The Crack Like Addiction of Buying Pc-Engine/Turbo Games

[Sinistron]

Even if a week goes by without me buying a game- I start to feel like I'm losing control or something.  I'm an obssessive person- but I don't think I've ever been as much so as with this.  Even when I'm broke I feel the need to squeeze out a little extra cash- even if it's to get some shitty universally panned loose hucard game like Rastan Saga II.  My girlfriend probably enables my addiction because it keeps me home!  As each holiday approaches she starts to whisper soothing things like which "Turby" game do you want for Valentine's Day?  and what not.  Pop 'n Magic starts swimming in my head as a real possibility.  Titles float in and out of consciousness as I lay down in bed.  The sound of the fully powered Legendary Axe becomes the sound of my eureka moments (ok- not really- but it should).  I maniacally pour over the same reviews over and over for games yet to be in my collection.  The artwork for games like Magical Chase, Dynastic Hero, Beyond Shadowgate, Terra Cresta II, Kaze Kiri and The TV Show seem to twinkle and wink at me- as if to say "You'll love me! Maybe! One Day! One Day You'll Afford Me! If You Can Stay Alive Long Enough!".  I feel a constant urge to see Hero Tonma leap across my screen- to see the newer, improved motoroader cars, to see two Chiki Chiki Boys hacking cartoonish fiends to ribbons.  I'm in the middle of moving and instead of worrying about setting up a Time Warner appointment- or figuring out how I'm gonna move the bed, or if I should buy a new TV- I'm wondering if I have enough in my account to purchase Circus Lido.  I am going slowly, surely, delightfully mad and all of my other obssessions have suffered for it.
Anyone else have this affliction?   

[MurderDate]

sounds like your girlfriend rules.

yeah dude, same problem here.  If I'm not actively buying them I'm making lists and watching clips and reading reviews and planning which ones I want next.   and the clincher - how I'm going to find them.

OH and I play them too.

It's fun ...

[OldTurboBastard]

At least the turbo games don't have you peering out a window all night long and mortgaging your home. That sounds like the "good" sort of addiction

[nat]

I'm in the middle of moving and instead of worrying about setting up a Time Warner appointment- or figuring out how I'm gonna move the bed, or if I should buy a new TV- I'm wondering if I have enough in my account to purchase Circus Lido. 

Gold! Pure gold!

[NecroPhile]

My girlfriend probably enables my addiction because it keeps me home!  As each holiday approaches she starts to whisper soothing things like which "Turby" game do you want for Valentine's Day?  and what not.

Marry that woman!  Alternatively, club her over the head and lock her in the basement.

Anyone else have this affliction?   

Yes, though not to the compulsive extreme that you've reached (thoughts of Circus Lido dancing in my head will never keep me up at night).  I sometimes wonder, what will I do once I've amassed a complete collection of US titles.

[guyjin]

which "Turby" game do you want for Valentine's Day?

   

[D-Lite]

Haha, fantastic stuff.  And just to think the next big sale is coming soon...... 

[Ceti Alpha]

lol. That's awesome Sinistron. 

For me my Turbo obsession is about 65% gaming and 35% collecting....give or take. I love scouring the internet for potential buys, reading reviews for games, and watching Youtube clips of gameplays. One topic that still hasn't gotten old, even after all these years, is the console comparison issue. There will never be a conclusive or unanimous decision on that topic, but it won't stop us from talking about it or Joe from making side by side comparisons of Ys III.  100% fun dot com. 

I only wish I had gotten my Duo sooner than just this past summer. I spent years on the internet looking up Turbo stuff on the internet without even owning one. I think I was turned off from some of the outrageous prices on eBay for Turbo Duos. Though there are obviously still some crazy auctions, it doesn't seem quite as bad. Good deals can be had.

[nat]

Haha, fantastic stuff.  And just to think the next big sale is coming soon...... 

I think Dean has becoming just as addicted to hosting these sales as we are to participating in them.

[Sinistron]

Haha, fantastic stuff.  And just to think the next big sale is coming soon...... 

I think Dean has becoming just as addicted to hosting these sales as we are to participating in them.

thank gawd fer that!
how soon til this new sale stomps into my waking hours?

[nat]

He says soon, so my guess would be, oh, about 9 weeks.

[Sinistron]

That's ok by me.  I'll be moved into my new place and hopefully I'll be financially recooping and ordering from his sale with my new Imac.  Flash me forward forkers!  I'm sick of "now".

[D-Lite]

He says soon, so my guess would be, oh, about 9 weeks.

Haha, you've seen this play before.

Actually I'm more organized this round.  I've got a bunch of stuff already tagged with conditions and I'm waiting for at least 1-2 more boxes to come in.  You folks do realize that basically I get a metric shit-ton of games in an effort to complete and upgrade my own collection and sell the rest, yes?  I'm just as addicted and maybe more so 

[Ceti Alpha]

Actually I'm more organized this round.  I've got a bunch of stuff already tagged with conditions and I'm waiting for at least 1-2 more boxes to come in.  You folks do realize that basically I get a metric shit-ton of games in an effort to complete and upgrade my own collection and sell the rest, yes?  I'm just as addicted and maybe more so  Drool

Holy tamoli!  That's awesome. heh

[nat]

In a rare show of form, I'm actually going to steer this thread back on topic.

I was thinking about it, and I guess I do have an "addiction" that extends somewhat beyond the "norm." Whenever I buy used games, I always ritualistically have to clean them very thoroughly to get them looking as new as possible. CDs get their playing surfaced serviced, cartridges get contacts filed to remove oxidization. Cartridges also get a bath, with as much scrubbing as is necessary to have them looking like they were manufactured yesterday.

Cases always get a Windex treatment and I make English spine labels for any games that have Japanese I can't understand.

I can't stand looking at dirty games. Anyone else do this?

EDIT: One more thing-- sticker removal. I can't stand price tags and other nonsense on my games. Peanut butter (yes, you read that right) applied to any leftover "stick" residue will nullify the stick and let you wipe it clean off, leaving absolutely zero trace it was ever there. This is because 99% of the time the glue used in stickers is oil-based. When the oil from the peanut butter interacts with the oil-based glue, it essentially liquifies it and allows you to remove it extremely easily.

[Sinistron]

Hole-e Sheet on that peanut butter trick- I have a few games (like the craptastic Turrican) that are sticky as all get out and I have to loudly peel the carts out of the binder sheets-
I'm gonna give this peanut butter thing-a-ma-bob a day in court...

[PCEngineHell]

Haha, fantastic stuff.  And just to think the next big sale is coming soon...... 

Watching and waiting...

[Kitsunexus]

One more thing-- sticker removal. I can't stand price tags and other nonsense on my games.

You and me both.

[MurderDate]

peanut butter is crazy, dude.  I clean up record covers all the time -  I use lighter fluid to take off marker / sticky residue / stains  or WD-40 to take off stickers.  Use as little fluid as possible -  use a Q Tip.   Practice for a little bit on some paperback books or something. I'm not too anal about the condition of most of my games (assuming I didn't pay an arse-load for it online, and I never do) personally.  I mean, a beat up CD really sucks but otherwise..

[NecroPhile]

Anyone else do this?

Oh yeah, though I'm not quite as thorough as you - I don't file the contacts unless they're really corroded.  Thanks for the peanut butter trick, but I think that I'll stay with the 3M adhesive remover stuff.

[Sinistron]

The peanut butter is definitely some Macguyver shit.  I'll be trying that one.  There's always PB & J in mi casa.

[nat]

That's the whole point. I'm sure other "professional" removers work fine too, but why make an extra trip to the store when you can kill two birds with one stone?

I'm sure the professional stuff is just some kind of peanut oil or similar substance in a jar, anyway.

[NecroPhile]

Close - mine smells like oranges.  I'll keep using it 'til it's gone, but since I use it sparingly, it's gonna be a while.

[schnuth]

I'm a big fan of Goo Gone for removing stickers and such from games.  I've been using it for years, and it's not that expensive.  Plus it leaves a lemony scent!  I don't think I'd spread and PB on my PCE games though.  But to each their own.   

[Sinistron]

Most of the games are already buttery though- a little more won't hurt.

[D-Lite]

Some of us chemists just bring home some hexanes and that sticker shit is gone....

[nat]

I don't think I'd spread and PB on my PCE games though.  But to each their own.   

It's not like it leaves a residue or anything. I challenge anyone to point out what games in my collection have had the "peanut butter" treatment. Not gonna happen!

[NecroPhile]

Some of us chemists just bring home some hexanes and that sticker shit is gone....

You can't fool me..... you huff 'em 'til you no longer care about the sticker goo. 

It's not like it leaves a residue or anything. I challenge anyone to point out what games in my collection have had the "peanut butter" treatment. Not gonna happen!

A squirrel could figure it out. 

[D-Lite]

It's not like it leaves a residue or anything. I challenge anyone to point out what games in my collection have had the "peanut butter" treatment. Not gonna happen!

A squirrel could figure it out.  [/quote]
Are you saying nat's games smell like nuts?

[Ceti Alpha]

A squirrel could figure it out.  Laughing

Are you saying nat's games smell like nuts?[/quote]
lol. OK, I entered this conversation late.  I'm going to have to go back to the last page. 

[nat]

A squirrel could figure it out.  Laughing

Are you saying nat's games smell like nuts?

lol. OK, I entered this conversation late.  I'm going to have to go back to the last page. 

My nuts are all the rage these days.

[BigT]

A rag lightly soaked in Mineral Spirits is incredibly effective at removing tough sticker residue (takes about 10-15 seconds).  It's cheap to buy at Home Depot, not messy at all, and safe on plastics in my experience.

I use it all the time on used Xbox games from Gamestop.

[Keranu]

EDIT: One more thing-- sticker removal. I can't stand price tags and other nonsense on my games. Peanut butter (yes, you read that right) applied to any leftover "stick" residue will nullify the stick and let you wipe it clean off, leaving absolutely zero trace it was ever there. This is because 99% of the time the glue used in stickers is oil-based. When the oil from the peanut butter interacts with the oil-based glue, it essentially liquifies it and allows you to remove it extremely easily.

The peanut buttet trick! You must be a student of the legendary Marty Goldberg!

[nat]

Not at all. I learned it years ago from someone in my family. My grandfather, maybe.