Dust sleeves or no dust sleeves that is the question?

[leatherrebel5150]

After I started to get into collecting I looked up how to maintain games and systems and such, and saw that many problems were caused by dirty contacts and I thought dam and I lost all those dust covers for me snes games years ago not thinking they were very important.

So instead of getting more of those covers I went the cheap route and made my own out of paper(and they work pretty well).

Then watching AVGN videos I noticed that when he pulls out his NES games off the shelf he never seems to have any sleeves on them, so it brings me to ask the question:

How important is it to put the game in those sleeves and also what do you guys do with your games, go naked, cover them, insist on licensed covers etc.

[jordandavid]

Not trying to be a dick, but in the Glitch video the AVGN recommends using a q-tip and windex to clean the contacts on games, so I don't know how concerned (or aware) he is with his collection lasting very long.

I use slip covers if I have them, but generally the majority of my games have no slip cover. My games are stored in wooden foot lockers, so they aren't really left out in the open long enough to catch dust. If it's fast and easy the paper thing might be a good idea if I have a bunch of spare time, could you explain how you do it?

[NayusDante]

I keep my games in a bookshelf that sits in my closet, so very little dust gets to them. Maybe 1/5 of my NES and SNES carts have dust covers. Heck, a lot of games didn't even ship new with dust covers.

Worst case, I break out a cotton swab and some alcohol.

[Emperor Megas]

All of my NES games have dust covers. I always purchase lots of dust covers when I see them at one of my local gaming stores. I have more covers than NES carts, actually. I like them because while I don't collect boxed NES games, but I do collect the game manuals, which I can keep in the sleeve with the carts.

[sheath]

All of my cart only and NES and SNES games are in dust sleeves. I have seen too many carts set out in the open develop dust and probably carbon on the contacts. The only cart systems I have owned that have a significant problem with this is the NES and SNES. Keep these carts as clean as possible before inserting them into the systems is necessary for me to be able to play the games.

This might be a side effect of people blowing in cartridges though. I have used a q-tip and rubbing alcohol to clean every cartridge from every cart system for years (NES, SMS, Gen, SNES). My games never develop the black and green nastiness I have initially cleaned off of used cart contacts, I can only suppose that blowing on them caused the corrosion.

[Ryaan1234]

Dust sleeves, or no dust sleeves: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The blinking colored screen of NES game carts,
Or to take arms against a huge dust bunny,
And by opposing clean it? To die: to blow;
No more; and by a blow to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand blinking consoles
That carts are heir to, 'tis a gamers' true goal
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to blow;
To blow: perchance to clean: ay, there's the rub...

Err... >_>

I just don't use dust sleeves/covers, mostly because my NES games don't stack right on the shelf with them (and once taken out if using the covers it's hard to put them back). I do think that they are great for protecting your games from getting dusty though.

[Parodius Duh!]

AVGN is certainly not the person to follow as far as keeping your collection in nice shape goes (a large portion of his stuff is donated and in rough shape to begin with). Its definitely better to have the dust covers, thats for sure.

Really depends on the kind of collector you are, some people just dont give a shit about a games condition/ what the future holds.

[YoshiM]

I use dust covers primarily because I've got all my NES games in cartridge storage racks and they fit better in the slots. However I do have a handful that don't, so they are balancing verrrry carefully so they don't fall out or drop onto the next cartridge below it.

[NESBoy]

I have a dozen or so dust covers for my rather small nes cart collection and they are only on the 'rare' carts. For the meantime they are stored in a drawer. Labels up so not to gather dust. I try to keep things clean(systems and carts)

[Damaramu]

I prefer my NES carts to have dust covers, but they're not a necessity as I keep them stored in a drawer.

[Red Baron]

I have a dozen or so dust covers for my rather small nes cart collection and they are only on the 'rare' carts. For the meantime they are stored in a drawer. Labels up so not to gather dust. I try to keep things clean(systems and carts)

Pretty much this, I only have a certain number of dust sleeves so I prioritize rare/personally valued games, but it may not even be that big of a difference as I tend to keep my cart games stored in storage boxes.

[Emperor Megas]

I have a habit of reserving the ones that say "Nintendo" (which I have far less of) for the first party NES games.

[Baloo]

I use the NES dust covers, but NOT the SNES ones, as they don't store well if you keep them on the games, you can't stack the games vertically with them on.

And what's wrong with using a Q-Tip and Rubbing Alcohol on your games to clean them? Does this damage them in some way?

[Emperor Megas]

I use the NES dust covers, but NOT the SNES ones, as they don't store well if you keep them on the games, you can't stack the games vertically with them on.

And what's wrong with using a Q-Tip and Rubbing Alcohol on your games to clean them? Does this damage them in some way?I don't believe cleaning with alcohol on a swab will damage your carts. I don't think that there's enough water in rubbing alcohol to remain on the contacts and oxidize, but I'm sure others here know more about that than I do.

[MASTERWEEDO]

I always make sure to get the 91% alcohol at the store, they also sell 70% and even 50%.


But yeah, dust covers if I got em, but I dont have any for the snes.

[Zing]

I have dust sleeves for all of my NES games. I store the games vertically on a wooden shelving unit designed for CD/DVD. The dust sleeves keep the sides of the games from getting dusty and also keep the games from toppling over when I take some out to play. I just pull the game out but leave the sleeve in place.

[Atarileaf]

I never use those sleeves. I've thrown out dozens and dozens of them. No use for them and I couldn't get anyone to take them for free. Even the local gaming store wouldn't just take them so they got turfed.

And before anyone responds saying they would have paid for shipping them, no I can't be bothered taking the time to package and ship stuff like that.

[Emperor Megas]

I never use those sleeves. I've thrown out dozens and dozens of them. No use for them and I couldn't get anyone to take them for free. Even the local gaming store wouldn't just take them so they got turfed.

And before anyone responds saying they would have paid for shipping them, no I can't be bothered taking the time to package and ship stuff like that.What if we told you that we would have paid for the actual sleeves as well? ;^)

[Rickstilwell1]

What is we told you that we would have paid for the actual sleeves as well? ;^)

Yeah for real, I've got a lot of games that need sleeves. I don't know why you didn't post them here in a FS thread. But of course there's millions of them thanks to Super Mario Bros. 3 alone so its not like its a big deal

[The 1 2 P]

I hate dust so I have dust sleeves for all my loose Nes games and most of my Snes games. I keep spare Nes sleeves around for when I find new loose games.