Question about used games you have bought

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I have been watching AVGN since the very beginning, and one thing that has always struck me is just how... pristine his entire collection was, even when he was the only one doing this shit and had no-one to impress. I'm saying this because that largely hasn't been my experience at all when buying old games online or at flea markets and junk.

A lot of the ones that form the bulk of my collection were gotten cheap-ish (sharks will be sharks, I guess) because of broken labels, missing bits of plastics on the shell and even some general untidiness that's really hard to ignore but that still results on a devil's bargain I can live with.

But... which of the two has been YOUR experience when building or rebuilding your collection? I assume a lot of us don't still have our childhood games lying around, but are the ones currently on your shelves and drawers in good shape? Bad shape? Okay-ish shape? Please let me know, because I refuse to believe that people are slaughtering their cartridges only in my neck of the woods XD

 

[PSVitaForever]

I've mostly bought used psp / psvita / ds / 3ds titles from the Gamestop, mainly, and sometimes online: rarely new, because when I got the consoles they were already out since some time, so used games were available.
I've been lucky because I found almost all of them in good conditions (I mean complete with cover and user manual), but sometimes the psp disc case was opening and/or the manual was missing - I could ignore the thing if it was a cheap game that it would have been more and more expensive somewhere else. I've seen ps2 games with broken case and/or ripped apart covers, so no, not only where you live!
I once refused to buy "Uncharted" (Vita) at the Gamestop because the "used" price was like the "new", but the game was missing case or cover, I don't remember (only found it out when I wanted to pay it), but still... I got it online, cheaper and complete!

 

[Retro Doomer]

Both I got very good looking and verx bad looking used games.

I buy my used games usually from Ebay and look at in Very Good condition or as good as new,those are often good while used can vary greatly in quality.

Most 360 game where good besides 2 inw where the case was badly damaged and I had to switch it and the other game was a collection and it had the wrong game in it.
Should have been Fallout 3 and Oblivion but was Oblivion (Standarnd no Dlc) and Gta San Andreas instead.

Overall more positive with some bad eggs.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Hey, thanks for the replies! My text wall and I were starting to feel a bit lonely XD

I try not to deal with stores directly because of precisely the same things you have all said — they reeeeeaaaally want to rip you off on games that are at least somewhat well-known and I don't want to subject myself to that.

But private sellers just haven't taken good care of (what I assume were) their childhood games and it kinda stings, you know?

 

[DayBreak_Illusion]

Every time I buy a game from the game store, I always make sure it has the manual, brochures and case is in somewhat pristine condition. IF the game is rare or hard to find, maybe cheaper than online then I have no choice. I keep my games wrapped to prevent shelf wear as well.
If your collecting games on seventh gen and upward you can always search around for sports games, they are incredibly cheap and you can use those to replace existing cases.

 

[Retro Doomer]

Hey, thanks for the replies! My text wall and I were starting to feel a bit lonely XD

I try not to deal with stores directly because of precisely the same things you have all said — they reeeeeaaaally want to rip you off on games that are at least somewhat well-known and I don't want to subject myself to that.

But private sellers just haven't taken good care of (what I assume) were their childhood games and it kinda stings, you know?

I assume enough if the Sellers online are not the original owners of thegame but scalpers that bought many to re sell them at inflated prices at least some of the games seem like it.

And yes the prices in stores a far to high for me to afford yoz even often get new game online cheaper if ypu are lucky,example I got Elden on Ebay for 20€ which normaly costs around 80€ it during Christmas time I think.

 

[Princess Viola]

A lot of my games I've owned have been used games that I got at GameStop (because growing up, I had no other place to buy games that had as big a selection as GameStop + my grandparents didn't believe in online shopping) and I'd say 95% of them were in perfectly fine condition? I think the worst used games I've ever owned were some I got at a flea market that had some weird gunk on the cover (ew) and I guess a couple of DS games I got for cheap at GS that had no case. I never bothered to get replacements for those cuz IDK maybe it's heretical but I just couldn't be assed.

Still own most of them too and, yeah, even though I've had them for years now, they're all complete with manuals so I mean. Can't really complain there.

 

[PSVitaForever]

I try not to deal with stores directly because of precisely the same things you have all said — they reeeeeaaaally want to rip you off on games that are at least somewhat well-known and I don't want to subject myself to that.

In Autumn 2020-2021, now I don't remember the year, at my local Gamestop(s) there were like hundred games (3ds and ds) without case and cover, like €3 for each game. They were there, in plastic covers, they sealed the plastic bags too late because in the following days many game cards were gone, BUT I was lucky enough to find gems like "Pokemon Sun", "Bravely Second", Layton ds titles, "Fire Emblem Warriors" and other, it was like paradise lol
Now Gamestop is Gamelife, they have retro games again (ps1/2/3/4, xbox various, ds/3ds, psp/psvita) and they are expensive, BUT now I have modded consoles 3ds and Vita and wonderful sites like this one so I only browse through Switch titles when I go there

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

In Autumn 2020-2021, now I don't remember the year, at my local Gamestop(s) there were like hundred games (3ds and ds) without case and cover, like €3 for each game. They were there, in plastic covers, they sealed the plastic bags too late because in the following days many game cards were gone, BUT I was lucky enough to find gems like "Pokemon Sun", "Bravely Second", Layton ds titles, "Fire Emblem Warriors" and other, it was like paradise lol
Now Gamestop is Gamelife, they have retro games again (ps1/2/3/4, xbox various, ds/3ds, psp/psvita) and they are expensive, BUT now I have modded consoles 3ds and Vita and wonderful sites like this one so I only browse through Switch titles when I go there

Dude, nice XD

Closest thing I have seen to that was my local Blockbuster's "fire sale" (useless to me because I didn't own an N64 and that was most of what they were selling... But people who did go there aptly described it as "paradise").

 

[Stare best girl]

I have Metroid Prime but... the box is Metroid Prime 2 Echoes

which I wonder, why the previous owner put Metroid Prime in Metroid Prime 2 Echoes box?

 

[Vardalis]

My biggest "what the hell happened here" was buying Resident Evil: Code Veronica for Dreamcast from Amazon from some popular "cash for your crap" type services. The condition I went with was either mint or like-new, something along those lines. What I got was a smashed case broken in several places (and a bunch of the pieces weren't in the package so obviously wasn't damaged in transit), and a first disc that looked as if it'd been put through a belt sander, with no manual.

Safe to say I disputed the sale, got a refund and bought it from a local store instead. Never went with that company to buy anything afterwards.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

My biggest "what the hell happened here" was buying Resident Evil: Code Veronica for Dreamcast from Amazon from some popular "cash for your crap" type services. The condition I went with was either mint or like-new, something along those lines. What I got was a smashed case broken in several places (and a bunch of the pieces weren't in the package so obviously wasn't damaged in transit), and a first disc that looked as if it'd been put through a belt sander, with no manual.

Safe to say I disputed the sale, got a refund and bought it from a local store instead. Never went with that company to buy anything afterwards.

I'm glad you got your money back, man. I just can't tolerate that kind of disrespect towards the buyer and it's been the one thing that has turned me off from ever taking up those kinds of deals.

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

You guys buy your games? I thought they were totally free man

 

[PierceHolden]

It honestly depends on my emotional connection to the game tbh.

Most games I have are cart only for cartridge games and the other bunch tend to be in their cases, tho a few scratches on the cases usually doesn't bother me.

There's some specific games I've made an effort to have in boxed, near mint condition though.
Top Gear Rally on N64 I have several copies of even. Big childhood game for me that one.

I tend to skip over obviously badly damaged games or loose discs, though, unless I need just the disc or something. I keep a loose copy of that one aliens game around that can be used to boot "backups" just for said purpose so I didn't mind it not having the original case for example.

 

[nobitakun]

Collecting videogames are like any other thing. You have two options: buy them when in their momentum or buy them afterwards.

If you can enjoy their momentum you need to move quickly, invest time and money, and never think you're buying something at some price you can later regret, because time will tell you're wrong. This option is safer but perhaps more boring. The good side is that you will find everything in new / like new conditions if you look enough.

The second option requires you tons of time but not as much money. When games lose their momentum (ex immediate past gen), you should go everywhere looking for games, even to those places that usually sell everything at launch prices and you have no hope of finding something interesting. This is my favourite, because when you find stuff new that was supposed to cost you a lot and you find it 10 times cheaper still with the seal, it makes you feel so good.

I've been collecting for almost 20 years and I could get most of the things I wanted in the condition I wanted for prices I accepted to pay, but now I would not start doing it, mainly because the momentum of 80% of the games I have have passed, and I simply prefer to live and enjoy life than invest what people would request today. Priorities change over time, and right now I would prefer to get a good meal than get a good game.

I have to specify, I am a collector of everything mainly new, but I don't disregard second hand as long as it is in pristine condition, because I can't have games in bad state or else my head ghosts will haunt me at night and I won't be able to sleep due to my multiple OCD issues. You can consider youself lucky.

But the most important thing is, how important is for you collecting videogames? collecting is an extension of ourselves, creates a feeling of ease in our own private space that brings us joy. Some people collect videogames, others collect figures, cans, pins, stickers...

Never compare with others, that is poison for ourselves, and it arises when we are really not happy with our results. My recommendation is to collect what really makes you happy, as long as you can afford it and it does not risk your living economy, because that is the most important thing.

 

[Vardalis]

I'm glad you got your money back, man. I just can't tolerate that kind of disrespect towards the buyer and it's been the one thing that has turned me off from ever taking up those kinds of deals.

Funnily enough I've probably been treat better buying used stuff on eBay "deals" than with that entire Amazon debacle.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I agree with everything you said, but especially this part:

Priorities change over time, and right now I would prefer to get a good meal than get a good game.

A good plate of my favorite meal is always going to be better than a dozen hours of my favorite game.

 

[Tekki]

Personally, I have kept many of my childhood games around and took really good care of them even early on. A lot of the later additions to my collection aren't in such pristine condition as they were bought from ebay and other sites for cheap. Collectors will often buy cases in better condition to make their collections look nicer and while I'm not sure about this, AVGN may have done this for his set.

 

[Kovlak]

I only get 7th gen upwards stuff, and in that my experience has been pretty good. I mostly buy at stores now, and rarely got a game in bad shape. The last one I told the cashier I wanted another case because the one the game - Guardians of the Galaxy - was in was broken and I got it. Once I bought a game that didn't run - Burnout Paradise for the Xbox 360 - but got my money back. The most I've seen apart from that, has been the Blu-ray or DVD being a little scratched.

I take good care of my collection. Putting in the system and afterwards taking the game out, putting it on the case and on the shelf.