Vintage console/game collecting in Thailand

May 10, 2024

Vintage console/game collecting in Thailand

In Bangkok, there's some vintage game stores that have some rare consoles, I'm not just talking the likes of Sega Saturn, Mega CD etc. I'm talking about Atari Jaguar, Virtual Boy, Wonder Swan, Neo Geo etc.

I saw an Apple Pippin, which is one of the most expensive consoles to buy.

Below is an Apple Pippin that I got close to in a retro Game store named O Corner in MBK

Here's a Virtual Boy, also in O Corner. I got close to the headset, but didn't want to put my camera any closer and risk knocking it over.

Being able to see these consoles firsthand is a thrilling experience, not just look at them on the internet. I got to peer into the head display and saw up close what a running virtual boy game looks like

The vintage game stores in talking about are O Corner in MBK, and there's millions of them in Mega Plaza

I bought a Donkey Kong Game & Watch at Mega Plaza for 5500 baht (yes, they're considerably cheaper now on eBay because of economic problems in Western countries, people are are desperate for money and selling their things cheaper).

But 5500 baht was on par with what the price for DK G&W was back in March 2023 on eBay, plus I got to test the buttons, check the brightness of the screen, look for scratches, rather than buying it sight unseen.

Mega Plaza also sells consoles which are not vintage yet, but older, such as PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii, as well as games for them

After I bought my DK G&W, the seller allowed me to test his Sega Game Gear, which was running a Sonic game.

It wasn't the first time I've handled a Game Gear, I did so back... I think it was in 1993, when I was 10 years old, when one was on display at an department store. But, it was nice to do so again.

I showed me buying the DK G&W and having a quick play with the Game Gear, as well as other Game and Watch games on my YouTube.

As for why I don't buy more vintage games?

Well, I own a NES and SNES mini, and both have a great assortment of games. Plus, they both make great display pieces.

I own a sealed copy of Zelda Collector's Edition for GameCube, as well as boxed copies of Paper Mario Thousand Year Door, Skies of Arcadia and Zelda Wind Waker.

I also own a Sega Saturn (it doesn't work, but I plan to get it repaired), and a copy of Street Fighter Alpha 2 for it (the Saturn version of SFA2 is my favorite because it lets you select Shin Akuma).

I also own a 32X, but it's in my father's house in Australia, I asked him to bring it only if he has space in his luggage, because it's still boxed.

I own DK 1 and 2 for Game and Watch, Gameboy Advance SP and DS, PSP and other handhelds that aren't retro yet such as 3DS and Vita.

I have a non-working Megs Drive and original PlayStation and PS2 in my father's house.

I was thinking of getting a Mega Drive mini, but a 2nd version of it came out with Sega CD games but missing some of the Sonic games. So instead I can stick to my copy of Sega Mega Drive Collection for PS3, and since the Mega Drive Aladdin is one of my favorite 16-bit platformers, I purchased the Aladdin and Lion King collection for Switch.

For me personally, the Holy Grail is a boxed copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga for Saturn. Didn't see it for sale in any of the above-mentioned places, it costs thousands of dollars on eBay.

When I was 15, I saw Panzer Dragoon Saga at a game store in Australia, for around 80 Australian dollars, but I couldn't convince my parents to buy it for me.

Many years ago, I saw copies of it on eBay for 400 Australian dollars, but prices for it have gone through the roof since then.

Some people have been cynical about people boasting they own rare games, and say the owners of these games should either play these games or sell them to someone else who wants them so it can lower the prices or rare and vintage games.

Quite frankly, it's none of their business what I do with my money or my own games. Also, the reason some vintage and rare games are still in circulation is their owners took care of them. Not necessarily because the owners paid big bucks for them on eBay just to brag about online.

I've played Panzer Dragoon Saga on emulator, and it's so hauntingly beautiful and unique, it was like a NIER or Dark Souls for its time.

I still own my copies of Final Fantasy IV (GBA), FFVII, 8 and 9 for PlayStation (I can still play them on my PS3 & PS4), as well as FFX for PS2, Marvel vs Capcom 2 for PS2 (of of my favorite fighting games), and other games such as Jade Cocoon 2, Shadow Hearts 2 etc.

So I'm not short on a retro collection.

I just wanted to share these experiences, and show Bangkok Thailand is a great place if you're a gamer.