Which Platform is Most Economical to Collect?

[OldSkoolBrian]

Hey Guys

I am pretty much a new collector. It came to me when my son turned 5 and wanted to play my 360.. He has a hard time controlling the characters and what not so I hooked up my Old Nintendo for him and he is doing awesome with it and I have also fallen right back in Love with the games. We have been collecting games but I have been buying them for multiple systems at once.

My question is what system is most Economical to collect for. I would like to pick a system and collect for that system before moving on to the next.
So I am looking for most Economical to most expensive.

We are only collecting Boxed items right now. We have about 30 games boxed and 4 systems. We have a ton more but not boxed so we sell them off.

Thanks Old Skool Brian

[Casati]

For boxed games, you can get many Atari 2600 for under $10-15 on Ebay. Many boxed NES, N64 and Sega Genesis games can be found cheap on Ebay. Forget Super Nintendo if you want to economize on boxed games, unless you have a local source like flea markets.

[megasdkirby]

Game.com

Seriously, most games are dead cheap and the library is very, VERY small.

That is a set I am seriously considering.

[Trebuken]

Economical and boxed do not go along very well.

The Sega Master System is usually a good starter.

80% of the Sega Genesis collection is economical, boxed.

Sega Dreamcast is easy as well. The most expensive Dreamcast games are about the price of a new current generation games.

The Nintendo 64 is likely your best bet if you want a Nintendo System.

You can have luck with NES, but only to a point. You might get a couple hundred NES games boxed, cheaply, but many of those aren't the best games...

[Griking]

Hey Guys

I am pretty much a new collector. It came to me when my son turned 5 and wanted to play my 360.. He has a hard time controlling the characters and what not so I hooked up my Old Nintendo for him and he is doing awesome with it and I have also fallen right back in Love with the games. We have been collecting games but I have been buying them for multiple systems at once.

My question is what system is most Economical to collect for. I would like to pick a system and collect for that system before moving on to the next.
So I am looking for most Economical to most expensive.

We are only collecting Boxed items right now. We have about 30 games boxed and 4 systems. We have a ton more but not boxed so we sell them off.

Thanks Old Skool Brian

Odyssey 2 IMO

[MachineGex]

Go with NES or SNES for good fun games. My son and I have a blast playing SNES games together. I only collect Boxed games when I find them cheap. I agree O2 games can be had for a buck or two(boxed).

[megasdkirby]

Neo Geo Pocket Color was a good one too.

It was't too terribly expensive, though it took time to find all US titles.

[mobiusclimber]

Sega Genesis is going to be your best bet if you're looking for something you both will want to play. Tons of great games and only a few expensive ones (if you stick to normal US retail, I think there's all of one game that'll set you back $100).

[Ninjamohawk]

I haven't checked recently but I'll bet GBA isn't too bad to get boxed. It's not all that retro though...

I'd say go NES or go Atari 2600.

mobiusclimber: There's a few. Miracle Piano still runs expensive, especially if you want the keyboard. Crusader of Centy is up there too iirc.

[j_factor]

Game Gear. :p

[peter_gunz]

Neo Geo AES, lol.

[jordandavid]

Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive) is the most economical system there is. Most games came in hard plastic boxes that literally FLOOD thrift stores and used game stores to this day, and they can be bought for cheap - $1-$6 a piece (and $6 is HIGH). You shouldn't even have to pay more than $10 for a working console if you don't already have one. The controller is study, but ergonomic. It is seriously the console I recommend for kids to get used to gaming on. I'd recommend a Genesis model 2 if at all possible.

I can't believe people are suggesting SNES. Today I had a conversation with a collector I just met about how un-economical collecting for the SNES is.

[Ninjamohawk]

I wish I had a Genesis 2. I loved that design. All I have is a Gen 3. =\

[staxx]

Popstation heheheh

[DuckTalesNES]

I actually like collecting for the Playstation the most because the games most frequently have the manuals and cases complete. But that's probably not as "classic" as you want.

[mobiusclimber]

mobiusclimber: There's a few. Miracle Piano still runs expensive, especially if you want the keyboard. Crusader of Centy is up there too iirc.

Yeah, true, forgot about Centy, tho I don't think it goes as high as $100 for a CIB one. It's still pretty pricey.

Game Gear would be good but it's similar to Genesis in that there's a few that are expensive to get boxed (if not nearly impossible, have you looked for a CIB Shining Force? Good luck). And it doesn't have the bonus of being a system you can hook up to the tv (without serious modding?) and play two-player on.

[Aussie2B]

Game.com

Seriously, most games are dead cheap and the library is very, VERY small.

That is a set I am seriously considering.

I get the impression that he's looking to collect games they'd actually want to play, haha. Not what system is the easiest to get every last game for. :P

Anyway, I'd recommend Genesis like others. In terms of game libraries, there are several systems like I better, but if you're looking to only collect complete, then I'd rule out practically anything sold in cardboard boxes (actually Genesis has some cardboard games, but they're a tiny minority in the library). I don't buy when people claim that Genesis games are almost always complete since I have way more loose Genesis carts than complete games, but finding them complete definitely is common, especially compared to other systems. And they're usually very cheap, plus there are loads of fun games.

[gum_drops]

Well, you already have a nintendo, why not focus on it. Go for cart only games since they can still be found cheap. Download a emulator and a rom package and start trying out different games. Makes a list of the ones you want to own and you are off and running.

What is your goal here, are you collecting with the main focus being on attaining fun games you WILL play or just to hoard up complete games to store on a shelf?

[OldSkoolBrian]

My goal is to collect games that we would play of course but also to try and obtain as many games in the Box to setup on a shelves.

[megasdkirby]

I get the impression that he's looking to collect games they'd actually want to play, haha. Not what system is the easiest to get every last game for. :P



LOL

He will play it, maybe for like 5 minutes per game. :D

I highly recommend Genesis and SMS, though be warned: the more expensive titles are well...expensive. The most you may have to pay for the SMS is probably $250 (just for Buster Douglas...last time it went for around that price...and of course if you don't consider Sonic US as an official release, otherwise be prepared to pay ALOT more for it...but I digress). For the Genesis, be prepared to pay a hefty amount for certain games, though I am unsure of how much...I remember some paying $500 for certain titles, or more. You should check SegaAge for more info.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Atari Lynx

Not impossible to compile a full set of commercial releases, and there's plenty still floating around boxed/sealed at reasonable prices.

Doesn't hurt that it's a cool portable with some amazing arcade ports.

[portnoyd]

Too many posts to quote but the definitive answer is Sega Genesis. Reasons why:

Volume - With 700+ titles, you won't run down on games to collect any time soon. While game.com is a good answer for a quick and dirty collection, you'll be done before you start. With such a size, the viability of large lots lasts considerably longer as well.

Cheap - Absolutely the largest system with the least amount of average value per title.

Flat Value Over Time - Genesis prices have more or less been the same for the past 10 years with little fluctuation. This way you can collect without too much worry about a rare title becoming out of reach.

Boxes - Thanks in part to the clamshell design, Genesis games are found boxed as much as they are loose. Because of this, loose Genesis games are even more dirt cheap. Also, the red box/slipcover format in the latter half of the system life allows you to swap a squashed box for a fresh one as long as you have an intact slipcover.

Playability - With 700+, you'll get a little bit of everything you need whether by genre, good or bad.

Sega CD & 32X - Once you finish Genesis, you can still collect Genesis technically (Yo dawg, I herd you like Genesis...) and expand by collecting for these addons.


Game Gear would be good but it's similar to Genesis in that there's a few that are expensive to get boxed (if not nearly impossible, have you looked for a CIB Shining Force? Good luck). And it doesn't have the bonus of being a system you can hook up to the tv (without serious modding?) and play two-player on.

Screw Shining Force, there are many third party garbage titles that are insanely hard to find complete, way harder than SF or Megaman. Loose GG is easy - we're 2 short of a full set - complete? You are a masochist.

[Xexyz]

Go with the Sega Genesis. if you stick with the NES, you're going to find yourself paying $10+ per title boxed if you want good, playable games. This is of course if you're sticking with online auctions.

[Xtincthed]

if you wanna have a system that is great for your kid to play, is still cheap to collect for and has heaps and heaps of great games.. go Playstation 1 :)
only the very rare and in demand titles command "high" prices (which for video game standards aren't very high yet) and there are many great kids games that control very easily like the Disney games, Hugo, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro etc

[Auto-Fox]

Speaking (admittedly) as a Sega fan and fellow "economy" gamer, I'd have to go in for the Sega Genesis. The Model II console is ridiculously easy to find and extremely cheap, so you won't need a lot of overhead to get started.
The games are also very, VERY cheap most of the time, though it's worth doing some research to find the best games before you buy, as there are some real dogs in its library. However, even the good stuff is usually VERY cheap.

Also, if you're looking for boxed games, you really can't beat the Genesis compared to any other console from its era. Most of the game cartridges came in durable plastic cases for storing them when not in use, compared to game boxes for other consoles, which were typically cardboard and essentially meant to be thrown away.
Genesis games are therefore very easy to find in the case, often with the manual as well.
Also, collecting loose Genesis games isn't a bad idea either. They're usually even cheaper, and your options for storing them can be surprising. I myself find that the standard cartridge design fits perfectly in old Cassette Tape storage drawers/shelving, which are ridiculously easy to find, either at a Yard Sale or most thrift stores. It's also a good way to organize your games and keep them together.

On a lesser note, peripherals for the Genesis, like the Sega CD and 32X, are both relatively cheap (guaranteed neither will set you back more the $100, often significantly less) and worth your time for a few games.
The Sega CD especially, and I'd go with the Model II if you get one, is a nice thing to have. For all the drek it's famous for, it has a few genuinely good games you and your son might like, and it has no copy protection, so most games are only the cost of a blank CD-R these days. Just sayin'.
Also, it's the platform of choice for the trickle of new games that hobbyist developers have released for the Genesis in recent years.

[Emperor Megas]

Easily SEGA Genesis, FTW. Like everyone else here pointed out, they're in clam shells that most people didn't throw away, so they're usually easy to find complete. There's a ton of great games in the library, and they're dirt cheap.

The SEGA Master System is another that's good to get into for the same reasons, though there aren't nearly as many games. Still, if you get a Power Base Converter it's basically an expansion of your Genesis collection. The same with SEGA CD, and 32X. The Genesis is a great system to start collecting for on the cheap, and it's fun and easy to expand on with SMS, SCD and 32X hardware and titles.