Collector’s Corner
Neil Thomas talks us through his eclectic collection
You might already know this month’s collector, as he’s a regular on Youtube
If you’re a regular visitor to Youtube you’ll probably recognise this month’s collector as he hosts the popular Retromancave channel. While we will focus on Neil’s impressive video content in another issue, it’s worth mentioning as his unusual collection of hardware is regularly featured on the show.
“I first started collecting in the late Nineties with an interest in systems I’d missed first time around,” Neil tells us. “Arcades were losing popularity and living in the seaside town of Bournemouth at the time meant I was able to find a JAMMA arcade cabinet for £50 using a Yellow
Pages which I duly converted into a MAME arcade. I really enjoyed exploring a catalogue
of arcade games I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to access, and I think the thirst to repeat this process of discovery with other consoles and micros grew from there.”
As a result Neil’s interest largely started to move across to systems from all around the world, from the humble ZX Spectrum to obscure rarities like the Laseractive (which you can find on page 88 of this issue). “Every computer has a fascinating story to tell about its designers, the battle for market share with its competitors, technical leaps and system crippling cost cutting decisions,” explains Neil when we ask about his interest in collecting gaming machines. “Understanding the hardware is a fun way to really understand the stories behind the machines and I often incorporate repairing broken machines into the storytelling process when making Youtube videos. Repairing broken systems also makes the hobby much more affordable, and of course the reward when you’ve restored a system is a new library of games to dive into.”
And Neil does have some impressive collections to dive into and has a particular interest in the 8-bit era. “Well 8-bit gaming was the Wild West in system design, they all took a different approach and each system’s library has a distinctive character as a result. This feeling of character is now eroding as modern consoles steer towards a common platform. Far from being an exotic system I am enjoying the Commodore 64 library currently as I had access to ZX Spectrums and Amstrads in this era so it’s great fun catching up on old and new releases for the platform. I’m also fixing up a Dragon 32 with a box of games to explore but I’m not holding my breath for many stand out titles with this one, everything is very green.”
Anyone who has watched Neil’s Retromancave show will also know that he’s fond of the Amiga and PC and has many large big box versions of his favourite games, as well as framed art of classics like The Secret Of Monkey Island. For Neil it would appear that the presentation is just as special as the game. “Big box games are works of art in their own right,” he admits. “They’re tangible, honest treasure troves of gaming joy which won’t vanish from your
shelf because an online service has been retired. The best are filled with novellas and maps which expand on the games universe and keep you engrossed even when away from the screen. Lucasarts, Sierra and Origin titles are especially good at this, and flight sims take it to whole new levels with huge tomes which make you feel like you could join the Air Force after reading them. It was a sad day when PC gaming turned to Dvd-style cases.”
For all his interest in videogames, it’s the systems that constantly catch your eye when you trawl through Neil’s channel and he’s been lucky to acquire some directly from viewers. “I’m very fortunate to receive donations from viewers who want their treasured tech to go to a good home,” he beams. “I do my best to restore and share them on videos and with visitors to The Cave. Some of my favourite donations include the Jackie Chan-endorsed Famiclone, an Amstrad CPC 464 which was my first computer and ZX Spectrum clones from the former USSR which took me down a fascinating rabbit hole of computer history from behind the iron curtain.”
Before we leave Neil’s Cave it’s probably worth mentioning the strangest item he has there… a rather unusual joystick. “All hail Trevor!” Neil laughs. “He started life as a Cheetah Tortoise joystick review, but has since become something of a mascot for the channel. He’ll have a chat with you on my Discord server if you pop in but be warned, he isn’t the most polite of tortoises.”
understanding the hardware is a fun way to really understand the stories behind the machines Niel Thomas