But... you can't play the box!

[+Random Terrain]

Ah yes... the playground name-caller once again rears his head. Just for the record, I think your appearance is peculiar, and your mother dresses you in a rather disagreeable manner.

So you don't think people who come over to your house and mess up your stuff are dipshits? Didn't call collectors any names, so I don't see what your problem is.

 

I keep boxes for the art, so to avoid damaging the art, the boxes and cartridges are kept in separate areas.

[+Nathan Strum]

So you don't think people who come over to your house and mess up your stuff are dipshits? Didn't call collectors any names, so I don't see what your problem is.

Then you should re-read your post:

When I see photos of collections where all of the games are still in the boxes, I always wonder if the owners of those collections are on drugs or if they are just oblivious to the damage that will eventually happen

Seems to me that implying someone is on drugs is name-calling.

 

I don't let people who come over to my house, mess up my stuff. I try to avoid people who are disrespectful, crack-addled nincompoops.

 

Whenever possible.

[CPUWIZ]

I don't let people who come over to my house, mess up my stuff. I try to avoid people who are disrespectful, crack-addled nincompoops.

 

Whenever possible.

 

Touching my collection is punished with finger removal.

[+Random Terrain]

Seems to me that implying someone is on drugs is name-calling.

I can see how that might offend some people's dainty sensibilities, but as far as I know, most people don't consider that name calling. For example, if you say "I just shoved a light bulb up my nose" and I ask "are your on drugs?" that's not exactly name calling. And "I always wonder if the owners of those collections are on drugs or if they are just oblivious to the damage that will eventually happen" is even tamer than that. Notice the or. It waters down an already tame bit of so-called 'name calling'.

 

 

I don't let people who come over to my house, mess up my stuff. I try to avoid people who are disrespectful, crack-addled nincompoops.

 

Whenever possible.

If you're not the only one living in the house, sometimes you can't control the quality of the visitor. And the horrible children of friends or relatives can defile a room before you can drop your caviar coated foie gras and truffle finger sandwich.

 

And just touching your own collection over time can damage the boxes, unless you wear gloves. There should be no doubt that lifting and closing the flap will also cause damage over time. A person who plays the games often and loves the boxes almost as much as the games might not want to keep the cartridges in the boxes. The boxes can be put in protective coverings and displayed on a wall or put in a display case or whatever you can think up where you can see them every day, but they'll be protected and will stay in great condition long after you are dead.

[vaderlover]

If it's something my heart is set on then I'll go for the boxed but generally the better deal (cart and manual) wins over.

[Alison DeMeyer]

I collect boxed VCS, because it looks nice on my bookshelf, and I just like them complete.

[Captain Beard]

When I got back into Atari a few years back, I swore I'd only pick up games that sounded like they might be fun to play.

But I quickly decided that it would be fun to try to collect as many unique games as possible.

Then the label variations started piling up from eBay lots and before I knew it, the walls of my office were covered in carts.

 

So there's no doubt in my mind that I'd be happy collecting boxes.

The thing is, I just don't have the room.

The only place to put'em if I got'em would be in boxes in the basement.

And what would be the point of that?

 

The only boxes I've kept are the ones for homebrews and repros, 'cuz someone put a lot of love into those, and I had one spare shelf in the living room.

[AtariLeaf]

I get boxes if they're available and a good price but don't go out of my way for them. I like having manuals though.

[Atarifever]

When I see photos of collections where all of the games are still in the boxes, I always wonder if the owners of those collections are on drugs or if they are just oblivious to the damage that will eventually happen.

Not oblivious. Just don't care. My NES boxes look like shit, but all the art is still quite visible, as are the screenshots, etc. Given that I've had those near on 20 years, and at one point stored them crushed together in a shoe box in the garage, I don't think I have a lot to worry about with my 7800 games that have never been mistreated.

[GameboyReviewer]

I collect just the games and manuals come into the picture sweet but if boxes are including score.

[toymailman]

I collect boxed VCS, because it looks nice on my bookshelf, and I just like them complete.

Yup! That's my take on it. I go boxed whenever possible.

[Zwackery]

I think now (actually, for at least a year or so) is a pretty good time to get into boxed games, mainly because the price for most titles has gone down significantly compared to the past with more availability (thanks to the internet) and a decline in interest in collecting for the 2600 (compared to the NES for example). You could put together a really impressive R1-R4 set in no time at all for the 2600.

 

Some LP collectors like the albums for the art, and I think that this goes for some boxed game collectors, too, as the box art evokes something about the game. Others like boxed titles for the idea of completeness, and still others for presentation. It's fun when you talk about Atari with other people, they ask if you have a particular title, you say, "Let's go pull it from the collection," and then you see their reaction which is typically, "They made THAT MANY games for the Atari?!?"

 

In the age of digital media, when you can have a digital version of lots of things, there are some people who think collecting carts is silly or whatever when you can just have the ROMs. You need to ascertain your own position with regard to what you want to own in terms of physical objects. Carts, boxes, manuals - these are all physical artifacts for something that is essentially "just" a program. I like boxed games for all the reasons above, plus they are the physical manifestation, so to speak, of the fun that is the game (or should be, sometimes the box and manual is way better than the actual game).

 

When it comes to collecting boxed titles, in the immortal words of Crazy Climber, "Go for it!"

 

And don't forget to open those boxes and play your games!

[atari_envy]

I just pick my spots. I decided to get a CIB collection of Activision. Looks cool on my shelf, people are familiar with them, and for the most part affordable. Same goes for my Atari colored box collection. But as for the Atari silver carts, it's a little of both. For example, $100+ for Waterworld cart, manuals, comic book = ok. But the premium for that box is beyond my interest. Same can be said for Quadrun -- I own only the cart and manual. However, I own a lot of other silvers that are CIB.

 

I picked up all the Mattel CIB because it was pretty easy (still missing the box for Star Strike, tho). But I opted to get all the 20th Century Fox games with cart and manual only, the boxes didn't do much for me. And list goes on. Some CIB, some cart and manual.

 

I enjoy looking at the box, opening it up to get the game, looking at the flyers, catalogs, etc that come with it. In the case of Activision, I store the patch in the box. All of that is part of the fun of owning it.

[128bytes]

I think now (actually, for at least a year or so) is a pretty good time to get into boxed games, mainly because the price for most titles has gone down significantly compared to the past with more availability (thanks to the internet) and a decline in interest in collecting for the 2600 (compared to the NES for example). You could put together a really impressive R1-R4 set in no time at all for the 2600.

 

Some LP collectors like the albums for the art, and I think that this goes for some boxed game collectors, too, as the box art evokes something about the game. Others like boxed titles for the idea of completeness, and still others for presentation. It's fun when you talk about Atari with other people, they ask if you have a particular title, you say, "Let's go pull it from the collection," and then you see their reaction which is typically, "They made THAT MANY games for the Atari?!?"

 

In the age of digital media, when you can have a digital version of lots of things, there are some people who think collecting carts is silly or whatever when you can just have the ROMs. You need to ascertain your own position with regard to what you want to own in terms of physical objects. Carts, boxes, manuals - these are all physical artifacts for something that is essentially "just" a program. I like boxed games for all the reasons above, plus they are the physical manifestation, so to speak, of the fun that is the game (or should be, sometimes the box and manual is way better than the actual game).

 

When it comes to collecting boxed titles, in the immortal words of Crazy Climber, "Go for it!"

 

And don't forget to open those boxes and play your games!

 

People mostly collect boxed items because they are more rare. Heck, it's Toy Story 2's plot forcryingoutloud.

 

But there is something more to it. To take Zwackery's point a bit further...

 

As a kid my family could afford one or two games a year, max, until the crash hit. Believe me, I would stare longingly at the Atari and Activision boxes and read them... and when it was time to pick out which game to buy, when they went on sale, I would read them and carefully think of which ones to get. Activision's quality box descriptions helped turn me onto some fantastic games like Stampede that I wouldn't have considered otherwise. There's the nostalgia pull for me... yet I don't collect boxed games - I'm happy with the carts themselves, though my perfect buy are loose carts with the paper manuals still intact. I keep most of my games in storage, though...I'm lucky enough to be able to use my CC2 for everything except Pitfall II. For me, playing on the CCII, while knowing my cart is just down the hall in the box, just feels a little more special. For others, playing a cart while knowing the box is up on the shelf does the same thing.

[tremoloman2006]

Easily my favorites are the "classic" collection (all the boxes shown in the cartoon catalogs with the green or orange cover) as well as the gatefold ones. Once that collection is complete, I will try to get the boxes to cool Activision, Imagic, and 20th Century Fox titles I love. (Turmoil RULES BTW)

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

I think now (actually, for at least a year or so) is a pretty good time to get into boxed games, mainly because the price for most titles has gone down significantly compared to the past with more availability (thanks to the internet) and a decline in interest in collecting for the 2600 (compared to the NES for example). You could put together a really impressive R1-R4 set in no time at all for the 2600.

 

Some LP collectors like the albums for the art, and I think that this goes for some boxed game collectors, too, as the box art evokes something about the game. Others like boxed titles for the idea of completeness, and still others for presentation. It's fun when you talk about Atari with other people, they ask if you have a particular title, you say, "Let's go pull it from the collection," and then you see their reaction which is typically, "They made THAT MANY games for the Atari?!?"

 

In the age of digital media, when you can have a digital version of lots of things, there are some people who think collecting carts is silly or whatever when you can just have the ROMs. You need to ascertain your own position with regard to what you want to own in terms of physical objects. Carts, boxes, manuals - these are all physical artifacts for something that is essentially "just" a program. I like boxed games for all the reasons above, plus they are the physical manifestation, so to speak, of the fun that is the game (or should be, sometimes the box and manual is way better than the actual game).

 

When it comes to collecting boxed titles, in the immortal words of Crazy Climber, "Go for it!"

 

And don't forget to open those boxes And play your games!

 

It´s a pleasure to read that post, Zwackery!

[Vic George 2K3]

I'm not a big collector of boxes, but I had to buy a boxed 2600 Smurf Rescue just for the box alone since I never had the original box when I first got the game for my 15th birthday years ago.

[Zwackery]

And don't forget to open those boxes And play your games!

It´s a pleasure to read that post, Zwackery!

Every time I open a sealed game to play it, I increase the value of your sealed collection by this much.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

And don't forget to open those boxes And play your games!

It´s a pleasure to read that post, Zwackery!

Every time I open a sealed game to play it, I increase the value of your sealed collection by this much.

 

You are my man, Zwackery!

[Deteacher]

To date, I've always been a loose cart collector, with no intention of going boxed. I hope the dreaded "box bug" doesn't come to bite me. I've never had a desire to collect boxes.

[aftermac]

To date, I've always been a loose cart collector, with no intention of going boxed. I hope the dreaded "box bug" doesn't come to bite me. I've never had a desire to collect boxes.

 

I'm the same way... all of the boxes I have are ones I saved when I was a kid... or my Grandpa saved in the case of my 7800 games. I'm more interested in collecting unique titles.

[pinball22]

I don't have that many boxed games, and the ones I do are mostly accidental -- I bought a game I wanted at a price I wanted and it happened to include the box. I am interested in having all the black Imagic boxes (just need Atlantis) and all the Sears gatefolds (only have Black Jack, so far), but mostly I'm good with cart and manual.

[Crazy Climber]

If it's something my heart is set on then I'll go for the boxed but generally the better deal (cart and manual) wins over.

I think you accidentally switched your font to "readers digest big print"

[Crazy Climber]

I had to think hard about keeping a load of boxed games I got for $2 a pop yesterday. I think I've decided to keep 'em, and after a look at Al's database, my wife told me not to sell the Sunrise version of Quest for Quintana Roo.

So you got a Sunrise QFQR CIB for $2! That is a great score

 

Yep. pix are over in the Thrift Finds thread.

That thread is a mess, how about posting a few here

[shadow460]

OK. The first one is a shot of all the boxes as they will sit on my shelf. There are 18 new additions. The 7800, Saturn, PS2, and PSP titles were stuff I already had. I also had the Inty stuff already, it came from a large lot about six months ago. (Incidentally, the Saturn titles came from a similar lot). Next is a pic of everything that was inside the Quest box. Finally you see the manual scans. The only difference between these and the ones in the database is a bit of cleanup that Al did, I believe. The word "Quest" is not visible on the back side of the instructions, it's there because that's how my old ScanJet 5p grabbed it.

 

Every one of the Acitivision titles is CIB.

 

Total cost? $30, plus the cost of energy to run the scanner.

Edited December 10, 2008 by shadow460