Last year I really fleshed out my retro gaming collection. I also got some great retro hardware to go along with it. In no particular order here's a few highlights:
Software (all CIB):Castlevania: Legends
I always wanted a complete copy of Legends for a while, but did have the funds to buy it partly due to purchasing other games in the series. As I saved up I scoured eBay for months searching for that one listing the I felt comfortable enough taking a chance on. I lucked out and found a near mint copy from a seller I dealt with previously. It's the only Gameboy game I have in an acrylic case. This game, and the series as a whole, is the corner-stone of my collection.
Hauting Ground+
Kuon+
Rule of Rose
I'm bunching these together, as they all fall under survival horror and rare PS2 games. Getting all three was a goal of mine when I started taking video game collecting/preservation seriously. The case for Haunting Ground is in noticeably worst condition of the three, but otherwise all three games are in great condition. I'm currently playing through Rule of Rose as of writing this post. It's a fun game with graphics that give off Silent Hill 2 levels of detail that you don't expect to see on PS2 hardware.
Vampire Killer
Toward the end of the year I started branching out to Japanese versions of Castlevania. Vampire Killer wasn't the first game I purchased on that path, but it's the one I cherish the most. The box art is great, I much prefer it over the NA version. Since Vampire Killer I've been buying more Japanese imports, a trend I don't see stopping in 2023.
Super Metroid
Speaking of imports, Super Metroid on SFC was another game whose box art I adore. I own a NA copy too. Once I got the Japanese version I started contemplating whether or not to sell said copy. This was compounded by the fact both the Japanese and North American versions of the game are functionally identical, a fact I didn't know at the time. Ultimately, I decided against selling it, primarily because I own every Metroid game up to Prime 2 Echos. It would of felt weird having that gap.
Hardware (no photos but will provide upon request):Sony 14L5 PVMI've owned a 20L5 since 2021. In 2022 I wanted to get its little brother. Both PVMs are relatively young as for as CRT monitors go, with manufacture dates in the early 2000s. I've wanted both models for a while. As with Legends, I got extremely lucky. An eBay seller in my state had one near mint. He was even willing to make the trip halfway across said state to deliver it personally, provided I pay for gas. He told me it came from a electronics lab they use to work for. They were upgrading and were simply planning to throw it away, before he intervened. To his knowledge its never been serviced but both the outside and internals look well cared for. All my Sega consoles display beautifully on its ~14in screen. It'll be my go to monitor for travel if I ever find a suitable case for it.
Sony PS1 with XStation ODEODEs were not my radar last year until early December when I started looking more into flashcarts. PS1 games are a large chunk of my collection and my previous PS1 gave up the ghost, I was compelled to give the XStation a try. So far it has yet to disappoint and does what it says on the tin. It was easy to setup, running all the backups I've tested flawlessly. Not hearing the disc drive spin was a surreal feeling, but one I got use to very quickly. If you are on the fence on whether or not an ODE is worth it, don't be. Irregardless how you get it installed you and your system will be better off with one.
Sony PS2 with Matrix Modchip and OPLAs with the PS1 I wanted to play games without the disc drive. Matrix and OPL accomplish this with a Fat PS2 intact via homebrew and a detachable HDD, whilst keeping the disc drive intact. It's not as streamlined as the XStation as certain games require some adjustment of OPL's default settings. You also need to have a compatable HDD and have it formatted in a way that the PS2 can detect. Small bump in an otherwise smooth experience. I got the system, hookups, and controller for ~$100. My previous Slim Model is worth roughly the same price so it evens out. Going deeper into 2023 I hope to nab even more hardware to future proof my setups and further persevere my collection!
Show Posts