$1,000

[Gorez]

If you were to have $1000, which system would you most be able to complete its game library?

only consider systems that have 100-150+ games..(ie not 32x or any of the like).

just curious what people's responses would be.

[theshizzle3000]

I don't know its a toughie most have either to few or to many. I guess I would go with the Dreamcast.

[ShenmueFan]

Hmmm. 150 games is a LOT. That means each game would have to be less than $10. And are you wanting Complete in Box versions?

I'd say either the Dreamcast or the N64, but only loose and w/o certain rare titles. You'd have to shop wise and buy games in lots whenever possible.

I also am not factoring in hardware/peripherals because there is NO WAY you could get all that for under $1,000....no way.

[Gorez]

no no, im not talking about complete-ing a whole system. just which would you most complete.

[theshizzle3000]

Hmmm. 150 games is a LOT. That means each game would have to be less than $10. And are you wanting Complete in Box versions?

I'd say either the Dreamcast or the N64, but only loose and w/o certain rare titles. You'd have to shop wise and buy games in lots whenever possible.

I also am not factoring in hardware/peripherals because there is NO WAY you could get all that for under $1,000....no way.

Yeah no system could be completed for just 1,000 bucks, because there are always the games that elude collectors and demand insane prices. I guess the N64 is a good choice as well, because it had no insanely high priced games.

[scooterb23]

I could probably finish my Sega Master System and Atari 7800 collections, and have money left over for an extravagant new hat

[Gorez]

always looking for new extravagant hats.

[ShenmueFan]

no no, im not talking about complete-ing a whole system. just which would you most complete.

Actually, if I had $1,000 to just spend on completing a system I always wanted to, I'd probably aim at getting as much Atari Jaguar / CD stuff as possible.

I might even try to get 3DO or Pippin collection (I know, Pippin doesn't have close to 150+ games).

[cyberfluxor]

I could probably finish my Sega Master System and Atari 7800 collections, and have money left over for an extravagant new hat

Ding ding ding.

You can complete a Game.com for under $50. :)

[Scrimble]

I got the last game I needed for my Sega Master collection a few days ago and even though they are all complete, minus a few manuals, and hasn't cost anywhere near $1000, maybe a few hundred? IDK that's just me though. With $1000 I'm sure you could take a big chunk out of Saturn and maybe even finish Sega CD?

[udisi]

you could probably do a US Sega Master System set. really only Buster Douglas boxing will cost you $100, the 2nd tier rares can be had for $15-$20, and there aren't many of them. Everything else is $5 or under complete. Also only I think 120 ish games release.

you couldn't do 7800 complete in box, as Title Match Pro Wrestling, Alien Brigade, and a few other can run $50-$200.

If you're talking handhelds...US Neo Geo Pocket could be done.

[Pantechnicon]

I'll say:
Neo-Geo Pocket, including the color stuff.
Virtual Boy (U.S., at least)
game.com
Atari Lynx (but it'd be close)
Atari 7800
Sega Master System
Sega 32X
Odyssey^2 (PDF can correct me if I'm wrong)

[PSXferrari]

Difficult question because, as a few other people pointed out, it would be very difficult to get a system complete with good accessories and fill out a 100+ game library (especially when you include the very rare games), and still pay less than $1000. If someone is fairly new to collecting, I think you'd have to avoid some systems like the 3DO and Jaguar because their games library is mostly garbage with a few gems mixed in. If you're doing your first complete games collection, I'd hope you would do it for a system that holds your interest and has a lot of the types of games you're into. (In other words, if it's your first full system, don't spend money on trash just for the sake of saying you have a complete game library. Pick a system that's worth it.)

As much as it was a considered a failure when released, a personal favorite for me has become the Virtual Boy. It's very unique and offers a game experience you can't get anywhere else. The "3D graphics" aren't revolutionary by any means, but they are still cool over 10 years later. Better yet, the library is very small (less than 30 unique games worldwide) and only a few games are really expensive. More importantly, the games are more proportionately good in comparison to most other failed consoles. However, the system doesn't meet your criteria if dead-set on a 100+ game system. If that's the case, I second the recommendations of others in the N64 and Dreamcast. N64 would probably be cheaper and games would be easier to find, but most people prefer the Dreamcast game library-- so it would come down to economics and personal taste.

[Gorez]

people seem to think i asked this for suggestions for me..no, i just asked if you had 1000$ which collection would you try to complete..and i understand 1000$ isnt enough for pretty much any system to complete the whole library, but which would be the one you could get most.

[PSXferrari]

people seem to think i asked this for suggestions for me..no, i just asked if you had 1000$ which collection would you try to complete..and i understand 1000$ isnt enough for pretty much any system to complete the whole library, but which would be the one you could get most.


Yep, you had me confused. That's what I thought the first time I responded, but then reread it after my post and realized what you meant. Notice the edit note at the end of mine-- edited it to be more "general," instead of specific towards you. So I guess that rules out my Virtual Boy idea (far less than 100 games). If it were me personally with that much money, it would have to be my Saturn collection, but still think I would come up real short. N64 might be the only one in reach. Or if you want to collect for a real crap system, you can go for Philips CD-i, which is close enough with about 90 titles actually worth calling "games." Most games are quite cheap, and it's quite possibly the easiest "classic" system to still get factory-sealed games for (and at cheap prices too).

[wrldstrman]

I belive ive seen complete boxed collections of the 7800 for sale on ebay before for less than a 1.000.00

[PSXferrari]

I belive ive seen complete boxed collections of the 7800 for sale on ebay before for less than a 1.000.00

Now I'm certainly no 7800 expert (in fact, I know almost nothing), but according to a book I have the 7800 had approximately 60 games released for it. So like my Virtual Boy, it doesn't fit the criteria.

[Kitsune Sniper]

...

The N-Gage. :P

[MrRoboto19XX]

The Master System would be the easiest, and closest to the $1000 mark. As was said before, the 7800 would follow.

Id also think that you could manage a complete 5200 collection, maybe Intellivision. (Im thinking how low the prices for intv stuff currently is)

R-Zone would be obtainable as well :)

[Lemmi_Is_God]

to put it perspective i only spent a total of $963 on my entire 7800 collection and thats with 57 US released games 3 systems (one original near system release date) plus 1 homebrew beef drop
not all of this came from ebay but a few of the pricey ones did, and they all have atleast the cart and manuals

with the $1000
i would probably try and finish my jaguar collection except for battlesphere (screw that game, plus it wasnt made when the jaguar was in stores)
and the SMS - i only have 33 US games for it so the others should be easy

[Jumpman Jr.]

The Master System would be the easiest, and closest to the $1000 mark. As was said before, the 7800 would follow.

Id also think that you could manage a complete 5200 collection, maybe Intellivision. (Im thinking how low the prices for intv stuff currently is)

R-Zone would be obtainable as well :)

Intellivision... eee. Maybe, but doubtful. I've got a complete Intellivision collection, and I'm pretty sure it cost me more than $1000, and I got some of the rarer games for really low prices. Especially considering how high Spiker! and the other later-releases have been going lately.
As many other people said, Master system is doable. But it would be tough. I've got a complete SMS collection, I probably spent about a grand on the whole thing.
N64? Bleh, Maybe, but only if you get a LOT of the games at some big sale where they are selling off ex-rentals for $1 a pop. What I've been finding is that a LOT of the non-sports N64 games, when boxed/complete, go for $10-$20, which is fairly high for an average price of a game. And there is like 300 games for the N64, so that would be tough. However, there aren't very many extremely expensive ones, just a few that are around $50. I still need about 50 N64 games to complete the library, and I'm pretty sure I've spent more than a grand.
Now, Dreamcast. That would be hard. However, I have a 100% CIB Dreamcast collection and it only cost me $1500 Canadian, which is about $1200 US. Possible, but hard.

[PSXferrari]

Atari 5200 and 7800 aren't fair game because they have far less than 100 games each. There's many junk systems with less than 100 games that you could collect for less than $1000. So I think that's why Gorez threw in the 100+ clause-- makes it more challenging.

Now I'm not too familiar with these two: but how about a Texas Instruments TI99/4A? I own one after finding it at a thrift shop and games seem to go quite cheaply for it from what I've seen. Plus, it has almost exactly 100 games for it, so it's not as implausible as the N64 or DC which have larger libraries. Only question, does it fall under console or home computer?

The other one, which I know even less about, is the WonderSwan. Yes, you would be importing everything but it's a fairly recent console with close to 200 games-- anyone know the plausibility of collecting its complete library for $1000?

[segaman]

I would go for Sega Genesis, because, at the cheap prices most of the games are (remember, MOST) it wouldn't be hard, plus, I already have a pretty good sized colection.

[Cryomancer]

Sega CD SHOULD be possible, if you did it "locally" and didn't facot in gas and fast food.

[suppafly]

The 32x, atari lynx and virtual boy complete sets can! And there are prolly a lot many others too

[Poofta!]

oh with 1k id be able to finsih my psx collection, gba collection, snes and nes and *MAYBE* genesis.

keep in mind that my collections arent 'every game released' type thing. but still for psx it runs well over 150 games. (i only have like 5 or so left)

[Gorez]

love everyones responses. for me i think it may be possible to get a complete Sega CD under 1k, and probably all but 25 games or so of the Saturn library for 1k. seems like alot of you think its possible to complete a SMS collection for 1k...i dont think it would be possible for me. as for N64, i dont think you could come close to completing a collection with 1k.

Jumpman - Ill give you 1200$ for a complete dreamcast collection :) you know you want to sell it ;)

[tom]

$1000 eh
I'd get my last missing title for 7800, Tank Command, there's $500.00 gone already.
I get Battlesphere for Jaguar, there's $300.00 gone already
plus two Japanese VB titles (maybe $100 each)

[anagrama]

US Master System would be easy enough, unless you want to fork out $200+ for the "US Sonic" with it's all-important UPC sticker.

To back that up, there was a complete US SMS collection sold on eBay recently (http://cgi.ebay.com/Sega-Master-System-and-COMPLETE-collection_W0QQitemZ110096649238QQihZ001QQcategory Z62053QQssPageName) for $810, albeit missing a few manuals (and probably not the "US Sonic").

[Push Upstairs]

I don't think I could complete a specific game collection for $1000.

It's not that one grand isn't enough, I just don't think there is a game system I own, or would own, that I'd want every single game for.

The $1,000 would probably be used to help out with my current collection as far as finding boxes & manuals.

[GarrettCRW]

With a grand, I'd be able to polish off my Genny/Sega CD/32X collections, or come real close (the only real bankbusters I desire and don't already own are Snatcher and the Shining Force games, with a possibility of wanting the Spider-Man game for 32X). I might even be able to put a dent in my TurboGrafx collection, as well.

[DreamTR]

If these are complete in box, you can't do 7800, why is everyone saying you can? There are two titles alone that run $200 apiece at least, and one is never around at all.

I don't think you can do Lynx either, there are a GRIP of $30 games, not including stupid stuff that never shows up from Telegames and Lemmings which is pricey.

Intellivision for under $1000???? Maybe cart only, but that system is EXPENSIVE for boxes. One game ALONE fetches $600, and I am not counting crap like Conversational French for that Master COmponent Computer thingy...


Damn, some of you guys have some crazy low numbers on these systems!

[CosmicMonkey]

Make it 1000 of the Queen's finest, and we'll be going on a bit of an AES shopping trip. But $1000 is only £520, although I could still get Twinkle Star Sprites and a conversion of Shock Troopers for that.

[Jumpman Jr.]

I belive ive seen complete boxed collections of the 7800 for sale on ebay before for less than a 1.000.00

Yeah, you're right.
I remember about a year and a half ago a CIB collection sold for $650 or something like that. I was going to buy it, but I had to go to a gaming expo a few weeks after the auction ended and I really wanted some spending money.
I'm quite sure it was 100% CIB as well, with a lot of the games being sealed. I even think there was that weird loose cart thing that not many people consider part of a complete collection.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[bangtango]

Nice question but honestly, I'd want to START one or two collections with that money.

So gorez, are we permitted to buy a new system under the guidelines in your first post? If so, I'd probably grab the US/NTSC Amiga CD32. Then again, I picked up a CD-I recently and could use a lot of the $1,000 to pad that library. A friend of mine here, Shawn, might give me a hard time if I had $1,000 to burn and didn't grab the CD-I Zelda games :) So would a few of my friends and family who I told about the CD-I and want me to buy those Zelda games pronto, so they can see them in person. I'd certainly get those and Hotel Mario with $1,000.

But the first thing I might do is try and find the Amiga CD32 and a couple of games for it. I like more obscure systems like that and would actually grab that ahead of a whole bunch of other systems I don't have like the Turbo Duo (or any Turbo console), Super NES, Neo Geo, Atari 2600/5200/7800, Colecovision, Intellivision, Sega Master System, Commodore 64, Jaguar CD, Lynx, etc.

Hell, maybe I'd just try and get as many of THOSE as I could for $1,000. After the 3-4 "big" CD-I games, though. Does trying to finish my "system collection" count? I prefer hoarding systems to games and don't have more than 40-50 games for any given console.

[Ed Oscuro]

Game.com, I bet...though $1000 wouldn't get you the Symphony prototype (if it still exists/can be found).

[Ed Oscuro]

oh with 1k id be able to finsih my psx collection
You have a head start. As there's over 1000 games for the system, it's basically impossible even if you were willing to settle for the worst disc-only games. A few amazing for sale ads could get you most of the way there...it's still going to be out of the reach of most mortals.

For myself, I could likely get all the games I *want* for many systems with $1000, even NES, Genesis, or whatever. Definitely for N64 and SMS.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Jumpman - Ill give you 1200$ for a complete dreamcast collection :) you know you want to sell it ;)

Heh. That baby's not going anywhere for a long time. It looks too nice on my shelves.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[Three-P]

I'd have to make it the PSP. And, if I had enough left over, I'd get a DS and Castlevania-Portrait of Ruin.