Tearing off that shrinkwrap on that old/rare/pricey hard to find game

So here's a question for all the posters here. It's just a fact of life that many of the old classics in the adventure genre (not to mention a lot of obscure forgotten games) are not so easy to come across anymore. And when one does finally find it on ebay or amazon, the seller wants collectors prices for it because it is still in as new condition with the shrinkwrap still on. So, what is the rarest/priciest game that you have purchased and then ruined it for collector's world wide by ripping off the shrinkwrap and tearing into the box to play the darn game?

For me it was 'Alice: Interactive Museum'. I paid a relative mint for a brand new boxed and shrinkwrapped copy off ebay many years ago. When it came in the mail, even knowing what a sin I was commiting, I took off the shrinkwrap and immediately played the game. I know I could have waited for a copy of the game that wasn't in pristine form, but it is what it is. I don't know how many copies of this game are still new in shrinkwrap, but there is definitely one fewer now.

Even though I still have quite a few games still in the shrinkwrap, I really don't consider myself a collector. More like an avid player who buys way more games than I have time to get to haha. So, I know I will be breaking the hearts of a few other collectors out there when I tear into a few other games that I've been saving. Maybe there should be a thread where players can offer up their pristine version of a game for an opened copy of the same game plus other considerations. I'll take that into consideration next time that happens.

I've bought quite a few from Amazon/ebay in shrinkwrap and have opened them, but can't seem to remember the titles.

I don't allow myself to pay high prices for games, so I have never been in the position you are talking about. I do have some games that are now rare-ish (ark of time, secret mission etc) that I bought when they were cheap and I threw away the boxes.
If i would find a rare game that I want (been looking for backpacker for ages) cheaply, I would definitely tear off the wrapping and most likely throw away the box. Won't be reselling it anyway.

I recently found an affordable copy of The Rose Tattoo after years of searching, and I asked the seller to only send the disks to save on shipping.
I love DVD style cases.

Lakerz

I can sympathize with your dilemma. Myself I just can't bring myself to open rare sealed big box games but I do have help with your problem and it won't take too much. Every time you cut open a sealed vintage game I will give you a slap upside your head. The slaps will get harder for each of the next games you open. Soon you will associate opening these vintage games with pain and thus stop the habit. Only drawback to this foolproof method is the sideaffects. You may be visiting your local game store and when walking by the game counter you will suddenly scream with excruciating pain in your head. Stores owners may find you cowering in the corner yelling "Make it stop, make it stop...I promise never to open a sealed box again" It may get so bad that you can only eat from food that has been opened for the fear of the pain that is too great. Soon you start losing weight and your personal hygiene suffers because all your soap and deodorants are sealed. Your friends and family start to ignore you and you lose your job. You end up alone and penniless living on the streets where we hear you mumbling something about shrinkwrap and make it stop.

So what do you say Lakerz? Sound like a good plan?

I have a ton of old games I'm thinking of getting rid of. They're not shrink wrapped, but buyers can be almost as bad as sellers. One person I sold to I told him that the games are not in collector condition. The cds are in mint condition and have only been played once, but boxes are frayed or dented on the ends. We even sent him a couple of pictures of the damage. So he buys them, then sends me a nasty message that the boxes were in horrible condition. So I'm thinking of putting them together and selling them on our local town site. That way if someone comes to look at them they can see what condition they're in.

People keep telling me these games are worth a fortune, I'd like to know, who to. I have the original Leisure Suit Larry on floppy disks. Good luck trying to get that fortune for it. I don't know if people today are just greedy or desperate. But if you're looking for old games just to play, let me know what you are looking for, I may have it and I won't charge you an arm and a leg, just a toe and a finger.

StarLite just a toe and a finger that's funny

I'm always interested in what games people have.

I know sometimes buyers can be a pain. I think for the most part buyers are more desperate to find the old games than they are greedy.

hatshepsut

hatshepsut wrote:

StarLite just a toe and a finger that's funny

I'm always interested in what games people have.

I know sometimes buyers can be a pain. I think for the most part buyers are more desperate to find the old games than they are greedy.

hatshepsut

Regarding the damage of the old game boxes, I don't care if the boxes are damaged - just so I get the games I want if the discs are in good condition. Is this good enough for you, StarLite?

Not that I'm ready to buy any more games now - I've just spent over $100 buying Christmas games for myself over the past week or so.

Quote :

I've just spent over $100 buying Christmas games

Ouch! That's a lot of money. I wish I had the $100

Hi hats, everyone is finding it tight these days. We may be in for a new fridge, stove, washer, dryer and another car. Can't complain really, we had a good run with them all.

lakerz I am fainting at the thought of those old sealed games bieng opened

HandsFree I did faint at the thought of those boxes bieng thrown away. I think Gelert is still in a state of faintedness.

All of you who don't care for boxes you might want to consider that there is a buyers market out there for those boxes.

Starlite yes I think everyone is feeling the crunch these. Hopefully it will be better in the new year.

hatshepsut

StarLite Moon wrote:

Quote :

I've just spent over $100 buying Christmas games

Ouch! That's a lot of money. I wish I had the $100

Hi hats, everyone is finding it tight these days. We may be in for a new fridge, stove, washer, dryer and another car. Can't complain really, we had a good run with them all.

Gee, I thought all you Pointers, Adventurers, etc, had that kind of money to spend on games b/c you all have jobs, or have a nice pension?

The reason I buy games is to play them, and I never resell nor trade them. I would tear off the shrinkwrap in a minute if it meant I could play certain games. However, that being said, I do understand the collecting urge and am not putting down those who have a passion for it.

These days I would consider myself a bigger collector than a player, but I started collecting because I love playing the games (and I still do play a lot). That being said, I have no attachment at all to things being sealed and would probably open them even if I wasn't going to play them. There hasn't been many occasions where I have opened a new game, but the rarest, if you want to call it that, is probably The Arrival. The box was being bowed by the wrap anyway.

Probably Hamlet: A Murder Mystery is the rarest I have.
Comer may be rare now, but it wasn't when I bought it and opened it.

I don't think I have any super-expensive games, and the rarest ones were open when I got them. The reason I'd prefer an unopened game is that some people say the discs are "like new" or "excellent" and when you get the game the discs are full of marks and scratches. If the game has never been opened, that doesn't usually happen (though it can if the disc is loose in a DVD case with broken pieces of black plastic loose inside).

GreyFuss, your idea has merit. In fact, I'm starting to feel a bit a bit of pain right now just thinking about my prior actions.

Oh wait, is that a sealed and mint condition Backpacker I spy in my "to play" pile. (runs off to grab some scissors)