Still Collecting?

General and high profile video game topics.
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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby VideoGameCritic » January 13th, 2023, 6:07 pm

DX_Receiver wrote:Hi everyone, longtime lurker and first time poster. Looks like I'm one of the younger whippersnappers here (early 30s)! I had begun slowing my retro collecting down a few years ago prior to COVID.


Welcome DX! It's great to see some new faces around here. Feel free to start a Colecovision thread in the Classic Gaming forum and I will promise to chime in!

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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby VideoGameCritic » January 13th, 2023, 6:10 pm

RDReynolds wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:Wow, looks like the pinball itch is catching. I own three.
And they thought collecting video games was bad!

However, I have no chance of getting more. I'm out of room!


What machines do you have Critic?


I got my first one, Lord of the Rings (new), about 2005 I think. Still think it's the best pinball game I've ever played.

Got the second one, Stern's Pirate of the Caribbean, around 2009. It was used but pristine.

I thought that was it, until I saw that new Jurassic Park. Got that last year, after about 9 months of shipping delays. It's awesome but I had to put in extra cash to really "pimp it out". Customizing/upgrading these games is a hobby in of itself.

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RDReynolds
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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby RDReynolds » January 14th, 2023, 12:47 am

VideoGameCritic wrote:
RDReynolds wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:Wow, looks like the pinball itch is catching. I own three.
And they thought collecting video games was bad!

However, I have no chance of getting more. I'm out of room!


What machines do you have Critic?


I got my first one, Lord of the Rings (new), about 2005 I think. Still think it's the best pinball game I've ever played.

Got the second one, Stern's Pirate of the Caribbean, around 2009. It was used but pristine.

I thought that was it, until I saw that new Jurassic Park. Got that last year, after about 9 months of shipping delays. It's awesome but I had to put in extra cash to really "pimp it out". Customizing/upgrading these games is a hobby in of itself.


Awesome I own the same Pirates. Probably going to sell it soon to help fund a new Godzilla.

Tron
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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby Tron » January 14th, 2023, 3:10 am

VideoGameCritic wrote:
RDReynolds wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:Wow, looks like the pinball itch is catching. I own three.
And they thought collecting video games was bad!

However, I have no chance of getting more. I'm out of room!


What machines do you have Critic?


I got my first one, Lord of the Rings (new), about 2005 I think. Still think it's the best pinball game I've ever played.

Got the second one, Stern's Pirate of the Caribbean, around 2009. It was used but pristine.

I thought that was it, until I saw that new Jurassic Park. Got that last year, after about 9 months of shipping delays. It's awesome but I had to put in extra cash to really "pimp it out". Customizing/upgrading these games is a hobby in of itself.


Lord of the Rings is one of my fave pins too. Certainly in top five. Back when they came out I played that pin at 3 different locations. Each machine played differently. Only thing I remember now is that two of the machines had a very difficult center ramp. The third machine’s center ramp was smooth like butter. I think it’s neato how every pin has its own feel. It sure is hard finding pins nowadays. Arcades are dead & all the bowling alleys have sold their machines to those lousy home collectors; haha just kidding about home collectors being lousy. There was a cool putt putt golf place by me, but they sold off their pins and replaced them with those awful crane machines. Ugh! A hotel I used to go to just to play their two pins sold off theirs too. No place nearby for me to play pins anymore. What a drag.

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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby Billydeethrilliamsss » January 14th, 2023, 8:16 am

Sort of clinging onto the subject- I used to collect years ago but have for a long while now been digital only. But that adds up a lot as well. Between Steam and GOG alone I have over 600 games. I'm really trying to curtail the buying this year... except for the remake of Resident Evil 4. It's one of my all time favorite games and I'm only human.

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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby Retro STrife » January 15th, 2023, 8:49 pm

This topic was really interesting after reading all these answers. We’re all very similar! A few observations:

1. Is no one here actively collecting? I think everyone either answered with a straight up “no” or a “here and there” type answer. Is there anyone I missed that’s still going strong with active collecting?

2. Being pro-physical media is a very common theme here. Yet, one of the most common reasons cited for not collecting anymore was: “I can get everything digitally now.”

3. Are the responses a sign that collecting games is on the decline? IMO, not at all- most answers here cite price hikes as a problem, which would tend to show the opposite- collecting has trended upward, so prices are rising. Thing is, collecting games is often a young person’s hobby.. the 20-35 age group. Our ages listed here are almost all 35-55… i.e., gamers from the 80s and 90s. It may be a sign that, right now, gamers of the 2000’s are the key demographic of the retro gaming hobby. We knew that day was coming, but maybe it’s already here. That would mean that right now the PS2/GC/Xbox generation is currently the prime retro generation, smack dab in its nostalgic sweetspot.

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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby bluenote » January 16th, 2023, 8:46 am

I actually still collect. I'm 47 and have been collecting for about 20 years. However, I buy very little compared to others. I will buy a game maybe every 4 or 5 months. Very much the same as when I was a kid. I'll think to myself, "I'm in the mood to buy an NES game" and then I'll hit up Ebay usually. I'll find a game that I know I'll like, or one I haven't played but heard good things about and try to buy it as complete. With NES now though, that's usually way to expensive, so I'll buy the cart in good shape, then go to Etsy and find a nice repro box and manual for it. Then, it's like having a brand new game!

I have a very small collection compared to other retro collectors. My favourite system is the NES, but I only have about 45 games for it. However, each game is complete, and in great condition (either original box or repro). I have about 10 systems (both new gen and retro), and about 20-40 games for each.

I like collecting this way. Every time I get a new game, it's an event. Almost like when you were a kid saving your money for that one game.

I don't need a lot of games, I prefer collecting this way. Sure, there will be a ton of games I'll never play, but I'm perfectly okay with that.

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Re: Still Collecting?

Postby VideoGameCritic » January 16th, 2023, 9:50 am

bluenote wrote:I like collecting this way. Every time I get a new game, it's an event. Almost like when you were a kid saving your money for that one game.

I don't need a lot of games, I prefer collecting this way. Sure, there will be a ton of games I'll never play, but I'm perfectly okay with that.


I love this quality-over-quantity mindset, especially since it preserves that child-like sense of fun and excitement.

Better to have a small collection you really enjoy than the massive one that just takes up space.


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