What counts for your collection?

VGS_fcgamer

You go to a flea market, and your hands begin to shake uncontrollably as you spy a Stadium Events in a pile of sports games.  You quickly pay the $2 and take it home, only to discover that...damn!  The cartridge won't load, and can't be fixed.  How do you reconcile this one with your collecting lists?



Does owning a broken game count towards having it in the collection?  Or suppose there is some problem with the rom chip, and the game functions, but it is glitchy so it doesn't function / display 100% properly.  It is playable, but just not 100% correct.  Would this be acceptable to you as a collector?  "Close enough" to check the Stadium Events box in your collection list?  Or would full proper functioning be the only acceptable answer?



With cheaper games, I am sure most people would just buy a new one and replace, but what about these rare / expensive titles.

CZroe

World Class Track Meet should be your play/use copy for that particular game.  



Lines are blurred. Does Miracle Piano count as "broken" without the piano? I mean, you can't use it. A lot of us can't even use light gun games. I got a "broken" copy of The Immortal and later realized that the game simply spazzes out modern TVs due to using an incorrect value for black and turning on emphasis bits (makes "blacker than black"). These games really are broken on modern TVs even thought they are as functional as any other copy.



For more modern consoles: does a game like Phantasy Star Online or EverQuest count of the servers are turned off?



Even a broken cart often has a functional ROM. Even if it doesn't you still technically own a copy so having it counts for something. If you're going for that kind of collection anyway, the convenience of a flash cart can't be understated. Having a copy, broken or not, legitimizes your backup copy. Isn't that why we call them "backups" in the first place?  

DarkTone

I would have thought the items would have to function to count.

NickTLG

If I found something like a Stadium Events or Outback Joey and it didn't work, my heart wouldn't exactly be broken. Those games aren't exactly what you'd call amazing gaming experiences. The novelty of owning them directly correlates to their rarity. In other words, if you find a Stadium Events in the wild, you should be counting your blessings. You can sweat the details later. I bet someone in the community could help you fix it anyway.

Bort License Plate

I think, whether you're going to play the game or not Is irrelevant. It should be a working copy. If it wasn't it would bother me too much.

Fiyaball

For those of you who don't care if it works, I have a broken copy of PSO 1/2+ I'd be willing to trade with.... (No, seriously. And I wanted to actually play it too )

SoleGooseProductions

Since my collections is mostly a gaming one, if it doesn't work, it doesn't count. Pretty sure all of my carts and discs do, but the three items that I don't count (yet!) are: Asteroids arcade cabinet, Defender cocktail, and Sharp NES TV. Two of the three might someday work... maybe.

DefaultGen

I wouldn't mind a SE that didn't boot so long as it was legit since I only want it for the rarity/history and would never play it. If someone has a broken one significantly discounted ($2 at a garage sale even!) I'd be in line to take it.



Even currently working magnetic media won't work forever, but people collect vintage computer games. LaserDiscs suffer from laser rot but it's still fun to collect those. Obviously I'd prefer a working cart but the collectibility of SE is far ahead of the playability to me.

tubeway

good grief.

the tall guy

My whole point in collecting was wanting to play, so yeah, it has to work.

pegboy

Of course it counts. The only reason to buy a 20 year old cart is to put it into a collection and stare at it on your shelf. Who gives a shit it if works? If I want to play it ill use my flash cart or emulator like any sane person would.