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J2Games Press & Media | News, Interviews & Gaming History
PRESS • MEDIA • INTERVIEWS • GAMING HISTORY
J2Games in the Press
Since 1999, J2Games has been part of the video game community as a retailer, collector resource, game publisher and supporter of physical gaming. Along the way, J2Games and the founders have been featured by local, national and international media, gaming publications, television, podcasts and industry archives.
Featured Press
Independent coverage of J2Games, our stores and our history in the gaming community.
ASBURY PARK PRESS • MAY 2022
Video Game Love Turns Into Multiple New Jersey Stores
The Asbury Park Press profiled J2Games founder and the story behind turning a lifelong passion for video games into a growing New Jersey retail business. The feature explores J2Games' history, collecting culture, physical games and the company's expansion into multiple locations.
VIEW ASBURY PARK PRESS FEATURE →
NJ.COM • FEBRUARY 12, 2021
“This N.J. Retro Video Game Store Is a Journey Back in Time!”
NJ.com visited the J2Games Clark store for a video tour showcasing classic games, consoles and the experience of stepping back through generations of video game history.
NEW JERSEY 101.5 • JANUARY 14, 2020
Retro Video Game Store to Open Second Location in Union County
New Jersey 101.5 covered the expansion of J2Games into Clark, New Jersey, highlighting everything from Atari, Nintendo and Sega to PlayStation, collectibles and modern gaming.
PATCH • JANUARY 28, 2020
Retro Video Game Store to Open in Clark
Patch covered the opening of J2Games' Clark location and looked back at the company's roots dating to 1999, along with its extensive selection of retro games, consoles, collectibles and trading cards.
94.3 THE POINT • JULY 26, 2021
Game On! J2Games Expands to Brick, New Jersey
94.3 The Point featured J2Games' expansion into Brick and highlighted the company's deep inventory of classic systems and games, describing the new store as a destination for players looking to rediscover gaming history.
READ THE 94.3 THE POINT FEATURE →
NJIT MAGAZINE • WINTER 2023
Alumni News: Jay R. Fennimore ’94
NJIT Magazine recognized alumnus Jay R. Fennimore and his path from a love of video games to founding J2Games.com and growing the business into multiple New Jersey locations.
Television, Video & Podcasts
J2Games has also appeared in broadcast, video and podcast coverage focused on retro gaming and the local gaming community.
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY • 2020
J2Games Retro Gaming Feature
News 12 New Jersey visited J2Games for a television feature highlighting retro video games and consoles. The original News 12 video is no longer consistently available through its current online archive, but the appearance is independently referenced in New Jersey 101.5's coverage of J2Games.
VIEW SURVIVING MEDIA REFERENCE →
OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY • WAVES OF YA PODCAST
J2Games Recommended as a Retro Gaming Destination
During an episode of the Ocean County Library's Waves of YA podcast discussing video games, J2Games was recommended as a local source for retro systems, games and accessories.
From the J2Games Gaming Archives
Long before today's retail stores, the J2 Games name also appeared in the enthusiast gaming community through independent game publishing and video game preservation projects.
MOBYGAMES • 2004
Mighty Mighty Missile — Sega CD
Video game history database MobyGames credits J2 Games alongside Good Deal Games as a publisher of the 2004 Sega CD release Mighty Mighty Missile.
VIEW MOBYGAMES ENTRY → VIEW J2 GAMES COMPANY RECORD →
SEGA-16 • MARCH 31, 2006
Burning Fists: Force Striker
Sega specialist publication Sega-16 documented the unusual story behind Burning Fists: Force Striker, an unfinished Sega CD project that was recovered years after its cancellation. Good Deal Games and J2 Games helped bring the title to physical release for Sega CD collectors in 2006.
READ THE ORIGINAL 2006 PREVIEW →
SEGA-16 • NOVEMBER 28, 2011
The Story Behind the Lost Sega CD Release
Sega-16 later revisited the history of Burning Fists, listing J2 Games/Sega of Japan in its developer credits and documenting J2 Games' role in helping prepare the recovered project for release.
READ THE SEGA-16 RETROSPECTIVE →
J2Games Media Timeline
2004 — J2 Games credited as a publisher of Mighty Mighty Missile for Sega CD.
2006 — Sega-16 covers J2 Games' involvement with the physical release of the previously unfinished Burning Fists: Force Striker.
2011 — Sega-16 publishes a retrospective documenting the preservation and release history of Burning Fists.
2020 — News 12 New Jersey, New Jersey 101.5 and Patch cover J2Games and the company's expansion into Clark.
2021 — NJ.com visits the Clark store for a retro gaming video feature.
2021 — 94.3 The Point covers J2Games' expansion into Brick, New Jersey.
2022 — Asbury Park Press profiles J2Games founder Jay Fennimore and the growth of the business.
2023 — NJIT Magazine recognizes Jay Fennimore ’94 and J2Games in its alumni news.
2025 — J2Games is recommended during an Ocean County Library podcast discussion of video games and retro gaming.
ACTIVE RELOAD GAMING • 2026
Retro Game Hunt at J2Games NJ — Did I Find the Grail?
Active Reload Gaming visits J2Games in Central New Jersey as part of a regional retro-game hunting tour. The episode explores the store’s extensive selection of classic games, systems and modern collectibles while searching for rare finds and collector “grails.”
WATCH THE ACTIVE RELOAD GAMING VIDEO →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wITAC5tMfUM
J2Games & Video Game Journalism History
J2Games’ history extends beyond retail and game publishing. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, J2Games published original commentary by Bill Kunkel, the pioneering writer widely recognized as one of the founders of video-game journalism. His work with J2Games was subsequently cited by major technology and gaming publications.
WIRED • NOVEMBER 12, 2007
On “Videogame” Versus “Video Game”
WIRED’s Game|Life section featured commentary from pioneering video-game journalist Bill Kunkel about whether the name of the medium should be written as “videogame” or “video game.” The article credited J2 Games as the source of Kunkel’s original column, documenting J2Games’ role as a publisher of original gaming commentary.
READ THE WIRED ARTICLE →
https://www.wired.com/2007/11/on-videogame-ve/
WIRED • SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
Bill Kunkel, Original Gaming Journalist, Dies at 61
In its remembrance of pioneering video-game journalist Bill Kunkel, WIRED noted that Kunkel continued writing “Game Doctor” editorials for J2Games late in his career. The article places J2Games within the professional history of one of the earliest and most influential voices in video-game journalism.
READ THE WIRED ARTICLE →
https://www.wired.com/2011/09/bill-kunkel-dies/
PC GURU • SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
International Recognition of Bill Kunkel’s Work with J2Games
Hungarian gaming publication PC Guru recognized Bill Kunkel’s continuing work with J2Games.com in its remembrance of the influential journalist. This international reference further documents J2Games’ role in publishing Kunkel’s gaming commentary during the later years of his career.
READ THE PC GURU ARTICLE →
https://www.pcguru.hu/hirek/elhunyt-a-jatekujsagiras-atyja/17045
MOBYGAMES • HISTORICAL INDUSTRY RECORD
William “Bill” Kunkel — Video Game Industry Biography
MobyGames’ biography of William “Bill” Kunkel records that he joined J2Games.com in late 2007 as a regular columnist and minority partner. The industry database preserves an important part of J2Games’ editorial history and its connection to one of the foundational figures in video-game journalism.
VIEW BILL KUNKEL’S MOBYGAMES BIOGRAPHY →
https://www.mobygames.com/person/95054/william-kunkel/
THE RETROGAMING TIMES • MARCH 2017
Retrogaming Dealer Round-Up
The Retrogaming Times featured J2Games in its round-up of notable retro-game dealers. The publication highlighted the company’s founding in 1999, its selection spanning Atari through Xbox, its substantial online inventory and its then-current Farmingdale, New Jersey store.
READ THE RETROGAMING TIMES FEATURE →
https://www.classicplastic.net/trt/issue007/
OLD SCHOOL GAMER MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 8, 2017
Vintage Retro Web Sites
Old School Gamer Magazine included J2Games in a feature about noteworthy retro-gaming businesses and online destinations. The article highlighted J2Games’ long history, extensive inventory of classic and hard-to-find games and founder Jay Fennimore’s involvement in the retro-gaming community.
This feature is closely related to the Retrogaming Times article published earlier in 2017 and is preserved here as a separate publication appearance.
READ THE OLD SCHOOL GAMER MAGAZINE FEATURE →
https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/8317-2/
Press & Media Inquiries
Are you a journalist, content creator, researcher or producer working on a story about retro gaming, physical media, game collecting, independent retail or the video game industry?
J2Games welcomes media inquiries, interviews and store visits.
J2Games maintains this archive as a historical record of independent press, media appearances and video game industry references. External links are controlled by their respective publishers and may be moved or archived over time.
