The gaming geek who boasts a world record collection of more than 10,000 video games and 108 consoles to play them on... but one title still eludes him



Michael Thomasson, 43, has collected games since age 12

Won Guinness World Record with 10,607 different titles

However that is growing at a rate of two a day and is now past 11,000

He also owns 108 different consoles to play them on

He sold part of his collection twice, but has tracked down all of the games he got rid of, except one - Magical Chase - which eludes him



It started more than 30 years ago when Michael Thomasson received Cosmic Avenger on the Colecovision from his grandparents for Christmas.

Now, aged 43, Mr Thomasson, from Buffalo, New York, has amassed a world record collection of 10,607 video games - a total that grows at a rate of two every day.



In order to play his mammoth collection, worth around $820,000, he also owns 108 consoles and computers dating back to the 1980s.

Michael Thomasson, 43, has broken a Guinness World Record by collecting 10,607 video games

He claims to buy an average of two a day, costing him $3,000 a year, and says he now has more than 11,000

In order to play the $800,000 worth of games he also has 108 consoles dating back to the 1980s

Mr Thomasson said: 'When I purchased a copy of the records book in 2011 and saw the current holder's entry, I knew that I was close if not already over the standing record.



Thomasson smashed the previous record of 8,616 titles held by former 'king of video games' Richard Lecce

'I was delighted when the Guinness Book of World Records gave me a certificate verifying that I have 'The Largest Collection of Videogames' with the count being 10,607 at the time.



'I have well over 11,000 unique games in my collection at this point, I average buying about two games every day.



'I've had to sell off parts of my collection twice - once in 1989 and once in 1998 - so that's essentially pressing the reset button.



'But thankfully I've since managed to reacquire most of the games over the years again. But one still remains elusive - the aptly named Magical Chase.'

Mr Thomasson started his collection as a 12-year-old boy when he received Cosmic Avenger from his grandparents.

'I started collecting almost immediately as the Colecovision was my first love and I wanted to get every game available for the console,' he said.



'I sold my entire collection in late 1989 to raise money to buy a Sega Genesis.



'My wife's father died when she was three, so when we got married in 1998, we didn't have the traditional father-of-the-bride to help pay for the wedding, so we had to finance most of the festivities ourselves.



Thomasson sold parts of the collection twice - once in 1989 to buy a Sega Genesis console, and again in 1998 in order to pay for his wedding

The first game he ever owned was Cosmic Avenger for the Colecovision, given to him as a Christmas present

'As a result, I sold off complete collections to help fund our marriage - which was worth every penny.'



He now spends more than £1,800 every year on bulking out his collection which smashed the previous record held by Richard Lecce, nicknamed king of video games in 2010, who amassed a total of 8,616 titles.

Thomasson's first ever game was for the Colecovision which launched in 1982 and was discontinued in 1985







