The "How is this game still cheap?" Thread

[Gunstar Green]

There are still some great Sega CD games you can grab for cheap like Silpheed or AH-3 Thunderstrike. The nifty, fully voiced Sega CD version of Wing Commander is also cheap and worth picking up.

Really wish I had bought Robo Aleste, Popful Mail and Soulstar years ago though. It's just not worth it now.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Sol-Feace and the 4-in-1/5-in-1 Sega CD digipaks are still pretty cheap as far as I know.

[ExedExes]

NES-Super Spy HUnter -- I think it's a US renamed sequel to the old arcade Spy Hunter, either way it's an amazing sunsoft vertical car based shooter. This time it has insane use of color, crazy graphics that warp and move on the screen, good spread of weapons and enemies, large moving platforms, and bosses. A $10-20 game if you use your smarts for the cart, came out in 1992 after the SNES, a good post-SNES game that still isn't getting up there.

In Japan it's known as Battle Formula, but Sunsoft slapped a Spy Hunter license on it because the gameplay is very similar. (In fact, it also claims to have "elements of Spy Hunter II" on the copyright screen.) This is a game I want and I'm glad it's still cheap.

The NES Brøderbund games come to mind. The Guardian Legend, Legacy of the Wizard, Deadly Towers, The Battle of Olympus.......

Absolutely. I scored Battle of Olympus for $12 a few months ago. I'm happy to see TGL is still cheap, we need something by Compile that's affordable. Not to mention Zanac is a Compile classic and a smart buy at the average price of under $10!

On the nes there are 3 that really stick out in my mind: Adventure of Lolo, Gradius, and Star Tropics can all be had for $10 and under.

Startropics as well as its sequel, Zoda's Revenge, also around $10.

I got Animaniacs (SNES) today for $7. I'm REALLY surprised about that, as that is not only the current average right now, it's a game from Konami, that company alone commands high prices on the SNES (Contra III, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Metal Warriors, etc.)

[jp1]

Have to agree on Crystalis, it has always been a favorite. It's a classic as far as I'm concerned. I'd be happy to pay $50 for a loose copy, but I'm even happier not to.

[Gunstar Green]

NES-Super Spy HUnter -- I think it's a US renamed sequel to the old arcade Spy Hunter, either way it's an amazing sunsoft vertical car based shooter. This time it has insane use of color, crazy graphics that warp and move on the screen, good spread of weapons and enemies, large moving platforms, and bosses. A $10-20 game if you use your smarts for the cart, came out in 1992 after the SNES, a good post-SNES game that still isn't getting up there.

In Japan it's known as Battle Formula, but Sunsoft slapped a Spy Hunter license on it because the gameplay is very similar. (In fact, it also claims to have "elements of Spy Hunter II" on the copyright screen.) This is a game I want and I'm glad it's still cheap.

I think they were pretty inspired by Spy Hunter when they made Battle Formula and since they had the NES rights for the title they must have figured why the hell not?

It's a thousand times better than the actual Spy Hunter 2, that's for sure.

I got Animaniacs (SNES) today for $7. I'm REALLY surprised about that, as that is not only the current average right now, it's a game from Konami, that company alone commands high prices on the SNES (Contra III, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Metal Warriors, etc.)

I never cared for the SNES one. The Genesis one isn't great either but it's kind of neat with some elements of Lost Vikings in its design.

[Tanooki]

Oh ugh yes, Spy Hunter 2 -- Super Spy Hunter SHOULD have been Spy Hunter 2. I remembered it had another name in Japan, forgot it and didn't look it up. It's a fantastic game. I discovered it around 1995-96 when I started buying up old NES games at a former friends retail shop out west as all his stuff was mostly $5 so I could experiment. Fantastic game, can't say I ever bothered finishing it but it's amusing.

[BoringSupreez]

Delete this thread immediately. Are you trying to make games more expensive on purpose? You sick freaks.

In all seriousness, I agree that most of the Genesis library fits this thread. For whatever reason Genesis didn't get a second life among retro enthusiasts the way Nintendo and the later two Sega systems did. Maybe because Genesis games have been re-released cheaply on modern consoles so many times?

And Japanese Saturn gaming is so much cheaper than it is in the US. Collecting Saturn stuff in Japan is like collecting American PS2 games in 2010. Just about anything you could ever want is $20 max. That language barrier, written in particular, is surely the reason.

[Gunstar Green]

In all seriousness, I agree that most of the Genesis library fits this thread. For whatever reason Genesis didn't get a second life among retro enthusiasts the way Nintendo and the later two Sega systems did. Maybe because Genesis games have been re-released cheaply on modern consoles so many times?

Many of the best Genesis games are either so common that it would take an insane demand to push the price up or tend to be relatively unknown by casual collectors and remain in low demand.

You don't have the same number of people going on and on about hidden Genesis gems on Youtube like you do with the SNES. However, the ones that have gotten recognition and become collector bait have shot up in recent years like everything else.

It also helps out Genesis collecting that complete games are far more common compared to systems that used paper boxes.

I think it's still a good time to jump on the Genesis bandwagon but it's a bit too late for some of what collectors might call the trophy items of the console. I'm not sure how long things will stay this way though. Ristar used to be a sub-ten dollar game that's now going for over 30 regularly. A lot of games that were under ten dollars a few years ago are over $20 now and games by popular publishers like Konami have been rising steadily.

One of the interesting things about the Genesis is most Mega Drive counterparts in Japan are a lot more expensive considering it was much less successful over there. I've heard stories of Japanese Sega enthusiasts importing US Genesis games. It's like a reverse situation from Nintendo's consoles.

[garrett123]

Bubble Bobble is $20 may seem like that its pretty high but its been around $20 for quite a long time before the boom or whatever you call it we are in right now.

[Snatch1414]

There are still some great Sega CD games you can grab for cheap like Silpheed or AH-3 Thunderstrike. The nifty, fully voiced Sega CD version of Wing Commander is also cheap and worth picking up.

Really wish I had bought Robo Aleste, Popful Mail and Soulstar years ago though. It's just not worth it now.

Sol-Feace and the 4-in-1/5-in-1 Sega CD digipaks are still pretty cheap as far as I know.

Yeah that Sol-Feace in the plastic/paper jewel case thing can still be had for around $10.

Robo Aleste I saw at a convention a couple years ago for $40 complete when it was hovering around $60, and I think that was maybe the only time I paid a decent price for a game before it went further up.

Sega CD definitely is insane though (and Saturn too of course). I had Earthworm Jim CD when it was new and sold all my stuff. I would've never guessed it would be in demand today. That and Snatcher I think I need to just make a conscious effort to save and just pay the price.