Big Boxes

[Tonberry]

You know those big-ass boxes that PC games used to come in? Yeah, those. Love me some of that.

I'm too young to remember these vividly, but since I'm a sucker for old stuff (Isn't that why we're all here?) they've always fascinated me, and it's something I've always wanted to collect a few personal favorites, because they just look neat to display, like big books.
The only ones I remember owning myself was 'Croc' as a kid, and 'Secret of Monkey Island' but I gave that one away to a friend as a gift.

It's completely logical why they faded from relevance. There simply wasn't a real need for them anymore. The DVD plastic case format was much more compact, but I can't help myself to gaze wistfully at the big boxes of my dreams. One day you'll be mine, Diablo...

Do you own/collect any? What are some of your favorites?

This site is a pretty cool digital archive for many big boxes in glorious 3D:

BigBoxCollection: high-res 3D boxes of over 800 games from 1983 to today

Remember When Video Games Came In Big Boxes?

bigboxcollection.com

 

[Ezri_Muldoon]

I have a small collection,

The original Half-Life trillogy (HL, OF & BS)
Wing commander 3-5 (Prophecy)
Jurassic Park Trespasser
Westwood's Blade Runner
Lego Rock Raiders, Racers & Alpha Team
The old SSI Warhammer games
Arcanum of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

I miss when games gave you a free recipes, posters, reference cards and sometimes entire Novels

 

[bjork]

The original EA packages that were like packing for vinyl records, which was also used by Accolade, those were cool. Stuff like Bard's Tale, Hardball, Law of the West, and so on.
I was also a fan of the old epyx packaging where it was like neon art

 

[Clippy]

Sadly, I never owned any big boxes back when they mattered because the reality in my neck of the woods was such that the only way to get any games was through piracy and these days I'm not willing to pay through the nose to some scalper to have a nice box on my shelf. Such is life I suppose. I do adore the artwork and all the goodies that came with big boxes, even the anti-piracy stuff despite it only serving as an annoyance to legitimate buyers.

 

[Octopus]

I miss any form of 'feelies' coming with games, like maps or little in-universe booklets or whatever. We don't even have manuals anymore, man. Skyrim, blessed be it's name of course, came with a burlap map and it was amazingly cool at the time.

 

[Tonberry]

I'm a liar!!! I had COMPLETELY forgotten I own this big box of Half-Life "Chronicles" which includes the normal game and Opposing Force. I just now found it in a cardboard box under my bed lol.

I miss any form of 'feelies' coming with games, like maps or little in-universe booklets or whatever. We don't even have manuals anymore, man. Skyrim, blessed be it's name of course, came with a burlap map and it was amazingly cool at the time.

This feels like a very appropriate thing for an octopus to say. But yeah I totally agree.

 

[PhrawzT]

Sadly I got rid of most of my big box games about 20 years ago, but still have 3 left.

 

[Tonberry]

Sadly I got rid of most of my big box games about 20 years ago, but still have 3 left.
View attachment 22272View attachment 22273

The Daggerfall box art goes hard.

 

[99nereids]

i started collecting big boxes a few years ago, my local used media store actually carries a lot. (thrift stores usually have some as well)

Spoiler: big boxes

starting with my favorite.... based on nostalgia + the sick ass double fold out design, so cool (also has velcro straps to keep it secure? very thoughtful lol)

dont let the price tag fool you i payed like $15 for this boy

the warcraft III battle chest also has my heart <3 also the first one i bought i think?

then i had to buy the only other big box from my childhood

sure why not just start buying warcraft III clones

couldnt get into ToEE cus im a forgotten realms girlie at heart but i love the design for this one