If you're looking for the rarest retro collectibles to add to your collection, then InsertBid should be your first port of call. They're a one-stop shop for rare pieces of retro gaming history, exciting memorabilia, and never-before-seen items that will make your eyes grow wide and your wallet flip open.
Their latest auction is one that will make every SNES fan drool on their keyboard. Can you remember when you could walk into a game shop and actually test out games before you bought them? This SNES M80C Countertop Kiosk was a way of letting you and a friend test out titles together, passing the time while your parents shopped nearby, or giving you a taste of what the game was actually about to see if you wanted to spend your hard-earned pocket money on it.
That glowing light, the controller arms, the CRT - it's a slice of gaming history and also of how we used to buy our games, long before Amazon monopolised the world. It's a reminder of the good old days, and it can be yours if you're prepared to bid high for it!
It's actually pretty amazing that this unit has withstood the test of time. Whoever took this after it had run its course in the game shop it was used in must have known that it would be worth a pretty penny one day. The fact that it still works is even better - seeing it feels like stepping back in time.
As you can see from the back of the unit, the M80C is pretty compact for an all-in-one unit. It's designed to sit on a countertop, meaning you could put the whole thing in your kitchen next to the coffee machine and always be late for work, but happy in the knowledge that life was good.
And just look at the sticker on the back, which again is still surprisingly intact to say that this has had a heck of a lot of use in its life and is over 30 years old. 'Now you're playing with Power, Super Power'.
Take my money, take it all now!
The kiosk comes with a CRT, the illuminated header light, and controller mounts, all revolving around integrated internal hardware that was designed to run continuously. This isn't a standard SNES; it's a workhorse built to be played with, a real superhero. The fact that InsertBid are selling one that is still assembled and in one piece is incredible, as is the Blockbuster Video cartridge that comes with it. Talk about multiple nostalgia slaps in one piece!
There haven't been any modifications to this M80C either - what you see is the original unit from the 90s. It's in 'good' condition, with yellowing plastic which we see all too often on old consoles, and is something to be expected from a display unit like this. The console itself works great, and the few bumps and scratches to the kiosk only add to its character in my opinion. This is something that thousands of people have played on over the years - it holds real history, the excitement of eager players, the thrill of finding a new game. If tech could talk, then this kiosk would certainly have a few stories to tell.
The M80C Countertop Kiosk currently has just over 3 days and 12 hours left at auction at the time of writing and is currently on a bid price of $3,050. I'm excited to see how much it goes for in the end - hopefully you will be the lucky winner!
Head to InsertBid to make a bid and find out more!
