Has collecting ever affected you emotionally?

[Einhander]

I never thought that this would happen. I had been out of video games for a while. But with the PS4 coming out last year, I got really excited again. But what happened was during the process of waiting for next gen, I started to get a lot of nostalgia and I wanted my old games back. I wanted to start collecting them again.

But it turned into much more. Not only did I get all my consoles and old games back, I started getting consoles and games that I never even had such as the Dreamcast, Saturn, and Genesis. I guess I felt that I missed out on those consoles back in the day and so I wanted to get a chance to play stuff that I never had.

And then it turned into even more, I figured since I got all that, I might as well get some imports, so I got a Japanese PS1 and an Action Replay for Saturn. And I thought I had all the games I'd need, but it has really turned into something my mind cannot control. I want so many different shooters for these imports because I feel that generation was my time and I can't help it. I am attracted to the idea of having shmups in my collection. But what's worse is that I still wanna build my NES, SNES collection and I also have a PS4.

So yes it is starting to concern me. My finances have been affected a little. But on the other hand, I need my games. I love all the games I have collected and I play them. I have got rid of a lot of the games I didn't like, so I'm not the worst hoarder.

Now maybe for SNES, Gen I can try the garage sale thing, I dunno. But for imports, I have to order them on Ebay. I think that's my only option.

I know it's just video games. But I'm not going to lie. I really want to get them all, no matter the cost. I have strong urges, but I feel I genuinely want more and more, not just because it's me, but because I'm attracted to these games and want to acquire them. And eventually I feel I will have almost all that I want for certain systems. But it's going to take a long time. And what I feel is a lot of impatience.

Have any of you ever worked a 2nd job just so you could have extra money for games? Or sold something significant just to collect games? Now don't get me wrong. My goal is not to have a complete game library or to have 10,000 games. I simply want a game when it looks good to me and I'm sure that I'll enjoy it. And I end up feeling like I'm missing something before I do get it.

Sure, PSN has some of these games. But it's not the same. Some games, I just feel the urge to have. When you have several consoles, it starts to become problematic when you want them NOW.

[hoverboots]

I feel you are in good company, sir. I am very emotionally attached to games, Nintendo in particular, and that's what I focus on. I have a decent PS1 and PS2 library as well, along with some PS3 titles, but Nintendo is what I was born and raised with. There's just something about them, they've got soul. I also hold on to everything... The last game I traded in was at Game Crazy when I was 13... I bought Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, got it home, played it and didn't appreciate the style of combat. I took it back and got measly store credit for the new game I had purchased that same day. It's so insignificant, but it really affected me. Back in the day, I also traded in my N64 and everything with it to get a PS2, Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy X. Now, I love those games dearly, they are probably my two favorite PS2 titles, but a part of me still mourns the fact that I don't have MY N64 that I got for my birthday in 1999. Games are more than titles on a shelf, they're adventures we take, friends we make, lessons we carry with us for the rest of our lives. It's sad that so many people can't see that, can't appreciate the passion we have for video games.

Well, I'm just about all out of feels lol... I guess this'll do for my introduction, as well.

[aaron-hagel]

I would not say that I was overly emotional on collecting games.  However when I was able to pick up a game that I use to have or retrieved from my parents and brother I would be very happy.  One of the happier moments I had was when I got my copy of Gun-Nac and Ninja Gaiden Trilogy from my brother.  I think that the more emotional one I had was getting my copy of Legend of Zelda from my brother, this was the game that my father and I went out and got together.  That one brings up memories of hanging out with my dad.

[hoverboots]

I would not say that I was overly emotional on collecting games.  However when I was able to pick up a game that I use to have or retrieved from my parents and brother I would be very happy.  One of the happier moments I had was when I got my copy of Gun-Nac and Ninja Gaiden Trilogy from my brother.  I think that the more emotional one I had was getting my copy of Legend of Zelda from my brother, this was the game that my father and I went out and got together.  That one brings up memories of hanging out with my dad.

I still need to pick up a copy of NES Punisher for this reason. And Jackal.

[sheep2001]

Yup - pretty much the same story for me. Except i would NEVER prioritise a game or console purchase over something necessary, and i would never put myself in financial difficulty for it (or take an extra job).  Apart from my first 2 spectrums, I have worked for and bought everything myself.  I saved for months to get my first master system.

I sold most what was left of my childhood collection after i was burgled (3 times in 3 months), as i had the mindset that it wasn't worth having any possessions like this if someone could come in and take what i had worked hard to buy.  Luckily for me, my spectrum, amiga and master system stuff was stored away at my parents house - and those are where most of my childhood memories lie.

After i moved in with my partner, and we bought a bigger house, I got myself another PS2, and started getting back all the stuff that was sold or stolen from my collection.  Then re-bought a dreamcast and did the same. Then snes, and megadrive. Then it was the games id missed out on, and then systems and games for those. (coleco, xbox, neo geo pocket, original game boy, etc, etc)

Luckily i'm financially stable, and have enough 'disposable' income to spend on my hobby. In the 10 or so years since starting to collect,  my collection has grown to over 3200 games across 40 or so systems.  I love having this 'stuff', and to me i get the same appreciation someone would get from paying thousands on a piece of art - but if my situation changed, i would have no real qualm about selling it all. Hell, i've got enough extra systems and duplicate games to raise a fair amount of cash already, but i'm a lazy collector, and there aren't any retro stores for me to just take it to.

I honestly don't see me holding on to it all into my old age, but who knows.  I would really like to have a huge library, with everything displayed - and I think this will happen.....eventually.  

[Einhander]

Yup - pretty much the same story for me. Except i would NEVER prioritise a game or console purchase over something necessary, and i would never put myself in financial difficulty for it (or take an extra job).  Apart from my first 2 spectrums, I have worked for and bought everything myself.  I saved for months to get my first master system.

I sold most what was left of my childhood collection after i was burgled (3 times in 3 months), as i had the mindset that it wasn't worth having any possessions like this if someone could come in and take what i had worked hard to buy.  Luckily for me, my spectrum, amiga and master system stuff was stored away at my parents house - and those are where most of my childhood memories lie.

After i moved in with my partner, and we bought a bigger house, I got myself another PS2, and started getting back all the stuff that was sold or stolen from my collection.  Then re-bought a dreamcast and did the same. Then snes, and megadrive. Then it was the games id missed out on, and then systems and games for those. (coleco, xbox, neo geo pocket, original game boy, etc, etc)

Luckily i'm financially stable, and have enough 'disposable' income to spend on my hobby. In the 10 or so years since starting to collect,  my collection has grown to over 3200 games across 40 or so systems.  I love having this 'stuff', and to me i get the same appreciation someone would get from paying thousands on a piece of art - but if my situation changed, i would have no real qualm about selling it all. Hell, i've got enough extra systems and duplicate games to raise a fair amount of cash already, but i'm a lazy collector, and there aren't any retro stores for me to just take it to.

I honestly don't see me holding on to it all into my old age, but who knows.  I would really like to have a huge library, with everything displayed - and I think this will happen.....eventually.  

I got people telling me it's not worth it to spend 200 on a game if I can download it. In a way I feel they're right logically, but in my heart I feel I am right and need it. What do you suggest for someone like me to do?

[sheep2001]

I got people telling me it's not worth it to spend 200 on a game if I can download it. In a way I feel they're right logically, but in my heart I feel I am right and need it. What do you suggest for someone like me to do?

If you can afford it, and it will give you 200 dollars worth of pleasure, then go for it.  I think it's more important what you and your significant other think about it than anyone else's opinions.  Personally, I wouldn't usually spend that much on a single game.  But if there was one I wanted that much, then I might.  What game is it?

As a side note - you say you NEED it.  That's a bit of a strong word.  You need food, you need to pay the rent/mortgage.  Nobody needs stuff!  Unless it's an addiction. And that's not healthy.

[Einhander]

Yup - pretty much the same story for me. Except i would NEVER prioritise a game or console purchase over something necessary, and i would never put myself in financial difficulty for it (or take an extra job).  Apart from my first 2 spectrums, I have worked for and bought everything myself.  I saved for months to get my first master system.

I sold most what was left of my childhood collection after i was burgled (3 times in 3 months), as i had the mindset that it wasn't worth having any possessions like this if someone could come in and take what i had worked hard to buy.  Luckily for me, my spectrum, amiga and master system stuff was stored away at my parents house - and those are where most of my childhood memories lie.

After i moved in with my partner, and we bought a bigger house, I got myself another PS2, and started getting back all the stuff that was sold or stolen from my collection.  Then re-bought a dreamcast and did the same. Then snes, and megadrive. Then it was the games id missed out on, and then systems and games for those. (coleco, xbox, neo geo pocket, original game boy, etc, etc)

Luckily i'm financially stable, and have enough 'disposable' income to spend on my hobby. In the 10 or so years since starting to collect,  my collection has grown to over 3200 games across 40 or so systems.  I love having this 'stuff', and to me i get the same appreciation someone would get from paying thousands on a piece of art - but if my situation changed, i would have no real qualm about selling it all. Hell, i've got enough extra systems and duplicate games to raise a fair amount of cash already, but i'm a lazy collector, and there aren't any retro stores for me to just take it to.

I honestly don't see me holding on to it all into my old age, but who knows.  I would really like to have a huge library, with everything displayed - and I think this will happen.....eventually.  

I got people telling me it's not worth it to spend 200 on a game if I can download it. In a way I feel they're right logically, but in my heart I feel I am right and need it. What do you suggest for someone like me to do?

If you can afford it, and it will give you 200 dollars worth of pleasure, then go for it.  I think it's more important what you and your significant other think about it than anyone else's opinions.  Personally, I wouldn't usually spend that much on a single game.  But if there was one I wanted that much, then I might.  What game is it?

Okay it's called Gaia Seed for JP PS1. It's on PSN, but I just want it bad cuz I think it's a unique game, great music that makes me get sentimental.

[Nintendoadvantage]

For me collecting has a lot of nostalgia. Finding a game I played when I was a kid makes me very happy. Much like Aaron finding a game my mom got with me is special. ( we got all my games at the pawnshop). Like recently I found a cib copy of quest 64 at a flea market ( I know its horrible) and I remembered picking it up with my mom and thinking how cool the label looked. (false advertisement) I grabbed that glorious crap heap without a second thought and I was filled with real joy. Im not a very jolly guy so yeah Id say that collecting makes me emotional.

[Hoggs17]

For me, the collecting of old games is all about nostalgia.  I will try and get the games that I used to have as kid because it reminds me of being a kid and that's pretty cool sometimes.  Also, if i find a game that I never had as a kid, but saw in a magazine then i will buy that because I never had it.  Luckily most of those games are only a few bucks on ebay.  I'm not talking Earthbound here.  34 year old Hoggs is the hero to 10 year old Hoggs.  If you would've told that kid that he would own all these games, he would've been very happy!

[cynicalmatt]

Absolutely.

I grew up with an Atari 2600 and as soon as I could manipulate that joystick, I was a gamer.  For me, collecting games is extremely emotional because I have so many countless memories tied to specific games and systems.

I remember trying to beat that blasted worm room on The Immortal (Genesis), or staying up all night with friends to unlock all the secret characters in Eternal Champions on Sega CD.  I remember finding Shining Force CD at a local used record shop for $30, the crushing disappointment I felt when I went into Toys R' Us to discover they were out of Ghosts 'n' Goblins on the NES.  I remember selling my NES and all my games to buy a Genesis - the first system I ever bought with my own money instead of a "family" system - and how I regretted it.  Not because I didn't love my Genny (it was, and remains, my favorite console) but because I missed playing all the great NES games I had amassed. 

I remember being so indecisive over whether to buy NightWarriors or X-Men: Children of the Atom for my Saturn that I ended up just buying them both, and picking up Panzer Dragoon Saga and Dragon Force together off eBay for $225 several years ago (the most expensive gaming purchase I've ever made, but quite a deal looking back). 

I remember where and how I obtained tons of games, both console and PC, and I have so many memories of playing them I could write a book. 

A house fire nearly destroyed my collection in 2009, and while my carts were lost, amazingly all but one of my disc-based games survived (though the cases and artwork suffered smoke and/or water damages from the hoses).  After that, I didn't want to collect for a while, but when the Retron 5 was announced I realized I would need a collection of classic games to play on the console.

As the months rolled on with no release date in sight and I amassed a collection of great titles, I found a great deal on a Genesis, Sega CD, and 32X on eBay - just like I had lost in the fire.  I bought it...then I bought an NES...and a top-loader...and a SNES, and so on.  I am now 24 games shy of 1,000 titles, and I have them all stored in a spare room in my house, affectionately referred to as the Game Vault.  Ironically, I did buy a Retron 5, which had a non-working Genesis cart slot that erased my Phantasy Star II saved game, and I ended up returning it and sticking with the original consoles.

When I was little and saved up for weeks to buy just one new game, I couldn't have imagined having a collection like the one I have today.  I feel I am very young at heart, and my love of gaming is a big part of that.  I still get so excited when I see my local shop got in a classic game that's on my wishlist, and I rush up there to pick it up, just like when I was little and I'd scour stores that sold used games and find gems for a few bucks.

[Einhander]

For me, the collecting of old games is all about nostalgia.  I will try and get the games that I used to have as kid because it reminds me of being a kid and that's pretty cool sometimes.  Also, if i find a game that I never had as a kid, but saw in a magazine then i will buy that because I never had it.  Luckily most of those games are only a few bucks on ebay.  I'm not talking Earthbound here.  34 year old Hoggs is the hero to 10 year old Hoggs.  If you would've told that kid that he would own all these games, he would've been very happy!

I agree. Getting games you never had but saw. However have you ever had this feeling where you get games you never hard of, but FEEL like you played them in a past life? Like now I'm getting PS1 and Saturn imports that I have never heard of, but because I feel that they are from my time, they give me almost a nostalgic feel, even though they're not technically nostalgic since I'm sure I've never played or heard of them in the past.

[Hoggs17]

I have not felt any deja vu when playing a game that I've never heard of.  Perhaps these new games remind you of your experiences with previous familiar games and your mind is giving you that nostalgic feeling based on the similarity between the two?  Kinda like playing Shovel Knight for the first time.

[hoverboots]

Yes. Shovel Knight was such a sublime experience for me... It was like everything I knew, but so very fresh all at once. Brilliance.

[mojoeskateco]

Like a lot of others here, collecting can affect me emotionally, however, it is important to ensure other important things in life aren't neglected.  Significant others, friends, family, and other hobbies need time as well.  I think it's a good to approach it as fun.  If a game is $200 and worth playing I will get it eventually but only if I have funds available that are not spoken for.  I try not to take the attitude that I need something though .. more along the lines of: it would be nice to have this if one is available at a decent price I and have the funds available.

It's all about balance and being responsible financially as well.

I give myself $100  a paycheck to buy games with and try my best to stick to it.  If I don't spend the $100 it rolls over and I have $200 next pay, etc.  My account balance is about $400 right now as I didn't buy anything during the Holiday season. 

I also go to garage sales and check locally online for deals or items that I can trade for something I want.  This helps cut down the amount I use from my biweekly allowance mentioned above.