Game & Watch (& LCD game) collections

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

With our move from the huge apartment space to the smaller condo in December my collecting itch has still been burning, but I decided to start focusing on items (namely Game & Watch games) that wouldn't take up space, which, we're short on.

After a few months of very dedicated eBay searching and last minute auction watching/bidding, while I'm sure there are collectors out there with much bigger collections I'm at that point where I feel like I've accomplished that certain "something" in terms of collection size/quality.

I'm not exactly sure what the cause is, but the eBay market is all over the damn place price-wise.

Personally I've made a point to not pay more than $30 for any of these units (and some I managed to buy/win for a hell of a lot less) ... but there are SO many out there, loose and in average or below condition with start prices/buy it nows/reserves well above $100-$200 dollars. It's perplexing really, but I suppose it's just a matter of the items being a genuine oddity outside of Japan and Europe. People don't have a clue, not so much as to "value" but what people who know what they are are really willing to pay for them.

But, I digress. My current collection stands at 13 Nintnedo units, 2 surprisingly good Epoch games, and the excellent Mattel Burgertime (a favorite of mine from childhood that's still as fun now as it was then).

While I don't have many ultra-rare units I'm still working on the overall collection for the time being.

I'll take some individual high-quality pictures of all the units in the near future, for now here's what i've scored in my eBay travels.

Does anybody else have a cool Game & Watch collection?

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/FrankieViturello/Uploads%20via%20Pixelpipe/2010-07-23100639.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/FrankieViturello/Uploads%20via%20Pixelpipe/2010-07-23100747.jpg

L to R :

Back row:
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong II
Oil Panic
Blackjack

Second from back:
Mario Bros.
Greenhouse
Life Boat

Third from back:
Epoch Man (Epoch, great Pac-Man clone)
Micro Vs. Boxing
Micro Vs. Donkey Kong 3
Monster Panic (Epoch)

Front Row:

Mini Classics Mario's Cement Factory
Super Mario Bros.
BurgerTime (Mattel)
Parachute
Mini Classics Donkey Kong Jr.

[TheClash603]

VERY NICE! There doesn't seem to be a ton of G&W interest on these boards, which is a shame, because they are so damn cool!

For price reasons, I tend to stay away from getting these things off of ebay. However, I was able to pick up Donkey Kong multi-screen, Donkey Kong 2 multi-screen, and Fire widescreen w/ manual for about $50 total at a local yard sale.

I also went to Walmart and saw they had the Classic Minis on sale. I picked up Mario, Donkey Kong, Mario Cement Factory, and Cabrera for a total of $6.

I have eyed up the Zelda multi-screen for some time now, and if I do decide to drop some cash on one of these, that's the one I really want.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

VERY NICE! There doesn't seem to be a ton of G&W interest on these boards, which is a shame, because they are so damn cool!

For price reasons, I tend to stay away from getting these things off of ebay. However, I was able to pick up Donkey Kong multi-screen, Donkey Kong 2 multi-screen, and Fire widescreen w/ manual for about $50 total at a local yard sale.

I also went to Walmart and saw they had the Classic Minis on sale. I picked up Mario, Donkey Kong, Mario Cement Factory, and Cabrera for a total of $6.

I have eyed up the Zelda multi-screen for some time now, and if I do decide to drop some cash on one of these, that's the one I really want.

Thanks brother.

Yeah, there are Amazon sellers that have all of the US classics NIP for like $5 each.

[ZombieK]

Im so happy some one made a thread about Game & Watch Today I was gonna post this in the finds thread Which I prob will do but ill do it here also.

Yesterday i was at this thrift store I frequent quite regularly and they just got in a new shipment of tons of cables and they were sprawled out all over the table.

So I take a look in the Pile dont really see anything of interest then when i arrive at the end of the long table I see it.
Turns out Its LifeBoat in the pile abiet with the cover missing but no big deal I still was standing there for like two minutes just Wowed.

I ended up paying $4 dollars for it and I don't feel bad in the least bit. Like when people in the other thread talked about feeling guilty [also this aint a salvation army they get free stuff that those places throw out and they pocket the money themselves 80 bucks for a fat ps2 are you fucking crazy] at this point I dont really care because they try to dick me over on prices for everything I want there and this Make's up for it.

So anyway cool find. this started off my G&W collection and im gonna start collecting them now. :D

[Greg2600]

Nice setup there Frankie. I think GnW's get overlooked because they really went out of style before even the NES came around. I can remember by the mid/late-80's the only thing stores sold was Tiger's crud.

[Ed Oscuro]

For what it's worth, there was at least one wearable GnW format game (...and watch) from some years after most of these - a Donkey Kong one as a promo with some Kellogg's cereal. Primitive but I remember it being fun.

[brykasch]

What did you use to get em to stand up like that, I have a couple that I got on the cheap one is in very not so good shape (donkey kong II hinge is broke but together as the ribbon top to bottom is perfect), and donkey kong. I need to get some batteries to test em out. Didn't pay but 5 or so for each but been trying to find a way to display them and the gameboys in a better position.

someday I plan on getting a few more. i had the zelda watch and loved it.

[NE146]

I love G&W's and other handheld games, but I don't really collect them. I mostly just have what I had as a kid in the 80's, which isn't too much but it's fine considering my mom had to buy them all full price LOL Here's about a quarter of what I got. They're all beat up.. primarily because I played them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/b2stoys/h2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/b2stoys/h1.jpg

I got bunches of others (like the Bandai LCD Burgertime, amongst others) but it's hard to find them sometimes. :p I do prefer VFD games for the most part over the LCD stuff (with the Nintendo G&W's being the prime exception). My favorite is Bandai Hyper Olympic Challenge 5, and Tomy Scramble. My favorite non-Nintendo LCD is probably Epoch Space Panic. :)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

What did you use to get em to stand up like that, I have a couple that I got on the cheap one is in very not so good shape (donkey kong II hinge is broke but together as the ribbon top to bottom is perfect), and donkey kong. I need to get some batteries to test em out. Didn't pay but 5 or so for each but been trying to find a way to display them and the gameboys in a better position.

someday I plan on getting a few more. i had the zelda watch and loved it.

http://www.business-supply.com/rubbermaid-regeneration-plastic-business-card-holder_112468.html

I use these. They're about a buck a stand. Cheapest option I could find and they work great.

http://www.business-supply.com/dept_images/image/RUB86025_1_1.JPG

[sniperCCJVQ]

nice collection :-)

I have a russian game and watch for sale (if anyone interested)

picture here :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/sniper000/sale/done.jpg?t=1279930425

[ZombieK]

price? just wondering those knockoffs are pretty cool

[Cornelius]

I love these little guys! The price per unit and actual play I get out of them prevents me from seeking them on the open market (i.e. ebay), but I always grab them when I find them locally (although I think I paid ebay prices on 2 of my G&Ws off CL). I'm super jealous of the Burgertime units a couple of you have, since that is one my brother had when we were kids and I played the crap out of it.

Here are mine:
http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/ww75/evanwink42/Finds/LCDcollection.jpg
Tandy Caveman
PacMan
Gunfighter
couple classic minis, don't recall for sure, but one is the SMB.
Wizarda and Warriors
Dungeons and Dragons
Tiger Go Sprout! (of Green Giant vegetable fame)
G&W Gold Cliff
G&W Micro Vs DK Hockey
G&W SMB
Gakken Trojan Horse (w/ shiny box that doesn't show up right in pic) ... played the crap out of this as a kid, too.
G&W Pinball
G&W Mario Bros
G&W Pinball
G&W DK Jr.

The first three don't really count, but they are some of my cooler LED games so I put them in anyway. I've probably got another 15-20 LED and electromechanical games plus Tiger LCDs that I didn't include... they just don't compare in coolness to G&Ws.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

LED/tabletop game love is welcome here.

I have a Tomy Tron and an Entex Crazy Climber (both not pictured).

[Baloo]

I like the Game and Watch games as neat little collector's items and maybe once in a while fun to play, but I've only found one in the wild, a Donkey Kong with a scratched up front cover for $1 at a thrift store. I haven't seen a single other one in the wild since, they seem to be very uncommon.

Still rather cool though, all the little games. I still have a desire to play the Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda ones.

[Steve W]

I've only ever had two Game & Watch units myself, one my mom confiscated from a kid in her class that I eventually ended up with, no idea which one it was since it was 20 years ago. The other was a boxed and complete Mario Bros. I came across in a thrift. All the other LCD games I have are Tiger Electronics or some other brand. I do have a decent amount, but my real love are the LED and Vacuum Formed Display (VFD) handhelds. I've also got a good li'l selection of electronic toys. This was taken last year, with all the ones I could find with the minimum of effort because I was too lazy to look through all my unorganized storage tubs. I feel bad about that now. Since this picture was taken I've found several more handhelds, and heaps of Tiger games. If I ever get my 'fecal matter' together I'll take another picture. And once I buy a new camera since the old one just died.

http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp222/StevePW/electronictoyselection.jpg

[Shingetter]

[QUOTE=Steve W;1747404]I've only ever had two Game & Watch units myself, one my mom confiscated from a kid in her class that I eventually ended up with, no idea which one it was since it was 20 years ago. The other was a boxed and complete Mario Bros. I came across in a thrift. All the other LCD games I have are Tiger Electronics or some other brand. I do have a decent amount, but my real love are the LED and Vacuum Formed Display (VFD) handhelds. I've also got a good li'l selection of electronic toys. This was taken last year, with all the ones I could find with the minimum of effort because I was too lazy to look through all my unorganized storage tubs. I feel bad about that now. Since this picture was taken I've found several more handhelds, and heaps of Tiger games. If I ever get my 'fecal matter' together I'll take another picture. And once I buy a new camera since the old one just died.


I had a Maniac growing up. I would get new presents every year for Christmas wrapped up in the same Maniac box, for like 10 years.

Not to sound dim, but what constitutes a "Game and Watch"?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Not to sound dim, but what constitutes a "Game and Watch"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_%26_Watch

Good visuals of (almost) the entire run (some mini classics not featured) - http://www.gameandwatch.com/

[Shingetter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_%26_Watch

Good visuals of (almost) the entire run (some mini classics not featured) - http://www.gameandwatch.com/

Interesting site, thanks.
Those all seem to have some tie or another to Nintendo, what are the other ones that people have been posting considered? I guess my question is, if it isn't "Nintendo" is it Game and Watch, and if not what are we calling them?

[sniperCCJVQ]

price? just wondering those knockoffs are pretty cool

60$ shipped

more info here

http://www.gameandweb.com/russian.htm

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Interesting site, thanks.
Those all seem to have some tie or another to Nintendo, what are the other ones that people have been posting considered? I guess my question is, if it isn't "Nintendo" is it Game and Watch, and if not what are we calling them?

LCD games are pocket sized or table-top sized games which function on LCD technology (the classic black liquid crystal/silver-backed electonic screen).

"Game & Watch" were versions of these that were developed & produced by Nintendo, prior to and during the development of the Famicom and NES systems respectively.

I believe that there were LCD games before, during and after "Game & Watch", but many consider Nintendo's "Game & Watch" brand to be the Cadillac of LCD games.

While unfortunately in the US market Nintendo didn't make a huge splash with these (which in part has led to their cult status and high resale value here), they did try.

Coleco, Epoch, Gakken, Mattel, Tomy, Tiger (yuck!) and other companies have produced LCD games in the US, Japan, Europe and elsewhere.

Other games mentioned here may use different technology (LED, reflected/refracted light, etc.) but the games essentially "play" the same as LCD/Game & Watch games - static images that take up an entire space on a game display not capable of "animation" in the same way you'd see it on a traditional game system/television/monitor display.

If you've never played any Game & Watch games, Nintendo has done a great job of archiving the good ones on collections for GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance and DS.

Here's a cool flash simulation of Donkey Kong II:

http://www.minijuegos.com/Donkey-Kong-II/4630

[Shingetter]

LCD games are pocket sized or table-top sized games which function on LCD technology (the classic black liquid crystal/silver-backed electonic screen).

"Game & Watch" were versions of these that were developed & produced by Nintendo, prior to and during the development of the Famicom and NES systems respectively.

I believe that there were LCD games before, during and after "Game & Watch", but many consider Nintendo's "Game & Watch" brand to be the Cadillac of LCD games.

While unfortunately in the US market Nintendo didn't make a huge splash with these (which in part has led to their cult status and high resale value here), they did try.

Coleco, Epoch, Gakken, Mattel, Tomy, Tiger (yuck!) and other companies have produced LCD games in the US, Japan, Europe and elsewhere.

Other games mentioned here may use different technology (LED, reflected/refracted light, etc.) but the games essentially "play" the same as LCD/Game & Watch games - static images that take up an entire space on a game display not capable of "animation" in the same way you'd see it on a traditional game system/television/monitor display.

If you've never played any Game & Watch games, Nintendo has done a great job of archiving the good ones on collections for GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance and DS.

Here's a cool flash simulation of Donkey Kong II:

http://www.minijuegos.com/Donkey-Kong-II/4630
Excellent, thank you for the clarification.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've had a lot of luck and I've been on a real tear as of late with my G&W collection. My collection has practically doubled since I originally posted.

Just got my Legend of Zelda Multi-Screen in the mail yesterday. (Milestone moment since that was the last Multi-Screen unit produced, and the quality/complexity of the game play shows!)

And, once I get my hands on "Rain Shower", I've officially got a complete Game & Watch Multi-Screen collection (as well as a complete Vs. Unit collection.)

By my estimation, at THAT point it's going to be a more challenging and expensive venture to continue towards "complete".

The Silver, Gold, Tabletop, Panorama, Super Color and Crystal Screen units are typically more expensive (some more than others), and uncommon to find in above-average condition at a reasonable price.

So, I may take a serious break after I get "Rain Shower" ... I'll take some nice pictures of everything I have, and the next time we have one of those "museum" NAVAs I'll bring them all in for play.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

VICTOLY!

I finally managed to find a "Rain Shower" horizontal multi-screen at a semi-reasonable market price.

*PHEW* (wipes sweat off brow)

That caps off my collection for the time being.

I now own every single vertical and horizontal multi-screen Game & Watch. It's not a complete Game & Watch collection by a longshot, but at least it's a milestone moment that I can "take a break" at.

I also own all three Vs. units, one tabletop arcade and three widescreen games.

As soon as Rain Shower arrives I'll further photo document my collection unit-by-unit.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/FrankieViturello/55d830b9.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/FrankieViturello/9571f7be.jpg