So You Want To Start Collecting Retro Games In 2024?!

[@CbassMajor]

LMAO "the closest to Aubrey Plaza you'll ever meet"

[@Mattyisokay]

I’m just glad she reads the comments lmao

[@PeperonyChease]

​@@Mattyisokaylike nobody has mentioned it in person ever....

[@drewfromyay882]

I am personally offended. I will be back once I meet Aubrey Plaza

[@narm_greyrunner]

I thought that was Snarky Jay.

[@ShanGamer1981]

This is true :)

[@AlexConnolly]

Aubrey is the only choice to do Sam justice when they start casting for the Radjunk movie.

[@dbzfanatic278]

Die hard gamer here since 1987. Ive been collecting for years and so far i have almost 20 systems and almost 400 games. It's an adventure. I buy everything in store and in person like back in the day. Also have a 32 inch CRT specifically for the older consoles. The real problem they dont tell you when you start collecting is that eventually you will run out of space and become horribly addicted to it😅

[@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism]

Once you become addicted, it's no longer collecting, but hoarding.

[@ThaMobstarr]

​@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism True

[@benster5]

I think I'll choose Sam over Aubrey.

[@daviddrinn9137]

For old school light gun games, the SNES Super Scope is criminally underrated. The Battle Clash and Metal Combat games are so awesome.

[@Y0Y0Y2K]

Another point, and a somewhat large topic, is tracking your collection-especially as your collection grows. There are quite a few apps, websites, etc nowadays to help track, organize, and check the value of your games, consoles, etc. I think “noobs” would benefit from knowing about these tracking methods early in their foray into collecting.

[@maximusroyalstar9084]

Pricecharting is my app to track my collection and value.

[@storyender6476]

How to spot fake games is good info for people to know if you do a part two.

[@Pelvacus]

Glad y'all weren't in the Hurricanes direct path. Hopefully everything is okay in your area. I also hope those directly effected are well too. I may be in the Ft. Walton area in October. I plan on visiting the store and hopefully spending some money. Looking for an old school NES. Mid-life crisis time (I'm 45) and I'm been looking to revisit my childhood LOL. Not that pre loaded NES either, I want cartridges!

[@thebestSteven]

Just watch a short with you, and I was like, oh cool Aubry Plaza opened a game store.

[@patdzon]

This was informative. Thank you, Ms Plaz....I mean, Sam!

[@WillieTroxler]

I love Nintendo games they're so awesome!! I used to play all kinds of Nintendo games like Killer Instinct, Super Mario bros, and Mortal Kombat ❤️🎮🕹️✨

[@drewfromyay882]

"the closest to Aubrey Plaza you're ever gonna meet"" That hurt me deeply.

[@Mr666acab]

Shut up, Audrey

[@clintmajors2009]

I'm never not going to see or hear Aubrey Plaza when I watch your videos now lol thanks

[@masqueradevictim]

Loved this, I'm trying to get into retro gaming, cause I found my old N64 and got it working.

[@atarileaf]

I've been doing this since 1992. I can't imagine starting now

[@st3b3d]

Im a Floridian too. Stay safe for the storm!

[@JamJam0189]

Hiya Sam, my first video game memory was playing on SONIC 1 & 2 and Streets of Rage on my big sister's SEGA Megadrive (Genesis) in the late-90's, one of my friends in school had a PS1, and in 2001 we both got PS2's for Christmas. I was a big fan of the Need For Speed games. I stopped gaming in my late teens, but later returned buying a PS3 super slim from Tesco in 2012. In 2020 I took my PS2 back out of the box, it didn't read some discs, so I tried to clean it with a lens cleaning disc and it worked well, I've followed a video and taken off the cover to give it a dust. I bought a HDMI converter as my LCD TV had AV but picture quality was not so good as it used to be. In 2021 when shops opened back up I went to a local independent video games store in my home city in Yorkshire and bought a 2nd hand PS4 and have got back into gaming, now having a clear out, and re-decoration, and planning to get a bigger TV, new stand with a shelf so I can fit my PS2, PS3 and PS4 in

[@rosetodaro5081]

No, I want all my retro games back that I sold for pennies on the dollar like an idiot 😭

[@Dilvamp90]

brilliant intro 🤣🤣🤣 made my morning you guys are legends ..... You really do look like a cooler version of Aubrey Plaza

[@bryanvillanueva6943]

Ill choose Sam over Aubrey any day!

[@ThaMobstarr]

I used to do game collecting in 2017-2022 kind of. Up until I got into Magic The Gathering (the card game) which became my new passion. But I have fond memories of collecting old GBA, DS and 3DS games. It kind of felt like reliving my childhood and getting myself the games that we didn't have money for, when I was a child. But I must say that I enjoy Magic way more now, since I am also actually playing the game that I am investing money in, instead of just collecting them and putting them in a shelve, instead of playing any of them.

[@mattpfeil]

Cant wait to visit this store in May when I travel there for vacation

[@crackahead42pos]

I started seriously collecting the usa release for nes earlier this year and I'm at 20% completion. The best game so far is duck tales 2.

[@thefrozengoat]

I hope you are also saving for retirement - don't sink every dime you have into a hobby

[@NoName-fo7mz]

@@thefrozengoatno

[@theoriginalfat]

CRT is the way to go regarding RETRO stuff, even the switch looks amazing on a CRT TV... greetings from Costa Rica

[@MatthewFling]

Hot take! Sam is 10x⚡️RADDER⚡️ than Aubrey Plaza.

[@powderedwater67]

And Aubrey is pretty rad.

[@NoName-fo7mz]

@@powderedwater67nope she sucks

[@lilgangster49]

Finally someone said it

[@NoName-fo7mz]

They both suck

[@travisnorman]

Totally giving up while trying to dig out an RF cable is so retro relatable lol

[@skateboard_sandwich]

Prolly only a matter of time before Sam makes a “blood orphans” reference. Great episode!

[@charleswilson523]

The prettiest blue freeze pop I ever did see..😊

[@cblizard6850]

I couldn’t own a store like this. I couldn’t get rid of anything.

[@handyhenry991]

Hey ! Was cool to meet you at Retrofest . Almost picked up that Mario jazz vinyl .. Was tempted

[@16bitseth]

I have 3 CRTs a Trinitron, RCA, and a GE with the built in VCR. I love all my retro games!

[@OzarkRetro]

Great video! I get these similar questions regularly as well. Very easy to understand explanations. Keep up the great work!

[@voltronleo]

OMG my son made that comparison to Aubrey the other day and I had never noticed before. Now I can't unsee it.

[@ZMAN_420]

Great advice, keep it clean. I just had 2 CRT's die. Both 32 inch 1 was flat glass the other was curved screen. Great Content my original NES Zelda battery still works. Final Fantasy 1 and Dragon Warrior 1 also. Great video!🤘🏻👍🏻🇺🇲

[@thisisthelukas]

I'm neurotic about my video game and disk condition. How do you test to see if a type of brush (soft toothbrush, medium toothbrush, scrub brush, etc.) will put micro scratches on your carts? How can you ensure you are preserving as much of the plastic as possible when brushing off the gamer gunk?

[@Warmelon1]

If you're looking to play some light gun games on a modern screen, look up the Sinden light gun. Not cheap, but worth it imo.

[@NoName-fo7mz]

No

[@Warmelon1]

@@NoName-fo7mz Yes

[@andrewcach6082]

I modded my wii and you can play light gun games for nes and super scope on SNES. I have both and a CRT, but playing on the wii is more convenient. Im not a huge modder, but it can be nice. But as a collector I always want the real deal

[@josephkarl2061]

Especially living in New Zealand, retro emulation is a lifesaver. It would be nice to collect retro games, but if the game is not available locally, shipping is really going to cramp your style 😛 Having said that, I’ve got an Atari 2600 Plus and have managed to score my top 10 2600 games locally (big win 🤘), so it’s not impossible 🙃

[@johnedwardwoodjr2241]

I Have A Really Big Old Game Systems Collection Too, - Atari 2600, Intellivision, Sega Genesis Retro With 80 Built In Games, Original Xbox, A GameCube, PlayStation 2 & PlayStation 3 With Light Issues, & A Raspberry Pi 3 With Retropie, Receiving A Nintendo 64 From eBay Maybe Friday Or Sat

[@reys819]

this is not aubrey plaza?

[@reys819]

I've been fooled :(

[@TroyFronczek]

I wasn’t listening but I strongly disagree.

[@Madj3llyfish]

One of the things you could talk about is rarity of games according to certain elements (for example, five screw NES cartridges are more valuable than three screws), certain alternate labels, etc

[@MossySparks]

I collect flash carts and ROMs.

[@EternalLoveAnkh]

Is there a way to save your Zelda game on the NES? In other words, is there a way to copy a saved game to another Zelda cart? RJ

[@SidShakal]

There is! A couple years ago, I got really into the idea of archiving whatever save data I still had on my childhood game carts. It'll cost a bit of money, but devices that can read and write cartridge save data have and do exist. It seems like the latest such devices are those based on the open source cart reader project by someone named Sanni. As I understand it, the plans for that project are freely available for anyone with electronics experience and access to fabrication services to DIY. That's quite a high bar as far as DIY goes, though. Good news is that because it's an open source project, anyone can make and sell them, so you don't have to do it yourself. The bad news is that anyone can make and sell them, so you'll want to do some research before buying, to make sure the specific version you're buying does what you want it to, and that the seller is rated highly and has favorable reviews from others who have bought the device from them. I haven't gotten a sanni cart reader yet myself. Because I started by just wanting to read and write game boy carts for a creative project, before expanding into "save all my save data!", I ended up with a more piecemeal and less complete approach. I went with an insideGadgets GBxCart RW for my GB/GBC/GBA games, and then got a Retrode 2 for my SNES games. There's no save data worth archiving on my small collection of NES carts as I either never played them much, or the batteries have already died and need to be replaced, so I just didn't bother with them.

[@EternalLoveAnkh]

@@SidShakal I have a disability and not good with my hands, or at least not fine, detailed hand labor, if that makes sense. Is there a way I can have someone do it for me? I'd love that. RJ

[@SidShakal]

@@EternalLoveAnkh yeah, if you'renot looking to dive into diving into cart dumping as a hobby project, your best bet might be to find someone local to you who already has the equipment and experience and is willing to help. You might check out any local retro gaming enthusiast events or hang out in more casual chat type social media platforms (discord and such) for your local retro gaming stores, clubs, or whatever. I feel like in those circles, the more connected people probably know someone (or know someone who knows someone) who can help. idk, just brainstorming 🙂

[@SilhSe]

Everyone wants to collect RETRO TECH !! 💯💯💯

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

Had to start my colection over largely from scratch back around 2013ish? I can't imagine trying to do it now. It's never been a better time to play retro games between the clone consoles, online services, and emulators, but it's arguably never been a worse time to collect with all this speculative inflation and price-gouging on the second hand market. not saying that you do that but for every honest retro retailer there seems to be at least 5 or 6 predatory ones. I have about 14 consoles sitting at my entertainment center from NES all the way to 360, but the headache of hookups and controllers ect. became too much and I just emulate everything now and the ease of which I do that is worth the little lost nostalgia of switching discs and that distinctive CLOPK of ejecting a SNES cartridge.

[@danielsalem7624]

Glad i have a plasma tv from 2007. It comes with all comnections you'll ever need for any console.

[@PeperonyChease]

Shame about the display

[@DustyOrchid057]

Sometimes you have to use Brasso to shine up the copper pins

[@jakejudson8578]

I got my n64 working, Perfect Dark, you are Johanna and I'll be Elvis!

[@doizero]

Love these unscripted videos it’s like having a conversation. The follow up video could be about hooking up multiple systems to a single TV without having to get dirty back there switching cables around

[@sleestack13]

I have a Playstation (the first one) and games that was submerged for maybe 5 days during a bad basement flood. Is it even worth looking at now, or does water mean death to these things? Thanks!

[@fredrodnick2881]

Pound makes a nice upscale cable for the PS2. Mine is 42 " and it looks pretty good. One wire goes into the set and one goes into one of the small ports on the front of the PS2. Also I think you have to change to the rbg ( or whatever it's called) on the start up screen. It comes with directions.

[@DynastyWarriors6]

Oh boy, collecting in 2024 is a tough call. It's a fun hobby, there are still scores and deals to be had and made, but it does have major downsides. 1. Financially it can be a big hit on the wallet, definitely recommend pacing oneself, don't overspend trying to match other's collections so quickly. 2. Don't compare your collection to someone else's, that's a slippery slope because then you may try to overcompensate to match another collectors collection. 3. Get games you want first of course, that you have memories with, then as time goes on you can get additional games that you want to try out. 4. Don't be afraid to let a deal go many times we are guilty, myself totally included, of buying deals that we really shouldn't because we feel like we might miss out. Have fun though, I want everyone to join in on collecting.

[@two-nichegaming4482]

I understand Rad Junk has the typical equipment to get consoles/games to a sellable standard, like a disc resurfacer, so if possible, I would be interested in seeing a small segment with tips on how to get micro scratches or scrapes out of handheld screens, whether its a permanent or temporary fix (unless its a Rad Junk trade secret). I think my suggestion would benefit people like me that have thumbstick scuffs on the top of their regular 3DS screen from years of opening and closing, to people on the fence about pulling the trigger on a lightly used PlayStation Portal. SCREEN PROTECTORS ARE FOR CELLPHONES! lol

[@PalominoBlueGames]

@1:40 RetroTINK is worth every penny.

[@PayneKilla94]

Where do I get one and does it connect to multiple retro consoles or nah

[@PalominoBlueGames]

@@PayneKilla94depending on which one you get, they have rgb, composite, svideo. You can connect pretty much anything to them but you need a switch if you want to have bunch of consoles connected at once.

[@JROBJAYCE]

Aubrey Plaza or Allblue Plaza? Nailed it! ❤

[@arlenparker5138]

I've done the cotton swab/alcohol and works really well

[@stashmerkin9576]

Could you make a video on how to spot fake games? I know most of the tells already because I've been burned before. It could help someone else not get taken by bunko!

[@MrJJA714]

Actually I do have a question/ recommendation Do you know how to replace a disc reader for a PS2?

[@stpnpl]

she actually said it 0:04 🤣😂

[@HeathenDeluxe]

Gen-X loves when Gen-Z Gamesplain.

[@JROBJAYCE]

I just noticed the prices on your NES games? I have over 580, but I am looking for more? Do you ship to NY?

[@Boogieb0423]

Pencil eraser works wonders on cleaning cartridge contacts. Alcohol by itself doesn’t always do a good job

[@yeshuamaitreya6954]

Will I be able to play my PS5 Pro on a zoetrope, or do I need a special cable?

[@jedimindtrick8966]

Beeswax candles produce the most accurate display.

[@Nojoh]

was just binge watching vids and you uploaded lmao sick

[@Evercade_Effect]

Great advise! The main issue with clone consoles is the compatibility and they often don't get the sound right.

[@RadJunk]

Some are definitely better than others! It’s convenient for those looking to get their nostalgia drip though.

[@Evercade_Effect]

@@RadJunk Definitely!

[@PhilsGuitar]

Whats the best way to fix scratched discs? (was thinking gamecube but prob applies to all). Do you necessarily need a disc buffer or are there other methods that can work?

[@kevinmitchell766]

I'm glad I kept my flat screen 32" Sanyo CRT. Sometimes hoarding pays off.😅

[@shaun8062]

It's funny because when I discovered your channel about 4 days ago I immediately thought you were imitating Audrey Plaza.

[@WillyRosado]

1 of the NES I had had AV just 1 audio connection it was a red mono plug

[@lexingtRick]

I agree with the eze, but there are some TV receptors that have only HDMI, so that's a good device

[@draculaman]

You can use Sinden Guns or Gun4IR for Lightguns on Modern displays, but it's can get pretty expensive and for most people thats going to involve going down the emulator route, and there is a lot of setup involved. Sinden Tech is the same guns they use in the Arcade 1up shooters. They both work really well though, Gun4IR in particular feels super close to playing on a CRT. I have one on my MAME Machine and it's a really good experience

[@davidsitrick3779]

came here to mention someone said Sinden lol

[@Z3NBluster]

LOL, It's been a while since I laughed so hard. I've always thought to myself that Sam is like a more colorful and more pleasant Aubrey Plaza.

[@diehard7153]

How much is a SNES at your store

[@Orangesherbz]

Hanging on to my older Sony flat screen TV until it stops working. Has HDMI, composite, component inputs all built in. Not the greatest picture quality but I like being able to play all the consoles I have!

[@Slifftee]

If you invest in a GB reader, you can upload your save file to your computer to preserve your save file. Once that’s done you can change the battery and then put the save file back into the cartridge.

[@RadJunk]

We love our gb operators!

[@Mr666acab]

November flerd. Good to know. I never know what to do that day

[@maximusroyalstar9084]

I live in Belgium (small country between France,Holland and Germany) and the closest feeling of a retro video game store I can experience comes mostly from vloggers like you who actually have a store. I have been a gamer for about 45 years, 30 of which have been a retro game collector. I don't know what the problem is in my country, but retro game stores are doomed to failure here. Belgium is one of the richest countries in the world, but retro games are not a common concept here. Even new games can only be found here since last month in a few supermarkets because the only video game store chain has gone bankrupt. I know of 1 retro game store for which I have to drive 50 miles and there are exactly 2 video game retro fairs for the whole country per year and then on a very small scale in a local cultural center. I have a few colleagues at work who play games, but none of them collect retro games.So I always look at your content with mixed feelings because it is always so interesting, but I can almost never experience it in real life. I can always go to Paris, but that is a 3 hours drive and traffic hell ;-) In France and the UK, retro game stores are also well represented and quite popular, but the general Belgian interest in retro games is very low.I keep watching youtube for my retro game itch and wish you the best of luck with you'r bussines.

[@amaximo]

For someone who's starting out collecting the retro games but actually doesn't have a console yet what do you think of "Hyperkin RetroN 3 HD 3-in-1 Retro Gaming Consoles?" Are they a good substitute to the originals for now until you can start getting the original units?

[@saidraalien6837]

its red white yellow , very important when its pitch dark behind the tv

[@TheAwsumFunk]

I have a 32" Roku tv with the composite ports in the back. I don't know if they still make them, I know it's rare and I was excited to find it. It's a few years old, but not that old, like maybe 5 or so years. I got it at Wal-Mart. Before I got it, I tried two different HDMI adapters, and they looked terrible. One claimed to upscale, but I think it was a lie. Just using the composite input on this tv looks much better, and there's definitely no upscaling there. I have a PS2 and a N64 hooked up to it.

[@PukeSkinwalker]

what is the most underrated console that didn't go as amazing? We all know the Dreamcast but there likely was some console or handheld that just didn't land.

[@rometherevenant8749]

Both Aubrey and Sam look like amazing people to meet irl

[@Progressive.G]

Haha Aubrey Plaza...that's a good comparison

[@wademeitner6605]

What would it cost to play Wind Waker, cheapest I guess? Thanks from Panama city Beach, FL

[@thefrozengoat]

Aublue Plaza

[@daviddrinn9137]

Does cleaning the ports on the console itself help?

[@SidShakal]

probably! it's probably just harder to do right. don't want to accidentally apply too much force and deform the spring contacts. probably need more specialized equipment than just a q-tip. there's probably a trick though. maybe just take a game you don't care much about, and insert and remove it a bunch? 😅 (note: i don't know crap. do not take this as actual advice unless others more knowledgeable second and third it! 😝)

[@grayghost1303]

Another good tool thats inexpensive for cleaning cartridges is a fiberglass eraser.

[@Xathos]

0:03 She did the thing. SHE DID THE THING.

[@zschneider4]

Any rescue steps for scratched disc games? 🍻

[@kevinmitchell766]

If it's a deep scratch, you're SOL.

[@jjwhy321y3]

I collect DS, Vita, PSP, Gamecube games (occasionally GBA). For years these prices remain consistent. They'll probably go up. Especially Pokemon stuff. PS5, watch the prices plummet in a few months. Same when the Switch 2 comes out. Though Switch prices are kinda high on Ebay.

[@Rodney-e8k]

great videos I’m new to the channel and your workplace seems like a lot of fun and I just wanted to say cheers and I’m looking forward to more content you guy’s personality make it fun and it’s interesting so it really does work so best of luck on the road to 100k and I look forward to more radjunk in the future

[@RadJunk]

Thank you so much!! 💙💙💙

[@GiSWiG]

If you are going down the rabbit hole of getting a retro console, a RetroTink 2X Pro is not expensive at all. It will be a much better option over a cheap A/V - HDMI adapter. If you intend to use more than one retro console on a modern display, the RetroTink 2X Pro is quite worth the price plus a composite/component A/V switch.

[@RadJunk]

It’s definitely worth the price for those that want a great picture! We love retrotink products.

[@ThatGeekDude]

Move is great with shooters. I got gun adapters for my ps3 move controllers and have some great shooters with that like time crisis and house of the dead.

[@Ethan_Thompson]

Curious what sources you use to determine trade-in purchases.

[@sillygoosevideogames]

Hey its Aubrey! HONK!

[@shaunboden6951]

Great presenter 👍

[@KausemkimAirsoft]

I have a small crt for light gun games. There is sinden and gun for IR both to use with emulators. Both work with modern tvs and the retro shooter console

[@R3troZone]

I have all my original consoles in my entertainment center. All the way from Atari to the GameCube. But in my bedroom I have a Super Retro Trio for those nights when I want to play a game but not disturb the wife while she's doing schoolwork.

[@matthewtikka5133]

I just bought a Gameboy color and am hunting for pokemon again! It's been 26ish years. Any advice on how to avoid reproduction games?

[@bradleyblack5871]

Sam the videogame girl is cool and chill. She knows her stuff. Unrelated to games…. What’s her ten favorite movies? Just curious.