Nintendo Game & Watch collectors poked, prodded, exposed

When their moms told them that they needed hobbies, collecting Nintendo Game & Watch machines was probably not what they had in mind. We're not about to judge Andy Cole or Michael Panayiotakis, two collectors who have all 60 Game & Watch handhelds ever produced. New in box. Untouched by human hands. So why did they do it? Because they could, we suppose. In an interview by DS Fanboy, the two Game & Watch collectors are deconstructed and investigated, revealing such nuggets as once spending $1,200 on a boxed Super Mario Bros. Special Edition, keeping their products out of the sun and air, and some advice on starting a collection of your own. Hit the read link to see the collectors in action.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 5th 2008 10:29AM]

Yes they are fanboys, but when sell them/if they sell them they will be fanboys with a nice chunk of change.

[Kurian @ Jul 5th 2008 11:08AM]

Except no one will buy that shit.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 5th 2008 12:22PM]

If someone would buy a piece of toast with a "Jesus" impression on it or a used piece of gum on ebay then im pretty sure some Mario maniac would buy this

[Josh @ Jul 5th 2008 2:22PM]

Give it time.. a FULL set all boxed and mint would go for a fair whack to another serious Nintendo collector.

[Ethan @ Jul 5th 2008 10:38AM]

They should have asked who they thought had the better collection. Because if they obsessed so much about this, it must be enough to start a fight over. And fights are entertaining.

[Cal @ Jul 5th 2008 10:45AM]

Aww it's not the Andy Cole I was hoping it was =(

[tekdroid @ Jul 5th 2008 10:47AM]

Donkey Kong & Donkey Kong Jr ftw.

For the youngens:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_&_Watch_Collection#Game_.26_Watch_Collection

Get some o' that Game & Watch goodness on your DS or Game Boy.

[Tim @ Jul 5th 2008 10:53AM]

I had the first model, I thought it was called Juggler. Anyway had loads of fun with it despite it being basic. At 9 years old it was just the beginning of my love for gadgets.

[xx @ Jul 5th 2008 11:05AM]

Nothing is impossible

[wengleung @ Jul 5th 2008 11:17AM]

DS and DS lite inspirations ftw??

[vdogg89 @ Jul 5th 2008 4:10PM]

anyone think it should be a DS lite dressed up, not the original ds?

[Jeffrey Fourmile @ Jul 5th 2008 11:28AM]

What's that thing on the left of the picture? I know it's Donkey Kong G&W on the right.

[emagius @ Jul 5th 2008 11:38AM]

It's a G&W-themed DS.

[Rob @ Jul 5th 2008 11:41AM]

Advice for getting started yourself? Find the address's for Andy Cole and Michael Panayiotaki....

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 5th 2008 11:47AM]

Collectors Schmellectors... its still UGLY.

[HyperHacker @ Jul 5th 2008 9:34PM]

Agreed. Who came up with this colour scheme?

[L.Rawlins @ Jul 5th 2008 11:53AM]

I still have the Zelda Game & Watch knocking around somewhere, which looked pretty much exactly the same as how the DS looks now. I used to love that thing as a kid.

My brother had the Mario & Luigi one where you had to get the cakes back and forth across the production line.

Simple yet immensely addicitive.

[ecormany @ Jul 5th 2008 11:53AM]

um, nice accomplishment i guess, but where's the fun in it? i still have three game and watches and there's something great about pulling them out every few years, going to radio shack for watch batteries, and sitting down and playing them. and @tekdroid: agreed, donkey kong jr. ftw.

[Alex Kirby @ Jul 5th 2008 11:56AM]

On question:
Why???

[Chris Macdonald @ Jul 5th 2008 4:05PM]

"So why did they do it? Because they could, we suppose."

[tekdroid @ Jul 6th 2008 12:13AM]

Why collect them or why play those old games? If you are thinking the latter, I can give you some reasons:

1) nostalgia of playing them with your friends on the schoolyard or at their house
2) believe it or not, there is fun to be had, even in those simple games. A lot of them are surprisingly addictive. Not all, but enough to waste hours at a time hooked.
3) if we are talking original hardware, there's nothing quite like the feel, texture, weight and real oldschool LCD look of the original consoles to bring all those good times back (and they can be viewed outside in the sun unlike DS, PSP, etc)

I'm sure there are more reasons. Those are just some I can think of.

[jason @ Jul 5th 2008 12:00PM]

why were they called

game and watch?

i remember buying the gameboy version and wondering why it wouldnt tell me the time.

[dhytspam @ Jul 5th 2008 12:31PM]

Because the functions of a typical Game and Watch was that aswell as being able to play a game in 2 different difficulties you could also use the device as a clock/alarm, including a cool little clip that could prop it up. I used my Fire G&W as an alarm clock til 1996.

[dhytspam @ Jul 5th 2008 12:33PM]

The Gameboy version was generally a re-release for people to repply these classics on there current portable, some of which had updated visuals.

[tekdroid @ Jul 6th 2008 12:04AM]

Game & Watch Collection on DS not only allows you to get the time (!), but also has the alarm feature. In practical terms I it's more of a completist novelty than anything else, though.

[Coral @ Jul 5th 2008 12:34PM]

If that was the Gameboy version, of course it wouldn't tell the time! You need some of the original Game & Watch(es) for that, some of which indeed had a clock (and alarm).

As for the name:

"Gunpei Yokoi, travelling on a Bullet Train, saw a bored businessman playing with an LCD calculator by pressing the buttons. Yokoi then thought of the idea for a mini gaming machine that doubles as a watch for watching and killing time."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_%26_Watch

[dhytspam @ Jul 5th 2008 8:46PM]

R.I.P Gunpei too.

[shosta @ Jul 5th 2008 12:41PM]

I have Game&watch Oil Panic, still working!!!! It eats batteries like hell!!!
Twenty five years since I bought it.

[ant @ Jul 7th 2008 1:51PM]

I still have Octopus, which I bought new waaaay back inhigh school.
Snoopy Tennis anyone?

[Tim @ Jul 5th 2008 12:53PM]

Java version here (Q -Left P-Right)

http://www.brianapps.net/tossup/java/#keyboard

[Matt Keller @ Jul 5th 2008 1:06PM]

I'd have to be really bored to play a G&W.... Man that's simple.

[farfisa @ Jul 5th 2008 1:47PM]

"keeping their products out of the sun and air" --that's the most fun part!

[ZeroCorpse @ Jul 5th 2008 2:44PM]

Nothing like spending money on something you'll never touch, see, or interact with in hopes of maybe getting 5% more than you paid for it when you're 15 years older and your wife finally tells you to get rid of that junk in the hall closet.

I used to collect comics. Now, I wouldn't consider buying anything I'm not going to use. Why? Because having a relative who runs an antique business teaches you that what usually happens to peoples' collections is that they get sold off for a LOSS at estate sales once the collector has kicked the bucket.

Those Game & Watch toys? They'll pay for your funeral.

Enjoy.

[haritori @ Jul 5th 2008 3:04PM]

Fanboy Collection is Fun, But I wonder has anyone collected every home Games Console in Every Version and Every SKU? or is anyone attempting that, a collection that so far will not end, and an expensive collection,

Imagine, everything from your Spectrum\Acorn\Amiga to 360/PS3/Wii, in all SKU`s All Boxed and "Kept outta the Sunlight"?

[nanobis @ Jul 5th 2008 9:05PM]

you would have to be mad to do something like that. but i for one would like to see that collection.

[haritori @ Jul 6th 2008 8:53AM]

if i was rich i mean very very rich then i would do it.

[Anonymous Coward @ Jul 6th 2008 3:57AM]

... i'll have it.. and i'll open it and play it :P

[ShadowKain @ Jul 6th 2008 5:16PM]

I know some people will pay top dollar for them, because they are vintage Nintendo products, but come on, spending 1200 on one? Sneak in their house and rip the boxes open... :D

[oly va ha @ Jul 7th 2008 3:48AM]

i love my game and watch donkey kong, its cool seeing some of the pioneering games that have evolved into what we have today

[Rich @ Jul 7th 2008 11:54PM]

Nice!

I still have the Mickey & Donald Game & Watch hiding somewhere. I used to love that game. Must dig it out and play it now (then get bored after 5 minutes, and sell it on ebay).