Who owns more than 550 different NES games!

[LifeGame]

Hello all, just wondering how many of us collectors here have 550 or more different NES games since i recently passed that mark myself i wondered.

Let me know!
Thanks

[Ed Oscuro]

Before I launch into my (hopefully well-natured in appearance, as it's meant to be) rant, I just wanna say that I'm not accusing anybody here of being "a part of the problem," and I know you didn't ask for this reply. I don't mean to take this conversation off-course, so I will start by saying that I do not have a complete NES collection - I do not even have a complete collection of all the NES games I think it would be worthwhile for me to have, although I work on it as quickly as possible. However, I just thought this other stuff was worth sayin' so I up and did it.

What do I think about collecting?

Who gives a flying mother(insert Shaft soundclip here)? Seriously, every time I turn around there's somebody selling off their whole game collection, and I think even I have way too many games.

At worst, this sort of attitude that collecting is an end onto itself threatens to drive up prices games by ensuring that there are more people going after a set number of games (as I have sold things before and even recently attempted to exploit a ridiculous price peak some months ago on a X68000 game, that may sound hypocritical, and indeed I do believe one has no moral obligation not to take advantage of favorable pricing - so you're free to take as you like, but regardless I think I do make a point about the market; for my part I do my best not to get into bidding wars or buy items at high prices). At best, it's a worthless sort of circle-jerk where you have winners and losers based on who has the biggest wallet, instead of playing and growing together as friends with shared interests.

Sorry if that looks hostile, but I think the myth that "collecting NES is cool" and that is all you need to do should be blown up a little, mainly because it just seems wrong to view video games (which are about fun) as being exactly like coins or anything else you can only look at or toss about (yes, I collect coins a bit as well). Just as collecting is nerdy needs to be blown up - but here I really question the need of most people to have a complete collection. Obviously, there are some people who would make good use out of a complete NES collection - but not most people.

Let me put it this way - if you can't justify having a complete set of NES ROMz, you should think twice about going on a collecting spree.

I also should put it this way: There's really nothing wrong with collecting anything that catches your fancy, even if it's just cover art or something. However, indiscriminate collecting (i.e. all NES games) seems a bit wrong. NES games are not like coins or stamps.

I don't know. I'm half-hoping somebody can come out and prove me to be a twat here, because I'm halfway getting that feeling. Regardless, what's the point of having all NES games (besides getting your foot in the door on what will ultimately become another hedge against inflation, like any other collectable item)?

[Trebuken]

Not sure how to follow that...

I have more than 550 NES games. Most of the remaining are a bit more expensive.

LifeGame - many people around here have more than 550 NES games; some even have them complete in box with manual. The first 500 NES games are easy-ish to come by. We're at the tough (or expensive) part of the collection.

[Ruudos]

I own more than 550 NES & Famicom games. I don't come to 550 with only NES-games though.

BTW, I don't think collecting ever has any kind of real purpose.

[Oobgarm]

For the record, I have approx. 257 games for the NES. That's after a huge sell-off, where I'm certain I had more than 550 games. (Do keep in mind that this was close to 10 years ago.)


Before I launch into my (hopefully well-natured in appearance, as it's meant to be) rant, I just wanna say that I'm not accusing anybody here of being "a part of the problem," and I know you didn't ask for this reply. I don't mean to take this conversation off-course, so I will start by saying that I do not have a complete NES collection - I do not even have a complete collection of all the NES games I think it would be worthwhile for me to have, although I work on it as quickly as possible. However, I just thought this other stuff was worth sayin' so I up and did it.

What do I think about collecting?

Who gives a flying mother(insert Shaft soundclip here)? Seriously, every time I turn around there's somebody selling off their whole game collection, and I think even I have way too many games.

At worst, this sort of attitude that collecting is an end onto itself threatens to drive up prices games by ensuring that there are more people going after a set number of games (as I have sold things before and even recently attempted to exploit a ridiculous price peak some months ago on a X68000 game, that may sound hypocritical, and indeed I do believe one has no moral obligation not to take advantage of favorable pricing - so you're free to take as you like, but regardless I think I do make a point about the market; for my part I do my best not to get into bidding wars or buy items at high prices). At best, it's a worthless sort of circle-jerk where you have winners and losers based on who has the biggest wallet, instead of playing and growing together as friends with shared interests.

Sorry if that looks hostile, but I think the myth that "collecting NES is cool" and that is all you need to do should be blown up a little, mainly because it just seems wrong to view video games (which are about fun) as being exactly like coins or anything else you can only look at or toss about (yes, I collect coins a bit as well). Just as collecting is nerdy needs to be blown up - but here I really question the need of most people to have a complete collection. Obviously, there are some people who would make good use out of a complete NES collection - but not most people.

Let me put it this way - if you can't justify having a complete set of NES ROMz, you should think twice about going on a collecting spree.

I also should put it this way: There's really nothing wrong with collecting anything that catches your fancy, even if it's just cover art or something. However, indiscriminate collecting (i.e. all NES games) seems a bit wrong. NES games are not like coins or stamps.

I don't know. I'm half-hoping somebody can come out and prove me to be a twat here, because I'm halfway getting that feeling. Regardless, what's the point of having all NES games (besides getting your foot in the door on what will ultimately become another hedge against inflation, like any other collectable item)?

Ed...I perfectly understand where you are coming from with your thoughts. You look at video games as more than just another collectible. But the fact of the matter is, ANYTHING can be collectible if the collector deems it so. And no one has the right to tell a person that what their thoughts are are 'incorrect'. (I use that term loosely since no one is actually deeming that, it's just that I feel people would construe those comments as such). I understand that some might be put off by an influx of new collectors that don't share the same level of passion as themselves, but that shouldn't make anyone less entitled to do something they enjoy. It comes off as sounding elitist, and that's a poor reflection of one's character.

There are no set guidelines as to what a person's intentions have to be before they are given the 'blessing' of collecting anything, including a complete NES set. I, personally, would LOVE to have a complete NES set for no other reason than to say I own them all. The NES was a huge part of my life, and why not fulfill a childhood dream of owning them all? I'm sure that I'm not the only one with those desires. I wouldn't play many of them, maybe a handful. They'd just sit on the shelf. But who's to say I'm wrong here?

The whole point of collecting is to have fun. If you can enjoy collecting while staying within your own personal monetary means, there's nothing that should stop you or give you pause about what you're doing.

Collecting certainly does drive price up, but it's inevitable. If a person wants an NWC cart and is only willing to pay $100 for it, then they'll search until they find a specimen that meets their expectations. They're not going to scoff at the copies that go for $2000, since it's not in their means or expectations. If one looks hard enough, any title, even some of the grails, are obtainable at a low price. Everyone places a different monetary value to stuff and buys accordingly.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

I'd actually like to know how many NES collector's have actually collected from the beginning of the NES to now. I see a lot of retro collector's who are between 18-25, where a majority of them perhaps were a bit too young at the time to buy their own games, but maybe had a NES and have had a handful of games from the beginning and have never stopped buying them. How many people have had a near complete NES set since before the SNES's release?

It would be nice to see someone put their hand up and say that they have a majority of a whole collection (Ie, 75% or more) which they have had for 15 or more years, rather than to see 20 something's who have selected the NES as their collection of choice and have simply eBay'ed all the titles in their collection. For example, I am not really all that proud of my N64 or Dreamcast collections as they are systems I have collected for AFTER their demise, and have simply collected them from other collector's on eBay over the years.

[MF_Luder]

I'd actually like to know how many NES collector's have actually collected from the beginning of the NES to now. I see a lot of retro collector's who are between 18-25, where a majority of them perhaps were a bit too young at the time to buy their own games, but maybe had a NES and have had a handful of games from the beginning and have never stopped buying them. How many people have had a near complete NES set since before the SNES's release?

It would be nice to see someone put their hand up and say that they have a majority of a whole collection (Ie, 75% or more) which they have had for 15 or more years, rather than to see 20 something's who have selected the NES as their collection of choice and have simply eBay'ed all the titles in their collection. For example, I am not really all that proud of my N64 or Dreamcast collections as they are systems I have collected for AFTER their demise, and have simply collected them from other collector's on eBay over the years.


I see it differently. I don't think it's any worse to start collecting for a system well after its demise... in fact, I see it as the logical process of the collecting hobby. Let me explain. I have nothing against the 18-25 year old kids collecting for the NES. In fact, that's probably one of the main NES collecting demographics because they were the kids that grew up in the NES age. I don't think it's even debatable that nostalgia is perhaps the greatest driving force for the VG collecting hobby, so I think it's only fair to assume that a large number of NES collectors are going to be nostalgic young adults who finally have the financial means to purchase and play old games that they obviously never could have bought as jobless 10 year olds. I often notice that many of the older collectors have a sort of animosity towards the younger collectors, perhaps under the philisophy that they have "no appreciation for the classics". While this is may be true at the early stages of collecting, I think it's fair to say that every hardcore collector went through the phase of being a dumb new collector too. Almost every "old collector" started out as a young collector-- this isn't a hobby people just pick up at 35 years old.... it's a hobby you pick up at 18-25. It takes time to get to a point where you're an experienced collector, and all of us were dumb collectors at a time too; just like the kids just getting back into the NES now.

Plus, you have to consider the reality of what you are saying. 75% of an NES collection while the NES is still in production?? I don't think you'd see many people who can meet that criteria... even the most hardcore collectors on DP with complete or near-complete NES collections. First of all, what'd be the point of compiling games in that fashion? It'd be irrational from both a gaming and financial standpoint. First, from a gaming standpoint, why buy all those games back in 1990? You would never get to play them all. The point is to slowly compile it through the years so you can actually play the games (however, yes I realize that not every collector plays every game they own). The NES had some classics, but it had even more crap games... it wasn't worth owning 75% them at the prices they were fetching back in 1990. Which brings me to the second factor-- finances. Today you can find almost all NES commons for less than $5... and less than $1 or $2 if you buy some nice lots. But back in 1990 you would have been paying at least $60 for new games, and a hefty price for even the most common of used games. So why make this type of investment when the value of the items is only going to depreciate? Now, 15 years later, we are at the point where you can be pretty sure that the games will hold their value.

All of this doesn't just apply to the NES-- it applies to all systems. Put what you are saying into context. It'd be like me saying that the best PS2 collector is the person who has a 75% complete collection RIGHT NOW. Is it reasonable to own a 75% complete PS2 collection right now? From a gaming and financial standpoint, probably not. If some hardcore PS2 guy wants to go for it, hey it's a free country, but the rest of us will wait. Sure, now is the time to start collecting some of the games, but you would need thousands of dollars just to get to the 50% mark right now. So see, while we're discussing the NES today, 15 years from now it'll be the PS2 we're discussing with 18-25 year olds taking over that collecting scene. And it'll be just as crazy in 2025 to say that the best PS2 collectors are the ones that had a 75% complete collection by 2007. Sorry for all the rambling and I understand what you're saying... I don't think it's a bad point, but I just wanted to show how it appears from a different perspective and in a different context.

[Family Computer]

I always thought the "collecting every game" thing was pretty stupid unless someone is extremely well off. If you have unlimited funds, sure do whatever you like. Sure everyone has the freedom to extend their credit limits, buy every game on ebay, and penny-pinch to survive daily. If that truly makes you happy, then go for it.

I just hate to see people waste their money in general, and this only get magnified with some video game collectors. Honestly, if you don't play it, there are a LOT better investments that can be made with the money.

Do what makes you happy, but please don't succumb to multiple credit cards to do so.

[bangtango]

At the moment, I don't even have 10 NES games so don't worry about me completing the NES collection anytime soon. I don't have the cash for that type of venture and even if I had the money, I wouldn't want to. I'd complete the Sega Genesis collection before anything else and I won't be doing that anytime soon either, if ever.

I'd like to add to what Ed said or maybe take it in a different direction. I don't have any problem with a person owning every NES game. Here is what I think, though. Excuse me for the morbid thoughts.

1. It isn't anything you can take with you after you're gone and it isn't a meaningful asset that everyone in your will would appreciate. If I wasn't a gamer, I'd have mixed feelings if the only thing a loved one left me in his or her will was a complete NES collection and it was my job to get rid of it, sell it or hold onto it.

2. If that is the only legacy you have left over after you pass away, then it is a fairly meaningless one. There are a lot of other things I'd rather be known for than owning every game on a particular system.

With that said, you can't really knock a person's interests. I have hobbies that get plenty of derision from other people, too.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Not everybody has to rely on credit cards though. Some people allocate a certain percentage of their wage / salary to their collection. And at the end of the day, when it's complete it's over, unless you choose to move onto something else. Plus, there's the bonus of being able to sell it on again to re-coup the money spent if need be, unlike other hobbies which involve parting with money in exchange for an "Experience" which you'll never get back (Ie, Go-Karting or playing online MMORPG's etc)


Collecting a complete collection usually comes after collecting the games you want to play. It gets to the point where you take a look at what you have (Maybe, 50%) and decide that to accumulate the rest wouldn't take much more effort or money. Eg, my own personal N-Gage collection was pretty much 75% complete when I decided that to complete the collection would just mean buying a handful of titles that I usually wouldn't touch (Ie, sports titles) ~ Same could be said here, where the NES collection in question is perhaps proportinally complete, and the collector has decided that to reach 95% or over is a realistic target

[Oobgarm]

Plus, there's the bonus of being able to sell it on again to re-coup the money spent if need be

So, why not wait until things are cheaper so not as much is invested in things that may be resold?

Just buying a shit-ton of games just to say "Yeah, I was into that when it was the 'in thing', not like like everyone else who got into it after they stopped making games for it" is elitist, and therefore completely stupid.

[DigitalSpace]

I currently own 131 NES games. I'll never get anywhere close to 550, as I generally only like to keep the stuff I'll actually play. I do have a small want list, and there's still quite a bit of stuff I'd get if I saw it at the right price, but even then, I doubt the number will reach 200.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

Not me, I have about half of that though. Around 200-225 so I'm half way there. I do have over 550 Sega Genesis games though if you wanna start a who has over 550 Genesis games.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[Bronty-2]

550 is no more of a benchmark than any other arbitrary number, really. I think the OP said he just to 550, hence the #.

[bangtango]

Well, I suppose spending the amount of money required to obtain 550 NES games is more productive than spending the same money on dope, booze, heroin, cocaine, scratch tickets, etc.

[The Shawn]

Well, I suppose spending the amount of money required to obtain 550 NES games is more productive than spending the same money on dope, booze, heroin, cocaine, scratch tickets, etc.


What's wrong with scratch tickets?

Personally I tried to get rid of any NES I own simply because they take up space and I never play any of them. I grew up in the Atari-Era though...

[PingvinBlueJeans]

Well, I suppose spending the amount of money required to obtain 550 NES games is more productive than spending the same money on dope, booze, heroin, cocaine, scratch tickets, etc.
I suppose your right...but judging one's behavior by comparing oneself to drug addicts or compulsive gamblers is setting the bar pretty low.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[bangtango]

I suppose your right...but judging one's behavior by comparing oneself to drug addicts or compulsive gamblers is setting the bar pretty low.

My point is with the rest of that ahem "stuff", there is absolutely nothing to show for it after it is gone, unless you happen to win five grand on a scratch ticket. Games can remain in your collection forever.

Shawn, scratch tickets don't bother me because I don't buy them. I do hate getting stuck in line at every business I go to in town because the guy (or lady) in front of me is buying a dozen and proceeds to scratch them off at the counter as if nobody else is in line.

Funny you can go into pretty much every gas station and convenience store in the world and find just about any scratch ticket, cigarette brand or energy drink ever conceived. Yet these same places don't bother to regularly stock stuff people actually might need in a pinch like dry gas (to prevent your fuel line from freezing or to get water out of your gas), motor oil, transmission fluid, a gallon of water, a single loaf of bread, etc. I remember trying six convenience stores/gas stations in the dead of winter last year to get some dry gas, so my line wouldn't freeze, only to come up short. They had plenty of scratch tickets, though. So I had to go ten miles out of the way to some other place and get some.

[norkusa]

I've got 719 unique NES carts (about 100 are complete).

Never really planed on going for the entire collection...just happened that way. I always loved playing the NES and I would go to Funcoland at least once a week and leave with a huge stack of NES games for around $20. Just kept doing that over and over until one day I had around 400 carts. I figured if I have that many already, I might as well try to get them all.

[Garry Silljo]

I need another 111 at the moment to reach 550. I'll get there eventually, no rush. I know I'll never get them all with carts like NWC and some of the unlicensed really rare stuff. I do plan on getting as close as I can though.

You can call it a waste, but as others said it's no more of a waste than other people's vices. The other day my neighbor told me I was nuts for spending $40 on 12 NES games. Just the day before however him and his wife spent $320 going to some concert for a country artist I don't care to remember. I have 12 NES games to show for my purchase, but now that their hangovers are gone and they lost their ticket stubs all they have to show for it is .... nothing.

[ssjlance]

I've hit around 106, but I haven't bought any in a while. I decided to focus on some other consoles that I had begun to neglect (SNES, Genesis, TurboGrafx(still at 5 games though), etc.).

[Perkar]

i'm closing in at 509... but i don't count the couple of homebrew/repros i have, and label/cart variants (blades of steel, both zeldas, etc).

[The Shawn]

My point is with the rest of that ahem "stuff", there is absolutely nothing to show for it after it is gone, unless you happen to win five grand on a scratch ticket. Games can remain in your collection forever.

Shawn, scratch tickets don't bother me because I don't buy them. I do hate getting stuck in line at every business I go to in town because the guy (or lady) in front of me is buying a dozen and proceeds to scratch them off at the counter as if nobody else is in line.

Funny you can go into pretty much every gas station and convenience store in the world and find just about any scratch ticket, cigarette brand or energy drink ever conceived. Yet these same places don't bother to regularly stock stuff people actually might need in a pinch like dry gas (to prevent your fuel line from freezing or to get water out of your gas), motor oil, transmission fluid, a gallon of water, a single loaf of bread, etc. I remember trying six convenience stores/gas stations in the dead of winter last year to get some dry gas, so my line wouldn't freeze, only to come up short. They had plenty of scratch tickets, though. So I had to go ten miles out of the way to some other place and get some.


Actually I don't buy them either, it was more of a joke really. I just use them for X-mas cards and stuff. I got into a fight with a dude who wouldn't get out of a line once while he proceeded to scratch over 100 tickets so I know what you mean.(Long time ago!) Didn't mean to derail the thread peeps...

[Ed Oscuro]

I don't even have to re-read what I wrote to know I screwed up, as I coulda said it better...what I should've said is probably this:

Collecting for profit is neither immoral or harmful to the hobby. However, it would be nice if more people thought about this in some depth.

I might have mentioned this before, but the story of a couple guys who created a market for a rare, less-appreciated early-20th century maker of fine furniture comes to mind. They methodically bought up pieces at low prices, and when they had a sizable collection of the furniture they then started getting out the word about this furniture and making positive reviews about it.

This is collecting with an object in mind. Some won't see this as respectable or ethical, but it's not a problem.

Contrast that with somebody who collects because they think it's "fun." What worries me is that there doesn't always seem to be any discrimination going on here - coin collectors have their favorite coins, coins they think are over- or undervalued, and video game collectors can certainly prize games for playing well or looking good on a shelf. Both coin and game collectors can strive for "complete" collections and go after variants.

The problem (for both groups) comes when somebody who simply has the goal of "catching 'em all" does not have some deeper reason for the collecting.

A coin collector who collects error pieces but doesn't actually think they're interesting is likely to be a former coin collector.

None of this would matter if it were not for the (possibly overstated, since it's impossible to tell how many "complete collectors" there are) number of collection sales. There are many people who decide to get out of collecting for the reason that they weren't really getting much out of it - be it they need money, or they need space in their house (I can sympathize with that one), or they just realized that they've been wasting their time and enjoy other things better.

This isn't really as self-centered as it might seem; if people followed the advice to be more careful they would be more likely to buy low and sell high, whereas I've seen plenty of collectors buy high and sell low. What I said before notwithstanding, the truth of the matter is that many collectors are screwing themselves over by buying up a ton of games and then finding themselves wanting to get rid of them as soon as possible.

So, in summary: Blaming indiscriminate collecting for rising prices earlier was likely wrong (and I certainly can't back it up). Also, have fun when collecting; don't let the tail wag the dog.

[Moo Cow]

I don't even have to re-read what I wrote to know I screwed up, as I coulda said it better...what I should've said is probably this:

Collecting for profit is neither immoral or harmful to the hobby. However, it would be nice if more people thought about this in some depth.

I might have mentioned this before, but the story of a couple guys who created a market for a rare, less-appreciated early-20th century maker of fine furniture comes to mind. They methodically bought up pieces at low prices, and when they had a sizable collection of the furniture they then started getting out the word about this furniture and making positive reviews about it.

This is collecting with an object in mind. Some won't see this as respectable or ethical, but it's not a problem.

Contrast that with somebody who collects because they think it's "fun." What worries me is that there doesn't always seem to be any discrimination going on here - coin collectors have their favorite coins, coins they think are over- or undervalued, and video game collectors can certainly prize games for playing well or looking good on a shelf. Both coin and game collectors can strive for "complete" collections and go after variants.

The problem (for both groups) comes when somebody who simply has the goal of "catching 'em all" does not have some deeper reason for the collecting.

A coin collector who collects error pieces but doesn't actually think they're interesting is likely to be a former coin collector.

None of this would matter if it were not for the (possibly overstated, since it's impossible to tell how many "complete collectors" there are) number of collection sales. There are many people who decide to get out of collecting for the reason that they weren't really getting much out of it - be it they need money, or they need space in their house (I can sympathize with that one), or they just realized that they've been wasting their time and enjoy other things better.

This isn't really as self-centered as it might seem; if people followed the advice to be more careful they would be more likely to buy low and sell high, whereas I've seen plenty of collectors buy high and sell low. What I said before notwithstanding, the truth of the matter is that many collectors are screwing themselves over by buying up a ton of games and then finding themselves wanting to get rid of them as soon as possible.

So, in summary: Blaming indiscriminate collecting for rising prices earlier was likely wrong (and I certainly can't back it up). Also, have fun when collecting; don't let the tail wag the dog.

I don't really see much of a problem with people who just want to "catch 'em all" as you put it. I don't think there are many deep reasons for collecting (I personally just want to own games I like or popular games that a lot of people enjoy). The way I look at it is they're basically trying to do what every other collector does: collect what they want to collect.

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, what people do with their money is their business, and I don't take any of this stuff personally - it's a hobby and it's also about money - but I'm just challenging people to think a bit differently about their hobby (or trying to, anyway).

[Kevin H]

I have about 620 different nes games, 370 different snes, 220 N64 different games.

[Nesmaster]

I was at about 420 before I sold most of mine off. I'm probably around 50 - 80 games now. I had a majority of the harder to find games, but none of the "Big 7".

[8-bitNesMan]

You know the funny thing about all of this is nostalgia makes all these old games seem so cool in our memories (granted, a few still are) but the majority of them flat out suck now. A few years ago I would buy any NES game I could find in the wild if I didn't already have it. As I get older I have less desire to throw money away on plastic dust collectors. Now I usually pass up loose commons and only look for complete and/or sealed copies. Lately I've even been wondering about that. As others have stated, I have more games now than I could ever finish to completion if gaming were the only thing I did morning noon and night. But with work and other interests like women, poker, beer, women, trucks, fishing, camping out, and last but not least, women I just don't feel as compelled to collect as I used to. I don't want to do anything drastic like get rid of it all, I just don't want to add that much more to it. I feel like I've got just about everything I ever wanted, and it's time to venture out and see what else this old world has to offer.

[cyberfluxor]

Ed:
I've agreed with that angle for over a year. Personally, collecting is just as unimportant as posting on here. I could just stop but it's something I enjoy doing today and now. If 5 years from now I own less than 20 games and 2 systems because it's the way things went then so be it. However, from the experience I have learned and gained in the past few years has been fun. It's been time well spent.

BTW: I bought my first 5200 system last week, never played one before and am enjoying every second if it. I currently have 19 games, 16 CIB but it's all about the fun!

[Trebuken]

I like to collect 'for completeness'. I do not ever expect to get there because when it comes to it I will not spend the money on the 'grails'. I will likely never have Stadium Events or Bubble-bath-babes or etc. but I will pursue anything in the $50 range - that seems reasonable.

The advantage to me is that I can go into my game room and just grab something - i don't have to pick out the best games, I can find enjoyment in a bad game. These early games can often show you how newer games came into being; where developers got their starts and ideas. It can go beyond the games themselves. I have never played a Barbie game though...

I also like to pick up older gaming mags when I find them. Often leafing through them I'll see something interesting I may have bought and not yet played and it's cool that I can go and pop it in at that second; you can find all kinds of good games this way. Sometimes games that were thought to be 'poor' actually aren't so simply collecting the best titles will leave some missing.

[Promophile]

I used to be a collector of the "catch em' all" mentality, but that has changed over the years. While it's great being able to say you own the complete library for a system, it doesn't do much else for me besides taking up valuable space. I've decided to pare down my collection.

My current mentality is to buy CIB mint games if they fall into one of these categories.

1) Rare
2) Popular
3) My fav genres (RPG, Shoot/beat em' up)
4) I like the game

If you look at price trends on ebay loose carts are for the most part going down in value while CIB mint games are only increasing, especially for R7+ games. Hell for some retail games there are less known CIB copies than there are NWC carts out there.

[Family Computer]

I would rather have all of my favorite games, boxed/complete, than to have 550+ games.

Granted, on the NES/Famicom there would probably be the greatest number of games that I would want (Aprox. 100) compared to any other system.

I can see a Mint / Complete NES collection as being a pretty amazing feat, but I just can't see the purpose of having a complete collection of loose carts as the end.

I wonder if any collector would have a boxed set of NES & Famicom games. That would be pretty insane.

[chrisballer]

I grew up playing atari and nes. I did not become a serious collector till i got older. My family did not have the means to buy alot of games when i was younger. So when i got older and made real good money.. I don't know you could call it nostalgia or hey i can get all sorts of stuff i could not when younger. It started out just as hey i am going to dig this old crap out of the closet because i wanted to play. Then i enjoyed it more and more and then i had alot of them, The hunt was addictive as was the gaming.

Then i found this board and a couple others back in 98-99 something like that and saw i was not the only one really enjoying it and alot more people from my generation where doing-going through the same thing as me.

I collected and collect for alot of systems but the only system i did try and complete was the nes. It was because i enjoyed it the most and it was what i grew up playing and looking forward to new games at christmas because we did not get whatever we wanted. I did it with lots of enjoyment not just another thing to collect.

With that said if someone wants to collect for whatever reason as long as they are not putting themselves in debt i think it is a good hobby, For profit or whatever the reason. I myself enjoy gaming but also i try to profit if i can no harm in that.

I have almost a complete set with over half of them complete. I had them all except for the myraid and the nwc. I sold my 3 panesians and my stadium events because having evey single one was not that important to me anymore and made enough money off those 4 games to pay for all the nes games i have now an almost complete set and atleast 600-700 doubles.

I won't say i will not try and complete another set of some other console but now i have tons of games to play and i just buy whatever it is i want to play new or old.

[aaron7]

99% sure I'm around that number somewhere.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v245/aaron7/?action=view&current=4596b921.flv

[wrldstrman]

Ive got all the released games complete but 2 missing boxes and a manual and all the unreleased ones complete but the myriad. I got into the nes before the prices went skyward so Im feeling pretty good about my collection. Plus games are one hobby where you actually get use out of what you collect. Everyone has there own idea on what they like. I would rather have 40 thousand worth of games than a corvette. Where someone else is more into cars and not games. Just about everyone collects something or another I just choose games. and I have nothing against someone who collects rocks. everyone is different

[Family Computer]

Ive got all the released games complete but 2 missing boxes and a manual and all the unreleased ones complete but the myriad.

While you are waiting to pick up those last boxes and the unlicensed games, you should start buying boxed/complete Famicom games that were never released in the US.

Once you get those, move onto Famicom games that were released on the NES + a complete Disk System collection.

Lastly, obtain any European games that were exclusive. If you are going to archive something, might as well do it to an insane degree!

[LifeGame]

Well all you guys got me reading and thinking a lot more than i would have expected when i made this thread but its all good. And i too feel like expressing my feelings.

First of all, i played every game i own and the ones i like are all in my personnal record book with high-scores and finished games and passwords and all that kinda stuff (I LOVE IT) so anyone questionning my passion (i know it wasnt directly at me but it kinda felt that way) can go straight to you know where and kiss you know what!

Also, i collect EVERY system out there and i got more than 25 different boxed systems, this is all for a utopic dream of mine of being part of the video game museum creators one day if that already exists tell me where its at and im sure it aint as nice as i see it!

Im also totally inspired by DP's story and i would like to open up a store one day because ill finish my bachelor this year and hope not to use it because i dont want to be a 40-50 hours a week robot like a huge percentage of people in North America plain and simple. This is my thoughts.

Thats it!

[rbudrick]

Whew! This thread got crazy real quickly! And I thought the thread was so innocent-looking. ;) Yeah, I've got more than 550, probably more than 600. If you include Famicom, it's closer to 700.

-Rob

[Jumpman Jr.]

I've got them all... so yeah, I'm in that list :)

[Family Computer]

Jumpman...how far are you along on your boxed Famicom collection?

[Jumpman Jr.]

How many games are there on the Famicom?
That's how many I need. 8-)

[s1lence]

Well, I'm not quite to 550 just a hair under 500. I collect because I want to play a game and think to my self I don't want to get rid of a it because I might want to play it someday. Now I haven't been buying NES games just to buy them lately, though I did back in the Funcoland days and a little bit about a year ago.

I think for some people it gets to the point that you aquire so many titles that you figure what the hell, might as well get them all. I'll probably have a full set someday, but I'm in no hurry.

[TurboGenesis]

I have a little over 100 NES games.

I am not complete collection fellow. I get the games I like to play. I have several games from my youth - I had bought many back from when I sell them as kid to fund the purchase of new games. I don't shop for NES games - when I am out I look over the NES games and if one is catch my eye then I pick it up - I pretty much have what I want.

I am say it before and I say it again - I am a games player with a large collection of games.

[l_lamb]

I've been at 585 unique NES games since the beginning of the year. It's gotten really hard to find any NES games around here and buying singles off eBay is really not cost-effective. In the fall I'll try the flea markets again because it's too damn hot right now. But most of the flea market vendors want way too much for even the most common games.

[mikesides]

I would like to throw in my two cents to this crazy post. I am 24 years old and the NES is the first system that I ever owned followed closely by the SMS. Anyways, I still have my original Nintendo and as a kid I was luck to get a couple games for my birthday or Christmas. When I finally got a good full time paying job I decided I would finally buy the games my parents would never buy me as a child. My original "kid" collection consisted of about 15 games. I started buying games that I had always wanted to own at the local game store but soon realized that I could get them cheaper at thrift stores or pawn shops. When this realization occurred I began to purchase games I had never heard anything about. I didn't even think about collecting them all until I hit about 250 games. I am now at 768 which I consider is about 6 games away from a complete collection (Stadium Events, Caltron/Myriad 6 in 1, Cheetahmen II, Bubble Bath Babes, Hot Slots, and Peek A Boo Poker) While many people may think I spent a lot on this collection I had a lot of patience over the last 5 years. I can honestly say I have never paid more than $50 for a game. Along the way I finished my SMS collection and started collecting anything video game related. I don't do it for the money I simply do it for recreation. It is a lot better than throwing my money away on worthless stuff. Call it "nerdy" or "stupid" or a waste of money but I just plain enjoy playing them.