Everyone collected the great games, now buying okay games

[Majors]

I recently was reading a mediocre, but still positive, review about the PCE game, Faussete Amour. When saw the going rate, I was taken aback...$100-150 for "meh"?! While talking with local friends, we had a thought:

Since everyone knows what is "good" for retro games (using TG/PCE for example; Dracula X, Spriggian, Military Madness, Parodius, Soldier series, SF2'CE, etc) there is a secondary market, were decent, not as well known, games(again, using TG/PCE as axample; Faussete Amour, Dragon Spirit/Saber, Bloody Wolf, Splatterhouse) are becoming more desired because everyone already has the "good" ones. My point is, prices are going up on games that once where decent-to-good because they _were_ cheap. Since collectors have collected the "must haves" they are hunting the hidden gems now.

Comments? Or am I just late to the party?

[fastbilly1]

It is a very good thought Majors, and it explains why the price of Military Madness has recently fallen and Splatterhouse has recently risen.

[flamepanther]

Yes, I am inclined to believe this is happening.

[Hazerd]

Im waiting for Zelda games to become "hard to find/rare"
(CD-i doesnt count)

[Croooow!]

Could it also be that a lot of the great games are being rereleased digitally while a lot of the just "okay" ones aren't and that's affecting the price?

[Majors]

Not thinking about digital downloads and EMU, I'm focusing on collectors. Maybe it's the fact that every day, games get older = rare = higher price.

Fast -> Splatterhouse did get a reboot, so that prolly jump started it's "collector-ness".

I was reminded of my earlier thoughts from the "top 5 average games..." thread. (that one is going down hill FAST!). Let me ask you all, when you get a decent "must have" or quality collection of titles for a specific system, do you hunt for lesser games? Or do you stop looking for games?

[J T]

Yeah, I didn't think of it at the time, but my "top 10 average games" thread could prove profitable if your predictions are correct. It depends on if the population of completist collectors is growing at a fast enough rate though (which they might be).

To answer your question, I do continue to buy games that are middle-of-the-road in terms of reviews or popular appeal, sometimes even by my own estimation. I'm not a completist though, I am a hidden gem collector. I don't always trust reviewers' opinions and I think even average games can have good ideas that weren't fully realized, but are still unique. There is a whole swath of games that I routinely glaze over though. I usually buy the average games because they are cheap though. If they start boosting up in price because of rarity, I'm out. I don't need them that bad.

[TornadoCreator]

Im waiting for Zelda games to become "hard to find/rare"
(CD-i doesnt count)

I had an argument recently with my dad who's selling an NES he bought at a car-boot sale online. He's convinced the original Zelda is rare because he's "looked online" and my cousin told him so... I've said to him, "OK, fine, go on any collectors site and say Legend of Zelda is rare and watch as you get laughed at. Next you'll be telling me Mario Bros/Duck Hunt is rare", but it doesn't phase him he just casually says "Fine, I know how much it's worth" and I always say irritatingly "Yes! FUCK ALL!". One time I lost my temper and shown him eBay how there where about 20 copies all going for about £10 more than half of which had the box and book, which he doesn't... still it's gold, it must be rare... damn fool.

[Croooow!]

Im waiting for Zelda games to become "hard to find/rare"
(CD-i doesnt count)

I had an argument recently with my dad who's selling an NES he bought at a car-boot sale online. He's convinced the original Zelda is rare because he's "looked online" and my cousin told him so... I've said to him, "OK, fine, go on any collectors site and say Legend of Zelda is rare and watch as you get laughed at. Next you'll be telling me Mario Bros/Duck Hunt is rare", but it doesn't phase him he just casually says "Fine, I know how much it's worth" and I always say irritatingly "Yes! FUCK ALL!". One time I lost my temper and shown him eBay how there where about 20 copies all going for about £10 more than half of which had the box and book, which he doesn't... still it's gold, it must be rare... damn fool.

Zelda gold cart, the pyrite/fool's gold of video games.

[darthmunky]

This is definitely happening. I am one of the people who are now looking for the hidden gems and I found that a lot of the common games I could have bought a few years ago for 5$ or less are now going for around 20$.