MVS Collecting

Just out of curiosity, how does everyone go about collecting MVS carts? Does it matter if to you if they're loose or do they have to have the mini marquee and box for it to "collectable"? I've seen a lot of people making color reprints of the end labels, does this make the carts less collectable to most people?

I'm sort of curious because I'm both a gamer and a collector (thankfully there are a lot fewer dud games in the Neo Geo library than most other systems I collect for), and I wanted to know the standards most people go by. To me all I need is the loose cart in English (although I do have the Universe Bios installed so it really doesn't matter). The mini marquees are like manuals to me, nice to have but not necessary. I think eventually I'll get some shock boxes if there's another run of them (I think they're all sold out right now).

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of people go gaga over the cardboard boxes that the carts originally came in. I guess I just don't understand that since it's just a plain cardboard box with a sticker on it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a collector who just put all his carts in a closet and never sees them again. I play all my carts (even the increadibly bad ones like Sengoku and Burning Fight), in fact I just got my ass handed to me by Geese in Fatal Fury last night (that boss is HARD!). I just like to both collect and play.

Tempest

<small>[ June 09, 2003, 07:50 AM: Message edited by: Tempest ]</small>

Seriously, the way I do it is to buy the game I want in the crappiest yet functional cart I can get my hands on. This normally results in them being cheaper to purchase.

Then I whip up a nice insert for em and throw em in a Shock Box.

Makes for a nice cheap way of collecting and having things look nice. I do keep the carton boxes I get when I buy my new kits though, if just for having the carts be worth more should I ever be forced into selling them (which I doubt will happen but it's like insurance).

I collect bare US MVS carts. As long as the label and cart are original and look great, I'm good to go. That's what I love the most about MVS collecting as there's no right or wrong way to go about it.

If you stick a colour sticker over the existing label then it would be worth less to me, if you did it to a cart that was part of a complete kit I’d be pretty cross.

The do look nice but I like the functionality of the MVS carts. That’s why I like the cardboard boxes too, they don’t look fancy but they do the job in a very appealing way. I like my shelves of cardboard boxes – I think they look better than the AES spines.

Who "collects" MVS carts?

I can see people "collecting" kits, but not carts.

My "collection" consists of many different colors of cart shells, different language labels, and even black and white xerox labels.

If you want a "collectible" stick to Hummel figurines.

I could see people collecting carts. Let's say someone wants to own all the Kof's. That would mean they are collecting them.

I mean shit some people collect junk. Really it's the definition of the word collection that matters here.

Complete and as mint as posible MVS KITS only here.

For me my MVS setup is the only games machine I have. I buy mainly loose carts. I store them in Shock Box's, I have about 11 carts and as soon as my collection hits 20 I'll buy some more. As for region I'm not bothered, I just want to play the game.

I buy any cart as long as it works, and isn't a boot. I mean, it's nice having a new kit and all, but I'm not going to shell out extra cash to get a cardboard box and a marquee that no one is going to see 'cept for a few friends.

I only buy original carts with the original English (when applicable) label/intact serial #'s. I also must have the complete graphics set for each. (MM, flyers, stickers, dipsheet)

I only get kits when it's convenient or a great deal. The cardboard boxes with matching serials only make MVS collecting a pain in the ass and much more expensive- reminds me too much of NGH/AES collecting.

The graphic sets can be difficult to find and complete, but they are offered on their own quite often, and they make a loose cart much more appealing. They look great in a shockbox too as "authentic" inserts.

<small>[ June 09, 2003, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: Pro_Gear ]</small>

I collect bare carts usually and it doesn't bother me if this is all I can get my hands on (and I'm mainly bothered about PLAYING the damn thing).

However, if I see a kit going at a decent price or if I can buy extras like mm's or full art sets later on then I sometimes do pick them up. I don't go out of my way to get them, but it is nice as I have a folder that I store all of my extras in - a lot of friends see them and usually comment on how cool they are, as they had never really seen any of this stuff before I started buying MVS stuff.

Kaz

Pep:
Complete and as mint as posible MVS KITS only here.

Click to expand...

Ditto. smirk glee

Daisuke Jigen:
Who "collects" MVS carts?

I can see people "collecting" kits, but not carts.

Click to expand...

I see what your saying, but you don't have to solely collect complete kits to be a MVS collector.

Pep:
Complete and as mint as posible MVS KITS only here.

Click to expand...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHH !!! SHUT UP ! angry tickled loco

For me the joy of getting an MVS game is the idea that I'm playing with actual arcade hardware. So for me there is an issue if a cart is a bootleg, might as well just use an emulator at that point. But there isn't any issue for me if the cart's label is ripped, marked on, or if it's written in a language I don't understand. Etc etc.
I also use a mini-marque holder to display what games are currently in the PCB, so it's nice to have the extras if they can be found. Though it isn't an issue if a cart & extras didn't come from the same kit. I made some generic mini-marques to put in that holder for those game which I don't have mini-marques for (these general marques say things like, "Yet Another Fighter".)
The cardboard boxes can be nice for storage, keeping the dust out & all. Though I don't insist on having them.
Most of my carts are loose.

I just buy bare MVS carts, preferably with an original English label, but I'll just print a label if need be.

Marquees don't matter, full kits don't matter. I just print an insert (professionally) and put the MVS carts in Shock Boxes.

<small>[ June 09, 2003, 03:19 PM: Message edited by: Bishamon ]</small>