Crappy things about the classic gaming hobby.

[treismac]

Worrying about how long my CRTs have before they buy the farm and Duck Hunt becomes a distant memory keeps me up at night sometimes.

Rolling the dice when you buy controllers online is lame.

At times the nostalgia connected to retro gaming inflames my melancholic desire to return to childhood in a painful way.

Not having friends who are enthusiastic about playing 8 & 16-bit systems like I did when I was a kid can be a bummer.

The SPACE that my collection consumes is a bit ridiculous.

Wanting something that you know you won't enjoy that much, if at all but, still wanting it because you are a brain-dead compulsive collector/Nintendo fanboy. Curse you, R.O.B. the Robot.

Seeing arcades wither and die is horrible. Knowing I will never set foot into a Showbiz Pizza again is perhaps even more horrible. Curse you, Chuckie, you damn rat.

Almost buying a game you've been meaning to check out, only to realize that you already have it in you collection collecting fresh dust. Curse you, Rad Racer II, for not being more memorable.

All of this whining aside, my younger incarnation would flip out to see how many video games I have.

[wiggyx]

Almost buying a game you've been meaning to check out, only to realize that you already have it in you collection collecting fresh dust. Curse you, Rad Racer II, for not being more memorable.

, that is the WORST!

The sort of thing that makes me take pause and reconsider my hobby. I need to do more playing than collecting...































fuck it, I like collecting better at this point. I'll play when I'm dead.

[o.pwuaioc]

The sort of thing that makes me take pause and reconsider my hobby. I need to do more playing than collecting...

I keep telling myself that. I will get to it before I'm dead.

[BydoEmpire]

Really the only thing I don't like is when I buy carts that don't work. Fortunately, it's been pretty rare. Even NES carts that were flaky initially just required a good cleaning and a bit of the right touch to get them going.

Yeah, and buying carts I already own. It's happened a couple times, sadly.

[InsaneDavid]

My copy of Mario all stars won't hold a save for more then a day or two. I had to find this out the worst way possible. To this day I've never attempted to beat super Mario world again.

Take a look inside. The last copy of Super Mario All-Stars I replaced a battery in actually had a battery retainer, so it was just pop out and pop in. Dunno how many games Nintendo did this with but it was the first I had ever come across as most have the connection tabs tacked onto the battery (which I replace with an equivalent part).

Now what I hate about the hobby: Smug asses that think all of us in the retrogaming realm are loaded with cash because we're "adults" and should be well able to spend big cash for old games, rarities, reproductions and the like. Almost like retrogaming is a boutique hobby for those who have excess income. I don't know about most but the only time in my life I had tons of disposable income was right after high school when I had a full time job and not a care in the world. Also I didn't quit playing old video games when they became old. They were fun when I first started in 1983 and many of those same games are still fun today - that's why I still have them.

[wiggyx]

They didn't do that with ANY SNES games. Someone must have done that before you purchased it. Pretty typical mod for NES/SNES games.

[Dr. BaconStein]

There's still no efficient way to play all of my favorite 5th generation games on the go. The Linux handhelds can't handle it, the N64/PS1 emulators on Android are rubbish (sorry, they really are), the handmades are ugly and overpriced, and there's no sign of a proper clone akin to the FC-16 Go or SupaBoy anytime soon. I just got a JXD S5110 so I could play some Glover and use the online apps, and so far neither of those things are working out for me. I regret ever wanting it.

[hellraiser]

Take a look inside. The last copy of Super Mario All-Stars I replaced a battery in actually had a battery retainer, so it was just pop out and pop in. Dunno how many games Nintendo did this with but it was the first I had ever come across as most have the connection tabs tacked onto the battery (which I replace with an equivalent part).

Yeah I been meaning to get in there just haven't got around to it.

What's odd is my copy of link on Nes still saves perfect. Makes me wonder if that battery got swapped at one point.

[hellraiser]

Rolling the dice when you buy controllers online is lame.

This is so frustrating! I've had to rip apart so many controllers they said worked great. They may work but I can't stand sticky buttons.

Not having friends who are enthusiastic about playing 8 & 16-bit systems like I did when I was a kid can be a bummer.

Dude... I feel bad for you. While I'm the only friend collecting I do know alot of people who like to play.
Streets of rage was meant to be played 2 player!

Seeing arcades wither and die is horrible.

Truer words have never been spoken. At least we have a nickle city!

Almost buying a game you've been meaning to check out, only to realize that you already have it in you collection collecting fresh dust. Curse you, Rad Racer II, for not being more memorable.

I've actually purchased a game I already had. T&C surf designs. Not the most expensive mistake but still annoying.

[swlovinist]

Now what I hate about the hobby: Smug asses that think all of us in the retrogaming realm are loaded with cash because we're "adults" and should be well able to spend big cash for old games, rarities, reproductions and the like. Almost like retrogaming is a boutique hobby for those who have excess income. I don't know about most but the only time in my life I had tons of disposable income was right after high school when I had a full time job and not a care in the world. Also I didn't quit playing old video games when they became old. They were fun when I first started in 1983 and many of those same games are still fun today - that's why I still have them.

Completely agree with this. I am not rich, and get it all the time that I must be. The truth of the matter is that I am a very savy second hand buyer that is tight with the money. I now have a family and my time and resources are limited.

I am very blessed to live in an area that has expos and retrogame stores within driving distance. The downside of that is finding stuff in the wild now has gotten very tough.

[ifkz]

Retro game stores that seem to exist only to rip off the classic gamer.

Auction sellers that give a "complete" game a low BIN, and when the game arrives, the manual is just the cover page.

Scam auctions where the seller is the only person bidding against you.

Stores that keep the game cases as display only so you can't buy them. Funcoland was the worst offender back in the day.

Any game that came in a paper box.

Sega CD games that have some sort of pinhole damage to the disc. It has always been very hard to find good copies, not to mention the game cases.

Lack of people wanting to play co-op on your old games.

Stores that keep system boxes for display.

Finding a game at the thrift store that is missing the cart or disc once opened.

Thrift stores that save the game stuff for online auctions.

Sunfade to an otherwise nice game and/or case.

Disc Doctor machines. Spend the few bucks per disc and get it professionally resurfaced.

Rental stickers on game labels.

CD stick on protectors.

[MarioMania]

Looking for SNES/NES games in the wild.....

[SparTonberry]

I didn't know Nintendo offered this and now that I do I'll probably just go this route. Is it just a forum or something that you fill out?

The only offer some first-party games. You can try store.nintendo.com to see if they have any available.

[InsaneDavid]

They didn't do that with ANY SNES games. Someone must have done that before you purchased it. Pretty typical mod for NES/SNES games.

I know what wave soldering looks like, it was factory.

[wiggyx]

I know what wave soldering looks like, it was factory.

Can we see pics? I've NEVER seen a cart like that from the factory.

[SpaceHarrier]

Those damn silver stickers some rental places (like Blockbuster) put on PS1 games. They are so tough to get off, I am often worried I will rip the top layer right off the cd. And when you do get it off (in little pieces), enjoy the super-sticky residue left behind. Also, these were often placed off-center to one side, with nothing to counter-balance the disc on the other side.

wobble wobble wobble wobble

[101011]

Rental stickers and price tags on labels. That's a burn. On hard plastic cases too. Dont use a hair dryer to get those off.

[MattK]

The fact that I have to pester people to make sure they're going to package expensive items properly. Especially annoying when you've arranged it, paid them extra and they ignore it. The postman who insists on jamming things in the mail slot, despite the fact that it's clearly too small for anything that's not a letter

People who list BIN auctions at prices that will never sell. Stores that price their inventory based on these BIN auctions that never sell.

The weight of our CRT television. That bastard is heavy.

[Stringfellow]

trying to find a multi input coax switch at radio shack and the clerk tries to sell me an av selector.

overpriced retro game stores (Super Mario/Duck Hunt $18)

No one that wants to play two player with me (combat is collecting some nice dust)

advertised as working when it doesn't

The list goes on and on.

[Bazoo]

People on craigslist. I'll find some great deals every once in a while, such that I still look but like...

A. "NES Games Great Coondition $75!!"
B. "PS2 GAMES LOT $50 FOR MADDEN 2005, 2006, GTAIII!!"

Then like, sometimes I even make a deal and people are ridiculous. I text someone about an N64 + Games they're selling for $20, ask if it's still available and say thank you etc. He said yeah it is, and I asked him if it came with all cords and yeah. I say I'd really like that, but ask if he could he wait until the following day (it was early evening), and where does he live, and he said yes and told me a general location but not a specific address. I text him the next day and asking what would be a good time. The conversation went like this:

"Who is this?"
"The guy who wanted the N64 on craigslist lol."
"I'm sorry. That's been sold."
"Didn't you just say that it was available yesterday for me? And we agreed? Seriously I'll live but that is really bad PR..."
No response.

I get that cash to a person quickly is important, but he agreed to the following day and then acted like I didn't exist after someone else offered. Who does that?

[Compute]

This thread is chock-full of pet peeves I also feel about. Touching off the post above mine, I find it difficult to make friends locally who are into the hobby. Sure, just about everyone I know has a SNES or something, but they're just not as passionate. I get spoiled participating in online communities where everyone who throws in on a thread has been collecting for years. It gets worse with arcade stuff. As much as I love all of it, I feel like my passion for the hobby leads to alienating myself from those who aren't obsessed. My cousin jokes around with me about finding him a 1942 machine, and I think he gets a kick out of when I begin to explain the advantages of using a 60-in-1 instead of a true dedicated cab.

[old_skoolin_jim]

Having to compete with dopey resellers while hunting at swapmeets and thrift stores. You know, the ones that buy common stuff and don't know the value but jack the price up anyway because if it's old it must be rare, right? Right?!

Good lord I've had the unfortunate experience of being totally scammed by a reseller the first time I went to sell at a local flea maybe 5 years ago now. He ended up totally lowballing me on a bunch of (good) CIB GBA games, Super Mario RPG (even though the box & label were in terrible ex-rental shape) and a sealed Ocarina of Time / Master Quest. I was still setting up, so I was like, "yeah, ok, i guess..." and later on I walked around and saw him selling all the stuff I sold him for at least 3x more. Cue rageface.

Early CD-ROM games (Sega CD especially). Too often I get a damaged disc, or a broken case, and the only thing you can do is cannibalize a perfectly good game (I try to mitigate this by cannibalizing games that have good cases, but are missing the manuals, or have torn ones). Worst is when there's just ONE SCRATCH that causes audio skipping or whatever. I've heard that burns will play fine in a Sega CD, but I have never EVER seen this to be true--every burn I've ever played either has weird glitches or just plain locks up after awhile. I can see the Sega CD library completely disappearing one day.

This is also a cause for concern to me too. My burns seem to work OK, but I think Sonic Megamix corrupted my ram cartridge somehow, because the SCD system menu hangs up when I try to delete the save file. After that, my Lunar 2 saves were incredibly glitched. I'm talking "game save loads in Zophar's lair with only 3 people in your party and save menu text is jibberish" glitched. I really don't want to format my RAM cart because of that, but it seems I may have to.

My complaint? My PS1 longboxes' labels are all curling off because the glue is wearing off. Boo hoo. They're all black plastic box formats for Return Fire, Jumping Flash!, and Darkstalkers. Also, I think the Chase the Chuck Wagon I paid $50 for is a repro (or at least has a fake-looking reprinted label that doesn't match Spectravideo's typical shiny style).

[Esquire Fox]

Yellowing plastic on consoles.

This includes, but probably is not limited to NES, SNES, Famicom, Super Famicom, Dreamcast, and pretty much any console that has a gray plastic casing rather than a black one. I absolutely can't stand this about older consoles. I am always paranoid that all my consoles are slowly yellowing on me. I'll find a console that I think is absolutely perfect, then I'll find another, compare the two, and notice that the first is ever so slightly yellowed. Did it start yellowing after I got it? Was it always like that and I didn't notice it until I had another to compare it with? Drives me bonkers.

The same can be said for sun fading on games. My collection is facing a big window. The curtain is always closed in that room.

[wiggyx]

Yellowing plastic on consoles.

This includes, but probably is not limited to NES, SNES, Famicom, Super Famicom, Dreamcast, and pretty much any console that has a gray plastic casing rather than a black one. I absolutely can't stand this about older consoles. I am always paranoid that all my consoles are slowly yellowing on me. I'll find a console that I think is absolutely perfect, then I'll find another, compare the two, and notice that the first is ever so slightly yellowed. Did it start yellowing after I got it? Was it always like that and I didn't notice it until I had another to compare it with? Drives me bonkers.

The same can be said for sun fading on games. My collection is facing a big window. The curtain is always closed in that room.

Yellowing JP Saturns is the saddest to me for some reason

If you want to help preserve them, then you may just want to give them a clear top coat, whether it be glossy or flat, the issue is oxidization. Plastic rust. It doesn't require 5 coats of PPG clear or anything like that, just something that will keep the plastic from exposure to the air around it.

[Jorpho]

I thought that the Yellowing Plastic thing was a thoroughly solved problem at this point.
http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/