You knew it was only a matter of time before we would do this: a full-fledged special for NES collectors!

Anyone who says the NES is a dead system should check out the amount of activity happening over at eBay at this very moment, and then eat their words right up. The NES collecting scene is gaining more and more with every passing day. The system just has so many possibilities: 750+ NES games, prototypes, test carts, unlicensed, unreleased, pirated NES/FC, Famicom, Disk System, accessories, M82's, store display signs, Panesians, Sachens, (huff huff) Famiclones, homebrews, PlayChoice 10 and its supporting PCB boards, etc. etc. There is really something for everyone to grab hold of and that is what makes NES collecting so attractive to so many people. (A little too attractive, for some.) I don't mean to scare off new collectors, but you should be warned that it is a very daunting task, indeed, once you begin on your quest to collect. We would all like a perfect collection at the blink of an eye, but things don't work out that way. (Unless you are single and make a six-digit salary, I meant to say.) Read on to get the low-down on the basics and to learn some of my own personal tips. Skim through the below suggestions and you'll be closer than ever to understanding how to successfully build your own NES collection.

Starting Out..

As I have stated in the prior paragraph, there are so many games and other great things you'd love to have that starting out may be very confusing. From my own personal experience, I would highly suggest you search for the "must-have," fun games instead going straight to the rarer titles. ("Must-have" games including:

• Super Mario Bros. 1-3 (Platforming)
• Castlevania 1, 3 (Platforming)
• Bionic Commando (Action)
• Mega Man 2 (Action)
• Contra (Action-Shooting)
• Startropics (Action-RPG)
• Legend of Zelda (Adventure)
• Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (Sports)

These games will re-kindle olden memories and engulf you in some of the best gameplay of all time. To put it in other words, they should inspire you to carry on the collecting spirit.

If you want to mix in some of the more rare and unlicensed titles here and there with the must-haves - by all means, go for it - even if it is just for the gimmick of having a more desirable or "illegal" cart. However, and I cannot stress this enough, do not base all of your purchases strictly around the rarity of games when you are first starting out!! Your interest will surely start to decline as most of these unlicensed games aren't all that good to begin with, nor can they hold interest for any length. A healthy mixture of both is what you should strive to meet.

Now for some titles to cater the NES collector inside of you. These games are harder-to-find, more collectable, and a great way to begin fueling a healthy collecting habit. But regardless of their value, they are still must-plays:

1. Little Samson (Platforming)
2. Dragon Warrior 3, 4 (RPG)
3. Gargoyle's Quest 2 (Action-RPG)
4. Princess Tomato (RPG)
5. Bubble Bobble 2 (Arcade)
6. Micro Machines (Sports, and a great start to unlicensed cart purchases)
7. Fire 'N Ice (Puzzle)
8. Rockin' Kats (Platforming)

How rare is "rare?"

By now I'm sure you've seen a rarity NES guide and you are probably asking yourself, "So how accurate are these sources? How am I going to find "rare" games?"

The term "rare" is really relative to where you live and how long you search. Over a span of a few years hunting around flea markets and used game stores, I have seen nearly every licensed (and many unlicensed) NES game, save for the ultra-rare and in demand guys like the Blockbuster-exclusive Flintstones Surprise At Dino Peak and Bubble Bobble 2, at least once. So it all depends.

The original and most popular was compiled by a man named Mike Etler in New Jersey who runs his own game store. Over the many years he has seen NES games come into his hands, Etler decided to create a rarity chart based on his experience to aid NES collectors.

If I may opine, you should look at these lists as merely surveys of the current rarity and sought after titles in the NES market at one time. Remember they are always subjective to change over time are the prices are not set in stone.

A good example of this is the Tengen Tetris. Years ago prices skyrocketed for this unlicensed game because they were thought to be the rarest of the rare and because of the famous "Tetris" namesake. Now the market is oversaturated with them and the cart-only copies have seen drastically reduced prices. Unless you are looking to buy it complete with box, manual, sleeve, poster, and registration card, the game is not nearly as rare as people make it out to be anymore.

NES collecting has really seen a boom and so auction places are taking advantage of buyers by raising prices. Keep in mind that it's okay to rely on rare lists as reference guides, just don't find yourself dependent on them all the time.

Where to?

A great route to begin is at thrift stores, especially GoodWill and the Salvation Army. This way you can score some finds and help a good cause too! I have had better luck at finding old games at the Goodwill in my area (Phila., PA) - but if you have both stores near you, check them both out! A third charitable organization is the St. Vincent De Paul Society. Note: St. Vincent De Paul stores are not as widely distributed as the former charity chains.

Also keep your eyes open on your local newspaper's weekend section for the latest large flea markets and video game shows. The Flea Market Guide of US Flea Markets web site is a great resource to find the nearest places around where you live to check. Yard Sales are a hit-or-miss, so search and browse for listings online or in a local newspaper first, and look to see if games are advertised. From my personal experience, I have never seen more than 3 individual, small-time yard/garage/flea sales in my immediate area that actually sold video games. It's better to attend the big classic gaming events or large flea market stands whenever you can.

I strongly suggest looking up in the yellow pages for any video game stores, besides Toys 'R Us (they no longer carry any of the old systems). Local, no-name places (as the pictured Game Gallery) could have a great NES stock just waiting for you to discover. Remember that almost all game stores accept trade-ins of used, previously played games and that is exactly where you will be hitting in your searches.

Of course, the most well known gaming store of the NES collector was...

Funcoland - Babbage's - Gamestop - Software Etc.

It can get a little confusing but all of these companies are intertwined together. Let me explain.

Continuing in the same fashion as how many corporations in America deal with their competitors, the very wealthy company behind Barnes & Noble corp. (the same people who control the Gamestop chain) gulped up Funcoland along with a few other popular game retailers, including Babbages and Software Etc., in order to possess a larger part of the game chain store market. Most (if not all Funcolands) have been closed down or reopened as a Gamestop.

There was more than a name change that went on, though. The new company's policy was much difference from the one Funcoland followed. Now shifting the emphasis on the current generation of video games over the older and less expensive software, many of the Gamestops around the country have plans to remove most (if not all) of their classic games selection to make room for the more expensive titles.

There you have it. Although many stores have decided to stop accepting new NES trade-ins, some still offered a relatively healthy supply of NES games (and a few accessories) for a short while. Now, the retro games have been removed completely.

Extra Resources:

Starting to feel nostalgic now that the Funcoland name is turning into Gamestop? Want to hold on to something Funco before it's too late? If so, download, print, and cut out this official Funcoland dust sleeve to preserve Funco's presence with your games. Follow this guide.

Want to find more of the downside of going the "corporate route?" The editorial piece "A Dark Time in Corporate Game Land" is a must-read for you to inform yourselves of how these stores truly put out huge profits.

Online Scavenger Hunt

Notice how I covered brick and mortar stores before the more popular way of auction site hunting and shopping at various online places scattered around the web? I did this for a reason.

I DO NOT suggest starting out buying your games off of eBay. The prices are awfully high, and with sellers scamming uninformed people out of their money with asinine starting prices, it is the unfriendliest place to start collecting. There is also nothing funnier to a seasoned NES collector than watching too new NESers start a bidding war on Tecmo Super Bowl that ends at $60. Don't be the butt of the joke!

I also cannot recommend buying from online stores if you can do your shopping elsewhere due to those dreaded shipping/handling charges and the inability to see the condition of the games that you are buying.

However, if you live in the middle of no man's land and are left with no other solution...

Game Trading

Get to know the online fanbase (which you, believe or not, are already apart of) behind the sites by visiting their message boards. NES World and Digitpress are two great places to ask if anyone has the games you're looking for. NES collectors should (and usually do) look out for other NES collectors. Always make sure you know who you're dealing with and ask other people, and the seller, about past trading they have done, if the transactions proved successful, and their eBay name to look at previous feedback. This is how I scored a Panesian Hot Slots for almost $100 while at the same time on eBay one had ended at $300.

Some places are designed to be game trading spots. Used Game Trading (UGTZ) allows its users to display their games up for trade or for sale to search through and pick out. All 3 Panesians, NWC carts, Twin Famicoms, and a lot of other rare items have shown up there in the past.

Ask your friends, family, or people at school/college if they still have any of their old Nintendo stuff and offer to "take it off of their hands for them." You have the advantage over them by knowing what's rare or not. Remember that pesky conscience comes back to haunt, so do make a reasonable offer if they don't hand it over the goods out of goodwill.

Auction Bidding

eBay.com online auctioning looks a little like this. Only done at a computer... and probably without the top hats. Okay, you're right, this looks nothing like an online auction - where are all the crazies and the stupid "R@RE" headlines?

I bet most of you reading were waiting for this, huh? The NES collector knows about the importance of auction sites. Most of the prototypes, test carts, unreleased, Famicom, and rarer games flaunted around were all bought off of eBay. Unfortunately, it has become overrun and prices have gone totally crazy for many items. Things do not look so pretty for the future of finding good deals on eBay. For example, the average price for a stand-alone, un-boxed Top Loader is $100!

If you're willing to shell out the dough, though, you can build your entire collection off of bids. But, please, don't! NES collecting has really seen a boom in the last couple of years and so auction places are taking advantage of buyers by raising prices. (One of the reasons I strongly recommend against building an NES collection solely around eBay.)

You SHOULD use auction sites - just not in excess. I know of people who have gotten caught up in thousands of dollars of debt that eventually forced them to sell off the very same items which gotten them into the mess first of all. Not cool.

Don't buy single game carts unless of a very rare type! Always look out for the "game lots," since most bang-for-your-buck bargains are found in bulk. If you are desperately looking everywhere for a certain hard-to-find game, and frequently check back at off/online stores but don't carry it, your last bet is eBay.

Tricky Tips

*Tip #1 Spell 'Nintendo' wrong and other General tips: To make a good deal sometimes you have to think like an idiot. Sellers may type in the title description too fast and misspell 'Nintendo'. Some common misspellings I have found are: Nintedo, Nintend, and Nitendo. Also make sure you turn on the "search description and title" option, too, for more results. Search for general words of the game title/genre you are looking to bid on. (For example: instead of 'Super Mario Bros', type in 'Mario Bros'.) Or, if time isn't a restraint, type something very general such as 'Mario' and you'll be forced to sort out from auctions like "Mario Lemieux's underwear". Auction Figure is one service that does the searching for you.

*Tip #2 Night Owl: Surfing at night (11 P.M. and later) and clicking "new auctions" under eBay's NES section displays all of the newest auctions at that time. If the auction has 'buy now', you'll be the first to see it (and the first to use it). Remember, some people actually make their living off of eBay, so there are times when a good deal comes up... but will you be there to pick it up?

Also, about late-night auction surfing, it's also the best time to find auctions that are just about to end. I mean, prices make the biggest jumps just as an auction is about to end, right? And when it's later at night as less people are using their machines, less snipers are likely to be out to play, right? (-Yoichi, ToF2)

*Tip #3 Sniping: The most hated and debated eBay tactic - sniping is essentially waiting until a certain auction is about to close and bidding when there is less than a minute to end. You must take into account, though, is to give yourself at least a minute then bid. If you have a slow connection, or if the last bidder has put up a higher bid than yours, you must give yourself time to try again. Open your desired auction into three different browser windows for quick access back. Enable cookies on your browser and remember to log-in beforehand to prevent having to enter your eBay user information to confirm a bid.

*Tip #4 Auction Programs:
Ad Template - http://www.adtemplate.com: Free professional HTML-created
pages for auction sellers

Free auction counter Antiques & Collectibles - http://www.rubylane.com

Snipeware - http://www.bay-town.com: Paid program that brags: "Snipe
auctions on eBay and win every auction!"

eBay's Mister Lister - http://pages.eBay.com/services/buyandsell/mr.html

Auction Alchemy - http://www.auctionalchemy.com: Create your auctions
and e-mail your buyers quickly and easily.

*Tip #5 "The Stalking Method" Part 1: Some sellers out there are notorious for
having the rarest of the rare. Seek them out and stalk.

*Tip #6 "The Stalking Method" Part 2: Yoichi (ToF2) pointed out another helpful method of tracing hot NES eBayers:

About 'stalking': it's best to do it to bidders as well as sellers. Some bidders are always apt to bid low amounts on items that are usually very worthwhile, although it may be an invasion of privacy you would rather not do. (-Yoichi, ToF2)

*Tip #7 Friends: Make friends (contacts) with people who you have done business with before and see regularly selling NES stuff. Buying a cart before it goes up for auction can save you time and money. Don't feel bad about e-mailing them a list of what you're looking for. (A deal is a deal is a deal.)

Examples of eBay Madness

Looking for a cheap Game Genie? Try an online auction.

Load up on enough NES pin connectors to last you a lifetime, and your children's lifetimes, and their children's lifetimes, and probably the children of their children's lifetimes.

Oftentimes B&M stores that have since gone under will put up old stock of fairly rare titles in bulk. Why would you need more than one Quattro Sports? Well, that's your business, not mine.

Need a replacement system? Here, buy 14 just to make sure one works.

The reserve price for this lot is more than you can afford.

Protos, Promos, Devs

eBay for many hardcore NESers, with money to spare, is all about the prototypes. NES prototypes pop in from time-to-time, and they may be actual developmental software or samples that were sent to media for writing reviews or promotional purposes. In recent times eBay has cracked down on what they call "Beta Software," closing auctions early before they are able to end.

eBay sellers of protos haven't let a little eBay TOS policy get in their way of listing, though. Instead of using the words "prototype" or "proto" in the auction title, sellers have begun to use other synonyms to list their items. You can search for a typical prototype auction by typing "NES" + any one of these words: "Sample," "Demo," "Test," "Development," "EPROM," "Final Version."

To make sure you are bidding on actual prototype, and not some homebrew game, check out the seller's feedback and ask questions. The most commonly duped "proto" is Earthbound (Zero) for the NES. While it's true Earthbound was released for the Famicom, it never received an actual release translated on NES cartridge. There does exist a prototype of this release, but you're not going to find it being sold on eBay. The EB carts that pop up are modern reproductions done by copying the translated rom.

This is one instance of a fake Earthbound Zero cartridge. This idiot has graciously put up his homebrew reproduction for only $171.05 cents, because apparently, $171.00 would have been under his asking price. Notice the pathetic sticker label on the cart.

Have you ever wondered what a sleazy NES eBay seller looks like? Take a peek at the reflection of a photograph taken from the above eBay auction of the fake Earthbound Zero. He embodies exactly everything I ever thought one would be: a fat, balding, white guy without any socks on in a dirty and cluttered room, most likely at his parents' house.

Game Storage

Now that you have a good, or better, idea of how to get the games, remember storing them is just as important! What good is an NES cart that is victimized by dust, water, accidents, and Mother Nature?

Dust covers are important but not totally necessary, depending on your storage device. Instead of buying them by the bulk from some place or an auction, try making them yourself.

http://www.nintendoplayer.com/projects/poor-mans-dust-covers/

Licensed and unlicensed game holders are nice to have. They may have an ugly appearance and limit the amount of games you can hold but they are much better to have than just putting them wherever and being disorganized.

I used to use a Bush Furniture Audio Cabinet - perfect for storing NES games. There's a glass shield cover that prevents dust from entering or even getting near the NES games. It comes only with 2 shelves, but more can be ordered free of charge. The price? Because it's not of pure wood, about $100-150 depending on where you shop. Two or three of these could easily hold the biggest collector's almost-complete collection. And it looks very nice, too. Bonus!

IKEA offers a really great-looking and affordable shelving system called BILLY. This particular color is black-brown. I have two of these, one on the left side of my couch, and the other at the other side; and they look very, very rich. More expensive add-ons allow you to add lighting and glass doors similar to that of the Bush cabinet.

Creative Solutions

Maybe you spent all of your paycheck on games and can't afford or want a large piece of furniture to store your games. Use your mind to think of some homemade ideas! Furanku S. (webmaster of NES?) has this "unique" solution to storing.

I use old metal ammo crates (like the ones that hold shotgun shells in Resident Evil). They're almost the exact right width to fit carts, and each box holds about 15 games. Plus, the metal doesn't wear out like cardboard does. I've attached a few pictures to demonstrate.

Alright, perhaps you don't have spare ammo crates like Furanku here does, but shoe boxes and throw away cardboard boxes all serve the same basic purpose. Think of your own boxes lying around the house or go to a storage place to buy those that best suit you.

Help me, I've lost the buying bug!

It happens to the best of us - resting from and avoiding our collecting habits. There is nothing wrong with a break for other things, like modern gaming or going out to see the sun. I'm not some overweight psycho who wears a "Got Roots?" Nintendo t-shirt wherever I go rattling off an oath to solemnly swear not to touch anything above eight bits. (Honest.)

It's true, I have had my share of falling outs with collecting and the NES... and, hell, I run a website revolving around the system! It's OK to take a break. In fact, it's plenty healthier than the people who don't. Just remember...

...You will be back. They always come back! (Muahaha.) Browsing around the web for NES sites always manages to get me back into the NES mood. Messageboards are great for that as well. Or you could always download some NES music, or buy The Advantage album, to get yourself pumped up and ready for action.

Helpful Tools

NES Lister is a great program for you to organize your game collection electronically. I use it whenever I get my hands on a new game.

Other

The NES Collector Flash Movie (1 megabyte) - An outing to Funcoland ends up becoming the greatest game find of your life. Choose-your-own path, humorous movie.