles of various sizes for videos, as well as drinks fridges and slot machines added later on.
New film genres are added on a regular basis, each coming with a colour-coordinated cover to help you organise them. All the films are fictional, but with all these illustrious titles and illustrations, I’d still be tempted to pick one up. A Scientist and His Toadstool, The Blaze Hot Dog Rider, Cupcake Shark Bait, and The Milk vs. the Kraken sound a thousand times more exciting than yet another live-action Disney remake.
Porn’s also extremely popular – even though the store doesn’t have one of those typical curtained-off areas for X-rated stuff. You can only get porn films from the shady cassette dealer who hangs out in the back alley. I’m not exactly sure what The Saucy Soldier Delivery or Keeping My Clairvoyant Oiled Up could be about, but I’m certainly intrigued.
Not a business simulation
Whenever I fire up Retro Rewind, time seems to fly by just as quickly as it does in the game. Going through the cycle of stocking shelves, handling payments and constantly rearranging and upgrading the store is extremely satisfying. While the game’s graphics aren’t anything to write home about, they do have their own charm. On top of that, it’s a real struggle to get the soundtrack out of my head at night.
When the work piles up too high, I hire staff and give them jobs to do. This is where it becomes abundantly clear that Retro Rewind isn’t a business simulation. The store only has one till, and it’s a bottleneck. Regardless of how much I expand my store, filling it with more and more videos, the profits only creep up at a slow pace. It’s also hard to tell if my employees are sneaking in a quick nap while standing up. What do I pay these people for, anyway?
Retro Rewind is available for PC.
In a nutshell
Humble but captivating
Retro Rewind’s gameplay isn’t complicated. The game thrives on the excitement and joy of unlocking new content and expanding your own video store. As well as decorative items like UFOs, coffins and cardboard cutouts, you can paint walls and floors in various patterns. You can pop a neon sign here, a doormat there, then add a rug decorated with popcorn tubs and videotapes.
It takes about 20 hours to unlock everything, at which point, I’m tired of the game. For the Retro Rewind to stay fun, it’d need to be more complex. Blood Pact, the two-person studio behind the game, has already announced new features, including a repair station. Whether or not we’ll see more add-ons will likely depend on the success of the game.
Pro
- Engaging gameplay
- Numerous design options
- Lovely sense of nostalgia
Contra
- Eventually becomes repetitive
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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