Giving someone advice on collecting.

[o.pwuaioc]

if Dan wants to go for a Nintendo branded console, then Saturn and Genesis are poor choices for him.

Tell him to get what he remembers fondly. Even if it's slow coming, $20 toward games every paycheck can quickly add up to a nice library and is quite affordable. Perhaps more if he cuts out little luxuries like coffee/beer etc. If that's still too much, then the GBA SP advice is solid advice indeed.

[Ziggy]

Here's my advice: Get and collect for a SNES. He wants a retro Nintendo console, and that's the best one. Games are climbing in price? Well, that just means you should start getting them now before the price goes up more. I think most would agree that the MUST HAVE games are still in an affordable range. Even so, my opinion is that having them be a little more expensive is a good thing. It forces you to enjoy the games you've got, as oppose to buying a shit ton and having too many games to play. If he buys the console with just one game, he can sit and enjoy JUST that game until he beats it or whatever. THEN he can get another game and spend some time enjoying it, then another, and so on.

Ask him if he wants to collect to PLAY and enjoy the games, or if he wants to collect to enjoy having a collection. If he's more interested in playing the games, then make him aware of flash carts. There's three great options right now as far as SNES flash carts go, ranging from $80-200. A one time purchase that'll let you play something like 95% of the SNES library, and totally worth it if some of the games you wanna eventually play are $50+ or $100+ games.

[Fragems]

Another good thing about the SNES is the relatively cheap super gameboy.

[Ziggy]

Another good thing about the SNES is the relatively cheap super gameboy.

And a much BETTER way to play GB.

[cha cha]

Just like giving advice on "what are the ever best games to play!?", no one collector is ever the same. Everyone has certain nostalgic values places on different games and systems and VERY different opinion on what constitutes how "collectible" the game is. So I always preface what I am about to say as "my opinions on the matter".

All I would advise people on is general collecting pitfalls to watch out for and advise them that the OLD stories on finding "treasures" and "gold mines" in the wild are not common anymore, as most people, even the most bumpkin of flea market sellers, are acutely aware that video game collecting has a big market and will at least do cursory "research" before selling said games.
The devil can always be found in the details (or often- a lack there of), and online sellers especially will leave out every detail possible in order to prey on buyers who are desperate to get something that 'could be' the best possible version of a thing, and then give you the smudged up, greatest hits, marker written-on, non-original case versions that they actually are selling.

My best advice on collecting is to be patient, do actual market research on games/platforms you want to collect so you can make informed buying decisions and NEVER take anyone's 'word' at face value on collecting anything. If you are armed with more accurate information on a collectible than it's seller, your odds at successful haggling increase exponentially, and this is what nets you the best deals more often than not.
When buying online, stop being lazy. If a seller doesn't list all the details you need, then ASK them for said details. It saves you a ton of time and hassle in the long run... and also never bid/buy anything that does not have details pics/descriptions/terms and then also says "no returns accepted/sold as is".

The above SOUNDS obvious, and for the most part IS. But you'd be shocked how many 'collectors' ignore these basic principles on a daily basis.

$0.02

[mas]

I'm working with him in the morning. On my break ill tell you guys what he picked out. I hope that he picks a system he'll have fun collecting and not just waste his money and not be happy with what he got.

[oxymoron]

I'm with o.pwuaioc on this. It's about quality and not quantity. Sure, the Saturn is expensive to collect for but if that's what he likes, so be it.

[Omerta]

If by "collecting" he means a complete set on a budget, the N64 would probably be the quickest and cheapest choice in a cartridge-only format due to the absurdly low number of titles in the library. (And no, the Virtual Boy is not a good system for the new guy to jump on unless you want him to hate video games.) N64 games are also still relatively cheap. I haven't checked in a while, but aside from a few special variants I don't think many (if any) cartridges have jumped above the $100 mark on average.

On the other hand, if he means he really wants to collect a large variety of the best games available for the lowest price possible, the Wii is an excellent choice. You have two consoles in one from Gamecube BC and most of the games/hardware are at rock bottom prices. There's tons of VC stuff still available for classic gaming from Nintendo consoles and other now defunct hardware developers. And if he wants to delve even deeper down the rabbit hole, the homebrew scene is huge with everything from emulators to operating systems.

[AppleQueso]

I don't think many (if any) cartridges have jumped above the $100 mark on average.

AFAIK the only "regular" game (as in, not stuff like NFR variants) to hit that mark is still Sculptor's Cut.

[Omerta]

AFAIK the only "regular" game (as in, not stuff like NFR variants) to hit that mark is still Sculptor's Cut.

Our resident fact checker is on the ball. That was fast.

You're right. That one's expensive. Gotta love Blockbuster exclusives. *cough* Hagane *cough*