NICELY BUMPED...
I got mine 'during it's commercial life' but was most certainly too young vs not being from an affluent background vs owning one from new in the launch window, although, there was always that one guy at school, huh?
I acquired mine in that window after the Jag was unsuccessful and BEFORE the PSX launched. I know this as my friend bought a PSX on launch (within 2 months) and I had my Jag and played with him religiously before that time (bearing in mind, I live in the UK re: release dates).
Anyway, being an early teen, I spent a lot of time out and about on my bike. I simply remember riding past a local Cash Convertors-style shop (called Cash Transformers or something?) and it was privately run by one guy. He had an unboxed Jaguar in the window complete with boxed copies of: AVP, T2K, Theme Park, Dragon & Club Drive. Outside of AVP & TPark, I had NO idea what any of the others were. No idea. I knew I wanted it though. Badly.
I went in and discussed (something I was particularly adept at) swapping his Jaguar & games for my SNES along with it's 'more' games (I had quite a lot, but not tonnes). He agreed to do the swap, and in true child like fashion, I FLEW home on that bike, packed my SNES up into a big backpack (along with the Super Scope btw!) and flew back. To be honest, I don't think he was too impressed with what I had on arriving in his shop (I seem to remember this) but was good enough to honour the exchange anyway
Then, all of a sudden, I was Jaguar owner
I picked up Checkered Flag & Doom not long after with Birthday money whilst visiting a local MAKRO wholesale store (my Grandmother owned her own business back then). Needless to say, they were v.cheap!
IT HAS TO BE SAID...
that prior to my friend getting his PSX in Nov '95 (his Birthday) and my other friends subsequently getting their PSX's and Saturns Xmas '95, that we all had a good 6+ months of child-orientated, highly concentrated level of gaming out of that machine. AVP & Doom were definitely particular highlights, with AVP especially, still being highly regarded amongst friends today. And, as kids do, you simply make the best of what you have, so we had fun with the others too. Funnily enough though, I was really the only one who EVER got along with T2K. My friends just didn't 'get' it at all and thus, didn't enjoy it. It was my fave alongside AVP & Doom for me though.
But certainly, that window off the back of us all owning SNES's, MD's and the like - and then playing games like AVP & Doom, not to mention the other 3D titles tbh (inc. Cybermorph, which was included too - loose) really did a lot to cement a good opinion of the console among my 12-14yr old friends. It was quite the leap.
And then, the PS1 & Saturn came along. But our fun with the Jag was excellent while it lasted.
I confess that I too got a PS1 when Sony made their first price drop (to £199, I think?). I sold my entire Scalextric collection to fund the purchase (the things you had to do as a child, eh?) and I got £200 easily for the lot. I had around 25 cars and a shed load of track plus accessories. My loft looked pretty bare afterwards
Anyway, onward and upward to that PS1. But wait! What about money to buy an ACTUAL game? I had nothing left to sell... except, the Jaguar *sigh*.
Yep, I took my Jag and traded it in towards some PS1 games. However, my entire bundle was denied at the counter at EB, so in desperation, had to trade it for cash at *gulp* Cash Convertors. Erm... yeah. I got £35 for the LOT! Incidentally, this STILL wasn't enough to buy a new PS1 game (most were £44.99 new), however, I managed to get the one game I was buying the system for 2nd hand for £34.99: Ridge Racer Revolution. And, at that time, after getting home and firing that up, it was ALL worth it!
NEEDLESS TO SAY...
I've sorted out my Jag collection and bought systems and games since, but that was my first and, tbh, most significant time with the Jag
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(apologies for the novel, but there it is)
(p.s. I still have the first 3DO I ever owned from childhood
)