Game Systems You Wanted But Couldnt Buy

[DreamsDied13101]

I wanted to start a discussion about game systems that you had wanted but could never get for some reason. This applies mostly to systems from your childhood but maybe it still applies to some.

I had always wanted a PC Engine (TurboGrafx with cd rom peripheral) when I was young. I could never afford $700 for the unit and cd drive so I pined for the system and read up on it. I loved all the Japanese games, cd games sounded amazing, and I swear the box had Saved By the Bell character Zack Morris. Actually that last one is probably reason not to want it.

[ignition365]

As a child... I actually wanted a Sega Genesis.  I was a little fuckboy Sega fan, thought the Game Gear was the bees knees.  But my parents bought us a Super Nintendo instead.  I regret nothing.

As an adult... I've flopped between them as I got them.  First was Turbografx.  Then it was Virtual Boy.  Then it was Jaguar. 

Now... maybe the CD attachments for the Turbografx and the Jaguar.  I'm not going to go out of my way for either, especially since the titles are so few and so expensive.

I really want to get a Turbo Express or a Nomad though, but I certainly don't care enough to spend good money because they are just handheld consoles.

[DreamsDied13101]

As a child... I actually wanted a Sega Genesis.  I was a little fuckboy Sega fan, thought the Game Gear was the bees knees.  But my parents bought us a Super Nintendo instead.  I regret nothing.

As an adult... I've flopped between them as I got them.  First was Turbografx.  Then it was Virtual Boy.  Then it was Jaguar. 

Now... maybe the CD attachments for the Turbografx and the Jaguar.  I'm not going to go out of my way for either, especially since the titles are so few and so expensive.

I really want to get a Turbo Express or a Nomad though, but I certainly don't care enough to spend good money because they are just handheld consoles.

Totally understand. I only buy sealed or complete/mint items so some consoles are still out of my price range as an adult.

[aliensstudios]

As a kid I wanted a GameCube pretty badly, my parents shocked us by getting one for Christmas 200. I still think it's the best gift I've ever gotten.

[kashell]

As a kid? My mind immediately goes to the SNES. It took far too long for us to get one. The problem was, when we did get one, the PlayStation was starting to gain prominence.

[rancesama]

I always wanted the JVC X'EYE when it launched in 1994. Unfortunately, with a price tag right at $500, I was unable to get one. I like the idea of having an all in one system that could play Genesis and SEGA CD games. To this day I still want one, mostly because I still lack a system to play SEGA CD games on (The RETRON 5 took care of the Genesis problem).

When this baby launched, it was cheaper to actually buy a Genesis and the SEGA CD add on than it was to buy the X'EYE  . Of course the added cost did come with some better features. Most notably was the fact that you could play your games with better video and sound (and of course you only needed one power source).

Now they are cheaper, but still kind of pricey so I STILL havent gotten around to owning an X'EYE   

[burningdoom]

I think I've owned all the consoles I've wanted at one point or another.

I still kind of want a PSP, never did get one of those. But it's not like a MUST HAVE for me.

And there are console that I no longer have that I'd like to replace. Like my Master System, Saturn, and Commodore 64.

[indenton]

I remember seeing an advert for Super Mario Sunshine, I was about 7 maybe?  It looked so colourful and exciting despite only knowing about Super Mario (& Sonic) through the Game Boy Advance.  I went into the other room and asked my Mom if I could get a Nintendo Gamecube, I got the response of "We'll think about it".  nothing ever came of that, I just accepted that the answer was no and never made a peep about the Gamecube again. 

Similar thing happened with Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire, saw it instore, asked if I could have it, "I'll think about it".  Long behold we walked out of the store and my Mom simply forgot and I just accepted that as a no... I was so sweet and innocent at some point, now I'll just chew your head off like a prey mantis. 

[Warmsignal]

I think I always had access to most of them. But I remember, once when I went to a flea market long ago this old guy had a Sega CD. I thought he was trying to pull something on me because I'd never heard of it before. I was like, there's no way Sega put out a console called just "CD", it sounded so dumb. Later on I found out it was true. The novelty of an early CD based system interested me, but I could never find one anywhere, and didn't trust eBay back in the dark ages.

I eventually did get one, and it was the platform that got me back into old games. Pretty much the reason why I am here right now. That, and the Saturn are two systems I had to wait the longest to finally get my hands on. I know it sounds spoiled, but basically any game system I wanted growing up, my parents would get it for us come Xmas, and sometimes just randomly. Like with the Dreamcast. I remember telling my dad about it and how awesome it was compared to anything else out, he took me directly to the store and got one. Same thing with the PS2 during the whole launch shortage scare.

I just didn't really know about any of the obscure and super expensive consoles. I didn't even know the Saturn existed until they were clearing them out.

[sin2beta]

I was a pretty lucky kid and usually able to get most of the systems. SEGA, Nintendo, and Sony consoles I pretty much always had. However, add ons and some "also-ran" consoles come to mind. The big one was the Neo Geo. I'd always read about it and see pictures but know it was way too expensive. The Jaguar and 3DO were also things I wanted for a short time, but that desire never lasted long. I did always want a 32X and SEGA CD. However, my parents wisely never spent the money on these. Not that they are bad. But I wouldn't want to be paying new retail prices.

[worsel]

Neo Geo AES.  My brother and I first read about the system in a GamePro when I was 11 yrs old and we would always dream about being able to play the arcade games at home.  While many years have passed not too long ago I bought a 2 Slot MVS "Big Red" for my collection, but I would still love an AES as well.

[DreamsDied13101]

Neo Geo AES.  My brother and I first read about the system in a GamePro when I was 11 yrs old and we would always dream about being able to play the arcade games at home.  While many years have passed not too long ago I bought a 2 Slot MVS "Big Red" for my collection, but I would still love an AES as well.

Not to rub salt in your wounds, but when I first started buying retro consoles I picked up a complete AES for $150 (box, manuals, etc...), and complete Sega Master System (box, manuals, etc...) for $30.

Those were the good old days. I sure wish I would have bought all the other systems I wanted. Video games were so cheap 20 years ago. EBay changed that.

On a side note - these consoles must cost a million dollars to ship because these boxes are huge. The AES edges out the SMS box by a little bit. I love how these early systems took up so much shelf space.

[dashv]

As a kid our family had the Atari 2600, original NES, and original Game Boy.

The Game Boy I was especially proud of because I bought it from a kid at school using money I'd earned doing chores for my Grandmother.

My Uncle had the latest stuff (SNES, Playstation). He'd give me his old Game Pro magazines when he was done with them and man did I pine for a few systems...

Atari Jaguar
Atari Lynx
Game Gear
Sega Genesis
SNES
Turbo Express

Fortunately we had a PC that could play Doom. Then later Duke Nukem 3D, Unreal Tournament, etc. So I was able to live with being out of the console loop for a while.

It was only about 10 years ago I was given an SNES and started getting the games I'd always wanted. 2 years ago my wife reclaimed the Sega Genesis from her childhood and massive catalog of games. and just last year I closed out my Game Gear wishlist.

Now I just need a Turbo Express and Atari Lynx.

I'm kinda over my Jaguar fascination phase.

[ignition365]

I always wanted the JVC X'EYE when it launched in 1994. Unfortunately, with a price tag right at $500, I was unable to get one. I like the idea of having an all in one system that could play Genesis and SEGA CD games. To this day I still want one, mostly because I still lack a system to play SEGA CD games on (The RETRON 5 took care of the Genesis problem).

When this baby launched, it was cheaper to actually buy a Genesis and the SEGA CD add on than it was to buy the X'EYE  . Of course the added cost did come with some better features. Most notably was the fact that you could play your games with better video and sound (and of course you only needed one power source).

Now they are cheaper, but still kind of pricey so I STILL havent gotten around to owning an X'EYE 

Ugh, yeah, the JVC X'EYE and the CDX, I'd love to find one of those, but of course, I have consoles that function the same.

[hexen]

For the most part, I eventually got what I wanted as a kid. I used to play SNES & Genesis as a kid at my daycare, and I wanted both of them so bad. However, it took many years before I eventually got my SNES. In the meantime, my dad, for some reason I still don't understand as he was never someone who played games in my lifetime, owned an Intellivision that he kept in a closet I had no idea about. Knowing I wanted an SNES, he gave me the Intellivison along with a few games he had, and he got me a bunch more as he would go to the flea market weekly (also, maybe you are seeing where I got my collector instincts from). I actually really liked that despite it being the 90s, I spent my younger years playing a 70s/80s system, writing high scores in the manual.

Eventually I got a Gameboy for Christmas, and later an SNES (I had to choose between it and some games, or the newly released N64 wit no games due to price). From that point on I eventually sold all my SNES games (because I thought the system was broken, it was actually just the cord, though selling those games is a big life regret) to buy an N64, I also managed to save money to buy a used Genesis at Gamestop because it was really cheap. My brother saved for a PS1. Later in middle school my brother was bribed with a Gamecube for going to a week of Jesus camp, and my dad bought a PS2 because of it's DVD capabilities. From that point on I was grown enough to earn money for what I wanted.

However, the one system that alluded my grasp when I was young and always wanted was an NES. The system always intrigued me so much. My REALLY early daycare, like kindergarten, had an NES. However, back then no on knew how to take care of the thing so it rarely ever worked. Then, when I was like maybe 10, a neighbor of mine had a garage sale and was selling his NES. I was so excited because I could afford it, but once I got it home my ignorance of cleaning it and games again lead them to not work. Bummed out, he gave me my money back. It took me until high school when it was way past it's time, and I had to buy it with my own money before I owned it. Now it's the main system of my collection because of how fascinated I was by it and how it alluded me all those years.