HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Before I start showing pictures I would like to point out that this isn't really my game room. It's my bedroom! I'm still living with my parents as I'm not an adult. I turn 16 in January. You might be asking, "Well Harry, how do you know all this stuff about retro gaming and Atari?" I can answer that. I have been playing classic video games since I was around 3 when I first played Vs. Super Mario Bros. in a hotel's game room. Since then I have been fascinated with themMost of my consoles have been inherited from my parents and family friends, though some of them I got on my own. Most of my exposure to Atari was through my Nintendo Wii and emulators like Wii 2600. I was basically raised on things like Classic Game Room, Gaming Historian, and many other video game youtube channels. Talking with people here at Atari I/O is nice because none of my friends my age know much about anything before the NES. Does it weird me out that everyone here is old enough to be my parent? Not at all. In fact, I think its cool that I have the privilege to speak with people who were actually there when all this happened and also love Atari as much as I do. Someone might say, "Oh, you were just born in the wrong generation, kid." I couldn't disagree more. In fact, I believe I was born in the perfect generation for collecting classic video games. I like having the internet to help me determine whether a game is worth picking up or not, I'm glad emulation is so widely availiable, and what I'm most happy about is that Atari 2600 games are so cheap and easy to collect . I'm so happy I found this site where I can talk about all the games I love with people who were actually there and know all about them! Oh and by the way, I'm not going to be able to post all the pictures at once. Expect to see lots of replies to this from me with pictures. Without further ado, here is my (game)room! To start, here is my Vader Atari 2600! Next to it are all of my controllers and my dust cover! Missing are another Atari joystick and another Amiga Power Stik. Behind the systems is a little black notebook that I use to record my high scores. socrates63, nosweargamer, RickR and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 I always keep 18 games on a shelf underneath my desk, but I rotate them in and out frequently. This is what I have their right now. In case you are wondering, the Parker Bros. game in the bottom right corner is Q*Bert. socrates63 and Justin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Here are some of the rest of my games. They don't normally stay here; I have just taken them out of the closet for this photo. Missing are the following: Ice Hockey, Chopper Command, Towering Inferno, Space Cavern, Combat, Spacewar, Basketball, Football, Dodger Cars (Sears' Dodge 'Em), and Lock 'n Chase. I hope I'm not forgetting any. The ones that were cut off or you can't see are Star Raiders, Indy 500, Street Racer, Realsports Tennis, Star Voyager, International Soccer, Super Challenge Baseball, and a broken copy of Empire Strikes Back :( I don't have the funds to collect too many games, and I also can't order them in bulk on eBay because I don't have a credit card yet. I was going to get a job this summer but COVID happened. Thankfully, Atari games are dirt cheap and I plan on picking up a few more in the near future. It's a good thing that almost all of these games are endlessly replayable. You also might have noticed Donkey Kong Jr. isn't here if you read my thread about the game I posted the other day. I am waiting to get my member discount at my local game store. I am fortunate to live in an era where I can emulate almost any retro game! socrates63 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Next, here is my collection of retro handhelds and mini arcades! I actually just fixed the soccer one the other day, but I sadly didn't take any pictures of the repair process. What are some of my favorites? My static screen Q*Bert is nice. I also enjoy the new version of Mattel Electronic Baseball. My least favorite is the static screen monochrome Pac-Man, but Tetris was also a disappointment as it ends the game if you get to a high enough level and it is also way too easy. Missing are Mini electronic Football, Tetris and Space Invaders Nano, Asteroids (which is on the shelf above these), and a Tamagotchi. Justin and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socrates63 Posted August 18, 2020 Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 35 minutes ago, HDN said: Before I start showing pictures I would like to point out that this isn't really my game room. It's my bedroom! I'm still living with my parents as I'm not an adult. I turn 16 in January.... You remind me of me. I was around 15 when I joined the local Atari club. My dad used to drive me to the weekly meeting held at a local library. It made an impression on him that I was hanging out with adults in what he thought was a kids hobby. I think there was one other teenager and everyone else was "old" people. And now I'm that old person 🙂 1 minute ago, HDN said: Next, here is my collection of retro handhelds and mini arcades! Jealous! I had several as a kid but none now. Awesome collection 👍 HDN and Justin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Next are some of my Atari 2600 boxes! These came with my 2600s. My dad's cousin was moving and didn't have room for a bunch of broken Atari stuff, so he just gave it away. That was very kind of him! Most of these boxes came folded up, so I had to reconstruct them a tad. Also on the shelf are a GBA, DSI, New 3DS XL, broken Atari controller Plug and Play, Asteroids mini arcade, broken NES controller, Broken 3DS XL, and a Yoshi plush. socrates63 and Justin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Next we have the top shelf! Here we have four more Atari 2600 boxes: Outlaw, Pac-Man, Carnival, and Donkey Kong. There is also the Radio Shack Astrothunder tabletop VFD game CIB with a Mario plush sitting on top. I also have a decorative Atari TV/Computer switchbox and a speaker. I also have my prized 1990s holographic Raichu Pokemon card. There is a story behind this card. When I was around 10 years old, I bought Pokemon Trading Card Game (Game boy color) on my 3DS virtual console, and this was my favorite card. About a year later, I saw this in a Pokemon card league I joined at a local game store. It was like $10. I blew all my savings on it and other Pokemon card packs. I spent around $100 all in all. I felt really embarrassed that I did this and I was really upset that I was broke, so I just never went back to the league. Since then I have thought long and hard about every purchase I've made. I've never gotten an allowance from my parents, so that was all just birthday and Christmas money. I haven't purchased any Pokemon related things since, but I really like this card so I display it. Justin and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Here are some things. I have lots of DS, Switch and 3DS boxes along the walls. You can also get a good view of my Beatles shrine from here, as well as my TV setup, Lighthouse poster, Wii U and Intellivision Flashback box. Justin and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socrates63 Posted August 18, 2020 Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 Harry, you're an old soul in a young man's body 🙂 Tube TV! 👍 Justin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 i love reading these old catalogs. They are endlessly fascinating to me. I wonder what it would have been like to read them when they were new. I don't much care for the comic books, however. I never liked them too much; they were always just kind of boring to me. The Qotile Ultimatum was pretty good, but Atari Force was a bit of a slog, and honestly I don't remember if I've ever read through a single issue in its entirety. Justin and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 5 minutes ago, socrates63 said: Harry, you're an old soul in a young man's body 🙂 Tube TV! 👍 No, I'm a cheap soul in a young man's body! I put this up there about two years ago. I found it in the basement. Now that the 2600's there, it's never going away. One of my biggest pet peeves is playing retro consoles on modern displays. Don't mind emulation on modern displays, just original hardware. Justin and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted August 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2020 *Sigh*. This thing. The Nintendo Wii U. People hate on it but to be honest, when I was ten, I never wanted a console more. I BEGGED my parents for MONTHS to get this console when Super Mario Maker came out. I was so overjoyed when I got it for Christmas. Super Mario Maker came with the console, and it was the only game I played for months. I refuse to play the sequel because there's no way it would be as easy as using the Wii U gamepad to create levels. I even kept the box for this console, but sadly my mom found it a couple years ago and recycled it. I'll never forgive her for that. This obviously isn't a picture of my actual Wii U. socrates63, RickR and Justin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted November 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2020 It’s that time of year again... Goodbye, stuff! See you back on the shelves after the holidays. TrekMD and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 That's a cute ET! Quote 🖖 Going to the final frontier, gaming... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socrates63 Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 1 hour ago, HDN said: It’s that time of year again... Goodbye, stuff! See you back on the shelves after the holidays. What time of the year is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosweargamer Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 1 hour ago, HDN said: It’s that time of year again... Goodbye, stuff! See you back on the shelves after the holidays. Wow, you made you're own Retro Junk Box!!! 🙂 So are you in trouble, or do you have to make room for Christmas decorations. socrates63 1 Quote The No Swear Gamer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtJuo040EOCTVziObIgVcg Host of The Atari 7800 Game by Game Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and YouTube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted November 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 1 hour ago, TrekMD said: That's a cute ET! Thank you. 1 hour ago, socrates63 said: What time of the year is it? That time... 1 hour ago, nosweargamer said: Wow, you made you're own Retro Junk Box!!! 🙂 So are you in trouble, or do you have to make room for Christmas decorations. Yup, Christmas decorations! I go way overboard every year. The setting-up process usually takes a few days, but oh it’s worth it! I will post pictures when I am done. socrates63, nosweargamer and RickR 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 1 hour ago, HDN said: Yup, Christmas decorations! I go way overboard every year. The setting-up process usually takes a few days, but oh it’s worth it! I will post pictures when I am done. Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about. It takes me at least 4 or 5 days to get done. 🙂 nosweargamer and HDN 2 Quote 🖖 Going to the final frontier, gaming... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 I think you should start a "Share Your Holiday Decorations" thread in off-topic. I'm looking forward to your displays! TrekMD, nosweargamer, HDN and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted November 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 Yeah, I'm just wondering how I'm going to do it this year. Last time, I didn't have a desk in the way. The main problem here is my record player. I can't put it where it was last year as that surface is now up against something and a record would just rub against it. I have one of those briefcase ones, and the record hangs off the side a little. Not the highest fidelity machine, but it gets the job done. The problem is that it's sitting right where the tree always goes. I can't just put it away as it's good for playing Christmas music on. I never had much room to work with in the first place, and now I have even less. But I'll find a way. It's a nice mental puzzle, I guess. RickR and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 A challenge! I'm sure you'll come up with an interesting solution. Perhaps a temporary shelf above the record player (like two cinder blocks and a board). HDN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted November 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 33 minutes ago, RickR said: A challenge! I'm sure you'll come up with an interesting solution. Perhaps a temporary shelf above the record player (like two cinder blocks and a board). I don't think that'll work, either. The table that it's on is almost the same size that it is. I'm sure I'll figure something out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 How about a hanging shelf under the table top for the record player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDN Posted November 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 1 minute ago, RickR said: How about a hanging shelf under the table top for the record player? Here is what we are working with: RickR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 I see. Well, you could always hang that tree upside down from the ceiling HDN and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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