You aren't a collector but you keep some games

I don't collect video games. I buy them to play them....but I do keep some games that I really like. Now here's the thing I'm running into lately...where do you draw the line or how do you decide?

I was looking on my shelf and saw Syphon Filter Dark Mirror and Spider-Man 2 for the PSP. Now I enjoyed these games and finished them both....but will I go back to them? Not sure. Now Syphon Filter was an A+ game IMO and normally something like that I would keep....but I'm not feeling really attached to it at all. So do I dump it or save it for a day when I want to play it again? Then there is Spider-Man 2 which was pretty ho-hum but I've pretty much kept all my Spidey games since the PS1 game...so do I end the cycle and dump it?

Sometimes it seems easy...like Lego Star Wars...I played through it and had fun but I felt as if it was too easy to be a keeper so I am dumping it. On the other hand a game like Starfox 64 seems to have infinite replayability for me so I'm holding onto it.

Then I go to my GBA\DS shelf and see games like Zelda and Zelda II. I grew up with these games and having them in portable fashion seemed to be the ultimate thing...but I do have the Zelda Collector's Disc...so do I really need to keep them?

I guess it could just be there are way too many games out at this point or maybe I am starting to lose my nostalgia for older games. It probably doesn't help that my gaming time is limited at this point as well.

So what do you guys do to sort out what you keep?

If I ever go to trade stuff in, I think about it and think if i'll be able to find it again. No brainers like Mercenaries, Darkwatch, etc., but Silent Scope Complete, Moto GP2, etc.. I sit down think to myself, "Am I going to be able to find this game down the road?" I generally come to the conclusion that yeah, I will, but it may not be complete, so when I trade it in, I keep the box and instructions. That way if they don't sell it, I could just go back and buy it if/when it drops in price.. or if I find it on the cheap, i'll have a complete copy. I've recently decided to try to keep every game I have (unless I buy it for the sole purpose of reselling it, like Fatal Frame 3), though, so hopefully I won't have to worry about selling anymore.

I'll only trade in a game if its complete crap and I've beaten it. Other than that, I keep every game.

well i traded in my xbox games cause my shit broke and didnt feel like paying that much to fix or another system. I keep games that I feel I will be more likely to play again. I think if its a long game I have a less likely chance of beating it again, so I prob wont keep it, cept for Zeldas.

I keep all my games unless i end up with duplicates, which doesnt happen often. i have sold afew games in the past but usually end up regretting it down the road.

I keep most of the games I play. Note that this does not count the dozens of games I have sold in the last few months as a result of not really anticipating ever getting around to them.

I buy far more games than I play, but I have no problem keeping around the good ones. My old games stay because I've become far too attached to the physical product I've had since I was a kid. For post-CAG purchases, I look at a game and say "Would I have paid full price for this game?" (or "Would I have bought this game if it weren't cheap?") If the answer is no, then it's fair game to get booted. So far this has worked out pretty well for me, judging by my thinned down GBA/DS collection, and my still thinning GC collection (down to 60 from over 90 a few months ago).

I have been selling tons of my games lately mostly to clear room for next gen. I have gotten rid of all the crap like bmx xxx,unreal 2,dark angel,rainbow six 3, etc.

I buy every single game with the purpose of playing them. That being said, since I joined CAG I buy way more games than have time to play. Thus the very large backlog in my catalog. I keep everything, even PC games that are no longer playable...(Looks at Kings Quest on 5 1/4 inch floppy, Mint in Box). Guess I'm both a player and collector.

But the way I figure, is that I'll have plenty of time come retirement in the year 2037.

I finished all 3 Shadow Hearts games, but I can't bring myself to sell them.

Same with Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. I liked the games so much I just can't get rid of them.

I don't consider myself a collector, but I have every single video game I've ever purchased, save for two N64 games. I can't bring myself to buy anything used either so all the games are new. It's not as though that I think I'll find myself playing these older games again, I just like having them in case I do decide to play through them again in the future.

[quote name='6669']I'll only trade in a game if its complete crap and I've beaten it. Other than that, I keep every game.[/QUOTE]
I was that way until recently. Perhaps it's having a big backlog of games that will keep me occupied, but if a game is completely stoopid and I just don't get any enjoyment out of it, I've now gotten rid of three games (one was one of the LotR games for xbox, Gauntlet for xbox and Sword of Mana for GBA) without even finishing them. After 20 something years of gaming, that's a big change for me.

[quote name='guinaevere']I was that way until recently. Perhaps it's having a big backlog of games that will keep me occupied, but if a game is completely stoopid and I just don't get any enjoyment out of it, I've now gotten rid of three games (one was one of the LotR games for xbox, Gauntlet for xbox and Sword of Mana for GBA) without even finishing them. After 20 something years of gaming, that's a big change for me.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, my b/f just doesn't wanna get rid of them. Even the games he'll never go back and play again still sit there. His friends always joke with him and tell him he "has more video games than a teenaged Asian kid." :lol:

[quote name='guinaevere']I was that way until recently. Perhaps it's having a big backlog of games that will keep me occupied, but if a game is completely stoopid and I just don't get any enjoyment out of it, I've now gotten rid of three games (one was one of the LotR games for xbox, Gauntlet for xbox and Sword of Mana for GBA) without even finishing them. After 20 something years of gaming, that's a big change for me.[/QUOTE]

Same here. Unless the game is a AAA title, I'm going to sell it off, I don't want my collection littered with shit I'll never play again.

Point in case, I'm not feeling Mario Vs Donkey Kong 2, I'd rather play VP 2 or Okami instead of forcing myself to play MvDK 2, so I'm just going to sell it. Sure, my collection won't look so nice with it gone, but I'd rather get back the money I spent on the game than leave it on my shelf to impress random people. I look at it as "Why should I play this game instead of something else?". I'm not going to force myself to play a shitty game just because it was cheap or I got a deal on it.

To me, I only keep a game if it fits these criteria:

1) Will I be able to find it again down the road? (Scorch pointed this one out)
2) Does it have replayability? (Most fighters and shmups fit here)
3) Was it an amazing game I really enjoyed, and will one day play in the future? (Most RPG's and other games fit here)

This gen has some amazing games but it also has many many more shit games than any other generation I think... someone once said there is only about 30 or so games ever worth replaying on any generation, and I agree with this statement.

If I really love a game I'll keep it, like Resident Evil 4, or the Jak and Daxter series, just because I know one day in the future I will definitely play through them again.

Jkam has the right idea... it gets easy to get rid of shit once you start, but the hard part is getting started. Hell, I won't even keep games in a series I hate. I have DMC 1 and 3, but I sold 2 because it was garbage. I only kept Viewitful Joe 1 since it was the only worth keeping imo.

I've started to sell RPG's I've had for years at this point... I've owned Vandal Hearts 1 + 2 for 4 years now, but I will never play them over something like Disgaea 1 or 2 (which I still need to start) so I might as well just dump them, or else I'll stare at them for another 4 years.

I've helped many people deal with downsizing their collections... just PM me if you need any specific help.

i keep the games i really like, simple as that. i have a few for collecting purposes, but otherwise all of them are played and go into storage to play again in the future. i get rid of games i didn't like/didn't finish/hated really fast, having them in my posession bothers me lol

See I'm actually at the point where its easy to pick out the shit and dump it which I've done. I'm going a step further. Now I'm starting to look at the good stuff and think to myself is it worth keeping? Even though it was a great game will I replay it?

[quote name='6669']I'll only trade in a game if its complete crap and I've beaten it. Other than that, I keep every game.[/QUOTE]

I concur. "Outlaw Volleyball" is horrendous and CTHD for XBox has solid gameplay but it's boring. I had to FORCE myself to play through it. What surprises the shit out of me about it is the fact Genki developed it for crying out loud! [mad]
6669 what's with the sig. anyway?

[quote name='jkam']See I'm actually at the point where its easy to pick out the shit and dump it which I've done. I'm going a step further. Now I'm starting to look at the good stuff and think to myself is it worth keeping? Even though it was a great game will I replay it?[/QUOTE]

That stuff varies on a case by case basis. Just have to factor in alot of things, like will it be easy to replace, will it get cheaper if I want to play it again, etc etc.

Stuff like Syphon Filter PSP is easy... eventually Sony will make it a GH for the PSP and you'll be able to get it for $14.99 after GGC at Best Buy, if you ever feel the need to replay it.

With alot of people, once you've played it, you'll probably never replay it anytime soon. You just have to do it on a game by game basis.

I try to be fairly selective when I buy games and only buy things that I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep and enjoy. I'll only sell or trade a game if it turns out that it has no replay appeal for me. I think I've traded maybe three games in the time that I've had my GameCube (going on four years now).

[quote name='Roufuss']That stuff varies on a case by case basis. Just have to factor in alot of things, like will it be easy to replace, will it get cheaper if I want to play it again, etc etc.

Stuff like Syphon Filter PSP is easy... eventually Sony will make it a GH for the PSP and you'll be able to get it for $14.99 after GGC at Best Buy, if you ever feel the need to replay it.

With alot of people, once you've played it, you'll probably never replay it anytime soon. You just have to do it on a game by game basis.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm...I guess I didn't think of it that way...good info...Thanks.

[quote name='jkam']Hmmm...I guess I didn't think of it that way...good info...Thanks.[/QUOTE]

No problem.

Then, let's say you never feel the need to play Syphon Filter again, you're still selling it while it's worth something.

I went through my collection and 95% of the things that were sealed I sold... I figured if they were sealed for more than 6 months I doubt I will ever get to them, because the games weren't important enough to me to open and play right away.

[quote name='MidnightRain']I try to be fairly selective when I buy games and only buy things that I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep and enjoy. I'll only sell or trade a game if it turns out that it has no replay appeal for me. I think I've traded maybe three games in the time that I've had my GameCube (going on four years now).[/QUOTE]

I am kind of the same way. I used to never trade anything in. Of course, back in the day, I didn't have that many games to begin with. There was no way in hell I was going to trade them in. Now that I am older and can buy pretty much what I want.. I can get a few cheap used games and if they suck, I will just wait till GS or EB run their 2 or 3 for extra $10 and get rid of them that way. It seems that the games I keep more are the ones I buy new.
There are a few games I have in my collection that I say to myself, man.. you probably are never going to play this again.. you need to get rid of it.. but then I think.. damn, what if later on I want to play it and I can't find it. I guess the idea of if you can't find a game you are trying to get rid of used anymore, that should be a good indication to just hold on to what you have.

I'm the complete opposite of most people here. I buy a game so I can play it and get enjoyment out of it. Once I am finished with it, and it holds absolutely zero value to me, I try to get rid of it. There isn't a single game in my small collection that I wouldn't ever get rid of, if the price was right. I buy my games so I can play them, they are completely useless to me sitting on a shelf looking pretty.

[quote name='Sarang01']6669 what's with the sig. anyway?[/QUOTE]
I brought it back from my old thread, which now is in danger of being deleted.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26019

edit. Click the pic

[quote name='VanillaGorilla']I'm the complete opposite of most people here. I buy a game so I can play it and get enjoyment out of it. Once I am finished with it, and it holds absolutely zero value to me, I try to get rid of it. There isn't a single game in my small collection that I wouldn't ever get rid of, if the price was right. I buy my games so I can play them, they are completely useless to me sitting on a shelf looking pretty.[/quote]

but how about if you want to replay it in the future? for me at least when i get rid of a game i really liked, eventually (years?) i will want to replay it and ponder buying the game again.

for its only buying the games that i want to collect and will play. i have my whoel ps1 collection in tact but its only games that i will play again same with the ps2 colection i have. i cant bear to get rid of anything from my armored core collection or my ridge racer collection. even though they have no value those are my facorite series and cant bare to see my collection with out them. i want to downsize my psp collection and my ps2 collection. since this thread started up i may make a big trip to EB and do a big trade in.

[quote name='tehweezner']but how about if you want to replay it in the future? for me at least when i get rid of a game i really liked, eventually (years?) i will want to replay it and ponder buying the game again.[/quote]That is one thing I regret every once in a while. A couple months after playing a game and selling/trading it, I will get the urge to play it again, and wish I hadn't unloaded it. It happened with Grandia 3, it happened with Indigo Porphecy, and it happened with Shining Force NEO. Oh well.

I've been running into that question lately, but it's for the same reason as your Zelda problem. I've been buying these collection games lately and it's make me wonder if I should ditch the original version. One part of me is saying no, cause disc based systems break down too easily, so it would be smart to keep the original cartridge games. But then I get to thinking why should I have two copies that are the same game. I.E. I bought Mega Man X Collection for PS2, but own Mega Man X & X2. Now if it was X3, I'd have no problem keeping it, cause the Saturn version's on the collection and the redone music sucks ass. But the other two are the same game(except for a save system in the collection).

[quote name='VanillaGorilla']That is one thing I regret every once in a while. A couple months after playing a game and selling/trading it, I will get the urge to play it again, and wish I hadn't unloaded it. It happened with Grandia 3, it happened with Indigo Porphecy, and it happened with Shining Force NEO. Oh well.[/QUOTE]

Wow! It happened with Grandia 3?! ;-P

Couldn't resist.

[quote name='tehweezner']but how about if you want to replay it in the future? for me at least when i get rid of a game i really liked, eventually (years?) i will want to replay it and ponder buying the game again.[/QUOTE]

Chances are the game will be much much cheaper by that point. For example, you buy a game at $50, play it, beat it, sell it for $35, and eventually it drops to $15 - $20... you're still ahead $15 by this point.

[quote name='tangytangerine']I've been running into that question lately, but it's for the same reason as your Zelda problem. I've been buying these collection games lately and it's make me wonder if I should ditch the original version. One part of me is saying no, cause disc based systems break down too easily, so it would be smart to keep the original cartridge games. But then I get to thinking why should I have two copies that are the same game. I.E. I bought Mega Man X Collection for PS2, but own Mega Man X & X2. Now if it was X3, I'd have no problem keeping it, cause the Saturn version's on the collection and the redone music sucks ass. But the other two are the same game(except for a save system in the collection).[/QUOTE]

Disc based systems break down easily but eventually all the batteries in those carts are going to die as well.

Getting a new system is easy, replacing a battery, I don't even want to mess with that, because if you screw up you've fried a cart.

[quote name='Roufuss']That stuff varies on a case by case basis. Just have to factor in alot of things, like will it be easy to replace, will it get cheaper if I want to play it again, etc etc.

Stuff like Syphon Filter PSP is easy... eventually Sony will make it a GH for the PSP and you'll be able to get it for $14.99 after GGC at Best Buy, if you ever feel the need to replay it.

With alot of people, once you've played it, you'll probably never replay it anytime soon. You just have to do it on a game by game basis.[/QUOTE]

That's pretty much my system. I sell or trade most everything once I've finished with it except stuff that is just so worthless it's not worth the time to list. With that I'll either try using it on a trade in deal or sell it in a lot eventually. You are going to be able to buy nearly any game, especially current gen stuff, for a cheaper price a few years down the road.

But then I know that if any specific game I wanted to replay happened to raise in price for some reason I wouldn't get in a have to have it mode and buy it back for an inflated price. I'd just play something else.

And frankly I'd almost always rather play something new than go back and replay something I've already beat. But that's me.

My problem with the whole "find it again" theory, is that so few people take as good of care of their games as I do, so finding it in the same mint condition may be difficult. That's assuming you can't buy it new, which I am indeed assuming.

There's a fine line, as an adult, between keeping crap and not needing the paltry trade-in credit you get for games most times. As I get a lot of stuff free through work, I tend to err on keeping crap. If it's at all interesting to me, I keep it. Most of what I trade is ports I have on other systems or the odd duplicate, or the absolute bottom of the barrel -- though I sometimes even keep absolute crap like Tenchu DS for that very reason.

[quote name='Roufuss']I'd rather get back the money I spent on the game than leave it on my shelf to impress random people. [/QUOTE]
Well said. The only point I'd make is that why care if someone is impressed or not?

If you're into the art & artifact world at all, you get to know collectors who will go to any (most often times, illegal) methods possible to aquire a piece for their collection. Most of the time, it's for the satisfaction of having that very sought-after piece in *their* collection and that the piece is not in someone *elses* collection.

When the piece is aquired through less than legal ways, you can't even show the piece to other collectors, because they'll turn you in (even though they also have questionable finds within their own collection). The piece ought to be appreciated for what it is, to be admired for it's beauty or the history in it, or the feelings it brings to your heart. Most of the time with the collectors I interact with, they have no such apprecation. They only care about being the pieces' owner. Like they won a war that really only they were being part of.

I find that shallow and rather sad. I mean.. I'm having trouble putting this into coherent words... well, if someone is impressed because of something you own, so what? I don't want people to be impressed with things I own. If someone is impressed, I'd like it to be because of who I am, what I bring to the table by skill or talent, logic and reasoning, compassion and caring, that sort of thing. Me. Not my aquisitions.

aaaaaaaaaanyway. That was much longer than I had anticipated. Apologies.

[quote name='wubb']And frankly I'd almost always rather play something new than go back and replay something I've already beat. But that's me.[/QUOTE]Makes sense. But I think most of us will always have some old standbys that we will always enjoy replaying. =)

[quote name='wubb']
And frankly I'd almost always rather play something new than go back and replay something I've already beat. But that's me.[/QUOTE]

That's how I feel, The only game/s I won't rid of are my sons games.

I don't have time to play as much as I used to, so I just play 1 to 3 diffrent games at a time , beat them , and move on to the next one.

And I do keep some games in my small collection because they were the best of the best, or for personal reasons.

I almost always end up getting rid of my rpg's because they take to long to beat again.(not enough replay value in most either).

[quote name='Roufuss']Disc based systems break down easily but eventually all the batteries in those carts are going to die as well.[/quote]

Thing is that the Mega Man X games for SNES don't have a save system, they're password based, so they don't have a battery.

[quote name='guinaevere']If you're into the art & artifact world at all, you get to know collectors who will go to any (most often times, illegal) methods possible to aquire a piece for their collection. [/QUOTE]
Sounds like someone has been playing a little too much Tomb Raider.

[quote name='ViolentLee']Sounds like someone has been playing a little too much Tomb Raider. [/QUOTE]
Heh. No, aside from the first one on the PC, I haven't played TR at all.

For me it truly depends on the game and it's pretty cut and dry. If I liked the game, I keep it. If I wasn't too crazy about it, it's gone.

The ability to get the game again isn't really a factor because if I think I may want to get it again somewhere down the line I don't get rid of it to begin with. I only trade games I'm fairly certain I'll never want back.