Intro
Stumotor33na3rd also know as Stuart Mowat is an incredible PC and retro gamer!!!
His Instagram is just filled with gorgeous photos and beautiful shots filled with nostalgia!
His collection is huge, and I couldn’t be more excited for this interview!!!!!!!!
Brief Bio (About yourself)
I’m a gamer first and foremost, but it is true I have a greater passion for retro gaming. I don’t have as much spare time these days but that I do have I spend playing on the PC, Switch or PS4. I tend to play my retro stuff on free weekends when I have time, its not so much pick up and play for me these days. I’m a huge West Bromwich Albion fan and attend most matches home and away, this eats into my gaming time and my spending on retro.
Name: Stuart Mowat
Level: 35
Main gaming platform: Megadrive (Retro), PC (in terms of hours), Switch (Console)
Secondary platform: PS4
Favorite video game motto: “Its time for kicking ass and chew bubble gum, and I'm all outta gum” (Duke Nukem)
What is your earliest memory of video games and at what point did you know it was something you would love for life?
My earliest memories of gaming are from 1988/89 when my parents got me a ZX Sprectrum for a Christmas Present. My first game was Treasure Island, I also had Punchy, Oh Mummy and Crazy Golf. I was addicted from that point onward. The next step after that was a few years later when I got a NES with Mario and Duck Hunt, I have never looked back really.
What first sparked your interest in collecting?
Like most of us, I sold most of my original old school games to upgrade to the latest console. Around 4 years ago, my wife got me a NES that was on a deal in a Cash Converter store and it set me off.
At first I just started buying the games I had, but around 4-6 months after I got the NES I spotted a boxed Megadrive on a market stall and the rest was history.
Megadrive was my main console as a kid and I slowly re-built the collection I had all those years ago. The more I looked to find games I once had, the more I learnt about games I’d never seen before and started to learn some were quite rare and collectible. I loved Rocket Knight Adventures when I was younger and soon learnt there was a follow up called Sparkster which I didn’t know about and had never played.
It was rather expensive compared to what I had been paying but eventually I ended up with it. I started posting some of the games I was picking up on Instagram and got lots of interest. I didn’t know there was a whole community out there that collected computer games. Fueld by the shared interest and the collecting bug I started getting more and more obscure games until one day a guy from Facebook offered to trade me a game called Demolition Man (based on the film) for a SNES mini, which I accepted. The European PAL version is quite rare and this forced me down a path to find rarer and more expensive games. I decided at this point I was going to go for a full European PAL Megadrive set.
How big is your Collection total?
I literally have thousands of games, I have 463 digital games on steam, over 200 PS$ games (most of which I also own digitally and are sealed physical copies). My Megadrive collection is at this point in time at 313 games, I have 25 Dreamcast Games, I have 45 Saturn games, 6 games for the Sega 32X, 17 Mega CD Games, 10 Master System Games, 11 Game Gear Games, 52 3DS Games, 49 DS games, 24 boxed and complete NES games with another 10 loose carts, 20 GameCube games, hundereds of PS2, PS3 and Xbox games, I have a handful of games ofr the XboxOne and U have around 15 games for the SNES (2 Boxed and complete)I have over 100 Wii Games and 21 Wii U games. I have 40 games for the Switch and a shed load of collectors editions, not to mention a ton of games for the Spectrum and Commodore 64. I have boxed consoles of nearly all of the above mentioned platforms, some like the Wii and Wii U I have multiple variants of.
What is your most prized collectible and why?
Probably my copy of Fatal Fury 2 on the Megadrive. The game is in mint condition and is worth probably over 1000 pounds (UK). It was released in small numbers and the PAL version was exclusive to Australia. Its extremely difficult to even find somebody willing to sell a copy regardless of the cost.
What are some collectibles you have always dreamed of getting your hands on?
I am promised first refusal on a copy of Lakers versus Celtics (PAL) on the Sega Megadrive. Only 13 complete copies are known to exist and its probably one of the rarest games in the world. When I do get the chance it is likely to set me back 4000 pounds.
List your owned consoles and ones you wish to get your hands on?
I've already listed most above, the only console I plan to get in the future that I don’t already have is an Atari Jaguar with the Jaguar CD. Quite expensive but its not a priority at the moment.
What are your top 3 Mario games and why?
I’m more Sega than Nintendo, but I do have a lot of Mario experience over the years.
1) Super Mario Bros 3 (NES) – Best Platformer ever made
2) Mario Kart Double Dash (GameCube) – Best Multiplayer Racer ever!
3) Mario Party 10 (Wii U) – Brilliant family game
What are your top 3 favourite childhood videos games and why?
1) NHLPA Hockey 93 (Megadrive) – So much fun, the fights are epic. Still play this today
2) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Megadrive) – Great 2 player fun without split screen
3) Streets of Rage 2 – Epic fun, hasn’t aged a bit. As good today as it was back then.
Your thoughts on the Shenmue series?
Despite being a sega nut, I've never played Shenmue. I did consider getting the recent remaster as it was a Dreamcast classic, but I didn’t in the end. I may try this in the future.
Favorite Mortal Kombat Character and
fatality?
Sub Zero was probably my favorite character. I know there were some awesome fatalities, but I always liked the simple uppercut on the pit level to knock your opponent down onto the spikes.
What video game characters personality best suits you?
George Stobbart from Broken Sword. Dry humor, quite intelligent when he wants to be and isn’t afraid to make a fool of himself for the amusement of others.
What upcoming titles are you excited for?
I’m looking forward to the Physical Edition of Shakedown Hawaii from Vblank on Switch and PS4. I’m also looking forward to the Megadrive Classic Mini. I have the European and Japanese copies on pre-order Cant wait. Also looking forward to Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games on Switch.
Favourite video game character and why?
Has to be Sonic the Hedgehog. I'm a Sega fanatic and he’s the main character of the franchise. Sonic symbolizes what I consider to be the greatest video games company ever, SEGA
Have your say (say anything you want)
I’ve said quite a lot, but my main goal now is to complete the Sega Megadrive full set. I may move on to regional exclusives and variants but I'm more likely to move onto Master System, Saturn and Dreamcast before I do that. I aspire to have a full Sega set one day but maybe my passion will fade before I get close I don’t know.
For now, I'm enjoying learning about retro and sharing finds and pickups with the community. Its really fund and I've met some great people doing what I do.
Thank You