How do you count compilation games in your collection?

[Swamperon]

I've been wondering about this for some time. So far I've been counting any compilation games such as Metal Slug Anthology in my collection as just one game, but really I own 7 games there.

What do the most of DP users think? Is it better to count each game as an individual and discount the collection itself, count both or count just the collection title?

[VACRMH]

Depends on where I'm listing it. In my "main" collection list it's a single game.

But on Backloggery, you can have compilation games to keep track of what you've beaten.

Depends on what you're counting it for I suppose.

[Polygon]

I try to avoid buying those all together, but the few I have are counted as one game.

[Bojay1997]

I've been wondering about this for some time. So far I've been counting any compilation games such as Metal Slug Anthology in my collection as just one game, but really I own 7 games there.

What do the most of DP users think? Is it better to count each game as an individual and discount the collection itself, count both or count just the collection title?

I don't understand, why would it matter if it's one game or seven?

[gum_drops]

You guys should see my PC collection, its HUGE!

http://imgur.com/ypKyD.jpg

[Swamperon]

I don't understand, why would it matter if it's one game or seven?

Well it doesn't matter really. But when I'm going for a total of games I could include it one way or the other. I was just curious to see what others thought.

[Emperor Megas]

I just count them as one game is I'm tallying how many physical games I own.


I try to avoid buying those all together, but the few I have are counted as one game.Why do you avoid compilations, exactly? Man, I LOVE compilations. More bang for the buck, and you don't have to swap media to get your fix if there's another game on the disc that you want to play. They're almost always cheap, too.

[fairyland]

I think most sane people would just count their games as one per package regardless of content. I'm strange as I count those PSX Final Fantasy 2 for 1 releases as two separate games mostly because they are not on the same disc. So for the PS2, Mega Man and Metal Slug Anthologies are one game as they are on one disk, but Space Channel 5 is two games as that's two discs. Crazy, huh?

[Blur2040]

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[Swamperon]

I think most sane people would just count their games as one per package regardless of content. I'm strange as I count those PSX Final Fantasy 2 for 1 releases as two separate games mostly because they are not on the same disc. So for the PS2, Mega Man and Metal Slug Anthologies are one game as they are on one disk, but Space Channel 5 is two games as that's two discs. Crazy, huh?

Ah I kinda understand that! I count Wind Waker and Orcarina Master Quest separately despite them being in the same case (but they are on separate discs).

[SpaceHarrier]

Another vote here for counting it as one game. I keep a separate count for 'games beaten' though, which includes each individual game on any given compilation.

[Emperor Megas]

I think the collector in many of us wants to have the games on original hardware.

Emulation is OK, but I like my Metal Slug on Neo Geo.I'd think the collector would want to have compilations as much as the next guy, actually. Having the compilation of Metal Slug, for example, doesn't stop the Neo Geo version of Metal Slug on your shelf from working. It simply saves you the time of switching the physical media, and saves wear and tear on the original cartridge(s) and hardware. Couple this with the fact that many compilations are of arcade games (Namco, Data East, Tecmo, CAPCOM, etc.), and I doubt many have the resources or inclination to track down tons of coin ops.

I'm not saying anything is 'wrong' with not purchasing compilations, I honestly don't care what people play, I just think it's interesting that someone would have an aversion to a cheap collection of games that they enjoy in one convenient package, for a console that they frequently play, as is the case with current generation systems. Never mind the fact that compilations are collectors pieces in their own rights as well for a someone who's into collecting games.

I suppose I have more of an interest in actually playing games than collecting them.

[tom]

I recently ask the same about my Stella CD. Just count compilations as one, eg 1 item in your collection.

[Polygon]

I think the collector in many of us wants to have the games on original hardware.

Emulation is OK, but I like my Metal Slug on Neo Geo.

This.

I've tried many re-release discs and I would just rather play the original on the original hardware.

[Blur2040]

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[Icarus Moonsight]

Context is key.

[tubeway]

I'd think the collector would want to have compilations as much as the next guy, actually. Having the compilation of Metal Slug, for example, doesn't stop the Neo Geo version of Metal Slug on your shelf from working. It simply saves you the time of switching the physical media, and saves wear and tear on the original cartridge(s) and hardware. Couple this with the fact that many compilations are of arcade games (Namco, Data East, Tecmo, CAPCOM, etc.), and I doubt many have the resources or inclination to track down tons of coin ops.

I'm not saying anything is 'wrong' with not purchasing compilations, I honestly don't care what people play, I just think it's interesting that someone would have an aversion to a cheap collection of games that they enjoy in one convenient package, for a console that they frequently play, as is the case with current generation systems. Never mind the fact that compilations are collectors pieces in their own rights as well for a someone who's into collecting games.

I suppose I have more of an interest in actually playing games than collecting them.

Wow, you kind of missed the point and drove your truck off the side of the road and into the woods.

They meant they would rather have an original than just have a copy on a compilation. Most are not opposed to having both. This goes for anyone that collects anything that has been reproduced or rereleased in some manner.

[Emperor Megas]

Wow, you kind of missed the point and drove your truck off the side of the road and into the woods.

They meant they would rather have an original than just have a copy on a compilation. Most are not opposed to having both. This goes for anyone that collects anything that has been reproduced or rereleased in some manner.I think you may have missed the point, actually. I was questioning why a gamer would avoid compilations, not why they would rather have the original. My questions were specifically linked to this comment by Polygon:


I try to avoid buying those all together

Again, I don't care what people purchase and play, and I'd rather play games on original hardware as well. I simply wondered who an enthusiast would actually avoid compilations as a general rule. NOT why they would rather play an game in it's original format.

Once more, trying to purchase and house a bunch of arcade coin-op machines, like the games in arcade compilations, isn't exactly practical. The same applies (albeit on a lesser scale) to console games which may appear on a compilation disc.

[kupomogli]

Compilations are one or more games depending on the type of compilation.

With compilations such as Taito Legends, Taito Legends 2, Sega Genesis Collection Final Fantasy Anthology, Final Fantasy Chronicles, etc, regardless of being on one or multiple discs, they're still one game.

However there are other compilations like GTA Collection, DMC Collection, MGS Collection, etc. It has an outer box with each game in a seperate case, all instructions, and same disc printing as the original. The only difference with these games is that on the back it says not for resale on all of these collections so basically it was packaged in with a collection rather than being an original release. Because they are packaged in different boxes and such, I count them as seperate games.

[PapaStu]

A+ to gum_drops!


I count it as 1 game. I start trying to break down this one game into 7 here and 4 there, the counts just get destroyed. Besides, what about mini game compilations? Do you count Wii Sports as 'A' game, and not the 4 individual games that are on there? I sure as heck hope not.

[Leo_A]

I count compilations as single games, it doesn't make any sense to break it down by each game included.

I count bundles as individual games. I never viewed things like those three packs of PS2 games stuck in an outer cardboard box as compilations. They're bundles of individual games in standalone cases.

If a game comes with a bonus game on a seperate disc, such as Quake IV's bonus disc with Quake 2 on the 360, I've always just counted it as a single game.

[The 1 2 P]

I count my compilations as one game but as someone else mentioned I count the games as individual games when I beat them. So for instance Metal Slug Anthology is one game in my PS2 collection but because I beat all 7 games I actually beat 7 games and 1 compilation game, as opposed to only beating one individual game.

[Sosage]

Count compilation as 1 here as well. From my perspective, the compilation's title kinda seals the deal. Street Fighter Collection Volume 1 on PSX isn't titled: Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold. It's Street Fighter Collection Volume 1. :P

Sonic Mega Collection is 1 copy of "Sonic Mega Collection". 1000 PC games is just 1 copy of "1000 PC Games".

Count how you want though. I could see counting the other way if I was worried about padding the number associated with my collection. Not claiming that's what is going on, just saying. I think we're all guilty of being in that bean counter "gotta have a large number" phase. It quickly passes when counting winds up taking longer than 30 minutes...or you become worried that it's taking up too much room...or you begin to wonder if you can squeeze another shelf into another part of the room...

As for compilations themselves...last generation compilations were incredibly useful. If I had a colleague or someone from art school who needed a refresher on the Mega Man series, boom! Here's the PS2 collections disc, have at it. In the world of DLC's, I guess they seem odd. From the purest perspective, yeah...I prefer playing on the original as well (duh! Why would I have all this stuff otherwise?). Yeah, a lot of them weren't perfect. From the perspective of keeping the actual content alive and easily accessible to the masses...man...they hit the market at a great time and were really, really useful.

[Sabz5150]

One box, one game.

[Flack]

One game ... unless you are one of those people that counts Combat as 27 games.

http://www.robohara.com/pix/blog/combat.jpg

[PapaStu]

One game ... unless you are one of those people that counts Combat as 27 games.

http://www.robohara.com/pix/blog/combat.jpg

Before label variants or after? Please count label variants too.

[Polygon]

Again, I don't care what people purchase and play, and I'd rather play games on original hardware as well. I simply wondered who an enthusiast would actually avoid compilations as a general rule. NOT why they would rather play an game in it's original format.

Once more, trying to purchase and house a bunch of arcade coin-op machines, like the games in arcade compilations, isn't exactly practical. The same applies (albeit on a lesser scale) to console games which may appear on a compilation disc.

I avoid compilations because I would rather buy the original game, complete, on the original hardware. That's my reason. Now, if you're talking about arcade games, that a whole different story. I didn't even take those into account.

[Emperor Megas]

I avoid compilations because I would rather buy the original game, complete, on the original hardware. That's my reason. Now, if you're talking about arcade games, that a whole different story. I didn't even take those into account.I guess I didn't understand that you saw it as an 'either/or' thing, which was throwing me off. I also thought that your statement pertained to ALL types of compilations, especially since arcade compilations are the ones I see the most.

[Polygon]

I guess I didn't understand that you saw it as an 'either/or' thing, which was throwing me off. I also thought that your statement pertained to ALL types of compilations, especially since arcade compilations are the ones I see the most.

Yeah, arcade compilations make a lot of sense. It would be nice to have the space and money to buy all the arcade machines I would want but it just wouldn't make sense. Just imagine the maintenance on all those.