Caught up with the mighty Matt (woody_2610) on a passion for Nintendo, SEGA and retro games, plus his stunning Instagram account of gaming goodies!
1. Hey Matt! Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into the world of video games?
Hey, my name is Matt/Woody. I reside in a small town in Derbyshire, and I love to collect videogames, specifically more for the Nintendo and Sega side of things. I started my gaming journey at the age of 5 when my mum and dad bought me a Sega Mega Drive 2 (which I still have) and a copy of The Lion King.
Since then, I’ve always loved playing videogames. However, it wasn’t until the GameCube that I realised I wanted to collect them. Some I grew a sentimental attachment to, some I wanted to replay, and I also just enjoy collecting them to be honest!
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2. Have been following your journey on Instagram – love your collection and the stories behind each snap! What made you start a gaming page?
It never started out as a gaming page to be honest. It was originally just a bog-standard Instagram page with basic photos of my day to day.
After posting a couple of gaming related images up, I was told by someone in the comments that I should consider turning my page into a gaming one. The rest, as they say, is history. Well, other than having my previous account hacked and having to start again that is 😅
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3. As a big Nintendo and SEGA, what do you think makes these games & characters just so good?
I think it comes down to simplicity. Nothing is ever overly complicated, especially with Nintendo, and I think that’s what people want. Something instantly recognisable that they can pick up and play with little thought going into it.
After many years of practice, I think its safe to say that both Nintendo and Sega have this nailed down to a T! 👌
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4. What are some of your favourite classic Nintendo and SEGA games and why?
I always enjoy seeing the franchises that are a little more out there. Things such as WarioWare, Rhythm Heaven, NiGHTS into Dreams, Donkey Konga, Jet Set Radio and even Nintendo Labo.
Things that dare to break the norm of a traditional videogame. I believe making something new is about taking risks and it’s something we don’t see too much of these days, so I like to embrace those weird, wonderful and different experiences that the standard ones don’t always provide.
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5. Love seeing your geeky stacks, especially the more obscure games! What are your favourite franchises to collect for?
Of course, I like to collect for the usual ones such as Mario, Sonic, Zelda, etc, but going back to the previous question, I believe in embracing the experiences not seen in today’s standard of videogames.
My collection has many different series that I have enjoyed collecting for, but whenever I can add a new House of the Dead, F-Zero, Ace Attorney, StarFox, WarioWare, No More Heroes or Bayonetta title to the collection, it always brings me that little bit of joy!
6. What are your most treasured games/merch that you couldn’t part with?
My Panasonic Q is what I call the crème de la crème of my collection and hold it very dear to me. It was also bought from a good friend of mine (@themightylebeau). I couldn’t ever part with it.
Also, I have a Mario hat signed by Charles Martinet that a friend (@gamebooth) surprised me with after heading to an expo. R.O.B the Robot, who Aly (@allisonsav_nintendo_queen) picked up for me in Canada and brought it over all the way to the UK is another special piece in my collection.
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The Pikmin amiibo who @captain_cold25 picked up for me during his time in Japan travelled 3 different countries before finding its way to me. I think that adds a really cool story to it. Also, my Sega Park hat that I got with my dad as a kid is a very special and sentimental piece too.
As for games though, the Donkey Kong Country trilogy for the Super Nintendo will forever be dear to me as me and my best friend from my childhood spent many an hour on them. I’ll forever have that sentimental attachment to them.
Gotcha Force on the GameCube was a game that I wanted to add back to the collection for a very long time, but with it reaching insane prices, it was sadly not ever going to happen, or at least until I received my 10 years of service bonus from work and decided to buy Gotcha Force with it. Sonic 3D on the Mega Drive because it’s the only Mega Drive game I have left that was actually bought for me from my dad as a kid. I couldn’t part with that after so long.
7. It’s lovely seeing you pass on the gaming knowledge generationally to your son, too! What’s been your favourite moments so far?
I always enjoy bonding with him over certain games. Mario and Sonic are just a couple of examples, but when he first discovered videogames, he hammered Sonic for the longest of time. So much, that when it comes to the 16-bit titles in the series, he’s an absolute wiz at it and makes me proud when I see him reach the end credits!
Sonic has since gone on to be our thing and we’re really looking forward to the upcoming Sonic X Shadow Generations release, so we can once again have those special father and son moments 🙌
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8. Speaking of the knowledge, love how you highlight video game magazines too, keeping the printed format alive! Are there any you recommend picking up?
There is something about a magazine that browsing on your phone just doesn’t capture in the same way. It could be nostalgia from reading them as a kid, it could be that we depend on our phones and devices for so many things that flicking through the pages of a magazine is a nice alternative, I’m not sure, but I think it’s important to keep print media alive.
I’ve collected many mags over the years and have always been enthusiastic about sharing certain ones on my page. I stopped collecting Retro Gamer Magazine to support more independent ones and unfortunately some have folded along the way.
As of right now though, Nintendo Force is a brilliant one, particularly for those with a fondness of Nintendo Power in the US and Official Nintendo Magazine for those in the UK. Sega Force Mega, a former powerhouse in the 90s magazine scene has just been resurrected and the team have done a brilliant job of capturing what made that magazine so special in the first place.
Also, one of my absolute favourites, Sega Mania, has just been brought back to life after almost 2 years away. If you have a fondness for print mags, you’ll do no wrong in checking these guys out. If you don’t like the idea of having physical magazines piling up around your house, there’s also digital options available.
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9. Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to start a gaming page on Instagram?
Never feel pressure into what you post and why you post it. Your page is about you and what makes you you. It shouldn’t be about the amount of likes or followers you have, but because you enjoy gaming and wanting to share that interest with like minded people.
10. What franchises or much-needed sequels would you like to see on the next Nintendo console?
Nintendo are now known for having many dormant franchises in their extensive library, but if the Switch proved anything, it was that revivals can work. We got new iterations in the 2D Metroid series, Detective Famicom Club, Wii Sports, Endless Ocean, Pokémon Snap, F-Zero (kind of) and even the upcoming Mario and Luigi title.
For the next generation Nintendo system, I want Nintendo to venture out even more and bring back the likes of Wave Race, Kid Icarus, Elite Beat Agents, 1080° Snowboarding, Rhythm Heaven, Starfy, WarioLand, Earthbound, the Excite series and even do something with the Ice Climbers and Duck Hunt IPs.
It’s wishful thinking, but every day you see something on the likes of Instagram or X (Twitter) wishing that these awesome characters would be brought back to life somehow.
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11. Where can fellow gamers find your work?
You can find me on Instagram @Woody_2610 , Threads @Woody_2610 or X (Twitter) @Woody26101
