Collecting Tiger Handheld Video Games

The Rewards of Collecting Tiger Games

Collecting Tiger Games is one of the most rewarding hobbies out there because, unlike other hobbies, you can actually do something with the collection. The games can actually be played, unlike a stamp or baseball card and most importantly, they more effectively take you back in time than any other toy.

There is just something about playing a video game that makes you nostalgic for your childhood days. Tiger games are superior to a mere toy in bringing back your younger days because we often spent 100's of hours playing that game. It absorbs you back into that world more fully than regular toys which are more difficult to immerse the imagination in for the adult mind. With a toy, it's hard to remember what you did with it and what kind of world you imagined. Even if you can, you still can't put yourself into that world in the vivid way you did when you were a child. However, a video game does it for you and it instantly takes you back into that world and time 20 years ago. You are playing the exact same game, fighting the same enemies, and living in that same exciting world.

Share them with others
Another benefit is that you are preserving a bit of history. You can also let others play the games and share in the delight. Some collectors meet and play eachother's games or borrow them for a little while to play new games.

A financially sound hobby
This is a hobby that does not lose or waste money. It actually costs very little. The games can be re-sold to other collectors and certain games have sold for hundreds of dollars.

Locating Tiger Games

The games have been quite difficult to find until recently when several eBay stores began selling them. It was especially difficult to find the game one wanted because it rarely came up and when it did, everyone else wanted it too. Now you can find many of the games in the three eBay stores. In the interest of full disclosure, one of those stores is mine.

About My Store
Every game I sell has its battery cover. Every single button works. Period. I have tested the game and played it to the appropriate levels to ensure that the advanced functions work as well. My games are never shipped with batteries inside. They have been checked for acid damage. Every light on the screen displays properly. If it does not meet these conditions, I do not sell it. I have boxes full of games that I don't feel right selling because there is something wrong with them. All my games are shipped sealed in a moisture barrier and packed in air wrapping. I have 100% feedback.

Update 03/12/07
One of the stores has disappeared. It was run by "chickeneater". If you were a customer, did he honor sales made before he closed? Did you hear why he left? What will he do with his games? We shall see.

Other places to find games
One can occasionally find games at yard sales, thrift stores, and from random sellers on eBay but it is best to buy them from a reputable store on eBay. Most of the games I buy from random sellers this way for my store do not work. That is why the prices in stores are higher, the store has already taken the risk and and the prices of the games (usually from 20-50+) has all the games that we bought and couldn't sell factored in as well as the rarity.

Which Games should you collect?

Popular Games
The most popular games are those having to do with films, television, and popular video games: Castlevania, Nightmare before Christmas, Space Fight, Spiderman, Mega Man, Land of the Lost, Mickey Mouse, Gargoyles, Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, Batman, Karnov, Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter, Paperboy, Super Hang-On, Snow White (with purse strap), any talking game, and Double Dragon , especially Double Dragon III. As far as I know, Castlevania has gone for the most money.

A fully functioning "Skeet Shoot" game is probably the rarest thing there is. It's pretty rare that you find one for sale and then the contacts of the gun rotation dial are always worn out. I've bought a couple of them and the sellers always tell me it works fine but when I get it, that has never been the case. They can't be repaired as the damage is a rut scraped directly into the circuit board itself. As of right now, I think there are only a couple fully working ones out there and I have only seen one MIP Skeet Shoot.

MIP's/MOC's
The trophy of tiger games is the MIP. MIP is an acronym for Mint In Package. You might also see MOC for Mint On Card. No kid ever leaves a gift un-opnened, especially a video game so these are extremely rare. Most go for around $75 and the early sports related games go for a bit less. Some people prefer these because one is assured that the game is in perfect working order.

Magnifier/Lights
Tiger made a device that fits on the top of the games and has a magnifier, enlarging the screen. It also lights up, allowing play in the dark. Very cool when I was a kid! These are extremely rare. Every collector wants one and unfortunately, not that many were made.

MGA and other games
There is really no competition with tiger in this area. However, there are several extremely popular games made by MGA (Micro Games of America) that there have been a lot of interest in. They are nearly indestructible, however, only a very small number were produced. The most popular MGA game is the Goosebumps game. There are actually two known versions of it that are entirely different games in the exact same housing, one takes place in a graveyard and the other at a carnival. Some other popular games are Mission Impossible, Hulk, GI Joe, Godzilla, Spiderman, Dragonballz, and Episodes 4, 5, & 6 of Star Wars. You'll also find the occasional game by Acclaim (Narc), Tandy, or others.

Evaluating the Condition of Games

Battery Door
I NEVER sell games without the battery door. If the seller doesn't mention that the battery door is included, they might be doing this on purpose. Go ahead and ask just to make sure. Generally, battery doors of games from within the same couple years are compatible. Some don't fit perfectly but do work pretty well.

Batteries included?
Never allow sellers to ship with batteries included except in the case of the small oblong games that use watch batteries. Fluctuations in Humidity, temperature, and air pressure can cause acid to leak from the batteries which may damage the game. It's nice having batteries but in all likelihood, those batteries have been in there for a long time and are not new anyway. Ask the seller to remove them before shipping. If the game has acid damage and you ask them to take the batteries out, they might notice this and you may avoid getting an acid damaged game.

What to do about acid
The presence of battery acid does not necessarily mean the game is damaged. If you find that a game has dried acid in the battery compartment here is what you should do:

First remove the batteries into a container that will keep acid from falling off and making a mess. Dispose of them properly. While prying the batteries out be careful as chunks of acid may fly off into the eyes. Carefully remove the acid from the game. The acid on the sponge and the battery door can be washed off with warm water which will dissolve the acid. Take special care that the acid does not splash in one's eyes, skin, or clothing. Rinse the battery door, especially the sponge in warm water and squeeze the sponge out frequently to ensure that all acid is removed. Squeeze out the sponge again to aid in the drying process. Set the battery door aside to dry so that the sponge does not introduce moisture to the internal workings and especially the batteries when it is put back on.

Operational
Does the game work? Some of these games have taken a beating from children. Ask the seller direct questions about the operation of the game. Some games may display characters when turned on but not actually work. I test every button on my games before listing them. If the seller seems older they are probably not competent enough to know how a game works and actually test all the buttons. For people over say 35 testing means that they turned it on, saw a character, pushed a couple buttons and the character moved. When I test a game, I check to make sure every single button does its assigned function. I also clean every game. Sometimes some of the buttons are not available till a later stage in the game. I'm not aware if the other sellers are this careful but I doubt it.

Buttons

Gray Buttons
Are buttons missing? Sometimes the gray buttons in the center under the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that have to do with on, off, sound, level, pause, score status, etc. may be missing. I'm guessing that it's because they are softer and sometimes children chew these off. Look closely. Most of these buttons are essential. If you have a game that is missing buttons, I also do repair work.

Action buttons
Do these buttons work? Are they springy to the touch? If a button or side of a button slumps down this is a surefire sign that the rubber contact is missing and the action will not be performed when the button is depressed. Keep in mind that the actions performed by some buttons may only be available at certain moments or levels in the game. I can replace damaged or missing rubber contacts or even the colored action buttons.

Repairs
I do repair work on games for people and for my store. There is no supply of repair parts so any parts needed must be harvested from a working game, often the same one.

Finishing Up

Drop by my store sometime and let me know if you liked my guide. If there is a game you are looking for, ask me, I have most games but I am in still the process of testing, cleaning, and photographing them to list. Also, I'd be happy to answer any question you might have.

Happy ebaying!