Why Does It Want to Come Back? (The 2600 Collecting Bug)

[ClubNinja]

It has been about two years since I completed the liquidation of my Atari 2600 collection. I had roughly 500 unique loose carts, along with numerous Brazilian and PAL variations. My rationale was that I never played them (very true) and would rather put their worth in cash towards other things. I don't regret selling them at all. I don't "miss" them. I did keep a handful of games, mostly variations of Enduro (favorite 2600 game), figuring I'd still play the favorites. I haven't touched any of those since the liquidation started/ended over two years ago.

So now, this morning, through no prompting and no real reason, I have a severe itch. An itch to buy, clean, sort, and collect Atari 2600. WHY?! I know full well that I'm probably not going to play them. Maybe on a rare whim here and there. Maybe to test them (that's what I did the first time around). But I know I will not touch them enough to justify their existance. Still, I think about a rainy afternoon, and I'm sitting on the floor in the Ninjacade, just sorting little black cartridges. Admiring the labels. Putting them in alphabetical order. The whole works. It sounds perverted. It probably is.

I assume this has happened to others - yes? Why? What should I do? I don't miss Atari games. I don't regret selling off my entire collection in the past. Yet, I want to recollect. It's not like I don't have other, more expensive and time consuming hobbies!

[Kid Ice]

I guess it's a "being here isn't as much fun as the process of getting here" thing.

[smork]

I guess it's a "being here isn't as much fun as the process of getting here" thing.

QFT.

It's why we buy shit we don't even like, just 'coz it's a good deal and in nice condition. I think the search is more fun than the game sometimes... Definitely in the case of 2600 stuff :)

[Mr.FoodMonster]

2600 was the first thing I collected for, and about a year and a half ago, I stopped. I never play them, and they just sit. I had thought about selling off all the stuff that I would never play again, and keeping the 'classics.' But, I decided against it, because these exact types of posts come up, and I know if I sell them, X amount of time from now I'll want it all back.

[ClubNinja]

I know if I sell them, X amount of time from now I'll want it all back.

That's not entirely true here, but I suspect what was said above might have something to do with it. It's not that I want it all back, but it might be that I want back the process of collecting it all. Lots of truth to that thought.

[Synergy]

Still, I think about a rainy afternoon, and I'm sitting on the floor in the Ninjacade, just sorting little black cartridges. Admiring the labels. Putting them in alphabetical order. The whole works. It sounds perverted. It probably is.

LOL I used to do the same thing back when I had my 100+ PC CD-ROMs. I spent more time gawking at the covers and discs and alphabetizing them then actually playing them. When the weather is really bad outside, it's great news for my games, because it's time for them to get pampered and have my full attention.

I sold almost all of those games a couple years ago, and I regret it, but the thing that's different from your case is that I miss them and play them.

I guess it's like the old saying goes; the chase is better then that catch. :)

[Keir]

Ha ha! The old 2600 collecting bug bites me every spring (though this year it came and went with me only acquiring 4 or 5 new boxes). If you come over this Sunday feel free to take some games from my boxes of extras to start rebuilding your collection. :)

[ClubNinja]

Oh God! Not encouragement!

We will be there Sunday, though :)

[christhegamer]

Huh, that's pretty interesting that you brought-up this topic, since I just got about a zillion Atari 2600-5200 games for a buck. Maybe it's just coincidence, but who knows...

[98PaceCar]

Lol! Very timely subject. I just bought 80 loose, but semi rare 2600 games over at AA. I keep telling myself that I collect systems and not games and that I don't need to worry about have a complete collection for any console. But I still keep looking for 2600 games that I know I may play once. I guess I'm a 2600 collector on top of everything else!

now if I could just take that first step and admit that I have a problem!! LOL

[Dave Farquhar]

The thrill of the hunt can be strong, and the Atari 2600 gives bigger challenges. There are more cartridges for it than anything else. Plus, it's older than the 8-bit NES, and the market for the 2600 actually crashed, as opposed to the NES just kind of fading away, so the 2600 went through a more prolonged "Nobody wants this junk anymore, so let's just toss it" period.

I don't consider myself a serious collector; I break out the 2600 to find a simple 2-player game for my wife and me to play and have fun with. But when I go out hunting on Saturdays, I get excited when I find a stack of old cartridges--just as excited as I would get if I found books or old trains, which are things I would say I take seriously.

So it's probably the collector's instinct coming out. Other hobbies have the distinction too, between people who use what they collect, and people who just collect and display it.

[ClubNinja]

Update: I am a weak man. After the weekend, I am up to 182 unique 2600 carts (with a few additional label variations in there too that were not obtained on purpose). Still a long way to go to reach (and surpass) my previous collection (especially with all the rare stuff that I no longer have), but I'm very happy with the decision. I also probably spent more time (in hours) playing Atari games this weekend with MsNinja and some friends than I did in the entire final year of collecting them seriously last time around.

Commons are commons, but if you have any R4 rarity and up carts for trade, shoot me a PM (and/or see my Buying/Selling thread with tradelist).

[cyberfluxor]

When up at my favorite game store the other day the owner showed me an item not for sale, and apart of his personal collection he stashes. Custer's Revenge, boxed and complete in really nice condition, just short of mint. Apparently he got it off a dude trading some games in a few weeks back and is a cool find, although not the über rarest item, was cool to hold it in my hands. I have yet to really stumble across a complete Atari game PERIOD for the 2600, 5200, or 7600 so I'm all about loose and possibly get some plastic cases later, maybe modify sports Genesis cases to house them. But anyhow, that's my short story but I don't play on hardcore collecting those systems, maybe ever but will buy them in the wild when I find worth it. :)

[jboypacman]

Well to me these days all i do is play and collect classic games for my 2600,5200,7800,and Colecovision.I just got really tired of todays games.I enjoy the hunt but i enjoy playing what i find in the wild or online.

[Kroogah]

Ah, summer. That wonderful time of year when a young man's fancy turns to Atari 2600 cartridges.

....seriously, it's gotta be some kind of wicked subliminal advertising, because I just started again too. Sorta. Walked into the local "indie" game store for the first time in a few months and whoa, Pressure Cooker. Been looking for that for a while. Oh no.

This is also fueled by many other message boards I visit that are so full of know-it-all brats that they try to use "You must like Atari 2600" as an insult. OH MAN WHO COULD LIKE ATARI IT HAS A LOW POLYGON COUNT AND NO EPIC STORYLINES!

Time for a round of Berzerk.

[Arcade Antics]

"You think it's healthy to obsessively collect things?"
</Seymour, Ghost World>

LOL

I know exactly whatcha mean. That said, I have a gajillion 2600 carts for sale at the mo, holler via PM if you're interested, 'specially if you might have access to some groovy classic arcade goodies to trade. :)