A Beginner’s Guide to Retro Game Collecting

The retro gaming scene remains pretty big business. It is now pretty easy to turn a Steam Deck or even your phone into a fine emulation machine. In addition, companies such as a Blaze Entertainment or Anbernic offer ways to play retro games on the go. However, for those who want a more authentic experience and want to see classic hardware standing proudly on a shelf, it can be hard to know where to start.

Luckily, the Wacky Workbench has your back, as we present a few good candidates for getting started on your retro hardware collecting adventure.

Choosing Your Focus

For the majority of people who have been bitten by the retro bug, nostalgia is the primary motivator. If you are in that camp, consider what you enjoyed as a child. Was Super Mario Bros 3 your jam? Perhaps you preferred blazing through Green Hill Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog, or blasting down enemies in Turrican?

On the other hand, some people prefer to explore the worlds of games and consoles that passed them by, perhaps picking up a Saturn or Nintendo 64 to investigate what they might have missed out on.

Maybe you want to find the stranger examples of hardware, different colour variations or special editions. Maybe you want to play some terrible games on bad hardware to see how awful it truly was.

Either way, your focus will determine how much money you will need to spend and where you will need to look.

Establish a Budget

This is very important. As hardware ages, it becomes harder to obtain, and this obviously sees prices go up. Websites such as Price Charting or Game Value Now are mostly US-focussed, but offer a valuable barometer of what is a sensible price to pay. Be aware of regional variations, however. The SEGA 32X, for example, is fairly commonplace in the USA, but quite rare in the UK and Europe, so prices will be different.

The Hardware

If you are interested in collecting, but still not sure where to start, here are some suggestions for consoles that are a good place to get started.

SEGA Master System

For those who live in the UK and Europe, these are very common and easy to get hold of, particularly the Master System II, which comes with a built-in copy of Alex Kidd in Miracle World. A Master System II with at least one controller should set you back around £40/€45.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the Master System is considerably rarer, unless you happen to live in Brazil, which exists in a mysterious alternative timeline where SEGA won the console wars and the Master System console is still being made.

Things to Watch Out For: The console itself is sturdy, but the controllers can be fragile. Beware of broken controllers. Also, be aware that the Master System II only has RF output, and will need to be modified for most modern TVs.

Good Games To Get Started: Fantasy Zone, Hang On, Sonic the Hedgehog, OutRun Europa

Nintendo 64

Though the Nintendo 64 got trounced by the PlayStation, it was still beloved by many and has some spectacular games in its library. One of the interesting aspects of collecting the N64 is the number of colour variants; though the standard edition is dark grey, other versions exist in virtually all colours of the rainbow. Another point in favour of the N64 is that the console is basically built like a tank, and is not prone to hardware failure. For example, I was given a ‘non-functional’ N64 which merely required the cartridge port to be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol before it worked perfectly. The Nintendo 64 can usually be purchased for around £60/€65, or US$70.

Things to Watch Out For: Make sure the analogue stick on the controller is working, has free movement, and that no dirt has got into the joint. As mentioned above, problems with cartridges can often be solved with a cotton bud and some isopropyl alcohol.

Good Games To Get Started: Mario 64, StarFox 64, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, GoldenEye

Nintendo Game Boy

The Game Boy is a great choice for collecting beginners, partially because so many of them exist. The original Game Boy is a very solid bit of hardware which, famously, could survive literally being blown up and still turn on. Original Game Boy games are compatible with successor consoles such as the Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color, providing access to a vast games library. An original Game Boy will set you back around £65/€70 in Europe, or up to US$80 in the USA.

The prices for these can be higher than expected because chiptune artists love to use them as instruments.

Things To Watch Out For: On the original Game Boy, a problem with screen degradation tends to occur, making the screen unusable. Ask to see the screen turned on before purchase. Another big problem with the Game Boy is fake cartridges. The Pokémon games are a common target, so if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Good Games To Get Started: Super Mario Land, Kirby’s Dream Land, Bionic Commando

SEGA Dreamcast

It might have been SEGA’s last hurrah in the console market, but many consider the Dreamcast to be a console ahead of its time, with features such as online connectivity and a memory card that doubled as a portable mini-console. Collectors not only have the existing game library to explore, but also a huge and thriving homebrew scene, which continues to churn out games to this day. Prices for the Dreamcast range from around £60–80 (€70–85). In the USA, they can go much higher, and it isn’t unusual for even a loose example going for $100 or more.

Things To Watch Out For: Later Dreamcast models suffer from a build-quality issue that can cause motor or laser failure. Look on the underside of the console for a small number inside a circle; the units labelled 0 or 1 will tend to have better reliability than those marked with a 2 or 3.

Good Games To Get Started: Chu Chu Rocket, Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Metropolis Street Racer