I'm starting to get into collecting retro games/consoles. Advice?

thecoryjihad

thecoryjihad

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So I'm starting to get into collecting retro games and consoles and I need the advice of the experienced collectors of these items. I just purchased an NES about three weeks ago and started a decent size collection of about 15 games or so and I'm curious about other systems of the vintage. I'd love to get my hands on a TubroGrafx16 and/or a Turbo Express, but I have no idea what to pay for a working and/or mint in box system or any of the games. Also, what types of warning signs should I look for when buying a system? I'm also looking for similar advice on Dreamcast, SNES, Genesis and PS1.

Any advice CAGs?
 
[quote name='thecoryjihad']So I'm starting to get into collecting retro games and consoles and I need the advice of the experienced collectors of these items. I just purchased an NES about three weeks ago and started a decent size collection of about 15 games or so and I'm curious about other systems of the vintage. I'd love to get my hands on a TubroGrafx16 and/or a Turbo Express, but I have no idea what to pay for a working and/or mint in box system or any of the games. Also, what types of warning signs should I look for when buying a system? I'm also looking for similar advice on Dreamcast, SNES, Genesis and PS1.

Any advice CAGs?[/QUOTE]

why do you want to collect them first of all?!

you can mod a 360 or something and emulate most of these things without having to spend anything. so why would you care about wasting actual money for something you can get free.
 
Because to me, it's not a waste of money. I enjoy collecting things. Some people collect baseball cards, some people collect cars and for a while I was collecting comic books. I got out of the comics and am now into collecting video games. It's a hobby first and foremost. Secondly, I think it's neat to see where we've come from and where we're going all at the same time. I can't wait until my kids are old enough to play these games and systems with me so they can see and appreciate where gaming has come from. Not everyone understands it, clearly, but thankfully, not everyone has to.
 
Great question. My advice is to start with the games and systems that you remember and enjoy. To get an idea of what to pay for something I sometimes go to eBay, do an advanced search and select "completed items only". That will give you an idea of what they have been going for lately and are worth(not what people are trying to get). There was a guy on eBay that was asking $15,000 for an autographed Dreamcast!!! Did he get that? No way. It didn't sell at all. Get an idea of what something is actually worth before you buy or you will over pay. Also there are many web sites and pages dedicated to just about every console and game series so hit those places and look for the "top 10" list of games. To answer that question about "why waste money on retro while you can just emulate", you hit it right on about collecting being a fun hobby. More important to me is the whole experience of poping a game into a console and playing it, rather that runing an emulator which may or may not be a bad port, may be buggy, may have bad sound etc. and to me there is no substitute for the feel of the original controller, but thats just me. What ever you do have fun collecting, don't pay too much for anything. There will always be people out there spending thousands of dollars on mint sealed games and systems, but do they get to enjoy them? Maybe but probably not. I got a Sega Master System from Goodwill for $5.00. It didn't have any games with it but I found that Sega put a secret snail game embeded into the console so I enjoyed the heck out of that till I got some games for it. Any specific questions you have feel free to ask me. I have over 1000 games and hundreds of consoles.
 
Check your local scene for the best deals on retro games and seek to build your collection slowly. Ebay prices can be deceptive at times because international buyers will pay more and power sellers will buy out cheaper listings to remove their competition.

I'm also looking for similar advice on Dreamcast, SNES, Genesis and PS1.
Click to expand...

Don't pay more than $5-10 per system? Better yet, buy in bundles so that the system will be free.
 
For retro games the best places to look are yard sales and thrift shops (there are threads for each of those here). You can usually get things for about a quarter of what you would pay online and you may stumble upon some real oddities.

Be patient and don't snap up the first overpriced thing you find, most consoles and games were mass produced and are readily available.

When buying consoles, test them if possible. If not, at least make sure you have all the proper hook ups. Some consoles have odd cables (the Sega 32X in particular) and are near impossible to find. I purchased a first generation Genesis with the Sega CD without cables for $4. Now I have to find the cables for it before I can even find out if it works! :whistle2:x

Finally, used or retro game stores are usually overpriced. Don't avoid them completely though because they don't always know about some of the less popular games that are rare.
 
if you are trying to find rare games, make sure it's a good rare game. don't buy a rare game simply because it's rare. action 52 is a rare game but it's a game that no one would actually care to play. you'll end up wasting money for nothing.

complete is nice because it has the box, manual and game. but what i don't like about them is that it drives up the price for the game. trying to find complete nes games are a lot harder because box and manuals are harder to get. so if you're collecting, would it matter to have the game as a complete or loose item?
 
Collecting games is very risky due these days. Many games receive digital releases, which basically kills the value of the physical copy. Many PS1 games are worth significantly less because of PSN releases.

I've got a fairly good library of old and new games (I think I'm near 850) and I wouldn't recommend collecting older games simply because you suddenly want to. I've collected my games over time... so it built up slowly.

If you do want to start, avoid eBay and go search out local yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. I've never had any luck at those places though many people have. Most mom and pop game stores aren't worth shopping at because they usually price their items using the upper end of eBay/Amazon prices but every now and then, you can get a fairly good deal.
 
Wow! Thanks for all the positive advice guys. It's a start in the right direction and I now know what to look for. Of course, I'll be buying here as well, but I'll definitely hit up my local thrift shops to see what I can come up with.
 
I guess get games you enjoy. All my rare games i have were games i enjoy when i was young. Also, please remember some individuals have been collecting since early or late 90's. I started in 99'. I would hit your yard sale, pawn or thrift shop. However, you will have to compete with other collectors in your area.
 
[quote name='Vinny']Collecting games is very risky due these days. Many games receive digital releases, which basically kills the value of the physical copy. Many PS1 games are worth significantly less because of PSN releases.

I've got a fairly good library of old and new games (I think I'm near 850) and I wouldn't recommend collecting older games simply because you suddenly want to. I've collected my games over time... so it built up slowly.

If you do want to start, avoid eBay and go search out local yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. I've never had any luck at those places though many people have. Most mom and pop game stores aren't worth shopping at because they usually price their items using the upper end of eBay/Amazon prices but every now and then, you can get a fairly good deal.[/QUOTE]

this is exactly what i mean and referring to emulators. if you actually collect them, it will cost you a lot of money. but if you look at digital solutions, such as emuators or digital downloads, than it's more convenient.

i actually use ebay. living in nyc makes it hard to find old nes and 16bit games. for one thing, you don't need a car to get around because of the subway system, which makes it hard to find those old games. most people who have garage sales or flea markets are outside the city and getting there are burdensome if you don't own a car.
 
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Look into the games you'd want for a system before buying it, and make sure you know what accessories are most needed. I'd like to have a Sega Saturn. I could get one for $40-50 dollars easily... but the games I want cost twice that much each, and I need a memory card to save them in the first place. So, starting up a Saturn collection would really run me closer to the $300 mark.

Make sure friends, family, and co-workers know you're after old games of all sorts. It's not uncommon for people to have random games from long gone systems in their homes, and if they know you'll take anything, it's easier to get cheap/free games to get you started. I only paid for about half of my Dreamcast games... most of them came from a co-worker and my sister's ex.
 
[quote name='thecoryjihad']So I'm starting to get into collecting retro games and consoles and I need the advice of the experienced collectors of these items. I just purchased an NES about three weeks ago and started a decent size collection of about 15 games or so and I'm curious about other systems of the vintage. I'd love to get my hands on a TubroGrafx16 and/or a Turbo Express, but I have no idea what to pay for a working and/or mint in box system or any of the games. Also, what types of warning signs should I look for when buying a system? I'm also looking for similar advice on Dreamcast, SNES, Genesis and PS1.

Any advice CAGs?[/QUOTE]

As a collector I can say so much, but it's probably better if I don't leave an essay.

There's really no set point to begin with, just start with games you remember. Some people collect for pure numbers and full sets. I find it better to spend the money on games you'll play and go for quality over quantity.

As for costs it varies a lot. Some people ask too much on Ebay and lots of things affect the value. Boxes and manuals are nice but really drive up the price for anything pre-PS2. Focus on what you're willing to pay and go with that. Eventually you'll find what you want without the regret of paying too much. If something is consistently out of your range then maybe it's time to bid a little higher.

I disagree with a previous poster. Digital games don't really affect the value of physical games. People who just want to try the game aren't the types to be buying and selling this stuff. To most people the physical game is much better to have.
 
[quote name='CAG Trader']As a collector I can say so much, but it's probably better if I don't leave an essay.

There's really no set point to begin with, just start with games you remember. Some people collect for pure numbers and full sets. I find it better to spend the money on games you'll play and go for quality over quantity.

As for costs it varies a lot. Some people ask too much on Ebay and lots of things affect the value. Boxes and manuals are nice but really drive up the price for anything pre-PS2. Focus on what you're willing to pay and go with that. Eventually you'll find what you want without the regret of paying too much. If something is consistently out of your range then maybe it's time to bid a little higher.

I disagree with a previous poster. Digital games don't really affect the value of physical games. People who just want to try the game aren't the types to be buying and selling this stuff. To most people the physical game is much better to have.[/QUOTE]

sure it does. look at metroid for the nes, whatever the cost you pay for the game on the street, you don't want to pay higher than $5 dollars because that is what it cost on the wii virtual channel. for someone who owns either the classic cover [silver] or the remade cover [yellow], no one would want to pay higher than $5. so whatever the game was sold before, it has lost it's value because it has became more accessible.

mario rpg used to be very costly to buy until it was on the virtual channel on the wii. mario rpg used to cost over $40 [$50 was the minimum you'd get and around $80 for a complete version]. now, you can find them at less than $25 because the game cost $10 on the virtual channel.

the more the game becomes accessible, the less the value becomes. doom is very accessible as it runs on many of the phones and other multimedia devices. no one would really want to pay higher for doom since you can get it easily.

those ps1 marvel vs fighting games are hard to get because it's on the ps1 and saturn console. people pay highly for these games because the english version is limited only to the ps1 console. if suppose capcom and marvel decided to release a download for them like what capcom did for super street fighter 2, than people wouldn't care to pay the high price when they can get a cheaper and updated version.

so yes it will retain it's value though there are downloadables available [take musha for instance]. but who would want to pay for the price when they can get them from other sources at a cheaper price. only a niche or small groups or elitist would want to pay those high prices. but even than, you'd still have to ask what is valuable, $50 for an old game or a new game? i ask myself from time to time if it's worth spending $15-$20 for old nes, snes and genesis games when i could spend the money on games like sin and punishment, vanquish, nier, etc.....

lastly, i bought a retron 3 version 2 because it was a bad thing to spend money on the original hardware. the nes had loading problems and the top loader nes was inferior and costly. having to own an snes and gensis would have taken more space as well as more cables and more cables. the retron 3 was a cheaper solution as it was a top loader nes but also a genesis and an snes, which reduced the amount of cables and adapters.
 
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[quote name='pochaccoheaven']lastly, i bought a retron 3 version 2 because it was a bad thing to spend money on the original hardware. the nes had loading problems and the top loader nes was inferior and costly. having to own an snes and gensis would have taken more space as well as more cables and more cables. the retron 3 was a cheaper solution as it was a top loader nes but also a genesis and an snes, which reduced the amount of cables and adapters.[/QUOTE]

If the Retron 3 is anything like the Yobo consoles you won't get much use out of it. Those things are pure garbage, I ran across someone that bought one new and it was having problems within a month.

As far as emulators go, I think it depends on what generation you are. I grew up with the NES and when I tried an emulator, I just didn't enjoy it as much. Maybe it was the familiarity with the controls or just enjoying memories of childhood. With the younger group that didn't have the NES, PS1 or whichever console I could see why it would not matter.
 
[quote name='pochaccoheaven']sure it does. look at metroid for the nes, whatever the cost you pay for the game on the street, you don't want to pay higher than $5 dollars because that is what it cost on the wii virtual channel. for someone who owns either the classic cover [silver] or the remade cover [yellow], no one would want to pay higher than $5. so whatever the game was sold before, it has lost it's value because it has became more accessible.

mario rpg used to be very costly to buy until it was on the virtual channel on the wii. mario rpg used to cost over $40 [$50 was the minimum you'd get and around $80 for a complete version]. now, you can find them at less than $25 because the game cost $10 on the virtual channel.

the more the game becomes accessible, the less the value becomes. doom is very accessible as it runs on many of the phones and other multimedia devices. no one would really want to pay higher for doom since you can get it easily.

those ps1 marvel vs fighting games are hard to get because it's on the ps1 and saturn console. people pay highly for these games because the english version is limited only to the ps1 console. if suppose capcom and marvel decided to release a download for them like what capcom did for super street fighter 2, than people wouldn't care to pay the high price when they can get a cheaper and updated version.

so yes it will retain it's value though there are downloadables available [take musha for instance]. but who would want to pay for the price when they can get them from other sources at a cheaper price. only a niche or small groups or elitist would want to pay those high prices. but even than, you'd still have to ask what is valuable, $50 for an old game or a new game? i ask myself from time to time if it's worth spending $15-$20 for old nes, snes and genesis games when i could spend the money on games like sin and punishment, vanquish, nier, etc.....

lastly, i bought a retron 3 version 2 because it was a bad thing to spend money on the original hardware. the nes had loading problems and the top loader nes was inferior and costly. having to own an snes and gensis would have taken more space as well as more cables and more cables. the retron 3 was a cheaper solution as it was a top loader nes but also a genesis and an snes, which reduced the amount of cables and adapters.[/QUOTE]

Um, no. Metroid is a common game, that's why it's cheap. Has nothing to do with digital versions.

I think you missed what I said though so let me clarify. To those just seeking to play the game of course they'll choose the absolute cheapest version. It's not worth their time to track down a working game and console. However those aren't the people we're referring to. Value refers to those with the consoles, either collectors or purists. For them nothing less than the physical version will do, often preferring box and manual which obviously doesn't apply to digital copies. I know I always choose the physical copy over a digital even with current games. Never looked into the VC on Wii. A physical copy has resale value, looks better in a collection, has way less DRM, saves HDD space, and other advantages. This is why I believe physical media will never be completely replaced with digital versions.

As for the Retron part I don't know if you're the right person to understand all this, no offense. Collectors have the space for the official hardware, know how to keep them clean/working, and can manage the mess of wires (assuming they keep everything hooked up). If it's convenient for you then great, enjoy the games you haven't played. For people like me who still have their NES's it's a little different. The bootleg hardware isn't quite the same.
 
[quote name='Invicta 61']If the Retron 3 is anything like the Yobo consoles you won't get much use out of it. Those things are pure garbage, I ran across someone that bought one new and it was having problems within a month.

As far as emulators go, I think it depends on what generation you are. I grew up with the NES and when I tried an emulator, I just didn't enjoy it as much. Maybe it was the familiarity with the controls or just enjoying memories of childhood. With the younger group that didn't have the NES, PS1 or whichever console I could see why it would not matter.[/QUOTE]

I make note of that often. Sometimes in less than pleasant terms when calling someone a noob to the market. Lol. Those players don't have the experience from previous generations. We can say games have gotten worse or less original but to them it's all they know. They grew up with shooters or those damn cell phones while I appreciate a wide mix of genres on real hardware. Stuff like that, if you understand where I'm going with this.

Emulation is nice as a backup, it makes cart-based platforms more portable. The trick is to get the right controller. I purchased a USB dongle which lets me use an authentic NES pad. It's easier to look past the graphics filters when you're not stuck using a KB to play these games.
 
Either way....emulating is not collecting. Two different things. If you're not a fan of collecting, don't respond to the thread. It's okay to have your own opinions, but I'm looking for advice from other collectors.

Thanks for all the advice though!
 
[quote name='Invicta 61']If the Retron 3 is anything like the Yobo consoles you won't get much use out of it. Those things are pure garbage, I ran across someone that bought one new and it was having problems within a month.

As far as emulators go, I think it depends on what generation you are. I grew up with the NES and when I tried an emulator, I just didn't enjoy it as much. Maybe it was the familiarity with the controls or just enjoying memories of childhood. With the younger group that didn't have the NES, PS1 or whichever console I could see why it would not matter.[/QUOTE]

i've had a retro duo and they were pretty awful. what made the retro duo awful was the nes slot. the contacts grip really really tight and it will be damaged overtime. what tends to happen is that the cartridge slot rips out [contacts pop out]. the snes was good as it had a softer grip on the cartridge.

with the retron 3, it had a milder grip. when pushing and pulling the nes cartridges, i notice that it takes less effort than with the retro duo. but it does have a nice grip on the cartridges. the snes slot is the same with the retro duo and the genesis is no different but with a stronger grip than the snes. i've had the retron 3 for about 3-4 months. the wireless controllers are crap but the ports are great.

i initially bought the retro duo because i only wanted the nes and snes console combo since i already own a genesis. however, when i notice the problem mentioned above with the retro duo, i looked else where for a solution. the alternative solution that came close to a retro duo was the retron 3. i avoided the yobo because of the many amazon users who were complaining about it. however, many seem to like the retron 3, so i jumped on it. the only problem with the retron 3 is of course the hardware problem, lock out chips and other enhancement chips that nintendo implemented.

if you're really going to be a purist, don't be surprise to pay a lot of money because you'll be paying for the box and manual and it's rarity. good luck with the turbo graphx 16 and you'll know what i'm talking about when you decide to collect it.

if you're looking for a sega genesis system, make sure it's the first version of the genesis, a model 1. look at the back of the genesis and see if there is a port that looks like a vga port [please note that it's not a vga port]. also note that on the circular portion of the cartridge slot, there should be a slogan that says "high definition graphics". the purpose of getting the model 1 is the purpose of being a purist. with the model 1, you can mod the console to output stereo composite and svideo. this is what it will look like when it's modded, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H8NuyZxNYY . here is where you can find modding information, http://www.damomonster.com/Mod_Pages/SegaMegaDrive.html .

for wireless controllers, you should look for either the original sega released wireless 6 button controller or the one made by docs, which is a 6button controller as opposed to the 3 button controller.

you can buy a power base converter for the model 1 genesis, a master system add-on for the genesis. for complete, i don't know the price expected to pay. but if it's loose less than $40.

a sega 32x system should cost you about the same price as a power base converter with no box or manual.

if you're not interested in the power base converter or the 32x but an all in one sega cd+genesis solution than you can go and look for a jvx x'eye or the sega cdx.

in terms of the condition of a sega genesis cart, make sure the label is not faded of course. make sure the labels are still intact to the cartridge [no loose corners of the labels]. make sure the labels aren't darkish or has darkish spots. make sure the labels are bright and colorful and not dark toned. cartridge contacts maybe dusty and that's okay but make sure they are not corroded or rusted. be sure to check out all available manuals for the game, certain games have colored manuals and certain games do not. castlevania bloodlines for the genesis have both a colored and black/white manual. make sure you get the one you'd like. not all genesis games are in plastic boxes, some are in hard carboard boxes [electronic arts] and some in soft carboard boxes [sega]. phantasy star 3 is not highly rated, so don't pay so much for it. don't forget to check to see if the posters are included. a game like xmen 1 for the genesis includes a poster/map. make sure it is included or find one that has one. only phantasy star 2 and phantasy star 3 do they have a map/poster.

with any cartridge games, make sure it can save. if it can't, you'll need to replace the batteries. so make sure you buy yourself a screwbit for the genesis, nes and snes. here is how to replace the battery, http://www.jjgames.com/page/replace-snes-battery .

an original nes complete , action set with super mario 1 and duck hunt should cost around $80-120.

with an nes cartridge, shake the cartridge to see if you hear any noise [rattleing]. if you hear noise, it means the cartridge holder is damage. get your money back or ask for a reduced price. every nes game should have it's own slip cover [either a nintendo brand or a non nintendo brand]. some games include maps, so make sure they are included if you buy games that have them. pirates is one of those games.
 
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You can obviously find almost anything on eBay, but stand alone consoles in good, boxed condition aren't cheap. So as a beginner, try to find a console that has a bunch of games with it - that's the cheapest route.

The problem with vintage game collecting is that you think the average CAG has a pretty big backlog now, just wait until you start collecting old games...the backlog gets much bigger.
 
[quote name='bsesb2003']The problem with vintage game collecting is that you think the average CAG has a pretty big backlog now, just wait until you start collecting old games...the backlog gets much bigger.[/QUOTE]

My backlog dates back to the Odyssey 2.
 
when buying complete, either it be for the genesis, nes or snes, check to see if you also get promo ads/poster. for instance, if you bought a sega genesis game like ranger x, see if it comes with the promo poster. what you get with the promo poster is a random poster and a product promo of the games sega offers as well as the hardware sega makes.
an xmen poster/hint map for the sega genesis xmen game, http://www.amazon.com/1993-X-Men-Genesis-Promo-Poster/dp/B0021IWHNM
here is another example, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...rue&rt=nc&si=MMmHpIJSlO6KoXjWqxaR%2BX2ZIgU%3D

if you don't want to hunt the games one by one, you can buy bundle packages as mentioned by other users. the good thing about buying bundle packages is that they are cheaper than buying individual games. however, because they are in bundles, you'll end up getting clones of games you already have. so you end up having to clean up your overstock and duplicates of the games you have if you buy bundles.

for nes games, see if you can find 5 screw cartridges as opposed to 3 screw cartridges. the purpose is that 5screws were originally famicom games with a converter inside the cartridge. so with a 5screw, you'll end up with an official nintendo converter and a famicom game.
 
I used to work at Vintage Stock and I can tell you that this chain gets most of the vintage systems. During my time there, we got a few atari's, dreamcast, sega's and even an intellivision.

They're based throughout MO-KS-AR-OK-TX and they also own Movie Trading Company. Both chains are buying up games, dvds and the like. I'm not trying to overly hype an ex-employer. They can be a bit pricey, but definitely worth taking a look if you live in one of those states.
 
Well I would have to say start with the games you enjoy the most. I think a few posts before said similar things but gaming is about enjoyment. There are only a handful of games that will reach over $200 in value. Work toward a collection you would be proud to show off because you enjoyed them. I think if you start that way you'll find yourself with a nice collection.
Just focus on what you would like most instead of just buying anything. If you want a Radiant Silvergun then just focus on that. Be patient and use good judgement.
That said for current Gen systems I look for good sales on games that maybe didn't do so hot usually on clearance. Also sometimes stores u don't always expect have good deals like Kmart. Ones by me have a decent backlog of older current Gen stuff.

For classic games, flea markets have been most helpful to me. Forums like CAG are a great resource. Goose's might come in handy although you can't always guarantee their condition.
Anyway I'm rambling. Good luck and buy games you enjoy. You can never go wrong.
 
I have a lot of look by searching on Craig's List, so I definitely recommend that. The best thing to do is to collect the games you remember fondly, and as you play those you'll be brought back to the old school days. After that I'd say just jump on in and buy whatever games look good to you.
 
Avoid attempting to collect all games for a system. It's too much time, too much effort, too much money.

Personally I go for the 'less can be more' approach. Other folks have referred to this as the 'bansai' method. The idea is to go after only a handful of games that hold some sort of value to you and go for the absolute highest quality version you can get your hands on.
 
I originally wanted to get all of the systems that I could when I initially started collecting but I ran into the problem of not really having any games that were worth playing for a few of the systems, (Turbo-Grafx 16, Master System, 3DO, N64....any handheld). So I decided to part ways with quite a bit of those and refocus my collection.

Now I generally focus on the Genesis and SNES as I enjoy each. Getting close to 100 games for the Genesis and 50 for the SNES and I am trying to avoid common crap for both of them. I also own a Atari 2600, Dreamcast, NES, Saturn which I had no games for until a recent trade. I generally will buy anything I find at yard sales if it is decently priced which is where a lot of this has come from. Another way I got some of my rarer games was with trades with CAG's that wanted some of my newer stuff I didn't have interest in.

You just gotta find what you like and go after that. It's a pain in the ass with multiple systems.
 
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