first gaming console you bought with your own money?

[jd_1138]

Parents bought us our Mattel Aquarius, ColecoVision and then an NES/Sega Master System and then I was on my own. My brother was no longer interesting in gaming.

 

So I was 17 in 1990 and bought a brand new Sega Genesis at Circuit City for like $119? I can't even remember the price, but I used my money I made helping my dad. It came with the Sonic the Hedgehog pack in cartridge. I also bought Bulls Vs. Lakers. Then a couple of years later, I bought a Panasonic 3DO console. It was an open box special at Circuit CIty for like $129 or something.

 

 

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

The first console I bought myself was an N64 at the age of 16 in late Summer 1997. The reason I got it was because of Goldeneye. I wanted to play it so bad and when I got it, I was absolutley hooked to it. I also got Super Mario 64 with it. But Goldeneye got the most heavy gameplay out of it. I used to stay up all night on weekends playing it. That December I bought a Playstation with Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. I still have both of my consoles 18 years later. They still work flawlessly and in mint condition

 

 

Have the picture of the day I bought my N64.

 

[Gabriel]

It depends on how you define "your own money."

 

In 1983, my great grandmother gave me the money I needed to purchase my Atari 5200. It wasn't like my 2600 and Vic-20 which had preceeded it and gifted to me without me ever seeing how much it cost. She knew I was going to buy the 5200, but there was no real condition on how I used the money which had been given to me. So, it was basically my own money which I used to purchase the 5200.

 

If the definition requires the money not be gifted, and be earned through a job, then that console would be my Sega Genesis. I bought it along with Star Control and Golden Axe in 1992. I almost didn't buy a package with Sonic included, but my best friend talked me into getting one with that pack in game, and I didn't regret it.

 

[cimerians]

1981: First consoles parents bought me: Atari 2600 --> Colecovision --> C64 --> NES.

 

1991: First consoles I bought: SNES --> Genesis ---> PS1

[ScottyDont00]

I bought the Dreamcast when I was 14. I raked leaves, cut grass and shoveled peoples driveway's all winter( in Michigan - i live in NC now) to save up enough to walk out the store ( around spring 2000 I believe) with it 4 controllers, tremor packs and VMU's for each. I think I bought Powerstone, MK Gold and few other games as well.... Most money I spent on anything in life up to that point.

[thadsilverfox]

The original Playstation was my first purchase. I still have it complete in the original box. The only problem is that it does not work after a couple of year and I have no clue why or how it stopped working. I went to go play it and found a sticky substance on top of it and at that time I had a roommate. So I suspect he played it and spilled something on it when I was on vacation. The sad part is I only played on it a handful of times before the mystery substance appeared.

Edited September 18, 2015 by thadsilverfox

[jd_1138]

The original Playstation was my first purchase. I still have it complete in the original box. The only problem is that it does not work after a couple of year and I have no clue why or how it stopped working. I went to go play it and found a sticky substance on top of it and at that time I had a roommate. So I suspect he played it and spilled something on it when I was on vacation. The sad part is I only played on it a handful of times before the mystery substance appeared.

 

He didn't even have enough sense to give it a good wipe down before you came home.

 

I wish I had kept all m systems/consoles over the years. My current self would've kept every box, manual, plastic baggy, etc.. Especially the Aquarius, as it was our first console/computer.

[thadsilverfox]

 

He didn't even have enough sense to give it a good wipe down before you came home.

 

I wish I had kept all m systems/consoles over the years. My current self would've kept every box, manual, plastic baggy, etc.. Especially the Aquarius, as it was our first console/computer.

The kid was book smart but lacked common sense.

[SoulBlazer]

The SNES in December of 1991 for Christmas. I was 15, just about to turn 16, and wanted one really badly. So I saved up money for over a year and wanted a game to go with the console as well, something besides Super Mario World. I finally had $200 saved up and my parents kicked in $50 more for me for Christmas, so I got a system on sale at Child World for $180 plus Final Fantasy IV (2) for $70. To this day that's the most expensive game I've ever bought. I played both games pretty much non stop for the next month until I had then 100%'d, switching from one to the other. Other games I got pretty soon after were Populus, Super Castlevania IV, and Sim City.

[SS]

Autumn 1989 I walked into Toys-R-Us, cash in hand, with the intention of buying either a NES or TurboGrafx16. I walked out the door with an original B&W Game Boy brick and three extra carts.

[jd_1138]

It depends on how you define "your own money."

 

In 1983, my great grandmother gave me the money I needed to purchase my Atari 5200. It wasn't like my 2600 and Vic-20 which had preceeded it and gifted to me without me ever seeing how much it cost. She knew I was going to buy the 5200, but there was no real condition on how I used the money which had been given to me. So, it was basically my own money which I used to purchase the 5200.

 

If the definition requires the money not be gifted, and be earned through a job, then that console would be my Sega Genesis. I bought it along with Star Control and Golden Axe in 1992. I almost didn't buy a package with Sonic included, but my best friend talked me into getting one with that pack in game, and I didn't regret it.

 

 

Either Because money that you are given is still your money, as opposed to how most of us acquired our early consoles (gifts for Christmas or B-days).

[BigO]

Atari 2600, as an adult (allegedly) when I got nostalgic for some things from my childhood.

[Emehr]

Used: 7800 and a bunch of games bought from a friend. I went from nine Atari 2600 games from the time when I was growing up to about 60 plus a few 7800 games to boot. I was in bliss.

 

New: NES. Sometime around mid-1988 (IIRC) I went in "halfsies" with my brother and picked it up in Kmart. It was the Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt version with the gray Zapper. I still have it.

 

I pretty much bought all of my consoles with my own money except for the Atari 2600 our family got in 1980 and the Atari Lynx I got in 1991.

[hookem]

Our parents bought our consoles until the crash. First thing I bought with my own money was a C64, followed by C128 and Amigas; I was out of the console arena until I got a Sega Saturn. So technically that was the first "game console" I bought with my own money.

[zylon]

First one I bought was this Sears L6er pictured below. It was bought used in 1987 for $10 at flea market with money I earned mowing lawns.

2nd one was a Genesis 2 for about $120 in '93.

3rd was a Goldstar 3DO that I paid way too much for with my income tax refund.

4th was a Sega Saturn that I still use today.

Edited September 19, 2015 by zylon

[darthkur]

I bought an original model Intellivision in 1981 or 1982. I think it came up to around $230. It was at a local record/video game shop so I'm sure I payed too damn much for it. Can't remember if that included another game in addition or not.

Edited September 19, 2015 by darthkur

[HoshiChiri]

Oh, I remember this: It was my Playstation 2. My sister is a year older than me. When she graduated, I asked her one day what it was like to be 'finishing up' (as kind of a joke). She told me, very serious, "you're going to get letters from people. You don't remember who they are, but apparently they knew you when you were 2 and now they're sending you a check. I have SO MUCH MONEY." This was only about 2 months after the PS2 came out, so my immediate thought was "I'm so buying a PS2 next June."

 

And that's exactly what I did. I got Zone of the Enders with it. I'd intended to save the remaining money for a bit to see what upcoming releases looked promising- unfortunately my brother was somewhat sticky-fingered at the time, and a good chunk of that mysteriously vanished. I spent the rest immediately on Shadow of Destiny just to have a game instead of a nothing. Don't regret it, I had a lot of fun with that game.

 

When the laser started going bad later on, I remember calling the Sony hotline, knowing if I said the right things they'd repair it for free... the guy I talked to was surprised how quickly I could tell him exactly when the system was bought. Nice to have a 'landmark' by that purchase date.

Edited September 19, 2015 by HoshiChiri

[The Usotsuki]

Secondhand Genesis (model 2) in 1999 or 2000. Most of my consoles have been gifted, and except for a couple that I no longer have, at least secondhand.

[Oldschool80skid]

In 1986 I bought myself the NES control deck. Looking back, I wish I had the for sight to buy the Deluxe set with ROB. My NES is with me still and working great. I have replaced the 72-pin connector on it and I am now waiting on my Blinking Light Wins to install. Whenever I finally receive it.

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

I'm trying to remember.. might have been an Intellivision I got off a friend whose uncle gave it to him. I cant remember If I bought it off of him or if he gave it to me.

I know I bought a SNES off another buddy in 1999 or so.. so I guess that would be my pick. I always usually buy systems 2nd hand a couple years after release to get the best deal.

[Jimmer]

Intellivision II just after Mattel dropped the price (to $169 I think) and had begun including Burgertime as the add-in (1983?). I believe I purchased it at a local Kmart. I knew I was going to buy it with Christmas money and had already purchased a couple of Imagic games (Swords & Serpents & Ice Trek).

Edited September 19, 2015 by Jimmer

[jd_1138]

Intellivision II just after Mattel dropped the price (to $169 I think) and had begun including Burgertime as the add-in (1983?). I believe I purchased it at a local Kmart. I knew I was going to buy it with Christmas money and had already purchased a couple of Imagic games (Swords & Serpents & Ice Trek).

 

A lot of the Intellivision games made their way over to the Mattel Aquarius (the system for the 70's) which we had (our first system). We wanted Burgertime but never got it.

 

[wolfy62]

Christmas of 1979 an Intellivision. I paid $100 and my Dad paid the other $100. I have been playing Intellivision and every other system made ever since!

 

Great thread here, fun stuff i just read it through all the way!

[Ransom]

The first systems I bought with my own money, earned at an actual job (vs. household chores or my paper route), were the Turbografx-16 and the Sega Genesis. I bought them both at the same time, at Toys R Us in Concord, CA in the fall of 1989 not long after they were both released.

 

Prior to that, either my parents bought my systems for me, or I used birthday money, allowance, and/or paper route money (often in addition to a subsidy from the parents). The NES was a Christmas gift, for example.

 

The first one I had any money at all invested in was the ColecoVision, which I sold my 2600 for to be able to buy (but kept the games, as I knew I was going to get the adapter so I could play them through the CV).

[jd_1138]

Christmas of 1979 an Intellivision. I paid $100 and my Dad paid the other $100. I have been playing Intellivision and every other system made ever since!

 

Great thread here, fun stuff i just read it through all the way!

 

My older sister was dating a guy in 1982 who had an Intellivision, and we'd hang out at his place and play it. He bought it in 1979 and had about 100 games for it. She married him in 1984 and then he bought an NES in 1987. I think he threw the Intellivision stuff away.

 

The Intellivision sure was an attractive system. Also the 2 version was nice too.