Does anyone else wish they bought an extra console back in the day?

[vice350z]

Whenever I'm bored I usually jump on ebay just to see how much NIB retro systems are. Prices are pretty crazy. Always wished I bought an extra console back in the day and never touched it. But then again I was just a kid/young adult and either mom/dad bought it for me or I could only afford to buy one.

Would be sweet to have NIB SNES, NES, SMS, Genesis, Saturn and all that in a collection with perfect boxes.

See a lot for sale still in boxes but the boxes look like crap. And New in box..they want $800-1500.

[MisterXiado]

Almost never had money as a kid, and lost everything I owned multiple times. I'd be kicking myself if I got two Super Nintendo systems just to stare at one until the East Bay Trading Company got rolling.

[RetroDefense]

Systems with always-on optical drives, yeah. Not for the collector value but for their back-up usefulness instead.

[cardsandcelts]

I remember back around 1995 or so I chose to get a SNES instead of the Sega Genesis, largely because of Donkey Kong Country and the Street Fighter II games. It wasn't until a few months ago that I found a Sega with a few Sonic games at a yard sale for cheap. I must say, Sonic & Knuckles is hard to stop. Speaking of new in the box, a fellow I buy games from now and then claimed that he found a NES still in the box with all of the inserts for $20. I find it hard to believe him, unless it was some 70 year old man getting all of the crap out of his garage.

[te72]

I remember back around 1995 or so I chose to get a SNES instead of the Sega Genesis, largely because of Donkey Kong Country and the Street Fighter II games. It wasn't until a few months ago that I found a Sega with a few Sonic games at a yard sale for cheap. I must say, Sonic & Knuckles is hard to stop.

Wise choice, and this is coming from a guy who had the Genesis when all his friends had the SNES. You're right about Sonic & Knuckles though, that was a great game.

As for extra consoles, I still have the boxes for the PS2 Slim, WII, and PS3. All my PS1, Gamecube, and original Xbox boxes have long since been thrown out, likely due to excessive wear from all the times I moved as a kid. Genesis and NES, I was young and neither myself nor my parents saw the value in keeping the boxes, and they likely would have ended up like the rest, used up and tossed.

That said, I kinda want one of each system, within reason, for an art project. Planning out an arcade for the basement, and it would be really neat to put each system in its own glass square with its own lighting. I don't even need them to work, it's just for display. I would, however, need the money to buy even non-working systems, something I don't have right now.

[cardsandcelts]

Just out of curiosity, how much would a watermelon N64 with the box run for nowadays? I like the look of the black standard version, and I was thinking of selling the other one.

[synth]

I used all my earned money to buy toys and games so wouldn't have had the funding anyway.

I did keep some sleeves from boxes; the Megadrive Lion King sleeve and the Sega Saturn Tomb Raider sleeve.

I still have those in my collection.

[te72]

Just out of curiosity, how much would a watermelon N64 with the box run for nowadays? I like the look of the black standard version, and I was thinking of selling the other one.

Watermelon? Are you talking about the green version, came bundled with DK64? If so, I'm staring at mine right now. Didn't get it until the tail end of the 64's life, but had a lot of fun with it.

[Data]

In 1997 when everybody owned playstation and ultra 64 my local electronic thrift shop was dumping the old 8 and 16 bit systems. At one point I bought 10 nintendo controllers for 25 bucks. I bought a Sega CDX for 65 dollars. Super Nintendo's were 35 bucks and genesis was 25 bucks.

Then in 2005 about the same time AVGN and Pat the NES Punk hit the airwaves, the prices on old stuff went north like 1000's of percentage points in some cases.

I dumped alot of my old stuff because I did not want to collect anymore. I regret not holding on to the controllers because in my opinion they give me the feel of the original console without the mess of consoles and wall warts.

I slowly re-aquired original near mint controllers. N64 controllers go for roughly 20 bucks a controller with a loose stick and 50 with a tight stick. When they were new they were 69 bucks here. New in box on Ebay is 150 bucks plus shipping.

[cardsandcelts]

 

Watermelon? Are you talking about the green version, came bundled with DK64? If so, I'm staring at mine right now. Didn't get it until the tail end of the 64's life, but had a lot of fun with it.

I mean the reddish pink one with the see-through exterior. Sorry, when I think of watermelon, I think the edible part.

[MontrealTurbo]

I slowly re-aquired original near mint controllers. N64 controllers go for roughly 20 bucks a controller with a loose stick and 50 with a tight stick. When they were new they were 69 bucks here. New in box on Ebay is 150 bucks plus shipping.

This doesn't help collectors who want original hardware but at least now there are replacement sticks you can use on any old n64 controller. It's actually not that hard to replace and fixes basically the one wear item on them.

[DPsx7]

Not really. Consoles aren't that cheap to just buy several and leave them hanging around. It's hard to consider games as an investment because you never know what the value will do. I was certainly surprised to see retro jump so high.

A lot of my earliest systems were garage sale finds so boxes weren't included. My NES box on the other hand turned into a garage sale sign so many years ago. Who knew? Back then old boxes were junk. That's the only one though. Everything else I've gotten new I've kept complete.

Thankfully there's a huge market for retro gaming and supplies meaning replacement parts aren't impossible to find. Pre-CD consoles are pretty reliable so they shouldn't need a lot.

[te72]

I mean the reddish pink one with the see-through exterior. Sorry, when I think of watermelon, I think the edible part.

Ahh, no worries. I vaguely remember the different colored N64's, like I mentioned, I have the green one myself.

Kinda a shame that they don't make clear consoles these days, they still look cool... I'm partial to the smoke gray PS1.

This doesn't help collectors who want original hardware but at least now there are replacement sticks you can use on any old n64 controller. It's actually not that hard to replace and fixes basically the one wear item on them.

Do they sell replacement palms? Mario Party absolutely destroyed mine as a youngster...

[Data]

The Doc's rebuild kit was an officially "recommended" way of getting the N64 controller back to factory specs. They long since run out and we are left with two choices. Modify to use Gamecube replacement sticks or buy the ebay rebuilds.

The problem with factory specs is the plastic joystick rubs a grove into the plastic cup inside the controller and over time or 2 weeks of Smash Brothers Mele the stick is loose.

The Gamecube stick stands up far better but the range will be out. The original N64 had square corners in the hit box and the Gamecube was designed to have full range inside a round hit box.

Ebay is always a crapshoot and at best you will get something which is only ever as good as factory. 2 Weeks of Mario Party and a week of Smash Brothers.

There is a kickstarter called Enkko who has almost raised $17,000. They want to design a thumbstick for N64 which works the way Nintendo Designed it as well as replacing the plastic on plastic parts with a metal cup in bowl.

[te72]

You know, I think there's a market out there for high quality replica controllers. I've always been a sucker for high end arcade sticks, and I couldn't honestly tell you the last time I played a fighting game... yet I occasionally find myself thinking, "hmm, maybe I should pick that new Hori up..."

I would assume the same would be true of other controllers. I still love the Sega 6-button and Gamecube controllers. Some things just feel right, you know?

[Data]

You know, I think there's a market out there for high quality replica controllers. I've always been a sucker for high end arcade sticks, and I couldn't honestly tell you the last time I played a fighting game... yet I occasionally find myself thinking, "hmm, maybe I should pick that new Hori up..."

I would assume the same would be true of other controllers. I still love the Sega 6-button and Gamecube controllers. Some things just feel right, you know?

The originals are the best no question. Anything less is not for me. I would love to see this kickstarter succeed so I can buy a few rebuild kits. I only need 2 but I could imagine later in life when this kickstarter ran out of gas, I would be glad I have extras rather than not, I would like all the games like Goldeneye, Star Wars Shadows, Rouge Squadron and of course others to not be affected buy a loose joystick because of bad design.

Saturn controller is perfect for all sega consoles besides Dreamcast and of course the Arcade.

You need a 4 way and an 8 way arcade joystick to appreciate all the worthwhile games.

[Samhain]

I remember back around 1995 or so I chose to get a SNES instead of the Sega Genesis, largely because of Donkey Kong Country and the Street Fighter II games. It wasn't until a few months ago that I found a Sega with a few Sonic games at a yard sale for cheap. I must say, Sonic & Knuckles is hard to stop. Speaking of new in the box, a fellow I buy games from now and then claimed that he found a NES still in the box with all of the inserts for $20. I find it hard to believe him, unless it was some 70 year old man getting all of the crap out of his garage.

 

Man, I hear you. I hate how much the price of games has shot up, because everyone seems to be collecting now. The only positive to this is that non of this ends up in the dump. :/

I am a pretty sentimental guy, so I hung on to all of my old toys and video games, picking them up when ever someone didn't want them or had them for sale.

[XFactor]

Should have bought some Apple stock back in 2000.

[RoboBlue]

I bought a whole bunch of Sonic 3 copies because the save chip kept failing.  It's possible to replace the chip, but that requires soldering above my current skill level.

[Samhain]

Should have bought some Apple stock back in 2000.

Google would have been a better stock to pick up, after you sold your Yahoo shares at their peak.

 

I bought a whole bunch of Sonic 3 copies because the save chip kept failing.  It's possible to replace the chip, but that requires soldering above my current skill level.

Until a few weeks ago, I have never seen a save fail or batter die.

[MGS]

A little more recent, but I'd love to get me a PS3 and Wii. Though we had an Amiga, a NES and eventually a SNES, I never really had a system to call my own, back then.

[Samhain]

A little more recent, but I'd love to get me a PS3 and Wii. Though we had an Amiga, a NES and eventually a SNES, I never really had a system to call my own, back then.

Start going to yard sales, you should be able to find one fairly cheap.

[TheBlueWhale]

I just wish I hadn't sold some of my older systems when I was in desperate need of cash. Might pick up one of the new NES systems if they go on sale. Hope they do the same with a SNES and N64 and loads of classics.

[vice350z]

Visited GF's family last week. Went into their basement and saw a barely faded SNES sitting there! I was jelly want wanted to accidentally put it in my bag before we left lol.