I started out going cart only, but lately I've been lured to the CIB side.
I can't afford to go CIB for everything though, so (for NES/SNES/Genesis/N64) I'm only trying to get boxes for the heavy hitters and the games I grew up with. For everything else I am content with cart only, unless I find it locally and it's a good price.
As for disc based games, I go all complete for those.
I don't emulate, but that's more because flash carts are expensive and I'd read spend that money on adding more to my collection. I'd like to get some flash carts eventually, if I can get them for a decent price.
I only buy CIB and complete games. I don't care as much about generic posters, reg cards, advertisements, or warning information, but I want game-specific inserts, posters, extras, etc.
Always CIB. If it's gonna be incomplete i might aswell skip the cart too since the only reason i'm getting it to begin with is for collection purposes.
I'm a cart only guy, but I do like having manuals and I hang onto the boxes if I happen to get them. I do wonder if I'll start collecting NES manuals once I get most or all of the cart games I want, but that will be awhile. Other than that, I typically don't go out of my way for anything that's not a cart.
If I had the money, I'd just buy everything sealed
But since I'm not rich, here's what I currently do:
Any cartridge-based game that came in a cardboard box (so no DS, 3DS, Genesis, or Master System) I feel fine collecting cart-only. However, if I find it CIB for cheap, I'll snag it and hold onto it. Right now my NES collection is about 10% CIB, 90% cart-only. The same goes for SNES, N64, GB, Atari 2600, etc. On the other hand, any disc-based games, I will avoid not buying CIB. Stuff like PS1 shovelware without the manual for a dollar.. I won't bother unless I really want to play the game. And of course there's the catch-all exception that, given a low enough price, I'll buy anything cart-only/disc-only if it's worth it. Or even a CIB game.. missing the game. I got the box & manual to Smash Bros Melee at Goodwill and sold it on ebay for $20 a few years ago. Would've been even better if someone hadn't stolen the game
If we're talking cart era, then I say all of the above. I like to have a few CIB for display purposes but mostly I'm fine with just having the game via cart only or Everdrive. In disc era, I like to have at least the game and box but I do have a few handfuls of disc only.
I chose all the above. I prefer CIB with my collection. It looks nice, and you get the manual and other goods like maps and stuff, and the box to keep it all in. However, my collection is really small so I won't turn away naked carts. All are welcome. Emulation is more so for convience/travel but I don't like it as much as playing on a console. Hell, even the Wii versions of games feel weird to me. Also, emulation is hit or miss in regards to quality. It's come a long way but (especially MAME) sometimes the games don't work, or look funny, or just don't feel right on a computer. Just my thoughts.
I had to go with all of the above. I've waffled on this whole decision a lot since I started collecting more methodically, so I've ended up with quite a mix in my collection. As a rule these days, I've cooled off on CIB (thankfully, ugh), and I only get CIB of Genesis games, games that are special to me (ex. original LoZ, Super Mario 64, etc.), or that are just great deals. The latter has come up more lately as I've started doing more Atari collecting, where the CIBs or even new games can often be only marginally more expensive, or at the very least cheap (like less than $30).
Flash carts have been amazing to have, as it helped me take things slower with collecting, generally, and they're just really convenient, as others have said; I don't have to bust open the CIBs I have to play the games. I rarely even grab the cart only games anymore, preferring to leave them on the shelf, too.
cart only for me. i actually sold my boxes and manuals on here earlier this year or late last year since they weren't doing anything for me. i like to play the games on the original hardware, but boxes get beat up too easily and manuals have a tendency to get lost/bent/whatever, so i try to just stick with the basics.
i have been thinking about getting a CIB Legend of Zelda in nice condition. i have the game already, but it's one of my favorites of all time so it'd be more of a display piece.
for disc-based games tho, it's CIB all the way. YES i want the case, and YES i want the manual. otherwise you might as well not even have the game.
Mostly cart only but my super favorites (e.g. Zelda) are CIB, all disc based, nds, 3ds, and vita are CIB as those bring loose drive me batty and I don't like generic blank cases.
I personally go cart only, though if I see a cheap CIB in the wild or what not, then I will grab it. It is just too expensive to get all CIB, and some of the games I collect never really had boxes anyway, so.
Now for hardware, that is a different story. I much prefer it to be boxed. I might pick up a loose one as a placeholder, if that is all I can find, but boxed just looks so much nicer, period.
Really depends upon a) the system, b) whether I can actually get boxes that haven't been through the wringer, and c) whether games (or even systems) go for crazy money for the ideal version(s). Yeah, it's a serious case of "it does not matter much to me". I don't even care if I play a cartridge on original hardware anymore, which is a definite seismic shift from how I was when I was younger.
Comments
I can't afford to go CIB for everything though, so (for NES/SNES/Genesis/N64) I'm only trying to get boxes for the heavy hitters and the games I grew up with. For everything else I am content with cart only, unless I find it locally and it's a good price.
As for disc based games, I go all complete for those.
I don't emulate, but that's more because flash carts are expensive and I'd read spend that money on adding more to my collection. I'd like to get some flash carts eventually, if I can get them for a decent price.
Originally posted by: pegboy
Paper box = cart only
Hard case = CIB
Yep.
While I do own quite a few GB and SNES games CIB, I don't proactively go that route for them.
But since I'm not rich, here's what I currently do:
Any cartridge-based game that came in a cardboard box (so no DS, 3DS, Genesis, or Master System) I feel fine collecting cart-only. However, if I find it CIB for cheap, I'll snag it and hold onto it. Right now my NES collection is about 10% CIB, 90% cart-only. The same goes for SNES, N64, GB, Atari 2600, etc. On the other hand, any disc-based games, I will avoid not buying CIB. Stuff like PS1 shovelware without the manual for a dollar.. I won't bother unless I really want to play the game. And of course there's the catch-all exception that, given a low enough price, I'll buy anything cart-only/disc-only if it's worth it. Or even a CIB game.. missing the game. I got the box & manual to Smash Bros Melee at Goodwill and sold it on ebay for $20 a few years ago. Would've been even better if someone hadn't stolen the game
NES/SNES/N64/GB/GBA = Cart and manual only
GCN/Wii/WiiU/PS1/2/3/Xbox/Genesis/DS/3DS = CIB
Paper box = cart only
Hard case = CIB
Agreed. Paper boxes get so expensive and hard to find mint condition.
Paper box = cart only
Hard case = CIB
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!
Flash carts have been amazing to have, as it helped me take things slower with collecting, generally, and they're just really convenient, as others have said; I don't have to bust open the CIBs I have to play the games. I rarely even grab the cart only games anymore, preferring to leave them on the shelf, too.
i have been thinking about getting a CIB Legend of Zelda in nice condition. i have the game already, but it's one of my favorites of all time so it'd be more of a display piece.
for disc-based games tho, it's CIB all the way. YES i want the case, and YES i want the manual. otherwise you might as well not even have the game.
Paper box = cart only
Hard case = CIB
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!
Shoot! its all about that minty cardboard yo!
Although since I have over 150 loose Atari 2600 carts, I'll get a game cart only if I find one.
But generally CIB for me. This rule especially applies to the three sets I'm going for.
Now for hardware, that is a different story. I much prefer it to be boxed. I might pick up a loose one as a placeholder, if that is all I can find, but boxed just looks so much nicer, period.