Back in the day when Chicago didn't resemble the arctic tundra, unitdaisy and I were so inspired by drunkgamers.com's garagesaling adventures that we went out about Chicago, scrounging for games. Often we returned home empty handed to post our experiences in the Drunkgamer's Message Forum. However, there were a few times we were lazy and never quite got around to posting them.

Oh, and for those unfamiliar with the term garagesaling it's simple: you wake up far too early in the morning on the weekend and go out to garage sales looking for something (preferably videogame related) while wishing you were still in bed. You can picture for yourself what drunksaling is. Or just see below.

Before heading out for a new season of drunksaling, unitdaisy and I decided to take a look back at what we had found in the past, a kind of inspirational voice to keep us from just finding the closest bar instead of sifting through soiled garments searching for a NeoGeo. Yeah, it's basically a flashback episode but cut us a bit of slack - I don't see you doing this, do I?

Best, but most useless gaming item found:

peccaui: Looking back on it, we were really lucky in those early weeks. Sadly, this Colecovision came with no games, no A/V cables, not an AC Adapter. However, part of the appeal of the Colecovision was it's sturdy controller. Nostalgia, nostalgia.

unitdaisy: We really should have made that guy scour his house for the ac adaptor, for all we know he threw it away when he moved later that week...

Rarest find:

peccaui: Back in the days before Napster and widespread music piracy, this cd used to fetch a pretty penny. Shortly after it's release, it was yanked from the stores for some uncleared samples. Now I might as well use it to lure unsuspecting goths into sewers and trap them so the steam will make their mascara run.

unitdaisy: That was actually copy #2 for me, 'back in the day' i was offered $75 for my first copy, if only i'd known i'd find another one for $1 eight years later!

Game with the most potential, but ruined due to previous owner's idiocy:

peccaui: I loved this game, back in the day. And now that we have a Genesis (or two,) it would have been nice to take a little trip back in time. But no - the previous owner decided to screw bolts into the cartridge, rendering it inoperable. As a result, I propose we ban power tools.

unitdaisy: Nooooooo! I love my power tools!

Most useless game peripheral found:

peccaui: This was actually a really tough call - there were several that were contenders - an old Game Boy (original model) screenlight, a broken Intellivision Voice Module but this by far takes the cake - an extra 3DO controller. First off, a 3DO is pretty darn useless. An extra controller is doubly useless. Having no 3DO and no desire to ever purchase one (except perhaps out of sheer curiousity if it were in a dollar bin) raised it a bit above the competition. Congrats 3DO - at least you're a winner somewheres!

#1 gaming device found best left undiscovered:

peccaui: Yes, the Pico. Hell, I don't even remember this every being released. My guess is that Sega was trying to emulate Apple and go after the lucrative pre-schoolers market. Apparently, they forgot about the failed eMate. Suckers.

unitdaisy: How come I never had one of these when I was a kid?

Most hideous object seen on the streets:

peccaui: Herbie, The Love Bug was great when I was four. That's no reason to paint your new VW Bug like him twenty years after the film was released though.

unitdaisy: Yeah and it doesn't quite work as well on a new beetle.

Best gaming peripheral found:

peccaui: If you were a kid, and had a NES Advantage you were king of your block. And now I can feel relive that feeling all over again. No, my neighbors don't really care much for me shouting 'TURBO FOR LIFE' at them when I pass them in the hallway, but at least they know I can beat their Power Glove anyday.

unitdaisy: Um, yeah I don't care for it either...

Most exciting but ultimately disappointing find:

peccaui: I think the images speak for themselves.

Wish I Would Have ... award:

unitdaisy: Must buy everything I kinda like from now on - just in case I love it later!

Worst sale location:

peccaui: If there is a dirtier comic book store out there, I haven't seen it.

unitdaisy: Had to take a shower after that one, the dust just seemed to attach itself to our skin.

Find of 2002:

peccaui: All of this - for $20. Hours and hours of fun, and new content for the site (real retro reviews are on their way)! It's like a little minefield of nostalgia and wonder!

unitdaisy: Whee!

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peccaui: And finally, five months into 2003, we leave 2002 and prepare for new objects to be found under the sweltering sun. New drunksaling adventures start next week.

unitdaisy: Time to look for the map...