Calling all collectors and non collectors...

[Strider]

Right then this just came to me while I was nodding off to sleep and I wanted to write it down before I forgot it.

It's easy to get hold of a lot of classic games for a fraction of the price due to them now being available on download services. Do you still collect games or have you decided to sell them in order to save some much needed cash.

If either applies to you then please get in touch via pm

[honeymustard]

I buy the originals... no point paying for roms when I can get them for free.

[dotoko]

With all the quality PS3/360 titles around at the moment I can't find the motivation for retro gaming so download services don't appeal to me at all. I am still looking to expand my collection of Japanese Dreamcast Games however and may even start a Japanese MegaCD collection soon...

[samanosuke]

I buy the originals... no point paying for roms when I can get them for free.

I am in this school of thinking. In fact, I have an Xbox choc full o' ROMs if ever I want to try a game. Besides, I have no 'next-gen' consoles to download to anyway

I'm not really a collector any more though - I've long sold off my AES collection and most of my Saturn collection. I just buy games for the Megadrive/SFC for the primary purpose of playing them. Can't beat original hardware, as they say!

[sj33]

For me, when the original developers aren't getting paid when we purchase games on VC, XBLA etc, it somewhat renders mute the reason why most of us would purchase retro games rather than just grab the roms (especially if we bought the original version anyway). The shocking prices on VC etc. would be easier to justify otherwise.

I can see value in retro megapacks where you are able to obtain a huge amount of games in one purchase, and certainly I'd be jumping on a (for example) Dreamcast megapack straight away. But we shouldn't be under the illusion that we're helping the original developers pay the bills or anything, it's strictly for convenience and 'feel good' reasons.

EDIT - Realised that I completely ignored the actual question! My point was that if I was going to shell out my hard-earned cash, and the developer wouldn't be paid either way, may as well track down the original unless the person is really against emulation.

[teenagewasteland]

Originals all the way. It's also fun to have something to collect and look at. Looking at a list of downloaded games doesn't do it for me. I want to be able to touch it lol

[zipper]

I honestly don't think my SNES games would fetch the same price they are on VC so see very little point in transferring them over.... or adding to my collection this way.
Original games are often cheaper, can be sold on (normally at cost) and are just better to have when compared to an icon on your console menu.

I've started collecting and playing gameboy games and they are CHEAP... I'm talking pennies.. even for the best / rarer titles. Over the past year I've been constantly playing and aquiring games, but without any discernable damage to my wallet. Maybe 100+. Yes, there's some stinkers!
This is despite there being no 'official' download service / emulation avaiable. I guess there's just no demand.... Strange when you consider G+W is soooo saught after.

[buster_broon]

it hasnt changed my habits

i still buy classic games, they way they should be

[Baseley09]

it hasnt changed my habits

i still buy classic games, they way they should be

Word.

You still need a 4:3 CRT too **** playing bordered games on a wide HDTV.

[Strider]

thanks for the comments, really interesting so far.

[Cauterize]

it hasnt changed my habits

i still buy classic games, they way they should be

This.


Nothing will ever beat playing the original game with the original controller.

Also, I think the retro packs/VC games and so on are a complete con. What about everyone who paid full price back in the day for all those games? Why on earth should they have to then pay a further amount for them again?
I know full well you couldnt really prove your purchase back in the 90s, but still...

And dont get me started on VC & 50hz...

[SH4R4KU]

Originals are the way to play, they really are. Yes, there is a convenience of having them on the current gen console, but there's something beautiful about playing on the original system - most of which are 15 years or more old now.

Plus, it's nice to just have a physical copy. Some of the artwork and designs are outstanding. Downloaded content just peeves me. As Cauterize said, one can legally own ROMs if you own the original media. I do for all my ROMs... why should I buy Sonic 2 on XBLA again?? Crazy talk...

[garrz32]

Am collecting jap MD titles along with Neo homecarts,as sonic shuffle say's the artwork are fantastic and the look good on a shelf...I have a PS3 and a 360 but i don't download any retro titles.

I did have a xbox full of ROMs,but there was so many titles on it i really didn't enjoy playing it..where as if i buy a game i sit down and give it the attention it deserves.

[capcom_suicide]

I think that the PSP has opened up a huge potential for "casual retro" gamers.

The official and unoffical Megadrive emulation (Megadrive collection and Picodrive respectivly) allow people to "Save state on the fly"

I've now beaten more megadrive games in the past 2 years than I did back in the day when I was an early adopter and imported the machine through Adams world.

I bought Ghouls n Ghosts on Jap import, I bought it on SNES, I have the GBA card, I have it on the VC and I also have the PSP disc with arcade/Snes GnG versions.

Which one do I play the most?

The PSP one.

I smile and tip my cap to retro collecters, but I've been through it the first time round, and I am just after playing the game. I only have large HD tv's and the games look awful.

The PSP screen is perfect and I am happy with that choice.

See what I collected for less than ?50:

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showpost.php?p=1505387&postcount=9185

For me it's all about the retro games when I am business travel, and this works for me! Gaming time @ home is all about next gen games like KZ2.

I have purchased many games 5 times, but the fact is that playing roms of games you don't own is against the law.

A comprimise for me is that you can use a CFW psp and install these retro compilations onto the memory stick. Radically improved load times and I only emulate the games that I have specifically for on that platform.

I am also toying with buying an official retro collection for PC; and building a small "Bartop" cab, but that's another story.

There are a few exceptions to all of this, and that's handhelds. These are my weakness and I own the following:

GBA SP Silver
GBA Micro Slver (Workhorse for GBA Games)
GBA Micro famicom (Wrapped and safe!)
PSP1000 (Custom DPAD)
PSP3000
GP2X F200
Lynx
Lynx II

Handhelds are ergonomically appealing to me, and they can be used without having to mess up my HD setup.

But for everyday use, if the PSP can run it & I own the game, then perfect.

[BigDeadFreak]

I've recently sold off the vast majority of my retro collection all I have now is a Mega Drive, Mega CD and Saturn with a choice selection of games. A big part of the reason for this was that I was just collecting for the sake of it and not really playing anything. It seems to have worked and I'm actually playing and appreciating some of the gems that I've aquired over the years.

The ready availability of so many of these games on current gen consoles with the promise of more to come. I could only see demand for the games I have falling and the prices going down as a result. I also feel that downloadable media really is the future and that it is only a matter of time before all games, films and music are purchased this way. Cosequently I didn't want to be left with a load of antiquainted old video games that no one (myself included) wanted.

There is nothing like playing old games on the original systems and I'm glad my downsizing has encouraged me to enjoy more of my games. However I feel that it is a sad inevitability that It won't be like this forever.