Boxes: what to keep and what not to keep

TheSonicRetard

I've been playing video games for a very long time, and I've made a habit out of keeping every box I get. I know most people threw away their SNES and NES boxes, but do people still do that? Do most people throw away their dvd/blu-ray cases and put their games into CD books?

or is it common to do the exact opposite? For example, I'm cleaning out my attic and I just ran across my old PSX box. I keep all my console boxes in this big glass box, so I went and placed it with the others. Is that normal?

I guess the most prized box I own would be either my mint Phantasy Star Box, my mint Dracula X: Rondo no Blood box (with spine card), or my mint Super Mario RPG box.

EDIT:

RichardTauber

This is the bad thing about the virtual console and such; no boxes or big manuals. That was like half the fun for the ten year old me.

japan

I keep boxes as well, at least for games. It's partly because I like seeing them all lined up on a shelf, and partly to protect their value if I ever sell them on. I have a couple of PC games that came in the old-style big ass cardboard boxes, I've moved them to DVD cases so thats they fit on a shelf, but kept the original boxes.

I tend to keep console boxes initially for warranty reasons (which is my habit for most electronics, some companies have warranties that insist any return must be in it's original packaging), but I usually toss them after that, unless I'm using it to keep stuff in.

TheSonicRetard

RichardTauber wrote: »

This is the bad thing about the virtual console and such; no boxes or big manuals. That was like half the fun for the ten year old me.

I liked the smell of opening a fresh sega clamshell. It had a very distinct smell.

It's a rare treat now, so whenever I find a factory sealed genesis game, I usually revel in it.

TheSonicRetard

japan wrote: »

I keep boxes as well, at least for games. It's partly because I like seeing them all lined up on a shelf, and partly to protect their value if I ever sell them on. I have a couple of PC games that came in the old-style big ass cardboard boxes, I've moved them to DVD cases so thats they fit on a shelf, but kept the original boxes.

I tend to keep console boxes initially for warranty reasons (which is my habit for most electronics, some companies have warranties that insist any return must be in it's original packaging), but I usually toss them after that, unless I'm using it to keep stuff in.

When I was little, I used to look at those crossword puzzle ads in the back of game magazines where you could win a shitload of game systems. They had this picture with a big screen tv, a genesis box, an SNES box, a jaguar box, a saturn box, a 3DO goldstar box, a PSX box, and a ton of accessories (like the menacer and stuff)

I always wanted that. Exactly how it looked. So from that moment on, I started saving my console boxes. Luckily, my SMS and Genesis boxes were in storage, and I managed to find my old game gear, 32X, and saturn boxes later, so I still have all my console boxes.

LewieP

I have never thrown away any packaging for games ever.

japan

Ooh, and I always take special care of GBA boxes, because if you re-sell, that alone means you can pretty much demand the RRP and get it, regardless of the age of the game.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I still have the box for my PS2, which has another, broken, PS2 in it. I kept it hanging around because I replaced the laser in my current one, and I've been maning to do the same for the old one.
My PS1 was given to my brother (with box). Don't know what happened to that.
Xbox I got second hand for cheap, without box, because the HD was playing up and I was going to mod it anyway.
I still have my DS and Wii boxes hanging around.
I also have an Amiga 500+ "Cartoon Classics" bundle boxed up at my parent's, as well as the Amiga 1200 "Magic" bundle.

Lord Jezo

Stuff like boxes for systems or boxes for peripherals I will toss, there is no need to keep that stuff, but things like jewel cases and DVD cases I keep because they are small and designed to store stuff. Big cardboard boxes are designed to transport stuff from the factory to my house. DVD cases are designed to store stuff on my shelf and keep long term.

With my old NES/SNESstuff I would toss the boxes but keep the cart sleeves. With Genesis I would keep the boxes because they were sturdy plastic that could be stacked up.

DS I keep for the same reason, GBA I throw away. Actually, for GBA games I throw out the carboard ones, buy blank Nintendo DS game paks from the Nintendo store (http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&currency=USD&ignoreCrumbs=N&crumb1=&crumb1Ignore=&crumb2=%253CA%2BHREF%253D%2522javascript%253APassOn%2528%2527X%2527%252C%2B%2527ChooseView%2527%252C%2527%2527%252C%2B%2527%2527%2529%253B%2522%253ENintendo%2BDS%253C%252FA%253E&crumb2Ignore=&crumb3=%253CA%2BHREF%253D%2522javascript%253APassOn%2528%2527C%2527%252C%2B%2527CategoryDisplay%2527%252C%252758694%2527%252C%2B%2527N%2527%2529%253B%2522%253EParts%2B%2526%2BAccessories%253C%252FA%253E&crumb3Ignore=&translateFrom=%C8%C9%C7&translateTo=EEC&usrSearchText=&searchText=&selSrchType=&page=&view=&productId=83693&categoryId=58694&lastAction=ProductDisplay&orderTotal=null) and put in them the GBA covers. They look quite nice and fit perfectly on my shelf.

Igort

Lord Jezo wrote: »

Stuff like boxes for systems or boxes for peripherals I will toss, there is no need to keep that stuff, but things like jewel cases and DVD cases I keep because they are small and designed to store stuff.

This is exactly how I feel.

I didn't even know people would throw away boxes for games... Why would anyone do that?

xzzy

Igort wrote: »

I didn't even know people would throw away boxes for games... Why would anyone do that?

Well, 10 years ago, when they came in a phone book sized box, it kind of made sense.

As we're down to jewel cases these days, not so much.

Akito01

Mostly, for space. Back when CompUSA was a going concern, they used to sell these mini-CD cases that were the perfect size for GameCube games. I also end up putting a lot of my games and DVD into those slim DVD cases as well. If I didn't have to move so much, I'd have kept more of my original boxes and such. As it is, there are a select few items that I've kept mint -Final Fantasy III on SNES, Zelda:OfT on N64, and Magic Knight Rayearth for Saturn are the ones that immediatly come to mind.

slash000

The thing is, a lot of the earlier consoles' games came in boxes, but the games didn't come in cases. Yea, the NES and SNES and whatever had 'sleeves,' but these were hardly the same thing as say, a DVD case for a PS2 game.

So, I threw out most of my NES boxes, but I have a lot of my SNES and N64 boxes.. just .. for not particular reason.. But the carts are stored in an organizer with their plastic sleeves on.



However, I always keep my jewel cases and DVD-style cases.

Because these aren't mere cardboard boxes. These are sleek little things that contain the nice cover art and console/game name on the spines, and they hold the discs neatly as well as the manuals.

So it makes sense to store games in these, because they are a good way of organizing the disc-based games and keeping the manuals with them.


Plus, they look really good in CD or DVD organizers.


For DS games, it's the same deal - they come in nice little cases with covers and manuals to store them neatly. At least, the ones you aren't taking with you on some trip... but even though I keep my DS games in a portable case, I like to have all of my DS cases lined up neatly with their manuals inside.

Under those, I have cased and covered all of my GBA cases. I still have the GBA boxes, but they're in storage and I"ll probably trash them.

The GBA cases are based on the Cover Project, so the GBA/GB/GBC games all look neat and dandy next to the DS cases. I actually keep my GBA/GB/GBC games in there because I really only play DS games on the go nowadays.


I did the same thing with the N64 covers... once the GBA cover project was underway, I started up an N64 version of the project. The case covers are all hosted at the Cover Project, too, along with many other consoles now.


I still have my N64 boxes but I'm contemplating trashing them because the case covers are so much nicer, and are easy to organize, easy to store games in, and contain the manuals.


as a side note, I've actually created DVD covers for my PS1 games and cased those along with my PS2 games.

also I create dvd case inserts for all of my PC games, to store them with my other cased collections..

Images:

these are old and outdated photos, but you get the idea:

Wii, with Wii Sports and Link's CBT covered, followed by DS and then GBA games



N64:



PS2, PS1 cases on the left, GCN games on the bottom right, DVD movies and PC games on the right wall:

I guess you could say I'm a big fan of casing, organizing, and shelving my collections, and I really prefer neat and compact cases with covers and logos on the spine as opposed to keeping bulky boxes that are inconvenient to get the games out of and aren't as neat.

TheSonicRetard

I like your PSX dvd cases especially, slash.

Grove

Haha, you do new game smell too TSR? Nice, I thought I was the only one. Everytime I open a new game I make sure to breathe it in. It's like I'm trying to steal its soul or something...or maybe it's just the smell of plastic.

mrflippy

I don't keep a lot of boxes mostly because I'm unorganized. I want to play the game and the box is forgotten under a pile of stuff.

I do keep my new console boxes (360, wii) because they are great for repacking the console when I visit friends or family who don't have the console.

Pemulis

Grove wrote: »

Haha, you do new game smell too TSR? Nice, I thought I was the only one. Everytime I open a new game I make sure to breathe it in. It's like I'm trying to steal its soul or something...or maybe it's just the smell of plastic.

Every time I do something like this I think of that Simpsons episode where the Chinese factory worker sneezes in the box right before he seals it and Homer gets some weird disease.

SirUltimos

I keep all the boxes and packaging I can. I don't have very many NES/SNES/N64 boxes because I was younger when those systems were in their prime. However, I have kept every console box since the N64 and am fanatical about getting complete DVD cases for my games, with manual and cover art.

I even keep my GBA boxes, actually. But I don't actually keep the games in the boxes or DS games in their cases, I just have a big ziploc bag that's easy to carry with me.

Seeks

When I was little, I used to look at those crossword puzzle ads in the back of game magazines where you could win a shitload of game systems. They had this picture with a big screen tv, a genesis box, an SNES box, a jaguar box, a saturn box, a 3DO goldstar box, a PSX box, and a ton of accessories (like the menacer and stuff)

Oh god, I remember that thing. I only sent away once... and I hoped, and I hoped...

acidlacedpenguin

well I bet this isn't the greatest forum to ask that question in. I would have to say that it is not normal to keep all the "extra" packaging for game software or hardware. You probably have some mild form of OCD if you feel compelled to keep that stuff.

I too suffer from this affliction. Most of my father's family (brothers, sisters, etc) have various disorders relating to OCD and I think this is my final form, err I mean my form of disorder.

I'm just happy that this is a fairly mild disorder, nothing like killing small animals for pleasure. Now that's a disorder.

TheSonicRetard

Seeks wrote: »

When I was little, I used to look at those crossword puzzle ads in the back of game magazines where you could win a shitload of game systems. They had this picture with a big screen tv, a genesis box, an SNES box, a jaguar box, a saturn box, a 3DO goldstar box, a PSX box, and a ton of accessories (like the menacer and stuff)

Oh god, I remember that thing. I only sent away once... and I hoped, and I hoped...

It was a scam. you had to send $5 every round, and there was something like 25 rounds.



Sorry for the shitty pic, I took it with my phone.

Now I depart to go watch my horns advance to the final four in person.

TheSonicRetard

acidlacedpenguin wrote: »

well I bet this isn't the greatest forum to ask that question in. I would have to say that it is not normal to keep all the "extra" packaging for game software or hardware. You probably have some mild form of OCD if you feel compelled to keep that stuff.

I too suffer from this affliction. Most of my father's family (brothers, sisters, etc) have various disorders relating to OCD and I think this is my final form, err I mean my form of disorder.

I'm just happy that this is a fairly mild disorder, nothing like killing small animals for pleasure. Now that's a disorder.

dude, is this your first time ever talking to me? OCD is my strength.

vdanhalenv

i think for most of us keep them for either the value prospects or as a keepsake

slash000

The one type of box I do always keep are my console boxes. I can throw away my game boxes once I've cased and covered them (although this is no longer a problem with all new games coming in cases these days), but for some reason I always feel compelled to keep my consoles' boxes. I guess part of it is that I keep the manuals and such in the box... I d'no.

I will say that keeping all of the original box and packaging and manuals and materials to the original Nintendo DS Phat paid off. Because once the DSLite came out, I was able to put my DSPhat up on Craig's list and sell it immediately... and I guess it just looks better to people when you can advertise "Perfect Condition used Nintendo DS with all original packaging and materials".


I will also say that it paid off to keep my original N64 and SNES and GBA boxes, because they were used when everyone was scanning box art to create covers for the Cover Project.

Now that my games are all cased and covered and are stored digitally on Cover Project I feel like I can trash the cardboard boxes.

slash000

TheSonicRetard wrote: »

Seeks wrote: »

When I was little, I used to look at those crossword puzzle ads in the back of game magazines where you could win a shitload of game systems. They had this picture with a big screen tv, a genesis box, an SNES box, a jaguar box, a saturn box, a 3DO goldstar box, a PSX box, and a ton of accessories (like the menacer and stuff)

Oh god, I remember that thing. I only sent away once... and I hoped, and I hoped...

It was a scam. you had to send $5 every round, and there was something like 25 rounds.



Sorry for the shitty pic, I took it with my phone.

Now I depart to go watch my horns advance to the final four in person.

I remember those very very well.

I read an article once that described how those worked. I don't remember the details..

But it was a very clever scam scheme.

Malkor

Well, they totally got me a few times probably.

xWonderboyx

The bane of my wife/ and closet space around the house is my collection of console, laptop, and various accessory (think guitar hero, bongos, etc) boxes.

LoveIsUnity

TheSonicRetard wrote: »

I've been playing video games for a very long time, and I've made a habit out of keeping every box I get. I know most people threw away their SNES and NES boxes, but do people still do that? Do most people throw away their dvd/blu-ray cases and put their games into CD books?

or is it common to do the exact opposite? For example, I'm cleaning out my attic and I just ran across my old PSX box. I keep all my console boxes in this big glass box, so I went and placed it with the others. Is that normal?

I guess the most prized box I own would be either my mint Phantasy Star Box, my mint Dracula X: Rondo no Blood box (with spine card), or my mint Super Mario RPG box.

This is my most prized gaming possession as well. I don't even have a Master System anymore, and it's the only game that I kept when I got rid of it. I also have mint copies of PS 2-4.

Right now, I have two DVD towers from Ikea (I'll take pictures eventually) containing my Wii, Gamecube, PSX, and PS2 games. All of my old Genesis, 32x, and Sega CD stuff is upstairs in a box.

Peewi

To me the idea of throwing away boxes is absurd. When I was younger I didn't care about saving the boxes, but today I'm not gonna throw any away. The only cardboard boxes I have on display is my Wii box and WoW:TBC Collector's Edition box.

slash000

Peewi wrote: »

To me the idea of throwing away boxes is absurd. When I was younger I didn't care about saving the boxes, but today I'm not gonna throw any away. The only cardboard boxes I have on display is my Wii box and WoW:TBC Collector's Edition box.

So, then, the question becomes--

why exactly do you keep your boxes?

Boxes, I am referring to at least, are not the same as cases.

Stuff like GBA boxes - do you keep those?

And your console boxes - why keep those? If you have the console hooked up and you use it, why need the box for it?


I do the same thing and honestly I'm not sure why I keep some of my boxes... but if you have a reason I'd like to know it.

LewieP

I do it because I am weird.

Italax

I've kept my PS3 and Wii boxes in case they ever break and I need to send them back >_>

Lord Jezo

Italax wrote: »

I've kept my PS3 and Wii boxes in case they ever break and I need to send them back >_>

Toss the Wii one, Nintendo doesn't care. I had to get mine RMAed due to the component cable jack thing busting on me and not being able to put it in 480p. I just put it in a normal box with some peanuts and sent it off to them.

cj iwakura

I used to toss my console boxes, but they come in handy for transporting them.

The games, I keep everything for. I used to be bad about that, though I somehow had the wisdom to keep the boxes for my Genesis games.

Maybe because they were sturdier.

urahonky

I have the same issue for some reason. I have all the boxes for my consoles (from N64 on to my latest: Wii). I don't know why I can't throw them away, I just can't.

My fiance has said that as soon as we move in together she is going to throw them away. I'm not looking forward to that.

Doc Holliday

Actually just today I went through my massive box pile and threw away boxes I wouldn't need. Old routers, cameras, external hard drives and the like.

I always keep boxes for expensive items (for resale), Apple items (resale / cuz they're cool) and video games (I'm a collector). I am quickly running out of space.

Staxeon

Doc Holliday wrote: »

Actually just today I went through my massive box pile and threw away boxes I wouldn't need. Old routers, cameras, external hard drives and the like.

I need to do this as well, I'm thinking spring cleaning will see the end of all my old Palm PDA boxes and cordless phone boxes that I still have (though I've already thrown the phones out).

I initially started saving boxes for the return/warantee reasoning, but I'm thinking of putting some up on a high shelf. Maybe around the bar that I also told myself I would build. Right now they're all just up in the attic. Wii box, gold DS lite Zelda edition boxes from this past xmas, and games, games, games. I think my dad has all my old Amiga game boxes somewhere in his house.

Daedalus

I will throw out boxes for consoles and games with large accessories (e.g. Guitar Hero).

For other games: if it's in a DVD style case, it's going on my shelf. If it's in a cardboard box, it's going in my scanner so I can print out an insert to put in a DVD case (or one of those double-size ones that PC games usually come in, depending on how many discs), and then the box is collapsed and kept in a folder. If it's in a jewel case, I'll usually check and see if anyone else has already done the hard work of making a DVD-style insert for it, and if not, I'll do it.

I care about having packaging, but not necessarily the original packaging.

edit:

Lord Jezo wrote: »

Italax wrote: »

I've kept my PS3 and Wii boxes in case they ever break and I need to send them back >_>

Toss the Wii one, Nintendo doesn't care. I had to get mine RMAed due to the component cable jack thing busting on me and not being able to put it in 480p. I just put it in a normal box with some peanuts and sent it off to them.

Nintendo in fact recommends that you never send back a game console in the original box because postal workers will "lose" it.