Post by wafflerevolution on Sept 13, 2013 17:55:18 GMT
Basics
Member of the CCU since Mar 19, 2011.
How many games do you currently have in your collection?
I currently have 3,179 games.
How many systems do you own?
I have 32 pong units, 3 dedicated units, 14 handhelds, 4 vintage computers, 50 consoles (51 if you count my 32X), 3 desktop PCs, and 1 laptop. With all counted that would be....108.
What was your first system?
That would be the Atari 2600 (which my mother bought for me back in December of 1977 (Yes, I have been gaming for 35 years!). I have a lot of fond memories of those days, but one of them definitely doesn't involve an experiment that my brother chose to conduct on our Atari system. Apparently my younger brother felt that the console was getting a bit thirsty and decided to pour some milk down the cartridge slot. Well, the 2600 must have had an extreme case of lactose intolerance because it never recovered from the incident. Perhaps he should have tried orange juice....In any case, it is a good thing that the system wasn't plugged in at the time or the results could have been shocking. Fortunately my grandmother bought an Atari 2600 at the exact same time to be played at her house when we visited. After the milk debacle, she gave me the spare.....and it still works to this day! Hmmm.....should I test it for lactose intolerance?
Another incident that I recall involves the game Chopper Command. As some of you may know, Activision games like CC had a type of rewards program in which the gamer beats a certain score, takes a picture of the TV screen, sends it in the mail, and in return receives a patch commemorating the event. Now I was pretty good at the game so I thought I would show out and attain the highest score possible........999,999. Back then, there were no game saves so if you wanted to amass a total like that, you had better play for quite a while. It took me 2 days but I did reach the mark only to find that the game score rolled back to 000,000. This might have been a bad thing.....except that you star out with only 3 choppers.....and I had 6 lined up on the screen. Anyway, my mother took out her camera and took a picture. A few weeks later, the roll of film was finished and she took it to be developed. Did I mention that the TV was parked right next to a bay window and that the sun was shining brightly when I attained the score? Perhaps that explains why the TV was completely washed out and my score could not be seen. There is a happy ending to the story though. About 25 years later, I finally got my patch in an eBay auction.
What was your first game?
My first game was the pack-in title Combat. As you guys probably know, Combat is strictly a 2-player game....so having a brother was advantageous (....so that's what brothers are for!). Playing fair does have it's merits but sometimes you just want to cheat your head off just for the fun of it. Back in the day there were no cheat codes so the savvy cheater had to be creative. After a few practice sessions while my brother was away, I discovered a neat little trick. If you hold down the reset switch and fire, the ammo will travel all the way across the screen. With good timing, you can let go of the reset switch and the shot will hit your opponent, sending his/her tank spinning through the right side of the screen and onto your side. While the tank is spinning, your opponent is essentially helpless as he/she cannot fire back. All you have to do is change your turret direction a few degrees and fire again.....and again. In a few of the tank-in-a-maze boards, this would give you 3 freebies before knocking your opponent through a second wall and forcing you to actually play fair (Drat! ). All I really had to do is distract my brother for a few seconds while I was holding the reset switch down and voila! The look of surprise on my brother's face was priceless! LOL
I used to have that game and play it with my brothers, but I never knew about the reset button glitch.
When did you start collecting?
I began collecting in earnest back in 2007. At this time, I made the decision to complete my Atari 2600 collection. However, it wasn't until late 2010/early 2011 that I decided to expand my focus to other consoles. Here is a of pic showing most of my loose 2600 carts:
When did you feel a tipping point from gamer to both gamer and game collector?
I would have to say that when I found this forum, a tipping point was reached. Although I had already made the decision a few months prior to complete collections for a number of systems, it wasn't until I actually felt the encouragement and fellowship of like-minded gamers that I finally felt energized to take on the task. Doing the monthly stats made it even easier to set my mind on the goal.
Nice. We tend to have that effect.
What do you do for a living?
Let me start by saying that it is ironic that you chose to do Republican11 last month. Not only is he the closest member to me but his place of work (Amazon) uses my place of work (UPS) as a shipper. Not only that......the package first goes through the Amazon location and then is sent through UPS.........and the order in which our interviews were done is the same way......first Republican and then me. All irony aside, I must clear up any misconceptions that you all are having.....No, I am not a driver. I have only worked in the hub for 13 years so I don't have enough seniority. You heard me correctly.....only 13 years! Though I am classified as a sorter, I actually only handle packages called "irregs" which is short for irregulars. Any items with exposed metal, hard plastic, or wood and/or items that exceed 6 ft in length and/or items that are over 2 1/2 ft wide and/or items that weigh between 70 and 150 lbs fall into this classification. (Anything over 150lbs is considered freight.)
And I buy a lot of games on Amazon and some get delivered via UPS. Trippy.
What are your goals as a game collector, how have you developed them, and how do you feel about your progress toward them?
My primary goal is to complete collections for all vintage systems....along with the Dreamcast, N-Gage, Game.com, Game Wave, and Hyperscan. I am not really sure if I want to go for a completion of Nintendo's "Game Boy" offerings though. So far, I am doing fairly well.....probably about halfway where I want to be.
As for an ultimate goal, I hope to eventually open a store and/or open a video gaming museum. The latter has been on my mind for years now and I believe that I have made positive strides toward making this happen.....at least with the acquisition phase. As for the possibility of opening a store......the Blockbuster racks are a good start (I currently have 7 spare racks.) but neither the store nor the museum have progressed past the acquisition phase. I haven't secured a location for either and no business license has been acquired yet.
But then you would have to sell part of your collection, right?. How do you feel about parting with some of your vintage treasures? Or would you price the games accordingly?
Well, I only have plans to sell off my duplicates right now. I imagine if I keep getting dups on eBay, I will eventually have enough to open a storefront. LOL As for pricing, I would strive to be reasonable. If I am not willing to pay the price for a certain game, I don't expect others to pay it either. Trades would probably be emphasized and, as a collector myself, I would endeavor to help other collectors as much as possible. Just so you know....When I win an eBay auction, I am only paying (except on rare occasions) for upgrades and "new" games. The dups are essentially freebies.....which gives me leeway should I sell them later.
What's your favorite part of your collection?
Due to the number of games, I would have to say my NES collection. I love the 8-bit graphics and there are some real classics in that library of titles.
Now if we are talking consoles, I would have to say the Vectrex. It's essentially a TV into which you can plug games. Throw in Vector graphics, cool looking carts, and those overlay screens and you have a winner in my book. In addition, one of the best games for the system is built in. How can you go wrong? I really want to play my Vectrex right now.
What would you like to improve in your collection?
I would like to upgrade some of my systems so that they are all CIB. Also, there are some games in my 7800 and Genesis collections that I would also like to upgrade to CIB.
That sounds like a tall order, considering those games are in the 25 year old range. Are there that many CIB games from the 7800 era out there?
Oddly enough, there are more floating around than one might expect. It never ceases to amaze me that there are still some that are sealed (though you really have to be careful as some are re-sealed). I have recently won an auction that had Pete Rose Baseball CIB and have had quite a few complete 7800 games on my eBay watch list.
How many games, systems, etc. are "enough"?
What is this word "enough" of which you speak? "Enough" is not in my vintage gaming dictionary. Please rephrase the question so that I may understand. You may wish to use the word "All" early and often as understanding comes quickly when such a word is used. (ex. All all all all all.......answer...Yes, yes of course!) :-p
So your answer is "All". I see.
That's the spirit! :-p
What's your proudest moment as a game collector?
Currently, I would have to say that passing the 3,000 mark was my proudest moment. However, let it be said that my proudest moment yet may be in the offing. I have recently won an Odyssey 2 auction that includes Power Lords!
Nice! What's your least proud moment as a game collector?
Do I really have to talk about this? Ah well.....here we go.
As you all may know, I am an avid user of eBay as a source for my video gaming habit. Though most transactions are positive, some are just doomed from the beginning. Case in point....the auction involving my Sega Master System. At the time, I had a habit of asking a battery of questions.....so much so that some sellers would literally ask me to shop elsewhere. Anyway, my main concern was that of condition so I asked the seller to describe any damage associated with the system, games, accessories, etc. She sent me an extreme close-up of a microscopic nick in one of the controller inputs. Now I had noticed that in the pic the seller had concealed parts of the system box with manuals, games, etc and this is what prompted the question. After answering all of the questions to my satisfaction, I felt comfortable placing a bid and won the auction. Was I shocked when the system finally arrived! "Charlie's Room" was written on multiple sides (and in the exact spots that she had concealed....What a coincidence!), the box top was partially ripped off and replaced by strips of tape, and the gun included with the system didn't even work. So I contacted eBay to get my money back, providing them with all correspondence to let them see that she had misrepresented the item. A few days later, I was shocked to find that they had dismissed my case? What? I was in total shock and disbelief. I re-opened the case only to have it closed for good. No reasonable explanation was ever given for this decision and I was out $80. I liken it to catching a murder on video in which the perp is clearly identifyable.....and the jury aquits the accused on insufficient evidence. I quit ebay for about 6 months after that occurred.
Yeah, that's maddening. What's your biggest game collecting blunder or missed opportunity?
For the answer to this question, let's take another trip into eBayland.....and specifically to the Jaguar CD exhibit. Here you will see the CIB Jaguar CD attachment in near mint condition with CIB mint examples of Vid Grid, Blue Lightning, Baldies, and Tempest included....and all for the low price of $114.06! Though he later found this to be normal operation, KG believed at the time that the attachment was making an inordinant amount of clicking sounds and returned the system for a full refund. Now let's go over to the 2012 wing of the Jaguar CD exhibit and we find that the system is now sold on eBay for $200 - $300.....and sometimes not even in the box. It appears that a regrettable decision was made here. Now let's move on to the Sega Master System exhibit......
What item in your collection do you feel you most overpaid for?
I would have to say that my CIB Turbo Duo tops the list. A few years ago, I bought it for around $450.....and now it is going for about half that. It's too bad that I didn't keep the Jag CD instead.
What do you think was your best deal while game buying?
Well.....Can I cheat a little here? A friend at work gave me a mint copy of Final Fantasy for the NES thinking that it didn't work. After cleaning it, I found it to be in perfect working order. A few months later, I was in a Packard's store in Winchester and found a near mint box and all docs for $1.....so I got a copy of Final Fantasy CIB for $1. Does that count or do I need to mention a pure purchase?
That counts. Definitely. Great deal!
Edit: At first, I was thinking that my CIB copy of the NES game Final Fantasy for $1 was my best buy.......but, looking at eBay, I am beginning to think that my $55 purchase of Bubble Bobble 2 is actually a better deal.
Amongst your non-gaming friends, are you proud of your collection or is it something you don't bring attention to?
I used to mention it but haven't done so in quite a while.
Did you ever have to defend your collecting to someone, and if so, how?
I don't feel the need to defend my collecting. If jokes are made, I ignore them. Most just think I am nuts but say nothing. It's all in how that look at you when you tell them.
What do you feel is the most valuable and/or rare item in your collection?
Hmmmm.....my APF MP1000 in the box. I am sure that it isn't the most valuable but is probably the most obscure system I own.
What do you feel is the strangest or weirdest item in your collection?
I would have to mention my 1972 Magnavox Odyssey here. It is a battery operated console with carts that aren't programmed but instead act as jumpers to activate games already built into the system. Game accessories include poker chips, play money, cards, and two controllers shaped like mini toasters.
What item(s) do you not have in your collection that people are surprised to hear you don't have?
Despite having games for the system, I don't have a Colecovision. Keep in mind that I do have an RCA Studio II, Emerson Arcadia 2001, and APF MP1000.....and yet I don't have a common system like the Coleco. Weird....
Do you have a funny story about your collection?
I can't think of one now but if my collection gets too much larger, I will be sleeping in a tent outside in the yard.
Where/how do you store it all?
I have been asking myself the same question. LOL Seriously though, I have a video gaming room in the den (approx 8ft x 20ft) in which all of my consoles and games reside. I have 3 rack sections (bought at a Blockbuster that closed) which I have fitted with casters that serve as a place for my games though I still need to construct shelves for my systems.
Very impressive collection pics!
What gaming resources and game collecting tools do you use?
As for gaming resources, I use Backloggery as my primary site for listing my games. However, I also have a notebook for keeping track on the go. The game list used in this notebook was culled from GameFAQs, typed on my computer, and printed out in double-sided page format. The notebook is separated into sections corresponding to the year of console release (ex All Atari 2600 games are listed in the 1975-1977 section.). I have a zipper pouch that clips into the notebook which includes a pencil and eraser (for adding and/or upgrading games directly after purchase) and pages for placement of business cards (Most slots are filled....I may need to do the double-sided thing.).
Have you ever had to move your collection to another house? What was it like?
Thankfully I have never had to move my collection and hopefully I never will. That would be a major pain....
Can you recall which of your games was on your "hit list" for the longest time? The game you knew you wanted, but took you the longest time to acquire?
The game that has been on my hit list for the longest time is Power Lords for the Odyssey 2. I have been literally looking to acquire it for years. I recently won an eBay auction that includes the game.
What's at the top of your game wish list right now?
With the aforementioned auction win, I will have all but one of the Magnavox Odyssey 2 titles......Atlantis.
In addition to collecting games, do you collect any other game related paraphernalia?
I do have standing displays, posters, display boxes, and Mario and Crash Bandicoot themed cars (McDonald's?) as well as books and a History Channel DVD.
Is there any way you'd ever stop collecting?
I don't know that it is something that I would choose to do but if it came down to life or death, I would have to make the tough choice.
What are you going to do if physical game media became a thing of the past?
I would continue to collect vintage games until I had my collections complete...and then start playing said games until all were beaten/complete.
If your significant other told you no more games, what would you do? Or does your significant other collect as well?
I would take her to a pier and tell her to take a long walk and don't stop until she hears a splash. Seriously though, I am single so I don't have a problem with that at this time. She would have to accept my gaming habit though or I probably wouldn't get involved. Relationships can be problematic enough without hobbies becoming a bone of contention.
How many of your systems are hooked up and ready to play?
I currently have two systems hooked up but you would never guess which ones.....nope...the Wii and PS3. Ironic eh? I am a vintage gamer that has no vintage consoles hooked up. In my defense, however, I do have an NES within 3ft of the TV.
Wha? I am shocked. What kind of audio-video setup do you experience your games on? (For example, 40 inch LCD TV with surround sound?)
My setup is probably a bit more retro than most would expect (especially with my Wii and PS3 hooked up). Try a 12-inch TV with a Toshiba VHS/DVD VCR. Digital? I don't think so! Where have you been? Analog is in!!!!
What percentage of your games are still sealed?
I would say around 1%. Now if you ask this question next year, you will probably get a different answer....like 0% for instance.
What percentage of your games have you actually played? Completed?
I have played around 70% of them and completed 0.9%. If everything goes digital, look for both numbers to increase.
As a gamer, do you have many opportunities to play games co-op?
To be honest, I haven't played a co-op game since Microsoft cut support for it's original XBOX titles. It wasn't long after that I cut my support for XBOX Live.
Where do you get your gaming news?
I get my gaming news mostly from Gamespot and specifically this forum. Thanks to all of you guys for helping keep me informed.
Of the current generation consoles, what do you spend most of your time playing? Collecting for? Why?
I spend most of my time playing the PS3 due to the release of Twisted Metal. As for collecting, I would have to go with the 360. There seem to be more games of interest on that console....at least for me that is.
Do you consider yourself unbiased with regard to the other systems on the market?
I used to be unbiased but now must admit that the Wii isn't as appealing as it was in the beginning. At times, the motion detection seems off and battery usage is a requirement. This should have gone out with the pong era.....but even pongs could be played with a "battery eliminator". The Wiimote is a step backwards in that regard.
When it comes to PS3 or 360, if I see an interesting game for either console, I will buy it. It all depends on which version I see first. Hey, I might even get the PS3 version of a game for the sole purpose of keeping my PS3 and 360 numbers close.
Thanks KGKaiju for participating in this interview!
Thanks for asking.
Member of the CCU since Mar 19, 2011.
How many games do you currently have in your collection?
I currently have 3,179 games.
How many systems do you own?
I have 32 pong units, 3 dedicated units, 14 handhelds, 4 vintage computers, 50 consoles (51 if you count my 32X), 3 desktop PCs, and 1 laptop. With all counted that would be....108.
What was your first system?
That would be the Atari 2600 (which my mother bought for me back in December of 1977 (Yes, I have been gaming for 35 years!). I have a lot of fond memories of those days, but one of them definitely doesn't involve an experiment that my brother chose to conduct on our Atari system. Apparently my younger brother felt that the console was getting a bit thirsty and decided to pour some milk down the cartridge slot. Well, the 2600 must have had an extreme case of lactose intolerance because it never recovered from the incident. Perhaps he should have tried orange juice....In any case, it is a good thing that the system wasn't plugged in at the time or the results could have been shocking. Fortunately my grandmother bought an Atari 2600 at the exact same time to be played at her house when we visited. After the milk debacle, she gave me the spare.....and it still works to this day! Hmmm.....should I test it for lactose intolerance?
Another incident that I recall involves the game Chopper Command. As some of you may know, Activision games like CC had a type of rewards program in which the gamer beats a certain score, takes a picture of the TV screen, sends it in the mail, and in return receives a patch commemorating the event. Now I was pretty good at the game so I thought I would show out and attain the highest score possible........999,999. Back then, there were no game saves so if you wanted to amass a total like that, you had better play for quite a while. It took me 2 days but I did reach the mark only to find that the game score rolled back to 000,000. This might have been a bad thing.....except that you star out with only 3 choppers.....and I had 6 lined up on the screen. Anyway, my mother took out her camera and took a picture. A few weeks later, the roll of film was finished and she took it to be developed. Did I mention that the TV was parked right next to a bay window and that the sun was shining brightly when I attained the score? Perhaps that explains why the TV was completely washed out and my score could not be seen. There is a happy ending to the story though. About 25 years later, I finally got my patch in an eBay auction.
What was your first game?
My first game was the pack-in title Combat. As you guys probably know, Combat is strictly a 2-player game....so having a brother was advantageous (....so that's what brothers are for!). Playing fair does have it's merits but sometimes you just want to cheat your head off just for the fun of it. Back in the day there were no cheat codes so the savvy cheater had to be creative. After a few practice sessions while my brother was away, I discovered a neat little trick. If you hold down the reset switch and fire, the ammo will travel all the way across the screen. With good timing, you can let go of the reset switch and the shot will hit your opponent, sending his/her tank spinning through the right side of the screen and onto your side. While the tank is spinning, your opponent is essentially helpless as he/she cannot fire back. All you have to do is change your turret direction a few degrees and fire again.....and again. In a few of the tank-in-a-maze boards, this would give you 3 freebies before knocking your opponent through a second wall and forcing you to actually play fair (Drat! ). All I really had to do is distract my brother for a few seconds while I was holding the reset switch down and voila! The look of surprise on my brother's face was priceless! LOL
I used to have that game and play it with my brothers, but I never knew about the reset button glitch.
When did you start collecting?
I began collecting in earnest back in 2007. At this time, I made the decision to complete my Atari 2600 collection. However, it wasn't until late 2010/early 2011 that I decided to expand my focus to other consoles. Here is a of pic showing most of my loose 2600 carts:
When did you feel a tipping point from gamer to both gamer and game collector?
I would have to say that when I found this forum, a tipping point was reached. Although I had already made the decision a few months prior to complete collections for a number of systems, it wasn't until I actually felt the encouragement and fellowship of like-minded gamers that I finally felt energized to take on the task. Doing the monthly stats made it even easier to set my mind on the goal.
Nice. We tend to have that effect.
What do you do for a living?
Let me start by saying that it is ironic that you chose to do Republican11 last month. Not only is he the closest member to me but his place of work (Amazon) uses my place of work (UPS) as a shipper. Not only that......the package first goes through the Amazon location and then is sent through UPS.........and the order in which our interviews were done is the same way......first Republican and then me. All irony aside, I must clear up any misconceptions that you all are having.....No, I am not a driver. I have only worked in the hub for 13 years so I don't have enough seniority. You heard me correctly.....only 13 years! Though I am classified as a sorter, I actually only handle packages called "irregs" which is short for irregulars. Any items with exposed metal, hard plastic, or wood and/or items that exceed 6 ft in length and/or items that are over 2 1/2 ft wide and/or items that weigh between 70 and 150 lbs fall into this classification. (Anything over 150lbs is considered freight.)
And I buy a lot of games on Amazon and some get delivered via UPS. Trippy.
What are your goals as a game collector, how have you developed them, and how do you feel about your progress toward them?
My primary goal is to complete collections for all vintage systems....along with the Dreamcast, N-Gage, Game.com, Game Wave, and Hyperscan. I am not really sure if I want to go for a completion of Nintendo's "Game Boy" offerings though. So far, I am doing fairly well.....probably about halfway where I want to be.
As for an ultimate goal, I hope to eventually open a store and/or open a video gaming museum. The latter has been on my mind for years now and I believe that I have made positive strides toward making this happen.....at least with the acquisition phase. As for the possibility of opening a store......the Blockbuster racks are a good start (I currently have 7 spare racks.) but neither the store nor the museum have progressed past the acquisition phase. I haven't secured a location for either and no business license has been acquired yet.
But then you would have to sell part of your collection, right?. How do you feel about parting with some of your vintage treasures? Or would you price the games accordingly?
Well, I only have plans to sell off my duplicates right now. I imagine if I keep getting dups on eBay, I will eventually have enough to open a storefront. LOL As for pricing, I would strive to be reasonable. If I am not willing to pay the price for a certain game, I don't expect others to pay it either. Trades would probably be emphasized and, as a collector myself, I would endeavor to help other collectors as much as possible. Just so you know....When I win an eBay auction, I am only paying (except on rare occasions) for upgrades and "new" games. The dups are essentially freebies.....which gives me leeway should I sell them later.
What's your favorite part of your collection?
Due to the number of games, I would have to say my NES collection. I love the 8-bit graphics and there are some real classics in that library of titles.
Now if we are talking consoles, I would have to say the Vectrex. It's essentially a TV into which you can plug games. Throw in Vector graphics, cool looking carts, and those overlay screens and you have a winner in my book. In addition, one of the best games for the system is built in. How can you go wrong? I really want to play my Vectrex right now.
What would you like to improve in your collection?
I would like to upgrade some of my systems so that they are all CIB. Also, there are some games in my 7800 and Genesis collections that I would also like to upgrade to CIB.
That sounds like a tall order, considering those games are in the 25 year old range. Are there that many CIB games from the 7800 era out there?
Oddly enough, there are more floating around than one might expect. It never ceases to amaze me that there are still some that are sealed (though you really have to be careful as some are re-sealed). I have recently won an auction that had Pete Rose Baseball CIB and have had quite a few complete 7800 games on my eBay watch list.
How many games, systems, etc. are "enough"?
What is this word "enough" of which you speak? "Enough" is not in my vintage gaming dictionary. Please rephrase the question so that I may understand. You may wish to use the word "All" early and often as understanding comes quickly when such a word is used. (ex. All all all all all.......answer...Yes, yes of course!) :-p
So your answer is "All". I see.
That's the spirit! :-p
What's your proudest moment as a game collector?
Currently, I would have to say that passing the 3,000 mark was my proudest moment. However, let it be said that my proudest moment yet may be in the offing. I have recently won an Odyssey 2 auction that includes Power Lords!
Nice! What's your least proud moment as a game collector?
Do I really have to talk about this? Ah well.....here we go.
As you all may know, I am an avid user of eBay as a source for my video gaming habit. Though most transactions are positive, some are just doomed from the beginning. Case in point....the auction involving my Sega Master System. At the time, I had a habit of asking a battery of questions.....so much so that some sellers would literally ask me to shop elsewhere. Anyway, my main concern was that of condition so I asked the seller to describe any damage associated with the system, games, accessories, etc. She sent me an extreme close-up of a microscopic nick in one of the controller inputs. Now I had noticed that in the pic the seller had concealed parts of the system box with manuals, games, etc and this is what prompted the question. After answering all of the questions to my satisfaction, I felt comfortable placing a bid and won the auction. Was I shocked when the system finally arrived! "Charlie's Room" was written on multiple sides (and in the exact spots that she had concealed....What a coincidence!), the box top was partially ripped off and replaced by strips of tape, and the gun included with the system didn't even work. So I contacted eBay to get my money back, providing them with all correspondence to let them see that she had misrepresented the item. A few days later, I was shocked to find that they had dismissed my case? What? I was in total shock and disbelief. I re-opened the case only to have it closed for good. No reasonable explanation was ever given for this decision and I was out $80. I liken it to catching a murder on video in which the perp is clearly identifyable.....and the jury aquits the accused on insufficient evidence. I quit ebay for about 6 months after that occurred.
Yeah, that's maddening. What's your biggest game collecting blunder or missed opportunity?
For the answer to this question, let's take another trip into eBayland.....and specifically to the Jaguar CD exhibit. Here you will see the CIB Jaguar CD attachment in near mint condition with CIB mint examples of Vid Grid, Blue Lightning, Baldies, and Tempest included....and all for the low price of $114.06! Though he later found this to be normal operation, KG believed at the time that the attachment was making an inordinant amount of clicking sounds and returned the system for a full refund. Now let's go over to the 2012 wing of the Jaguar CD exhibit and we find that the system is now sold on eBay for $200 - $300.....and sometimes not even in the box. It appears that a regrettable decision was made here. Now let's move on to the Sega Master System exhibit......
What item in your collection do you feel you most overpaid for?
I would have to say that my CIB Turbo Duo tops the list. A few years ago, I bought it for around $450.....and now it is going for about half that. It's too bad that I didn't keep the Jag CD instead.
What do you think was your best deal while game buying?
Well.....Can I cheat a little here? A friend at work gave me a mint copy of Final Fantasy for the NES thinking that it didn't work. After cleaning it, I found it to be in perfect working order. A few months later, I was in a Packard's store in Winchester and found a near mint box and all docs for $1.....so I got a copy of Final Fantasy CIB for $1. Does that count or do I need to mention a pure purchase?
That counts. Definitely. Great deal!
Edit: At first, I was thinking that my CIB copy of the NES game Final Fantasy for $1 was my best buy.......but, looking at eBay, I am beginning to think that my $55 purchase of Bubble Bobble 2 is actually a better deal.
Amongst your non-gaming friends, are you proud of your collection or is it something you don't bring attention to?
I used to mention it but haven't done so in quite a while.
Did you ever have to defend your collecting to someone, and if so, how?
I don't feel the need to defend my collecting. If jokes are made, I ignore them. Most just think I am nuts but say nothing. It's all in how that look at you when you tell them.
What do you feel is the most valuable and/or rare item in your collection?
Hmmmm.....my APF MP1000 in the box. I am sure that it isn't the most valuable but is probably the most obscure system I own.
What do you feel is the strangest or weirdest item in your collection?
I would have to mention my 1972 Magnavox Odyssey here. It is a battery operated console with carts that aren't programmed but instead act as jumpers to activate games already built into the system. Game accessories include poker chips, play money, cards, and two controllers shaped like mini toasters.
What item(s) do you not have in your collection that people are surprised to hear you don't have?
Despite having games for the system, I don't have a Colecovision. Keep in mind that I do have an RCA Studio II, Emerson Arcadia 2001, and APF MP1000.....and yet I don't have a common system like the Coleco. Weird....
Do you have a funny story about your collection?
I can't think of one now but if my collection gets too much larger, I will be sleeping in a tent outside in the yard.
Where/how do you store it all?
I have been asking myself the same question. LOL Seriously though, I have a video gaming room in the den (approx 8ft x 20ft) in which all of my consoles and games reside. I have 3 rack sections (bought at a Blockbuster that closed) which I have fitted with casters that serve as a place for my games though I still need to construct shelves for my systems.
Very impressive collection pics!
What gaming resources and game collecting tools do you use?
As for gaming resources, I use Backloggery as my primary site for listing my games. However, I also have a notebook for keeping track on the go. The game list used in this notebook was culled from GameFAQs, typed on my computer, and printed out in double-sided page format. The notebook is separated into sections corresponding to the year of console release (ex All Atari 2600 games are listed in the 1975-1977 section.). I have a zipper pouch that clips into the notebook which includes a pencil and eraser (for adding and/or upgrading games directly after purchase) and pages for placement of business cards (Most slots are filled....I may need to do the double-sided thing.).
Have you ever had to move your collection to another house? What was it like?
Thankfully I have never had to move my collection and hopefully I never will. That would be a major pain....
Can you recall which of your games was on your "hit list" for the longest time? The game you knew you wanted, but took you the longest time to acquire?
The game that has been on my hit list for the longest time is Power Lords for the Odyssey 2. I have been literally looking to acquire it for years. I recently won an eBay auction that includes the game.
What's at the top of your game wish list right now?
With the aforementioned auction win, I will have all but one of the Magnavox Odyssey 2 titles......Atlantis.
In addition to collecting games, do you collect any other game related paraphernalia?
I do have standing displays, posters, display boxes, and Mario and Crash Bandicoot themed cars (McDonald's?) as well as books and a History Channel DVD.
Is there any way you'd ever stop collecting?
I don't know that it is something that I would choose to do but if it came down to life or death, I would have to make the tough choice.
What are you going to do if physical game media became a thing of the past?
I would continue to collect vintage games until I had my collections complete...and then start playing said games until all were beaten/complete.
If your significant other told you no more games, what would you do? Or does your significant other collect as well?
I would take her to a pier and tell her to take a long walk and don't stop until she hears a splash. Seriously though, I am single so I don't have a problem with that at this time. She would have to accept my gaming habit though or I probably wouldn't get involved. Relationships can be problematic enough without hobbies becoming a bone of contention.
How many of your systems are hooked up and ready to play?
I currently have two systems hooked up but you would never guess which ones.....nope...the Wii and PS3. Ironic eh? I am a vintage gamer that has no vintage consoles hooked up. In my defense, however, I do have an NES within 3ft of the TV.
Wha? I am shocked. What kind of audio-video setup do you experience your games on? (For example, 40 inch LCD TV with surround sound?)
My setup is probably a bit more retro than most would expect (especially with my Wii and PS3 hooked up). Try a 12-inch TV with a Toshiba VHS/DVD VCR. Digital? I don't think so! Where have you been? Analog is in!!!!
What percentage of your games are still sealed?
I would say around 1%. Now if you ask this question next year, you will probably get a different answer....like 0% for instance.
What percentage of your games have you actually played? Completed?
I have played around 70% of them and completed 0.9%. If everything goes digital, look for both numbers to increase.
As a gamer, do you have many opportunities to play games co-op?
To be honest, I haven't played a co-op game since Microsoft cut support for it's original XBOX titles. It wasn't long after that I cut my support for XBOX Live.
Where do you get your gaming news?
I get my gaming news mostly from Gamespot and specifically this forum. Thanks to all of you guys for helping keep me informed.
Of the current generation consoles, what do you spend most of your time playing? Collecting for? Why?
I spend most of my time playing the PS3 due to the release of Twisted Metal. As for collecting, I would have to go with the 360. There seem to be more games of interest on that console....at least for me that is.
Do you consider yourself unbiased with regard to the other systems on the market?
I used to be unbiased but now must admit that the Wii isn't as appealing as it was in the beginning. At times, the motion detection seems off and battery usage is a requirement. This should have gone out with the pong era.....but even pongs could be played with a "battery eliminator". The Wiimote is a step backwards in that regard.
When it comes to PS3 or 360, if I see an interesting game for either console, I will buy it. It all depends on which version I see first. Hey, I might even get the PS3 version of a game for the sole purpose of keeping my PS3 and 360 numbers close.
Thanks KGKaiju for participating in this interview!
Thanks for asking.
