When The Wizard, the best video game movie of all time, was released to theaters in December of 1989, I was the movie’s target audience. I was a 9-year-old, Nintendo-obsessed kid raised on a diet of Fruity Pebbles and pop culture. Now, just over 30 years later, I’m an almost 40-year-old nostalgia junkie and retro video game aficionado, which is probably Shout! Factory’s perfect target demo for the brand-new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of The Wizard.

However, even though I’m probably the target audience, this movie’s appeal extends to an entirely new generation – for good reason.

The film (starring Fred Savage, Jenny Lewis, Christian Slater, Beau Bridges, and Luke Edwards), about a traumatized child’s quest to reach California for an unknown reason that leads to the discovery of his hidden talent playing video games, was critically panned at the box office. Nevertheless, it was one I would revisit on home video again and again.

As a kid of the Nintendo generation, seeing the Power Glove for the first time and witnessing the debut of Super Mario Bros. 3 on the big screen were simply stunning to me. Though it was derided by critics as a big advertisement for Nintendo, the movie was more than that and totally worthy of a collector’s edition reissue all these years later.

In showing this movie to my daughters (10 and 14) for the first time, I’ll admit I was surprised to see how well this movie holds up. First off, the stunning 4K transfer means it looks almost as crisp as any modern movie so the presentation itself doesn’t look dated. Even though the movie seems to be focused around video games (at least on first glance), as an adult, I’m able to identify the real appeal of the movie: the sense of adventure between three kids dealing with turmoil.

Hot from The Wonder Years, Fred Savage’s star power was no doubt one of the main draws of The Wizard. And though his performance is top-notch, it’s in watching all these years later that I am able to really appreciate the vibrant energy of Jenny Lewis (who matured into an amazing singer/songwriter) and the stoic subtlety of Luke Edwards. Finding one high-quality kid actor is tough, but all three work well together to bring substance to make this movie have a heart that beats beyond getting a high score.

With emotions as the grounding force of The Wizard, part of the big appeal to a new generation (and my own kids) has to be the fact that this movie serves as a pop culture time capsule. “See kids, there were arcade games everywhere!” I found myself saying as the traveling trio visited restaurants, gas stations, and casinos. Admittedly, retro gaming is now a hot property and witnessing video games in such an elevated manner with the final contest of VIDEO ARMAGEDDON(!) as the climax provided a big kick for both me and my kids.

A saccharine sweet road trip movie with mullets and Mario? What more could you want, you ask? Well, my vidiot friend, Shout! Factory has you covered. The Shout! Select release includes two discs complete with the following:

• 4K transfer of the film
• Audio commentary with director Todd Holland
• Never-before-released deleted scenes
• “The Road to Cali-forn-ia” – a look back at The Wizard (includes interviews with Todd Holland, Luke Edwards, Fred Savage, writer/producer David Chisholm, and producer Ken Topolsky)
• “How Can I Help You? Confessions of a Game Play Counselor”
• “A Clinical Analysis of The Wizard“
• Post-screening Q&A from Let’s Play Gaming Expo 2019
• Photo gallery

The Wizard Collector’s Edition Blu-ray released March 24, 2020 in the middle of a global pandemic. Perhaps not an ideal time for a movie release, but I beg to differ. As we’re isolated at home solo or with family, a trip down memory lane to a simpler time may be just the medicine you need right now. It’s a good, fun, wholesome reminder that sometimes the stakes aren’t always so high, and sometimes all you need to win is to snag that star on a game of Super Mario.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Wizard for review purposes. All opinions are my own.