Not sure if this fits here, may as well. I'm trying to get the most room possible in my small cabinet where I keep my current collection. So far lining all games side by side like on a shelf is getting the least room possible, so I've considered stacking everything on top of one another. Is this OK to do, or does it always cave the boxes in? Specifically with plastic clamshell boxes like Genesis, any worry of ruining them if I keep them stacked up? There's also the option of putting more games side by side on top of one row, but due to the hang tabs it's pretty much impossible. Ugh, I need more room
I think this is in the right section indeed! There are 2 cons for me about stacking boxes Cardboard box games start to crush or cave in from the weight above and with both cardboard and CD/jewelcase games pulling a game from a pile might scratch the case. Also getting a game from the bottom of a heavy pile is both hard and asking for a game avalanche! I would only recommend some moderate stacking of Megadrive/Genesis plastic boxes and of standard jewel-case cd games as long as you have some of those JPN style protective plastic sleeves to prevent scratching and damage.
I assume you are talking of your closet? I'd consider building a shelf unit with enough shelves right into it, so you don't have to stack them in the first place. It's always worse than lining them up, there's much more contact between the items when being removed or put back in. In addition to that, as you have already guessed, items in the very bottom are going to be either crushed (nes/snes/gb carton boxes) or they might be bent or get dents on the front. When I used to own a shitload of crappy conditioned PAL Mega Drive games and many games seem to have suffered from heavy weight upon their backs. It looks like shit and you can do nothing about it, the plastic is just bent for good! -__-
Both PS2 and PS3 cases end up collapsing in even when you line them up on a shelf normally. Not much you can do about it.
When they stand in a line always take care they're not pressed in there. I usually try how many fit in and then take one out so there's always a little air between them. Otherwise they'll look biconcav-like in no time.
I think if maybe you are going to handle the games a lot, I too would not recommend stacking them for same reasons pointed out above. And also like said, to keep a little gap between games on the shelf. I remember in the shops like HMV where I live when the Nintendo GBA was out, it seemed like they just crammed as many games as they could onto the shelves, and so many game boxes got damaged because of it. I never bought anything much back then from shops, just because of that.
Your HMV story reminds me of an experience maybe 10 years ago. I went into the store with my mum to buy a copy of N64 "Lego Racers" from my own money that I'd saved for months to buy a new game. The only copy left looked quite worn. It was new, of course, but it looked like it had been run over by a car. The seller tried the "it's a kid and his mother, they won't care, that way I can finally get rid off that damaged shit game"-method but I insisted on a perfect one Incidentally I found a retail box saying "Lego Racers" under the actual sales table and asked to get one out of those. He put on his angry face and miserably drew out one of the 10 brand-new games and I was happy, it's still in mint condition up to this day. I was a mint-fanatic already when I was only 10 years old, times haven't changed, Lol. I could never stand my games being bleached out / crushed or whatever. They are rather being put away in the cellar before they ought to be crushed due to limited space in my game room.
