Player or collector

[FritzWhite]

A week or two ago I picked up a craigslist lot of snes games. They all came in paper boxes and one of them came with a manual. I have always ignored manuals in the past, but I realized I liked having the manual in the case with my cart and now I just picked up some more on ebay. I've always considered myself more player than collector, looking only for carts and avoiding expensive boxes and manuals. I'll never see the point of original paper boxes over durable UGC and plastic cases, but ever since I caught manual fever I've questioned this fascination. There was a time when I couldn't care less if the game was complete, but now I like the idea of cart+manual. A few months ago I was hit with a brief obsession to have a couple packs of 3D glasses in my copy of Rad Racer for NES, which now rest in the case with the cart.

I just wish the UGC had a holder for the manuals

Do you care if a game is complete or not? Do you get carts just to play or do you like to collect complete/semi complete games? How do you find information on the market value of complete vs cart?

video-what is CIB? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih3aGk7nvHQ

[Spoonman]

I agree.  I used to feel exactly how you're describing.  Several years ago I got a few games on ebay just because I never owned them before and wanted to play.  Didn't matter to me what shape the label/cart was in or anything.  Now I have a much higher standard and I'm trying to clean up / repair those older ones as best I can.

Actually just got a whole bunch of loose manuals this weekend at a shop to put in the UGC's of a bunch of my NES games.  Much more fun sort of boxing it all back together again.

[larryinc64]

Well, Onion cases are soon coming out and they will have full manual support, in the mean time I suggest getting a binder and some Photo holders.



I do not care to much about the box, but I do like having some of the original boxes. Mostly the SNES, NES, and N64. I also have some GBC and GBA boxes.
I have the original Mario 1-3, and a few Black Box games. I love SNES boxes the most. I have no interest in the Genesis cases though all of mine are in a closet somewhere. I'm only trying to get Saturn and 3DS games CIB. I also try to get CD and DS games CIB.
If the game is only a few bucks more CIB, I'll probably get it CIB.

I love the manuals, a case feels empty without one, I got 3 binders of NES, SNES, N64, GB, GBC, GBA, and Genesis manuals.
Almost all my DS and Wii games are CIB.


Manuals are good to have for alder games, mostly NES era, some games have important info in the manual.

[larryinc64]

I must admit, I've been more of a collector than a gamer lately, I havenot sat down and played a game in a while, minus last night when my freind Matt pushed me to play it, but I'm starting a Game Review show and also a Game Play Commentary show with Matt:

Coming Soon

It will push me to play more of my games.

[madrocsz]

I made the decision when I started collecting some years back to not mess with manuals and boxes.  While cost was the major factor why I decided not to I considered other things. I live in the south and humidity is an issue, thankfully UGC's help with this and of course I like they way to look. Boxes etc are harder to care for in this sense and obviously more prone to damage.

I thought about when I was younger too, I always tossed box and most times lost manual so its not as nostalgic to me. Over the years I have come across a ton of manuals and have always sold or given them away.

However, when it comes to disc based games I absolutely want them complete, suppose its due to more durable cases and I didnt feel like making a ton of dvd cases/art etc. Cant just have a stack of discs laying around.

[e_brugal]

I'm a bit of both, i like to play my games not to have them just to look them in a shelve, like to collect the manuals and have them with the cartidges. Don't like the original paper box, i will like to have the plastic cases (onion or UGC) with the original cover (front, back and spine) exact as it was on the paper box 

[Blumpkin]

I consider original boxes and manuals as a bonus. I don't go out of my way to get them, but they're nice to have. But now I'm starting to consider getting rid of some boxes. All my carts end up in UGC's, so having the original box is just extra space being taken up.

And as for being a collector or player, I'm admittedly more of a collector. I buy more games then I have time to play, both retro and newer releases. This is all in hopes that one day I'll finally be able to have more time to play my games. But I still take some time to play games every now and then. I'm also eagerly anticipating the RetroN 5, which I think will give me some more motivation to play some more of my collection.

[irvgotti452]

I am for sure a player. Most of the games I own are games I can do a random roulette and just play. I don't believe in collecting crap or games cuz they are worth cash. I just play mines. But with the stuff I have I do like to have it complete, most of my Genesis games are CIB and my disc based games too.

[JDavis]

Originally I was 100% a game player.

Then I got promoted to a full time position at my job. Money to buy games with increased. Time to play games decreased.

Collector mode engaged.

Now I've gone back to part time, and my habits are slowly shifting back to playing my games frequently and not buying as many.

[Mick Dundee]

I own way more games than I will ever have time to play.

 I fall under Collector.

 Borderlands 1 almost got me divorced, and that always looms over my head when I want to play a game.  That, and I have a kid now.  Time is not on my side for gaming lately.

[pumanchero]

I used to be a hardcore gamer in the 90s... In the 2000s University, Soccer Stadiums, partys, alcohols, girls, traveling and music kept me away but I now have 3 years as a collector. I only play handhelds though, specifically GBA, 3DS and PSP. My main collection consist of NES, Super Famicom and Nintendo 64 games.

I love videogames' artwork and I spent designing all my spare time. I recently joined Time Walk Games with the intention of bringing Fire Emblem games to collectors/gamers hands.

[Polygon]

Thought I haven't played a lot games recently, I'm a gamer first and a collector second. I won't buy games I don't want and don't intend to play unless they come in a lot with games that I wanted.

[e_brugal]

I own way more games than I will ever have time to play.

 I fall under Collector.

 Borderlands 1 almost got me divorced, and that always looms over my head when I want to play a game.  That, and I have a kid now.  Time is not on my side for gaming lately.

That's the good part of having a wife that like games too, never have problem with my wife because she's always playing with me

[Dravenae]

I have different standards for disc based games and cartridge based games.

I won't buy a disc based game unless its complete in box with manual. For cartridge based games, I don't really mind whether the game is complete or not. If there's a cart in good condition that costs less than a CIB alternative, then I'll buy the cheaper game. If there's a fiver in the difference, then I'll probably bite the bullet, and get the complete game.

I don't buy games that I don't intend on playing or have some interest in playing. I don't understand people trying to own a complete NES collection, but that's not for me to understand. If it makes them happy, then who am I to tell them otherwise?

EDIT: Also thought it worth mentioning that I don't collect PC games. If I buy a PC game, it's usually just a digital download. The only PC games I actually buy are Valve games... LOL.

I collect for the NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, GB, GBC, GBA, DS, 3DS, PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Mega Drive.

I have 3 games for the Wii U, but I bought the console for my Mum, so I don't really collect for it, she does. I'll probably pick up the games I want to play, but it will never be a "main focus". I'll probably start collecting for the PS4, but I'll most likely skip the Xbox One, not because of the shit they stirred with their old used game or DRM policy, but I just want to focus on one console this generation. Collecting for all three last generation was a bit of a blur.

To answer OP's original question. I'm a player first, a collector second. I'll never be one of those guys with over 100 games for one system. I'll most likely keep it between 10-50 games per system. I only want like 7 games for the GBC! LOL.

[AxelSteelBMX]

You and me, Dravenae, our thoughts are the same. Most CIB cartridge prices are too cost-prohibitive for me to even consider them. If I can get a cartridge in good condition (manual optional), that's usually good enough for me. As long as the game plays fine and looks good inside a UGC, I'm not all that picky. But yeah, I won't buy CD/DVD games unless it's a complete game. To me, the cases are just as much a part of those games as the discs themselves. I guess it's a personal choice.

And yeah, my dream "complete" collection is comprised completely of games I actually want/like. My income isn't nearly as disposable as it used to be, so any literally "complete" collections are more or less out of the question, realistically speaking.

EDIT: In case it wasn't clear, I'd classify myself as a Player with Collector tendencies.