Collecting Strategies

[kingrat101]

I was just wondering how everyone collects games, in terms of are you the type of collector that will buy anything if its a decent price? or the kind who buys expensive games just to have them?
or the type that collects games that bring back memories?
I guess the real topic should be "why do you collect?"

I know I like to collect games that bring back memories, I also like to find the best prices, rarely will I buy a game if I think it is just too expensive.
I also will try just about any game if the price is right and it catches my eye, Im kind of one of those people that believes ANY game has some redeming factor
What are your guys thoughts and opinions?

[madmax]

At first it was because FF brought back memories. Now I'm just plain addicted to collecting games.
I generally go on ebay and shop for deals and such. With a little practice and patience you get to know what to look for. there are also a few game collecting stores in the area but the prices are usually a little more than ebay. One will price match ebay sometimes.

[amauriel]

For me, it started out with consoles. I basically said that I wanted to be able to pick up any game and have the appropriate system to play it on. Then it got hard to finish that collection, when I started getting down to things like RCA Studio II and the Bandai Pippin.

On the game front, most of what I collect falls into a few categories: Games that bring back memories, games that always appealed to me for one reason or another (like DuckTales for the NES...never played it as a kid, always wanted to. Picked it up at a flea market recently), and games that are too bizarre NOT to have (I will eventually break down and buy Kolibri, for example). Then I have the husband factor, so we pick up games that fall into those categories for him as well, making twice the games I would have bought on my own.

[darko]

Mine started out as a nostalgia trip and kind of took off from there. I TRY to limit the things I buy to items I at least have some interest in, but I'm a sucker for anything boxed. At one time I was wanting a complete NES collection so I have some random titles there. Most of my other items are games I've repurchased from my childhood or have had some type of interest in at one time.

[scott]

I collect for nostalgic reasons. My main collections are the Castlevania series, original Game Boy hardware and accessories and Saturn games. Usually my strategy is to go for the rarer stuff first, but I also watch for excellent deals too.

Of course, my game buying isnt restricted to those. I also tend to pick up any game I have fond memories of and never owned. And I have "unofficial" collections of the Final Fantasy, Mega Man and Metal Gear series. Unofficial meaning I don't care if they are GH or compilation sets, though my Metal Gear set is mostly original and only missing a few games.

[ffxik]

Depends, my outlook on "collecting" is really skewed.  I mainly buy for the nostalgia being able to play the games I played with my friends when we were young is great.   Also kinda for bragging rights.  I really enjoy introducing new friends from the 360/PS3 generation to the games of yester-year. I have one of, if not the biggest collection in my town, so thats not hard to do.  

Basically I will collect pretty much anything that catches my eye, as long as it's in a genre I enjoy.  I try to go for deals wherever I can get them but usually it doesn't matter to much.  I really don't mind if my cartridges are complete or not.  My jewel case games on the other hand must have all artwork and be complete.  I never buy sealed games either, unless brand new.  If I can't play it then I don't want it.  Games were meant to be played not sit on a shelf.
 

[kingrat101]

Thats how I feel too "ffxik" with catridge and jewel case games.
Haha I also love that you mentioned that games were meant to be played, I think some people are way too "hardcore" when collecting and how so many sealed games and to me it never really made too much sense in doing that, it kinda seems as though they are missing the point.

[ffxik]

For me the boxes that  cartridges come in are to easily destroyed, minus most early Sega Master System/Gensis cases.  After a while they become an eye sore especially if the game in question is removed quite a lot.  My Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Shining Force 2 are proof of this.  That's why I never keep any game in it's original box if it's a cart, or in LE packaging.  The said can be said for incomplete jewel cases as well.  They are ugly.  I have the pack in version of Sewer Shark and it's plain-ness bugs me terribly.

It's fickle I know but I prefer neat and presentable.  Since I uses Universal Game Cases for my carts now days thats not a problem.  I print covers for them as needed.  Oh, for those of you that buy UGCs with custom covers off Ebay.  85% of the time it's stolen covers from these guys.  www.thecoverproject.net

As for playing them.  To me if a game just sit's on the shelf not being enjoyed, then you're doing a great injustice to the dev team that made it.  I don't know how many times I have had this kind of conversation wilth people in this area.  Especially the kids I work with.

Hey, I just bought (insert must have collector game title here)
Really? You don't even own a (insert system here)
So. I'm not going to play it, I just want to own it.  I'm cool for owning it.
But you can't play it.
Are you going to eventually buy the system so you can play it?
No.
Then, why?
So, you're already envious that I have it.
*facepalm*(sigh)

Yes, these types annoy me to no end.  :/

[scott]

@ffxik I'm also a "it should be played" collector. I don't understand the real need for folks to buy sealed games, though I have a couple which are dupes. One being in with my Castlevania stuff.  But, I am big on the whole "it needs to be complete" thing, if the game is disc based it needs to have the case and artwork, or I'll pass on it. Most cartridge games, I'll get cart only, except Genesis ones.

Also the only game I lack a system for is Rondo of Blood for PC Engine SuperCD. But eventually I plan on getting a PC engine duo or a Turbo Duo so i can play it. Of course, I guess I could look into console emulation for the time being.

[ffxik]

@scott The PC engine Duo is a lot cheaper than the Turbo Duo that much I can tell you.  They were at last the last time I looked when I bought my system.  Which was the US version.  Turbo Grafx 16 with CD add on.  Still need to track down the 3.0 HuCard.  I got some wires crossd and somehow thought the 2.0 would play Super CD's.  Boy, was I in for a surprise.

[scott]

Yeah, from what I've been told and read, the best bet is to buy a PC Engine Duo and then mod it to play both NA and JP HU Cards.