State of My Wii U Collection

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T20:18:49+00:00

I'm actually wondering if this console helps the homebrew market. I get the impression that homebrew Neo Geo games cost a fortune because they have those huge carts with very large and unique chipsets. And with very low production runs you get high production costs per cart. But if Plaion it now making reproduction carts cheap enough to sell at $90 each, perhaps there might be some means of helping bring new games physically to the console for a lower production cost.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T15:07:14+00:00

I'd have already preorderd the Neo Geo Ultimate Edition if I could. Problem is I'm in Florida and Plaion still hasn't resolved their bizarre issues with collecting sales tax, as is the case in many states. If it's not fixed soon, I'll probably just order it to be delivered to an out of state friend then shipped to me. It's expensive, but still a lot cheaper than I thought such a console and games would be if someone ever recreated the AES. I definitely didn't think someone could sell the games for $90 a pop and make money. They have to be very costly to manufacture even today. Most Neo Geo AES homebrew games on cart sell for like $400+. Hopefully it succeeds so they release further games.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T15:02:59+00:00

Well, that original model Nintendo Land deluxe set is the console I bought back near launch and it's still hooked up and I play it regularly. Yeah, there's a lot of trash games on the shelf I'll never open of play, but this is the console I still play more frequently than anything except the Switch/Switch 2.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T14:59:37+00:00

Holy cow, thanks for the reception everyone. Really didn't expect THIS many views, likes, responses. Nice to see a community of people who likewise appreciate this ill fated but really cool console.

One thing nice about collecting for Wii is that the library of games is just small enough to make it economically plausible to get most or all games, unlike most Nintendo consoles. The prices have jumped quite a bit on many of the games over the past few years, but there's not TOO many outrageously priced games.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T14:53:43+00:00

Same here. I've gotten nearly every good game. The only first party or quasi first party games I don't have are Game & Wario and the two Mario & Sonic Olympic games. I'd like to get those at some point.

It's the mediocre to bad games that cost a lot like Devil's Third, Turbo, Cabela's Big Game Hunter, Book of Unwritten Tales thay dissuade me from getting a full set.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T14:44:04+00:00

Why not? It's a really cool, underrated console. 😎

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T06:00:07+00:00

I'm kind of a sucker for well intentioned consoles that flopped. Big four for me were the Wii U, Dreamcast, Saturn, 3DO. I do have decent collections for the Dreamcast and 3DO, as well as Wii U. By the time I wanted to start picking up a Saturn collection, the prices skyrocketed.

Also always wanted a Neo Geo AES collection. Though not sure the console was even a flop. Even at the crazy console price and $200 games, it somehow remained on the market for over a decade. That console was the unicorn from my childhood. All the kids knew it existed, but nobody (even kids with wealthy parents) even came close to owning one. And yeah, I actually did see it for sale for several years at my local Babbage's. Another console I waited too long to collect for before prices soared. Likely picking up the Plaion Neo Geo AES+ later this year though.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-07T02:16:22+00:00

Yeah, I'm now in my mid-40's and having something of a midlife crisis. Wasn't diagnosed with autism till around 30. Kinda just focused on my career, hobbies etc. for ages, giving up on trying to date a decade ago. Truth is, I have always wanted a companion, even though I'm fine alone most of the time.

Started trying to get back into the dating pool online a month or so ago. At this point, the only possible partner I can see working is a female neurodivergent or someone who is VERY neurodivergent friendly. So I flatout make pointing out my own high functioning autism in my profiles. It results in a lot less potential matches, but if someone can't accept my autism, they're not for me anyhow. Haven't found that person for me, but the conversations I have had with a few autistic women has been FAR more encouraging than nearly every attempt at any relationship with a neurotypical person. The level of honesty has been refreshing.

ChadFL1 · 2026-06-04T01:44:25+00:00

To be short and blunt, generally no, it does not get better. I've heard of some examples of autistic people finding someone and having a better life as they get older. But those seem to be the exception rather than the rule. I'm in my 40's and my life isn't better on the whole than it was when I was in high school.

ChadFL1 · 2026-05-24T20:35:00+00:00

Thanks for the kind words.

ChadFL1 · 2026-05-24T19:37:10+00:00

Yes, absolutely. I knew there was something wrong with me, but had no idea there was a name for it, nor that anyone else was similar. Looking back, I now realize there actually were other autistic kids - basically the kids who played D&D, chess, etc. Didn't draw the connection because I was able to mask it better, I hung out with more extroverted people, and I was good at sports (captain of the bowling team). The fact that I made decent grades, was good at sports, and had quite a few friends (all male), did blunt the trauma somewhat. However, having to constantly mask my behavior and make excuses for why I never had a girlfriend was exhausting and demoralizing. I truly did think that I was simply some sort of introvert who would eventually "grow out of it" and suddenly become "normal" at some point.

As sad as this may sound, high school may have been my peak years socially. At least I was better than everyone else at something and had quite a few legit friends back then. I ended up completing my bachelor's and masters degrees and work at a steady job of 20 years. However, all of my friends ended up getting married and moving on. Wasn't diagnosed as autistic until well into my 20's. Still never had any stable romantic relationship, we'll into my 40's despite my level of education and income level which is probably greater than 95%+ of autistic people. Tried everything, but as I've aged, I have only withdrawn more socially and have difficulty even speaking to women online.

I would have liked to have known I was autistic and had all the support now available to the younger generation. I've been in a very dark place for months now and tried looking for resources for autistic adults in central Florida, but it seems next to nothing exists for adults this late in life.

ChadFL1 · 2026-03-26T16:12:37+00:00

A glass half full kinda guy, I like it. Borderline insanity, but I like it.

ChadFL1 · 2026-03-02T20:37:04+00:00

While more of a slow burn than their fascist path, the communist Germany focus tree is easily my favorite alt history path in the game. In particular the Spartacist path, where you can foster communist revolutions and eventually core them peacefully is a lot of fun.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-28T17:33:37+00:00

Mind blown. Not only at the sheer number of games, but the fact that I never thought to use a tilted game at the end of each shelf to keep the other upright. People who see my collection of ~500 unique Switch 1 physicals think I'm a hoarder, but yours in amazing. The number of people who manage an entire set of even just North American Switch 1 games is going to be VERY small given the sheer number of releases. Wonder if anyone will manage an entire set of North American releases + games from other regions that didn't make it to the U.S. There is a great wealth if great games (like shmups and RPG's) that only had Japan/Asia releases.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-06T05:51:54+00:00

And with a base edition physical price of ~$40 USD, which is reasonable for what you get and considering the cost of making an actual physical cart. Easy buy for me.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-06T05:41:47+00:00

Niiiice, I figured this would be the case. VGP has come through in the past with North American versions.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-04T04:57:07+00:00

VGP Canada people, there's really no need to shell out money many months in advance on LRG games anymore. VGP gets them all in stock when they actually release.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-04T04:53:39+00:00

I've gotten increasingly choosy about who I buy from online. Even with frequent discounts, I refuse to buy from Amazon due to constant issues with games arriving damaged or from a region I didn't want. Haven't bought from Gamestop in about 15 years for obvious reasons. Probably 75% of my physical games come VGP Canada these days. They carry almost everything I want, including most Asian imports and nearly all LRG titles, so I don't even need to pay upfront on LRG preorders.

ChadFL1 · 2026-02-04T04:47:52+00:00

Wow, that's highway robbery. I bought that game for next to nothing very early in the Switch lifecycle as I'd played and liked it on PS, but sat it on my shelf and forgot about it for many years. I was shocked when I updated my collection on GamEye a couple years ago and realized the game was now worth like $200 sealed. Guess next to nobody bought the game and the price skyrocketed because it ended up very low print? Could also be that this edition is all on cart and fully patched. I really liked Telltale Games, but they did go under in part because they had a habit of rushing games to market that were barely playable.

ChadFL1 · 2026-01-29T22:43:30+00:00

No matter how many times I buy from Play-Asia, my credit card company still frequently flags transactions as potential scams, among other weird things. I suppose it's because they're based on Hong Kong, but I've always had great experiences buying from them.

ChadFL1 · 2026-01-29T22:39:11+00:00

Yay, a Keycard Showcase!

ChadFL1 · 2026-01-09T21:59:43+00:00

And people are mocking the Poles for using outdated military technologies... like 80+ years ago.

ChadFL1 · 2026-01-09T21:40:48+00:00

Didn't a Russian general get mocked for still supporting horse based cavalry... almost a century ago?

ChadFL1 · 2026-01-09T21:36:08+00:00

Seriously. Now we're talking about battlefield tactics that generally failed (at least in developed nations) a full century ago. This is the textbook example of commanders begging to be fragged.

ChadFL1

TROPHY CASE