Why do you collect?

[HatefulGravey]

My wife likes to pick on me about this. She thinks its "cute" that I get into older systems as much as I do. I have tried to explain to her what about this hobby makes it so much fun and she doesn't seem to fully understand though I know she is trying and it happy for me when I'm happy with a find in the wild. I thought I would see why other people collect and if my thoughts on this hobby are echo'd by others.

 

I started collecting because it was cool to talk about this friends and family. It was fun for me when video games got brought up and an uncle said "remember Baseball Stars" and I could go get the game and let them play it. As I collected I got more and more into the history of the games and the stories behind games and the people that made them. The history became a big part of why I collected and the value I placed on an item. Now I'm finding that in addition to these things the hunt is as enjoyable as owning these interested and interactive pieces of history. As I picked though all the easy finds in thrift stores and such tracking down the rare items is like hunting for easter eggs all year with the entire city as the front yard. I also find that talking to people and putting out feelers is enjoyable. I have meet a lot of very nice and interesting people while looking for old games and have learned a lot about all kinds of things related to gaming from all over the place.

 

All that said, the most rewarding part of this is watching my friends enjoy my collection. As much as I like playing these games and telling these stories I absolutely love to hear my friends laugh playing some off the wall VCS game.

 

So, what makes you love the hobby? Has your reason for collecting changed and expanding like mine? Tell your tail.

[GKC]

I like playing video games and collecting gives me one more thing to do with my two sons. Bottom line, it's fun. For me that's really the only reason to do it. I'm not looking to make a profit or anything like that. In fact I will probably never bring myself to sell anything other than duplicates.

Edited December 28, 2010 by GKC

[+Random Terrain]

I 'collected' whatever games I could get because I had the delusion that maybe the next game I got would be the one game that would finally 'complete me' somehow. I'd love every part of the game and have absolutely nothing to complain about (nothing that would make me say "this game would have been so much better if they did this instead of that"). That game does not exist. It will never exist unless I make it myself and since I'm a talentless hack, I'll never like what I create either.

[Rev. Rob]

This sums it up: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2008/07/01/20080701vintagegames0701.html

[PsychoKittyNet]

I enjoy playing games and have always enjoyed collecting things, and they smell considerably less than the reptiles I used to keep.

[Taskmaster99]

have always been a video game nut. ive collected many things over time but nothing is as enjoyable as video games for me. i like the hunt for that rare game that is a huge void in my collection.

[The_Laird]

have always been a video game nut. ive collected many things over time but nothing is as enjoyable as video games for me. i like the hunt for that rare game that is a huge void in my collection.

 

Pretty much agree with that. My game collecting is one of the very few things in my life that brings me pleasure.

[+Ransom]

I collect old video games because I've always been happier owning them than not owning them.

 

Every time I've sold a console, I've regretted it. I may go a long time without playing a given system, but eventually I get back to it and enjoy it very much.

 

At some level, I seem to have a need for the gaming systems I enjoyed in my youth.

[Tr3vor]

I collect for multiple reasons. I like the unique hardware each console has to offer. For the most part old video games are fun. And there is nothing like inserting a newly obtained cart into the system and figuring out the game.

[+save2600]

These days, I like to think I collect to play. It's extremely gratifying knowing you have a little media library of sorts at your fingertips. Game literature, boxes, memorabilia and all that make for awesome decoration throughout a room or two as well. Obviously for most of us, the major reason for collecting this old stuff is to relive or revisit your youth. It's even more fun when you have friends over that enjoy it as much as you. Girlfriends and wives partking in it is extremely cool also.

 

 

[cimerians]

I don't really actively collect as in "I must have every game for X system" but I do buy what interests me. I only buy what I would want to play so I don't go after those rare but crappy games. (They are rare for a reason).

 

I do it for the love of the games and the enjoyment I get from friends and family when they see those old games. I also only tend to buy what I played as a kid...like the Atari 2600 or Colecovision. I do have systems I never owned and have collected some games for them but I concentrate mainly on the stuff I played back then.

 

I have to admit the one system besides the Atari 2600 (and at times the 5200) where I get the most "Wow! You still have that?" is the Colecovision. Its cool when someone comes into my living room and stares at it and says something along those lines.

[SlowCoder]

2nd childhood, and I can afford it this time ... almost!

 

I collect to game. I am also enjoy feeling nostalgic about my childhood, remembering what it was like 25 years ago.

 

I also do enjoy being able to experience retro technology I never could as a kid.

[akator]

These days, I like to think I collect to play. It's extremely gratifying knowing you have a little media library of sorts at your fingertips. Game literature, boxes, memorabilia and all that make for awesome decoration throughout a room or two as well. Obviously for most of us, the major reason for collecting this old stuff is to relive or revisit your youth. It's even more fun when you have friends over that enjoy it as much as you. Girlfriends and wives partking in it is extremely cool also.

 

I don't really actively collect as in "I must have every game for X system" but I do buy what interests me. I only buy what I would want to play so I don't go after those rare but crappy games. (They are rare for a reason).

 

Agreed, I now collect to play. At one point I went insane and tried to collect for "completion." At least for me, that isn't as much fun as I thought it would be. There are tons of crappy titles for any system, so I was buying stuff that wasn't worth the paper I wipe my ass with... just to be a "completist."

 

I have reformed my ways

[JayWI]

2nd childhood, and I can afford it this time ... almost!

 

I collect to game. I am also enjoy feeling nostalgic about my childhood, remembering what it was like 25 years ago.

 

I also do enjoy being able to experience retro technology I never could as a kid.

 

Seconded.

 

I like to play games especially on systems I could only dream of owning as a kid. Well now that I can own them, I do. Every time I play a game for the first time it still has that "new" feeling to me. A few weeks ago I was playing Miracle Warriors on the SMS and had the booklet and fold up map out just like 20 years ago. Yes I could have just used the interweb, but sitting on the floor in front of my console TV with a can of Pepsi (the good kind made with real sugar) a bowl of pretzels and pouring over that map was a lot of fun and probably looked the same.....except now I have glasses, less hair and about 60 more pounds.

[Emehr]

I never really sought out to "collect" per se, but to play games I always wanted to play when I was younger but couldn't afford. Then it turned into consoles I was always curious about. Before I knew it, I had more games than could fit in a shoebox. To me, this stuff is never obsolete. Sports don't become obsolete. Movies don't become obsolete. Why should video games?

[HatefulGravey]

There have been a few compents about collecting to complete entire systems. How many people really do that? I'll buy a rare game if I find it in a store or something, but I wont go so far as to look for it. I certainly wont pay through the teeth for it in a bidding war or something. I'm just buying what I see that looks cool. There are a few games I'll search for, but they are games that I remember and just really want back, or games that I missed and really want to play anyway. There are a few TG16 games I am going to seek out right now for example.

[Mirage]

I wanted to know what it felt like to have no money.

[JayWI]

I wanted to know what it felt like to have no money.

 

Go to college. Everyone is poor and in huge debt in college.

[Mirage]

I wanted to know what it felt like to have no money.

 

Go to college. Everyone is poor and in huge debt in college.

 

That was the start of my downfall. I needed a hobby to settle my fate.

[+save2600]

Sports don't become obsolete. Movies don't become obsolete. Why should video games?

And neither does music. I'd love to bitch slap anyone and everyone who has ever asked: "you still listen to that" Gotta love the mainstream. Or not.

Edited December 29, 2010 by save2600

[JayWI]

I wanted to know what it felt like to have no money.

 

Go to college. Everyone is poor and in huge debt in college.

 

That was the start of my downfall. I needed a hobby to settle my fate.

 

Yeah college is great for putting you tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

[tz101]

Being a little older than most on these forums, I came of age when VCS, Intellivision, and Colecovision were king. Arcades were the place to be, and I particularly enjoyed the one's that gave 8 tokens for $1. Man, those were the days.

 

Fast forward to today, and I collect for all the systems, but most enjoy the one's from my heyday, VCS, INTV, CV, and 5200. Arcade ports on these are more fun to me than any modern RPG on Wii or 360.

 

I do think the biggest draw to me is that these are relatively inexpensive to collect for, especially since I wanted them all in my later teen years, but could not afford them. All I owned prior to NES was a VCS. Now, I have been blessed to have them all.

[Rik]

I wanted to know what it felt like to have no money.

 

Go to college. Everyone is poor and in huge debt in college.

 

That was the start of my downfall. I needed a hobby to settle my fate.

 

Yeah college is great for putting you tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

Yep, this one Dentist i know told me the 1st 5 years working as a Dentist was to pay off his tuition debt.He said it was Kraft Mac&Cheese and Top Ramen noodles for 5 years.Not all have rich parents to pay for their schooling, then again those are usually the ones that fail all their courses and end up working for minimum wage again. Life's a bitch.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Rik

[stephentwright]

I collect NES games and controllers. Right now i have over 140 games, a powerglove, a powerpad, a u-force which my kind brother got for me, 4 flight joysticks, and many other controllers and some odd looking ones too.

[tz101]

4 flight joysticks, and many other controllers and some odd looking ones too.

 

Post pics, please.