Sealed Game Collectors may seem unusual to those that just buy games to play, but we are preserving and valuing the art and artefacts of gaming for future generations.

Maybe you've not come acorss a sealed game collector before. We are no different from any other collector , we just like stuff to be new and untouched by human hands. The sealed game collector takes the hobby to the next level - both in terms of difficulty and value.

But, like toy collectors who never play with their products, we can be painted as rather dour boring individuals. The truth couldn't be further from that though. Most sealed game collectors started collecting because they want to preserve these games for future generations. That's why I do it, because I love games.

The main driving force behind my collection is to complete my sealed N64 and Gamecube sets. This is a tall order but quite possible given enough dedication, time and money.

I've built up my collection mainly from scouring websites like EBay. Certainly, this is the best place to look for older retro sealed games. But like any aspect of gaming, there is a strong community angle too. I have strong contacts with other collectors and sometimes will buy or trade with them for rare items.

Current day games are also colectable as long as they are special editions in limited runs. These I purchase from my local game store as well as the better online retailers, particular those with a robust pre-order scheme.

I've been going now for around five years. it was then that I bought my first collectable game, Perfect Dark for the N64. When it arrived it was sealed and I liked the untouched by human hand nature of what I had purchase. So much so infact that I only started to only collect sealed games. The idea of a complete N64 collection of games drove me to sell most of my everyday game collection for funds.

So, five years and 15K later I now have an impressive sealed game collection. I have over 500 sealed games and a number of sealed consoles too, including 5 different N64's and 5 different Gamecubes.

Selaed Game of the Week - Zelda A Link to the Past on SNES

Each of these post I'll be sharing my game of the week. Today this is Zelda A Link to the Past on the SNES. My copy is sealed with the red Nintendo tear strip. I had been looking for this game for ages and kept missing out but eventually won a copy on EBay for GBP120. I asked the seller to pack it very well so it wouldnt get damaged in the post but she only packed it in a jiffy bag . Luckily it arrived without too much damage. This is now worth GBP200 to GBP300.

Written by Steph Flemming

Steph Flemming writes the Collecting Gamer column. "There are as many way to collect games as there are to play them. I want to bring together old, new, classic, rare, sealed game collectors together in one place, and make sense of it for us everyday people."

Steph Flemming's recent reviews:

• I Collect Gaming Figures
• The Early Bird Gets the Game
• Collect Another Toy Story
• Sealed Game Collecting Community

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