Somewhere there is a game you never finished. You got to the last level, or the one before it. Then life got busy, or a disc got scratched, or the console went into a box. In your memory, the save file is still sitting right where you left it.
That feeling is what this story is about. LvlUp's Retro giveaway includes a retro console and games bundle, and the giveaway page photographs the hardware across several eras. So here is a trip back through those eras, one era at a time, in search of one unfinished game.
Era oneCartridges, and the last boss you never met
Start with the oldest hardware in the photos. The giveaway page shows a Nintendo Entertainment System and a Nintendo 64, each with a controller and game cartridges beside it. Maybe your unfinished game came in a gray plastic cartridge. You pushed it in, pressed power and played until it was time for dinner.
Era twoDiscs, and the game that was too long
Then came discs. The photos show the original PlayStation, the PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation 3, plus the original Xbox and the Xbox 360. Maybe you left yours at eighty percent.
Think about the one you meant to come back to over a holiday break. The break ended. The game stayed where it was.
Era threeThe green box in the corner
The original Xbox in the photos sits beside a clear blue controller and a single game case. If your unfinished game lived on one like it, you might remember the controller more clearly than the plot.
Era fourHandhelds, and the game you played in pieces
The photos also show a Nintendo DS Lite, shown open between two game cases. Maybe you played yours in short sessions, a few minutes here and there, and left it somewhere around the halfway point.
Cartridges · Discs · Handhelds
Find the era where your game was living
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/19/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules
How to go backA small plan for an old save file
- Write down everything you remember: the console, the color of the box, the music.
- Decide how far you got. Last level? Second world? Somewhere in the middle?
- Be ready to start over. The old save file may be long gone.
Beyond the consolesThe rest of the prize
The console and games bundle is one of five items in the Official Rules' prize description. The other four are a custom retro gaming PC, a gaming monitor, a joystick-and-keyboard set in the same retro style, and a PRIMEPLUS wireless mouse. Consoles and PC are separate parts of one prize.
The photos show the consoles in neon-lit studio scenes. The lighting, the backdrops and the stands are photography choices. The prize is the hardware and games.
A fork in the roadThe winner's choice
Once the Administrator confirms eligibility, the winner chooses between the whole prize and a $10,000 cash award. The prize package has a maximum approximate retail value of $16,000. If your old game is gone for good, the choice is still the winner's to make.
The fine print, in plain EnglishHow entering works
Members are entered automatically. An active LvlUp membership includes automatic entry into every LvlUp giveaway, alongside the other member benefits.
Anyone can enter for free. Mail a hand-printed 3" x 5" card as described in the Official Rules. Each mail-in entry counts as 10 entries. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by November 19, 2026 and received by November 23, 2026.
Paying never improves your odds. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning, and odds depend on the number of eligible entries received.
One unfinished game · One free mail-in
Your old save file may be gone. A new one could start
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/19/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules
What is LvlUp?
LvlUp is a membership club for gamers. Members get:
- Cash back when you shop at more than 6,600 stores
- Digital wallpapers, included with membership
- Access to the LvlUp Arcade
- Discounts on LvlUp merch for Champion members and above
- Automatic entry into every LvlUp giveaway while your membership is active
Membership starts at $5 per month, renews monthly until you cancel, and can be canceled anytime from your account. Past winners are listed on our winners page.
You never have to buy anything to enter. There's a free way to enter by mail, described in the Official Rules, and a purchase will not improve your chances of winning.
The short version
- The giveaway page shows Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox hardware from several eras, with game cases
- Four more items round out the prize: a custom PC, a monitor, a joystick-and-keyboard set and a PRIMEPLUS mouse
- The winner chooses the full prize or a $10,000 cash award; the top ARV is $16,000
- Free to enter by mail; a purchase will not improve your odds
- Entries close Nov 19 · drawing on or about Nov 24
Common questions
Does the bundle include a specific game I used to play?
The Official Rules describe a "Retro Console & Games Bundle" and do not list individual titles. The photos on the giveaway page show cases beside several consoles, but they are not a checklist.
Can the winner pick which consoles come in the bundle?
The Official Rules do not say so. They also allow the Sponsor to substitute a prize of equal or greater value, so the exact contents can differ from the photos.
Will my old saved games work on this hardware?
Nothing on the giveaway page or in the Official Rules says anything about saved data, so this page makes no promise about it.
Do I need to spend money to go back for my game?
No. Mail a hand-printed card and it counts as 10 entries. The steps are in the Official Rules.
What happens after entries close?
The cutoff is 11:59:59 p.m. ET on November 19, 2026. After that, the Administrator, American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co., Inc., picks the winner at random, on or about November 24.
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US and Canada, 18+ or the age of majority. Void where prohibited. Ends 11/19/2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Official Rules