WTF Was I Thinking?
I've been collecting full size
coin-op games since the middle of 2006… about 9 years thus far. Over those years games have come and games have gone. Most have lasted some period of time in the garagecade before being sold or traded… some have had quick stays. When I sell a game, it usually is because of a 3 reasons… (1) I simply don't want the game anymore. There are a number of reasons why I wouldn't want a game any more… which is another topic. (2) I need the money. It has been somewhat rare since I sold a game solely because of the fact that I needed the money… until recently unfortunately (I needed some dough for California Extreme). Then there is the most common reason I've sold games… (3) I needed the space. I can't count how many times a game was sold primarily because of … space … or lack there-of. If I had a 100' x 100' spot I'd fill it up eventually… guaranteed. I'm stuck with about 20' x 30' or so…
I recently put together a list of the games that I have sold or traded over the years. As I gathered the info for the list I was struck by how many games I have owned… that I would LOVE to have right now. As I look through this list I think to myself… WTF was I thinking when I sold that?! Lets take a look at the games…
10-Yard Fight
A.P.B. – WTF was I thinking? This is a great game. I sold it pretty damn CHEAP too. Seriously… WTF?!
Armor Attack – WTF was I thinking? The game was in pretty damn good shape overall. Pretty rare… and fun too. Dumb move.
Asteroids (3)
Asteroids Deluxe (2)
Atari System I (Marble Madness, Indiana Jones, Road Blasters)
Atari System II (Championship Sprint / Paperboy)
Atari System II (Paperboy) – WTF?!? Two? I should have kept that 2nd one and restored it.
Bally Spyhunter Pinball
Bally Xenon Pinball
Capcom Anthology – WTF?!? Lazy ass didn't properly check the PCB set and sold it cheap. Dumb move Friz!
Cart Fury
Centipede (2)
Cruis'n Exotica
Data East Guns n' Roses Pinball – I got good dough for the pin AT THE TIME… I should have kept it.
Data East Secret Service Pinball
Defender
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Jr.
Dragon Breed – I should have at least kept this PCB. I sold it pretty cheap not knowing it's rarity.
Food Fight
Galaga (3)
Gauntlet Legends
Gorf
Great 1000 Mile Rally
Joust
Mario Bros. Widebody – I miss this game. I used to play it a lot.
Marvel vs Street Fighter
Mr. Do!
Ms. Pac Man (60-in-1)
Neo-Geo Big Red 4-Slot
Neo-Geo Standard 4-Slot
NHL Open Ice – WTF was I thinking?!? The cabinet was in great shape… the game/monitor/everything played great. WTF?!?
Nintendo PC-10
Nintendo VS Cabinet – WTF was I thinking?!? I restore the damn thing…install a Spareth switcher… then SELL IT?!?
Outrun
Pole Position
Pole Position II
Punch Out – WTF was I thinking?!? I miss Punch Out. I sold this game way too cheap too.
Scramble – WTF was I thinking?!? The cabinet was in FANTASTIC shape… the game played awesome. ARGH!
Space Duel
Space Invaders – Probably my biggest regret. I sold a FANTASTIC condition Space Invaders w/multikit… man I miss this game.
Spy Hunter (2)
Star Castle
Star Wars Cockpit
Star Wars Upright
Stargate
Stern Lightning Pinball
Super Punch Out
Taito Multigame
Tempest
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (2)
Toobin' (Prototype) – WTF was I thinking? I own a proto and sell it? At least I got decent dough (for a Toobin').
Turbo Outrun
Two Crude
War: Final Assault (2)
Williams Highspeed Pinball
Williams Whirlwind Pinball
Wizard of Wor – Seriously… WTF was I thinking? I restored this bad boy from top to bottom and sell it? Dumb move.
When you look at this list … there are likely a few games that aren't bolded that stand out. Games like Star Wars (both upright and especially the cockput version), Super Punch Out and Tempest probably stand out the most. There are reasons… though they very… as to why they don't make the cut. For example, Star Wars … well… I 
HAVE an upright Star Wars now… and the cockpit model is just too damn small/uncomfortable for a 6'4" 290lb guy like me. Super Punch Out? Well, you'll notice that Punch Out makes the cut… Super isn't as good of a game IMHO as Punch Out. Would I turn one away? Nope… but I'd certainly rather have Punch Out. Tempest doesn't make the cut because it's one of the more common games on the list. I'll probably own another Tempest some day, but I sold it for a number of reasons, most good. 🙂
The three games I really really wish I knew WTF I was thinking for selling them probably begins with Punch Out. I really put some effort in to restoring that Punch Out and for a while I had both Punch Out and Super Punch Out side-by-side. I probably had both for 3 or 4 months before I decided I wanted to sell one. Why I didn't sell Super Punch Out (which I eventually did anyway) is beyond me. Nope… I sold Punch Out… the better game IMHO. I sold
it for quite a bit less than I should have as well. Oh well, live and learn.
The next of the three that I wish I still had and wonder WTF I was thinking when I sold it has got to be Wizard of Wor. I restored that WoW from top to bottom and it played AWESOME. It's not like I got obscene money or anything. I "thought" I really could use the space so I sold it. Pfft… I should have made space. I miss Wizard of Wor being in the garagecade. I guess the one positive about the sale is that if I ever want to play it I just have to drive down to Grinker's Grand Palace arcade in Eagle (about a 25 minute drive). Steve, Grinker's owner, ended up with a few of my games.
The last of the three is probably the one game I miss the most. It was one of my first 3 or 4 games and I sold it after having it only a couple years… and if I had a chance I would buy it back in a second. The third and the game I wonder WTF I 
was thinking selling it MOST is surely Space Invaders. I ended up picking up a semi-working Space Invaders that was in FANTASTIC shape. The cabinet art was in great condition. The bezel/marquee was glass, not plexi like some and was in incredible shape for original… not a crack or flake anywhere. The only thing that showed sign of wear was the aluminum control panel overlay which I replaced with a repro from Arcade Shop. It took a little work getting going but once fixed it was solid for the time I owned it. To sweeten the gameplay a little I upgraded it with a Braze multi-kit. The game absolutley ROCKED. What in the HELL was I thinking selling it? From what I remember, I got decent dough for it, but man, I wish I had this game back.
I hope this post inspires some who read it to think twice before they decide to sell a game. I know that I am going to put a little extra time thinking about every sale or trade I may do in the future. There are plenty of good reasons to sell a game… but once it's gone, you may find that you miss that game and it could be very expensive… and may be nearly impossible to replace it once it's gone.
Thanks for reading!
