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It was seven years ago today that a group of wonderful people put this site on the Internet for everyone across the world to use. While a lot has changed in the past seven years, I bet we have more variations now than there were total game entries when the site first launched, the mission of the site has not changed. We're here to serve YOU, the community, this is your database. The site may have been started by Michael Collins, Eddie Herrmann, Mark Hartholt, Laurel Settee, Mike Leon, and Rick Kuethe, but its been you guys and every member for the past seven years that has made this website what it is today.
And to celebrate everyone who has made this site so awesome, we have a contest every year that starts on April 28th and ends today, June 8th. During this contest, we challenge you guys to PAIN YOURSELF WITH SUBMISSIONS and submit as much as you possibly can in an all out war against empty game pages.
And boy, did you guys answer the call this year! 8,622 images alone were added to the database. Imagine if those images were printed out as 4" x 6" prints and laid side by side, they'd stretch out over 0.8 miles. There were also more than a thousand entries added to the DB, and almost 2000 entries were edited. All this in just over a month, its truly astounding.
Now, there is the matter of announcing a winner to this contest. Is the winner blcklblskt who added over 200 entries? Or was it Shadow Kisuragi who made over 800 page edits? Maybe it was Izret101 who approved nearly 4500 submissions? Perhaps it was Crabmaster2000 for making 43 blog comments? Even though these gentlemen all kicked butt in those categories, it was actually Aeroc who won it all! During the contest, he added more than 3500 images which when combined with his other contributions, earned him 53,543 points.
To round out the top ten points gainers, we have
- blcklblskt with 30,406 points
- Necron99 with 10,958 points
- y2richie with 10,737 points
- Crabmaster2000 with 9,553 points
- Shadow Kisuragi with 6,821 points
- Izret101 with 4,742 points
- raffa1985 with 4,311 points
- ixtaileddemonfox with 3,529 points
- douglie007 with 2,547 points
Congratulations Aeroc! You're now the winner two years in a row! You'll be receiving a PM shortly regarding your prize.
As for the rest of you, thank you for participating, you all did an excellent job and really gave Aeroc a run for the contest this year. He only had 21,000 points last year, so the competition was much stiffer this year! Let's keep that spirit going the rest of the year, and make RF Generation's 7th year the best one yet!
Another milestone here at RF Generation! We now have over 4,000 registered members! To put that in perspective, there are six countries on this planet with a smaller population, truly this is cause for celebration. What I find is especially amazing, is how long ago we reached 3000 members, which was on June 1st 2010, less than one year ago. Its simply awesome that we've gained another 1000 members in less than one year.
So I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you who have registered, and all of you who have recommended us to your friends and fellow collectors. Without you guys, we wouldn't be here.
And if you're reading this, but aren't a registered member, what the heck are you waiting for? It only takes a minute or two, and doesn't cost a penny, ever. And you'll forever be a part of THE Classic and Modern Video Game Database!
RFGeneration is getting old, seven years old in fact. That's right, way back in 2004 this fantastic site was founded. And while a lot has changed in these seven years, one thing has remained the same - its all about YOU, the members. Without all of you, we would be nothing and our database would just be an empty desolate place.
So, as a token of our appreciation, we like to have a little huge contest for you guys. We call it the "Pain Yourself with Submissions" contest, because to win the fantastic prize, you'll have to pain yourself with submissions. It wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't challenging.
Of course, this contest has some rules. Basically, you win the contest by submitting and being active in the community. Just about everything you do on the site will garner you points, the member with the most points at the end of the contest wins!
This is how the points will be gained:
Title Addition: 4 Points
Variation Addition: 4 Points
Page Edit*: 2 Points
Review*: 30 Points
Overview*: 10 Points
Image Upload: 15 Points
Submission Review**: 1 Point
Blog Post*: 30 Points
Blog Comment: 1 Point
Forum Post: 1 Point
Forum Karma: See Explanation
*Regarding the asterisk: For page edits, if it is noticed that you are consistently only adding one field per edit multiple times for a single ID just to up your points, you will be disqualified. Any review or overview completed will count as a page edit as well the points for an overview or review. To get the points for an overview or review you MUST contact me via Personal Message so that I can keep a tally. In addition, the review or overview must be on the actual game / hardware page. A review or overview of poor quality could result in less points than stated being granted. The same statement holds true for blog posts.
Because we want the forum to be a lively place of fun and interesting posts, we're enabling Karma during this contest. Karma rewards members that make good posts and smites those who do not. Your Karma will play a wildcard role in posts. Positive Karma at the end of the contest will increase your point total by a factor, while negative karma will decrease it.
As with any contest, there is fine print. Any submission that you make must adhere to the RF Generation guidelines / policies. We wrote these policies and guidelines for a reason, and well, we'd like everyone to adhere to them. Failure to adhere to the guidelines could result in a disqualification.
Any point reduction or disqualification can be contested. In the event that you wish to contest, you must explain why the reduction or disqualification is unfair. If you win the contest, we’ll restore your greatness, but if you lose, you shall be pelted with figurative rocks and garbage.
**KICKER! Everyone, except for the directors of this site, is in this contest. There is a catch though for staff members… their final score will be halved. So, that should lead to a lively competition. I think halving their scores is fair, and I hope you do as well. Oh yeah, there is that 1 point for a submission review, that unfortunately only applies to staff members because they are the poor souls who must review your submissions.
What do you win? Well, we're a poor bunch here at RF Generation, but we've got a lovely prize for the top winner:
Gaming swag not to exceed $60 and an RF Generation Ringer T***
If you want to win, you better get to it, the contest ends at MIDNIGHT, JUNE 8th, 2011 (Wednesday 12:00AM Eastern). And it started when this blog post was posted, so you've already missed at least a few minutes.
It's a bit past the end of March. March, was a great month. We have tons of submissions from you guys. Without the submissions of our staff and members, we truly are nothing. For that, we are grateful.
We'd like to take this moment to thank those submitters who made a major difference in the month of March. Overall, the community made 873 submissions. All of you deserve a huge pat on the back for that. Our top five submitters were Apolloboy, NES_Rules, Shadow Kisuragi, Necrosaro, and tigerhandheld1989 Congrats on being the top five! Of course, if you made a submission and weren't in the top five please know that we are also very grateful for your submissions as well.
Similarly, we have staff members that must approve member submissions. Last month, ApolloBoy made the most number of approvals! Of course, every other reviewer contributed as well, and we are very grateful for that as well.
Thank you so much all! You guys make RF Generation what it is! Keep submitting strong! Without you guys we are nothing!
RF Generation is an awesome site, but... it can be better. I should know, I coded the PHP files and the HTML. Clearly, I am the expert. So, imagine my surprise when Den provided me with the best invention that would grace this site. What could that invention be? What could make this site the best damn site on the internet? Why... it's our 2D Glasses.
[img width=385 height=257]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/18199DenisAwesome.jpg[/img]
Doesn't Den look awesome? Well, guess what? Those glasses make this site look best. So, I suggest you get your own glasses. You can then appreciate RF Generation for everything it is. We look best with our patent pending 2D Glasses. So please, pick your own up today. Send us what you look like!
Get our 2D Glasses and View Our Site the Way it Should be Seen
| The Perfect Storm |
For nearly two generations, the console world has been dominated by the big three - Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. All have produced fine systems in their own right, introducing new technology and innovations to our gaming universe. That being said, the availability of viable alternatives has been virtually nonexistent for the past decade. Outside of a few niche systems (XaviXPORT, et. al.), the Big Three have reaped the benefits of conducting business within a pseudo monopolistic environment. If history truly repeats itself, this technological bottleneck may be nearing the end of its cycle.
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Throughout the video gaming era, console wars tend to erupt when a significant breakthrough occurs in a complimentary industry. Whether it is the development of a new microprocessor or the introduction of an enhanced media format, competition increases as manufacturers look to capitalize on emerging technologies. Many of these ventures have been less than successful, but every now and again a new face can rise to prominence. Microsoft and Sony are prime examples of this. Current advancements in autostereoscopy (3D display without use of peripherals) and motion/voice controlled interaction may provide the requisite window of opportunity for the next video gaming juggernaut. For any company to take advantage of this potential opening, a perfect storm must occur with the convergence of the following attributes: Financial Wherewithal, Technological Expertise, Brand Recognition and Visionary Leadership. Financial Wherewithal |
Needless to say, entry into the video game hardware market is an extremely expensive endeavor. In addition to the assumed R&D, marketing, manufacturing, and associated overhead expense of producing a new system (which in and of itself is staggering), any prospective company must be able to withstand significant losses during the initial product launch and those incurred throughout its developmental phase. Such investment necessitates a long term fiscal commitment, coupled with the experience to successfully develop/execute the base economic model.
| Technological Expertise |
The ability to take advantage of existing in-house resources is almost a necessity. Companies able to redeploy andor repurpose established assets gain significant financial flexibility due to lowered expenses in those synergistic areas. The core competencies of an organization must not only be complimentary in nature, but be realized directly within the hardware of any prospective new system.
| Brand Recognition |
This past decade has been economically challenging to say the least. The general public is discerning as ever regarding discretionary purchases. Price will always play a significant role in these buying decisions, but trust in the brand has become equally, if not more, important. This would be especially true for a new product entry in a market not normally associated with said company. Consumers, along with shareholders, need to have confidence in a corporation prior to supporting any new venture, especially one that might be viewed as risky.
| Visionary Leadership |
Obviously, this is an absolute necessity for any entity to be successful. The ability to not only anticipate, but more importantly to meet, the long-term demand of the consumer is critical in maintaining/obtaining superiority over the competition. The leadership team must have excellent foresight, but also the mettle to follow through and effectively sell their vision to all vested parties.
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The following lists a few companies, all of which have varied historical ties to the video game console industry, which fit this speculative profile. | | | 
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This giant is no stranger to the video game market. In addition to releasing their moderately successful CD-i line of consoles during the 1990s, Philips was the official distributor and manufacturer of the Magnavox Odyssey 2 video game system in Europe (VideoPac). Philips has long been an innovator within the electronics industry, creating the Laser Disc format and then subsequently developing, in conjunction with Sony and others, the optical disc formats we enjoy today (CD, DVD, Blu-ray). Their portfolio is extremely diversified, with almost 45% of total annual sales derived from their Healthcare division, which in fact specializes in Imaging Systems and Devices (potential 3D gaming applications).
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Another industry behemoth, Toshiba has long been a leader in the manufacturing and development of electronic devices and systems. They have been known to invest in emerging technologies, such as the NUON and their patented HD-DVD disc format. Their purchase of Westinghouse Electric Company, one of the world’s largest producers of nuclear energy, in 2006 is a prime example of their visionary culture. They are currently at the forefront of 3D-TV evolution, unveiling the first peripheral-free sets this past October, 2010.
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If there is one company that truly excels in building, and maintaining, consumer loyalty, look no further than Apple, Inc. Since their inception in 1976, Apple has continually introduced new products that challenge the traditional offerings of its competitors. This sprit of change, coupled with excellent manufacturing, marketing and support, has garnered them an extremely devoted customer base. Though their last venture into the video game market was disastrous (the Pippin, licensed to Bandai), this company is not afraid to step outside the proverbial box.
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The entertainment world has changed considerably over the past decade. Video games are no longer the red headed step child of their box office counterpart(s) - they are now partners. Continued advancements in CGI (computer-generated imagery) and further integration within each medium provides excellent leveraging opportunities. Time Warner’s diversified portfolio provides them the ability to maximize the productivity of existing, internal resources. Let's not forget that Warner also has a little history in the video game hardware market - they owned Atari from 1976-1984.
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Yes, this is the dark horse, sentimental entry in this company list. After a successful run throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Sega bowed out of the console war after their release of the Dreamcast system in 1999 due to significant company debt. They have since rebounded as a third party, multi-platform software distributor. Rumors of a new, propriety handheld system have recently surfaced, resulting in a flurry of internet chatter as to the possibility of Sega reentering the hardware arena.
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The above list is purely theoretical in nature. Research was conducted in compiling the prospective candidates, but by no means should this be viewed as anything but an educated conjecture. In all honesty, as market conditions change, successful companies have the ability to adapt and shift focus to meet consumer demand and maintain profitability. For all we know, the next juggernaut console may be named one of the following:   
OK, I grant you that last entry (SX2) might be a bit of a stretch. But the truth is, the next household name may come from a complete unknown, as has been demonstrated in the past. At the end of the day, new competition only enhances our video gaming experience and advances technology. In today's age, a true perfect storm must occur for this to happen. Who will surprise us?
| | Outside of the Big Three, who do you think
could potentially be the next hardware giant? | | |
 I'm sure by now, most of you have heard of a growing auction site, Game Gavel, formerly known as Chase The Chuckwagon. If you have been living under a rock for the past two and a half years, and haven't heard of Game Gavel, its an auction site created by gamers and collectors for gamers and collectors, aimed at being an alternative to eBay by saving sellers money and giving buyers great deals at the same time. I won't bore you with the details, but they do have a nice Game Gavel vs eBay comparison page you may want to take a look at.
So now you're probably wondering what this has to do with RF Generation, and don't worry, I wasn't paid off to convince you to join Game Gavel. But RF Generation and Game Gavel have become partners of sorts. Have you noticed that little Game Gavel logo on the right over there under "Our Friends"? That's there because the people over at Game Gavel really are our friend, they have graciously added RF Generation to their "Friends" listing viewable on every page on their website, which I'm sure has brought in more than a few new members.
But wait, there's more!
As a special bonus to RF Generation members, Game Gavel has added us to a select group of affiliations. What this means is that as an RF Generation and Game Gavel member, you can now add your RFG username to your Game Gavel profile.This will display an RFG badge next to your auction listings and will allow buyers to search for items for sale by RF Generation members!
So, if you're not a member of Game Gavel, then what are you waiting for? It's free to join and cheap to sell. And it certainly doesn't hurt to take a look, you won't know if that game you've been looking for is there unless you take peek. If you do sign up for Game Gavel, be sure to add your RF Generation username to the Affiliations section.
If you're already experiencing the greatness of Game Gavel and have an account, its easy to add your RF Generation affiliation. When logged on, simply click "Members" in the blue bar and then under "Account Tools" click "Update Contact Info/Change Password" and the fifth section down is where you add your RF Generation username.
And if you want to see what your fellow RF Generation members are selling on Game Gavel, you can click "Advanced Search" up by the main search box, and simply check the box for RF Generation.
If you've used Game Gavel already, share your stories in the comments below.
As Site Director Emeritus (and Current Acting Site Director), I wish to announce the appointment of Adam Bickley to Technical Director of RF Generation.
What does that mean? That means that Adam is now responsible for the back end of the site. More simply stated, he gets to assist Mike and make sure the site runs smoothly from a simply keeping going standpoint. He will have a lot to learn, so be nice to him.
This may seem abrupt to some, but Adam has had access to the back end for a while as a third set of eyes watching over the site in the event the server has a "hiccup". He has the technical background necessary to keep the site in tip top shape.
In case you are wondering, Eddie and I will still be around. We are not going anywhere. We will still be the programmers. We will do what we can to bring new stuff to the site. I am about to lose internet for two weeks so my only internet comfort will be my test site. Maybe I'll tinker with something that is needed for the site...
Congrats Adam! I hope you find your new abilities exciting and don't use your new found powers for evil!
I just posted episode 1 of the RF Generation podcast minutes ago. Give it a listen and tell us what you thought! Your feature requests, show topic ideas, and just plain comments about our initial go are also welcome!
http://rfgeneration.podomatic.com
Enjoy!
At RF Generation, we're always growing, whether its new members or new games, some part of this community is always growing. Today, I'm announcing the growth of our staff here at RF Generation. Three members are joining the staff, one is joining the ranks of the DB staff and two are joining the Bloggers.
Joining the DB staff as a DB Contributor is Shadow Kisuragi. Shadow has been a member since June 2009, but only became active in submitting this February, but in that time, he has made over 700 submissions.
Joining the bloggers as Blog Writers, are noiseredux and slackur. Noiseredux is the one responsible for all those Game Boy articles you've been reading and loving these past few months. So look forward to those, and maybe even some new things in the future!
If the name "slackur" sounds familiar to you, its because he's that guy you're jealous of because he has a bigger collection than you. That's right, he has the largest collection of anyone listed on RF Generation, but not only does he have a lot of games, he writes about them quite nicely. So look forward to his unique style of writing about all kinds of topics in the future.
So take the time to congratulate these members, they've worked hard to achieve these positions, and they deserve all the thanks they can get.
But wait, there's more! Long time Blog Writer, Crabmaster2000, was also upgraded to Blog Contributor due to his hard work and continued dedication.
Now, if you think you have what it takes to join the staff here at RFG, we're always looking for more staff members. If you'd like to considered for the next round of hiring, send me a PM, or do what these people did and make it obvious that you should be on staff by submitting every chance you get or blogging about your gaming or collecting life like there is no tomorrow.
Oh dear. It's been a while. How are you fine folks doing? I'm doing wonderful, but a part of me is sad. See, we have this wonderful IRC chat room, and unfortunately it's lonely in there. There are only a few of us that go into it, and that makes us sad.
See, you don't need a specialized IRC program to get to our chat (though it won't be bad if you do). We have an applet here you can use. Of course, you could always find us at #rfgeneration on Quakenet. We reside there. Maybe you'll find us talking about video games. Perhaps you'll see an extension of our unrelated thoughts thread. But you know, if more of us were to frequent the chat, it could be a very interesting time.
So, won't you join us in the chat? It doesn't hurt to join! Quite painless, really. We love the chat! Won't you love it too?
Click Here for our Chat Page
You might remember a few weeks back when we announced the 6th birthday of RF Generation, and today we celebrate the day that the site went live! We've come a very long way in these six years, but one thing has not changed, RF Generation has always been and always will be the independent site dedicated to its members, because we know that you guys are the ones that have made us THE Classic and Modern Gaming Database!
To thank those that have made us what we are today, we hold a little contest every year that ends June 8th each year. Which means that we have a winner to announce! During the contest, we added over 2,400 images to the DB, 1,300 pages were edited, and 700 titles were added. One member has stood out from the crowd with an astounding 21,368 points, nearly 7 times the points of anyone else, and that member is aeroc!
Congratulations, you deserve it for all the hard work you've done in past few weeks. Aeroc now has his choice of up to $60 worth of gaming swag and a RF Generation ringer T or 2 entries into the drawing to win this prize pack:
But Aeroc isn't the only one that has the chance to win this prize pack, the top 5% of the points gainers also have a chance to win! With nearly 100 members participating in the contest, the top five point gainers after aeroc are gecko007, Paully3433, Y2richie, dom meatball, and Den68
Keep it tuned to Channel 3 to see what prize aeroc chooses and who wins the special prize pack!
The True Holy Grails
of Video Game Hardware | | "The Minors" |
 Everyone is very familiar with the term Holy Grail - we see it utilized in auctions and being bandied about in user forums like a birdie during a badminton match. At times we may not agree with the assessment as we deem the item 'not worthy' of this high compliment. In all honesty, this is truly a very subjective arena and really comes down to whatever your heart is fixated upon. That being said, this collector posed the very simple question to myself: How does a video game system truly merit the lofty title of being a Holy Grail? When tackling this question, I conferred with my friend and fellow hardware collector 98PaceCar. We both agreed: it is all about rarity and availability (almost synonymous). That was the easy point of our discussion. We now we had to tackle the lineup of consoles that justify Holy Grail status. Let me tell you, this was no small feat. When developing our list, we limited ourselves to considering the standard release of a console (no crazy development units, clones, protos or LE/SE editions). Even after this filtering, we still were left with 20 systems that warranted accolades - way too many for one article. This initial entry of this two part series is entitled The Minors - those systems that just missed out being in the top ten Holy Grails of all time. Let's check out the consoles 11-20 on our list.
| | | 20. Nintendo 64DD (Disk Drive) |  |
Though system peripherals were not to be initially included in this countdown, the Nintendo 64DD will be an exception. Released on December 1, 1999 as an add-on for the Nintendo 64, the 64DD was doomed from the start. Technology had passed up the capabilities that it offered (see the PS2 and Xbox) and development for this system ground to a halt. Only nine (9) titles were ever released for this Japanese exclusive. Even the promising RANDnet online gaming service could not save this sinking ship.
| | | 19. FM Towns Marty |  |
The Fujitsu Company decided to make an attempt to penetrate the console games market by taking their popular FM TOWNS line of computers and adding in some special components to create a stand alone video game console. The result was the FM Towns Marty, the world's first 32-bit video game console. This is a system that is not hard to find, but the cost to purchase one is steep. Another rare bird is the FM Towns Car Marty - a portable gaming unit that you could plug into the cigarette lighter and enjoy gaming on the road.
| | | 18. Sony PSX DESR-5100 |  |
The Sony PSX is a high priced multimedia device designed to be the center of your home entertainment experience. The Sony PSX is driven by the "heart and soul" of the Playstation 2 console. This gives the Sony PSX all the features found in the Playstation 2 console (Progressive Scan DVD playback, Music CD playback, Playstation 2 and PlayStation games) combined with full DVR capabilities (and the XMB found in the PS3). The DESR-5100 model was the only edition released in the cool Satin Silver finish (hence this is the desirable model). This Japanese exclusive is not hard to find, but acquiring one is a very pricey proposition.
| | | 17. Aiwa Mega-CD |  |
The Aiwa Mega-CD (pictured to the right), was one of these such machines. The system consists of two parts - the top CD player and the bottom docking station that provided the Sega Mega Drive/CD interface/capabilities (except sound). This rare bird was a Japanese exclusive and will lighten your pocketbook quite a bit (if you can find one). | | | 16. Pioneer LaserActive with All PAC Units |  |
Everyone is familiar with the Pioneer LaserActive, but to have one with all of the add-on PAC units is a true feat for any collector. The Sega Pac is rather common, but the NEC unit is the exact opposite. Add to the that the Karaoke and the Computer Interface PACs and you are looking at some serious cash. The rare 3D goggles are another expected expenditure. It was the second most expensive video game console ever released during its day - it retains that expensive distinction to this very day.
| | | 15. Gakken Compact Vision |  |
Gakken was a popular manufacturer of arcade and handheld games throughout the 1980s. In 1983, Gakken decided to try their hand at the home console market with the Gakken Compact Vision. This is definitely one strange bird - the controller is built into the system itself and is definitely one of the oddest designs ever created. All games (only 6 were released) are single player affairs. This system never saw the light of day outside of the Japanese market.
| | | 14. Nichubitsu My Vision |  |
Another console released only in Japan. Arcade game maker Nichibutsu wanted to take a chance on the console market. In 1983 they released the KH-1000 better known as "My Vision" (manufactured by Kanto Electronics). The My Vision carts were all based on board games. Its biggest focus was on the game Mahjong. The My Vision also provided an external port for Mahjong expansion cartridges. This is another system that never took off and owes its inclusion on this list due to its obscurity.
| | | 13. Sharp Famicom Titler AN-510 |  |
Having the distinction of being the only Nintendo Famicom system that delivered S-Video output, this console is truly a behemoth. In addition to being a full gaming machine, the Titler incorporating video editing capabilities (subtitles, credits, etc.) complete with a writing pad and styles. You could plug your video camera directly into the back of the system and edit to your heart's content. To this day, I still can not fathom why this was done. It any case, this oddity is definitely a prized possession in any collector's display.
| | | 12. Commodore 64GS |  |
In 1990, Commodore set their attentions on the videogame console market. They followed the same concept as other computer companies (Fujitsu with the FM Towns Marty and before that the Amstrad GX400). Their new system was called the Commodore 64GS (GS = Game System) and was released only in Europe. The unit was basically just a repackaged Commodore 64 computer. It did not fair well as all since technology had already passed it by at the time of its release.
| | | 11. Tomy Pyuuta Jr. |  |
The Tomy Pyuuta Jr. was the dedicated console release of the Tomy Pyuuta, a hybrid computer released in Japan in 1983. The original Pyuuta had a moderate amount of success, enough so to have models released in Europe (Grandstand Tutor) and in North America (Tomy Tutor). This is another Japanese exclusive and is a tough find due to its limited release as well as its unpopularity. Expect to import this if you are able to find one at all.
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What Consoles Do You Think Will Make the Top 10??
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Stay tuned for Part II in this series, The Majors!!
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A huge milestone has been reached here at RF Generation! We now have over 3000 registered members! Which is more than all the people in the nations of Falkland Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Vatican City, and Pitcaim Islands. Lucky member #3000 is casey4549.
So if you're one of the 3000 members that make up RF Generation, pat yourself on the back and know that you are a part of THE Classic and Modern Video Games Database! And if you're not one of those people, then you better get with the picture and put in on channel 3, it only takes a minute as always is completely free.
And don't forget to PAIN YOURSELF WITH SUBMISSIONS to win the contest, which ends in one week! You can win your choice of gaming swag under $60 and a sweet RFGen ringer T or a chance to win a special prize pack from my personal collection including a custom painted Sega Genesis.
As always, keep it on channel 3!
Loose Games
The Salvation of Lost Souls
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Loose games are definitely the red-headed stepchildren of the video game collector. Regardless of how many hours of enjoyable game play they provide, I always find myself harboring a certain disdain for these orphans. I can organize till my heart's content and yet they don't even come close to presenting as well as their CIB counterparts in my Room of Doom. In all honesty, I find myself utilizing them as 'spacers' or 'props' for their CIB brethren rather than integrating them fully into my collection. I love the game Halo and (believe it or not) the actual disc (pictured to the left) still plays great, even though my brother's dog got at it like it was a piece of fresh steak. The only reason this would be displayed in my collection would be as a conversational piece. Now that is just wrong. As any CIB purist will tell you, the solution is to simply re-buy a game in its complete state. I wholeheartedly agree, but let's face reality - not many people (including me) have the unlimited discretionary funds at their disposal to do this. I just want to be able to proudly display these strays, while keeping my financial investment at a minimum. To accomplish this, there are basically two areas that we need to focus upon - the casing and the accompanying artworkcover. Let's provide some redemption for these lost souls - all for around $1 per game!!
| | Game Casing |
The first step in our 'orphan makeover' is to get them a new holder. Seeking out some of the oddball packaging (Sega CD, CD-i, 3DO, etc.) is not really an option since we need to keep the total cost per game at about $1. The table below shows what replacement case to use for a respective system, along with some popular web links on where to purchase (these will open in a new window).
Standard CD Jewel Case
Approximate Cost
$0.24
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You can use these for any of the CD based systems, including the TurboGrafx (Hue Card - with modification). I am not a big fan of these, but they do save on space. Systems that originally came in this packaging were the Sony Playstation (for the most part), Sega Dreamcast (various colors). TG-16CD, Philips CD-i (without the big box) and the Bandai Pippin (though deeper). The Casio Loopy and Bandai Playdia also came in modified versions of this CD case. Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon BlankDVDMedia.com
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Standard DVD Case
Approximate Cost
$0.38
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This is my preferred method of storage for loose disc-based games. Tall, plenty of room for artwork, manuals, easy to display, etc. - I love DVD cases! This was the standard casing for the Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo GameCube and NUON titles. In addition, this is the casing of choice for Sega CD, Panasonic 3DO, Philips CD-i, NEC PC-FX, Memorex VIS and the original longbox Sony Playstation games. Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon MediaShelving.com
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Wii DVD Case 
Approximate Cost
$0.42
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The standard casing for the Nintendo Wii is the white DVD case - nothing flashy but highly effective in it's presentation. I haven't had the need to replace any of my Wii titles as of yet, but these will run you a few more cents. Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon MediaShelving.com | |
Xbox Xbox 360 DVD Case
Approximate Cost
$0.51
|
These translucent green cases are designed for Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 games. These are a little bit trickier to find. You will pay through the nose for them on the various auction sites - I definitely recommend getting a lot of these and split them up with you buds. This will save you a boatload of cash. Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon MediaShelving.com | |
PS3 BR Case
Approximate Cost
$0.62
|
This frosty clear Sony PS3 case can be rather expensive. Sometimes you can score these pretty cheap on the mainstream sites, but don't expect them to have the signature Sony logo on them. If you want that be prepared to shell out another $3.50 or so per case.
Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon OpenTip.com | |
Universal Game Case
Approximate Cost
$0.57
|
The Universal Game Case - our orphan's true savior. This marvel can hold nearly any cart that you have lying around. It is the same height / width of a DVD case, but is twice as deep (1"). Definitely purchase them in bulk - you will end up three times as much if you don't. Purchasing Quick Links: eBay Amazon MediaShelving.com | |
| | Cover Art |
Now that we have some new digs for our loose games, it is time to get them a little 'paint'. There are a few websites out there that offer downloadable artwork, but the best by far is The Cover Project. At this website, you can download very professional renditions of the original game's jacket, as well as some customized versions. With all cover art organized by system, the site is very easy to navigate and downloading the artwork is a snap. For each submission the author lets you know what game case the design was intended for. Simply down, print and place in your previously purchased game case and you are ready to roll. Here are some of their sample offerings (size scaled down for this article): Samples for use with The Universal Game Case  
Sample for use with a CD Jewel Case (FrontBack)  
Samples for use with DVD Style Casing  
To print the full-sized inlays at home costs around $0.20 (depending on your printer) per copy. This is based on using regular paper - not the shiny high-gloss variety (which you really don't need for this project). To send it over to your local Kinkos will run you around $0.53. This is not a bad deal either to be honest, especially if you do not have the means at your home to produce quality color documents.
| | In Summary |
My bro is never going to get a free pass for letting his dogs destroy my copy of Halo, but for around a buck I can once again fully integrate it proudly into my main collection. Do not give up hope on those loose, misbegotten souls - new life is just $1 away.
| NOTE: None of this is necessarily 'new' info, but I thought it would be helpful for all collectors, regardless of experience, to have this info all in one place. And no, I am not getting any kickbacks from any of the sites listed/featured in this article. I am listing them only as a possible resource for you. | |
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