So who on here collects classic video game magazines?

[Anthony1]

I for one, am not a collector of video games, I just love to play the damn things, but I do collect video game mags.

I actually had a huge collection of classic video game magazines about 7 years ago. But me and the wife were cleaning out the Garage, and she convinced me to get rid of them.

At the time, I thought I would never read them again. I wasn't a retro gamer back then. I was only playing the latest and greatest, and I didn't think I would need the mags again, and they took up so much damn space. My wife thought they were very childish and I actually kindof agreed at the time that they were. I did keep all my Next Generations. I thought I kept all my Die Hard Game Fan's. But I've never recovered those old GameFans. I had to start over from freaking scratch.


The good news is that I was able to get a large portion of the GameFan's back. The bad news is that I need a ton more.

Anyways, the mags that I collect are:

1. Die Hard GameFan - The greatest video game mag of all time, especially the early years. Very good coverage of the transition to the 32 bit era. The early PS1 era and Saturn era.

2. Next Generation - Actually, I don't collect this anymore. I have every issue. Well, every issue except that special one that was at a e3 show. It had a picture of a Zelda N64 cartridge on the cover.

3. Game Players - I actually don't have very many Game Players right now. I did back in the day, but now I'm starting over, and I don't have many. I don't see them on Ebay very often at all.

4. Video Games & Computer Entertainment - This is another mag that I've had to start over with. I don't have very many issues. I never see this on Ebay.

5. EGM - I have recovered many of my old EGM's. But I still need the first 20 issues.

6. GamePro - Missing some of the pre 1992 issues.


Those are the main mags that I collect. I'm always checking Ebay. But rarely do I find much luck in getting ones that I need. Or they are way overpriced and have too high of shipping. Other than GameFan, I won't pay high prices for mags.

I actually prefer to pay less than $2 per issue shipped. I usually buy a large quantity of mags, and I end up getting them for less than $2 each. So I don't win alot of Ebay auctions, because usually the shipping is way high.

[ManciGames]

I for one, am not a collector of video games, I just love to play the damn things, but I do collect video game mags.


I've got a few that I've collected over the years. By far, I've got the most of EGM. Started with #1 and have all up through current, except for a few from about '95 to '96 and maybe 1 or 2 from pre-issue #20.

Also have the following:

Next Gen / Next Generation - From issue 3, on.
GMR - All
Play - From about Issue 3, on.

I used to have some others, but got rid of them a long time ago (and have not regreted it). Thinking of scrapping GMR and Play... What to do, what to do?

I have also tried to grab a few issues through eBay. I do usually find some, but the bad thing is that I usually end up with doubles in the lot to get a few that I need. Oh well...

[Promophile]

Nintendo Power and EGM are the only ones I collect, just because I liked their quality.

[Anthony1]

I could never get into Nintendo power. It just seemed like it was targeted to 10 year olds.

Plus it was written by Nintendo, and I didn't feel like the reviews were worth a damn. Then seemed to focus more on their own games than 3rd parties.


EGM wasted alot of damn space with their previews. There previews were nothing more than what you could read on the back of the freaking box of the game. No insight whatsoever. Not how the game is coming along, or how it looks or how it plays so far. Just total wasted space in my opinion. Of course, tons of video game mags were like that.

[NE146]

I don't really 'collect'.. I just never throw away. I have a pretty good collection of pre-1984 mags like Video Games, Electronic Games, Joystik, Vidiot, etc.

I also have every issue of EGM and their offshoots since I started buying them from the beginning. I am probably missing a couple of issues of them when they were called Electronic Game Player though but I'm not sure since even they don't really talk about that phase of their history all that much.

I used to have every Die Hard Gamefan with the exception of their early fanzine issues, but they got lost in a typhoon not all that long ago :(

[Kepone]

My collection of AtariAge magazines is ruined. :(

My fault. I never got a binder to put them in or nothing. Gonna have to start anew someday.

[Promophile]

I could never get into Nintendo power. It just seemed like it was targeted to 10 year olds.

Plus it was written by Nintendo, and I didn't feel like the reviews were worth a damn. Then seemed to focus more on their own games than 3rd parties.


EGM wasted alot of damn space with their previews. There previews were nothing more than what you could read on the back of the freaking box of the game. No insight whatsoever. Not how the game is coming along, or how it looks or how it plays so far. Just total wasted space in my opinion. Of course, tons of video game mags were like that.

During the 16 bit era I lived in Italy. The mail order ads from "chips n bits" in EGM is what got me lots of SNES gems, like Harvest Moon, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 3, ect. I had REALLY good taste for a 10 year old, so the magazine previews had to have been pretty good. As for Nintendo Power, yea it does seem like its targeted at 10 year olds, because, well, it was. It still had pretty good quality.

[Anthony1]

you know what's weird? There doesn't really seem to be any game magazines that were around in 1987 and 1988. Alot of them started in 1989 and 1990 and 1991.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

If I still had eyeteeth, I'd give them for a complete set of the original Katz-Kunkel-Worley-era Electronic Games magazine.

Alas, I gave at the office. The dentist's office.

Electronic Fun With Computers & Games and Joystik would be cool too. So I'm definitely envying NE146 here.

I do have a pristine collection of Classic Gamer Magazine though! ;) Dunno how that happened.

[Jibbajaba]

I guess I collect old Nintendo Power mags from the NES days. I had a few in my closet, and then I bought a large lot of them on eBay. I grab them whenever I see them in the wild, but that isnt very often. I don;t so much "collect" them as I just have a blast reading them. Takes me back to the good old days.

Chris

[NE146]

you know what's weird? There doesn't really seem to be any game magazines that were around in 1987 and 1988.

Sure there was.. EGM! EGM started in 1988. :)

Again though, at the time they were called EGP or Electronic Game Player

[norkusa]

I don't actively seek out video game magazines to collect but when I buy them, they stay in my collection and I never get rid of them. Still have most of the mags I bought when I was a kid too...Game Players, Gamepro, Nintendo Power, Video Games & Computer Entertainment. Got allot of the early EGM's too, including issue #2 with the Fabio cover.

[Push Upstairs]

My siggy says it all.

I am trying to collect the EGM magazines from the 16-bit era. Sadly, I can't really find the issues I need and i'm kinda poor at the moment. :(


I wouldnt mind finding or reading any of those EGP magazines, but i doubt they go for a decent price.


My best find (magazine wise) was a premier issue of Gamepro in near mint condition on Ebay for $5. But it has no Genesis stuff in it *AT ALL* :grrr:

[Anthony1]

you know what's weird? There doesn't really seem to be any game magazines that were around in 1987 and 1988.

Sure there was.. EGM! EGM started in 1988. :)

Again though, at the time they were called EGP or Electronic Game Player


Yeah, but they only had a few issues in 1988.

There wasn't any really major video game mag doing business in 1987 and 1988, in terms of 12 monthly issues. Things really didn't get going again, until 1989. Then a bunch of mags sprang up.

[Anthony1]

My siggy says it all.

I am trying to collect the EGM magazines from the 16-bit era. Sadly, I can't really find the issues I need and i'm kinda poor at the moment. :(




I might have some doubles from that time period. I have to go check my stack of doubles again. I'll let you know.

[Iron Draggon]

Well I'm still trying to SELL all of my old EGM's, from 1993-1999 complete set!

Also alot of random issues from 2000-2002 nearly complete set of those too!

PM me if interested!

[NE146]

you know what's weird? There doesn't really seem to be any game magazines that were around in 1987 and 1988.

Sure there was.. EGM! EGM started in 1988. :)

Again though, at the time they were called EGP or Electronic Game Player


Yeah, but they only had a few issues in 1988.

There wasn't any really major video game mag doing business in 1987 and 1988, in terms of 12 monthly issues. Things really didn't get going again, until 1989. Then a bunch of mags sprang up.

Well you figure... shortly after the crash and the death of the 5200 & Colecovision, etc., what consoles were really around and prominent in the U.S. during those times? Home console video games were dormant and all the mags (that had tried to switch their focus to "personal computing") had pretty much petered out. It wasn't until the NES/Famicom & SMS started gaining steam in the U.S. that mags started coming out of the woodwork again.. and of course when was that.. about 1988 :)

[hydr0x]

yeah of course i do collect game mags, i've enough of the following mags to call it a collection (some of them i have complete runs of)

1) ODM UK
2) ODM Germany
3) Club Nintendo Germany
4) 100% Nintendo Total Germany
5) Fun Vision Germany
5) GamesTM Germany
currently running mags:
6) Maniac Germany
7) GamePro Germany (totally different from yours)
8) GEE Germany

i've got a lot of these too, but i'm not going after them:

1) N-Zone Germany
2) OPM Germany
3) Playzone Germany

i've only got a few of these, but i want to get more:

1) Video Games Germany
2) Mega Fun Germany
3) Powerplay Germany
4) Super Play UK
5) MCV GamesMarkt Germany
6) GameFront Germany

i've also got a lot of mags where i only got one issue of, like Club Nintendo Netherlands, Konsolen Szene Germany (ONLY featuring backup units), Cube Magazine, Power Unlimited Netherlands and many many more

[digitalpress]

You probably would have guessed this, but I have tons of gaming magazines. I didn't specifically set out to collect them, but I do subscribe to just about everything gaming related and always have. I have a complete collection of the original Electronic Games magazine as well as Computer Fun, Blip, Vidiot, and almost all of Joystik and Videogames Illustrated. I probably have a complete collection of Nintendo Power and certainly of GameFan as well since I subscribed to it after picking up the first issue in a shop.

Packrats.

If they've got a videogame collection, I can almost guarantee they've got a videogame magazine collection too.

[PhoeniX]

I love my magazine collection. Having mags is a great way round out a collection (video game books aren't a bad idea either). They are a great resource for information about release dates, and about games that were never released.

I collect,
-Nintendo Power, I have every issue, it looks so nice on a shelf :)
-Official Dreamcast Magazine, there is something both sad and comforting about a completed magazine
-EGM, I just got into this and only have the last year and half... so far

[davidleeroth]

I'm in the process of listing all my mags, I think I have about 400 of them. The only mag I collect is Edge though. Nearly impossible to find them in 2nd hand bookshops and shipping from UK kills you. :/

[Flack]

Back in the day I was more into computers than consoles, and my pile of old magazines reflects it. I have tons of old Commodote and Amiga magazines, as well as pretty much all the Enter Magazines (even the old ones when they split with 321 Contact).

My favorite thing about those old magazines are the pages and pages of ads that just seem outrageous now. 10 meg hd for $1000?

[davidleeroth]

Yeah, computer parts are the best. LOL
But Jaguar+Cybermorph for 500€? And Alien Vs. Predator for only 130€? That's gotta be a steal! LOL

[YoshiM]

Great, competition for VG&CE mags on eBay. As if those suckers aren't scarce enough :P

My personal collection for Nintendo Power is done (first year of NP with the last three issues of Nintendo Fun Club News). I've got a few EGM's, not near as many or as vintage as the VG&CE's I used to have (I have resorted to downloading scans just to have the content of the older issues), a lot of Game Players but more from the mid 90's rather than late-late 80's and early 90's like I used to have.

So whenever I see what I like in the wild (rare) or on eBay I try and pick them up and my wife just LOVES that.

[digitalpress]

This topic seems familiar.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25048&highlight=magazines

[ManciGames]

-Official Dreamcast Magazine, there is something both sad and comforting about a completed magazine


Oh man, I forgot about that one. I've got them, too. Probably my favorite run of any mag so far. Also have issues 0 - 12 of Official XBOX mag.

Really though, I think I'd like to slim them down to EGM and ODCM only. If anyone wants the others listed above, email me an offer. :)

[tom]

I got about 1800 videogame/computer magazines (gave up counting...) I used to have about 2500, but I trashed all my Amiga magazines and the British 'Games Master' and many more due to lack of space.

USA: I got a complete Antic collection, loads of EG (thanks to Russ), almost all EGM up to 2000 and a few EGM2. Used to have CGW (especially 80s), but the collection got ruined in the cellar. Got most Atari 8-bit related magazines. Got a huge USA Playboy collection, it features different kind of games :-)

UK: All 'Edge' until June 2004, almost all C&VG (worlds first gaming video magazine), all 'ZZap!', many C-64 magazines, all 'Ace', Games Machine, Raze, Sega Power, complete Total (UK's first NES magazine) with all goodies, Click, Mean Machines, OPM, Official X-Box Magazine (still haven't got a X-Box), Official Nintendo Magazine, Retro Gamer, Gamer TM, N-64 Magazine, Page 6, complete Atari User, Game Boy Action, all the newish Game Boy magazine (also the one which had a free double cartridge on the cover), Official DC magazine, DC-UK, DC magazine, DC monthly, Mr Dreamcast (both issues).......loads more......(In the UK I collected most gaming/computer magazines from 1987 to 2004)

Germany:
Complete Tele Match, almost complete Happy Computer (and the later gaming add-on magazine Power Play), first 2 years of ASM.

at the moment all my gaming magazines are boxed up in 45 boxes and stored in the UK, until I move to Germany (middle of Nov.)

[BigGeorgeJohnson]

Way back in 1994 I walked into a used game shop, they were getting ready to go out of business and they had about 100 old game mags all different going back to 89, I think that was the oldest. I asked how much were they, the owner replied a nickel each, I said I'll take them all. That was the beginning of my mag collection which grew to about 300 before my girlfriend convinced me to give them away to my younger cousins during a move. Yet another casualty of my gaming collections to a girl. We should start a thread of all the things we've gotten rid of because our wives girlfriends made us..lol

[Dr. Morbis]

I've got Nintendo Power 1 to 100. 7 to 89 are from my original subscription, I just filled out the others to have a nice even collection. I've also got about 25 various mags from the 88-91 era. I've never really thought about collecting any others, but I'd certainly pick up any pre-1992 VG mag if I saw one in the wild.

[Push Upstairs]

So whats the best way to store a magazine collection?

I'm not talking about sealed so that people in the year 4000 can still read them...i'm talking about how can i properly store them when not reading them.

I had thought about buying magazine/catalog capacity 3-ring binder sheet protectors...but the kind of binder i would need (3 to 5 inch) are rather expensive. :(

[NintendoMan]

I collect NINTENDO POWER'S. Back when I was in like second or third grade, right when NP started in 88 or 89 or whenever, my grandpa bought me the very first 3 years for a subsription.

Even though I got rid of those years ago, I have aquired most of them back. I have almost every issue in complete MINT condition. I bought alot of them in bulk from NP direct so most of the earlier issues are still brand new and never looked at. I have a couple of NP issue #1's in PERFECT CONDITION. One of them I have there is not even close to one flaw. (I am proud of that one)
I keep them ALL away in protective pages and put them into binders away in my closet. NO DUST hits them, very important! (I cover the binders with blankets and towels)

[NintendoMan]

...but the kind of binder i would need (3 to 5 inch) are rather expensive. :(
Ah, they are only like 3.99 a piece, considering what they do, definatley a great investment!
(THat's what I use)

[delafro]

Anything from my personal favorite era of '88-'95, I'm there man. Seriously, this is something I'd love to pick up more of but just haven't had the time. actually, PM if you'd like to sell some stuff- NP, EGM, Gamepro, you name it.

[Push Upstairs]

...but the kind of binder i would need (3 to 5 inch) are rather expensive. :(
Ah, they are only like 3.99 a piece, considering what they do, definatley a great investment!
(THat's what I use)

Where do you find good quality 3in to 5 inch binders at for $3.99? The only ones i have ever seen are the Avery brand binders and they start at $10 for a single 3 inch and shoot up in price from there.

[NintendoMan]

...but the kind of binder i would need (3 to 5 inch) are rather expensive. :(
Ah, they are only like 3.99 a piece, considering what they do, definatley a great investment!
(THat's what I use)

Where do you find good quality 3in to 5 inch binders at for $3.99? The only ones i have ever seen are the Avery brand binders and they start at $10 for a single 3 inch and shoot up in price from there.

I find them at my local baseball card shop. (Well, they actually might be like $4.99 now) They are really good! Not the cheap as all hell ones that you see at Wal-Mart.
They are card binders.

[The Manimal]

I have most issues of Nintendo Power in fantastic condition but I still page through them (CAREFULLY :P )

A few issues are beat up, but those are mostly my issues from when I was a younger. Over half my issues are from eBay, and THOSE are all in pretty much mint condition or else I replace them. It;'s kind of funny. A beat up mag is okay I guess as long as it was new and I wore them out. However, a magazine that is already worn out when I first receive it is a no-no. I need to receive it like it is new in the first place :) After that, whatever. Just don't want dirtied up old mags (who knows what was done to them beforehand, that's why I want minty looking issues...more likely not to have food crumbs or pages wrinkled with spilled kool-aid or anything).

[Push Upstairs]

I find them at my local baseball card shop. (Well, they actually might be like $4.99 now) They are really good! Not the cheap as all hell ones that you see at Wal-Mart.
They are card binders.

Baseball Card Binders.....hmmm I never even thought to look for those.


Hmm....if i can find some for $5 a pop this might just solve my EGM storage problem.

[J2games]

If you are looking for classic gamer mags, check my site

www.J2GAMES.com

just last week I finished posting over 200 mags, all different types and as far back as 1984. There are no duplicates on the site, so once an issue sells, I don't have any more stock. (I'm working through getting the pics posted now.)

I figured I'd try out offering the mags as many of the gamers kept asking for them, this thread makes me happy I followed their advice!

[mrsuit]

Hey whats up. I have many game mags from 1988 to 1996 including many gamepro, game players egm and many more. Let me know what you want and I will check to see if I have any.
p.

[Avatard]

Maybe one of you guys can help me. I've been looking for this one old advertisment for FF3(6). Its 2 pages and says "Doesn't look like a fair fight does it. Well, sometimes life isn't fair". On one page Mog is surrounded by monsters, and on the 2nd all the monsters are piles of goo. I'd love to have a nice scan of those pages, I may even have it transfered to a t-shirt or something. PM me if you have it.

Thanks. :D

[davidleeroth]

Maybe one of you guys can help me. I've been looking for this one old advertisment for FF3(6). Its 2 pages and says "Doesn't look like a fair fight does it. Well, sometimes life isn't fair". On one page Mog is surrounded by monsters, and on the 2nd all the monsters are piles of goo. I'd love to have a nice scan of those pages, I may even have it transfered to a t-shirt or something. PM me if you have it.

Thanks. :D

DP is all you need! :D Check out the Picture & Video link on the left and go from there.