Derek Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I can't imagine what the allure is in owning, say, a $300 Avalon Hill Out of Control, if it is what you need to complete your Atari 2600 collection, when it is such a pathetic excuse for a game. Like many others, if it isn't any fun to play, why have it? Rare or not, I have simply donated cartridges to Value Village when I didn't find them to be fun. Trying to trade or sell them is far more trouble than it is worth, as I found out when I first became an AtariAge member and had people flaming me, ready to launch WW3 over a cartridge. So, what is the satisfaction in paying big money for a sucky game, just to complete a collection. Spending thousands of dollars on crappy games? I don't get it! I get having a collection of games that you love, while your mp3 player shuffles appropriate 80's tunes as you play. That makes sense. That's how I like to re-visit this era, favorite 80's tunes with favorite games. That' fun. Paying $300 for a completely crappy game? That makes no sense to me, so somebody please spell it out to me:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xg4bx Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 some people are simply completists who need everything to have the perfect collection. personally i wouldn't buy garbage games just to say i have something, but i completely get the "quest" mentality. some buy these games for resale value. all of us on here are collectors of some sort. i like buying games i had as a kid or that simply appeal to me, condition/resale value be absolutely damned, i just want the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I can't imagine what the allure is in owning, say, a $300 Avalon Hill Out of Control, if it is what you need to complete your Atari 2600 collection, when it is such a pathetic excuse for a game. Like many others, if it isn't any fun to play, why have it? Rare or not, I have simply donated cartridges to Value Village when I didn't find them to be fun. Trying to trade or sell them is far more trouble than it is worth, as I found out when I first became an AtariAge member and had people flaming me, ready to launch WW3 over a cartridge. So, what is the satisfaction in paying big money for a sucky game, just to complete a collection. Spending thousands of dollars on crappy games? I don't get it! I get having a collection of games that you love, while your mp3 player shuffles appropriate 80's tunes as you play. That makes sense. That's how I like to re-visit this era, favorite 80's tunes with favorite games. That' fun. Paying $300 for a completely crappy game? That makes no sense to me, so somebody please spell it out to me:)It's called: C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-N-G Some people are collectors, some people are not. It's as simple as that. If you aren't, you will never really understand what it is to be one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 And, there's collectors that fall somewhere in between, like myself. I used to want a complete collection, but figured I would just always be missing the top few most expensive games because I don't want to pay hundreds (or thousands) of $'s for one cart, but I had no problem paying $20 or $30, or even more if necessary. Now I have a couple other expensive hobbies, and instead of spending that much on a game I won't play, I think of what I could get for the same $ in the other hobbies. Also, now that I know more (about PAL games and other oddities) to know that I'll NEVER have a complete collection, it's easier for me to pass by on some of the games that I would have paid good money for before. I still haven't gotten myself to part with the games that are more valuable but suck, now that I already have them. That's the next step I guess. Anyway, all that to say it's sometimes not about how good the game is, it's about upholding the illusion that you may one day have a "complete" 2600 collection. Now I set goals for myself, like I want complete boxed Atari brand or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homerwannabee Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I guess some it has to do with bragging rights. Since not everyone can have a certain game it becomes special in a way. You have something that not many of your fellow collectors have. With that being said I do think this hobby focuses too much on rarity. History and influence of the game seem to mean nothing. In way that's too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tremoloman2006 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I find the quest to find one of the rare titles at a reasonable price is part of the fun! I know I'll never have e very title made but that sure as hell won't keep me from trying! I call myself a "realistic" collector of cartridges complete with box. (i.e. All of the original gatefolds, all of the rainbow & red series, all Imagics, all Activision, etc.) I'm a poor ass 80s gamer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHATETHEBEARS Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 By my count there's 418 "original" released games. I own 402 of them. The other 16 I have as repros - including Out Of Control, which I agree is crappy. We are all collectors here. But we're all different. Some collect games they like, others want a copy of every game ever made, some want boxes and manuals... We're all different. For those collectors who are completists and want it all, it's easy to rationalize paying big bucks for games, assuming they have the means. It's their hobby. And it's what they want. For me, I'm a completist. But to me, that just means being able to play the game in my 2600 system. I don't care if it's an original or a repro. As far as I'm concerned, I now have a complete collection. I could care less about boxes and manuals. I may be a collector, but for me, the most important aspect of the hobby is actually sitting down and playing the games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninermaniac Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 One reason the cost of certain rare games stays high usually is because of resellers. I resell stuff sometimes but some sellers know if you want it at the price it usually sells at then you'll pay for it. Some auctions give resellers a chance to get it cheaper but more times than not there is a reserve anyway sopaying a premium for the rare harhder to find games has become something of the norm. Just gotta have time and know what to look for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercylon Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Certainly, I can understand collecting only the things that you want to play or have fond memories of. That is still collecting. I fall more under this category, but I simply won't shell out $200 for a 2600 game. I boxes and instructions are nice, but loose is fine too. Now maybe I might shell out that kind of money for a rare Saturn or PS1 game that I really want to play, but in that case, I want them to be complete and in mint condition. Then some collect everything, and flip some of it on ebay. I can understand that too. Other want a copy of everything for one or two systems. They might flip duplicates on ebay so they can buy what they are missing. Nothing wrong with that. But collecting everything for 20 different systems and needing to have many copies and every label variation, that is something else all together. Most people do not have the means to do this. It almost seems like hoarding to me, which is a pathological condition because they are probably doing things that are not of benefit to themselves and others around them in pursuit of their obsessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnapCraft Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I guess some it has to do with bragging rights. That's part of it. For me (and I'm sure this goes for others too), it's all about finding the $100 game for $5. Thinking, "Man! I just made a profit of $95. I just got sooo lucky. You know what I could do? I could sell this and buy more games!" But will ya? Naaaa. That would be stupid because then you'd have to re-collect that one. So you find another. Can you sell that one? Nope that's now a back-up. By the time you find a 3rd, you'll be dead. Too bad we can't take our "toys" to heaven, because who really cares about these old games once you die, other than a serious mental collector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xg4bx Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 snapcraft, your last line summed up exactly why i'll never be a serious collector. its all well and good to have hermetically sealed, one of a kind items and all that. to have a collection of things to be proud of, i completely understand that. but it kinda amounts to a waste when you drop dead and everything you searched and scoured hours, days and weeks for ends up in a dumpster.pop that shrinkwrap and enjoy it now since it'll all amount to full garbage bags that your kids will be hauling to the dump. sorry to be such a downer on this lovely saturday, im just a realist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadow460 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I have a set goal of re purchasing every game I have ever owned. Along the way, I add titles to the mix that look like fun. My goal for the 2600 is 256 specific titles that I grew up with. I'm up to around 300 now with some label variations and games I've purchased that aren't on my list. My collection is at roughly 80% of the goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 (edited) snapcraft, your last line summed up exactly why i'll never be a serious collector. its all well and good to have hermetically sealed, one of a kind items and all that. to have a collection of things to be proud of, i completely understand that. but it kinda amounts to a waste when you drop dead and everything you searched and scoured hours, days and weeks for ends up in a dumpster.pop that shrinkwrap and enjoy it now since it'll all amount to full garbage bags that your kids will be hauling to the dump. sorry to be such a downer on this lovely saturday, im just a realist. You may be, but you're predictions sure aren't. Do you really think my kids will put my collection into carbage bags once I'm dead? Not my kids, I can assure you that. Anyway, talking about being realistic: once you're dead you don't have to worry about your collection anymore. But while alive, you had a great time in searching, finding, hoping, caring, visiting places, meeting fascinating persons, talking about the your and other's interests, getting excited about a find in the wild, etc. Collecting is a lot of fun to do. It keeps you sharp and hopeful, which IMO aren't bad things. Edited May 9, 2009 by Rom Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathtrappomegranate Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 ...but it kinda amounts to a waste when you drop dead and everything you searched and scoured hours, days and weeks for ends up in a dumpsterSome might say that you were a nihilist rather than a realist. Existential angst is all very well, but the logical conclusion of that line of thinking is that there's no point in doing anything. Life isn't just a journey, it's also the destination. Does it matter if any of the stuff that you care about today still exists once you're dead? Does it matter if your kids incinerate all of your most treasured possessions when you're worm food? Of course not. I fully expect that my Atari 8-bit collection will end up in a landfill in due course, but I collect the stuff because it brings joy to my life. I listen to music for the same reason. Watch movies, go for walks in the rain, read books, do crossword puzzles, go to gigs - all of it is totally meaningless from a strictly reductionist viewpoint, but it's the stuff of life. Ultimately, none of the stuff that I do means anything at all in the grand scheme of things, but it's me. And that's enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonner242 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I find the quest to find one of the rare titles at a reasonable price is part of the fun!I know I'll never have e very title made but that sure as hell won't keep me from trying! I call myself a "realistic" collector of cartridges complete with box. (i.e. All of the original gatefolds, all of the rainbow & red series, all Imagics, all Activision, etc.) I'm a poor ass 80s gamer. Diddo on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trade-N-Games Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 So what would be better to do with the money I spent on my rare games. My house,kids, wife are all fine. I have enough extra money to get other things I need. I could sell some rare stuff and by a Turbo for my car! Then I would not have games but I would have a Turbo I really want? I guess I would have a lot of money in the bank? Collecting for me is fun and gives me something to do thats really not a bad investment. At least most of the time I could resell for what I paid if I ever was in need of funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2600Lives Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 When I die, all my stuff is already willed to someone, and I know it'll be loved and cared for, just like it was when I owned it. No garbage dumps for my stuff. I'm more of a player than a collector, BUT, I own the games so I can play them. If at some point, I get this odd itch to play, let's say, Fast Food on the 2600, then I want to be able to go over and pull the cart down and PLAY it, dammit! I do find collecting fun, though. Just this week I found a copy of Harbor Escape in good condition for 2 bucks. That was cool, and it's that kind of score that drives the collector in me. I love walking into Best Buy and seeing that they are having a surprise sale and I can pick up some great games for like 5 bucks each. That's kick-ass if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I have a monitor implanted near my heart and if it ever stops for longer than is allowed to not cause brain damage, a firebomb goes off in my collection room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyx Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I'm going to try to collect all the NTSC games that were released during the Atari 2600 lifetime. But I don't want to pay the big bucks for the R 7,8,9,10s. I may burn my own for these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHATETHEBEARS Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I'm going to try to collect all the NTSC games that were released during the Atari 2600 lifetime. But I don't want to pay the big bucks for the R 7,8,9,10s. I may burn my own for these. That's exactly what I did. Unless I strike it rich, I'll never have a complete original collection. While I would love to own an original Air Raid, I'm quite happy with my $20.00 repro - and the other 15 repros I have as well. You're going to have a little difficulty with a few of the Tigervision games - specifically Espial, Springer and River Patrol. Repros apparently can't be made of those. So if you want a complete collection, you're going to have to bite the bullet and pony up some bucks for these - especially River Patrol. I just spent $350.00 on my River Patrol. And while I hated spending such a ridiculous amount, it literally was the last one I needed to complete my collection of the NTSC games during the 2600's lifetime. I must admit though. Now that I've gotten all of them, some of the thrill of collecting is gone. So I guess I'll have to start going after repros of the prototypes. I just want to play as many games as I can. I love my Atari 2600! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyx Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Did you go through Hozer Video? ... just discovered them. Any good? Probably be more fulfilling if I learn to burn my own. After that goal, many other options. Homebrews, protos, hardware, modding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the.golden.ax Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 In a word if you like good quality and are considering Hozer.... RUN CPU & Shawn Sr. Make good quality Repros here no need to buy from a low quality source. AX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyx Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 In a word if you like good quality and are considering Hozer.... RUN CPU & Shawn Sr. Make good quality Repros here no need to buy from a low quality source. AX Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhwolfman Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I have a monitor implanted near my heart and if it ever stops for longer than is allowed to not cause brain damage, a firebomb goes off in my collection room. Tell Shyone to give me a call, when All your stuff is in garbage bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadow460 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 (edited) I have a monitor implanted near my heart and if it ever stops for longer than is allowed to not cause brain damage, a firebomb goes off in my collection room. Tell Shyone to give me a call, when All your stuff is in garbage bags. You mean you've got a firebomb planted amongst all your crap? That should smell real nice. As for me, I think I'll just pre-sell all my stuff so that if my heart ever stops I can bribe Death to leave me along for a little longer. Death: Face ME, boy!! shadow460: Here, play this Yars' Revenge game, and you can kill me if it gets boring! Death (to Qotile): Feel my true power! That is, unless whatever's on the other side of the grave contains lots and lots of Atari Games, then I can't wait to go! Edited May 10, 2009 by shadow460 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.