Should You Collect Your Games “Complete in Box”? - Retro Bird 

Games played: Ristar (0:00), NBA Hangtime (0:10), Spin Master (0:25), Sunset Riders (1:09), Klonoa 2 (2:05)

Man, that is a beautiful arcade controller. Full disclosure, I have zero interest in collecting retro games. Your videos just have the perfect balance of nostalgia and humor that I'll watch whatever you're talking about just for the entertainment.

What never ceases to shock me is the staggeringly high number of loose sega genesis carts out there. What kind of monster would have thrown away those cases?

CIB is definitely optimal and with the box is necessary for disc based games. But if missing the manual means saving $30 so be it.

For cartridge games, I like to have one CIB from each console and the rest loose. Having one let's me remember what CIB was like for that console without breaking the bank.

To me, it depends on the console I am collecting. For example, if I collect Gamecube games, then I want them to be CIB, but if I collect SNES games, then it would be just loose copies.

I'm personally Cib as much as possible when it comes to disc based games. I love reading the manuals and all of the fun inserts inside for expired contest entries or warranties. One thing I think that was forgotten to be mentioned is personally I like games cib because it has that nice weight to them. Most modern games that don't include instruction manuals are disappointing when the case feels light as a feather.

I'm here for the bread bag clip collection.

Complete in Box always for me. Love the art, love the manuals, the cases look great on the shelf, it’s how they were back then. More expensive yes but makes me more selective in what I get. 👍

You're like a real life cartoon character, it's always so fun to watch you!

That Mean Girls disc has gotten some mileage. Glad to see it show up. :)

I like doing CIB when it comes to disc based games. If I receive a CIB disc based game, it's usually in very good condition.

Wow! This video had the the trifecta. Rocket Knight, Mean Girls, and Bananas!!! Oh and Bread bag clips...That's almost too much for me. I gotta sit down for a minute.

Retro Bird is the man! Definitely like collecting CIB!

This is why I love collecting Sega Master System games. They come in clamshell style cases, so case and cart games are often available. Even when only carts are available, it is not too tricky to track down an empty case. If you do so and print a cover, you are set!

I typically buy my cartridges loose and my disc-based games CIB. The manual is nice to have, but not a dealbreaker if it isn't there, as long as the original artwork is there. The game has to look nice on my shelf. I wouldn't buy loose Switch or DS games, though. Those cartridges are too small and the cases look so nice. On a side note, I would love to see what happens if you send in the Rocket Knight t-shirt order form.

“Sometimes is just knowing that you have them”. @2:03. Exactly.

I don't consider a game complete unless Timmy wrote his name on it.

“It’s like getting mooned through a window”!!! Had me rolling dude. I try collect my sega genesis and GameCube games with their original cases and manuals. The games because it was the way they were intended to be played. The cases and manuals because they are BEAUTIFUL, old, (mostly from Japan 🇯🇵) and from my childhood era + they house the game itself. Great episode dude!

I use the manuals for my games. I agree: using a physical manual and a srategy guide with the game instead of hopping on the internet is a fun experience.

I just had to grab a manual the other day and look up what to do in my game. Without it I would be stuck , so manuals and instructions are vital

I buy everything CIB. I don’t care about prices as long as they’re fair and don’t exceed €150 for a retro game. Nothing loose in my collection (1,600 games) and it looks great. I can sleep very well at night.

I gravitate towards CIB since I like looking through the manuals and having the artwork (as well as a protective case). I will sometimes buy loose discs or cartridges if I find a deal. However, if I want something enough to buy it full price on eBay, then I want CIB.

I do CIB for disc and Genesis. Nofriendo is strictly carts, just like when I was a kid.

For disc based it’s CIB all the way! And if I was rich the same would apply to cartridge games as well… 😏 Edit: except for the tiny cartridges like DS/3DS/switch, those are a must to have CIB

I'm relieved to know you take the proper steps to protect your DVD of Mean Girls!

I try my very best to get every game complete in box! I also make sure to grab any indie titles I want in physical form while they're still affordable. I have a small collection and only 2 games aren't in the box. The rest of my collection is mostly Nintendo Switch games, but I have a few DS and 3DS titles. One of my boxes is dented :( but the game is amazing!

This is how I handle my collection: - NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy, GBA: loose - Master System, Genesis, DS, 3DS, disc systems with DVD or BluRay case: at least the box and game; manual optional. - Disc systems with jewel case: CIB

Love your taste in action plat form games Bird. Nice to see some of the lesser known titles getting some shine.

I will always say that it depends on the game! Metal Gear Solid PS1’s instruction manual was so beefy and complimented the game so well. And like you said, some of the Saturn and ps1 longbox manuals, while not in color, are packed with so much cool info.

I can’t believe this channel isn’t bigger every time I watch a video I think this channel must have 100k subs

Glad to see the famous BBCC (Bread Bag Clip Collection) making a cameo. Always good to see a valued cast member return lol. Great video as always haha

I was originally a CIB only type of collector but the prices of the more expensive genesis games I wanted caused me to go cart only, and I buy custom game cases. They are super nice and I save big money. 👍

I’m a cib collector. I like having a box with artwork, much more presentable way to have a collection and of the course the game is protected

Got a Chiquita ad before the video started - how fitting :-D Cheers!

if the artwork is really good or if the game is really great, going for the box is a plus. the more complete the better as I wanna fill out and send in the warranty card...

The Holy Grail: Sparkster frisbee, T-shirt, hat and button. Collect all 4 and you’ll impress Retro Bird with your good taste forever!

Love your videos man just discovered your channel a few days ago and that's all I've been playing so far. Keep it up!

listening to this while cataloging my own humble collection on a day off while sipping coffee is just TOPS! Cheers, new fan of this channel!

It depends though on my circumstances. If the games are based on the discs, I intend to have CIB. I even make some small notes on a single paper (wish list) that I need a manual or back insert or art front cover later on. Some of my GBA/DS games only have loose cartridges. But, again, I always look up the price to either leave them alone or save some money later on to get their original manuals/original art front covers before going into CIB.

Ok, “to CIB or not to CIB” is an excellent pun

I got a Zelda case for my Switch Lite that came with two tiny plastic cases that hold up to 4 Switch games each. They fit into slots in the inside of the Zelda case too. The Switch Lite lays on top of them. That's a sweet way to keep all your Switch stuff together if you just have the handheld and a small collection of games.

😄!! Rewatching a few of your older vids and must've missed it a ways back. "What's this? It's like getting mooned through a window." That's golden Retrobird. Golden. 😆

man i just love your vids... these speak to me on a whole other level haha. i've been a CIB only collector... for 20 years. I made 2 exceptions: original Gameboy and Game Gear. but even GBA and NES/SNES it was CIB only. this actually kept me from diving deep into the SNES library for those 20 years... because i could never afford collecting CIB SNES... so about a year ago i decided to make another exception... i now collect SNES carts.

I'm whatever's cheapest kind of collector so 98% percent of my cartridge collection is loose haha. There's a lot of japanese SNES and Saturn games on my collection too. I still own both the consoles and boxes of my childhood's NES and N64. Along my dad's old CRT. The same one we used to play those videogames along my little brother. That's all the satisfaction my nostalgia craving needs you know what I mean? Shout out to Eduardo Senior and Diego I love you both.

I just clicked on the video not caring much about the topic, but you have a very unique sense of humour. I laughed a bunch of times while watching this! 🤣 thank you and keep it up!

As long it comes with the game and the original case/box I’m fine. I don’t mind missing the manual

Great topic! As for collecting CiB, I do when I can find a good deal on one. No so much because I'm picky about having everything (most of my Snes and Genesis games are just carts), but because I like the artwork, advertisements, etc. I thrifted a copy of the original SimCity for Windows quite a few years ago that was CiB (or close to it). It even included the catalog! It's like having a time capsule. It's just cool to have.

When I shop for cartridges, I always do lose. Even if the CIB complete in box price is only $10 more. I'm primarily collecting for the DS and 3DS at the moment. Everything goes straight into my carrying case regardless if I have a box or not. For the Professor Layton series I did do CIB, because for some of the games, the price difference was only like $5. It was a novelty opening the cases up and reading through the manuals. Brought me back to my elementary days. (Or bathroom trips pre smart phones.) But the novelty wore off pretty quick. It's just so much easier to have everything in 1 case. And the manuals mostly just have instructions on how to play with very few extra character analysis tidbits. I feel bad because I'm genuinely considering just throwing them all away because they're just taking up space, but I know some people are looking for cases. I'm just too lazy to set anything up on eBay so on the TV stand they stay, for the moment I guess I see the appeal of CIB, but with games largely not even coming with manuals anymore, I don't know why CIB is make or break for some people. For me, yeah, the box art may be pretty to look at, but I can just Google the image. For my GameCube and Wii games, I prefer having a case just to protect the discs.

😃 been waiting for this

Love your channel bro!!

Love this content

Great stuff!

If I had $1 for every time I read a description on eBay that said "CIB -- missing manual" ...

If we are talking games with nice posters, or with more complex instructions, or even a more dear to your heart title, yes CIB, especially if it is Genesis hardbox, as those are WAY easier to find CIB. other than that, if you can get the CIB on a good bid at or around the naked cart price, then jump on it. ALWAYS buy disc based games with at least the case and cover art, tracking them down separately is just as much a pain as finding card board boxes for N64/Snes... unless you don't mind using a generic DVD case and print the art yourself. or buy some from the aftermarket box company online,.. name escapes me, but they are quality if you have the $ to spare.

I don't mind if the instruction booklet is gone, but it needs the case/box.

Generally I buy games only if they come with their case. Most of the time, I don't care if it comes with the manual or not (although it is nice to have). I only buy loose disc games on occasions when the game is about 1-5 dollars, and is a good game. Like I found Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games, and Spyro 3 for 2 bucks, disc only so I had to pick em up.

A cat that insults bananas, is a cat that would be written out of my will.

Your "all or nothing" collecting mentality is absolutely correct in my case. Since I don't have deep pockets like most seem to have, I preferred to spend a little extra modding my consoles so I can play retro games without physically having them. All I own is (give or take) 16 consoles, a CRT, an LCD and 3 perfectly planned KALLAX shelving units to combine it all into a great gaming corner so I can play any game my heart desires with the original hardware.

I have always tried to get the game & manual at least. There are a few manuals out there that wow in price & scarcity! Awesome vid!

I am big on aesthetics. CIB or nothing at all. I like the way the games look on display in my game room. It reminds me of the days when I used to buy and rent games. It's an important part of the gaming ritual for me. We all have standards.

Alright, call me crazy, but my entire game collection is complete: about 2,800 games total EXCEPT the eight NES games that I have, which are cart and manual in custom Game Cases clamshells (I have the box, cart sleeve and styrofoam - but no baggie - for Sky Shark stowed away). Heck, I’ll see my crazy and raise myself an insane: all my Master System (87) and Genesis(109) cases still have their hang tabs!!!! Atari VCS? All 38 games in their cardboard boxes. Maybe it’s the OCD in me, but even when I was a kid, I insisted on keeping my games and consoles in their boxes when I wasn’t playing them.

For Cartridges I don't feel half as much need for complete but for the CD games I feel differently.

I have over 12,000 games, and about 3,000 of those are loose. Of course I'd rather have them CIB, but the truth is, having games loose like that isn't a terrible or bad thing. If it can save you a lot of money, go for it. I have four rooms, and one of those is called my Nintendo Room. The names are just celebrations of console manufacturer's, and aren't indicative of what I actually have in each room. My other rooms are the XBOX Room, Sega Room and Atari Wall. The Nintendo Room is where I store all of my loose games, however, even some in that room are CIB, such as my Neo Geo AES, Fairchild, and others. It really is up to the individual collector as to how they buy, store or display their games. Regardless, whatever you do, do so because YOU want to do it that way, and display your games, however you wish, with pride. After all, they are YOUR games!

On one hand, It's just packaging. A box intended to protect a product inside and make the the item identifiable on a store shelf (no different to food packaging). On the other hand, it's art, gaming history, makes the product complete and has more value than your pets. Let's be honest, if you were a doctor and had a patient that was collecting loose VHS tapes, you would be prescribing heavy medication for that kind of crazy.

9:31.. this was pretty much me on the car ride home after every new game purchase or game rental.

I've never thought about this before, but I think the older the console is, the more I'm inclined to collect CIBs. But that might be the case purely because I was gifted many Nintendo, and Genesis CIBs that kicked off my collection. If that hadn't have happened, I probably wouldn't have ever thought about CIBs. Many of my friends/fam have never even considered it. Love your content!! Naners 4life!

I see you retro bird with that CiB of maximo. I just bought clean copies of Maximo and Maximo v army of zin myself. Classic gems right there.

I do CIB for plastic game case consoles most of the time. But, the more expensive a game is, I do try to be more flexible

I sold/lost/donated(thanks mom) my childhood collection but once I got back into console games around 2013 ish I just kept them all complete in box out of habit. I'm glad I did.

Awesome vid! Bread bag clip thing got me good. I'd love to know the context but still funny. They're mostly made of paper now so maybe they are rare? lmao

I’ve gotten to the point where CIB (for me that means case, cover art, manual, and the game itself of course) is all I look at when I’m looking for a particular game. This has become increasingly difficult with how most retro game prices have skyrocketed in price in the last few years. Cartridge games are my exception; finding CIB SNES or N64 games is just not feasible. Heck, a few of my N64 carts are bootleg because of the ridiculous prices even a lot of loose carts go for. I wish I’d bought more of my Gamecube collection over a decade ago with manuals in mind. I’ve been looking into finding replacements for Pokémon Colosseum and Chibi Robo, among others. I just can’t bring myself to pay the astronomical prices I see online for a freakin’ 20 page manual I’ll never even read just to scratch that CIB itch. It’s a tough life 😭

I go for CIB, good condition, and black label copies, but i can't afford Nintendo cardboard. I would be there to have that Time Crisis 2 manual discussion over dinner :P

I go with CIB. For cardboard box games, I put in some extra care and effort in finding good condition ones for the right price. That means that the box itself should be in complete condition and without too much wear and tear. Basically, my boxes looks almost new at a first glance. However, I am not paying for ultra premium condition. Where I do not have a manual yet, I am on the hunt for one, probably overpaying for some manuals just for the pure satisfaction to make it a CIB copy.

i love this guy !

Great video, funny as always.Once you start collecting C.I.B nothing else will do. I only collect for Gameboy/GBC so I can focus on that. Im supper picky so it's hard as the boxes are cardboard!! Not having the instructions keeps me up at night so I'm probably O.C.D! Its a shame that in a few years games will no longer have instructions or probably even a physical game to cherish? Just a console or hard drive with a list of games on it to show off thier collection on. I'm pleased I was a 70s kid. Yeah I'm old, old happy and poor...

I definitely don't need the manual, but I NEED the case

I think for me, getting a game CIB is a way to relive what it was like actually buying games in the heydays. Usually on the bus ride home or in my mom’s car I’d flip through and read the manuals so I was ready to go when I got home. That’s a big part for me, along with the action of putting the original cartridge or disc in the real system and playing the game in its original format. By no means is CIB necessary for me, but it just adds a little something to look at when I’m not actually playing. This also comes back to when we only had one console and one tv for the whole family to enjoy too.

I love my Gameboy games, I have recently started getting the manuals for my loose games, which is fun but merely a hobby as it can get quite expensive. I completely agree with your last point, I have Kirby's Dreamland complete because it was. Childhood favourite game. Keep up the awesome videos!

Anything that came in a cardboard box I'll consider getting it loose. Genesis, PlayStation etc I'll get it complete. Lately I have just run out of room so I've considered tossing certain boxes. Especially action figures. I always used to keep the box because what if I sell it later and then I remember that I don't like selling things. So either I pitch it or donate it.

The best solution I have found; is to buy the carts or digital retro games on current hardware, and then track down extensive book on the games. I have a Street Fighter, Zelda and Mario history book (ones with awesome artwork; including from manuals) and it saves space but gives me the nostalgic experience of looking at more info on a game I own in a physical form.

I say to CIB for the games you love most!

Brilliant video dude!! I must admit if I get a game that’s missing a manual I do shed a tear 😢 also a cracked Dreamcast case is abit upsetting 🤬

That was my reaction to the Time Crisis II manual too. ;)

For cardboard box games I place painters tape on the tabs so the lid slides out rather than yank the tabs

If I can CIB I will. If I find a rare or uncommon game in the wild, I'll get a repo case for the shelf.

I usually get at the least the game & manual. Remember my legs falling asleep reading it on the toilet as a kid! 😂

I only collect CIB. Not trying to be a snob, just consider it much much nicer than a loose disc or missing the manual.

CiB is ideal (save for the games that come in dreaded cardboard 🙄); But sometimes (especially for loose cartridge games) getting them loose shaves off nearly 50% of the inflated price 😭 They're perfectly playable too.

Even if I wasn't really interested in retro gaming and couldn't perfectly relate to almost everything you talk about I'd probably still enjoy your videos a lot because of your awesome sense of humor. Thanks a lot for the great entertainment! edit: ... and I love having games CIB 😁

I mostly made the promise to myself awhile ago that I would only aim for CIB Sega games. That being said I’ll buy lower end games box only. For CDs I do prefer CIB, but again I really only collect Sega games. I will say these days if you look at getting things piecemeal vs CIB you only end up paying a little bit more. I’ve been purposefully looking for a CD only Guardian Heroes and I find it’s only about a $20 savings on the CIB version.

My two favorite games, Fallout and Fallout 2, came with spiral-bound manuals that the developers clearly put a lot of effort into. It was cool when that used to be common practice.

1:03 the Virtual Bird

CIB is a must for disc based games, especially Jewel Cases. I will buy a DVD case style box/disc only if it's a good deal since the artwork is still there and hunt down the manual later on. Cartridge based games(not including Switch) are cart only. I dont plan on having a huge collection, so I will just get custom game cases made for the cart based games when I'm done collecting what I want for those systems.

I'm generally happy with whatever I can get, though it definitely does factor into my decision whether or not to buy something, and I don't think I'd even consider buying a loose disc. I wonder if anyone has loose Pioneer LaserActive games. Manuals seem to be less of an issue in Europe, since consoles like the PlayStation and Dreamcast typically had a separate cover sheet as well as the manual.

Great video... bad games comment got me! LoL

I have the same fake Blue Ray-Bans now they're going to be in my video game collection!

5:43-6:07 is genuinely brilliant writing.

Definitely a “whatever I can get” gamer. I have a decent mix of loose carts and discs as well as pristine CiB titles

Love your humor 😁👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻