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Post by wyldephang on Jul 15, 2013 1:22:53 GMT -5
Recently, my cousins have begun to amass their own classic game collection, starting with the Nintendo 64 and moving backward through the SNES and Genesis libraries. Though they're too young to remember the 16-bit era, they've realized that a lot of the best gaming franchises were spawned in the earlier generations. So, they've been asking me for collector's tips and recommendations. I think I've pointed them in the right direction, but I'd like to hear your own opinions on the subject. What are the most appealing consoles for new collectors? You may select up to three consoles, and if you have a recommendation for a platform that is not in the list, select Other and tell us what you chose. Keep in mind that handheld consoles are not included in the poll. When you make your selections, consider the factors that may be important to a first-time collector. For instance, how many essential or genre-defining titles were released on the console? And are the games generally affordable? Does the console and its library of games stand out in any way from the other selections on the list? I plan to share your opinions with my cousins. Edit: And if you wouldn't mind, create a small post or write-up explaining your selections. I'm looking forward to a lively discussion.
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Post by gliptitude on Jul 15, 2013 2:01:56 GMT -5
I selected only NES, based on your criteria, (although I'd rather ignore the "franchise" factor). It just has the most to offer and it provides the most common interest, is the most exoteric. Among all consoles, NES was the most fundamental and influential turning point. It resurrected what was otherwise seen by many at the time as a novelty and a fad from the past. It reintroduced the world to video games and won the public back by making games that were gratifying, with controls that were very responsive and intuitive, and indeed iconic.
... Vectrex is my personal favorite, and what led me to these forums in the first place. I considered voting for Vectrex as well as Other (for Game Boy). But really I would have just been selecting this group of 3 because they happen to be my 3 consoles I have chosen to collect. ... I have my own interests in the consoles I've chosen, and I think that others will have their own interests too. It was very exhilarating for me to discover Vectrex on my own, the way that I did through other related interests, and I wouldn't want to prevent others from having that experience.
So I think your cousins should follow the scent of the games and systems that capture their imagination. If they are as passionate as you are, they will probably encounter each and all of these systems in their own time, and enjoy the unfolding adventure.
NES is the exception as it really laid the groundwork for console gaming as we know it - not just a "consumer version" of the arcade. The library contains so many groundbreaking games. It's important for all inquisitive gamers to experience these essential and genre defining games. For me it doesn't matter that Zelda and Mario survive in current games, and that you can find their origins in NES games. What is important is to look at the original games individually and witness their aspects, and recognize how they were distinguished from their predecessors AS GAMES.
For me, HOME GAMING, (as something distinct and distinguished from the arcade), was practically INVENTED by Nintendo with the NES/Famicom. ... This may seem a bit of an overstatement when you consider some of the adventure games that predate it on home computers, but details and credit aside, this is the effective legacy of the NES.
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Post by wyldephang on Jul 15, 2013 3:22:00 GMT -5
That is a very honest and objective appraisal. Without a doubt, the NES was the console that rescued video gaming from near-obscurity after the crash. During the mid-'80s, Nintendo established a higher standard for quality control and explored the possibilities of almost every game genre, from sports to action/adventure, role-playing, and beyond.
I would certainly rate the NES as the single most collectible console, as it's relatively easy and inexpensive to amass a sizable collection of timeless NES titles in a short period of time. In comparison, the SNES buyer's market is fiercely competitive, with dedicated collectors spending over $40-50 on star titles like Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. To get started on the NES, one needs to spend no more than a dollar to pick up Super Mario Bros. and experience the magic and charm of the NES at his or her fingertips. And the best games, from Metroid to Super Mario Bros. 3, generally cost under $10 apiece, making the NES an ideal console for new collectors.
I did pick two other consoles, but I'll return with a more inclusive write-up later.
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Post by TrekMD on Jul 15, 2013 5:57:46 GMT -5
My votes are for the Atari 2600, the NES, and the SMS.
The Atari 2600 is the grandfather of retro gaming and it is a console that is still easy to find and easy to collect for. It also boasts one of the largest game libraries of all home systems.
The NES redefined several gaming types (i.e., platformers) for home systems and deserves a spot. It has a huge library of games and it is also fairly easy to collect. I do have to note that idea that the NES rescued video gaming from near-obscurity is limited to the North American market. There was no crash elsewhere in the world, certainly not in Europe where the NES had virtually no impact whatsoever. That leads me to my third choice...
The SMS was the system that had an impact in Europe. So, for those in that market, this may be the best system to collect for.
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Post by VectorX on Jul 15, 2013 8:27:16 GMT -5
I'm a little biased, due to not being familiar with a few of these, like the NES. I only played two games on there ever.
Some of them don't quite fit criteria that younger people are looking for (I don't think), like the ColecoVision's ill-begotten add-ons and such (the gas pedal thingy that only worked for two games for many months [maybe more came out later, but I think it literally only worked for two games for an entire year from when it was released], the Adam, which was prone to failure, etc.). That almost got my vote, especially with the 2600 module, expanding the library.
Vectrex is a great choice, but they can be tough to find, and the games are expensive (not counting many cheap homebrews), so that's not something that I would call a "best" console there ("best brag" would be a top candidate though). Even with as many resale shops as there are here in town (five that I frequent, along with a sixth that I only go to occasionally, and I'm sure there are others I don't know about), I've never seen one in the wild, ever, since production ceased on them over two decades ago.
So, I went with the 2600 and Genesis, since they're easy to find, cheap, and have huge libraries with many good games each.
On a side note, the 7800 almost got my vote, but its library isn't very big and they're not real easy to find either. But they're backwards compatible with the 2600 though.
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Post by wyldephang on Jul 15, 2013 13:59:08 GMT -5
Great point, Trek. The Master System retains a dedicated following in Europe and in Brazil. In those regions, it would make sense to purchase that console.
The other two consoles I selected were the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Atari 2600. Like the NES, both consoles were very popular for their respective time periods. The Atari 2600 has one of the single greatest libraries of games in the history of gaming, and almost every thrift shop is guaranteed to have a few cartridges laying around for a very attractive price. While I was populating the list, I had considered the Atari 7800's backwards compatibility. But if a collector is mainly interested in the 2600 library, then I'd recommend buying an Atari 2600 and playing the games on the original machine. Should I replace the Atari 7800 with the 5200 in the poll?
Though I am a Super Nintendo collector at heart, I've noticed that the Genesis games tend to sit on the lower end of the price spectrum. Barring a boxed copy of M.U.S.H.A. and the infrequent rare cartridge, most of the best games are available for under $10. Sonic 1 through 3 can be acquired for a two or three dollars apiece, and the arcade classics--Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage 2, Revenge of Shinobi--are inexpensive, too. The best RPG on the system, in my opinion, is Phantasy Star IV, and it can be purchased for a little over $10, whereas RPGs on the SNES often sell for over $30. And it's almost invariably true that the Genesis will have the cheaper port of any cross-platform game. So, Sega's 16-bit powerhouse is a cost-effective option.
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Post by TrekMD on Jul 15, 2013 14:21:33 GMT -5
The only reason I know about the SMS in Europe is because I'm an admin on Retro Video Gamer forums, which is a UK-based forum and this has been discussed many times!
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Post by gliptitude on Jul 16, 2013 12:57:42 GMT -5
I'll pretty much stick to my original prescription. Very interesting to hear that NES was much less of a factor in other continents. I didn't know that. ... But I still think the NES marked a transformation in gaming, and is the best place to start for younger folks making their first endeavors into old video games, (I don't like the terms "classic" or "retro"). I think if you have grown up playing more contemporary consoles, NES is about as far back as you can go (in the beginning) without risking disappointment. There is a huge adjustment for modern gamers encountering the 2600, but the NES era contains the raw seeds of what they already know. It's just a more transparent and fundamental presentation, a less bloated version of modern gaming.
Beyond the NES introduction, I think it's a lot of fun to make your own discoveries and explore each system as you fancy. ... But it would be good to have a broad introduction to everything in the beginning, just a brief chronology and description of each console in the progression, some guidelines and context to the pursuit.
Vectrex I feel like is such a special console that a person should be initiated to some extent in past gaming before they encounter it. Otherwise they might not really understand or recognize or appreciate how special it is.
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Post by sj on Jul 16, 2013 14:09:30 GMT -5
Which systems are most appealing for new retro game collectors?
The answer could depend on whether your of a certain age and want to recapture a little of your youth (like me) or a young whipper-snapper with no youth to recapture. I'm guessing the NES would be good for the latter, though I've never played one. For the former you might pick the 2600 and work backwards.
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Post by gliptitude on Jul 16, 2013 14:31:06 GMT -5
I'm a little biased, due to not being familiar with a few of these, like the NES. I only played two games on there ever. You gotta try it man! At least have a peak with an emulator/roms. NES emulators are plentiful and easy to use. Just try out some of the classics that I'm sure you already know the names of, and see how fluid the scrolling, the running and jumping and the adventure games are. It's a huge step up from its predecessors, even though the computing power is not dramatically more. Even if you're a high score man steeped in the golden age, you will easily see how much more sophisticated the games got at that moment.
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Post by wyldephang on Jul 16, 2013 14:41:18 GMT -5
I'm a little biased, due to not being familiar with a few of these, like the NES. I only played two games on there ever. You gotta try it man! At least have a peak with an emulator/roms. NES emulators are plentiful and easy to use. We should start a "Get Darryl an NES or NES Clone Fund." He's got to have one!
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Post by VectorX on Jul 16, 2013 15:38:10 GMT -5
^Ugh, no I don't I'm not much into consoles that I don't have that have a huge library, except for the PS2 (which I don't want a PS3 since they're not backwards compatible with everything, or is that the second to last Xbox I'm thinking of?). Plus I don't have the room for hardly anything else until I move into my own place again. You gotta try it man! At least have a peak with an emulator/roms. NES emulators are plentiful and easy to use. I've tried out several games with MESS several years ago. I'm not much into emulators. And it wasn't for lack of trying, I just didn't know anyone who had one.
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Post by wyldephang on Jul 16, 2013 16:53:36 GMT -5
I think I understand where you're coming from. The NES library is a sprawling sea of titles stretched as far as the eye can see. It's a bit intimidating if you've never collected any games for the console because you constantly feel you're falling behind the curve in trying to assemble a respectable library. Also, a new console can ignite an urgency for collecting games. I know all of these variables were considered when I acquired my first Sega Genesis, so I speak from experience! For what it's worth, diving into unexplored territory was one of the best gaming decisions I've ever made. I'm still having a hard time believing how many quality Sega titles I skipped as a Nintendo owner in the '90s! Hopefully, you'll have a chance to get well acquainted with the NES one day.
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