Outrageous prices/rarity and completing collections

[+madman]

I couldn't find anything about this in the last 3 years or so on here so I figured I'd pose this question and see what people think. For those who are into complete collections, what are your thoughts on ridiculously rare/expensive games that keep you from completing it? I've slowly been working on complete 32X and Virtual Boy collections over the last several years and now I'm at the point where mostly only the insanely high priced ($150+) games are left. Even with the disposable income it seems foolish to drop that much on a game, especially with some of the rarer VB titles going for over $1,000. Personally, I keep an eye out for a great deal on these games, but I'm perfectly fine without dropping ridiculous money on games just for the sake of collections. Has anyone else run into this and just given up on acquiring certain titles?

[goldenegg]

Are you buying Japanese VB games? I ask, because there's no North American release which are that expensive. Can you read Japanese? If not, it's definitely not worth picking those up.

[+madman]

Are you buying Japanese VB games? I ask, because there's no North American release which are that expensive. Can you read Japanese? If not, it's definitely not worth picking those up.

Yeah, full collection. Space Invaders goes for $600+ CIB. There's also SD Gundam which is around $1,000 CIB and the last time I saw the JP Virtual Bowling (not Nester's Funky Bowling) it went for $1400. No Japanese required for Space Invaders obviously.

[Torr]

I'd say we all are... when you see a game sell for $5,000+, you don't see someone on here gloating that they were the winner.

 

So that means that:

A) Said buyer wasn't someone who frequents AtariAge and is (by my definition) someone with more money than brains -or-

B) Said buyer IS a member of AtariAge and is chickenshit to admit they spent that much money on a piece of plastic with some circuitry in it, and they have a problem.

[icemanxp300]

I have highly considered selling everything I own that brings in over $100. Cardboard or plastic it just seems crazy to me to have something worth so much when I could repro it and have the same thing.

[+madman]

I'd say we all are... when you see a game sell for $5,000+, you don't see someone on here gloating that they were the winner.

 

So that means that:

A) Said buyer wasn't someone who frequents AtariAge and is (by my definition) someone with more money than brains -or-

B) Said buyer IS a member of AtariAge and is chickenshit to admit they spent that much money on a piece of plastic with some circuitry in it, and they have a problem.

A lot of this stuff reminds me of stories from a friend a few years ago. She worked for a guy who collected and dealt in vintage movie posters. He would sell multi thousand dollar posters to people living in trailer parks. Some people have out of whack priorities so I'm really not surprised that games can command thousands of dollars, but the buyers aren't always who we think they are.

[goldenegg]

I'd say we all are... when you see a game sell for $5,000+, you don't see someone on here gloating that they were the winner.

 

So that means that:

A) Said buyer wasn't someone who frequents AtariAge and is (by my definition) someone with more money than brains -or-

B) Said buyer IS a member of AtariAge and is chickenshit to adm

 

it they spent that much money on a piece of plastic with some circuitry in it, and they have a problem.

There are those of us here who have no issues making those big purchases and simply don't like to show off. I haven't talked about a single one of my expensive purchases here. It has absolutely nothing to do about being ashamed about making the purchase.

Edited May 3, 2015 by goldenegg

[Austin]

It depends on the collection. For something like the 32X, I'd drop the money on the expensive games. For platforms like the NES where you have $500-$1,000+ carts, no thanks. I'm not looking to take out a loan just to buy a game that's going to sit on a shelf for 99.99% of its life.

[7800fan]

Are you buying Japanese VB games? I ask, because there's no North American release which are that expensive. Can you read Japanese? If not, it's definitely not worth picking those up.

 

CIB Jack Bros, USA game can regularly go over $200 easy. Waterworld also comes at a high price because it was release so late that most people skipped it when VB was declared dead and getting blown out of store shelves.

[Andromeda Stardust]

There are those of us here who have no issues making those big purchases and simply don't like to show off. I haven't talked about a single one of my expensive purchases here. It has absolutely nothing to do about being ashamed about making the purchase.

If you wanna see a lot of braggers, goto NA. They have badges for all sorts of obscure stuff.

 

I'm a gamer first, collector second, although I will admit I've got a few games I haven't played. I don't see the need in filling my collection with useless sports, movie tie-ins, and other filler garbage when I've got good games I haven't had a chance to play yet. As a general rule, no loose game cart is worth more than $100 to me. If a game I want to play cost multiple hundreds of dollars, I'll just drop the ROM on a flashcart and play it that way. They are also great for testing hacks, protos, and WIP homebrews.

Edited May 4, 2015 by stardust4ever

[98PaceCar]

There are those of us here who have no issues making those big purchases and simply don't like to show off. I haven't talked about a single one of my expensive purchases here. It has absolutely nothing to do about being ashamed about making the purchase.

This. A lot of people in this world have the means to spend what some consider to be a large amount on frivolous items. As long as it isn't affecting their ability to live within their means, nobody else has any right to judge how they spend their money and honestly, it's not anybody else's business.

[goldenegg]

 

CIB Jack Bros, USA game can regularly go over $200 easy. Waterworld also comes at a high price because it was release so late that most people skipped it when VB was declared dead and getting blown out of store shelves.

 

OP was talking about VB games that cost $1000+. There are no North American releases in that price range.

 

Someone just posted a MIB Jack Bros for $899. I'm interested to see what happens with it, as that's way over what they typically sell for (~$350).

[82-T/A]

I couldn't find anything about this in the last 3 years or so on here so I figured I'd pose this question and see what people think. For those who are into complete collections, what are your thoughts on ridiculously rare/expensive games that keep you from completing it? I've slowly been working on complete 32X and Virtual Boy collections over the last several years and now I'm at the point where mostly only the insanely high priced ($150+) games are left. Even with the disposable income it seems foolish to drop that much on a game, especially with some of the rarer VB titles going for over $1,000. Personally, I keep an eye out for a great deal on these games, but I'm perfectly fine without dropping ridiculous money on games just for the sake of collections. Has anyone else run into this and just given up on acquiring certain titles?

 

 

Well, let's take the Jaguar for example... I will NEVER pay $500 for Battle Sphere. Just not worth spending that kind of money on. However, I have every single other game, EXCEPT... the original Gorf release on CD, and Another World on cartridge.

 

My reasoning is... if it's fun to play, and I can get it for $100 or less, I'm going to buy it. I luckily got 70% of my Jaguar games back in the mid 90s when they were on clearance for $5 bucks new in the box. But once you DO have a complete collection, what can you do with it? You can play it... but is that 1 single game that's worth billions, worth spending that money to play?

 

In all reality, Battle Sphere is a knock-off Wing Commander with no plot. I can pop in Wing Commander 3 or 4, have a real plot-line, and the graphics are way better.

 

So... look at it from that perspective (I recommend).

[Bloodcat]

I refuse to pay loonie bin prices for any game no matter how good or how rare.

 

Honestly 50 bucks shipped is my maximum for ANY game new or old, and ideally for that price it has to be complete! I have so many games and so many interests and projects I don't need to spend fat stacks on stuff that is honestly kind of silly to do so. All of my rarer or sought after titles were basically bought new and generally on clearance in the first place. Hell, I spent a good year plus ebay searching for A800 Bounty Bob Strikes Back till I got it at a price I was willing to pay.

 

If you pay the collector's prices you are part of the problem IMHO. Its your money of course but you start paying for boxed Earthbounds and Chuckwagons and Super Spike Volleyballs and well?

 

YOU ARE BAD AND SHOULD FEEL BAD. Because there is so much more you could be doing with your money.

 

But again its your money and your right to do so. Just don't expect most people to kiss your keister over it. Loudmouthed overopinionated jerks like me might even mock you and question why you didn't do something useful with the money or give to charity or take a vacation or something GOOD as opposed to buying a generally mass produced consumer product primarily aimed at children and teenagers.

[Bloodcat]

Luckily the only system I am trying to collect a full set for is the US Master System and I am totally willing to get foreign carts if I have to. I already did it for Buster Douglas Boxing. 150+ for a loose cart?

 

Or 15-20 bucks boxed and complete Heavyweight Champ from the UK to the US?

 

It'll do pig. It'll do.

[Austin]

If you pay the collector's prices you are part of the problem IMHO. Its your money of course but you start paying for boxed Earthbounds and Chuckwagons and Super Spike Volleyballs and well?

 

Part of the "problem", perhaps. However, there are many cases where unless one gets extremely lucky in the wild, they have to give in to high collector prices for some items. It's something that comes with the territory when going for complete collections (particularly when it's a CIB collection).

[+madman]

If you pay the collector's prices you are part of the problem IMHO. Its your money of course but you start paying for boxed Earthbounds and Chuckwagons and Super Spike Volleyballs and well?

 

YOU ARE BAD AND SHOULD FEEL BAD. Because there is so much more you could be doing with your money.

 

But again its your money and your right to do so. Just don't expect most people to kiss your keister over it. Loudmouthed overopinionated jerks like me might even mock you and question why you didn't do something useful with the money or give to charity or take a vacation or something GOOD as opposed to buying a generally mass produced consumer product primarily aimed at children and teenagers.

I can agree with the first part to some degree. The reason these games fetch these prices are because that's what the market will handle. If people weren't willing to pay $1,000 for a Japanese Virtual Boy game, they wouldn't be selling at those prices. It's a free market.

 

But, feeling bad for buying a game? I'm not sure I follow you. And what if someone already donates a lot to charities and takes vacations? They're not allowed to spend their disposable income how they wish? While I have many friends with out of whack priorities when spending their money, to each their own. The only time I've have a problem with it would be something like if they bought a game instead of buying their kid food or something like that.

[+GoldenWheels]

I'm starting to run into this with the only system library I will ever likely attempt to complete, the 7800. My issues are Mean 18 and Tank Command. They seem to hover just above some magical line in my head where I consider it "worth it" to buy them. But I do really want a complete 7800 set. Chances are....sooner or later.....I'll bite. I'll be too close to not "finish the job". But compared to NES or TG or what have you, that is pretty small potatoes.

 

Other systems, I don't even consider a complete set. The library is either too large, the rare games too expensive, or both. Once we get into $$$ territory where I could get a rare game or a TR8 to tool around town in...I go to the crappy British convertible side of things. Of course some would say that's not worth the money either. But I don't worry about what other people think of how I spend MY money.

[Atarian7]

 

 

But again its your money and your right to do so. Just don't expect most people to kiss your keister over it. Loudmouthed overopinionated jerks like me might even mock you and question why you didn't do something useful with the money or give to charity or take a vacation or something GOOD as opposed to buying a generally mass produced consumer product primarily aimed at children and teenagers.

Maybe the people who sell these items do something "useful" with the money. Somewhere down the line it gets back into the economy.