Everyone has seen the huge game collections where Atari games line the walls and shelves are decorated to look like level on of Donkey Kong. These may make collecting look like a daunting task but as someone new to collecting games myself I have a few tips that have helped me begin my journey.
What are you trying to collect?
Are you unsure, and have no clue where to begin? You should ask yourself: are you collecting for a specific console or genre? Many people will start with the classics: Mario, Zelda and Sonic. These are great games to start with because they are fairly abundant, they span across many consoles and are almost always satisfying games. I personally have begun my collection with the intent to relive my childhood gaming memories. I have found that this is a great way to begin your collection because the nostalgia connected to these first few games will drive you complete your childhood collection and eventually expand upon it.
Where to look for games?
- Yard Sales:
Yard Sales are usually a great place to get games for a bargain because these are mostly people selling their “junk”. People will sell their games for dirt-cheap because they assume they hold little value. I recently went a yard sale where the guy was selling a Nes game and accessory case for $1. After a quick Google I found that this was worth $50+! - Thrift stores:
Searching your local thrifts stores you may find many great games for a bargain. Local Goodwill will often have areas with game selling at prices much lower than you’ll find on the internet or in stores. While in thrift stores, make sure your look through CD and DVD piles, I have found decent PlayStation and CD Rom games that were buried under music and bootleg movies. Also If you are into collecting PC Games you will sometimes find them stored with the board games Video Cassettes (depending on their size). - The Internet:
Of course I didn’t forget about this one but I wanted to save it for last as it isn’t always the cheapest option. There are many places throughout the Internet to buy new and used games. It is important to always do
your research before purchasing a game. You don’t want to end up paying 20 bucks for a used copy of Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt. eBay is a good place to get some gems for cheap but you can’t always believe the “Buy it Now!” price. This is often an inflated price due to perceived value or a way to get more money out of the ill-informed. If you want to see the true value of a game you should look at the auction listings to see what people are willing to buy this game for. For the real bargain hunters, you can go into the advanced search options and see the sold listings and final price for the game.
I have also found great deals on Amazon with many great used games for under $10 though; some of the more popular games such as Contra and Mario Bros. 3 can go for upwards of $30+ because it is well known. If you want to support smaller game retailer sites be warned that many of the small sites selling games tend to sell used games for more money because of their small size for more income.
When buying online remember to factor in the cost of shipping. Sometimes you may see a good deal only to find out that the game has a $28.00 shipping fee. Sometimes if you buy multiple items from the same seller you will not only lower the shipping costs and possibly get a discount.
Summary and Tips
- Figure out what you want to collect it will help motivate you.
- Look locally for yard sales, thrift stores, or game stores that sell old video games.
- The internet can be great place to find bargains. But, sometimes beware of inflated prices and people overcharging.
- Start small. It may be tempting to empty your wallet buying every game you want.Do your research before buying a game.
- A personal rule of mine is not to spend more than about $5 dollars on a game you don’t know anything about. Some people go with $3.
- Remember not to get discouraged if you can’t find a game you are looking for, if you keep looking you’ll probably find it when you least expect it. Plus, searching if half the fun!
Whether you have a wall of games or a shoebox, you can easily begin a fulfilling game collection to build upon. Have fun collecting!
Rethink Retro 