lol for the Rant on Zerns It is indeed a small world. The funniest thing is that the place with the overpriced games is called "Game Tapes Unlimited."

The last time I saw a game on tape was for the Atari 2600, and they're hella-rare. I think I used to boot games into my Timex Sinclair using audio tapes...Anyways I wonder if people really thought there was some kind of data tape in those little cartridges back in the 80's? I mean...I don't know how a nuclear reactor works, but I know there's some uranium, concrete, a whole lotta water...no tape though

I don't want too get everybody depressed but,here in holland it's no beter,and i think it whil only get whorse because the games that come on ebay our in pawnshops are from people ho fore example clean their attic.

This can't go on 4ever !
I read on a internet site a story of a atari collector ho sead the consoles and games just disapeerd ,when the jears passed.

Whitin 5 jears the show is over and the games are spread under collectors worldwide

I don't think it's fair to blame "Hot Topic kids" for the lack of games found in the wild.  Retro Gaming has definitely gained popularity recently, but I think Hot Topic is only a small contributing factor.  If you want to blame anything, blame eBay, and blame technology.  People now can look up the value of their games on the internet in just a few minutes.  If somebody sees that their NES with 10 games they had as a kid sells for $50-60 on eBay, they probably wouldn't want to get rid of it all for $10 at a yard sale.  I think eBay and the internet is the main reason why you can't find games in the wild anymore.  And finally when they are found in the wild, it's people like Zerns wanting $25 per game.

it's the sad truth that our beloved nes is going the way of the precrash.. (ie atario, colico, inteli). a lot of the kids that are into games today weren't even born yet when the nes came out, and some even when the last game shipped!

i noticed this 2 years ago here in Toronto.   

Like you said, to each his own. I guess to a nostalgic player, certain collectors can be disturbing. And I do think there are levels to the hobby. My level is, I want every game so that I'll always be able to play each one when I want to, and because I love the NES. And I can share that with my family when the kids are old enough. There are like-minded people who operate on, and understand my level. Some collect at a more intense level, some more casual. It's not a measurable scale, but I think if I had to quantify it since you seem to be searching for why I said "level" it has a lot to do with the time we spend on the hobby, and what we spend that time doing...whether playing or writing or searching/buying.

Collectors do not equal investors or resellers, as I feel your post implied (which disturbed me!). Perhaps your impression is colored by some people that you're referring to in another thread/forum... I just say this because you instantly equated sheer volume of purchase to collector level, where I drew no relation...the collectors here are the contributors to the hobby, and they range from players with a 23-game "essential" collection to ... well, Hounder, Dain and NGD But we all share a love, and that's what defines a collector to me really, with the NES. It's not even physical or financial really, some people post here and have only ever played on emulator!

What I was trying to say is a lot of the Hot Topic kiddies would get a bunch of games, then as soon as it went out of fashion, yard sale/ebay them. They're not collectors...we keep what we hold dear regardless of fashion. I don't think it has anything to do with monetary value or "gotta catch 'em all" in a lot of cases...if we were out for money we'd just work more hours or trade stocks instead of games, and that eventually would override our NES hobby...it's another reason why people drop out and it's sad but totally understandable. Depending on what the hobby is to you, if you can't afford it it's gonna give way to life. But I digress...