So everyone is different right? This is something we've come to strongly believe since starting up the Games Shed. Some people think collecting retro video gaming items would be pretty standard, right? Wrong.
We catch up with our mate Dave Bird, programmer by day, retro collector by night, to find out just what makes his collection a little bit different from others!
TGS: How many games do you own (at a guess)?
D: I think I've now got just over 1000, I have most games for the Mega Drive and Saturn – approximately 200 on each.
TGS: You have over 1000?! That must've taken a few years?
D: I've been collecting properly for between 15 and 20 years, but some of the first games in my collection have been owned for close to 30 years.
TGS: Tell us where you live Dave?
D:I now live in Inverness, but my love of games started when I lived in Reading.
D: I prefer to collect the Japanese versions of games, providing the language barrier isn't too great. The box art and packing in general is so much more vibrant and colourful. I even own quite a few games in both Japanese and UK formats. It's a special type of madness.
TGS: How did this Japanese love all come about?
D: I think the Japanese flavour of my collection gathered pace when I was in secondary school. A couple of friends and I would read up on all the new games from Japan in any magazines we could, and between us we imported a good selection before they were released over here … many titles never made it at all.
TGS: What is your earliest gaming memory?
D: My earliest gaming memories are of the Sinclair Spectrum, going to my older friends house around the corner and being completely sucked in by two games: Manic Miner, and Way of the Exploding Fist.
TGS: How have you built this collection and do you have any tips to would-be collectors on how to pursue this as a hobby themselves?
D: Patience has been a key for me, I've not had too much money to spend regularly, so I try my level best to buy each game for as little as I can! It sounds obvious, but I guess I save a lot of money by not buying brand new games until they come down in price … no matter how tempted I am. Unless it is Disgaea or Pokémon. They are my treats!
TGS: Sorry to do this to you Dave, but your house is on fire, you have time to run into the games room and grab as much as you can physically carry in both arms (No bags allowed!); what do you grab?
D: Maybe surprisingly, I'd grab my PSP and 3DS … I need my Pokémon and Disgaea … the hours put into those save files can't ever be replaced by insurance claims!
TGS: Again, your house is on fire (How unlucky are you?!) – you don’t have time to retrieve any retro gaming related goods. What other treasured possessions do you grab?
D: Wife, kids, and cats! And my laptop, it has all the code I've written, as a programmer (by trade and hobby) that's pretty much as invaluable as it gets.
TGS: What is your most treasured retro gaming item and why?
D: It would have to be my Japanese Sega Mega Drive. I've had it for 20 years, it still works, the RGB scart picture is gorgeous, and I've even added region and refresh rate (50/60Hz) switches to it. My most “prized possession” will be my FM Towns Marty v2 … that's on its way from Japan right now!
TGS: We will have to grab an update from you when it arrives! Now, is there anything you wish you had in your extensive collection which you do not have?
D: Now I've got an FM Towns, the next item on my (extensive) wish list is a Sharp 68000. It's basically the Japanese equivalent of the Amiga, but with better graphics, spot-on arcade conversion … and 5¼” floppy discs!!!
TGS: What would you say was the best bargain you have ever picked up?
D: I once picked up Shining Force CD, disc only for 99p. But I then found a boxed, mint, copy for £20, and I sold my “bare” CD, in a DVD case with a printed cover (accurately described) for £40. So a mint copy of Shining Force CD cost me -£19. You don't get that lucky often!
TGS: It’s funny, some of the biggest gaming / console flops have turned into some of the most collectable and loved machines, take for example the Atari Jaguar, The Nintendo Virtual Boy etc - What is your favourite gaming flop?
D: The Gizmondo. It's the only games console in the world with ears – at least that's what I told my girls! Seriously, I love it for one game .. the updated version of Trailblazer which I loved way back on the C64 and C16.
10 quick fire questions:
1) Favourite System: Sega Megadrive.
2) Favourite Sports Game: Cyberball (not a sports game fan).
3) Favourite Multi-Player Game: Bomberman.
4) Favourite Beat ‘em up: Street Fighter II.
5) Mario or Sonic: Sonic as a character, Mario as a game.
6) Favourite Hand Held: Gameboy Advance SP.
7) The worst game in your collection: X-Dazedly Ray.
8) Favourite arcade game: R-Type.
9) Game spent most time on: Disgaea or Pokémon – genuinely not sure.
10) Finally – and probably the hardest – Favourite EVER game: I've thought about this question a few times over the years, so consequently I have a definitive answer, and my opinion hasn't wavered for about 20 years: Herzog Zwei. Often thought of as the first RTS game, it is probably the only RTS game I have properly played. And you don't control a cursor. Oh no, you're a giant transforming robot that drops off the tanks, gun-turrets and other units that you order. And you can shoot your opponents robot. The only thing you can't do directly is harm your opponent's main base, which is the object of each level. Basically, capture mini bases, to gain money and location advantages, then drop/order units to attack the main base. While, all the time, taking care of your own base and units etc. To see the faces of two people playing the game is reason enough to love it. Everything happens real time, and FAST. Serious concentration required. NEVER gets old, fantastic music. All in 512Kb. Tecnosoft are lovely.
TGS: Bonus question: You mentioned to us you’d not find it hard to name your favourite game ever, but you would find it hard to name a top five.. so just because we can, we will ask you to name your top five games ever!
D: Thanks :)
(1) Herzog Zwei.
(2) Phantasy Star II.
(3) Shining the Holy Arc.
(4) F-Zero X.
(5) Street Fighter II.
It's ridiculous that I have to exclude such AMAZING games as Shining Force III, R-Type, Laser Squad, Bubble Bobble, Thunder Force III, Ninja Spirits, Legendary Axe II, Wonderboy III, Pokémon, Disgaea, Twinkle Tale, Devil Crash, Bomberman, Dungeon Explorer, Advance Wars, Manic Miner, International Karate Plus (IK+), SMT Lucifer's Call, Dead or Alive, Y's Book I and II, Fire Emblem, Final Fight, Act Raiser, Outrun, Golden Axe, Super Shinobi, Galaga '88, Gunhed, Gomola Speed, Ghouls'n'Ghosts, Darius, Trailblazer, Icicle Works. Gaaaaaaaaaah.
Now I need to sulk :(
TGS: Thanks Dave!
If you want to get in touch with us and tell us about your collection please do so:
Mail: info@thegamesshed.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/thegamesshed
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