Buying and selling retro video games and digital PC games can be a great experience most of the time. Collecting vintage video games can involve many different opinions on condition, dollar value and how to properly ship the item.
Good and bad things can happen when sellers and buyers do a retro video game transaction together.
In recent times Retro-gaming and digital PC gaming are starting to gain visibility and listing. Indeed, yesterday’s teenagers finally have access to an income that allows them to buy their old games. Of course this new attraction for the old influence supply and demand. But then do we have to buy prices sometimes fanciful? No! And I’m here to give you a lot of tips to buy your old games cheaper on eBay/Amazon/Garage sales.
It’s a regular thing to see prices of retro games and digital PC go up and sometimes comes down, market price changes and it affects the prices we see them in the market. More reason why you have to do your price search with big and trustable sellers like eBay or Amazon.
What do you want to collect?
As a preamble to everything I think it is essential to ask the question. What is the purpose of your collection? Why do you want to collect? Do you prefer a particular machine or rather a kind of game?
Each collector is different and has his way of doing things. Even if some practices are clearly not my cam (blisters, full sets, and company) I respect the objectives of each. Also, it is important to define a framework to begin to hunt your games: what is your favorite medium? What are your priorities in your search lists? In what state (box/loose) do you want your games? So many questions that will allow you not to disperse and focus on a concrete goal.
Legend has it that you have to spend a lot of money on video games. The impatient will say that it is the truth, and those who, like me for years, have had only modest means to make their passion live, will tell you that it is quite the opposite. The retrogaming and PC games is a matter of patience. If you want to have a Zelda blister just let go 300 € on eBay/Amazon/Sales garage and you have it in two days!
An eBay or Amazon filtered search for sold results are the best method to get direct sales information in my opinion. Most local game shops I’ve spoken with say the prices from within the last 30 days are the most accurate. Filter your results with sold listings option and input keywords like “Super Mario” or “Play Station” etc.
Sites like Price Charting uses an algorithm that averages sold prices for the previous 6 months, that might not account for a today price for a rare or expensive game over 100 dollars. Especially if the demand for that game just crashed.
The prices are very fluid depending on the time of year and how much supply of a particular game is on the market. For common Nintendo games, it really does not matter, the prices don’t seem to change much.
I also recommend you look at several retailers to find out what the going price is. Sometimes they’ll be a bit more than a small seller on eBay/Amazon, but you’re paying for the reputation and service of that small business.
Our culture has been influenced by video games for more than 30 years. Starting with classic games like Pong in 1972 and Space Invaders in 1978, which kick started a cultural revolution. Notably in 1981, with Nintendo’s masterpiece, Donkey Kong, and not only the introduction of the titular character, but the protagonist, Mario, who would become the mascot of Nintendo for years to come. Other examples include Pokémon, which became the most popular children’s toy in 1999, and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog in 1992, and the titular character becoming a mascot, these franchises have served as not only mascots, but also popular culture icons, every kid who grew up in the nineties has at least heard of them. It is also to the point that Pokémon even has it’s own month dedicated to it throughout the year. But over that 30-year span, approximately 7 generations of video games have been created. It sprang from consoles and arcade games, to online-gaming and virtual reality. This gives a setup to a whole new culture.
There is also an impact in education, thanks to video games. Video games have clear, meaningful goals, multiple goal structures, scoring system, adjustable difficulty levels, random element of surprise, and an appealing fantasy metaphor, all things a good education system should have. An example of all of these qualities was provided in the form of simulation games that require one to form their own world, such as the Civilization series, and the Tycoon series. Other ways video games provide education, allowing manipulation of otherwise unalterable variables, seeing phenomena in new perspectives, and observing actions over time.
Super Mario Bros.” Back in the eighties, it quickly became so popular, that Mario had become Nintendo’s mascot, to a point where there is likely not a single person who doesn’t know Mario. Also, in the eighties, there is one mascot who was not so well known outside of Japan, SegataSanshiro. Sanshiro would become a “Chuck Norris-like” figure known for accomplishing impossible feats while promoting the Sega Saturn.
Conclusion
There are many more considerations you should have so keep an open mind. Also, keep an understanding that accidents can happen and it’s essential to communicate with the seller about any uncertainties you have. As long as communication is well received by both parties, you should have nothing to worry about!While yes, arguments can still be made for video games and their connection to violence, there can conversely be arguments made for video games and their beneficial, positive, effect on our world today, the world has been molded and shaped today by the characters we grow to love and adore, and hopefully, as video games continue to make leaps into a new future, so shall we.