Best Buy Video Games Xbox 360 -

"Finding what you need?" a blue-shirted employee asked, appearing like a ghost from the shadows of the refrigerator aisle.

There it was. Tucked behind a cracked copy of Madden 06 sat Gears of War . The cover art—Marcus Fenix looking like a walking tank—promised a world of gritty survival. best buy video games xbox 360

Ten minutes later, the ritual began. The iconic "whoosh" of the Xbox 360 dashboard, the tray sliding shut with a mechanical snap, and the green ring of light glowing like a beacon. As the chainsaw bayonet revved on his speakers, the rest of the world faded. For Leo, the weekend had officially started. "Finding what you need

"Is this still the best one for co-op?" Leo asked, holding up the box. The cover art—Marcus Fenix looking like a walking

It was 2007. The "New Releases" rack was a wall of legends: Halo 3 , BioShock , Mass Effect . Leo navigated the aisles like a scout, passing the wall of tube TVs and the clicking demo kiosks. He wasn’t looking for the new stuff, though; he was headed for the "Pre-Owned" bin, the bargain hunter’s gold mine.

The fluorescent hum of the Best Buy on a Tuesday night was the soundtrack to Leo’s mission. He had forty dollars in crumpled bills and a hole in his heart that could only be filled by a green plastic case.