Collector Guides
Practical, no-nonsense guides for physical video game collectors — from starting your first collection to valuing, grading, and organizing what you already own.
Collecting for the PlayStation 2: A Practical Guide
How to collect PlayStation 2 games without wasting money: what the black label and Greatest Hits lines mean, disc rot, region quirks, and where the real money sits.
Collecting for the Nintendo 64: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to collecting Nintendo 64 games: why complete-in-box is so scarce, how to check a cartridge, save batteries, and what regional differences mean.
Collecting for the Super Nintendo: A Practical Guide
How to collect Super Nintendo games: spotting reproduction cartridges, yellowing shells, why boxed SNES games cost what they do, and what regional sets involve.
CRT vs Modern Displays for Retro Gaming
Why retro games look different on modern televisions, what input lag and scaling actually do, and how to decide between a CRT, an upscaler, or just plugging in.
How to Insure and Document a Game Collection
Why standard home insurance may not cover a game collection, what documentation insurers actually want, and how to build a record before you need it.
Where to Find Retro Games Beyond eBay
Local shops, thrift stores, conventions, marketplaces, and estate sales — where retro games actually turn up, and what each source is good and bad at.
What “Complete in Box” Actually Means
CIB is the most inconsistently used term in retro collecting. What belongs in a complete copy, how inserts affect value, and how to describe condition honestly.
How to Build a Retro Collection on a Budget
Practical strategies for collecting retro games without overspending: choosing affordable platforms, buying loose, timing purchases, and avoiding the expensive traps.
Replacing Save Batteries in Retro Cartridges
Why retro cartridge saves fail, how to tell a dead save battery from a faulty game, and what replacing one involves — including when not to do it yourself.
Collecting Handhelds: Game Boy, Game Gear, and Beyond
What makes handheld collecting different: screen condition, battery corrosion, save batteries, cheap entry points, and the faults that are worth walking away from.
A Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Japanese Imports
Why Japanese retro games are often cheaper, what region locking means in practice, how to read Japanese packaging, and where imports are worth the effort.
Reproduction Carts, Bootlegs, and Originals
The difference between reproductions, bootlegs, and translations, why the distinction matters, and how to tell what you are actually buying.
What Actually Makes a Retro Game Rare
Rarity and value are not the same thing. How print runs, survival rates, regional variants, and demand combine to set what a retro game is really worth.
Buying a Used Retro Console: What to Check Before You Pay
A practical inspection checklist for used retro consoles: capacitors, controller ports, disc drives, video output, yellowing, and the faults that are not worth fixing.
How to Clean Retro Cartridges and Discs Safely
A careful, damage-free approach to cleaning retro game cartridges, contacts, labels, and discs — including the common methods that quietly ruin value.
NTSC, PAL, and NTSC-J: A Region Guide for Collectors
What NTSC, PAL, and NTSC-J actually mean, why region matters for compatibility and value, and how to tell which version of a game you are looking at.
How to Buy Retro Games on eBay Without Getting Burned
How to read eBay listings for retro games like a collector: judging photos, spotting reseller tells, checking sellers, and using buyer protection properly.
How to Sell Part of Your Video Game Collection
A practical guide to selling retro games: pricing realistically, choosing where to sell, accounting for fees, and packing games safely.
Retro Game Storage and Preservation Guide
How to store and preserve a retro game collection: protecting cartridges, discs, boxes, and manuals from heat, light, humidity, and dust.
Video Game Grading Explained: WATA, CGC, and Sealed Copies
What professional video game grading is, how graded and sealed copies are scored, and whether grading your games is worth it.
How to Spot Fake and Reproduction Retro Games
Learn to spot counterfeit and reproduction retro games: label, cartridge shell, board, and packaging tells, and how to buy safely.
How to Organize and Catalog a Video Game Collection
A practical system for cataloging a video game collection: what to record per game, how to organize by console, and how to track completion.
CIB vs Loose vs Sealed: A Game Condition Guide
What loose, CIB, and sealed mean for retro games, how condition affects value, and how to grade the games in your own collection accurately.
How to Value Your Retro Video Game Collection
How retro game values are determined, why loose/CIB/sealed prices differ so much, and how to estimate what your collection is worth today.
How to Start a Retro Video Game Collection
A beginner’s guide to starting a retro video game collection: pick a focus, set a budget, spot fakes, and catalog every game from day one.
Ready to put these into practice? Start your free collection.