What is your current collection focus?

[extrarice]

I recently got into collecting old/unsupported/discontinued console video game systems. I generally held on to the systems I grew up with as a kid, so now I'm focusing on collecting the systems I missed while playing NES all day. Recent acquisitions are:
Sega Genesis
TG-16
Neo Geo Pocket Color (not really from my childhood...)

This brings my empire up to 14:

NES, SNES, N64, GC, Sega Master System, Game Gear, Genesis, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, TG-16, GBA, DS, Neo Geo Pocket Color.

My next goals are Sega Saturn and Neo Geo AES or MVS (whenever I can afford it). I'm not really into completion. I'm only looking for the gems of each system.

So what is everyone else's focus?

[viniciusfs]

Only Famicom, NES, Super Famicom and SNES.

[RedWolf]

So what is everyone else's focus?

While I like to dabble in a little of everything, I've recently been focusing on the NES the most, as far as pure cartridge collection goes.  I've recently branched into Famicom territory a bit, but it's expensive since I usually have to pay to have things shipped from Japan, and there are no good used import video game stores around here.  As a result, my Famicom collection won't get very big any time soon.

Also, it's a little on the computer side, but last year I started collecting all the Atari 800 cartridges I could (98% of carts are for games, though).  Turns out more carts were made for it than I thought.  I was probably never aware of it since most everyone just pirated games on disk for that machine.

And most recently, I think I'm getting into Sega Master System stuff more.  I just got some new games and accessories recently that I'll be writing about on VC&G soon.

[briankoenig03]

My "collecting" has been on hold for awhile since I'm a college student right now and money seems to evaporate.
While I was collecting, I focused on the systems I had nostalgia for, namely the NES and SNES. I started off with games that I actually liked, so I don't have any $400 Stadium Games cartridges or anything. Some stars of my SNES collection, although not necessarily considered "big money" are Earthbound, FFIIIUS complete with box, Secret of Mana, Link to the Past complete (non-million seller edition), Packy & Marlon (a small-production licensed cart featuring two diabetic elephants; my brother being diabetic like me was a trial tester for the game).
Although looking at my collection, it has a lot of PS1 RPGs. Xenogears, all the FF games, Suikoden II, Legend of Dragoon, Legend of Mana, Chrono Cross, Hoshigami, and more.

My true love is Zelda. I have the Japanese OoT, Gold US OoT, Gray V1.0 US OoT, Japanese MM, Gold US MM, Gray US MM, sealed copies of the two Oracle games, a complete LTTP, a complete LA DX, a complete LOZ gold cart, and two complete AoL gold carts. I have the collectors edition of Wind Waker, Zelda: Four Swords, the Zelda: Master Quest bonus disc, the Zelda: Collector's Edition bonus gamecube disc, and I really want a Japanese version of Wind Waker for some reason. I even have a sealed copy of Zelda: Wand of Gamelon for CD-i although I haven't purchased a system yet.

Once I have a salary job, my goal will be to collect more of the Zelda series, including the FDS editions. I also love promotional material (posters, standees, etc) and would love to get my hands somehow on more promotional stuff for Adventures of Link, since it's the bastard child of the series and I love it.

[RedWolf]

That sounds like a cool collection.  I had two of the CD-i Zelda games years ago, but had to sell them and my whole CD-i system because it was so horrible as to be completely depressing. :?  There will probably be an article on VC&G about that some day.

I also love promotional material (posters, standees, etc) and would love to get my hands somehow on more promotional stuff for Adventures of Link, since it's the bastard child of the series and I love it.

Zelda II: Adventures of Link really is highly underrated.  A real gem, if you ask me.  It's a bit hard at first, but you get used to it, and the "sword fighting" element (strike up down, block, jump, etc.), however simple it may be, adds some extra depth and skill to the action that I always liked.  I guess some people got disappointed when it was released because they wanted more of the same overhead Zeldaness they were used to, but I'm glad Nintendo took a chance with Zelda II, because since then we've had more plent overhead goodness, AND a completely different, original game to play!

[Konata]

I scored a copy of NiGHTS into Dreams (the pack-in version) for $5, so my focus right now is getting a Saturn and a 3D Pad.

I'd also really like to get my 16-bit scrolling shooter collection built up, I have Gradius III and I'm actively seeking Super R-Type III and Space Megaforce.

[RedWolf]

I scored a copy of NiGHTS into Dreams (the pack-in version) for $5, so my focus right now is getting a Saturn and a 3D Pad.

Believe it or not, but I actually bought a sealed, new copy of NiGHTs in box (packed with the analog controller) on eBay for $5 (plus a few bucks shipping) two years ago!  Probably one of the better eBay deals ever, considering the nature of the place.

[Konata]

HOLY ****! That can be considered "insanely lucky deal"!

[RedWolf]

HOLY ****! That can be considered "insanely lucky deal"!

Hehe, I guess so.  I actually strongly debated whether I should open it or not, but I eventually did about a year later because I had always wanted to play NiGHTs, but never got the chance (and honestly, I wasn't that impressed).  I think it was so cheap because some guy was selling something like 20 copies of it at the time, and as you probably know, when somebody floods the market on eBay, the price per item goes waaaay down.

[Konata]

Yeah, but hey, that's eBay for ya. Some of the stuff on that site I do NOT agree with, an Amiga 500, with Workbench 1.3 only, and two games sjould NOT be $150... that's crap.

[RedWolf]

Yeah, but hey, that's eBay for ya. Some of the stuff on that site I do NOT agree with, an Amiga 500, with Workbench 1.3 only, and two games sjould NOT be $150... that's crap.

Yeah, I know.  That's when you don't buy it.

[extrarice]

I scored a copy of NiGHTS into Dreams (the pack-in version) for $5, so my focus right now is getting a Saturn and a 3D Pad.

I'd also really like to get my 16-bit scrolling shooter collection built up, I have Gradius III and I'm actively seeking Super R-Type III and Space Megaforce.

There's a bare cart of R-Type 3 on ebay right now for $17 + $6 shipping...
Boxed ones are around $40.

[Konata]

Thanks for the lead man, unfortunately I'm broke right now. I only buy boxed CD games. I usually get bare carts anyway, I mean, I play my games, I don't keep them on a shelf to look at. So the bare cart is a nice find. Thanks! ^_^

[Xerone]

I just got a new AC Adapter for my SNES which I just found. Haha. I can't seem to find many of my games right now either, I really wanna play Super Metroid again. =( But atleast I have Illusion of Gaia and I fixed my Starfox cart. A bit of plastic broke on the inside and the (I'm not sure of the Jargon, but its that big GREEN piece that physically connects to the console and has all the info) was pushed in. So I bought a bit for the cart on eBay for a few bucks and opened it up. Hehe, then I put a screw in there to hold it into place. So it has a big screw in the back of it, but it works! ^.^

[RedWolf]

I just got a new AC Adapter for my SNES which I just found. Haha. I can't seem to find many of my games right now either, I really wanna play Super Metroid again. =( But atleast I have Illusion of Gaia and I fixed my Starfox cart. A bit of plastic broke on the inside and the (I'm not sure of the Jargon, but its that big GREEN piece that physically connects to the console and has all the info) was pushed in. So I bought a bit for the cart on eBay for a few bucks and opened it up. Hehe, then I put a screw in there to hold it into place. So it has a big screw in the back of it, but it works! ^.^

The green thing you're talking about is probably the PC board ("PC" stands for "printed circuit").  The PC board has all the components (including the game ROM chips) soldered into it.  That's the worst thing to break, because if the traces (conductive circuit paths on the board) break, then the cart is definitely kaput.  There are ways to fix traces if there are only minor fractures or cuts, but if the whole thing snaps in half, you're pretty much better off giving up and getting a new cart.

In your case, if the cart still works, then it sounds like a non-vital part of the PC board that doesn't have any traces on it broke, so you're lucky!

Edit: I just realized that you're talking about a screw post breaking off from the cartridge casing, not the PC board itself.  That's much better news!

RedWolf