10/31/12 - Final October Pick-Ups

10/31/12: Final October Pick-Ups

    First and foremost, I'm digging the new "Bits and Pieces" logo!

    Secondly, my first full month of game collecting has come to an end. I'm ASTONISHED at what I've accumulated in 4 week's time... From "Strider" in the box to "A Link to the Past" - I seriously didn't expect to own some of my favorites so soon! (eBay has everything under the sun, but I'm looking for fair deals...) *And that's what makes my first finds so crazy.

     Before we touch on my final October pick-ups, let's take a minute to review:

This Month's Highlights!

- Day one: Blades of Steel in the box for $5

- Second round: "Mutant Virus" and "Legends of the Diamond" for $7

- Third trip: NES console, UForce and 6 games for $35

                      - "A Link to the Past* for $10

- Fourth round: "Strider" in the box for $5

And as for Wednesday...

         

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA - (Nintendo) 1987

Price Tag: $12.99

Condition: *5 Screw* - Slight scratches

Fondest Memory: Link holding a piece of tri-force over his head! 

    Believe it or not, I opted to buy "The Legend of Zelda" on eBay... but why? Always remember my rule of thumb: 'If a cartridge is GOLD, sellers assume it must be worth a fortune!" After seeing this game for $25+ at numerous flea markets, I finally bit the bullet and dove at one for $13... I would have loved to have scooped it for $10, but at least it's a rarer 5-screw version!

     

OCARINA OF TIME - (Nintendo) 1998

Price Tag: $30.00

Condition: GOLD, nearly mint!

Fondest Memory: Literally, loving every minute of it...

    I was extremely hesitant to spend $30 on "Ocarina" - but owning the GOLD cartridge already is like Frodo receiving the ring from Bilbo... (Yes, I made a "Lord of the Rings" reference. Don't be ashamed... You loved it too.) Who wouldn't want the ring, of "Castlevania" laurels to kick ass invisibly?

    "Ocarina of Time" is yet another title that is arguably one of the memorable games ever made... For me, every single memory is video game bliss. From finding heart pieces to riding Epona -  you'd have to be smoking some sort of magic grass to not love it... 

*Cue the Song of Time*

All in all...

    Once again, I walk away possessing gems I didn't expect to have so soon. Stayed tuned as my addiction gets worse and I hit an even BIGGER flea market this Saturday! As always, make a difference in somebody's life and "don't forget to bring a towel"! 

   

  

10/29/12 - *Huge Saturday! PART 2

10/29/12 - *Huge Saturday! PART 2

    As promised, part 2 is here to wrap up our recent Saturday adventure! Although my finds weren't the 'rarest in NES history', I gathered several components an NES collector needs to survive! ... (Like a system to actually play some games!) *Keep in mind, the sole purpose of "BITS and Pieces" is to chronicle a brand new NES collection from scratch!

    "Huge Saturday! Part 1" detailed "Strider" in the box and "Wizards and Warriors II" - but the highlight of Saturday had to be the package deal I got on an NES system. Check it out!

What's the deal?

NES Console w/ 2 Controllers

Price Tag: $35.00 

Condition: Works great, could use a 72-pin!

Fondest Memory: Everything about it...

    As a game collector, I've already stumbled upon numerous things I want to own and possess. However, many "deals" are scratched immediately when resellers request ridiculous prices.. Case and point: I could have purchased a system last week when my game collecting began - but I was waiting until the price was right. 

    When I stumbled upon a guy with a system, I immediately demanded his asking price. The man said, "I want $50, but I'd sell it for $35". As an eBay observer, I know NES consoles typically sell between $30-50 on any given day of the week... However, there was more than meets the eye in his $35 asking price...

NINTENDO UFORCE

Price Tag: Included!

Condition: Excellent, missing flight controller

Fondest Memory: Looking cool, but being unresponsive!

    The second item in the man's bundle of joy (other than the console with two controllers) - was the Nintendo UForce. Arguably one of the worst controllers ever made,  the UForce was yet another component I never fathomed owning so early into my collection. Every part of me wants to sell this sucker (since it's horrible to use), but honestly - it's just so damn cool to own!

 

   

VARIOUS GAMES IN A BAG

Price Tag: Included!

Condition: Great (with the exception of TMNT II)

Fondest Memory: Mario warp zones and WCW's "Legion of Doom!"  

    Along with the console and Uforce, the man handed me a bag of "random games". Sure, none of the titles are something to scream about - but remember the "BITS and Pieces" : building  a collection from scratch! 

    Among the titles are "WCW Wrestling", "Mario Bros/Duck Hunt", "Star Wars", "Top Gun" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II".  Out of these grabs, I'm probably the most psyched to have TMNT II because it's honestly a pretty fun game! Drink some beers and play the Ninja Turtles version of Double Dragon - nothing beats that!

All in all...

    $35 was an excellent price for this entire package. At the very least, I'm sure a similar package on eBay would run about $50-70 (when you factor in the UForce) - so I feel as though I got a great deal! Until next weekend - make a difference in somebody's life and DON'T BE SILLY: WRAP YOUR WILLY!

 

  

10/28/12 - *Huge Saturday! PART 1

10/28/12: *Huge Saturday! PART 1

    Where do I begin? Yesterday was my best game chasing day to date - snagging excellent titles at excellent prices! My brother Jordan and I found so many good deals, I actually have to make this week's "BITS and Pieces" in parts! 

    We decided to check out a different flea market this week (recommended by a friend) in Greer, SC. As is the case with many flea markets, the resellers were numerous and certain prices were outlandish. (What's up with everybody wanting $25 for Zelda II?)

    Jordan and I have developed a 'rule of thumb' about resellers and Zelda games...

    + "If the cartridge is GOLD, it must be worth a lot!"

    Little do they know, a consumer can pick up a gold Zelda II on eBay for about $8 on any given day.. 

    This flea market honestly had about 10 vendors with retro games... far more than I expected to see! After separating the resellers from the average Joe, here are some pieces of what I walked away with:

    What did I actually buy!? (Part 1)

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST - (Nintendo) 1992
Price Tag: $10.00
Condition: Nearly mint, cartridge only
Fondest Memory: Finally finding the Titan's Mitt to move black rocks! 
    
    What can't be said about "A Link to the Past"? Arguably one of the greatest games of all time, I was PUMPED to acquire this cartridge for a mere $10... Sure, I wish (and plan) to own the gold cartridge, but game chasing has blown my mind thus far. You seriously never know what you're going to find and when you're going to find it. As my collection grows, I'm already acquiring things I didn't think I'd have for a really long time (for the right prices). "A Link to the Past" is a prime example of this...

STRIDER - (CAPCOM) 1989
Price Tag: $4.48
Condition: Rough BOX, excellent cartridge
Fondest Memory: Analyzing data discs!

    "Strider" for me is nostalgia at its finest... It's the kind of game I have a million memories of - and ZERO memories of in the same sentence. I was honestly so young, I can remember various levels and sound effects - but I can't remember enough to label specifics... In my opinion, that's the best kind of nostalgia there is - because the SECOND I start playing "Strider", I'm literally having flashbacks and recalling memories from about 20 years ago. "Strider" truly brings me back to the past and I'm stoked to have found it in the box for under $5.00!!

WIZARDS AND WARRIORS II: IRONSWORD - (Acclaim) 1989
Price Tag: $1.98
Condition: Flawless cartridge!
Fondest Memory: Obviously - FABIO gracing the cover...

    I don't care what gamers tell me, "Wizards and Warriors II" was just as memorable as "Wizards and Warriors I". I have SO many memories of my older brother playing both titles - and being infatuated with his ability to beat them. I love the "Wizards and Warriors" series, so when I saw "IronSword" for under $2.00, I scooped it faster than an ice cream man in the Sahara Desert... (Corny or incredibly awesome analogy?) Answer: corny as nasty ass casserole!

All in all...

    Three excellent titles for under $20.00. I am extremely pleased and my collection is starting to contain games people would actually WANT to play! A collection I'M actually starting to play... Gotta' love it!

    Stay tuned for "Huge Saturday! PART 2". The rest of my Saturday finds surpassed these titles completely... I should have PART 2 done in the next 24 hours - so comment and don't miss a thing! 

10/20/2012 - New Grabs!

10/20/12: Flea Market Saturday

    We all know flea markets are excellent sources for retro games... so as a new collector on the scene, I had to make my mark. Taking notes from Pat the NES Punk, I grabbed my brother Jordan bright and early to beat the local competition in South Carolina.

    It's hard to take a flea market serious... Case and point: the second we hopped out of my SUV, we saw a woman on a golf cart sporting an eye patch - singing pirate songs... (I kid you not). With a look of terror, Jordan's first response was "I don't know about this man"...

   The day instantly became detective work. After asking a few vendors about retro games, we learned a local couple "had thousands" - but hadn't set up shop yet. While trying to kill time, we stumbled upon a gentlemen with Super Nintendo games and took a look. The best of his batch had to be "Killer Instinct" and "Clay Fighter"... I was ready to purchase these, but he unfortunately didn't have change. I opted to come back later... (but never did - we'll catch him next time!)

    Ridiculous moment of the day: Jordan and I stumbled upon another vendor with about 30 NES games and a collection of excellent titles. Honest to God: I had my hands on "The Legend of Zelda", "The Adventures of Link", "Mega Man 3", "Double Dragon" and "Double Dragon 2" in about 5 seconds flat. 

    The problem was, the old man selling them was crazy and his prices were off the wall! It's almost comical... I offered him $20 for all 5 cartridges (which would have been a steal) and he wanted $20 for "The Adventures of Link" alone! Are you kidding me?? He demanded $60 for all 5 games and I walked away immediately... heartbroken, but happy I didn't entertain his insanity...

    So what did I actually BUY?

    When the couple I mentioned earlier finally set up shop, their assortment of titles was honestly pretty random. First of all, the "thousands" we had been told about was more like 50 or 60... 

    The games I purchased today were more about rarity than playability. After sifting through numerous titles, I walked away with only 2: (which surprised the heck out of me).

THE MUTANT VIRUS: "Crisis in a Computer World" - (ASC) 1992

Price Tag: $3.50

Condition: Tiny tear; but excellent, out of box

Fondest Memory: None!

    I've honestly never played "The Mutant Virus", but I put some trust into my research and gambled on this title for its rarity. Being a 1992 production, I knew $3.50 for a late-release was an excellent price. I'm sure I'll play it down the road!

 

LEGENDS OF THE DIAMOND - (Bandai) 1992

Price Tag: $3.50

Condition: Slight scuffs, overall great

Fondest Memory: None!

    I've also never played this title, but I saw a little ownership value in acquiring "Legends of the Diamond" for a mere $3.50. Can't beat it!

    I didn't expect to purchase unfamiliar titles this early in my collecting, but being crunched for time - I made the buys I felt were appropriate today. Sure, I would have loved to walk off with "Megan Man 3", both "Double Dragons" and both "Zelda" titles for a steal... but the asking price was far too ridiculous. Bottom line: I snatched two uncommon titles for $7 and drove away pleased.

    I'll definitely be grabbing even more next weekend -

Game Hunt - The Deal That Never Was...

The Deal That Never Was.... 

- As a game hunter, there will always be lucky finds and numerous days of misfortune... 

    I saw an add on Craigslist advertising "12 SNES games for $10". After clicking the link, I was astonished to discover that "Super Mario RPG" and "Mario All-stars" were in the mix!! Can you imagine acquiring "Super Mario RPG" for about $1.00?

    Obviously, I immediately picked up my cell phone and took a stab at it. I offered to meet the kid immediately - but as fate would have it, he was already meeting somebody else... I did everything in my power to obtain Mario RPG (at the very least), thinking I could 'win him over' by offering $20 for one single game. Fortunately (for the buyer), the kid was a man of his word and wouldn't crack. We need more people like him in the world - (but it was worth a manipulative shot!)

    I couldn't be mad. As a buyer, the last thing you want to deal with is a person selling something from underneath you. In the end, the buyer in front of me gave the kid $30 for all 12 games and made off like a bandit... Made off with "Super Mario RPG", "Mario All-Stars", "Donkey Kong Country 2" and "Super Mario Kart" in the box for about $2.50 a piece...

    And now we know why the Game Chasers say, "that's just the way game chasing go"... Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. After making some solid grabs for my collection yesterday (see post below), today = I certainly friggin' lost!

Game Hunt - Very First Grabs!

DAY ONE: The Collection Begins at "BITS and Pieces"...

    Many have followed "Pat the NES Punk" and "The Game Chasers" as retro games are continually added to their massive collections. At "Bits and Pieces", gamers will be able to chronicle MY adventures in retro gaming as I develop my collection from scratch! Tune in and comment as I share my finds and hunt some of the greatest games in existence...

     A YouTube series may follow as I make more and more finds! For now, let's take a look at day one: the very first games in my collection!

TODAY'S BUYS:

GAUNTLET - (Tengen) 1987

Price Tag: $5.45

Condition: Excellent, out of box 

Fondest Memory: "Blue elf is about to die..." 

    Gauntlet has a lot of nostalgic value to me and is TRULY a great find. I'm not claiming Gauntlet is rare, but a Nintendo collection isn't complete without this intricate game. We all know Tengen has released a lot of poor titles, but when I think of Gauntlet - I think of how impossible it was for me as a child. It's hard to fathom a game from 1987 having 100 LEVELS, but Gauntlet succeeded in doing so - resulting in an NES cartridge with immense replay value.

CASTLEVANIA II: SIMON'S QUEST - (Konami) 1988

Price Tag: $11.00

Condition: Excellent, out of box

Fondest Memory: Sound of throwing holy water!

    Simon's Quest is certainly not the best Castlevania in the series, but all Castlevania titles are a must in my collection. When I spotted it today in nearly mint condition, it was as though the game was saying "forget my price tag - I'm a steal in this condition for being 24 years old!" Excellent find and I'm pumped to have it!

BLADES OF STEEL - (Konami) 1988

Price Tag: $4.48

Condition: Rough box, pristine cartridge 

Fondest Memory: "Rip my pants!" ... ("With the pass")

    This was for sure the find of the day... My goal is to accumulate games in immaculate shape, but when I spotted "Blades of Steel" in the box for under $5 - I knew it had to be mine! This is one of the best hockey games ever released on NES - and (I believe) the first hockey game to include fighting scenes! I remember losing the Stanley Cup Finals (when I was about 9) and being devastated... Blades of Steel has tremendous replay value and remains a blast to this day. If you've never played it, you need to. 

    The box is in rough shape, but the cartridge is in phenomenal shape. As long as I can find cartridges free of gunk and sticker residue, I can worry about mint boxes down the road.

All in all...

    Today was fun and my collection is under way! I'm probably the most psyched to pick up meaningful titles with cartridges in nearly perfect condition. My next stop is a local flea market and I literally can't wait... Expect MANY more posts as my collection continues to grow. When I come across duplicates of rare titles, I am more than willing to post them and sell them for a reasonable price. I'm not out to capitalize on rarity... My goal is to collect and respect history... 

Mini Wish List:

- Castlevania 1 and 3

- Mega Man

- Final Fantasy