How do you go about purchasing used games?

[papersquadcontrol]

I'm sure most, if not all of you own at least a few used games in your extensive gaming libraries, so I thought I'd start a topic about what your standards are when purchasing used games, since I haven't seen any other topics here about the subject.

I'm fairly lenient (at least I think so) when it comes to buying used cartridge-based games. All I care about owning is the game, the box and manual being icing on the cake, and as long as the front sticker is intact (though preferrably both the front and back stickers), whatever marks and dirt on it are cleanable, and the casing doesn't feel loose, then I'll buy it. Used Game Boy Advance titles (and regular GB and GB Color games whenever I find anything for those systems that interest me) are a bit more iffy since the openings on the bottom are so small that cleaning them when necessary can be very difficult; a regular, unaltered Q-tip doesn't fit inside all the way. Other than that, though, the same standards still apply.

Disc-based games, on the other hand, I tend to be far more anal about for some reason. Unlike cartridge games, I'll only buy a disc-based game if it's complete, i.e. game, manual, and inserts. Jewel cases rarely are a problem for me since they are easily replaceable except in cases where it's a 4+CD game or whatever. There are also those odd Saturn and Sega CD jewel cases of which suitable replacements are difficult to find, but since I own neither system and don't plan on getting either anytime in the near future this is not a concern of mine. The biggest issue of all for me, though, is the condition that the discs are usually in. If the disc is scratched-up, I'll refuse to buy it. I may let one minor, barely noticeable nick go by every now and then, but normally, I'm extremely picky in this area. Making disc examining more difficult are the scratches that you can only see under a good light, such as a flashlight. Since discovering the wonders a good light can do, I've since re-examined some of my disc-based games that I thought looked in great shape, only to discover to my dismay the condition some of them were truly in, though really, only the games I bought years ago and the used titles I bought were the ones in bad shape. It also explained why one particular game of mine (Abe's Oddysee, if you must know) had the tendency to freeze and glitch out at certain points or after playing it for certain periods of time.

I always felt I took good care of my games, but now I'm going to make the effort to take especially good care of my games, and when buying used disc-based games, I'll bring a flashlight with me to examine used discs in deceptively good condition, even if it makes me look ridiculous to everyone who happens to be in the store at the same time as I am.

[vysethebold]

I'm a lot like you when it comes to used purchases and sometimes I even prefer buying used to new. With carts, I just want the cart in good shape because almost everyone's mom has thrown away their boxes and instructions. Disc based games, though, should be complete. I mean it is much easier to store disc based games with their case and instructions. I would only buy an incomplete disc based game for two reasons: the game is way common/cheap and therefore I could care less because the game is not collectible or if the game is extremely rare (for instance I picked up a copy of Suikoden II for PSX with an incomplete instruction booklet but it was still worth the price considering the eBay worth). I think the only exception with my previous cart rule would be with DS games. I think that the box is sturdy, transportable, has similar design to a CD case, and makes the game less easy to loose, therefore I always want the box with the cart.

[kal]

I'm very happy go lucky, it's not a good collector attitude I'm sure but I'm not in the habit of buying for resale, I just like to have everything I need to use the game I buy. Books/Cases are a bonus however to contradict that I will always look for a complete set first, only opting for less then complete games when the price difference is rather high.

As you've both said, less anal about carts..if the carts there then good enough..I would rather a box especially with games that came in plastic boxes so with N64 I don't care as much because even I when I was younger lobbed a few boxes in the trash I think. But like I expect with CD/DVD cased games that everythings accounted for because if you're even kind of careful it shouldn't be difficult to keep it secure like the only instruction book/cases I don't have is either as a result of a friend losing them (bastards, it was Team Buddies too it's was like the funniest instruction booklet EVER) or because I bought them like that.

Disc scratching is never an issue with me, if it works properly I'm happy, if there's problems THERE WILL BE HELL! I also believe that the only way to keep a disc scratch free is to never use it, hence why I dislike protection systems for games it makes me wreck the things I've payed for so that they can be sure I didn't steal them so I have to pirate it later to actually use it..honestly. I have a few scratched disks in my collection, of note my copy of Dynasty Warriors 2 does not work because of a scratch the size of your little finger decorating it and my copy of Star Gladitor (which I could have returned but chose not to since it's hard to find I think?) which suffers music skips/missing music.

[steven]

CD games must be complete... spine cards I never cared for (but I kept them if they came with the game... Sega Saturn imports)

But these days I only buy cartridges... and it depends on the game. Many times I'm content with cart only so long as it's in at least decent shape. These days I'm getting a bit more picky though... label must be intact, cart must be in good shape, etc.

Import cartridges I prefer CIB if I can, mainly because it's still easy to get them CIB whereas most US games the box/manual has long been chucked.

And of course, if the price is right, I'd buy a cart only that is in so-so shape. (sun faded, maybe partial tear... if the price is too good to pass on because at the core it's the game itself that ultimately matters)

[kal]

steven said:

..because at the core it's the game itself that ultimately matters)

[dartagnan1803]

Ebay, Amazon, and Brick & Mortar.
quite simple really.
I usually make sure the game is in a desirable condition of course.

[kyouki]

I generally don't buy used games. That means I will pay more for a new copy in almost any case... for example, I passed on a $20 used copy of Romance of the Three Kingdoms X (that was in awful shape) and bought the $50 sealed copy. Unless the game is out of print and is either impossible to get sealed or costs a hundred dollars or something sealed, I'll always get new over used.

Even then I refuse to buy used games unless they are like new/mint or at least near mint. I don't want any scratches unless it is avoidable. I simply will not buy a used game from EB/Gamestop because they store the used games in those paper sleeves and are not careful with the discs at all... and leave the cases out in the stores with a billion stickers on them.

I typically only purchase used games on half.com/ebay and only if the seller describes it as "like new." I've only been lied to a couple times on these sites, and was able to get restitution either directly from the seller or through the customer satisfaction policies at both sites.

In my experience, sellers from Japan tend to keep their games in much better condition as every import I've ordered used from Japanese sellers has been exactly as described.

[Weasel]

I buy used as often as I can. I don't usually care about the quality of the disc, because the employees at my local EB Games tend to get pretty anal when I ask to see the disc(s).

[kyouki]

Yeah, they get pretty upset if you ask to see the condition of the disc. It's worth insisting because every time I've asked to see the disc it's been awful. Really turned me off from buying used games.

Then there was that time I went to buy the display copy of a game and asked to see the disc and the guy argued with me back and forth about how it's just the display copy, it's in mint condition, it's never been used, etc etc. The guy just wouldn't show me the disc!!! It was ridiculous. Finally he relented and the thing looked like they had scrubbed the counter with it. So I of course told him "no thanks" but he had this look on his face like I was a crazy man.

[jameseightbitstar]

Here's how I go about buying used games:

I find a store that sells them, find a game I want, and pay for it.

That being said, for me with cartridge games, biggest issue is if the label's intact. I hate buying games where the label is ripped or coming loose, but I will if its a game I really want.

With CD-ROM games, I tend to just take a chance--buy them, take them home, run them through my CD Cleaner, and if they work, I'm happy.

To this day, I have seen games in awful condition but I've only found one that wouldn't work, and that was an SNES game.

[megamoronx]

I used to just go to stores like Funcoland. Though I'll occasionally get something off ebay. The condition doesn't matter to me as long as it works. I'm not a completist, I just enjoy having and playing games. I certainly won't complain if I can get a game boxed and/or with instructions though.

I used to be part of the now dead NES Scene and we used to bitch to high heaven about Funcoland, but we never realized how good we had it. They used to have a huge selection of games for decent prices. Now I see crap like Zelda 1 for 25 dollars. WTF.

[The bag of sand]

Rhino games has a good selection of NES games and most are cheap because the people there are dumb lol they had some nes colsole brand new called NEX i almost got it... now its gone

[jameseightbitstar]

Wow, that looks like a cool revision of the NES.

[papersquadcontrol]

Ebay, Amazon, and Brick & Mortar.
quite simple really.

Here's how I go about buying used games:

I find a store that sells them, find a game I want, and pay for it.

Let's not be too smart about the topic title now.

And I agree that EB Games/Gamestop is the worst when it comes to purchasing games that aren't factory sealed. They haven't been confrontational about me wanting to look at a disc, but the way they handled a "brand new" display copy of Beyond Good and Evil that I wanted was quite careless. It didn't look like the disc was in very good shape anyway, so I turned it down despite their insistence afterword that it was brand new and had never been played before...

[MRSKELETON]

Head on over to www.pinkgodzillagames.com And you can grab yourself a generation NEX.
Not only does it play american cartridges it also plays the famicom disc