Non-collectors: Do you ever get the urge to collect?

[The Manimal]

I have never really considered myself a collector, as I could not obviously afford nor have the space to buy every game and accessory for systems....however (strangely), I get urges every now and then to collect for the NES as I already own 1/3 of the US licensed games. I think it's the fact that it's like I'm almost there (in my eyes), why not finish it off? But then, I think about how I could be spending my money elsewhere on stuff I could enjoy :/


Anyone else like this (non-collectors getting periodic urges to collect)?

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

Never. I am a gamer through and through. When I buy something, it is to enjoy it, not collect it. Besides, I also have neither the money nor storage space.

The only exception to this rule is if I should happen to stumble upon something extremely rare for a cheap price. But that has never happened, nor will I expect it to... ;)

[MarioAllStar2600]

Back when I only collected for Atari 2600 I wanted to collect for teh rest. While as time went buy I folded in. Now I collect for a whole slew of systems.

[XpOsUrE]

I am like that with many sega systems and games, I really love collecting sega products some honestly I don't really get time to play, but yeah I gotta agree with what your saying.

[Half Japanese]

I know a lot of you will curse me for this, but I really enjoy modern games a lot more than classics...wait...let me rephrase that, I enjoy SOME modern games moreso than classics. There will never be replacements for Smash TV, Robotron, Ms. Pac Man, Breakout, Joust, Super Mario Bros. etc., but I'd rather play Wave Race: Blue Storm or Ikaruga than Atari 2600 (just my preferences). I'm not a graphics whore, I just like how some modern games have progressed (in addition to how comfy controllers such at the Gamecubes have become), maintaining a simple, yet hard to master type of gameplay while providing me with pretty pictures! That said, I DO get the urge to collect, but not so much for older systems as for new ones. A lot of times I'll walk in a store and see something I've never/rarely seen (such as a NegCon for ps1) and think to myself "oh, I don't have one of those, I need one," knowing damn well I'd NEVER use it (just like my JogCon with R4), it's just the desire to own it. I used to compulsively trade in games and buy new ones that would just sit there but lately I've been keeping damn near every game I buy, due to the fact I'm researching titles a lot more (as well as giving some cheaper titles a shot based solely on gut instinct). I just feel bad for some reason when I collect things that I won't play, as if I'm a bastard/money-waster for doing so (that's just how I feel, not saying that about collectors in general at all). I look at the Rooms of Doom and they're nice and all, but I have to wonder how much of that loot actually gets played? Sorry I've turned a simple reply into a mini-novel/sermon, but I do that sometimes....

[SoulBlazer]

Honestly, I don't 'collect' anything if I don't USE it on a regular basis. The ONE exception for me is all my signed and really rare Star Trek stuff. That's a investment. :) It's also stuff I know is going to at least hold in value. But even most of THAT stuff I can use. I have some rare games, and rare books, and what not, but I actually USE the stuff now and then. As a rule, if a game sits untouched for a year, I sell it. Too many other things I need money for.

[MarioAllStar2600]

My friend always made fun of me for collecting video games. He said only loser collect video games, which really bothered me cause I consider alot of you my friends. PS, we were playing Mario and he decided to buy my spare super nintendo. Plus he already has an 8-bit. Hes starting to collect. he never got the urge to start till today. I GOT ANOTHER PERSON! :devilish:

[NE146]

If I see an older game I don't have for nice and cheap.. damn right I'm snaggin it. :)

But I don't go out of my way to look for them.. nope. Not me :P

[XpOsUrE]

I know a lot of you will curse me for this, but I really enjoy modern games a lot more than classics...wait...let me rephrase that, I enjoy SOME modern games moreso than classics. There will never be replacements for Smash TV, Robotron, Ms. Pac Man, Breakout, Joust, Super Mario Bros. etc., but I'd rather play Wave Race: Blue Storm or Ikaruga than Atari 2600 (just my preferences). I'm not a graphics whore, I just like how some modern games have progressed (in addition to how comfy controllers such at the Gamecubes have become), maintaining a simple, yet hard to master type of gameplay while providing me with pretty pictures! That said, I DO get the urge to collect, but not so much for older systems as for new ones. A lot of times I'll walk in a store and see something I've never/rarely seen (such as a NegCon for ps1) and think to myself "oh, I don't have one of those, I need one," knowing damn well I'd NEVER use it (just like my JogCon with R4), it's just the desire to own it. I used to compulsively trade in games and buy new ones that would just sit there but lately I've been keeping damn near every game I buy, due to the fact I'm researching titles a lot more (as well as giving some cheaper titles a shot based solely on gut instinct). I just feel bad for some reason when I collect things that I won't play, as if I'm a bastard/money-waster for doing so (that's just how I feel, not saying that about collectors in general at all). I look at the Rooms of Doom and they're nice and all, but I have to wonder how much of that loot actually gets played? Sorry I've turned a simple reply into a mini-novel/sermon, but I do that sometimes....

I for a while did enjoy the newer games more then the classics, though this started to end after the dreamcast started to die off, after that I found myself LOVING the world of emulation so I could enjoy the legendary games of yesteryear, and ever since then I honestly with the exception of certin modern games find myself enjoying the early systems much more then the current.

[lendelin]

Do I ever get the urge to collect? Oh YES, all the time, I love videogames old and new, I love them with a passion, love videogame history, and still...although I'd have the money and space there are these obstacles:

1. My nature - I'm a perfectionist, it would open floodgates. All the games, (just for ONE system!), a myriad of accessories, the truly rare games...oh god, I'd become obsessed with it. It's sysyphos work. I intentionally restrict myself "just" to play.

2. My obsession with "complete" games - merely cartridges never did it for me. I love the cardboard art work, I need to open the original box...otherwise it's like running around naked knowing that there is a clothing store just around the corner; and complete games are way more expensive than just cartridges.

3. I wanna PLAY games, just having them on shelves or look at them for an hour is difficult for me.

4. I spend a lot of money anyway on 'modern' games.

I tend to agree with Ramone who said that he loves some modern games more than classics. I'd go even further. I say that overall quality (!) of the current games are better than games which were produced when the industry was in it's infancy. Right now it's game paradise which top the best SNES/Genesis times; but this is a difficult topic, I might create a new topic about it. :)

[kainemaxwell]

I'm a gamer first and a collector myself. I just got into collecting almost a year ago actually and in that time amassed some great items and goals for myself too. Anything I do collect I do play a few rounds of to see if i enjoy it. Most the nes games I've gotten since collecting I do enjoy as well as my other items.

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

My friend always made fun of me for collecting video games. He said only loser collect video games, which really bothered me cause I consider alot of you my friends. PS, we were playing Mario and he decided to buy my spare super nintendo. Plus he already has an 8-bit. Hes starting to collect. he never got the urge to start till today. I GOT ANOTHER PERSON! :devilish:

I guess collectiong is like Johnny Turbo. Eventually it sinks into your brain.

[Oobgarm]

I sit the fence on this. I play games a lot, but I'll pick up anything that has potential to be collectible. Low print runs, niche titles, games that take it up the tailpipe on the review circuit, or games by Koei all catch my fancy as being collectible.

I once was a hardcore NES collector, had 550+ games, but sold it all when DVD players were becoming the "in" thing. I think I got about $600 for all of them-nothing super rare, but a few nice finds. I've since gotten the collection back up to around 200, but I'm just not as crazy nuts about it anymore.

But if I see something that's collectible, you bet I'll be snagging it. That's why I bought 2 top loader NES systems this past weekend. :)

[MarioAllStar2600]

I sit the fence on this. I play games a lot, but I'll pick up anything that has potential to be collectible. Low print runs, niche titles, games that take it up the tailpipe on the review circuit, or games by Koei all catch my fancy as being collectible.

I once was a hardcore NES collector, had 550+ games, but sold it all when DVD players were becoming the "in" thing. I think I got about $600 for all of them-nothing super rare, but a few nice finds. I've since gotten the collection back up to around 200, but I'm just not as crazy nuts about it anymore.

But if I see something that's collectible, you bet I'll be snagging it. That's why I bought 2 top loader NES systems this past weekend. :)

:o :o Please do not take any personal offemce to this
YOU IDIOT! SO MANY GAMES!!

[Oobgarm]

I sit the fence on this. I play games a lot, but I'll pick up anything that has potential to be collectible. Low print runs, niche titles, games that take it up the tailpipe on the review circuit, or games by Koei all catch my fancy as being collectible.

I once was a hardcore NES collector, had 550+ games, but sold it all when DVD players were becoming the "in" thing. I think I got about $600 for all of them-nothing super rare, but a few nice finds. I've since gotten the collection back up to around 200, but I'm just not as crazy nuts about it anymore.

But if I see something that's collectible, you bet I'll be snagging it. That's why I bought 2 top loader NES systems this past weekend. :)

:o :o Please do not take any personal offemce to this
YOU IDIOT! SO MANY GAMES!!

No offense taken.

Most of those carts were common/uncommon, with a few quasi-rare titles thrown in. I hung onto the hard to find games, ones that had sentimental value, and the oddball stuff I collected.

So, really, offloading a ton of carts for a bit over $600 worked for me.