Why I started collecting videogames to defeat depression

 

I calmed down a bit and actually made some goals…instead of collecting every game out there…I’m collecting all NES/SNES/N64 games…both CIB and loose with a manual. It’s still a pretty crazy goal but…it’s easier then buying every game for every system.

But to dig into it…it’s a mix of nostalgia and obsession. I need something to focus and obsess on. If I don’t have something…I tend to get unfocused and just…end up in a not good place. I’m struggling with depression…so to have something to keep my mind off of my dark thoughts is useful. Gives me a goal to keep getting out of bed, keep struggling through the days, just so I can complete my collection and finally be satisfied. Of course I also play games…gaming helps my depression A LOT. It sucks me into another world…so much better then my own. I can forget my troubles for a few hours a day. Or I can make my own character and live my life how I always wanted. Older games can put me back to my childhood as well…when I was happier…

That’s the focus of my game room…making into something that resembles my childhood. So I can step into my game room, shut the door behind me and just get sucked back in time. I’ve done a lot of thinking into this. I’m filling it with toys and stuff from my childhood (not just video game related stuff), the furniture in that room is going to be from the era, the TV is going to be a CRT, the carpet is going to be arcade carpeting (which glows in black light), going to have glow in the dark stars up on the ceiling…heck I’m even going so far as to only play 80s music in there via cassettes and an old boom box (since I can’t rely on any local station to just play 80s music).

It’s fun. There’s a thrill when you get a really good deal, or find a really rare game in a $2 bin at a flea market or a thrift store. Your collection is more than just a bunch of games; it’s a collection of bundles that you bought with stories behind them. I think a lot of collectors are really collecting memories- like games they loved or really wanted. That’s definitely a big part of it.

There are a lot of collectors that go nuts cleaning their games but I like the character. I love finding old receipts or a handwritten note in a game with cheat codes, combos, etc or something, or to see a sticker from some towns local video rental store that’s been out of business for a decade. I like to leave those old Kmart stickers or sharpied names on there. I don’t know, maybe I’m weird with this one.

Also, most people have an arrangement to some console. When you collect and you have games for every console, it puts a smile on pretty much anyone’s face. People want to play those games, which makes picking up something like Mario Party or Fuzion Frenzy that much more fun.

Lastly, there’s nothing like a big, physical, expensive collection. Personally, I only buy games if I’m getting a deal. Every dollar I put in is at least doubled and grows over time. It feels good looking at a bookshelf filled with money. And it looks cool, too

There is something about the NES that first got me into video games, I like the look of the system, I like the music, I like the memories, I like the games, I like how they look displayed. There was a certain magic to it, and nostalgia plays a huge part. I do have Nostalgia for other systems, but nothing like the NES…not when it comes down to it. I played NES from like 7-12, which was basically the core of my childhood, in many ways, it’s the thing i did MOST in my childhood from like 1987-1992 or so. Playing NES helps me revisit many of these times, but I do enjoy it also. Many of these good times are with people who are no longer living, and it helps me remember them, b/c NES Was such a huge part of my childhood there.

I think collections are better when they are rarer, higher quality, more organized, and have some type of goal or theme in mind, they look better as a set or idea as a whole. I’d rather have a more well rounded NES collection than a bunch of other stuff, having less space space and a limited budget helps to force this aspect.

This is just my thinking though. I look at massive collections of tons of consoles and it doesn’t do anything for me. Do I enjoy them? Sure. But I don’t want to collect for them. I also know my tendencies, and they can get out of control if not kept in check with rules, i.e. too much stuff, too much money spent, etc.

I also collect vintage cameras, vinyl, and books, these collections started in my youth or from stuff from my family