Boxes: consider them essential to have?

[Sotenga]

Nope, nuh-uh, naw, not a requirement, at least not for cartridges. I'd feel safer if CD's were in a nice secure casing. But half of the NES games I own lack their original boxes. In this day and age, I've gotten used to secondhand conditions for cartridges, so it's no biggie with me. If there was a boxed and not-boxed copy of the same game, sure, I'd take the box, but it's not a strict requirement.

[Blackjax]

nah, i consider em bonuses if i get them, and I don't toss em if i get the system new. Although i still almost shed a tear every time i look at my empty Odyssey plastic shell case. Picked it up years ago, and have just kept fireworks in it since.

BTW, anyone know whats under those white stickers on the Atari 7800 box? I assume it was probably referring to the keyboard, but I never peeled em and they'd probably just rip now.

[Algol]

I only need boxes/instructions for CDs. I dont really care about boxes for cartridges. Besides, its almost impossible to find cartridges with boxes or manuals over here.

[Arqueologia_Digital]

My answer is YES, i´m a maniatic of boxes and manuals and also, if i have a loose cart and i find the same cart but complete...I BUY IT!!!
I think manual art and boxart are an important factor of a game...

Matías

[portnoyd]

For system boxes: not really. If I can get them free, sure, otherwise, I can live without. For systems like the Vectrex, it's not even an option. Most system boxes I have were free, or were with the system when I purchased it.

For game boxes, Jeff D's breakdown is pretty much in-line with my own:

Any Sega system - Yes, as most of these systems, at least for most of their life, had hard shells of some sort. Great for stacking, and they don't collapse, and can be easy replaced with donors.

Any CD system - Absolutely. Loose discs, even in blank cases, suck.

NES, SNES - Yes, as much as possible. Obvious reasons.

Any System with no Top label - Must have the boxes! I hate stacking them, and not knowing what's what!

TG16 - Preferably, at least the jewel case.

Pre-SMS except for O2, INTV - Loose. I can't be bothered with boxes from back then, especially 2600. O2, INTV, that stuff I got mostly boxed, so I'll be anal about it just because.

dave

[neuropolitique]

Voted Other

There is no excuse for not having the box for a cd game. Other wise, if the game has a box, great, if not, oh well.

[The Manimal]

Any CD based game must be complete...though I am missing the 3D glasses for CONTRA: LEGACY OF WAR ...

Anything less than complete for CD games is pathetic. How can anyone want these NOT complete. No back cover would suck, and the front insert in most cases IS the manual. So to me it is complete or I will not purchase it.


Cartridge based games? It depends. I do not go out of my way, though most of my GB/GBA games were bought new, so I've thought about keeping to complete for those since I only have maybe 3 'cart only' games. For the most part, no. I do want the manuals though I mostly don't have them when I buy used games.

[Kamino]

haha? system boxes?
man, those were gone years ago.
i personally burned my xbox/ps2/gamecube boxes in the fireplace...
nes/snes were gone long time ago.
i dont care about game boxes either. i have a decent number of snes/n64 boxes but theyre aall "folded down" in a box somewhere so definitely NOT display case material.
however i cant stand those damn greatest hits labels either; every time i look at my max payne ps2 disc i cringe a little, until i get the game into the system and realise it doesnt matter!!!!!
i know loose games are worth less, but it doesnt mean theyre worthless...
the game is the most important part, i'll buy games for ANY system, even disc based, loose. i have a question for you:
where's the fun?
The box
the manual
the inserts
or..
THE GAME

i rest my case, vladimir.

[Kejoriv]

Games I like boxes and manuals for XBOX, ps, ps2, ngc, dc, gensis, sms

Everything else, if I buy the game and it comes with a manual or box I trade/ sell it.