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Favorite systems to collect for?


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Favorite systems to collect for:

 

Mostly 8-bit stuff:

ColecoVision

Intellivision

Vectrex

NES

Atari 2600

 

Newer consoles, 16-bit and beyond:

 

N64

Genesis

Dreamcast

Wii

Xbox

Xbox 360

Ps1

Ps2

Ps3

 

Pretty much in that order.

 

I don't do too much collecting nowadays, other than homebrews. Flashcarts have satisfied all my needs for games and I have one for every cart system, except for SNES.. That's the only one I still need but it's also the most expensive. I will have one this year though! :)

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Famicom - its library has a totally different flavor than NES. If you can't tell, I love exploring hidden gems and obscure curiosities and the Famicom has that in spades. You have to watch out because you can get suckered into a game that requires fluency in Japanese but as long as you know what to look for you can find a ton of exciting games that never made it to our shores. I've been on a Famicom binge lately.

 

Magnavox Odyssey 2 - the graphics here are so minimalistic they're a work of art. When you watch an old tv show or cartoon and there's generic video game things happening on a tv screen, I can assure you they're playing a Magnavox Odyssey 2. Games are pretty cheap because no one really seeks them out but the bad part is that the game 'cases' are made of cardboard and get damaged very easily. I want to get a multicart soon.

 

And just to heat things up, here are some systems I hate collecting for:

 

SNES - prices are too high. Even Japanese imports that used to be a safe haven for collectors have already started to get out of hand. It's not even worth checking out prices anymore. Pass.

 

N64 - not enough variety and too small of a library to be interesting. You can pretty much see the whole library in a weekend, so there's no sense of discovery when you collect.

 

I always forget about the Famicom because A) I'm not a big import guy to begin with and B) I keep forgetting I actually have systems that can actually run Famicom carts. :-D I know there are Famicom versions of Galaxian and Space Invaders that look really good, which never came out on NES.

 

The Odyssey 2 is one of my favorite systems. As I may have mentioned already, it was my first retro console (NES and Genesis weren't "retro" yet, just old junk), and I found the thing mesmerizing. "Minimalist" is a great way to describe the graphics, and they're really part of the Odyssey's charm IMO. It has great joysticks, too. And I love the box art (and the gatefold boxes themselves!), and the handles on the cartridges, and the big red power button and silver case and goofy keyboard...when I think of "retro games," I think of the Odyssey 2. :-D

 

I'm glad I got my SNES stuff when I did (10-15 years ago), because I definitely feel you there.

 

I don't actively collect N64 but I've accumulated a decent pile of games over the years. I don't know if I agree about there not being a lot of variety, but admittedly I'm not nearly as well-versed in the system as the more dedicated N64 collectors are. It does seem to lean heavily toward the shooter genre, though.

 

 

Consider a TI-99/4A they are a lot of fun!

 

I have, and do, and I agree. :) I think I first played a TI at MGC in 2008 or '09. It was running TI Invaders and I fell in love. I bought my first TI on eBay less than a week later (there weren't any for sale at the show).

 

Admittedly, it hasn't been at the forefront for me in some time, but I have what I consider a moderately respectable TI collection: silver console (actually, like, four of them...gotta downsize!), PEB (pretty standard loadout, I gather--32K and disk controller + drive), 9" TI monitor, speech synthesizer, about 40 game carts and 20-30 more educational and utility carts, a few sets of joysticks (including a couple sets of Amiga Powersticks that I got before I even knew what the TI was; I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't work on my Atari :P ), an Atari joystick adapter, and some other goodies. I even typed in some BASIC and Extended BASIC games from Compute's Book of TI Games and saved them to both disk and cassette. :-D

 

I don't actively collect for the TI at the moment--my focus simply lies elsewhere. But I want to get Miner 2049er for it (I love Miner and want to get it for every system I can!), and if Parker Bros. carts would ever turn up for prices that fall within the realm of sanity, I'd go for those as well (at least Frogger). Off and on I'll keep an eye out for some of the more common tape and disk software as well, but otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with my TI collection. There are only so many rabbit holes I can go down. :)

 

Before I boot up Defender on the TI, I have to make sure I have at least two hours to burn, because that's how long I'll end up playing it. :-D TI Trek is a great "Trek" game as well.

 

Another system I really like is the Vectrex. Yes, the cost of entry is getting ridiculously high: it's hard to find a working system for less than $250 US. However, some of the games are really terrific, and the unique display really sets it apart from any other game console. You can pick up a multicart with a legal release of all the original 80s games for maybe $75 if you hunt around. That, and there's quite a nice homebrew scene, with new releases every year.

I have a couple of Vectrexes but it never occurs to me to try to collect for the system because the first cartridge I ever got for it was the Sean Kelly Multicart, so I guess I never felt like I'm "missing" any games (because, really, I'm not). The only other ones I have are Protector/YASI and Thrust; I don't actually own a single original Vectrex cart. One of these days I should really get some of those reproduction overlays to use with the original games on the multicart though.

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I'm surprised it took this long for the Coleco to get a mention! :)

I guess it's not for everybody, and rightfully so.. It's the most expensive system to collect for, next to the NES and SNES. As far as collecting original games, CV has always been that way for as long as I can remember. There's some great homebrews nowadays and with the SGM, perhaps more people will get into it. We'll see. ;)

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So...

 

Atari 2600: First videogame I´ve ever had. Amazing artwork, great games, great memories. And I just keep discovering new things every day.

 

Channel F: Just love the history, the 70s-soaked design of everything. Trying to complete the library but it´s been a pain to grab the last few.

 

Vectrex: Love everything about it. The system is amazing, the overlays are a blast. Great games, great fun, and a library normal people can complete (except for that little one with the top hat...)

 

MSX: My first computer. Great games, and original japanese games are fantastic to collect, almost every game looks like a "collector´s edition". But damn they are pricey now.

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I guess it's not for everybody, and rightfully so.. It's the most expensive system to collect for, next to the NES and SNES. As far as collecting original games, CV has always been that way for as long as I can remember. There's some great homebrews nowadays and with the SGM, perhaps more people will get into it. We'll see. ;)

It definitely isn't cheap once you get out of the shallow end of the rarity pool, that's for sure. Hell, even loose commons seem to be starting at $5-10 a pop now. Getting a working system isn't exactly a trivial matter, either.

 

I think the Coleco is one of those systems where if you really want to collect for it, it has to be *the* system. It has to be your main focus, if not your only focus. You can't be trying to collect for a dozen different platforms at the same time like I am. :P Still, I've managed to accumulate a decent little collection of Coleco titles over the years, about 40 titles, including a tasty-looking assortment of third-party cartridges. I'll grab a game here or there that looks interesting, but yeah, I can't afford to be a real Coleco collector on top of everything else I collect for. :-D

 

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I guess it's not for everybody, and rightfully so.. It's the most expensive system to collect for, next to the NES and SNES. As far as collecting original games, CV has always been that way for as long as I can remember. There's some great homebrews nowadays and with the SGM, perhaps more people will get into it. We'll see. ;)

How are we quantifying this? To me the TurboGrafx library is very expensive, by which I mean even the bottom of the library has gotten pretty ridiculous. I don't feel the same way about Coleco.

 

Then there is always the Neo Geo....

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My own personal experiences throughout the years, almost 2 decades of casually browsing ebay and other sites online. A quick example is the prices of CV vs Intellivision and Atari 2600.. Drastic difference in price and larger barrier to entry.

I don't know anything about collecting TurboGrafx or Neo Geo because I don't own those systems and have no real desire to. Therefore I can't really comment on those prices vs. Coleco. From what little I do know, they are indeed very expensive to collect for.

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A few more thoughts:

 

On the Coleco...

It was the first console my family bought. I was born 35 years ago yesterday, so I was almost a year old when my older sister got it for Xmas in '82. I inherited it when she "lost interest in playing video games". I was around 5 then, and I've loved it ever since. Somehow, I still have it all these years later. I do buy stuff for it now and then, but I've recently learned that the controller ports have started to fail, so I've halted buying games for it until I fix it. I did buy the Roller Controller and steering wheel earlier this year though!

 

On the TG16...

I really like the TurboGrafx, but man, the games are just too damn expensive for me to actively collect for it. I only have a handful of games, and I'm lucky even to have those. They are scarce around here, and when Keith Courage goes for around $25-30 around here, the good stuff is priced out of my comfort zone.

 

On the Vectrex...

Another console I love, and one of the crown jewels of my collection! But like the TG16, game prices are getting out of hand. I have most of what I want for it, save for the Star Trek game. That's one that I've been on the hunt for. I do appreciate the overall quality of the games though, and plunking down a few extra bucks for a game is justified by that.

 

I forgot about the Famicom!

I picked one up about 6 months ago, and have built a small collection for it. There are lots of games that weren't released in the US for it, so it's fun seeing what our Japanese counterparts were playing back in the 80's. Love it, and will definitely get a Disk System for it someday.

 

On the SNES...

Another console I love, but I've been taking a hiatus from collecting for it. Around here, even the common titles start at $10, which is nuts. It's not a boutique console like the TG16, so I feel that a lot of the games are way overpriced for what they are.

 

On the Dreamcast...

Love the DC, but I bought 99% of the games I ever want for the thing when it went on clearance back in 2002-03. I haven't bought a DC title since buying out a friend's collection back in 2009.

 

On the PS1/PS2:

Two of my favorite all-time consoles, and I do buy games from time to time. I went nuts in the early 2000's when PS1 became obsolete and bought up tons of great games. I did the same for the PS2 (and the GameCube) so I have a lot of stuff for those consoles. I still have a bunch of sealed stuff I never had time to open and play, and now it's to the point that I'm not sure if I should open them.

 

On Handhelds...

I have quite a few of them (GB, GG, GBC, GBA, DS, PSP, NGPC, and even a Nomad) and I love them all. I really haven't felt the need to expand on what I currently have lately, save for a game here and there.

 

On Emulation and older computer stuff...

I recently set up a HTPC made of spare parts I had kicking around. It's running Windows 10 and at Metal Jesus's suggestion (and after watching his video on it) I installed Launch Box. Now, I'm trying to organize my rom collection and get things working on the HTPC through Launch Box. I've been doing emulation things since the 90's on various devices, and it's beginning to become fun again now that I can play them via the HTPC! Through DosBox on Launch Box and my Apple II emulator, I can play lots of the old games I used to play on my Apple IIe and my Gateway 2000, and that works for me to scratch that itch.

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Ill do 3 for diferent reasons in no particular order.

 

Atari 2600:

 

Due to graphical limitations the realy tried to get your imagination going with the cover art. Lots of great stuff.

 

Atari 400/800 computer carts:

 

I love the carts with no label art just a name and a number. You know the ones with the aluminum shell. They seem like they're military issue or something. They are very utilitarian, like they could outlast a nuclear war. I like the weight of them and the spring loaded cover. I even like how the all say left cartridge on the top.

 

NES:

 

I just love nes. My mom wouldn't get me one as a kid. I begged and begged but she said video games rot the brain. Now every time I add one to the collection I feel like I'm winning that childhood argument.

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Hehe, I see what's going on here. :P Let me clarify my post from earlier. CV is probably the most expensive system > I < collect for. ;) I never meant for everyone to take it as it's the most expensive in general. I know the Neo Geo has that beat by a long shot. :D

Edited by SiLic0ne t0aD85
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Sonic 2 I'm not sure where you saw it paid for at that price, but most them I see roll by on ebay are around $25 which still is kind of crazy.

Couple listings here:

 

$50, which is already ridiculous: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Complete-w-MINT-CASE-EX-NM-Sega-Dreamcast-/122321354049?hash=item1c7aebbd41:g:5McAAOSw-0xYhDQN

 

$70: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-SEGA-Dreamcast-2001-COMPLETE-CIB-/401215891609?hash=item5d6a54a899:g:bX4AAOSwal5YE8YC

 

Another $70: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Sega-Dreamcast-Original-Release-Complete-Excellent-/371836308413?hash=item56932bcbbd:g:qqgAAOSwo4pYdTmJ

 

$52: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Dreamcast-Game-/292004833646?hash=item43fcd8296e:g:5xsAAOSw241YgLxo

 

$60: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Sega-Dreamcast-2001-CIB-/262747243101?hash=item3d2cf4c25d:g:9uYAAOSwiDFYQ2gL

 

You can find it for a bit less than that, yeah, but I just don't understand the price variation. The >$50 ones do actually sell.

 

Now if you want a *new* one, which should still be pretty cheap because again, this game was dirt common and that's why there are even so many unopened copies out there:

 

$140: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Sega-Dreamcast-Brand-New-Factory-Sealed-/152390355867?hash=item237b2c4b9b:g:puEAAOSw2xRYdFwZ

 

$175: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-FACTORY-SEALED-Sonic-Adventure-2-Sega-Dreamcast-2001-158-/152402902233?hash=item237bebbcd9:g:jFsAAOSw4DJYgRmV

 

$199: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonic-Adventure-2-Sega-Dreamcast-2001-Brand-New-Black-Label-Factory-Sealed-/142229119547?hash=item211d84223b:g:OsYAAOSwB09YP3xm

 

$189: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONIC-ADVENTURE-2-Sega-Dreamcast-Original-Game-2001-Brand-NEW-Factory-Sealed-NM-/122302372454?hash=item1c79ca1a66:g:8qwAAOSwEzxYbs5c

 

I mean congrats if you got it as part of a lot CIB for cheap. I look for good deals on lots sometimes, but I have most of the common games already so I don't usually find much worth buying for myself. It does seem uncommon to find SA2 in lots.

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A few more thoughts:

 

On Emulation and older computer stuff...

I recently set up a HTPC made of spare parts I had kicking around. It's running Windows 10 and at Metal Jesus's suggestion (and after watching his video on it) I installed Launch Box. Now, I'm trying to organize my rom collection and get things working on the HTPC through Launch Box. I've been doing emulation things since the 90's on various devices, and it's beginning to become fun again now that I can play them via the HTPC! Through DosBox on Launch Box and my Apple II emulator, I can play lots of the old games I used to play on my Apple IIe and my Gateway 2000, and that works for me to scratch that itch.

 

Yup. And emulation is getting better all the time. It lets you pack a lot of punch in a small space. Just one console/computer to rule them all!

 

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I find it very difficult to pick a favourite system to collect for. I have most systems and generally go for periods of anything from 6 weeks to 3 months where I focus solely on one particular system and then move on to something else.

 

I had a lot of fun last year with the PC. I was on a personal mission to prove that Linux was better for old games than post-XP Windows because Wine is more configurable than the Windows compatibility mode and I discovered some great games along the way like POD, Tyrian, Need for Speed 3 and The Movies. One of things I love about the PC is that virtually any hardware configuration has some kind of gaming capacity (even if it's just emulators) and there really is no better time to be involved in PC gaming than today.

 

The XBox 360 was also an unexpected development last year. It stemmed from my frustrations at trying to play later Windows games through Linux (most notably Ghostbusters: the Video Game) and I wanted a small, portable console I could hook up next to my ageing desktop through VGA to play all the games it couldn't handle and the 360 stepped into that role flawlessly.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have most systems and generally go for periods of anything from 6 weeks to 3 months where I focus solely on one particular system and then move on to something else.

That's kind of how I am as well, except I'll get a system out and play it for a week or two and then get distracted by life (or sometimes just other systems) and forget about it. For instance, I hooked up my PlayStation to my big LCD TV in the living room (which I don't typically use for retrogaming*) because I had just gotten Fear Effect and was really jazzed to play through it. That was almost two years ago... :P

 

I generally leave my computer systems set up longer since I'm lazy and it's a bigger hassle to switch them out (console/CPU, drives, sometimes a dedicated monitor, peripherals, etc.) than it would be a game system.

 

(*It's still blowing my mind that the PSX is retro now.)

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Today I mainly collect for the NES, SMS, 2600, 5200, Vectrex,and the TI-99 4/A. Might get into some 7800 soon as well.

 

 

Lately started to seriously collect NES stuff,even thinking about getting the super expensive Action 52 cart lol.

 

 

So glad I have a minty Action Set NES boxed,and currently at 200+ carts. NES kicks ass! :)

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Oooh, tough question! It's actually tough since I'm getting to the point for a lot of my favorite consoles that I'm getting into the really expensive stuff if I want to grab things I don't have.

 

I would say my favorite console to collect for is the 2600. Historical significance, large library of bizarre games, a storied history spanning some 14 years... it's a fun one. As mentioned, though, I'm approaching the point where the only games left to me are increasingly expensive and rare titles. I grew up initially with the console, so I have a lot of nostalgia for it, too.

 

I also really like collecting for Intellivision. I first was exposed to it via a library book from the early 80s about video games, and then my grandma found one for me at a yard sale when I was around 9 or 10. I think it's a great counterpart to the 2600 with its own personality. Similarly I really enjoyed collecting for the Odyssey2, though I did just complete that set.

 

The PC Engine is pretty fun to collect for, since unlike its american counterpart you can find a lot of really good stuff without breaking the bank. And I'm a fan of the Famicom and FDS, too - it's like a weird mirror universe version of the NES where I haven't heard of all the games and can actually still afford a good chunk of them.

 

Honorable mentions: 7800, 5200, Astrocade, Vectrex, Neo Geo, Sega Master System

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  • 7 months later...

As far as my favorite system to Collect for: Atari 2600, Very cheap, Console or game, its one of the cheapest systems to collect for , plus the sheer variety! The Consoles can often be had for less than $40 (except Heavy 6er's and other rare types, like Polyvox and clones) , and common games can often be found for as little as $1 (USD), and my local V-Stock has a good selection of atari stuff. It's amazing how one title can have as many as a dozen different variations! Not to mention all the different accessories, like my favorite joysticks, the awesome set of Epyx Joysticks I found for mine at a thrift store for $1.

 

2. Atari 8 Bit Massive selection, if a little more costly to collect for than the 2600, but $5-10 on average is still cheap, and even a "Lowly" 400 will play roughly 90 % of the games. The hardware is going up in price, but bargains are still to be had, especially considering the average person is still more likely to overlook or undervalue an old computer, and you can snag good deals (I got an Atari 400 at a Metal Recycler for $10, with a game and a bunch of joysticks.

 

3. NES: The consoles have gone through the roof as of late, but the games themselves have not, and many titles can still be had for less than $10-15. I frequent Slackers and V-Stock, and I pick them up for anywhere from $3-$20.

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It's nice to see a lot of love for 2600, but I guess that goes with the territory here.

 

We all seem to love the prices and availability but I wonder if that's going to change after the RetroN 77 comes out. It probably won't happen like this but I expect a lot of 'casuals' to get into it and drive up prices for a short while, then after they get bored because the games don't look like Shovel Knight they'll give up and prices will come back down.

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I know I posted 8mo ago in here but I've re-prioritized things a lot.

 

I'm selectively collecting for as my favorites: Gameboy(any) and Neo Geo MVS+NGPC.

 

I say selectively because there's few SNK games I still want, and I have a flash kit for the handheld. Gameboy I'm good for whatever, but now I also have an Everdrive GB so it has to be one i truly want to own and not 'just because' it's there. Nintendo Switch is(will be) the one I buy actively at this rate alone which is a relief.

 

Sold off my post-GC Nintendo consoles, all my Sega stuff, dropped a few games for others, offloaded my DS stuff and 1/2 my 3DS games too. I'm getting things under control finally.

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I'm not really a collector in the traditional sense in that I don't seek out games just to have. I generally only buy games that I'm actually interested in playing. That said, I am a collector of opportunity. If I run across games that are dirt cheap I might buy them just to have. They have to be DIRT cheap though (I've bought lots of Dreamcast, Wii, etc that were $.50-$1.00).

 

I love buying for the Wii. Im always on the lookout for games that might have flown under radar. I have more games for the Wii than any other system.

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