At its core, collecting video games is a hobby. When you get right down to it, you will have to spend some of your hard earned money to add to your collection. I’m going to talk about my retro game collecting tips, and some important points to consider when starting out.
Back in the day, when you wanted to play an old video game, you could easily hit up your local GameStop and pick from a nice collection of used games. All without breaking the bank. The lowest I ever remember paying was $2.99.
But that was 15 years ago, way before online shopping took hold of our spending habits, and made it easier to find retro games. As a result, the price people spend on old video games has gone through the roof. I can now find the same game being sold for about 10 bucks now.
Now, the only way anyone is going to find good prices for games is by hitting up flea markets and local yard sales.
Why do you want to start a collection?
Before you even think about heading off to your local flea market, you will have to ask yourself: Why?
To be honest, there really isn’t a correct answer to this question. It all boils down to what you enjoy as a gamer.
Remember that the very first console ever released was in 1972. That’s 49 years ago. Do you truly want to collect an old piece of hardware that you won’t play? Would you rather let this console sit on your shelf collecting dust?
The point is, the game industry has been around for almost half a century now, so your best bet at collecting games is to focus on what interests you the most about games.
Now for some, collecting games as a way of appreciating their history is a valid way to justify buying old consoles and cartridges.
For others, they may just want to relive a happy moment in their childhood by playing the game instead of keeping it on a shelf.
And there are even those who simply did not have the money as a kid to buy those beloved classics, and so, now that they have grown up and have some disposable income, can now buy the games they wanted to play.
For other gamers, collecting old games is all about making a lot of money. Oftentimes, we see in the news a lot of headlines where people have managed to sell a mint-condition game or console for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
As a result, people have begun to see retro gaming as a sort of gold mine, where collecting old games may prove to be lucrative in the future.
This is one reason why retro gaming continues to remain relevant, even as we continue to see new innovations in the game industry.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider before you start collecting, and this is why it is important that you know the purpose of your collection.
And so, my personal recommendation is to start with what you truly love. Maybe you still have your old N64 sitting in a box somewhere. Perhaps you had fond memories playing Halo on the Xbox… Are you a sucker for a particular genre? You could always build a collection around Sports or Racings games if that’s your cup of tea.
Focus on the games, not on the Consoles
When I first started collecting games, I thought that I would need to collect everything, from special re-releases to different console editions. I took a step and thought to myself, “I would rather play the games, so why bother with buying different editions of the same thing?”
This ended up saving me a lot of money. Especially when it comes to consoles.
Remember again that the game industry first got its start back in the 70’s. Trying to buy and own a console that is older than yourself is like trying to buy and drive a Ford Model T car from the 1920s. Sure, it has historical importance, but do you really see yourself driving around an old car?
I wouldn’t, personally, but it is good to put it into a different perspective.
Some of the older consoles out there can be owned for the simple purpose of appreciating their historical significance, but there are many more games out there that can offer a lot more fun, especially if you plan on playing old games in your collection.
In fact, some of the older games have been ported to newer consoles, so you might already have the means to play a classic game.
Remember to ask yourself why you started your collection in the first place. Was it to collect a pile of plastic hardware on your shelf? Or was it to enjoy a classic video game? If you chose the latter, you may find it a better option to buy games as opposed to consoles.
As I mentioned in a past post, Hyperkin is a good company to look into for consoles that can play older games.
How are you going to store your collection?
This probably goes without saying, but unlike our modern day games that are stored on hard drives, the cloud, Steam, or the console itself, retro games are pretty much played from a physical cartridge or a CD.
It is critical that you ensure that you have the necessary space to accommodate your growing collection. Now if you are just starting out, a simple shelf or chest can safely store your games. But as you grow your library, you may want to look into getting specialized shelves that can safely hold your games and consoles.
A good environment is ideal too. Remember that electronics don’t do well under high heat or humidity, so if you store your collection in a basement or a brightly lit room, you may want to ensure things are well ventilated.
Buy games that you intend on Playing
A lot of times, when we start a collection, we always feel the need to collect everything. We often end up looking for a “Top 10 List” on the internet out there, and base our collection on what others suggest. The problem with this is that some retro games, in spite of their historical significance, fame, or notoriety, may not really be a game that you yourself would actually enjoy playing.
Like Marie Kondo likes to say, it is important to keep the games that “spark joy”. It makes you feel happier about your game collection, and you can take better pride in what you own.
Remember that it should be fun to play and collect games. If you get enjoyment from the act of buying the game, then by all means, make that purchase! At the same time, if you enjoy playing the games themselves, then it is good to buy only the games you will enjoy playing.
Alway remember why you enjoy collecting games, and you will have no problems when it comes down to making that purchase.
Know your Prices, and the Value of a Retro Game
Speaking of buying, that is going to be one thing to consider when starting a collection. Pricing. As exciting as it is to start a collection, it can also be very overwhelming if you don’t know much about the value of a game.
As I said earlier, buying games for cheap doesn’t quite work the same way it did back in my old GameStop days. With everything online now, it is very easy for one to sell their old games on Amazon or eBay. And since there are people who understand that some games can be quite rare, you can expect to find some outrageously priced listings.
There are some very helpful websites out there that can give you an idea of how much a game is worth to others. PriceCharting.com is a good one to check out. You simply search for a particular game, and it gives you a nice looking chart that shows the history of its value. Almost like a stock market chart.
Supply and demand is always going to be what factors into the cost of these games. As long as people want to play a certain game, you can be sure that prices will fluctuate depending on how many listings you can find online. Another thing to note is that some older games can end up re-released or even remastered on a newer console, which can also affect the cost of buying the cartridges.
Tell your Friends and Family
It’s always a good idea to let your family and friends know that you are collecting older games. Sometimes, you never know if they might have an old box of electronics and games that they have been trying to get rid of. For all you know, they might even know a friend who may even have some games to get rid of as well.
If someone ends up giving you a box of games without asking for anything in return, I’d suggest trying to do something nice to show your appreciation.
Always Buy Locally
I’m not saying that to please the environmentalists out there. After all, our games and consoles are made of lots of plastic.
If you live in town or near a big enough city, there is a good chance that you will be able to find a thrift store or a store that is dedicated to selling retro games. In my experience, these places usually have the better deals when it comes to getting games.
A lot of thrift stores tend to get their items as donations, and as a result, they can afford to sell products at competitive prices. At the same time, these stores do not tend to have a high demand for retro games, especially when someone can just shop online and search for the cheapest option. And so, to stay competitive, they have to keep their prices lower.
The one downside to shopping local is that there is no guarantee that a particular game you are looking for will turn up, which can result in a lot of wasted time spent roaming between stores. Sometimes, it is easier to pay for the convenience of shopping online.
Try using an App
It turns out that there are apps out there that work much like Craigslist or the Facebook Marketplace. Two popular apps are Letgo and Offer Up. The best thing about these apps is that they try to encourage sellers and buyers to shop locally, which goes along with my above point. Another good thing about this is that the app users are usually people trying to get rid of their possessions. Someone who is trying to make money selling vintage games is not likely going to use such an app.
Should you buy Used, or New?
Just like cars, games being sold will come in all sorts of conditions, from the immaculate mint condition product, to a piece of plastic that may have had a few bumps and scratches over the years.
When starting a collection of retro games, this often boils down to deciding if you’re going to collect boxed games or just the loose cartridges. In most collections, people tend to collect either to enjoy the games, or to hold on to them and take care of them. If you don’t make that decision early enough, you might find yourself buying duplicate games just for the sake of completing your collection.
It is typically cheaper to buy loose cartridge games, because their value had already depreciated from not being sold with their case/box or manual. Also, since they are loose, you can actually play them!
Boxed games, on the other hand, are going to be harder to find, and also more expensive to buy. Now some older games were actually sold in plastic cases, which can make them look pretty good on a shelf.
Obviously, mint condition games are going to be very expensive. These products exist because someone decided that it may be valuable in the future. And so, they’ve taken good care of that game, sometimes to the point of obsession. In my opinion, it would be a waste of money to buy mint condition items if you plan on wanting to play the game in question.
As usual, it is important to remember what enjoyment you get out of collecting games as a hobby. If you get a lot of enjoyment out of preserving a piece of video game history, then you should look at getting boxed (or mint) games. They look great on a shelf, and if you eventually choose to sell, these can make for a lot of money if they remain valuable.
At the same time, if you only care about playing retro games, and could care less about the looks, then you should probably stick with the loose games. Plus, they take up less space than a box would, and could potentially allow you to collect even more games.
If you are interested in collecting boxed games, you might find that some people out there actually sell the boxes and manuals for certain games. So if you happen to already own the cartridge, you can save a bit of money.
At the same time, if you own boxed games, and would rather play the games themselves, you could always opt to sell your boxes and manuals to those who are looking for them.
Don’t let Anyone tell you the right way to Collect Retro Games
Last, and certainly not the least tip I have to share is this: collecting video games at its very core is a hobby. There are many more folks out there who do the same thing, and each of them has their own collection of various degrees of completion. And you should never let any of them dictate how you should be collecting your retro games.
Now, I realize that this sounds a bit silly coming from me. After all, I did just write a lot of stuff above on how to collect games. I do hope that this post is treated as just some helpful suggestions.
The point is, everyone has their own way of collecting games. Just like Pokémon, there are so many different things to be collected, and your means of collecting can vary. Some might trade games to complete their collection, while others may simply fork over cash.
The ugly truth about collectors is that, no matter the collection, there is always going to be that one person who feels that they are the sole expert on all things retro. Don’t let these people get under your skin. Many times, they won’t hesitate to criticize your collection, especially if it doesn’t fit their vision.
At the end of the day, always remember that what we are doing is simply a hobby that is supposed to be fun! If you enjoy what you are doing, that is doing it right!
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this post. For what it’s worth, I hope this information is helpful, informative, and gets you started on the right path to collecting games. It’s a very fun way to enjoy gaming, and it really brings me a lot of joy to talk about games.
Until next time, have fun and happy gaming!
~ Ken, the Retro Game Guy