Collectibles are one of the longest-running tropes in video games, and it’s easy to understand why. As a mechanic, they keep us engaged in the downtime between bosses. As a trophy, they show off how dedicated we were to see everything a game has to offer. Above everything else though,they are pointless doodads to ascribe value to, and we need to have them all!
Related:Hardest Video Game Achievements Of All Time
Collecting these trinkets is all well and good in a virtual sense, but which would be the best to line your shelves with in real life? Some video game collectibles would make for perfectly healthy hobbies, while others could land you in jail, ordestroy a solar system. So we decided to rank which video game collectibles would be the best to start hoarding in real life.
10Stars And Moons - Mario
The Mario serieswas one of the first games to feature collectibles that felt important. Grabbing 100 coins will give you an extra life, keys will unlock hidden doors, and extra Yoshis can be kicked into pits. However, ever since Mario made his way into the third dimension, the series' most important collectibles have become stars, and that’s a big problem. Sure, the Shines on Isle Delfino and Cat Shines in Bowser’s Fury would all be harmless to take, but literal celestial bodies? That can only cause trouble.
It was bad enough in Mario 64 when the Stars were already littered throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, seemingly not impacting the rotation of the planet, but in the Galaxy games, you are robbing star systems' suns! Do you know how much damage that would cause? Things are just as bad in Mario Odyssey where you are meant to be bringing peace to different kingdoms, but instead are taking away their Moons and surely destroying their seas' tides. It’s all very problematic. Just don’t touch them, okay?
9Skulls - Halo
You know that scene in movies where the police raid the serial killer’s house, and it is full of human remains? Yeah, that is what you are asking for if you take inspiration fromMaster Chiefand start collecting skulls. Where are you even going to get them? The Covenant isn’t hiding any on Earth, so you are either going to have to start planning museum heists or resort to grave robbing.
Related:Best Halo Campaigns, Ranked
And even if you are morally okay with unresting the dead, what are you going to get from this? All these skulls do isadd more challenge to the universe’s greatest super soldier’s mission. Do you want to make your life more difficult like that? Collect the wrong skull, and suddenly everything will do four times the damage, and you will break your foot every time you stub your toe.
8Vault Boy Bobbleheads - Fallout
I loveFallout, I love the Pipboy, and I love the Vault boy, but we need to be honest with ourselves: Fallout’s bobbleheads are just an equivalent to modern Funko Pops. Sure, you pick up one of them as a joke, but two years later your shelves are lined with the big-headed monstrosities, and you can’t invite guests over without being embarrassed.
More importantly, though, it is worth thinking about what is actually in these bad boys. I doubt the FDA of the ultra-capitalist 2077 America was doing very extensive research about what toxic chemicals were used in manufacturingthese bobbleheads. What’s more, we know these grinning fools can survive a nuclear blast, whatever plastic they are made of and paint was used, can’t be safe to have in a poorly ventilated area.
7Chaos Emeralds - Sonic
This might be a personal entry, but I’m not a fan ofSonic. I’ve never liked the games, and the lore seems like the most unappealing universe to get invested in. Yes, I would love to go Super Saiyan, or whatever the Blue Blur does when he collects them all, but I don’t think I could ever live down the jokes my friends would make after I’ve spent years ridiculing the franchise.
Related:Best Sonic Games For Beginners
Besides, going out of my way for these emeralds seems like a bad idea. They certainly aren’t worth anything, they aren’t even real emeralds, and only one of them is actually even green. Also, the last person I want as an enemy isDr. Eggman and his robot army.
6Old World Junk - Horizon Zero Dawn And Forbidden West
The collectibles in theHorizongames are actually pretty great. They have some of the best item descriptions in games, and it’s fascinating to see what the writers at Guerilla thought humans in the post-post-apocalypse might have thought an iPad or coffee mug was for.
The only problem is that if I were to start doing this, it would involve basically becoming an archaeologist in my spare time. Honestly, though that could work out pretty well, I live in Ireland, and we have loads of bogs that have preserved ancient and not-so-ancient artifacts. One day I might discover the King of Munster’s crown and the next a sock from 1998. It could be fun, but it just seems like such a big time investment.
5Coffee Thermoses - Alan Wake
Okay now, we are getting to collectibles I can really get behind. These receptacles for caffeinated goodness might be some of the most pointless and frustrating collectibles in games. InAlan Wakethey do nothing andthere are 100 to findin a game that isn’t that long in comparison - but that is kind of why they would make a perfect real-world collectible.
Related:Things Everyone Missed In Alan Wake Remastered
When you collect things in real life, it’s important to realize you don’t actually get anything, other than the thing you are hoarding itself. One of the most damaging mindsets a collector can get into is that if they have a full collection of comics, games, or whatever, then they’ll be better off somehow. Don’t fall into that trap; just enjoy collecting for the act of the search, enjoy the moment of the find - and, hey, at the end of the day, you now have anew place to keep your coffee warm.
4Assist Trophies - Super Smash Bros.
Assist Trophies fromSmash Bros.are actually a great video game collectible you can get into right now because they’re basically justamiibo. Sure, very few Nintendo games actually utilize amiibo anymore, and the ones that do usually have pretty underwhelming features, but remember what I said about collecting for the joy of it?
And before you ask, no this entry isnotso far up the list because I am trying to justify the amiibo hole I fell down during the first Covid lockdown… I just need to know that all of theseFire Emblemamiibo I bought and can’t even remember the names of weren’t a total waste of money.
3Power Bricks And Mini Kits - Lego Games
I still buyLego. Lego and gaming are two of the only childhood hobbies of mine I keep up with. Back then it was for fun, so I’d haveStar Warssets to fly around and play with, but now Lego serves a much more meditative role in my life. Assembling sets over the course of a few days is a lovely way to wind down, and when I’m done I’m left with a bonsai tree orBD-1 modelI can put on my shelf.
Related:Best Lego Games According To Metacritic
Yes, Power Bricks are literal single bricks but collecting them and mini-kits would grant me access to more Lego models and mini-figs to line my walls with, so I’m not complaining.
2Coins - Mario
Coin collecting is one of the oldest hobbies there is, and I can see the appeal. There’s a finite number you can collect, and you can set realistic goals for sets you want to have, years you want to complete, and money you are willing to spend.
Better yet, you could act like Mario and just pick up every single denomination you find on the street. Best of all though, if you get 100, you might survive death. Don’t test that!
1Pokemon - Pokemon
Okay, the more I think about this, it might actually be slightly problematic, consideringPokemonare living beings - but maybe a plushie of every pocket monster would do?
Besides, who am I to argue with the song? Yougottacatch ‘em all…
Next:Best Pottery In Gaming, Ranked By How Likely Link Is To Break It
