Here’s an update on the recent Halo auctions for Child’s Play Charity… By the auctions closing, they managed to total up to $6203.10!! Not bad at all, right? Congratulations to everyone who donated the items and to those who bid. I’m sure the winners of the items are very pleased.

There’s a nice line up of auctions here but we’re going to open with three submitted by Roland who has submitted auctions here on VGA before.

Steel Battalion Cockpit - This is one impressive piece of gaming control. The TV and stool are included so you really do get what you see.

Xbox Promos - A nice variety of Xbox promos here. These items are normally sold in pairs or on their own on eBay, so it’s nice to see so many in one bundle.

Densha De Go PS1 Controller - Densha De Go is a train simulation series from Japan. This controller gives you optimal control for the game.

Here are some more auctions of a different kind.

Game Boy Game Showcase - Back in the days of the original Gameboy, this display case would be amazing to both carry and show off your game collection. This one is still in it’s original packaging.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Watch - The seller explains that the watch being sold is #131 of 400 even though the pictures show #409 of 500. Is the “400″ a typo? I’m not aware of a limited 400 MGS4 watch but maybe Riku can shed more light on the issue. He is the VGA expert when it comes to Metal Gear collectibles…

Konami Gakken Super Cobra - There’s an auction currently on eBay for one of these priced over $1000 (I feel bad for anyone who blindly goes for it). This auction is actually still a little high, but it’s a great item in terms of early Konami games.

Metal Gear Solid 3 Extreme Box - This four disc set also includes a Snake Kubrick figure! It’s an amazing looking case as well.

Pac-Man Trash Can - The price is high, but it’s in great condition. Perfect for any game room.

Donkey Kong & Dig Dug Promo Balloons - The pictures in the auction show the balloons only slightly blown up to show the images printed. The seller explains these were given out at CES in the early 80′s.

We have a huge amount of affordable press released promos today. The press promos are actually all from the same seller, dukeferris (a former video game journalist who is selling off some cool stuff). I’ve also listed a couple of unusual Final Fantasy music boxes which is interesting because the world of Final Fantasy collectibles is known for it’s music boxes. First up however is a nice Playstation store display…

Playstation Store Display (PS1) - The display is clearly dated by it’s “greatest hits” sections. The seller’s many suggestions on how to use the display are very strange. Display your knife collection? A gun rack!? lol…

Playstation 3 Launch Tower Standee - Back when the PS3 was a crazy mystery which had gamers lining up around the corner… this display showed off some of the first PS3 titles.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North Press Promo Bundle - Wow, any LotR fans out there? this bundle comes with a t-shirt, soundtrack and a bag containing 3 leaf bound pieces of lembas bread (don’t eat it lol).

Dreamcast Press Kit Binder - The contents have unfortunately been lost, but this is still a nice Dreamcast collectible.

N-GAGE QD Prototype - Here’s an N-Gage made for press release which could differ from the final product. Included are 2 promo games and it’s all fully functional.

Dragon Age II Metal Coasters - These are very nice items. Not only do they look great to people who don’t know the game, but for those who do… it’s doubly awesome.

Bionic Commando Field Manual - This “field manual” is actually a simple promo booklet. Still, uncommon.

Rome Total War Cloth Flag and T-shirt - The flag included in this auction can be hung from the ceiling. This is nice for those who may have run out of wall space

Project Natal Animals E3 2010 Black Panther - Something great about this item is that the tag says “Project Natal” rather than Kinect. This was made before the final device and game were named.

God of War Hoodie - This is by far my favourite item being listed by dukeferris. Such a great idea… Kratos’ war paint put to a hoodie. Pure cool

Final Fantasy X Premium Melody Music Box - Okay, the seller explains this music box was available only in Japan as a prize in various arcades. It’s not an official Squaresoft/Square-Enix item as far as I can see.

Final Fantasy XIII Premium Melody Music Box - Another music box of the same kind mentioned above. I would love to hear more about these if anyone has more info. Perhaps Kenji, VGA’s FF expert?… no pressure lol.

Here are a few nice auctions I came across earlier today. The Blizzcon collectibles are always great auctions because so many people never got the chance to go themselves. On the other hand, the autographs that pour from every Blizzcon is lowering their value every year. This leaves the new collectibles to stand on their own and 2011 has one that really stands out…

Blizzcon 2011 Goodie Bag - Included in this huge bundle is the Mini Tyrael figure which is calling for huge prices all over eBay. In fact there are auctions for the Tyrael figure by itself for about %80 of the price of this entire auction.

Fairchild Channel F - One of the classic home consoles… and this one is still in it’s original box. It’s a decent buy for vintage collectors.

Parappa The Rapper Bling - I remember when Parappa the Rapper was a big deal. To this day, I say the original is better than any Guitar Hero Game.

Metal Gear Solid 2 Premium Package - Up for a good price, this gives MGS fans a chance to pick up something they missed.

X-Men Destiny SDCC 2011 Camera - I’m not quite sure how Marvel video games connect with cameras, but it’s a unique collectible.

Spider-Man Edge of Time SDCC 2011 Camera - The game wasn’t very well received, but this is still a nice collectible for Marvel readers.

It wont be long now… As I’m sure most people know, the 2nd Annual NES Marathon begins tomorrow! If you haven’t already (and perhaps even if you have), please donate today. Any amount helps, so please go for it. Let’s see how much has come in so far…

Whoa! It’s crazy to see this amount knowing that the marathon hasn’t even begun yet. Clearly, gamers from all over know the importance of Child’s Play Charity’s cause. Spread the word people! This is gonna be big. Hope to see you guys in the chat tomorrow.

Now, how about some auctions… Well, there’s a pretty cool mix here today. Some vintage stuff in remarkable condition, some limited collectibles, and more…

Video Volley Pong Console (Mint) - There are many Pong consoles available on eBay, but this one really stood out. The seller says that the system has never been removed from the box. The seller has also reduced the price for a limited time. Still, a bit pricey.

Namco Museum Pac-Man Promos - This advertisement set comes with everything. You get the hanging signs, original hook-ups, and the printed instructions as well. This is very much a game room item.

Nintendo Powerplay Saturday Champion Necklace - This was an award won at a Gamestop tournament in 2006. It’s a solid piece of quality metal and comes in a worthy case. The seller actually has 2 of these.

Club Nintendo Super Mario Bros Pin - This awesome looking pin was never removed from it’s box. The price isn’t terrible, but should be closer to $25.

Katamari Damacy Prince Cellphone Strap - Here’s a cell strap that a select few Katamari gamers would love to display. You could confound and dazzle everyone with every call!

Dead Space Limited Isaac’s Rig Backpack - Isaac’s rig is such a perfect idea for a backpack. The idea of keeping the game’s HUD on the character itself was a big deal when the game was released and this backpack promotes this concept in style.

Vintage Pac-Man Socks - It’s surprising how well these socks have stood against the test of time. It would have been cool to see them in their original bindings as you would have seen in the store back in the 80′s though.

Super Mario Bros Shampoo - As the seller clearly knows to point out, this bottle is in great condition in terms of colour. The design on these can fade and crack with use. This bottle is full and unused.

Final Fantasy Spirits Within Limited Watch - Even though Spirits Within has a bad rep amongst most Final Fantasy fans, the rarity of this watch is beyond question. There are only 1,000 in the world and this one being sold is #938. The seller is taking offers.

I hope some serious buyers have some cash ready, because many of the auctions below are quite expensive. Prices vary from $50 to $10,000. Even if you’re not willing to buy, you may find some interesting stuff worth remembering.

Metal Gear Solid 2 Signed Press Kit - This booklet has been signed by the man himself; Hideo Kojima. The seller has listed it as a press “kit” but it doesn’t look as though anything else is included with the booklet.

Tron Legacy Limited Xbox 360 Controller (CLU) - Only 250 of these amazing looking controllers were made. If it didn’t cost so much, I would have bought this already. It’s still tempting though…

Atari 2600 For Promotional Use Only Boxed Set - Promo carts can be found most often on eBay, but how about an entire boxed set with games and reading material? There can’t be many of these left in the world so complete.

Holofoil Karen’s Umbreon Pokemon Card JP (PSA 10) - I’ve never really followed the value of Pokemon cards too closely, but this is one of the big ones. The price is boosted by the perfect condition of the card.

Gears of War 2 Dev Team T-Shirt - The seller worked as a Quality Assurance Tester for Gears of War 2 and was given this t-shirt. It’s more valuable to the people who did the work, but it’s being put up for sale into the collector’s market.

Xbox Gobo Light Lens - This lens was used inside one of the lights at the Microsoft booth at E3 2001. It was removed after the event because the lights were rentals. It’s a cool random collectible.

Gold Zelda Promo Pin - Amazing detail on this pin for sure. Don’t read too much into the seller’s mention of “one of a kind”. They tend to add that into many auctions. It’s too bad the price is so high. (not real gold of course)

Gears of War 3 Beta Tester T-shirt - Another t-shirt from the making of a Gears of War title. This one was given to a beta tester for Gears of War 3.

Turbo Duo NEC Complete Collection - Clearly the seller for this auction put a lot of time and money into this impressive collection. Included is the complete US library of games, %95 of the import library, 4 consoles (1 boxed mint), and all the add-ons required to play the games. The NEC world of gaming is a tough area to collect in, so the price is actually very close to what this should go for. The offers have been pouring in… feel like making one?

The Panasonic 3DO was a very short lived system being discontinued after about 5 years. Before the system was put to rest however, the next 3DO system was in development. It was the Panasonic M2. It was said to be the most powerful home game system to be released in the late 90′s. It never saw a release because of Sony’s heavy competition with the Playstation. After the M2 was cancelled, the original 3DO was soon discontinued and so came the end of 3DO. Today, development kits and even prototypes of the M2 are still around but are extremely rare. One dev kit is actually up for sale right now on eBay…

Panasonic 3DO M2 Development Kit

Now let’s take a look at some more affordable items. There are a few gems in here and a couple of small collectibles.

Sega Euro Challenge 92 Gold & Silver Pins - I don’t know a lot about the Sega Euro Challenge. It was in France I believe and only happened once. These metal pins were likely gold and silver place rewards but the seller describes them as promo pins. I’m willing to bet they aren’t promos. You can tell by the quality alone.

Yu-Gi-Oh Limited PocketStation - This limited Yu-Gi-Oh PocketStation set comes in a great looking gold box. If you’re a fan of the games, this is a nice find.

Mega Blocks Halo Wars Toys R Us Display - It looks like some Halo loving Toys R Us employee arranged to take this with them after it was taken down. Well, now it’s up for grabs for Halo collectors…

Sonic Puzzle Can - This is an unusual version of the classic picture sliding puzzle toy. It’s still in the original package too.

Xbox Blinx Promo Watch - The only interesting thing I noticed about this watch is the humble beginnings of Microsoft in the game market. It’s a cheap looking watch and, in a way, that’s the appeal.

Xbox Promos - Some more small promos from the early days of Xbox. I’m not sure what they were thinking with the temporary tattoos… and the yo-yo? lol…

There are some great collectibles listed here today but, first up is a prize from an early competition set up by Nintendo. The Nintendo competitions in Japan in 1987 had some great prizes including the gold Punch Out cart and Super Mario Bros Game & Watch but, the most flashy in my opinion was the prize from the very first competition played.

Famicom Golf Gold Disk Prize - This gold disk version of Golf for the Famicom Disk System has a 19th hole that is exclusive to this version. I can’t imagine there are that many fans of this version of Golf to cause people to go into a frenzy to play that rare game of golf but, it is a valuable piece of Nintendo history. The seller has reduced the price, but it’s still right around the current value. It’s an investment for sure and the value would go up if you manage to get your hands on the other three prizes. Note: there are some surface scuffs and sticker remains but it’s possible that it could be cleaned up.

Fairchild Channel F - This early cartridge system from 1976 has a very bizarre looking control. It’s actually very good for the classic arcade style of play. The console in this auction comes with the original box as well!

Viewtiful Joe Bobble Heads - If any video game character is fitted to be made into a bobble head, it’s Viewtiful Joe. The auction is for a pair; one of Joe real-world and one of Viewtiful Joe hero mode.

Xbox Retailer Reference Guide Promo - This is something you don’t see every day. Each page of this binder is a very interesting read in retrospect. Microsoft was just breaking into the home console market at the time this book was made and nobody back then knew how much success would come from this move.

Pac-Man Cup - A simple cup with a classic Pac-Man look. Strangely, the auction is taking bids with no buy now price.

The Neverhood Sealed Soundtrack - Of the many game soundtracks I’ve listened to, The Neverhood is the weirdest… well, maybe not as weird as Katamari Demacy, but still way up there.

Sega Authorized Retailer Wall Clock - Here’s a clock fit for any video game shop. Imagine 80′s and 90′s gamers walking into your store and spot this hanging on the wall behind the counter! Awesome.

There are a bunch of great Metal Gear items listed here today. In fact, a few of them are one of a kind! I’m a big fan of original art because it really comes down to part of the core design of a game or, in the following case, a comic. It’s amazing how low the current bids are because these are the only originals that exist. There may of course be other versions while it was being worked on, but these are still from the artist’s hand to the paper now up for sale.

Three of these were done by Ashley Wood and the portrait of Snake was done by Ryan Ottley. Ashley Wood is a very talented artist who seems to mainly work with oil paint. His paintings are amazingly dark and exciting. I recommend everyone check out his stuff sometime. Ryan Ottley is an experienced comic artist who works with the classic pen and ink look. You will notice the Snake portrait is signed “Wya”, but don’t be fooled; Wya is his nickname which comes from the way he used to pronounce his own name when he was a kid. lol

There are five days left on these auctions and you can expect the bids to fly on the last day.

Metal Gear Original Cover Art by Ashley Wood

Metal Gear Original Comic Art by Ashley Wood (Snake Reload)

Metal Gear Original Comic Art by Ashley Wood (Snake vs Mantis)

Metal Gear Original Snake Portrait by Ryan Ottley

Here are some more great Metal Gear items…

Metal Gear Solid Store Display - Though it doesn’t say in the description, this looks like a counter-top cardboard standee. The condition is good, but the corners are a little rough.

Metal Gear Solid Medicom Kubrick Series 1 Full Set - These figures are fairly popular and this is the full set from series 1.

Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake MSX 2 Complete - The MSX versions of the first two Metal Gear games were the real deal. Forget what you know about the NES games.

Metal Gear Worlds of Power Novel - The Worlds of Power novels were small paperback books based on the story from various video games. I would be very interested in how badly this book stomps all over the real Metal Gear story. The again, maybe it’s better than the NES game.

Metal Gear Japanese Guide Book - Even though this book is in Japanese and many people in NA wont be able to read it, it’s still a great collector’s item for Metal Gear fans.

Kojima Productions E3 Promo - A small promo from E3 for Kojima Productions. It’s a simple item, but it’s nice that it doesn’t go over the top.