How do you collect?

[mrfoxhound]

I was curious to see what some of the methods are that some users go by when collecting here. Do you count digital games into your collection? Do you count mobile? ROMs? I personally don't count anything digital and certainly not ROMs in my collection nor mobile. I only buy games from SNES/Gameboy era (I grew up with those) to current generation. I have a large shelf with many smaller shelves and I dedicate a shelf or two to one console. I measure each game to see how many I can fit on that dedicated shelf and only make a wishlist for the amount of games that will fit for that console. I pick games that I grew up with and good games I didn't have the chance to own and play as a kid. Maybe I'll post a photo sometime. I also decorate my shelves with a couple video game figurines to give the shelf a personality. Anyone can have a shelf just stacked with games. Everything has to be neatly organized, clean, near mint to mint condition and leveled evenly.

I guess you'd consider me an eBay game collector. 99% of my games are from eBay because I don't have the time or patience to go out looking and fighting for deals, etc. I'd rather just click and wait. My wallet does take a hit though, but I'm content. I don't ever "display" games on a shelf to stand out from other games even if it is my mint Earthbound SNES cart that I love. I put it with all the games on the shelf. I don't think games are for decoration, they're for playing. But that's just me. I know some people love to display their consoles/games like figures and stuff.

[bikingjahuty]

As far as my methods go, I've obtained probably 70% through hunting in thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales. However for about the last couple of years I've definitely obtained the majority of my games either retail stores and ebay. Hunting for games, at least in my area has become mostly pointless due to an over-saturation of collectors and resellers, as well as everyone getting greedy/stupid. Hence why I've turned to trying to find decent deals at retail stores and online.

I do not consider digital games to be a part of my collection since I don't actually own them. And while they compliment my collection, I do not consider things like action figures, statues, toys, artwork and things of that nature to be officially part of my collection, however all that stuff is really important to me. The games that I physically own are what I consider my collection.

I actually have a game room tour on youtube if you are anyone else is interested in watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A88nZnbYzM

[Warmsignal]

^Always enjoy your tours biking.

Typically, my alien friends beam them down to me from the mother ship after I do a some sort of a herky jerky dance that seems to please them. Other times I head out about 5 a.m. into the forest with a lasso, my trusty Nintendo tape call, and a lot of ambition... 

Nope, don't own anything digital, anything mobile, don't do roms. I do count reproductions, but I've only bought one so far. I only count games. Other stuff, just not interested really.

The early years were mostly flea markets. Nowadays, mostly retail stores. I like to collect for basically all the mainstream consoles including 2nd gen. Games I used to own, games I wanted, games I just think look cool. Sort of partial towards classic Nintendo stuff. I've thrown a lot of my classic stuff into a display cabinet. I do organize by console, but no platform is so special that it doesn't share a shelf with another (limited room / no game room). Condition, anything from acceptable to mint. For classic stuff I almost like a well used look (not an obliterated look), modern I prefer better shape / complete. Oh, and I don't do alphabetical. Most collectors would frown upon my methods. 

[marvelvscapcom2]

I don't consider digital copies as part of a collection too. Or mobile games. I wish these new consoles would start throwing in hard copies with their bundles like the good old days. I am not a big DLC fan.  and I don't consider loose discs to be part of a collection but I know most would. but for some reason I never put a game that I only have the disc for. If I don't have the case then I don't consider it fully in my collection yet until I can piece the case out.  I like having the case for PS2 or PS1 games.  I do consider Repro carts and homebrews part of a collection. I have my games in alphabetical order and I have media tower shelves and I put the games by console on different sections. Rarer games I display on wall mounted shelves that my dad makes.

As for how I obtain most of my games, id say 50 percent comes from ebay, 50 percent buying off of locals or at retro game stores or at thrift stores. Also my brother is a collector too for 20+ years and he has over 5,000 games. So he gets duplicates a lot that I trade him for or that he gives.  Id say I initially started at about 90 percent ebay, but I have noticed if you hunt you can find better deals in the wild. I only use ebay when I want a specific title that I cant find in the wild. Something rare or odd ball I will get on ebay. Common stuff I will go to local stores and find them. Although I like ebay because you don't have to leave your home and of course the selection is pretty vast. Never had luck on Craigslist or Amazon. Although some Facebook buy and sell pages have other collectors posting and you can get good deals through them.

[mrfoxhound]

I'm a little skeptical about making deals with strangers online through Paypal. Putting way too much trust in someone to ship something while possibly losing out on an item and my money. If I ever were to make a deal online outside of eBay (which I have on NintendoAge), I'd have to document all conversations, etc and present it to Paypal should something ever happen. If I were to ever buy from someone here, I'd have to make sure they've been here long enough and are trusted. No one wants to lose out on a lot of money to a scum bag. I've gotten one game from a garage sale but most of the time, you just never really come across anything you're looking for. I don't pick up random games - I have a specific wishlist and it has to be in near mint to mint shape.

So, you can see how eBay would be a better option for me. Lots of retro shops and other kinds of stores could also be selling fakes of popular games and I don't want to deal with that either. Lots of times in NY, the shops sell the games at near eBay prices anyways. Like I mentioned before, I'm not the type to try to beat other people to games and deals like wolves at 6am, it's somewhat pathetic to me. You'll almost never beat the reseller at an item, they will be up at 3am, lol. I'll just wait for my paychecks and click "Buy" online. Granted, you could argue I'm giving that reseller my money but I just want convenience.

[maximo310]

For newer stuff from 7th-8th gen, I can find most cib stuff pretty easily at GS,Amazon, and retail, except for a very rare titles or DS/PSP handheld stuff. For older stuff, its either Goodwill, Ebay, or deals with other forum members.
The local game stores in my area used to be pretty decent for picking up common stuff a few years ago, but now most of them price over Ebay and one store in particular has most of their game with sun damaged covers on top of that so I don't really bother with that.
I've also gotten to the point where some of the games I get are resold to cover the cost of expenses, usually dupes of stuff I already have.

My collection, especially in the early days, leans pretty heavily on Nintendo games as well as exclusives (especially for the Gamecube and Wii). If a game is multiplat, I usually look for the best version as long as its reasonably priced compared to the other options out there. Usually, I look for stuff to be cib, but if there is a huge price difference between loose and complete, then I'll go for the loose copy. I don't count Steam games in my collection; only eshop stuff so far. Most of my stuff is stored in my game room seperate from the house seperated by system, while excess stuff is boxed up in the main house.

[Warmsignal]

.  Like I mentioned before, I'm not the type to try to beat other people to games and deals like wolves at 6am, it's somewhat pathetic to me. You'll almost never beat the reseller at an item, they will be up at 3am, lol. I'll just wait for my paychecks and click "Buy" online. Granted, you could argue I'm giving that reseller my money but I just want convenience.

Game chasing is really almost more about the travels and the times you spend with friends and whatnot while out hunting around. You never know what your spoils will be. You can't always get what you want, but sometimes.... you get what you need! It's true.

Nowadays not so much, I think all the games have been collected.

[retrogemcollector]

I have a list of 80 Consoles and 600 video games that I always wanted. So I'm checking of that list. I just collect the more desirable titles.

[matimo]

I'd say a good 70% of my collection came from ebay, getting deals around here is near impossible with all the competition and resellers posting 100's of ads everywhere how they buy ever game... though on rare occasions i do find stuff at some of the local thrift stores, or something decent on craigslist (Typically it's uncommon titles i get from there). Collecting is getting harder every year.... i'll just buy games on ebay if i see on there for a decent price, im mainly just going to start collecting for phasing out systems when the prices are lower, im loving the wii and ps3 right now.

[mrfoxhound]

Matimo, I'm right there with you on collecting for systems that are phasing out. PS3 game prices are beautiful at the moment for the most part. You can find a lot of the games for under $20.

[kmacdw]

In terms of including digital or not; I personally don't. I have my console digital games included on here, simply as it's convenient to keep track of them; however ultimately I don't consider them part of my collection, and I haven't bothered adding my PC digital titles.

As for how I go about getting games. Sadly there's not much choice here in Ireland. Thrift/charity shops here don't get anything notable in terms of games; you might find a couple of crappy PC games or an Xbox 360 sports title here or there but that's about it. Car boot sales are much the same. There's one brick and mortar store of note that sells retro games but it's not the best in terms of price and they're also far too lenient on condition which doesn't suit an OCD individual like myself. So as a result I'm confined to shopping online; I tend to buy my games from obvious places such as Amazon and Ebay; another website I like is ChilloutGames.

As for what I want to collect; I've set my aims low. I don't want any complete sets or to own any obscure games; I really just want to collect all the games in the series that I enjoy. It's mainly J-RPGs that I go for. My wish list stands at about 200 games atm, obviously that expands as new games come out; and as I get close to fulfilling that wish list, I'm sure I might consider adding more games. In terms of systems, there's a handful of systems, mainly older ones from my childhood that I'd like to add. However I'm never going to go out of my way to add any console just for the sake of it as they mean nothing to me; tbh I don't really enjoy the games from the pre-crash era anyways.

[shepard11]

I'd say 60% of my collection is from when I was a kid. I've been a gamer a very long time. But growing up, my parents only brought me games for my b-day or Xmas. So I had to do chores around the neighbor to raise money for my games. Probably why I kept so many due to working so hard. I usually only collect stuff I had once when I was younger and sold off or traded. When it comes to early Nintendo (Gameboy, NES, Super NES, GBA) I don't get too worked up if a game doesn't have a box or booklet. But as soon as a system got into plastic (looking at you Sega Genesis) I won't buy loose games for any system that has some kind of plastic case. My dream is to own everything I use to own before I late it go (or my ex sold).

Now when it comes to buying there are about 15 stores in an hour driving radius of me. So most of them I just make a budget of $25 a shop and rarely go over. I usually go to one or two stores on one of my days off. But the main two in my town/city I probably haunt once a week. I have one that will hold stuff for me weeks at a time if I don't want to go over my budget. I've been pretty lucky with deals as of late. I was buying from Amazon until recently when a deal with very bad (which I'm still dealing with). I never buy from ebay (but I will stare at their listings sometimes for awhile). And I just started to buy through paypal because of this very forum.

And I forgot add I don't count digital or eshop items in my collection because if I did my xboxone Xbox 360 and 3DS collection would be much larger.

[tripredacus]

All over. Retail, thrift stores, garage sales, forums, ebay. Although Ebay has been annoying me lately and I think I'm going to take a break for awhile.

[sworddude]

I also don't consider digital games to be a part of my collection.

However unlike many others I also do not count lose carts as part of my collection. I also don't keep track of my lose carts only for my cib games.

 I do have them but I don't count those in my collection since it will motivate me to get a cib copy. Just see them as spare cardridges for good games aside from having a cib game. 2 cardridges of the same game in the end. It's a fetisch but it won;t cost me anything and I don't force it.

95% of my deals I get online. You will pretty much not find any cardboard released games on flee markets these days and if you find them it usually isn't in the wanted condition. ps2 ps1 etc you could find but online is the main spot for me for condition and quality titles wich you will likely not find in a flee market

Besides The quality of some deals I've gotten online are pretty much impossible to find on a flee market. Overall flee markets if you are lucky are more for lose carts etc and I'm a cib guy aside from those deals being rather thin on fleemarkets these days. I barely go to any flee markets these days since they are pretty much a waste of time.

It's really fun to find for example 50 euro ps1 games for less than 1 buck but 9 out of the 10 times you will find nothing at all (that includes getting there early on there are just less deals to be found)

As for buying I try to buy in lots to add games in the collection for bargain prices or for nothing at all with a profit. I also only collect games that I'd like to play and I don't collect fillers or shovelware.

[fighterpilot562]

I only count physical copies of games i own.