Miss Blockbuster? This Website Brings the Video Store Experience Back

One of the happiest memories I have of my youth is going to the Blockbuster next to my house and looking for movies. You would just peruse these shelves of VHS tapes, trying to find your new favorite or a hidden gem.

Sometimes they had employee picks, or you could talk to someone behind the counter to get their recommendations.

It was paradise that went away with the rise of streaming and digital. I think there may be one Blockbuster left somewhere, but it's not in my neighborhood.

That's why I had so much fun stumbling upon this website: Bingebuster.

Let's dive in.

What is Bingebuster?

Bingebuster is a fully walkable, 3D browser-based experience that faithfully recreates the physical environment of a classic video rental store.

You can almost smell the plastic boxes as you navigate through the aisles.

The site was built as a homage to the golden age of physical media, and I actually found it kind of peaceful to look at all the streaming titles this way. I kind of wished my Vudu library was able to have this as a patch to look through it.

It was way more tangible than swiping through flat UI carousels.

How Bingebuster Works

Okay, so here's a quick rundown of how the site works. You use your mouse or keyboard to stroll down aisles like Horror, Sci-Fi, 90s Classics, and New Releases.

Clicking on any VHS case pulls it off the shelf. You can rotate it, inspect the front artwork, and read the synopsis on the back cover.

Every tape on the shelf is linked to whichever streamer houses it. When you decide on a film, clicking it redirects you straight to Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, or Apple TV.

It's pretty neat, and I thought you would all enjoy it, too.

Let me know what you think in the comments.