K, this is kind of a spinoff off Wavelflack's topic, but it goes down a different path. I didnt want to get his thread off topic so I made my own.
Ok, I want you do do something. Go and grab one of your NES games. It can be boxed, loose, sealed.. whatever.. Just go get one.
Now look at it... Have you ever thought about where the game came from? Who owned it in the past? Why did they part ways with it? Was it yours from the getgo? My point is, a lot of fond memories go with these games. For me, I started playing video games with the NES system. I remember christmas morning, finding my NES system with the original Zelda and the Mario/duckhunt combo sitting under the tree. I didnt even know what Zelda was or the joy it would bring me in the following years. I remember walking down the isles of Toys R' Us and looking at their tabs on the racks that you had to take to the front to get your game. It was a whole new thing for me seeing that the only other thing I was interested in was Gi Joes. Of course, Gi Joes were a little easier to obtain with my $5 a week allowance.
Now look at this game that is in your hands.. Chances are that what you have in your hand brought some kid an EMENSE amount of joy. Some kid may have lusted after that game for months till his birthday came around and after that he may have spend a good chunk of his life creating memories that make characters like Link and Mario so desireable.
Now, this is the main reason why I collect. I feel every bit as happy when I get a padded envelope in the mail then I did when I was walking down the stairs on christmas morning. The Nostalgia is overwhelming and I love it. I think this is why a lot of us collect games. That game that you are holding in your hand has so much in its history that who wouldnt want to collect items like it?