#708-710 - RPG's and a Rarity

Games #708-710
Gemfire, Ultima: Warriors of Destiny, Snow Brothers
NintendoAge.com forum

Since I've only got a few dozen games left to go, I know that eventually I'll have to bite the bullet and splurge for one of the 'Sinister Seven' games on the list. These are the rare (or at least very uncommon) games that haven't depreciated in value since their release, in fact many of them would cost more than their initial MSRP. These aren't .99 cent copies of Bases Loaded or Double Dribble that we're talking about here. The list:

Bubble Bobble Pt. 2
Panic Restaurant
Little Samson
Snow Brothers
Bonk's Adventure
Flintstones 2: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak
Stadium Events

Most of these games are of a pretty good quality, so combine that with their short production numbers and the growing popularity of NES collecting and you've got yourself some pricey carts. The costs on these bounce up and down (depending on if they go at open auction vs. Buy It Now or in an online retail shop) so it's difficult to really say what each game should cost, but it's very unlikely I'll find these at a flea market or pawn shop for a buck, so I just keep checking the eBay and forum listings waiting for a deal on the lower end of the spectrum.

Check out this blog for a great read regarding the rarity of NES games.

NintendoAge.com to the rescue! Lucky for me there was a posting in the buy/sell forum for quite a few games that I need (including several of the Sinister Seven). I cherry picked a few and treated myself to Snow Brothers, a poor-selling Capcom-published title whose gameplay looks similar to Bubble Bobble, which is one of my favorite NES games anyway. I'm looking forward to giving it some play time.

The other pickups of Gemfire and Ultima: Warriors of Destiny are DAMN RPG'S, so it's nice to cross them off the list, even though I have no interest in the games themselves.

My collection will be moving to a new location in the next few months as my wife and I are building a home. Needless to say this is exciting for us after years of apartment living, but this also means that I'll be slowing down a bit on the collection. I'll still be on the lookout for the carts that I need, but will be holding back on the frequency of my purchases. I'll also continue blogging as I find good deals or to show off some interesting stuff from the game room. Stay tuned!

#700 - 707 - Crossing the Milestone!

Games #700 - 707
Casino Kid 2, CluClu Land, GI Joe, Kings Quest V, The Last Ninja, Mickey's Adventure in Numberland, Wayne's World, Shockwave
Paid: ??
NintendoAge.com & eBay

Not counting the small handful of games that I hung on to from when I was a kid and a few random titles I picked up over the years, my collecting habit hasn't been going on for very long. I don't remember exactly when, but no more than 3 years ago did I actually decide and act upon the notion to 'go for them all' so to speak. From my small start of 20 games for $20 at a pawn shop, my collection has grown very large, very fast. I'm amazed that I now sit at over 700 games...and counting.

I've mentioned the NintendoAge website before, and it really is a great place. I check the forums several times a day. The community is by large a friendly one, with lots of interesting personalities combining to form a lively discussion group for Nintendo enthusiasts. Among my regular stops when I'm there is the Buy/Sell/Trade forum. What's great about this group is that the sellers are also buyers, so it is rare for someone to be peddling their wares at an extremely inflated price. Reasonable offers are always accepted, which is how I came away with this lot of uncommon carts for a very fair deal. Add to that a random eBay score for The Last Ninja at only a few bucks and here we are!

My thanks to Pedro12345 and Nistle at NA for the deals.

OK - so now we're zeroing in on the last 7-8% of the set. By my count there are 35 'official' releases and 26 'unlicensed' games to go. I've started to sell off part of my non-Nintendo video game collection (all stuff I picked up cheap over the years, but never really played much and won't be missed) to help supplement the cost of these remaining carts. Short term goal is to finish off the official set first - wish me luck!