Haven't been going out much...it's been to hot or I've been ill.

And when I do go out I never find anything...this year hasn't been very good when compaired to last year. I mean overall finds...that PS1/PS2 RPG lot is still the best this year but...yeah overall I think I found more games last year.

Anyways today we went out to some sales...not a lot, Friday is usually never good for sales because people work. I did find a Frogger arcade machine that might not work? The guy said it had problems. I gave him my number in case he ever needs space...he wanted $200 but if it has problems...I wouldn't know how to fix it, plus I kinda just want it for a multicade...still if theres a chance of it being a simple issue...I'll try to fix it with my dad as best I can, I hate the thought of ripping out the guts to an original machine. So if he drops the price...I'll buy it most likely.

Yard Sale:

Box of PS1 stuff - $10

PS1 Sim City 2000 - CIB
PS1 Tetris Plus - CIB GH version
PS1 Final Fantasy IX - CIB (might swap this one out if my original one is GH)
PS1 Final Fantasy VIII - CIB
PS1 Total Eclipse Turbo - CIB sealed
PS1 Grand Tour Racing 98 - CIB sealed

PS1 with controller/cords/memory cards
FF IX and VIII game guides

Yard Sale 2:

Xbox The Great Escape - $1 (CIB, got it because Dad likes the movie and I figured he might want to try to play it with me)

The PS1 stuff was ok, nothing I really want to keep other then the IX if mine is a green label...I really hate them haha. Total Eclipse did look semi interesting though so I'll keep that I suppose. The rest I have so I'll sell it. Bought to sell I guess.

PS1's are SO common and pretty much worthless (since PS2s have backwards compatibility...) I think I might use this one for fiddling with...take it apart, learn about it, put it back together...maybe try my hand at painting it...we shall see...

Didn't go out today since Sunday, most sales are picked over. But I did get stuff on Saturday...I just forgot to post it...oh and I did get something interesting at Goodwill before the weekend...

Yard Sale:

All this for $10

GBA SP - Pink pearl color, outside is a little banged up but screen looks good and it works. 101 version.
Wii Mario Kart - CIB
DS Metroid Prime Hunters First Hunt - Sad thing is I didn't notice the first hunt on it...I've never actually seen the full game out in the wild...

Basically resell fodder.

Goodwill:

I was coming to a Goodwill that has NEVER had anything good relating to video games because I needed to find a computer chair since the one I'm using now has a broken arm...meh. So as soon as I step into the GW I spot a 32x in the box. I'm very excited at this point but then the guy takes it out...someone (owner or maybe GW) ripped the box because they stuffed a Genesis in there with all the plugs and two controllers, along with the 32x. So I check the price...and check it online...I'm pretty sure the 32x isn't CIB, but if I sell the Genesis...it'll be worth it. So I go to buy it, but mom buys it for me because she owed me some money...so win win.

Sega 32x in box - $50

I've been getting stuff to sell rather then keep lately...I guess I'm hunting with the mindset that I need to raise about a thousand bucks between now and when Fallout 4 drops. I'm building a new PC so that's why. I'm up to $200 or so...and the thousand is a low estimate...since no one really knows the specs for FO4 yet. I'm going for running it and several other games on high or ultra graphics setting. I'm tired of sub par graphics.

It's been pretty crappy lately finding games...all of it is picked over...resellers in the area are beating me. All yesterday people kept telling me how they JUST sold games to someone...I should have asked what the person looked like to see if it was one reseller or a few of them...meh.

Yard Sale:

Mario Mix DDR - $6 (CIB with game which is CIB and mat)

And that's it...seriously. It sucked this weekend.

Anyone know what came in the Mario Mix box? I have the game and mat...but did it come loose in the box like with no plastic bags or styro? I'm assuming it's CIB but no idea...

More resellers beating me...I've been feeling really burnt out as of late, so I was dragging my feet on posting my mehish finds.

Weekend:

Yard Sale #1:

Genesis Air Diver - $5 (sadly I thought this was a shmup but it's not blah!)
Genesis Taz Mania - $5
Xbox Outlaw Golf - $5 (CIB)
Xbox Outlaw Volleyball - $5 (CIB)
Xbox Outlaw Volleyball - $5 (CIB)
Xbox Castlevania Curse of Darkness - Free (CIB)

The Castlevania game was $10 but she took $10 off of the end price so...free. Meh prices because she looked everything up on ebay.

Yard Sale #2:

N64 1080 Snowbording manual - Free

This place had the manual just laying out so I asked if they had any games to go with it, and they pull out this box of games but it was all Atari 2600 stuff and Nintendo manuals...weird mix. I asked about the Nintendo stuff, hoping they had more but they said it was their kids stuff...I started asking if they'd sell the Nintendo manuals since they didn't match any games but they had to ask their kids...ffs. I was trying to explain it to them since they let me have this manual for free but they wern't budging. I just called and left a message asking if they got word if they can sell the stuff or not...hope they will sell it to me.

Today:

Store:

PSP Jikandia The Timeless Land - $12 (Missing manual...over paid for this without the damn manual!)
PS2 Suikoden Tactics - $10 (Missing bonus sound track)
PS2 Fatal Fury Battle Archives Volume 1 - $8 (CIB)

Sort of regretting the tactics and Jikandia games...both missing something and both over priced for missing items.

Idk when:

Parents picked some stuff up for me...so idk when it was or how much they paid.

Wii stand thingy - ? (It's supposed to hold your Wii motes, some games and the Wii it's self. One side is pretty yellowed.)
Mario Mix DDR - $1 (No game but it has the box...two MM DDRs within days of eachother lol)
PS2 Shadow the Hedgehog - ? (CIB, GH version)

Wow... it is frustrating when people have items out at their sale, but it is not theirs.

Tell me about it. I've been to way to many sales like that. It's a pain in the ass because if I want to haggle the price...they have to call or find the person to ask...most of the time they don't budge and won't contact the person...

Managed to catch a NASTY sore throat/cold thing which I'm still fighting nearly a month later ffs. So I missed out on the last chance yard sales of the season...damn it. And I haven't been hitting any thrift stores or pawn shops so the itch has been...bugging me. I did manage to stop at one and got a nice deal (for once...idk even though I used to go in there ALL the time and they'd work deals with me they stopped working deals with me...wtf...) on some games.

Pawn shop:

GBC Beauty and The Beast Board Game Adventure - $2
DS Sonic Rush - $5 (CIB)
3DS Etrian Mystery Dungeon - $10
3DS Tales of The Abyss - $10

Happy about the 3DS games obviously. Both were marked $15 but I talked the lady there into giving me a deal since they were loose. But getting home...I realized I have Tales of The Abyss CIB! Damn it -_- but since it goes for $20 on ebay...profit at least?

Really need to stop doing that!

I usually got to another castle here in Lynnwood or Edmonds for the stuff I want and cant find anywhere else. Otherwise I just leave it alone. Game zone in seattle will rape ya over their prices. I was willing to drop serious money years ago on some squaresoft games, and he wouldn't budge one inch.

Been forgetting to post my stuff...lazy and lack of energy. Getting into that seasonal depression thing I think a lot of Washingtonians (?) get around this time.

Thrift store:

SNES Super Return of the Jedi - $10
Xbox Metal Slug 4 & Metal Slug 5 - $10 (CIB)

Funny thing about this store, been there once before and they had a boxed PS1 that I bought for idk $10 or so...and then when I went back again...long time inbetween...low and behold...another boxed PS1. I passed on it though, whoops. Oh and there were 4 SNES games all together but they took the one I bought and looked it up and marked them all $10...and none of them except the game I got was worth that much...wtf, shitty pricing system.

Gamestop:

Wii Metroid: Other M - $10 (CIB)
Wii Harvest Moon: Animal Parade - $20 (CIB)

I was going to get Fortune Street but no manual and they wanted CIB pricing on it.

Mystery Store:

PS2 Castlevania: Curse of Darkness - $7 (CIB)
PS2 Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward - $2.50 (CIB)
PS2 Resident Evil: Dead Aim - $5 (CIB)
Xbox Mad Dash - $2 (CIB)

Well since I found that Castlevania game on the PS2 (my fav system of that era) I'll keep it and sell the Xbox one off...I don't want Xbox games unless they're exclusives. And I said mystery store because I think it's still semi-unknown to collectors/resellers so...why name it and let the scum in? Meaning resellers...*cough*

I was surprised to find SNES games at that thrift store...hell surprised to find any cartridge games any more...anywhere. Such is life.

Nothing amazing persay but nothing horrible. I am slightly bummed out on Gamestops pricing...since everyone was flipping out on how GS had amazing deals for Wii games...uh...no? But then again it's GS...I should stop expecting anything from them.

Just so you know, the vast majority of multi-console games from the PS2/xbox generation are significantly better on Xbox. There are exceptions but the increased power was frequently used and better graphics and smoother frame rates are the norm. PS2 versions are usually the weakest except for rare times where the game was designed with it as the primary platform like with Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2. To each their own of course but I almost always keep my multi-console games on Xbox and keep the PS2 for exclusives that were designed for it.

No shit, and 90% have absolutely no idea how good they have it. Washington state as a whole has LOADS AND LOADS of retro gaming stores, including some truly incredible ones. Al's Music and Video Games and Pink Gorilla in Seattle, Another Castle in Edmonds, 2 Game World locations and Trade-a-Game in Spokane, and dozens in between. I went to the greater Seattle area last month and spent all day hopping between retro gaming stores. I probably visited 8 or 9 in total. I live in the Vancouver area and there is literally not one retro gaming store in the entire city. The closest thing is Gamedeals/Press Start, 2 small stores in New Westminster a few blocks from each other, and that's it. I divide my time between Vancouver & Kelowna (4 hours drive away) and there's nothing in between. Not one store in Kelowna. Not one in Vernon. It's a desert for retro gaming. If you live within an hour's drive of even a half-decent retro gaming store, you need to consider yourself lucky. I was blown away that there are so many British Columbian NA'ers, I was starting to feel like the only retro game collector in the province.

^If you consider overpriced game stores lucky...sure...I don't. It just raises the cost of games. I hardly ever step foot into one unless I'm looking for a specific game/I'm trading stuff in. They just suck for prices. The only exception is my secret spot...they still have good prices.

So today was the annual pawn shop sale at this one chain of pawn shops...half off of all games. Pretty sweet. Sadly I started late so if they had more retro stuff...it was gone

Pawn shop #1:

GB Ms. Pac-Man - $1
DS Mario Kart DS - $1
DS Lost in Blue 2 - $1
DS Metroid Prime Hunters First Hunt - Free (I bought it again thinking this was the full version...bah...well free is free)
DS My Japanese Coach - Free
PSP Dante's Inferno - $1 (No manual)
Wii de blob 2 - $2.50 (CIB)
Wii Gem Smashers - Free
PS2 Everquest Online - $1 (CIB)
PS2 Wallace & Gromit Curse of The Were-Rabbit - Free (No manual)
360 Overlord - Free (CIB)
360 Samurai Showdown Sen - Free (No manual)
360 Resident Evil 5 - Free (CIB)
360 Resident Evil 6 - Free (No manual)

The lady checking me out really messed up...in my favor...I got 8 games for free! And the ones she did charge me for were so cheap ha! Almost wish I had gotten more expensive games >:3

Pawn shop #2:

GB Super Mario Land - $1 (No label)
GBA Simpsons Road Rage - $1
GBA Super Mario Advance 3 - $4
NES Othello - $1
N64 Strike Zone - $1 (Back is pretty bad with supid stickers on it)
N64 Army Men Sarge's Heroes - $1
N64 Nascar 99 - $1
360 Killer is Dead - $3 (CIB)
360 Dark Souls - $2.50 (CIB)
360 Shadowrun - $2.50 (CIB)
360 Lollipop Chainsaw - $5 (CIB)
Wii Sin & Punishment - $7.50 (CIB)

This one not so lucky...even less lucky. Turns out I'm going to have to return 2 games. One is missing a disc (the really good game in the pile too!) and the other has something wrong with it. Not happy about the missing disc...wonder if the lady helping me missed it or if someone pawned it like that =.=...but I did find those N64 games and the odd NES game...junk games but at $1 a pop...I'm not complaining. I need them anyways for my complete set...

Gamestop:

DC Evolution - $13 (CIB)

Was a bit worried as this is my first try for GS retro stuff...but it's CIB...manual has some water damage though...and disc is a little scratched...do all disc games come like that? I thought they'd buff them...being as the games are old and WELL used.


So...not bad. Got free games at least. I think the best game out of the lot is Lost in Blue 2...been wanting that game for a while...shame it's not CIB. I have the original one and it's also loose...bah. Great game but I want it CIB

I hope the lady at the 2nd pawn shop missed the disc...because it's a very nice game...2nd in an RPG series on the PS2...and I want it >.<

Went back to pawn shop...no luck on missing disc

But I cheered up because I got a nice replacement! As well as two other games...

Pawn shop:

PS1 Mega Man X6 - $2 (CIB)
GC Mario Golf - $2 (CIB)
360 Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend - $10 (CIB)

The replacement is that Mega Man game...hell yeah! I got the Mario Golf only because I thought it was worth more then it actually was...oh well...I can still sell it. And Blazblue because I don't have that one...

Oh and the good game that I had to replace? Shadow Hearts Covenant I have the first one...so when I saw the 2nd one at that shop I was excited...god only knows what will happen to the game now...put it back on the shelf for full price maybe...? I sort of hope they do instead of tossing it...at least keep it there till they price drop it for $2...then maybe someone will grab it. Even if it's not complete...I'd hate the thought of them throwing it out.

Mario Golf is amazing!

^ Not a huge golf fan, even if it is Mario lol. I have one all ready so...oh well.

Today I did a CL deal...I think the thought of owning an actual NES box and two Mega Man games blinded me...after the fact I figured I should have talked the guy down.

NES in box with Mega Man 2 and 3 - $120

The carts are in ok shape, need some cleaning...the labels are fine. The NES box is...damaged...taped and has a little marker on the back. Has the styro. Came with the zapper, two controllers and the crappy RF adapter. No manuals/paper work or power cable. NES is yellowed and one of the controllers has a busted wire. Not amazing but at least I have one in the box. And I finally have Mega Man games on the NES!

Sweet pickups!

Having been born and raised in Michigan the first 24 years of my life I can say the retro game scene in my area was null and void. It was awesome. Games were easy to come by and people most of the time would rather MMA fight or do meth rather than have retro games. This made aquiring games pretty easy. I moved away finally 5 years ago to Houston. And it's night and day difference. Houston is a black hole for games. I mean unless you want to go to a retro game store or buy from resellers.. That's not hunting. Anyways I still have a friend who game hunts back in Michigan and he says the last few years have gotten pretty competitive. He's still finding gems but Michigan is catching up with the retro game scene fast. Last time I went back to my hometown about 4 new resale shops opened and one of them had a ton of old games all marked up to retail prices... I couldn't believe it. The same town I moved away from 5 years ago where you could still get an NES with 10 games for $20 is no more. It's kind of a bummer.

I had a bit of money burning a hole in my pocket so I stopped by a pawn shop down the street from where I live. I've found SNES games there before...but it looks like they've been looking stuff up online...before I was able to get a good deal but...eh...idk.

Pawn shop:

GBA Iridion 3D - $1.50
Gen Arcade Classics - $1.50
Gen Zoom - $7 (CIB)
Gen Ms. Pac-Man - $7 (CIB, manual is bent)
Gen Pac-Mania - $7 (CIB, manual is bent)
SNES Final Fantasy III - $30
PS2 Theme Park Roller Coaster - $1.50 (CIB)

I don't normally buy Genny games but these were all in pretty good shape...maybe from the same collection? So I figured what the hell. I also don't buy $30 retro games...but again good condition...label is nice, only has some stuff that needs to be gently cleaned off of it. The GBA game I got because I figured it was a shooter and it is, and I got the PS2 because I think it's a console exclusive? Not sure on that but from what I can tell off of Google...it is. So yay.

Originally FF III was priced at $50 but since I was paying cash and getting a few games...they lowered the price. Now yes I realize that $20 off is good. But remember I'm a cheapskate and I don't normally buy games at such high prices. Still though...it's in good condition and just one less overpriced game I have to buy for the SNES.

Haven't posted in awhile...been busy trying to save money and focus on organizing my collection. But HPB had their sale...and I can never pass one of those up!

Friday

HPB:

PSP Astonishia Story - $10 (CIB)
Xbox Amped - $2 (CIB)
Xbox Fuzion Frenzy - $5 (CIB)
Wii Boom Blox - $5 (CIB)
Wii Kirby's Epic Yarn - $9 (CIB)

Value Village:

Xbox Crimson Skies - $4 (CIB)

Saturday

Pawn shop:

DS Contact - $5
DS Final Fantasy XII - $5
DS 1500 DS Spirits Vol 9 - $5 (Turns out it's a damn Mah Jong game!)
Atari Donkey Kong - $2
Genesis Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits - $2
Genesis Steel Empire - Free?
PS1 Atari Anniversary Edition Redux - $2 (CIB and still has the free Atari sticker)
PS1 Pipe Dreams 3D - $2 (CIB)
NES Side Pocket - $2
NES Sesame Street ABC - $2 (With dust sleeve)

Since HPB is next to VV I always pop in to see if they have anything even remotely good...they never seem to. They used to but now that they look up EVERYTHING it's ebay prices or higher for crap. I'd stop going but part of me hopes I can catch them slipping up one day...

I stopped at that pawn shop because we never go near it and it's somewhat out of the way...figure they might have something. And they did...just not very good stuff and not at great prices...I really had to talk them down on prices. I was going to get Lost In Blue 2 but she wanted $25 for the damn game...game only! She was showing me complete new prices on Amazon ffs...ugh...I hate dumb ass pawn shop people. It's like $5 at Gamestop ffs.

I picked up those two NES games because they were the only ones on clearance that I didn't own. All those $2 games were clearance stuff. I picked up Steel Empire because I never heard of it and it was priced at $7 so I figured it wouldn't be complete crap. Turns out it's a shooter...I do like shooters. And for some reason she didn't charge me for it. So a win. I messed up on that Japanese DS game...it had the word spirits in it so I was thinking...Japanese horror game on the DS?! hell yeah...whoops.

HPB had some still ok games sitting on the shelves on their 40% off day...nothing good in the "collectable" case though...over priced sports games. I used my 40% on Kirby...otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. I had the game disc only but I wanted it complete...and I don't think I could have found it cheaper unless I lucked out at a yard sale.

I've been hitting up yard sales and walking away empty handed...all of them are just...junk sales. Literally they're selling junk at high prices or just junk in general. Even my parents are walking away as well. Just nothing good. And our weather has been sort of nice this weekend...I'd figure there would be better sales. Maybe it's still to early for people? But I have solved my small problem of never finding anything at yard sales so I waste the whole day...I've expanded what I look for. Starting to collect things other then video games or video game related items...and it helps sometimes.

No shit. If I want to go to a retro gaming store the closest one is about an 8 hour drive away. I'd say a little perspective is needed for those around here who have absolutely no idea how completely spoiled they are having retro game stores walking distance from each other.

^ "Spoiled" yeah say that when most of the stores are eBay prices or higher...seriously I'm not over exaggerating on that. We might have a lot of stores but it doesn't mean jack if all of them are super high priced. Not worth going to. I'd rather have more thrift stores. There's only two stores left that don't rip you a new one with the prices, so yes I'm grateful for those.

I actually ended up going to one of those stores since I was nearby.

Store:

360 Kameo - $1 (CIB)
DS Electroplanton - $10
PS2 Persona 3 FES - $22 (CIB)

I really need to learn to speak up...the guy didn't show me the discs like they normally do and I said nothing so I didn't see till later that the Kameo disc I SPECIFICALLY got to replace my stupid platinum hits is actually a platinum hits...in a normal case. I also didn't see that they charged me Persona 3 price not Persona 3 FES...about $10 more. The only thing I didn't mess up on was the DS game.

I got the DS game because I've heard really good things about it.

I simply don't pay enough attention...

A mixed emotions day...

Yard sale:

All for $15

Xbox Taito Legends (Missing manual)
Xbox Demon Stone (CIB)
PS2 Sega Classics Collection (CIB)

Thrift store:

N64 Fox Sports Collage Hoops '99 - $2
N64 Banjo-Kazooie pin - $1.50

So emotion wise...that thrift store was a roller coaster. At first I was looking at just the games and thinking "oh great just a sports game...oh well, better then nothing" but then I spotted the pin in with the jewellery. I saw Banjo-Kazooie on it and I knew I had to get it...and at that price too! The front of it where the picture is looks good but the back looks pretty rough...looking it up online I only see one other on eBay...their calling it rare and promotional. So that's cool. I figured it was a Blockbuster or Gamestop employee pin they used to advertise the game on their outfits. Anyways while I was riding the happy feelings of finding something neat like that I spot it...a Donkey Kong II Game & Watch. I get a sinking feeling because everything but the two things I picked up had horrible pricing on it. But I ask to look at it...it works...and then I see the price. $75...I used my phone too look up pricing...yeah overpriced. The thrift store was also a consignment shop so I asked if the person might be willing to go lower on it...the lady helping me offered to call her and ask. She was willing...but only to $60. Ugh. It was just the game...and it looked a bit rough...so no. I could get a better condition one off of ebay ffs. But what a letdown. I finally find one in the wild and it's priced like that! I hate consignment shops. Still happy about that pin at least.

Went out this weekend...finally have a tiny bit of spending cash (and I do mean tiny...really need to sell some stuff). Not much found...but what I found was good.

Saturday:

PS1 Resident Evil Survivor - $1 (CIB)
PS2 combo pack in box - $10 (basically just the PS2 with network adapter and the box)
Mario head? - $0.10 (no idea what the hell this is from)

The PS1 game is cool but the disc is pretty scratched up...hope it works. PS2 I should have offered less since no plugs and they weren't sure if it worked...but I wanted the box. The box is in ok shape...not mint but not falling apart...but now at least I have one. Mario head is weird...but I like weird stuff.

So small find but nothing bad...and within my budget!

Post a pic of the Mario head! Maybe someone can identify it!

So a nearby pawn shop is closing and their having a 40% off sale. I got some good stuff.

Pawn shop:

2600 Adventure - $2
SNES Cliffhanger - $3
SNES Wordtris - $3
N64 Spider-Man - $6
N64 Penny Racers - $3
GameGear Aladdin - $1
GameGear Batman Returns - $1
PS2 Summoner 2 - $6 (CIB but the cover art and manual are in...not great shape)
PS2 Monster Rancher 3 - $16 (CIB)
Gamecube Universal Studios Theme Park Adventure - $3 (CIB...I had to get it...lol)

Really happy about Monster Rancher 3...was surprised to see it still sitting in the case but they had it at $35...and even with 40% off it was over priced but...I did get the guy to take $5 off of the whole lot at the end so I figure I got it for $16...about the FMV. So not a steal but at least I got it. I'm actually kinda happy I got that Gamecube game even though...it's awful lol. Spiderman is also cool...red cart...love it.

Planning on trading in a lot of...less then great games later today to clean out some space for games I actually want to keep...might get something interesting...I hope. Wanna try to get a nice survival horror game for the PS1 or Dreamcast...or a good Dreamcast game at least...