I have given this probably way brain power over the years than I outgha have. At various points in my life where my financial situation was better than it currently is I have started, and stopped, collecting video games multiple times. Each time I take a different approach but always usually very quickly go back to the stuff I had as a kid.
Today, partially for budget reasons and also convenience, I do my retro video game “collecting” in the virtual space via ROMS and emulators. Even if I could afford to buy dedicated consoles and physical games I still don’t know if I would. Maybe if my intention was just to own them as a display piece but not to actually play them, maybe.
However as a thought exoricise just for fun I will speculate on which video game consoles I am the most likely to desire to collect and what my intentions for that system would potentially be.
This is not going to be a completely comprehensive list but it is going to be as close to such as I can get.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Regardless of money, I fully intend to someday buy a few PONG consoles and PONG clones. These are generally dirt cheap and not something you can easilly, accurately emulate. Plus they fall under the toy umbrella and I’ll never stop collecting toys.
Magnavox Odyssee and Odyssee 2
Hard pass. I have zero interest in either console, including for emulation.
Channel F
Maybe a non functional display model if I get too deep into the hobby but otherwise not that interesting to me.
Atari VCS
I would be all in on this. I want the varients, including the Darth Vadetr and the Jr. I wouldn’t be too selective about games. Ideally I’d prefer working carts but I would also look for some sort of flash option to bypass having to spend way too much money for rare games I had as a kid but could never afford or track down again. I won’t say I’d go for a full set because there’s spares documentation on what that would entail, but I wouldn’t say no to any games I came across, even some varients. I would also be interested in some, but certainly not all, accessories and upgrades.
Mattel Intelivision
I would skip this entirely. It’s, to me at least, just a VCS clone with less interesting software and a terrible controller. I don’t even care for it’s historical importance, it’s useless to me.
Atari Super System
This is one I struggle with. It looks cool, has an interesting history and does have better looking games than it’s VCS counterpart, however, it has hardly any true exclusives and none of the games on it that exist elsewhere can’t be had in a better form. In other words if I bought one it would just be an oddity that I don’t really do anything with.
Colecovision
Hard pass. See above.
Nintendo Entertainment System
Let me be clear. This is supposing I am beyond rich. As in money is no object and I don’t have to take price into account just buy what I want. In that context I would still only ever collect for the North American officially licensed RETAIL market list. I would be selective about which cart varient I bought but I would still be cart only no boxes or manuals. The ONLY unlicensed games I would consider, and not even all just the ones that interest me, are the Tengen games. Everything it MUST be licensed AND have been sold at retail. No mail aways or rental exclusives or Action 52 crap. I would also go all in on accessories.
Sega Master System
Much like the NES, SMS I would also try to go for a mostly full retail set along with some hardware varients and accessories. However unlike NES, with SMS I would be open to buying games from Brazil or Japan only in addition to NA, but not PAL stuff.
Atari ProSystem
No. I could consider just another Atari VCS varient but this device is garbage I wouldn’t want contaminating my living space.
Turbo Grafix-16
Most likely not. There are at most maybe ten total games for the entire console I’d care about, including the useless CD add on. but I would maybe intersted in the TurboExpress just as an oddity if nothing else and a handful of games to go with it. Otherwise very low interest in this unit.
Sega Genesis
100 percent complete everything. All official hardware models including 3rd party varients like the Ex’Eye, every NA NTSC retail release licensed or otherwise, the Japan and Brazil exclusives that have English text options, every accessory, including 3rd party stuff like the Interactor, etc. I am ALL IN on the Genesis.
Super Nintendo
Absolutely. Like NES and Sega I want everything. Unlike NES, I also want unlicense stuff and yes even SOME aftermarket and homebrew stuff. When it comes to SNES I want it all.
Sega CD and 32X
Yes, all varients and models, all games but not the non game software. Sega CD I would want games in cases but manuals and artwork optional. 32X cart only. But none of the 32X CD stuff.
NEO GEO
hard pass. Same with the CD version. I would consider getting an arcade cabinet but never the home console stuff.
3DO
Yes and no. Yes to a couple of models but ONLY with the MPEG upgrade and ONLY as a Video CD player for my media and electronics collection, NOT as a video game console.
Sega Saturn
I would but with a couple of limitations. First Saturn exclusives ONLY. That means if a game is on Playstation, 32X, or Sega CD I get it on them, NOT on the Saturn. The exceptions are the various Virtua Fighters and Sonic 3D Blast, duh. I would consider some accessories and games must be in cases but I don’t need manuals or artwork. I would pass on the network stuff though and probably the RAM upgrade.
Playstation
Kinda. I would buy a couple varients of the machine, including the tiny model, but games I would be extra selective over. I won’t make any hard rules just not everything and only stuff I might be interested in. Must include the case and artwork but manuals optional.
N64
I would get the base unit no RAM upgrade. A handful of no more than 30 games, one of each matching controler to the base color, no varients. cart only no manuals or boxes. No sports, wrestling or games I can get elsewhere.
Sega Dreamcast
I go back and forth on this. I have zero interest in the damn machine, littler to no interest in the games and I despise nearly everything about it. As much as I love Sega, this is the black spot on their entire existence I can’t easily overcome. However I think my official answer is never. I hate this pile of useless overrated sewer filth too much to bring it into my life.
PS2
console and some accessories but very selective library. games must be in cases with art but manuals optional.
Nintendo GameCube
Yes 100 percent all in everything. Games with cases and manuals. all accessories and upgrades. Every varient and color. All the controllers to match. All the GBA stuff to go with it all. Everything.
Xbox family
Nothing. Never. none of it.
Nintendo Wii
Just the base console and a HANDFUL of important games and that’s it.
Wii U
All models, all colors, all games but only games with a physical US retail release. Must be complete in box.
PS3
I already own one but sure I could get some varients and more games but I won’t go crazy with it
PS4
This is one I want not everything but as much as I can get without going nuts. Not interested in varients or digital only games so I would stick to games witha physical release that aren’t always on or require updates. I would prefer games in the case with artwork but case and disc only is acceptable.
PS5
Not interested.
As I am only discussing consoles and not handhelds that is where this list ends. Nothing newer than this. Handhelds will be a seperate list. Stay cool.
