Topic: Trimming the Games Collection

Recently, I've been looking at all my CIB Games on their shelves and realised I don't need all of them so after playing through the ones I don't think I want, have started to sell them.

Have you done this with your own Games collection?

I did this same thing because I just didn’t have time in my life to play older games, much less the newer ones coming out. I didn’t think about it for a few years and was glad to have made the trade to cash. Then, years later, my schedule opened up and I really wanted to play those old games again and there really aren’t a lot of ways you can play a lot of older games. I ended up repurchasing the games for much more money than I sold them and have enjoyed playing them immensely. I have realized even if I don’t play those games just having them and the option makes me happy. I enjoy seeing the boxes/artwork, and the ability to decide this weekend I am going to play whichever game I want to play. That might not be the right choice for everyone, but I have learned that at least in my case I’m better off not selling ever again even if I don’t get the chance to play them very often.

Gaming has become one of the defining aspects of my life. The only games I would sell are either duplicates or games I just really didn't find many redeeming features for. I've sold three non-duplicate Switch games in 5 years, and each of them I still feel like I was hasty and would appreciate them in my collection and the option to give them a second chance some day.

Never sell your games. Unless you have to, or can't physically play them. But never sell your games.

I've posted a couple of times about this. I spent years collecting physical games for a range of systems, until I realised I was lucky if I played more than half an hour of most of them. This extends to my retro consoles as well - as I ever only booted these up once in a blue moon and never really did any sustained gaming on them.

Over the past year or so I've not only halted by buying, but sold off the vast majority of my physical collection, keeping only those games that I truly love and I know I will go back to. And I haven't looked back.

I'm not going to lie - financial pressures were certainly a motivating factor - but also getting rid of a lot of clutter and the mental burden of having unplayed games has given me some peace of mind.

Probably my biggest sacrifice was my Xbox. I've had various Xboxes over the years but have never been particularly invested in the ecosystem. Only occasionally will I dip into an Xbox exclusive, and now I can access most of those on my PC anyway...so I sold my Xbox.

I'd much rather the majority of my focus went to Switch, PC and PS5 - there's already more games out for these than I have time for. And as many retro classics as there are out there...9 times out of 10 I'd rather play a game on new hardware than one on old hardware.

Up to about Wii era I mostly sold my old systems/games to fund the new ones - except a couple of handhelds and my PS2 which I think I kept to use as a spare DVD player. Wii and PS3 I still have the systems but I think I traded or sold most of the games as I finished them, although I still have a few PS3 games that I've never actually played (yet) - I found a sealed copy of a LEGO game on my shelf a few weeks ago! I had a bit of a hiatus from gaming for a few years and skipped WiiU/PS4/XB1 gen completely before getting back into it a few years ago when I got a Switch.

Since then I've had some serious 'sellers remorse' and have bought loads of old games that I used to have back in the day and some old systems I had previous sold too - a GBA, 3DS and a Dreamcast. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm never going to replace my old Dreamcast collection completely as some of those games are pretty expensive now and I cant really justify it.

To be honest I've probably got more games now than I'm ever going to play in my lifetime, and probably twice as many on the wishlist but, like the previous comment, I like the fact that I have a choice to play whatever I'm in the mood for.

@Anti-Matter Why sell 30th Anniversary?

Yeah sell them. Get rid of the clutter as you don't need special collector boxes taking up space or some 30 year old game you don't really like despite it being an internet darling as that is time if you ever do play it again will deprive of an actually good game or a new game offering a new experience.

People are more than just the collection they own, your games don't define you, NIHILISM!!!

🙋🏾‍♂️Switch Games I sell/trade to GAME for E-Shop credit but as regarding my GBA/DS/3DS collection, I've been going through the DS Games and while I did have fun with them, realised I'll never play them again, due to no real replayability.

For example, 'Big Mutha Truckers' is fun but after 60+ delivery races and completing the story mode, there's nothing left to do in it so that went on the 'out' pile📤

IF I ever want to play it again (and I do doubt I ever will), I have downloaded the ROM for my R4 Card for just in case.
And at the moment, it is easy to find complete-in-box.

Going through the GBA stuff is harder as I KNOW once they're gone, I wont see them again because of the cardboard boxes which were easier to get ruined or were thrown away.
Again, I could ROM them up for my BittBoy: Pocket-Go but I do like the GBA box-art.

I'll go through the 3DS stuff at a later date.

@Anti-Matter WHO plays SF with Joy-Cons?

The 30th Anniversary and Ultra SF are the REASON I got a Pro Controller.

I started the process of trimming down my physical Switch collection. I was initially huge into physical because of the prospect of preservation down the road, so I can play them years from now and not worry about servers shutting down, delisting, etc. But it gradually became a moot point for me, because almost all games now receive DLC and patches, rendering a 1.0 physical version lacking to varying degrees. There were also some games where it really felt like I only got them because they were critically acclaimed and had a good sale, even if my interest wasn't very strong (e.g. Dragon Quest 11). The cases just take up too much of my allotted entertainment space. And frankly, the fact that I have more than 2 unplayed full retail Switch games means I have more than enough games lol. I'll still keep some physical games for my favorites, mainly for 1P like Zelda (that I can also lend to family/friends to borrow) and games where I love the box art. But anything evergreen and/or multiplayer like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, I'm looking to sell the physical and convert to digital. The rest, I'll sell.

For retro, I'm really glad I mostly got out of that hobby before prices skyrocketed the past 9-10 years. (I mean the retro physical collection aspect; I love retro games themselves). I only have games that I actually play for those; most of them are loose cartridge with only like 2-3 games for each system being CIB. They're all in storage now though, they do take up a lot of space even though I don't have a ton of them (the most games I have for a single retro system is roughly ~35-40 ish.). I can see myself selling mostly everything, and potentially giving the console+favs to a loved one.

IMO, playing a retro game with its original controller is more important than playing it on its original system or cartridge, so I love that Nintendo released official wireless NES+SNES+N64 controllers (disappointed with how they're handling it though- always out of stock within a minute of going up, no button mapping for other games/menu convenience, etc.)

I primarily use NES/SNES/Genesis mini for playing retro games, or NSO for online play. I have a very soft spot for the old NES toaster, as it was the first ever console I ever played and introduced me to one of my passionate hobbies. But it's just so impractical to bust out in 2022, requiring a CRT tv (for optimal play), getting the whole machine to even work, frequent cleaning, giant AC Adapter bricks, etc. These conversations only further emphasize that Nintendo is really missing out on not offering more retro systems on NSO+EP or as standalone eshop downloads.

Side note: also trying to trim down vinyls and blu-rays/DVDs. I really love vinyls because of the enlarged artwork and the mindful listening (no phones or screens!) but I need to be more selective than I have been with them.

Here's my collection:

@BlueGBAMicro What shelf do you have? I've been looking into some recently

I've given couple of duplicates away but never sold anything. If I ever decide to get rid of some stuff, I'd rather just give them away to people I know appreciate them rather than make money. Of course, I'm in a situation where I can do that. I just personally don't like how high retro and even some modern game prices have climbed and I'd rather not contribute to that. I don't care how pristine your old game is, the price should never be more than what it cost back then.

@StarPoint There are no shelves, it's pscielabonic🔮energy which only I can produce.

Try Ikea but you'll have to fly to 🇸🇪 as it's the only one if its kind in the w🌍rld.

Hope that helps 😊

@BlueGBAMicro haha alright thanks

@StarPoint ikea.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/gnedby-shelving-unit-white-40277...

There’s also the billy from ikea

@BlueGBAMicro Looks a really interesting collection. I found the image resolution was bit too low to zoom in and identify some of them, particularly the GBA games (which I'm especially intrigued by as my GBA collection is pretty small), but I love little details like that you've got both the DS and 3DS version of the Michael Jackson experience, and that you've got not one but two Deal Or No Deal games. There's a few in there I haven't got and feel inspired to add now I see them on your shelf.

@Late Thank you! I have never understood the collector’s market. If you enjoyed your time with a game you got your money’s worth, don’t punish someone else that just wants to play by charging the 3 times the price. Games should imo at max be resold what the original retail price was.

For me I mostly keep games - DVD’s and Blu Rays I binned as they where worthless and can watch them digitally on Netflix

Consoles I sold are X Box and X Box One and games as there was nothing that interested me and it was update heavy, and Igave the PS3 and all the games to my Nephew.

Still have most of my consoles even my Philips CDi (I like Wand of Gamelon)and my old Vartek Cadet arcade cabinet from the early 1980’s

Nintendo wise I have round 100 Super Famicom games and loads of DS and 3DS games as I buy up lots of DS and 3DS games as most are dirt cheap between £1 and £2.50. A few Wii games The Calling, Fire Emblem, Shigagami No Shiro 3, Fragile Dreams just my fav games really. My Gameboycollection I swapped with a friend and own a grand total of 1 game a boxed Fortified Zone. Never owned a Nes

Switch 11 psychical games mostly digital games as they are so cheap in sales And to my shame a Peach Ball box set. I’d give away free if I knew anybody Pervy enough to want it

@gcunit I've gotten closer to the GBA Games and taken the photos.

Hope this is much better for you.