Opening GBA Cardboard Boxes

[nightrnr]

I miss when I didn't worry about such trivialities.
I mean, I used a good amount of care (for a kid) when I was younger opening up my copy of Metroid 2 or Link's Awakening (I wish the one's currently in my collection were my originals). But I did what I had to in order to get to my game, a couple extra creases be damned.

In all honesty, I got full usage out of my game items, including admiring the box and rereading the instructions. Some time, I ought to post pics of my copy of Final Fantasy. I still have all the maps/box/instructions and such, but they definitely show the scars of time. Few games rival the enjoyment had by a fledgling RPG gamer though.
I wouldn't even trade it for a sealed copy.

Nowadays, yeah, I use a knife to gently pry/lift the lid open on boxed gaming items. Often, I'll even break the entire box down to save space (a bunch of mostly empty boxes is just not an option for me.

[retromangia]

Hey Topperware, I've always had the same dilemma. I've thought about keeping the cartridge separate from the box, but dammit I like keeping my games in the boxes

Then as someone else suggested, I thought about having a duplicate copy, one to play and one to keep minty on my shelf. However space then becomes an issue, and I have too many games as it is. I don't need doubles just because I'm afraid to open my boxes.

So like you, I've been trying so carefully to not cause that damned crease when opening any of my game boxes. This applies to any Nintendo box, not just GBA.

I've found that slightly squeezing the box at the sides on top, then carefully opening the flap has worked pretty well, but it's not easy and I have to try a few times. The butter knife thing actually sounds like a good idea. I think I'll use a letter opener instead though (no sharp edges).

Honestly, this would make for a GREAT video. Can one of the box opening experts here make us all a demonstration video and post it up on the tube? It would be VERY appreciated by many collectors alike!

- Retro

[Tanooki]

You serious, a video? Youtube is enough wasted space already.

Insert knife, then pull up with a slight twist.

[retromangia]

Ok Tanooki, if it's so easy for you.... then I nominate you to make us all a video!

[Tanooki]

No, I don't think so. The point was a video would be a wasted effort.

Just slide the butter knife all the way in there, then left and turn so that it's flat with the top of the box as it opens away. It's kind of common sense so it doesn't buckle or rip something. Personally at this point if I ended up creasing a cardboard flap I would think nothing of it, and eventually sooner than later I likely will when I take the shrink wrap off FF5 Advance.

I've rarely had any stuff from the NES and earlier GB era intact only because back then I got joy taking scissors to the boxes and making a badass collage all over the inside of this kind of bland and ugly 2 level white shelf with yellow sliding doors on it that housed my systems/games. The few times I got duplicate NP mags, did the same with them and it got to where the entire interior was artsy to the max, no wood exposed anywhere. SNES/later GB stuff I kept though in a closet for a lot of years, but I eventually needed the space and it was a waste so they got flattened, then tossed. It wasn't only until the last few years people have decided to scalp cardboard and manuals for extra money more than like just a few bucks over the game. I was picky about it, that's why I know the knife works, but in the end it is as I said, disposable cardboard.

It's not like I don't have any, I'm staring at a SNES Mario Paint, Wolfenstein and Civilization box up on a shelf here along with around 10 GBA boxes.