Is anyone else here "pretty much done" with their collection?

[Steven]

My want list is sitting at single digit games, and ones of low priority at that. I haven't bought a "new" game in MONTHS. I'm very happy to be out of the rat race, so to speak, and was curious if anyone else here is enjoying their "retirement" (from buying games).

I remember receiving as many as seven packages in the mail a day last year. I'm glad those days are over! ;)

It's nice to just relax, focus on playing the games, and not worry about bidding on game x for a change. Actually, it's quite damn nice. I remember thinking to myself in 2002 I couldn't wait for the day I'll have all the games I ever wanted, and be able to just sit back and enjoy them when I can. And now, that day is here. Everyone else in the same boat?

[Ze_ro]

I've pretty much gotten to that point in my Dreamcast collection. At one point, I had planned to put together a complete collection. I decided to focus on the harder to get games, and worry about all the sports games later on. I'm about halfway through the library, and there are only maybe 2 games for the system that I actually want to buy. Every time I look into buying anything beyond that, I just get bored and give up.

Most of my other stuff though, I think I'm done, then I look through DP and I suddenly have a dozen more games that I want to try out. Somehow, it's never ending.

--Zero

[outsider]

Anytime I feel like I'm almost done with my collection I tend to find another couple games that I want. That said, I'm pretty close to being finished.

As far as US titles go I have only a few wants remaining. Imports are another story, mostly since they are more difficult to find. There are still about 15-20 that I'd like to add to my collection.

[PapaStu]

Hardly close to complete. I seem to evolve what I want to get (thinking about starting back up on my PS collection again, or playing what i've got, or focusing on the newer stuff) or I seem to keep the collections 'incomplete' by going balls out on them. I've got a few collections most would call complete but damn it there are variants out there I don't have... or systems or something or other. I think I like to make it harder on myself.

Not to mention that I'm mostly a modern gamer, and there's new stuff out for systems I collect (ie buy too much for) hitting weekly in most cases.

[Playcosm]

I think I have pretty much everything about CD-i, which is a pity because I love collecting it. And who would have thought a defunct system like CD-i would hold so many pieces to collect!

[Kid Ice]

I'm down to about 30 more games. A few more to complete my 3DO collection, a few more boxed Atari titles. and a smattering of DC and PSX games I'm interested in. Yep, my collecting life has slowed down and my gaming life has been picking up too.

[FlufflePuff]

Both my collecting and my playing have slowed down in the last 6 months. Unfortunately, it's not for want to do both. In my new house I thought it would be cool to have the game room occupy the basement, but in reality it's kind of cold and not a very good gaming space. So I find myself not wanting to go into my game room. Gotta move...

[k8track]

Yes, I am very much at that point, and have been for months. There are far more pressing things in my life that have drained the interest. I'd rather save money for travelling.

There are still a few weird and esoteric odds and ends I'd still like to get, though, like a power cable for my TI-99 4/A cassette drive, a Jaguar S-Video cable, and a Sega Mark III Paddle Control solely to play Woody Pop. And I would still be interested to continue to find the occasional clutch of C64 and Atari 800 disks. The only other system and games I would still like to find would be a Casio PV-1000.

I've slowly been selling off parts of my collection, but that is the biggest pain. I just want to get it down to the essentials. I want to free myself from that burden and go on to do other things.

[Captain Wrong]

The collecting phase of my life is over and I've moved on to the get all this dust collecting junk out of my house phase.

[RJ]

I put the brakes on sometime last year, though I've scored a few things here & there since. I likely wont be hitting MGC this yr, it's too close to my wife's due date (last I heard MGC moved to late March.)

None of the current systems interest me in the least, I dont/wont spend that kind of $$$ anymore & my free time continually lessens. Now I'm more in the "paring down" stage, selling/trading stuff here & there. I have my PlayStation, Colecovision & all Atari systems' games about where I want them; still too many PS2 games though, many still unopened from yrs back!

Heck, I just bought Gladiator: Sword of Vengeance last week, but I've been looking for it, plus it's a good game so far, kindof a poor man's God of War.

[smokehouse]

Well, I’m pretty much to my endgame when it comes to my collecting. I’ve been getting Wii stuff and a few GC items, I will also be getting a PS2 if the rumor of the $99 price point is true.

At this point I only have a few games left to get and to be honest with you, I’ve been putting them off for some reason. I have been collecting GI Joe and Transformers stuff more often though…

I found I was buying crap I just didn’t need/want…stupid NES games, other games that I really had no interest in. I was also tired or doing my weekly “game runs” and coming up empty handed. It’s next to impossible to find a pawnshop that either A. has anything good or B. Will accept reasonable offers on their stuff (thanks eBay).

At least in my area, the “finds” days are over…I haven’t had a decent haul in at least 2 years…there’s just nothing to find around here anymore. Possibly if I go WAY out of my way and go to Chicago or something but I really don't want to do it anymore. Few pawnshops have anything older that the occasional PS1 game. Most have a ton of crappy, overpriced XBox, PS2 and GC games...a few of the current stuff and that's it.


Possibly 22 copies of Double Dribble on the NES (this game is everywhere for some reason)...

[RegSNES]

The only system I've actually finished collecting games on is my N64. The next up for the least amount of games to collect would be my PS1. NES, SNES, Genesis... Way too many more games to get for those. For me, its like a never-ending thing.

[Steve W]

I'm not an obsessive collector, I don't really care all that much if a game's got a box, instruction manual, or overlay. So over the years I've managed to reach the "good enough" level on a few collections. For example, there's only a couple games I really want for the Intellivision, Atari 7800, Lynx, and Jaguar. So as far as I'm concerned, I'm "pretty much done" with those. But there's a few consoles I'm not even close to giving up on, like the XEGS, Astrocade, Colecovision, or Atari 2600. I still keep picking up Sega Master System games in the wild, just in case I find a game for it that doesn't suck.

[Mayhem]

For the main systems I have, yes...

C64 - very little cartridge wise, the odd varient or release I don't own
Vic20 - under 20 carts, all of the blue moon variety
NGPC - might think about getting the Japanese versions of the 39 UK titles
Vectrex - just any protos, one of a kind items left
GameCube - one title for a full US retail set
7800 - just a few HES or Salu PAL versions of third party titles

[InsaneDavid]

Hell no, I always find something new (as the monthly finds thread shows). This is a never ending hobby and since I've always kept things on the cheap I don't see any reason I'll have to stop.

[VACRMH]

For some systems yes. I can only think of about 3 or 4 games I really "want" for Playstion and Sega CD. But then again, if a game comes along that I don't own, I'll give it a try.

New games are always coming out that I want though :)

[Trebuken]

I've been thinking of taking a break. Primarily to save money. I am thinking of committing to more play time and less time wasted 'collecting'. I will play the top new release games still, but they are going to be few until the holiday next year.

[DarthKur]

Not even close. Since I'm interested in just about every classic system in existence, including computers import and domestic, there is always something to find. I just recently purchased a Tomy Tutor so there's yet another system to find things for. There's so many more systems to get like a creatiVision/Dick Smith Wizard, Watara SuperVision , Enterprise 64, Binatone Superstar, Spectravideo SV-318, etc, let alone software/carts for everything.
Like the Tallman in Phantasm 3 said at the end of the movie....."It's never over." :evil laugh:

[PentiumMMX]

The only system I'm finished collecting for is the original Game Boy (Last game I bought for it was Metroid 2: Return of Samus).

Instead of like most people who focus on getting every single game for a system, I focus on trying stuff I'm interested in for it, normally trying it first (Though I've taken some chances before, like with Phantasy Star Online and the .hack series).

[scooterb23]

For the most part, yes.

I've been collecting pretty seriously for about 7 years now...and I've gotten to a point where I'm proud of the things I've accomplished, but it's time to focus the collection a bit.

Once I get motivated, and who knows when that'll happen... I want to slim down my collection to about 10-12 main consoles / handhelds that mean something to me (down from roughly 35 consoles / handhelds at my peak). I may keep other consoles around for specific games, but they'd only come out on rare occasions.

It's not that I've lost the video game bug, but I've found what I like...and I want to keep focused on just that. :)

[8bitgamer]

It's nice to just relax, focus on playing the games, and not worry about bidding on game x for a change. Actually, it's quite damn nice. I remember thinking to myself in 2002 I couldn't wait for the day I'll have all the games I ever wanted, and be able to just sit back and enjoy them when I can. And now, that day is here. Everyone else in the same boat?

There's certainly something to be said for enjoying what you have and not always longing for more.

[Rogmeister]

I'm certainly not buying games like I used to but I still buy a game once in awhile. I did buy a few GameCube titles a month or two back...it's about the only console I'm buying at all for anymore, that and the portable DS. I thought I'd have a Wii by now but that hasn't happened and now I'm not sure I will get it...chances are I will, but if I do, I won't go crazy buying games left and right. I'll only get the cream of the crop and my purchases for it will not be very often.

[calgon]

starting from 2003, I've sold off just about all of my nes games (at one time I had aroud 200), and I've never looked back.... I just wish I had more free time to play.

[InsaneDavid]

I just recently purchased a Tomy Tutor so there's yet another system to find things for.

Didn't happen to win that system and five boxed games bundle from eBay did you?

[zemmix]

As far as older systems go I stopped about 5 years ago. The thrifts dried up dramatically in 2001, 2002 around here so thats when I stopped bothering to go to those stores. I still buy new stuff though only what I want to play. I could care less about completing anything (who seriously wants a Barbie or Sesame Street cart?).

Also having moved three times in the last 4 years with a large collection I really regretted having as much as I did! The last move I did I put most of the collection in a 10x10 $134/mo. storage unit. I'm 27 and I filled up a 10x10 storage unit completely, not to mention I still had a lot of stuff to move to the new place. That just boggled my mind! I have friends my age that when they move it only takes one trip in a civic hatchback. 1/3 of that space though was car parts from my MR2 and corolla.

[ssjlance]

I kind of dread the day. I love collecting, it's great to go out and search out games in the wild. I rarely use eBay/other online bidding sites because it takes a lot of the fun away from collecting.

[DarthKur]

Didn't happen to win that system and five boxed games bundle from eBay did you?


Yes, in fact I did. I just hope it works. It should be a fun little system to mess around with.

[Iron Draggon]

yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at now... not much to do but try to keep up with new releases on the PC, and try to fill in the very few holes remaining in my collection... and most of those are only needing to be filled in because they're a BITCH to locate and I still can't find a copy in suitable condition, or because they have a triple digit price tag, or both... I just dropped $300 on Stellar Assault SS for the Saturn, and that's the first "new" game I've bought in several months that wasn't a new PC game... but it's actually really cool to be where I'm at with my collecting right now, because now I can afford to get some more of the triple digit price tag games that I still need and not feel like I should've spent all that money on a bunch of different games, instead of on just one game... since I have so few games left that I want, I'm pretty optimistic that I'll find a way to drop about $500 or so on a sealed copy of Radiant Silvergun sometime within the next year... perhaps that will be my Christmas present to myself next year, like Stellar Assault was this year...

[cyberfluxor]

Collecting as a gamer will never end. There will always be a game on the shelf I've never seen and am interested in trying. The real issue is free time and plowing through that back log of "to play" games. I have tended towards only buying games on the cheap otherwise this hobby would take over every penny of my pay check. There are certain games that stand out and I'll plop the doe for them when they appear in the wild, complete and great condition. Issue is it's rare for those must buys to come along as they're either so popular few sell them off or they really are uncommon in these parts.

So, I guess to better answer the question:
"I'm nowhere near completion unless my tastes change."

[Trebuken]

yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at now... not much to do but try to keep up with new releases on the PC, and try to fill in the very few holes remaining in my collection... and most of those are only needing to be filled in because they're a BITCH to locate and I still can't find a copy in suitable condition, or because they have a triple digit price tag, or both... I just dropped $300 on Stellar Assault SS for the Saturn, and that's the first "new" game I've bought in several months that wasn't a new PC game... but it's actually really cool to be where I'm at with my collecting right now, because now I can afford to get some more of the triple digit price tag games that I still need and not feel like I should've spent all that money on a bunch of different games, instead of on just one game... since I have so few games left that I want, I'm pretty optimistic that I'll find a way to drop about $500 or so on a sealed copy of Radiant Silvergun sometime within the next year... perhaps that will be my Christmas present to myself next year, like Stellar Assault was this year...

Yeah I've been looking at this too. I almost jumped ata $250 copy of Bounty Bob Strikes Back for the Atari 5200 (on of the 3 I still need for the 5200). There are also a bunch of miscellaneous games ranging from $30 to $100 that I need to complete sets or subsets; Valkyrie Profile (PS1), Saturn Bomberman, M.U.S.H.A. for the Genesis, etc.

I really need to stop and organize instead of piling any more. Need a comprehensive list for insurance purposes and I am hoping I can get into this part of my collecting as much as the gathering of all the items...

[InsaneDavid]

Yes, in fact I did. I just hope it works. It should be a fun little system to mess around with.

LOL I was watching that, I really only wanted the games and was going to resell the system here. I sent the seller an e-mail asking for a shipping estimate since postal rates are out of hand right now - especially large parcel priority mail. He responded - an hour after the auction ended. LOL If you need any help once you get it going, let me know.

[DarthKur]

LOL I was watching that, I really only wanted the games and was going to resell the system here. I sent the seller an e-mail asking for a shipping estimate since postal rates are out of hand right now - especially large parcel priority mail. He responded - an hour after the auction ended. LOL If you need any help once you get it going, let me know.

Yes, shipping has gotten exorbitant as of late, even more so internationally. Stuff I have gotten from the U.K. and Japan have just about doubled the price on certain items. This was such an odd system I just had to take the chance.
I appreciate the offer of assistance. I'll send you a P.M. after I get it set up.

[scooby105]

I'm just about done myself. I've got about 20 Turbo Grafx games to get and that's all done. Flashcarts have really put a stop to much of my collecting. I've always liked playing games on the real systems, so I've always collected stuff. But once flashcarts have started coming out for systems, I've stopped bothering to collect the old stuff. I just don't really have the room for it except in some sort of storage setting, and it's a large pain to have to haul stuff out to play it.

I'll hang onto everything I've got, and maybe I'll start that back up one day. But as of now, I don't have much time or space to store everything, so I've put the breaks on and I just play games.

[Slate]

I haven't stopped but I have slowed down because I haven't seen many good deals this year. I've seen some good ones but my best years for buying have been 2004 and 2006, So i'm guessing 2008 will be good.

[boatofcar]

When I get back to the USA, I'll be starting over. I sold most of my collection when I moved to Korea.

My plan is to collect a bunch of high dollar items that I couldn't afford before, like a pristine complete set of NES black box games, CIB.

[dusty]

I collect only to play then sell the games as soon as I beat them. 3 more to purchase for psone (25 Total to complete), 12 for PS2, 3 for Gamecube. My goal is to complete PSone by August, and PS2/ Gamecube by next christmas. Then move on to Xbox 360 at next christmas.

[Lemmi_Is_God]

i stopped collecting about 3 or 4 years ago, but i have bought some homebrews/unreleased games like Beef Drop for 7800, Decathalon for 3DO, and Beggar Prince for Genesis in the past year, my last big BUY was a Vectrex

this past week ive been playing warcraft2 on the saturn, before that it was beggar prince on the genesis
i am glad to be done collecting tho, even if there is stuff out there that i would still like to own, i havent had an itch to search ebay in quite awhile, and i stay away from the marketplace forums here and on AA also :)

ive just started selling pieces of my collections that will fetch a high price to pay some bills
ive only sold a few items from my 3do collection so far, but i made $1200 selling 3 items, since May 07

this is my collection, i have way to many games and dont have the time to play every one :)
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1682505

[spiritcloud]

Never!

I can't imagine myself ever not wanting more games, systems, etc. Gaming is my main stress relief.

[wizkid007]

I have a few more games to collect and then I will be done. I just sold off 300 games, mainly because of the fact that I wouldnt have touched them again.

But there are a few big names that I still need, and some small ones aswell.

Pic of current collection in my sig. Everything is complete and in decent to mint condition. And the neo games are 2 stacks deep.

[Bojay1997]

I would say that I have slowed down dramatically on the older stuff during the past 2-3 years. It's partly because I have most of what I set out to collect almost 20 years ago now and partly because there just isn't much in the mint/new condition I collect out there that's up for sale. I also have lost interest in classic stuff as it has been compilationed and emulated on every new system to death. I still newer stuff on a daily basis, but having filled two large 10X10 storage units and several rooms and closets of a large single-family home with video games, I am a little more careful about what I collect nowadays.

[Haoie]

No, not even close.

Although in the limit gaming market NZ has to offer, it's becoming harder and harder to track down anything I do want!!

[segagamer]

Yeah, I was pretty much done with my collections at the beginning of 2007, but found a few more Japanese Saturn and Dreamcast games to buy later in the year. I even bought a few US Dreamcast games in brand new factory sealed condition, but now I am pretty much finished collecting for all the orphaned consoles I own.

[icbrkr]

Yep, pretty much slowed down to a crawl. I've concentrated my efforts on what brings me more joy than collecting video games: collecting and using classic computer systems. My ultimate goal is to have a bunch of desks with one of everything hooked up. I'm not getting rid of what I got, just cleaning up the clutter of excess systems that I don't need (I *don't* need 8 Atari 2600s, 10 Genesis', etc).

[StealthLurker]

As far as collecting "for the sake of collecting" I'm DONE. Even browsing yahoo japan every now and then "just to see if I'm missing out" on anything doesn't give me the thrill it used to. I had a minor revival in the collecting interest over the summer for arcade pcbs/carts but it was short lived (pretty much got all the pcbs I really want). Basically, after I got 99% of my SFC/SNES and JPN megadrive want list checked off the major fire to collect died off. I don't really play them anyways... just basically "functional baseball cards".

I'll probably go off and casually pick up stuff for current gen systems for shits n giggles, but it won't be anything like the major retro inspired bulk acquisitions of the past.

.

[jdc]

Tossed my Dreamcast and MUCH beloved N64 collections last year. I kept all of those fantastic N64 completes made by Rare, since they were the main reason for owning an N64 in the first place. One day I just looked at those two collections and thought "meh, the thrill is gone". I felt that I wanted to concentrate on building a collection of the greatest games on the Playstation, which is no easy matter since many of the discs in the wild are skating rinks. The majority of the stuff that appeared on the Playstation is highly playable and not just shelf fodder. I'm pretty much down to Sony stuff...PSX, 2 and 3...a nice neat little NES RPG collection and a nice neat little Genny RPG collection. I've noticed that quite a few of the regular hardcore DPers from a few years back have drifted off. I always wondered whether they just packed it in.

[Lawrence]

Over a year ago I took my 4th trip to Japan and as always I went Famicom shopping. It was amazing how many Sofmap and mom and pop stores still had ample stashes of Famicom softs left. I managed to corner the last few Famicom games I wanted. My prize Famicom games are: New Ghostbusters 2, Maniac Mansion, Gradius 2, Goonies and Marusan no Ona. I lost count of how many other Famicom games I have, but I think I reached the peak. I can not think of any other titles I want. As for NES games, I think I can say the same thing. I bought, traded sold and then bought the same games again for over a decade. I think I finally have the NES collection where I want it. I think. Believe it or not my Intellivision collection is the one that needs work. I am still itching to get Venture, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr, Lock 'n Chase among others. But the NES/Famicom collection days have reached their conclusion. My NES journey began exactly on July 14, 1987. I will never forget that day.

[Steven]

My NES journey began exactly on July 14, 1987. I will never forget that day.

Wow, over 20 years now and counting. That's pretty amazing!

Yeah, there will be those infamous dates that live with us forever. For me, my SNES 'rebirth' officially occurred on January 17, 2006. I know exactly how you feel...

[Mark III]

Getting pretty close to complete for American games. Been buying up a lot of imports lately so I guess I'll probably start working on those next. Either that or try to find out why I always have to compulsively collect things. :D



On an unrelated note, that's a really good site you have steven. If not for your review, I would have never bought Do-Re-Mi Fantasy and that would have been a shame. Thanks to you I've picked up some really great games that I didn't even know existed.