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[entremet]

Slowly but surely, I've been dabbling with retro collecting. I don't want complete collections, just my childhood favorites and also well regarded games I missed. So for me that would be NES, Genesis, SNES, Saturn, GBA at least for now. Thinking of Dreamcast, Gamecube, and PS2 later.

For those that don't want to do eBay/Amazon, you can do garage sales and Craigslists and get better deals. The former is absolutely insane. I was looking for a copy of Mega Man 8 for Saturn--Complete in Box (CIB) and prices were around 300 bucks for the US version. Mega Man stuff is insane in the retro market.

Nintendo stuff is evergreen as well. It's also made me keep all my Nintendo 1st party stuff as it just doesn't lose value much.

Another concern is the rise of bootlegs, which are common in Amazon/eBay.

I wonder if this bubble will ever burst. But as for now I do regret selling my games from previous generations. Buying them back has cost me some nice change.

Anyone else gotten in retro collecting of late? How do you avoid the insane prices? For those with substantial collections, use eBay before selling your crap. Don't get fleeced!

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

Complete in box will be your downfall. Otherwise games are plentiful and generally cheap.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Shoutouts to youtube

 

[emb]

I had been trying to get into it more this year, now that I have income. It's rough. Prices just seem to keep climbing.

One thing that sometimes helps is checking Gaf or other forum marketplace threads. People will usually make it a slight bargain for the community, plus ebay doesn't get a cut or whatever.

 

[entremet]

Complete in box will be your downfall. Otherwise games are plentiful and generally cheap.

Turtles in Time is around 40 bucks, just the cart. On eBay of course. You could probably get for cheap in garage sales and CL if you get lucky.

But then there's the time versus money conundrum.

Another tactic is getting Japanese stuff. It's cheaper and in better condition, and for many games, knowing the language is not needed.

 

[bigkrev]

Slowly but surely, I've been dabbling with retro collecting. I don't want complete collections, just my childhood favorites and also well regarded games I missed. So for me that would be NES, Genesis, SNES, Saturn, GBA at least for now. Thinking of Dreamcast, Gamecube, and PS2 later.

For those that don't want to do eBay/Amazon, you can do garage sales and Craigslists and get better deals. The former is absolutely insane. I was looking for a copy of Mega Man 8 for Saturn--Complete in Box (CIB) and prices were around 300 bucks for the US version. Mega Man stuff is insane in the retro market.

Nintendo stuff is evergreen as well. It's also made me keep all my Nintendo 1st party stuff as it just doesn't lose value much.

Another concern is the rise of bootlegs, which are common in Amazon/eBay.

I wonder if this bubble will ever burst. But as for now I do regret selling my games from previous generations. Buying them back has cost me some nice change.

Anyone else gotten in retro collecting of late? How do you avoid the insane prices?

Once something hits 16 years old, it jumps in price because the people that grew up with it all of a sudden now have actual jobs and disposable income. You should see what has happened to N64 prices in the recent past.

I'm really curious for a few years down the line what happens to PS2/GCN/XBOX stuff. Pretty much all the non-GCN stuff of note has been re-released. We could be heading into huge prices on Gamecube stuff.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

Almost everything on GB/GBC/GBA is still cheap except Pokemon and a select few other games. If you want to collect retro games on the cheap, this is the best platform to do it on.

PS2 games are also still fairly cheap and will soon be "retro." Probably get on DS soon too; most games are still very cheap but some games are starting to get very expensive there (Dragon Quest, Pokemon).

 

[theechrisfox]

Buy big bundles on craigslist, save bucks. A lot of people don't even know what they are selling is worth.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I can't wait to see what PSV and 3DS game prices are in 15 years.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

We could be heading into huge prices on Gamecube stuff.

Already well on its way...

 

[The Elite]

Complete in box will be your downfall. Otherwise games are plentiful and generally cheap.

We have a place in Toronto that prices them with and without the box. Manual as well.

 

[Renpatsu]

I can't wait to see what PSV and 3DS game prices are in 15 years.

It'll depend on the nostalgia, but generally speaking Nintendo games are prone to becoming highly sought after on the collectors market.

 

[entremet]

Already well on its way...

GC systems were always cheap. I don't remember their games being too cheap. Pikmin 2 seems unaffected by the Wii rerelease.

Download services such as VC haven't made a dent on carts much.

 

[Platy]

The main reason why you will never hear me complaining about Virtual Console prices =P

 

[Timu]

Complete in box will be your downfall. Otherwise games are plentiful and generally cheap.

Wish that could had been true for most SNES games nowadays even without the box and manual.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

For whatever reason the Mega Mans are expensive. I took the cheap route and bought the collections for Playstation

 

[terrisus]

If you're looking for stuff CIB, yeah, prices are going to be high.
If you're just concerned with the game itself, things generally aren't that bad.

They're higher than they were years ago, but at the same time things kind of go up and down, some things are cheaper now than they used to be as well.

Also, having bought most games from SNES and on new, any time someone complains about a game's price being "high" when it cost less than it did when it came out, it always seems silly.
Sure, some cost more - but for the majority of games, they cost less than they did when they came out, so it's not too much of an issue for me.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

Super Nintendo prices are notoriously high comparably speaking. Especially if you're seeking CIB. I suggest limiting CIB purchasing to only your very very favorites and buying the rest loose.

And yes, I've gotten to the point where buying on the virtual console make a hell of a lot more sense than paying out the ass so I can boast my physical collection.

 

[retrogamer84]

I try to buy from collecting forums as much as possible, if nothing else it is less likely to run into a bootleg or scam in general. I also buy loose on many consoles to keep the prices down.

Edit: Also the Famicom and Super Famicom prices are far more reasonable then their US counterparts.

 

[Seik]

Brace yourself, it's only going to get worse with the years.

Best advice I could give is to be patient and to wait for deals. Dealing with ppl on GAF is great too, I can't number how many gems I got, thanks to a lot of GAFers.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Already well on its way...

Yeah, Gotcha Force is one of them, lol.

 

[emb]

It's also a shame, as the prices for old games go up in general and the information becomes so readily available, less and less good finds show up at yard sales and flea markets. People usually know what they have.

 

[entremet]

The main reason why you will never hear me complaining about Virtual Console prices =P

It doesn't have everything, but it does have some essentials and the emulation is great, down to the resolution.

A Wii with a good library of VC games connected to a nice CRT is a nice retro gaming station.

My big beef is the lack of N64 controller support. The CC isn't the same for the N64 games.

 

[CO_Andy]

Here's the culprit --

 

[Lomax]

I think it's easy to forget just how few copies of some games really sold, especially in the US. Now we have games that are flops with two million sales, then you had huge hits with 200k. Plus plenty of us remember paying $70-$80 for them new, so getting replacements 20 years later for $100 doesn't seem that extreme.

 

[entremet]

I only have a CIB fetish for CD based games since they come in jewel cases/DVD cases.

Carts are pretty hardy without the need of cardboard boxes.

Genesis plastic cases are really nice though. I hated that they went cardboard near end of the life.

I think it's easy to forget just how few copies of some games really sold, especially in the US. Now we have games that are flops with two million sales, then you had huge hits with 200k. Plus plenty of us remember paying $70-$80 for them new, so getting replacements 20 years later for $100 doesn't seem that extreme.

That's one of the reasons why Japanese games are cheaper. They simply printed way more copies. Square stuff is a good example. Chrono Trigger printed millions of carts in Japan but probably only a few hundred thousand in NA.

 

[Mlatador]

Fuck the internet. It's only because of the internet. On the other hand, without the internet my love for Retro Gaming wouldn't have been reignited years ago.

High prices are nothing we can do about.

The only solution would be if old companies - or pretty much any company with the needed rights - started printing those old games again at "normal" prices.

 

[Tempy]

N64 hardware patents will expire in 2015, so expect some clone hardware for it.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Fuck the internet. It's only because of the internet. On the other hand, without the internet my love for Retro Gaming wouldn't have been reignited years ago.

High prices are nothing we can do about.

The only solution would be if old companies - or pretty much any company with the needed rights - started printing those old games again at "normal" prices.

How does the internet have anything to do with this? There would still be a collector's market even if we didn't have the internet.

 

[terrisus]

I think it's easy to forget just how few copies of some games really sold, especially in the US. Now we have games that are flops with two million sales, then you had huge hits with 200k. Plus plenty of us remember paying $70-$80 for them new, so getting replacements 20 years later for $100 doesn't seem that extreme.

And for many games, those games that cost $70-80 then are $20-30 now.
Not every game went up in price, most went down.

If I were to assemble my SNES collection again from scratch now, I would pay significantly less for it now than I did getting most of it when it was new.

 

[Mlatador]

N64 hardware patents will expire in 2015, so expect some clone hardware for it.

Hardware isn't that much of a problem. The damn games are.

 

[entremet]

It's weird but I do feel weird buying stuff from Japan. I feel like I'm stealing cultural artifacts lol.

I remember hearing that most of the Japanese retro games are overseas now anyway.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Here's the culprit --

Is that this Mike Mattei I keep hearing about?

 

[kunonabi]

yeah, I'm kind of lucky that I've mostly finished my retro collection. Just need a famicom and a game or two. I got really lucky that I was to able to find stuff dirt cheap in Japan earlier this year. It's depressing that the Mega Man Legends series is eternally out of my price range.

 

[entremet]

And for many games, those games that cost $70-80 then are $20-30 now.
Not every game went up in price, most went down.

If I were to assemble my SNES collection again from scratch now, I would pay significantly less for it now than I did getting most of it when it was new.

Since you have the avatar, it is nice when companies do rereleases. I never need to worry about getting CT on the SNES, which has always been pricey, since I have the DS version, which I prefer.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Getting a genuine copy of Emerald or FireRed is pretty much impossible on ebay for anything less than $30 a piece. Hopefully the remakes will drive the price down some, but I doubt it.

 

[Voliko]

Yeah, a lot of the prices are insane. I gave up collecting a while ago because of it. I don't know who keeps buying this stuff either, it's a rip-off. There's been talk of a "bubble" for years now but I really don't see anything dropping anytime soon, if ever.

And yeah, Japanese carts are probably the best way to go right now, but even those have been rising for a while.

 

[Tempy]

I regret not grabbing Coryoon (PCE) and Magical Pop'n (SFC) a few years ago when they were cheaper.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I just found a copy of Conker's Bad Fur Day (cart only) that I paid $5 for in 2005.

I sold it for $75 online.

I had three confirmed offers within 5 minutes of posting it.

 

[emb]

I only have a CIB fetish for CD based games since they come in jewel cases/DVD cases.

Carts are pretty hardy without the need of cardboard boxes.

Genesis plastic cases are really nice though. I hated that they went cardboard near end of the life.

That's pretty much where I am. I have to have CIB for discs, but only the cart, unless it's Genesis. Turbo Grafx I want at least the jewel case.

Though now I almost wish I had stuck with CIB for carts like handhelds, or the N64 that are hard to display.

The worst part of it all is the terrible cases Saturn games came in. So fragile, and non standard so they're hard to replace cheaply (even Madden or something would probably be 7-10 CIB, so expensive for just case parts at least). They look nice I guess, but I hate trying to find/buy/take care of them.

 

[entremet]

Another option becoming a retro Youtuber and having people send you stuff for free lol.

Shoutouts to AVGN and Classic Game Room lol.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

There is no bubble. Retro games are the new baseball cards/comic books.

 

[Gusy]

It doesn't have everything, but it does have some essentials and the emulation is great, down to the resolution.

A Wii with a good library of VC games connected to a nice CRT is a nice retro gaming station.

My big beef is the lack of N64 controller support. The CC isn't the same for the N64 games.

THIS a thousand times. If you consider the virtual console library and the ability to play gamecube games, the Wii (hooked up to a CRT with component) is the best console ever from a retro gaming standpoint.

 

[entremet]

There is no bubble. Retro games are the new baseball cards/comic books.

But those had bubbles?

I dabbled in both and looking up my childhood favs in eBay and I'm shocked how cheap they are.

Golden and Silver Age stuff, though. Did retain value, especially stuff lie Action Comic #1.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

The prices are inflated due to re-sellers. These are people who largely do not play games, they see games as a money opportunity and they inflate the prices on ebay. They also make it their business to scoop up everything they can locally and that's why if you ever shop for retro games and all you find are sports games, it's because that place was hit by a re-seller. Other people who are gamers just follow suit with the over inflated prices because they see $$$ in their eyes.

"Wow Demon's Crest is selling for how much? Damn I happen to own a copy. I'm putting that shit up on ebay!" Which is understandable but that's why prices are so out of control. And I'm over-simplifying a bit, but you get the general idea.

 

[Mr-Joker]

Rising price plus Ebay stupid import charge make me feel okay with buying games from the Virtual Console, PSN and emulating...though we don't talk about the last part due legal reason.

 

[entremet]

End of life stuff is also super pricey.

Capcom NES games for example--Mega Man 6, Ducktales 2, Chip and Dale 2 are super pricey since they only printed very limited copies.

 

[Chinbo37]

I sold all my nes and snes and some n64 stuff back in March and I made 1500

 

[Mlatador]

How does the internet have anything to do with this? There would still be a collector's market even if we didn't have the internet.

I'm not arguing that without the internet there would be no collector's market. I'm just saying that without the internet, the prices would be much lower, like it was 5 or 10 years ago, and they would have risen MUCH slower.

The internet, or better, the quick access to all kinds of videos (playthroughs, reviews), information, retro-gaming blogs, people sharing their excitement for certain retro games you otherwise might not even have heared about, the advent of global auction platforms like EBAY, caused the creation of new - as well as - skyrocketed existing demand.

 

[Voliko]

The prices are inflated due to re-sellers. These are people who largely do not play games, they see games as a money opportunity and they inflate the prices on ebay. They also make it their business to scoop up everything they can locally and that's why if you ever shop for retro games and all you find are sports games, it's because that place was hit by a re-seller. Other people who are gamers just follow suit with the over inflated prices because they see $$$ in their eyes.

"Wow Demon's Crest is selling for how much? Damn I happen to own a copy. I'm putting that shit up on ebay!" Which is understandable but that's why prices are so out of control. And I'm over-simplifying a bit, but you get the general idea.

Yeah, I couldn't believe my eyes when I say the current prices for Demon's Crest. I payed like $10 for mine a couple years ago. Increased awareness and interest in these old games through outlets like internet articles and youtube combined with the work of re-sellers is a recipe for disaster.