If the past decade has cemented anything about collecting video games, it's that games are worth substantially more if the original box, manual, and other pack-in materials are intact.  With that in mind, do you think it's worthwhile to keep empty Nintendo amiibo boxes around for their potential future value?  Will a common figurine like Mario be worth more if I still have the box that he came in?  Are you keeping your amiibo boxes?  Trashing them after gutting them of their prize?  Help a guy out here.  I bought my first amiibo figuring I would be, at most, maybe two more and today have over a dozen scattered around the house on shelves and desks.  The boxes are becoming a little overwhelming and don't exactly break down neatly.  Should I continue to hang on to what is becoming a glut of empty packaging?

Is it worth keeping empty Nintendo amiibo boxes around for future value?

— Matthew Green (@PressTheButtons) February 20, 2017

It's an even split on Amiibo interest.  I'm interested in them, although I can't see myself buying the entire series the way that I've heard some people are planning to do.  I just want a Mario for training a customer fighter in Super Smash Bros., a Kirby for my desk, and I suppose a Link to get the spinner weapon in Hyrule Warriors.  At $13 each, these purchases are not all happening at once.  As future games incorporate more Amiibo content, I'll take each figure on a case by case basis.  Unlocking extra Mii costumes in Mario Kart 8 won't drive me to buy more figures, but if, say, Kirby became a playable racer by placing his Amiibo on the GamePad, I'd have to pick up the purchasing pace.  For my wallet's sake, let's hope it never comes to that!

Speaking of things Nintendo wants us to buy, last week the company announced it's readying a remake of the Nintendo 64 release The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for the 3DS.  Are you interested in this latest Zelda remake?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Remember when we used to have a new poll every week here?  Let's try and get back to that now that I'm feeling better.  Last time we had a poll, I asked about your thoughts on streaming gameplay through sites like Twitch and UStream.  As it turns out, the majority of you don't want anything to do with watching someone else play a game or broadcasting your own gameplay.  I've tinkered with Twitch over the past few months, but can't seem to attract much of an audience.  It's disheartening to stream for an hour or two and nobody stops by to see it.  This is one of the few times I've jumped on the "hey, this is popular now!" social bandwagon and it just doesn't seem to be worth it.  I was streaming my playthrough of Guacamelee until Twitch unceremoniously ate my whole archive of broadcasts without warning (and this was before their controversial policies regarding archiving were announced), and that really soured me on the whole idea.  I'm sure I'll continue to play around with the medium from time to time, but I don't expect much from it at the rate things are going.  With the ease of streaming that today's new consoles provide, there's such a glut of content out there that everyone who isn't a major powerhouse is drowned out.  Come to think of it, that sounds like every other form of user-generated online entertainment.  The more things change, right?

Moving on, Nintendo is about a month away from releasing their new Amiibo figurines of famed characters like Mario, Link, and Pikachu.  Are you planning on buying any of them?  Do you plan to link them up into your Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games or are they just decorative?  Let's hear your thoughts.

The Weekly Poll feature has taken a few months off due to my recovery from surgery and unpredictable writing schedule, but I think it's time to get it back on track as a regular feature. When we left off last time, I asked if you saw you collection of purchased but unplayed video games as a shameful or prideful stack.  Most of you feel great shame at letting those games sit idle, but if you remember Episode 121 of the Power Button podcast, you know that I consider my unplayed games to be a badge of honor.  Thanks to the recent Steam summer sale and some great deals on Nintendo's eShop, let's just say that I'm very prideful these days.  Also a little poorer.

Moving on, let's talk about streaming video game footage on services like Twitch, YouTube, and UStream.  The Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 have made it easier than ever to broadcast your gameplay.  I've even been experimenting with it through my Twitch and YouTube channels.  Do you enjoy watching these live shows and archive recordings of other people playing games?  Do you broadcast games yourself?  Or are you puzzled by the growing popularity of these services?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Oh yeah; weekly polls!  Let's get this topic going again after a long hiatus due to ongoing illness.  Last time around I asked how many of you were planning on getting a new console for the holiday season.  Most of you passed on a purchase, although buying a new generation console was slightly more popular than picking up something from the the familiar group of PS3/X360/Wii.  I've been very happy with my PlayStation 4 so far, although I still want to get a Wii U for all that Nintendo first-party goodness.  I need my Super Mario and Donkey Kong fixes!

Moving on, on Episode 121 of the Power Button podcast, Blake Grundman and I discussed the concept of the stack of shame: the pile of video games that you need to finish, but haven't.  I counter that there's no shame in owning a to-do list of games and would rather refer to them as a pile of pride.  How do you feel?  Which term is appropriate for you?  Let's hear your thoughts, vote in the poll itself on the right-hand sidebar, and be sure to listen to the episode if you haven't already.

Most of you aren't interesting in watching livestreaming gaming events which means that Sony and Microsoft have some work to do to punch up interest in their streaming partnerships with various online services with their new consoles.  I've yet to try streaming anything from my PlayStation 4, but it's on the to-do list.  Perhaps over the holiday I'll beam out some of my gaming exploits.  Or maybe not because there's not a lot of interest in watching livestreams.  If there's no interest, why broadcast?  And why would there be interest if nobody's broadcasting?  It's a real chicken and egg scenario except with more corporate money and mindshare at stake.

And speaking of video game consoles, are you planning on buying one this season?  If so, is it a new shiny toy like a PS4, Xbox One, or Wii U?  Or do you stick behind a generation and are finally jumping into the PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii pool?  Maybe your staying put with what you have?  Let's hear your plans.

The majority of you are set for your Nintendo 3DS needs, but it looks like the 2DS will do alright for itself amongst those of you in the market for one.  I have a 3DS already and don't need another compatible unit, so I'm not interested in buying one.  Nicole wants a 3DS, but wants the traditional clamshell design and ease of portability that the 2DS doesn't offer (nor is she interested in the oversize 3DS XL).  There's a place for the 2DS in the market with its lower price and fewer features and I hope that those interested in the 3DS brand but not the 3DS hardware itself find it.

Moving on, last weekend the EvilCast podcast team from Games Are Evil participated in a charity event that involved broadcasting themselves playing video games for an entire day.  I was added into their feed via Skype on Saturday evening to add live commentary to their time with Ghostbusters: The Video Game (you can watch the archived recording here), and while I had fun and would gladly do it again, I noticed that the video player's stats noted only seven people were watching the show (and one of those was me).  Granted that there was a lot of livestreaming competition at the time and plenty of other things for people to do, but I thought this seemed a little low.  It seems you can't go anywhere in the gaming community these days without hearing about people creating and watching livestreams.  Now the new Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One will allow players to livestream directly from the console, so there must be a demand for this stuff.  So, I ask you: do you watch gaming livestreams?  Why or why not?  I really want to know.

Most of you who are playing EarthBound on the Wii U are experiencing it all over again as a replay, but I'm glad to see that some people are diving into it for the very first time.  It's a superb game that everyone needs to play, and I really hope that those of you who don't have a Wii U who someday end up with one will check it out.  I'm not replaying it as I also do not yet have a Wii U, but I'm sure I'll get back to it once I have the console and need something to fill a lull in my gaming schedule.  In the meantime, I always have my original Super NES game pak on which to rely.

Speaking of Nintendo, last week the company announced a curious addition to its 3DS line of products: the Nintendo 2DS, a tablet-like, hinge-less take on the 3DS that lacks the actual 3D visual element.  Sporting a cheaper price tag and a child-friendly design, the 2DS has been hailed as everything from a great idea to a solution in search of a problem.  What's your take on the 2DS?  Are you interested in buying one?  Or are you just shaking your head?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Most of you are uninterested in a camera watching your gaming area in the next generation of video game consoles.  I'm certainly hesitant about it.  We give these devices so much access into our lives already.  They record, track, and "know" so much about us.  Do we really want them to be able to see us on a regular basis?  There are already privacy concerns over the Microsoft Xbox One's controversial Kinect requirement in the wake of the PRISM scandal, and thankfully Sony has decided to let its new PlayStation 4 camera remain an optional accessory.  The Nintendo Wii U's camera is probably the least invasive since it's built into the GamePad and doesn't watch the entire room.  I'll resist the cameras for as long as I can, but even if I'm forced to adapt, I can see myself being paranoid for a while. 

Moving on, Nintendo has finally released the classic EarthBound to the Wii U Virtual Console.  Fans are replaying the game, while newcomers have the chance to see what all the fuss is about.  Where do you fall?  Are you playing the game with fresh eyes?  Is this your annual run through the game?  Or are you not interested at all?  Let's hear your thoughts.

The majority of you out there have declared Sony the winner of E3 2013 no doubt stemming from the company taking down Microsoft during its annual media briefing regarding the PlayStation 4's launch price compared to the Xbox One as well as knocking Microsoft's anti-sharing stance on games that has since been reversed.  It's always fun to watch the competition unfold at these events (particularly when that competition makes things better for customers) and this year was no exception.  I too felt that Sony has the best E3 this year, Microsoft the worst (but has since turned public opinion around slightly), and Nintendo is just trying to stay the course until it can launch the real Wii U games later this year.

Speaking of the next generation consoles, all of them include camera technology in some way.  Microsoft's new Kinect is more observant than ever (for good or for bad), Sony has turned its PlayStation Camera for PS4 into an optional accessory by not bundling it with the console, and Nintendo is running a smaller version of the gimmick with a little camera in its Wii U GamePad.  Which of these technologies (if any) would you rather use?  Let's hear your thoughts.