The Dilemma: Boxed or Not?

[tuxedojoe]

Whilst buying older cartridge-based games, I often find myself running into conflict over the completeness of the games. I really love boxed games, but they are often much harder to come by (and a bit more expensive) than loose games. Oft times, I find myself buying loose games and later regretting it when I realize I should have waited for a boxed copy.

What is your opinion on the matter? Do you buy any game you want, regardless of its box, or do you wait around and always buy boxed games?

[Gapporin]

Whenever I buy games, usually I'll buy it loose and then make it a point to pick up the box later. If it's boxed when I buy it, well then, that's a bonus!

CD-based games on the other hand...whole different story.

[maxlords]

I buy complete whenever possible for carts, but if I see a good cart loose, I'll still grab it. CD based games, I won't buy anythig but complete.

[Nesmaster]

i'll buy almost everything loose, save for a few nes games that i want boxed/complete. if i find boxed games in the wild i want then thats a bonus

[zektor]

When collecting some systems it is hard or next to impossible to get them all boxed. Take the TG16 for example. The only person on the planet that has all of them boxed complete is DP :) Some others are easier (Sega Master System) to get boxed complete. It all depends on what you are collecting really. For example, for me having boxed Genesis games would be a must, but boxed Vic-20 games would not be a requirement. It's all up to you.

[boatofcar]

I usually try and pick up games complete if I plan on displaying them, with the exception of text-label VCS games. I think the carts, with the white border line and ultra-70's font make them much cooler to display than the picture on the box.

[imanerd0011]

I collect carts only for the NES, but I buy complete only for all the other systems I have games for. I think if it is a very old system (Atari 2600, NES) you should go for cart only, but if it is either Genesis, Playstation, Dreamcast, it would have to be complete. Because the difference in price between some NES games in their loose vs. complete form is huge, while for those other systems, the price difference isn't near as drastic. It really depends what system you are going to collect for.

[stuffedmonkey]

I don't care about cardboard boxes. If the game came in a plastic case I definately want that.

[-hellvin-]

I buy everything complete. If I buy a loose cart then I have the box AND manual sitting at home. I am an absolute maniac for complete games. I have a few loose nes games (like I'd skip over a loose stadium events ;D) and the only exception to my completeness rule lies in atari era stuff. All coleco/atari/ect is ALL loose save for a few games I happened to find complete. Strangely, all my intellivision games are complete.

[Dr. Morbis]

I buy everything complete. If I buy a loose cart then I have the box AND manual sitting at home. I am an absolute maniac for complete games. I have a few loose nes games (like I'd skip over a loose stadium events ;D) and the only exception to my completeness rule lies in atari era stuff. All coleco/atari/ect is ALL loose save for a few games I happened to find complete. Strangely, all my intellivision games are complete.
Ditto. Make your decision now and stick with it. If you think you might later go for complete games, just start doing it now unless you want to buy your entire game library twice.

And I find it strange that 90% of INTV finds are complete, while 100% of my Colecovision finds are incomplete. Why are Colecovision boxes so elusive???

[EricRyan34]

SNES and under I get just carts, and everything above it, MUST BE complete and MINT condition

[qbertandernie]

i think INTV games were easier to get out repeatedly without destroying the box. i have atari games with flaps falling off from frequent opening, but INTVs just flip open...

i got under the philosophy of if its complete and cheap ill buy it, INTV, genesis, any cd game, and master system have to have at least the box(unless its a box of loose carts that avg .10 a piece or something, see genesis pics in my game room photos). im fine with cart only on most everything other than mentioned, but i am whats known in certain regions as a 'cheap bastard'. thus, complete games are only to be had if they are good deals, which are increasingly fewer and farther between.

if you care for percentages, you can count(or just estimate) at the link below

http://photobucket.com/albums/v509/qbertandernie/

[unbroken]

i always liked to get my games complete, but if i come across a rare game thats cheap and not complete, ill definetly pick it up. cd based games are a different story though.

[DigitalSpace]

For me, loose carts are fine, but disc games must be complete. And in the case of PS2 and GC games, in the approhiate case as well.

[SkiDragon]

Ill always buy a game as long as its in decent condition, I want it, and its a decent deal. I see no problem with buying a good game twice for the box, because I can always sell the loose cart for (hopefully) a profit. But I dont really end up selling usually, which is why I have multiple copies of many games. For example, I bought the original Final Fanasy a while ago, and then bought it again more recently with a box (with an opened plastic wraper around it). If I ever saw it with a manual or any maps that probably exist for it, I would probably buy those too. Sometimes I run across free boxes too, like when I tried to buy Einhander at a GameStop and they couldn't find the disk. Later I bought just the disk for cheap.

[EnemyZero]

im a freak for complete boxed stuff...but i pick loose games up, because theres usually someone on the forums or someone around who can sell or give u the case u need

[fergojisan]

I try to buy complete only for the following systems:
5200 (completed, but trying to get all the boxes now)
7800
NES
SMS
INTV
Lynx
Jaguar
Obviously if I see something rare loose, I'll pick it up. :-P

Systems games I buy loose:
2600 (although either is difficult these days)
SNES
Genesis
TG-16
GBA

On a side note, I wonder why Atari discontinued the 2600 gatefold boxes after the initial run? Maybe if they didn't, we'd find a lot more of those complete, like the Intellivision. Oh well. :P

[NESaholic]

Mostly i want 'm complete or at least boxed, i know the price is higher then but i like it that way.
If i find a cart cheap i'll buy it too,but later on i'd probably get it complete and trade/sell it.

[neuropolitique]

Depends on the system for me. Anything CD based must be complete. There is just no excuse. Just about everything else can be loose, with one exception: Game Boy. I've recently decided to go complete only for my Game Boy collection.

What I decided was, I like Game Boy better than the other systems. So, I'm going to make my Game Boy collection special. And honestly, boxed games aren't selling for that much more, for Game Boy anyway.

[kainemaxwell]

I'll buy them loose and then get the box and manual later. If I find something I want complete already and the price is right I get it.

[drewbrim]

I'm feel pretty much the same way as the rest of you. NES or SNES can be loose. Sega Master, Genesis, and all CD games complete. It makes sense when you think about it. The sega carts and CD based games are meant to be stored in their respective boxes/cases with a convienent place for the instructions. I mean you would literally have to make a concerned effort to throw away the manual in order not to have one of those games be complete. Unlike the NES/SNES where you would have to make an effort to keep everything intact.

[importaku]

I constantly curse the person at nintendo who thought cardboard boxes were a great idea.

Im strictly a near mint only or no purchase kind of person. I have turned down countless chances to get rare nintendo stuff due to its appauling condition. In the end ut usually works out with me finding a minty one.

Thats why i get a buzz when i look at my collection and see rows of crisp uncrushed boxes. :D

[RedHerring]

I used to buy loose Snes games but sold all those in order to buy the games complete. I somewhat regret doing it but game by game I'm refinding all of what I have departed with.

[hezeuschrist]

SNES must be complete. I've got a couple of loose carts and I have one game with a box but no manual. The only reason i've got the loose carts are from Ebay auctions for a complete RPG that came in a lot, and some of them were loose.

[hezeuschrist]

SNES must be complete. I've got a couple of loose carts and I have one game with a box but no manual. The only reason i've got the loose carts are from Ebay auctions for a complete RPG that came in a lot, and some of them were loose. I'm still actively looking for those boxes/manuals though, heh.

[le geek]

I think Cardboard Boxes are silly and take up too much room.

I keep some Boxes if they have cool art on them (Amiga Psygnosis) or hold something of value (Vectrex Overlays). I also keep some rarer ones in storage in case I need to sell a game or two.

I do like have instruction manuals, and keep them in Binders...

Cheers,
Ben

[o2william]

My rule of thumb is that if it's a good price and I want it, I'll buy it whether it's complete or not. But of course I'm willing to pay extra for boxed/complete games than for loose ones. If it's a CD game however, it has to be either extra cheap or extra rare before I'll buy it loose (example: I found a loose $1 Sega CD Dark Wizard a while ago, and I snatched that up).

My big exception to this rule is portable games (Game Boy, NGPC, etc.). I really hate to buy these unless they are complete. I don't know why exactly... I guess since the carts are so small and usually expensive, they seem like a ripoff without a box and manual.

[josekortez]

Due to the fact that most thrifts here toss the boxes, I'm lucky if the cartridges don't look like crap when I'm lucky enough to find them.