Lair

The Origins of The Lair

“The screen flickered. A beast charged. I mashed buttons, panicked… then died for the 15th time. The princess? Yeah — she was on her own.”

I consider myself lucky in the grand scheme of things. Growing up during the golden age of video gaming was a magical experience — so rare that only one generation truly got to enjoy it. Of course, it also set me on a path toward a mostly sedentary life.

But in my head? I’ve visited thousands of planets, hundreds of universes… and even the pits of hell itself.

The first gaming system I ever played was a Sega Master System. My friend’s older brother owned one, and since we were cool with him, he let us play.

What game? Altered Beast, of course.

We had no clue what we were doing. I remember turning to my friend and asking, “What is this game about?”

“Saving a princess,” he replied.

“Cool,” I said.

She probably never made it, though — I died on the third ghoul. It was wonderful. We took turns playing, and that day remains one of my favorite childhood memories. I even remember celebrating when we reached level two.

From There, Things Took Off

Sega genesis

I got my very own Sega Genesis 2 with Sonic for my birthday — and a Nintendo for Christmas a few months later. I was in my personal gaming heaven, spending hours with Sonic, Mario, and Duck Hunt.

Nintendo

Remember holding the Zapper right up to the screen? Gotta make sure that last duck doesn't get away.

Little by little, my collection grew.

One of my all-time favorites? Contra: Alien Wars for Sega. I swear that game had no business being so hard.

Other standouts include:

  • Zombies Ate My Neighbors

  • Mortal Kombat

  • Super Street Fighter

  • Vectorman

  • Gauntlet

  • NBA Jam

On the Nintendo side, it was all about the Mario series (Mario 3 is still my favorite), plus:

  • Ninja Turtles Arcade

  • Turtles in Time

  • Chip 'n Dale

  • Talespin

  • DuckTales

  • Goof Troop

Then Came the Accessories

  • NES Advantage Controller Stick

  • PowerPad for track games

  • Marauder Gun for the Sega Genesis

These two systems — Genesis and NES — hold a special place in my heart. Every single one of those games and memories is cherished.

And Then… Life

After that, life felt like one long gaming party — It started with the Super Nintendo and Mario World and ended during the PlayStation 3 era.

That’s when everything changed.

My daughter was born in the 2010s, and that’s when reality slapped me in the face:

  • “Grow up.”

  • “Get a job.”

  • “Buy a house.”

It said. And so I did.

I spent the next decade being a dad… and like life said, growing up.

Then something unexpected happened. I really did grow up. And I asked myself:

“Now that I’m grown… can I play games again?”

Life whispered back:

“Yeah, okay.”

That moment marked the dawn of a second golden age of gaming — for me.

The New Quest

Video Games

I began a new quest: To find and collect the greatest titles in gaming history and beat them all, one by one.

Pulling my old systems out of storage made me emotional. I carefully cleaned and tested each one, bringing them back to life.

Solder

Some didn’t work. That’s when I picked up soldering — and learned how to repair them myself.

The decade that followed became a treasure hunt.

The treasure?

  • Rare video games

  • Vintage consoles

  • Holy grails from gaming’s past

But I don’t just collect games. I collect:

  • Toys

  • Comics

  • Trading cards

  • Vintage computers

  • Board games

  • Music

  • Retro electronics, and more

The Mission

My hobby became a mission: To save, repair, preserve, and collect.

I buy almost any gaming system, hardware, video game, and accessory I see — repair them to working condition — and get them ready for their next adventure.

These are not just circuits and cartridges. They are artifacts, joy, art, and memories.

Each one has a Christmas story to tell. Each one was made for one simple reason: for fun.

Nintendo

I built TheLairCollectibles.com to share these treasures with the world — and to help you build your own collection.

I want you to find an old Sega Genesis at a garage sale, fix it up, and pass it on to someone who’ll appreciate it.

Keeping these things alive means keeping the gaming spirit alive for generations.

My daughter already enjoys retro gaming. Her favorite? The Nintendo DS. Mine? Pokémon Red on the original Game Boy. But hey, I digress.

What You'll Find Here

The Lair Collectibles is built for gamers and collectors alike.

Here, you'll find:

  • ✅ Tips & tutorials

  • ✅ Gaming history

  • ✅ Product reviews

  • ✅ Repair guides

  • ✅ Price watching

  • ✅ The best protective cases & security solutions

Some items in my collection are worth a small fortune — and protecting them is part of the hobby. Investing in high quality protective gear is a must.

Check out my socials.
🎥 Watch the journey on [YouTube: The Lair Collectibles]
🐦 Follow along on [X (Twitter): @TheLairCollect]

So check back often. See what treasures I’ve uncovered. And welcome to the Lair.

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