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Dance Dance Revolution Universe = NetZero??? (A TRU Story)

M

Mejilan

Running off of Custom Firmware
Well. I have strange game-buying habits, I suppose. And though the TRU deals have been over for some time, I haven't gotten around to doing my post-game-acquisition routine until today. Basically, they include:
1) Opening all games and checking to their condition.
2) Registering the first party Nintendo games with My Nintendo account.
3) Ripping PSP UMDs to my PC and compressing them.
4) Loading the X360 games at least once to have them auto-register to my Gamertag, and purchasing DLC for those that have it.

I picked up 12 games from TRU over the course of their 2 deals, as well as other miscellaneous titles not otherwise available at TRU, such as WarTech for $10 new, Final Fantastic Tactics PSP, which wasn't available at TRU, etc. And I was too busy/lazy to go through my whole routine with such a large batch of games.

DDRNZ1.jpg

Behold: 3 solid Dance Dance Revolution titles for $80, new. Yay NY! Yay Times Square!

DDRNZ2.jpg

Let's focus a bit on DDR Universe for the X360, shall we? Admittedly, I was very irked when I noticed some horrible scuffing on the case, BEHIND the usual plastic wrap. Not pictured, but it also did have usual Xbox seal assuring me that it was a new game.

DDRNZ3.jpg

So I open it with the intention of popping it into my X360 to register it to my Gamertag and browse DLC. What the...? Netzero? Where's my effin' DDR?

DDRNZ4.jpg

And a close up on the 'manual'. Some strangely cut up cardboard sleeve. Complete with BestBuy logo.

I'm curious. How exactly does this happen? Save for the scuffing under the plastic wrap, which did admittedly raise red flags... how does TRU allow this to happen? Are they rewrapping returns and trade-ins to be sold as new titles? Are they legally allowed to re-apply the Xbox seal and resell it as new? I'm taking all three back, with my receipt, for an exchange. They better not give me grief, now that this one's opened!
 
having worked in the r-zone for a year i can tell you that returned games are SUPPOSED to go into reshop and shipped back wherever that shit goes. but i can also tell you the service desk almost never checks the game inside the case on a return. one time they took back 3 sports games which the game inside was the previous year. most people who work there dont know shit about games (or toys for that matter most of the time)
 
The best story was when some GAFFER bought MGS3:SE from Toys R Us, I think the disc had a MGS3:SE cover art but for some reason the actual game content was NFL2K or something. I'm still curious how that happened.
 
I've heard of this happening before, the but xbox seal being on the box is a bit of a head scratcher. My best guess is that somebody removed a seal off one new game and applied it to your DDR box.

At big box retailers, try looking at the quality of the wrapping before you buy anything. Getting a hold of shrink wrap is pretty simple, and the tell tale signs of home shrink wrapping is to look for strange creases, wrapping kinda shrunk and clumped together in small areas, or holes.

GameStop will occasionally re-shrink wrap games (usually when there's multiple display cases and they want to take it down to one) so it's not so unusual there, but it's something to look for at other retailers.
 
Yep, I know to look for bum shrink wrap. Way too many bad GS/EB experiences.

That said, the Times Square TRU is different than many other TRUs across the nation, at least as far as I can tell, in that they keep their inventory out on the floor, each game wrapped up in this indestructible plastic box of security +3.

Problem is that it's pretty tough to see details through this heavy plastic box.
 
Mejilan said:
Yep, I know to look for bum shrink wrap. Way too many bad GS/EB experiences.

That said, the Times Square TRU is different than many other TRUs across the nation, at least as far as I can tell, in that they keep their inventory out on the floor, each game wrapped up in this indestructible plastic box of security +3.

Problem is that it's pretty tough to see details through this heavy plastic box.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a solid candidate for a game being returned and then resealed and sold as new, then.
 
My copy of Wild Arms 3 from Walmart had a pirated copy of the same game, complete with low-res disc art that tried to mimic the cover art. At least the thief was nice enough to put in a burned DVD copy of the same game.
 
ZealousD said:
Sounds like a solid candidate for a game being returned and then resealed and sold as new, then.
Click to expand...

That can't possibly be legal, can it? I mean, that Xbox seal... it's supposed to bring PEACE OF MIND damnit!
 
Be sure to update the thread after you try the exchance, I'm curious how that goes down, and if you can get any additional information from them.


I seem to remember someone posting a thread where they got a burned CD/DVD in their game box, complete with a little car on it and a caption that said "VROOM!"
 
Yeah, I've got all three games (and receipt) packed away for tomorrow. I guess I'll head on down during my lunch break. And I plan on grilling them as how how this happened.
 
btw give customer service hell if they accuse you of doing it. When I was 12 I I bought an N64 game but when I got it home and plugged it in, it was a completely different game. Tried to return it and they said that I made they chip swap. It was like an hour of angry yelling from my Dad to get them to exchange it.
 
At least get a refund, because obviously you should not have paid more then 9.95
 
Sorry to hear about that Mej. I ALWAYS open my games in the store as I've heard about this happening to other people.
 
:D

Typically, if I only pick up one game, then I do the same, if only to throw the receipt into the game case. I deviate from my patterns once, and BAM! pwned. :(
 
Those seals don't really mean much to me. I don't crack the case open and rip the seal in half like some people do - I peel off all of those little seals (if there's more than one) and they usually come off in 1 piece. Companies should start making them perforated so they tear apart (kind of like price labels at some places) once peeled off.
 
it happened to me a while back with Hydro thunder for the dreamcast at walmart.

it was shitty shrink-wrap, and had a "hot new game" sticker on it, and it ended up being a scratched up music CD.

they exchanged it without a fuss, because this isn't a new thing in the industry. the offical X-box sticker being in-tact is a little discerning though. the only real alternative is a "warranty void if seal broken" style sticker that leaves that ugly stickery residue on each case.

it prevents swapping like this, but ruins the look of cases.
 
Gladly where I normally buy games a good mate I have known since school works there pretty much every day, so I know i'm in good hands.

Before he started working there the staff were a bit clueless, they hired a girl who had zero gaming knowlege so when I brought F1 for the dreamcast I got the psx version in the case (this is back before most games stayed shrink wrapped and kept in draws like GAME do)
 
A similar thing happened to me at Frys. Overall, they didn't put up much of a fuss but they opened the exchange to make sure the right disc was inside before allowing me to leave the store.

I don't imagine TRU would give you a lot of hassle but if they do, make a scene and they'll quickly comply.
 
Mejilan said:
:D

Typically, if I only pick up one game, then I do the same, if only to throw the receipt into the game case. I deviate from my patterns once, and BAM! pwned. :(
Click to expand...

Ouch!

Times like this it helps to be a game store employee. Returns without receipts and the folks ringing you up never question you if you have problems. =P
 
One time, I ordered Lumines Plus from Amazon, and they sent me Lumines 2 PSP, which I already owned. Bastards.
 
Mejilan said:
One time, I ordered Lumines Plus from Amazon, and they sent me Lumines 2 PSP, which I already owned. Bastards.
Click to expand...

One time, I got the movie Goldfinger when I actually wanted Goldeneye
 
I doubt it. If so, I'll speak to the manager and explain to him that I own over 1300 games, and certainly don't need to rip off his TRU off one game! ;p
 
Ive worked in an Rzone for 2 years now, and never have I or any of my colleagues ever done such a thing. However, I do understand how it can happen, its easy. Just make sure when you buy the game you look if it was shrink wrapped or factory sealed, you can tell.
 
Mejilan said:
I doubt it. If so, I'll speak to the manager and explain to him that I own over 1300 games, and certainly don't need to rip off his TRU off one game! ;p
Click to expand...

Jesus Christ dude.
 
i can't recall how seals are applied to game cases, and i do not remember how seals are currently applied to cds/dvds either. opening is just one of those things i do without thinking about it i guess.

but several years ago i was shown how to pop the disc out the side without damaging the seal. to do it you just need one unsealed side. i think some cases now seal around 3 sides to prevent it, but like i said, i can't remember
 
You people are crazy. You probably have a literal ton of crap games in your collections that you could find a way to sell. I just can't come up with any good reason why somebody would need a game collection that big.
 
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