What's the deal with CiB?

[maxellnormalbias]

I mean, you're supposed to throw the box out anyway! I understand keeping the manuals, but seriously? Keeping all of the styrofoam and everything?

I guess I just don't get it, because I always throw the box away in games that still have boxes (e.g. Skylanders). I also don't understand people who want to collect all games for a console (like the NES) and going to extreme lengths to get an authentic copy of, say, Nintendo World Championships. You couldn't just play it on a REPRODUCTION CART!? It's the same game either way!

Phew...well, if there is any reason for all of this, please tell me, I have no idea how any of this works.

[P]

The boxes for games are nothing like the boring box that comes with a TV or similar product that you throw away immediately (unless you need it for transportation). The box is about artwork and other memorable things that's part of the whole experience.

For me, the manual is the most important for a game though, since '80s and '90s game manuals are usually filled with artwork and information about the game that can't be found within the game but still is part of the game (All There In The Manual). There are also sometimes maps and charts included with the game, and when I buy games I need these too. The box is least important and if I buy a game that isn't as important for my collection I'm ok with getting only the cart and manual, but I very seldom buy loose carts.

Modern games often have disappointing manuals with just the "how to play" explanations that you can figure out on your own anyway (especially since there are often lengthy in-game tutorials).

Now with games having internal electronic manuals, the problem with lost manuals might be a thing of the past.

[maxellnormalbias]

I know, but usually I can view the box art on the cart itself, and I'm really only talking about people that are like "ZOMG I N33D STAEDEEUM EVENTZ MYNT INN BOKS!!!!1!" or something. I don't get that. But yeah, keeping the manuals makes sense.

[Jedi Master Baiter]

I despise people like you, maxell. I always love seeing the larger artwork of the boxes rather than the cart labels. Same reason why some people miss vinyls.

To be fair, NES boxes were kinda lame in that they don't hold their integrity over time. Genesis had it right with the game cases.

But it's not a killer deal for me NOT to have the box, unless I have the box for TMNT 1 & 3, but don't have it for 2! Damnit, that's annoying.

But what drives me more nuts are the people making custom box cases for rare games like RC Pro Am II and NWC or Star Fox Super Weekend, thinking they can sell them for outrageous prices.

By the way, did I mention the story of my brother's friend who threw away his Mario 64 game box in the wastebin and I took it out and said since he doesn't want it that I'll keep it in hopes that I'll find the game loose in the future and he took the box from me and said 'my box, my trash' and threw it back in? Well now you know!

And now I have that game loose.

[maxellnormalbias]

As I said, I'm talking about people who need *everything* (as in, even the styrofoam) instead of just appreciating the box art (on the box, or on the cart, or on a case, or whatever). This is just because I've seen stuff like "Contra mint in box" sell for 5x the price on eBay compared to just a loose contra cartridge.

Also, I have vinyls, but those are different. If you walk into a record store the album covers are intact, because nobody threw those away. Walk into a game store, and you pretty much only see loose carts, except for the few boxed games that usually have a higher price tag. Also, you couldn't fit a whole big album artwork onto the record's sticker, so you *need* a cover to see the artwork. Usually (in the case of 72-pin NES games, at least) there's a fully-accurate 100% intact version of the art on the cartridge label.

I also should add that I get putting something into a case or buying a universal game case to put your games in and putting that on a shelf, I just don't get crazy people that need mint-condition shrink-wrapped whatever and then never play it.

[Shumi Nagaremono]

The boxes, for me, are just a bonus.  For certain series, I like to have the boxes just as display pieces (Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest, in my case).  Sometimes, the boxes themselves identify a set (the NES black box titles, for instance).  Other times, tracking down the box is more of a sentimental thing, a nostalgic reminder of a specific moment in the past.

For me, with few exceptions, they're just more trouble than they're worth.  They can add a TON to the price of the title, and they take up way more space.

[maxellnormalbias]

For me too, I don't throw away retro boxes or anything silly like that, I pretty much 100% agree with Shumi Nagaremono.

[Jedi Master Baiter]

As I said, I'm talking about people who need *everything* (as in, even the styrofoam) instead of just appreciating the box art (on the box, or on the cart, or on a case, or whatever).

The styrofoam is one of those things that helps keep the boxes integrity. And how can you appreciate the box art if you don't have it? I don't get what you're typing.

Also, I have vinyls, but those are different. If you walk into a record store the album covers are intact, because nobody threw those away. Walk into a game store, and you pretty much only see loose carts, except for the few boxed games that usually have a higher price tag. Also, you couldn't fit a whole big album artwork onto the record's sticker, so you *need* a cover to see the artwork. Usually (in the case of 72-pin NES games, at least) there's a fully-accurate 100% intact version of the art on the cartridge label.

But that label is too small to appreciate the larger box art image. At least for me. But one of the reasons why vinyl covers don't get thrown away is because they serve to protect the vinyl, like a CD case. Cartridges can be set atop a shelf or table and you wouldn't need to worry about it getting damaged. Disc games, however... either way, it's stupid to throw something away that has value. Of course, you bought it, it's your prerogative if you want to throw it way. I just hope you're not like my "friend" I wrote about in my post up there. ^

I also should add that I get putting something into a case or buying a universal game case to put your games in and putting that on a shelf, I just don't get crazy people that need mint-condition shrink-wrapped whatever and then never play it.

Is this the underlying peeve you have... If so, you'd have to ask at Nintendoage about that.

[maxellnormalbias]

As I said, I'm talking about people who need *everything* (as in, even the styrofoam) instead of just appreciating the box art (on the box, or on the cart, or on a case, or whatever).

The styrofoam is one of those things that helps keep the boxes integrity. And how can you appreciate the box art if you don't have it? I don't get what you're typing.

I'm talking about people who need pristine mint-condition stuff. If you're keeping the box of course you're going to keep the styrofoam, that was a bad way of saying it. I'm saying appreciating the box art is fine it's just basically the whole crazy collector thing from the third quote.

Also, I have vinyls, but those are different. If you walk into a record store the album covers are intact, because nobody threw those away. Walk into a game store, and you pretty much only see loose carts, except for the few boxed games that usually have a higher price tag. Also, you couldn't fit a whole big album artwork onto the record's sticker, so you *need* a cover to see the artwork. Usually (in the case of 72-pin NES games, at least) there's a fully-accurate 100% intact version of the art on the cartridge label.

But that label is too small to appreciate the larger box art image. At least for me. But one of the reasons why vinyl covers don't get thrown away is because they serve to protect the vinyl, like a CD case. Cartridges can be set atop a shelf or table and you wouldn't need to worry about it getting damaged. Disc games, however... either way, it's stupid to throw something away that has value. Of course, you bought it, it's your prerogative if you want to throw it way. I just hope you're not like my "friend" I wrote about in my post up there. ^

Well, if he was going to throw it away I don't understand why he wouldn't give it to you instead, it will be off his hands either way. If this was in the 90s/early 2000s when you could still buy this stuff I would understand throwing it away, but if the N64 was already considered a collectable system by then throwing it out wouldn't make much sense at all.

I also should add that I get putting something into a case or buying a universal game case to put your games in and putting that on a shelf, I just don't get crazy people that need mint-condition shrink-wrapped whatever and then never play it.

Is this the underlying peeve you have... If so, you'd have to ask at Nintendoage about that.

NintendoAge...I was accused of being a spammer on there because we were having an argument about Mother 3 and I said "It's in Japanese, and there's no official translation like Earthbound Zero, so they'd have to translate it all from scratch and the GBA isn't even being sold anymore, so of course Nintendo won't localize it."

[Nightstar699]

I like how this thread title is phrased like the setup to a Jerry Seinfeld joke. But to answer the question, well... I, admittedly, used to think the same as you on this matter, I thought that people who demanded CIB were silly, because the game itself is all you need to enjoy your product to the fullest... right.... right? But then, just a few years ago, I was given a few CIB Famicom games (Bucky O' Hare and Rockman 6) as a gift, and immediately, I knew there was no going back. Having been used to the ugly packaging, and unremarkable manuals of U.S. releases for many years, I had grown to think of them as disposable and unnecessary, but import packaging blew me away, especially when it comes to the gorgeous art in those manuals. Now, having been an exclusive CIB collector for a while, I look at my collection not only as a endless array of entertainment, but also as a work of art. Those boxes are seriously like little paintings, man. Especially for anyone fond of the anime artstyle.

Nowadays, opening up the instruction manual to one of my imports, and viewing whatever character/enemy artwork is contained within, is just as much fun as playing the game for the first time. And it's a huge part of the experience for me.

[P]

I'm talking about people who need pristine mint-condition stuff.

A mint game is simply much more attractive than a loose cart for most collectors. It's just about priority if you are prepared to shell out the extra money for it. Some people are more prepared than others, and make sure everything they get is CIB.

Let's say you are a big fan of the Final Fantasy series. For other games you are usually ok with loose carts but for the three FF games plus the I&II multicart for Famicom you want CIB and are prepared to pay a little extra for it. Then there are off course hard-core collectors that want to have a NIB copy of every game in their collection for eternal preservation as well a loose copy to actually play. I can understand the the idea of that preservation part even though I don't have money or room to do something like that. I try to preserv the games I have the best I can, and sometimes I scan manuals, maps etc.

Having been used to the ugly packaging, and unremarkable manuals of U.S. releases for many years, I had grown to think of them as disposable and unnecessary, but import packaging blew me away, especially when it comes to the gorgeous art in those manuals. Now, having been an exclusive CIB collector for a while, I look at my collection not only as a endless array of entertainment, but also as a work of art. Those boxes are seriously like little paintings, man. Especially for anyone fond of the anime artstyle.

Some manuals was changed before they where released in US and Europe but there were also a good deal of manuals that kept the Japanese artwork. Thankfully, Scandinavia was spared the horrible boxart that early US NES games got, and we got original Japanese boxart instead. Early Megaman games are horrible/hilarious exceptions to that though.

I'm also a sucker for the '80s and '90s Japanese artwork, which is partly why I'm so obsessed with the manuals. Sometimes I wonder if growing up with Japanese artwork is why I became interested in the modern Japanese drawing style so early in my life.

By the way, did I mention the story of my brother's friend who threw away his Mario 64 game box in the wastebin and I took it out and said since he doesn't want it that I'll keep it in hopes that I'll find the game loose in the future and he took the box from me and said 'my box, my trash' and threw it back in? Well now you know!

And now I have that game loose.

Hearing about people throwing away game boxes like that makes me want to cry.

[maxellnormalbias]

Lots of replies from lots of CiB collectors...and I have like, what, a bunch of pirate multicarts?

Well, I guess it's just a different type of collecting, although I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a "collector" at all.

Maybe I just don't get it.

[Shumi Nagaremono]

CiB collecting is more like collecting toys and/or comic books than "traditional" video game collecting. 

Take Transformers for example.  You want a Generation One Optimus Prime?  Doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough to look nice on your desk or shelf.  Maybe you want it for your young son, so he can see what kind of toys Dad used to play with.  No problem.  You can get one for like $20 on eBay.  It won't have the box and it may be missing a few accessories here and there, but nothing too important.  Maybe it's an original.  Maybe it's one of the numerous reissues.  But it's a G1 Optimus Prime.  And if that's all you want, then getting one won't be much of a hassle. 

But if you want the pre-G1 Diaclone version, MiSB, AFA90+, then you're going to spend a long time looking, and you're going to have to shell out thousands of dollars to add it to your collection.

Same deal with comics.  Want to read a specific issue?  There are however many reprints, trades, collections, and digital editions (Comixology, etc) that you can do it cheaply.  Need the legit first printing?  A dog-eared copy of almost any comic of the last 30 years usually won't break the bank.  Need that key issue in Near Mint CGC-9.8?  That's gonna cost ya. 

It's all about what your collecting goals are.  Just want the game to play? Most loose carts cost much less than a new release.  Want to put together a huge CiB collection for whatever reasons?  Get your checkbook ready.       

[Nightstar699]

Just for the record, I'd say my mindset consists of about a 9:1 player to collector ratio (seriously, not only do I beat every game I buy multiple times, but I try mastering them so I can beat them convincingly), and yet, despite being way more of a player than a collector, I still like to have all my games CIB. Sure, the extra packaging and cute manual art won't consume as many hours of my day as the games themselves will, but it helps me appreciate these beloved games even further, and plus, I just like having some nice art to display on my shelf. Not to brag, but because it cheers me up to look at.

[BonBon]

This is so lame. Please tell me your not ignorant you are well aware this is a website for collectors of retro games correct. Having the box and manual for the extened art work alone is worth it. Most of my collection is loose and most of the time I won't pay extra for cib but now we have you here running your mouth and knocking people for wanting to collect cib or have a complete cib collection you just come across as a complete ass. I feel like you just start garbage threads to gain attention.