I’ve found it’s saved me from buying a lot of games I would regret. Not that they’re bad games necessarily. Just that some games aren’t my cup of tea.

For example, Splatoon seems like a great game. However, for some reason it gave me motion sickness. Which sucks since I really wanted to like this game. I’m glad I rented it instead of buying it because I found out I can’t play it.

I miss the video rental stores because they also rented popular games. They didn’t usually have a great selection of games to choose from, but it was a great way to test out a game before committing to buying it.

In my experience, I only ever buy 1 out of 10 games I rent. Most games are fun to play but I find only a few games really interest me. It’s those rare games I can’t do without that I buy.

Video rental stores have been replaced by subscription services like Gamefly. Unlike stores, Gamefly has just about every game for a platform. A much larger selection. Plus, if you find a game you really like you can just keep it. They’ll charge you but at least you know it works.

You can buy used games directly from their site. Cartridges rarely have issues. On the other hand the more DVD’s and CD’s are used the more likely they are to have scratches. Renting it before buying allows you to see what you’re getting.

Demo versions don’t really allow you to get a feel for the full game. All demo games are limited in some way. They’re hit or miss. Some offer a good experience of the game. While others are so limited they ruin any chance of liking the game.

I avoid demo games for this reason. Renting allows me to play a variety of games before choosing my favorites. For me it means fewer games sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

I think renting games is good for two reasons:

• Renting games costs much less than buying them.
• Buying pre owned games costs much less money.

To me, the small monthly fee is worth it due to the savings I get from not buying games I wouldn’t play.

Reasons renting games isn’t good are:

• Limited time to play the games you rent.
• You don’t like variety.

If gaming isn’t something you do regularly, then paying a monthly service fee isn’t a good idea. As bad as demo versions are, they would be a better choice for a casual gamer.

Another reason to not rent games is if you don’t need much variety. I know some gamers that only play Mario Kart. They’re happy with a few games in their library. Which is fine. They wouldn’t benefit from a monthly subscription to a constant flow of new games.

A monthly subscription isn’t for everyone and that’s fine. There are many that would benefit from the service. Even if you don’t need the service, you can save money buying used games.

Use Gamefly to Add to Your Gaming Experience brought to you by David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.