Looking into Sega Genesis games again a little

[Sarge]

If there was any sort of collecting you might want to get in on, it's probably Genesis. I find that they're significantly cheaper in most instances for the good stuff. NES has gone bonkers, and SNES isn't much better.

Anyway, takes a quick look at eBay... yeah, PSIV is still between $20-40 loose, ditto Shining Force II, a little less for Shining Force, and I'm sure all the Sonic games are crazy cheap.

I saw that Genesis thingy in Walmart, thought it looked cool... good to know it's fatally flawed. That's ridiculous that you'd sell something that had RPGs on it with an inability to save, or the inability to save even if you're using legit carts.

[Tanooki]

Preaching to the choir man. I got out of buying NES/SNES stuff over a year ago. It was only in the last month or so I grabbed up 4 SNES games but only because I got deals on them too good to avoid. I walked away from it and went towards the GBA and Famicom because they're not being pillaged by the crooks. The reason I'm looking at Genesis is that a decade ago I had around 30 or so games before I lost most my collection to unemployment and just never bought any of it or the Nomad back. I've got that Retron 5 now and was thinking of getting a few of my favorites (mostly third party stuff) back.

That's not a bad price for a loose game I suppose on PS4, I've never played it, just the first 2 mostly and 3 a little but man that sucked. The thing is I buy my Genesis games complete since they come in those nice boxes with manuals and the labels tended to be crappy with wear. I may drop that need if the price dictates, but the worst one I've come across so far is like $40 for Dune complete and then Castlevania is another beast a bit over that.

That ATGames device they don't sell with RPGs, but what they did do that I think is morally bankrupt was sell the latest revision from a year ago of the portable with that flaw. They got a deal with Capcom to feature on the cover Mega Man Wily Wars and Super SF2. Mega Man has NO password even as a choice it's a battery game, so it's impossible to finish, and also the game has unlocks when you clear all 3 'NES' games on there so you can write that off too. I'd still buy one, but only for like $20 max just for the non-battery games and definitely not at $40 or more.

[Sarge]

Well, I hesitate to say "crooks". If a game sells at a given value, then it sells at a given value. Not their fault there are folks out there willing to shell out top dollar for some of these games. Just supply and demand, where it's harder to find the games, coupled with more people in the market, many of which don't do an adequate job assessing the actual worth of certain games.

If you enjoyed Phantasy Star II, imagine PSIV as an amped-up, better-balanced version of that game. It seriously is fantastic and easily stands up with the SNES greats.

I personally haven't gotten out of NES/SNES collecting, but that's only because I'm just taking what I can find at bargain prices. I mean, I found that copy of Sparkster recently for $5, which was rather fortuitous. I have thresholds set in my head, and if it exceeds it, I won't pay it. And given my location anyway, it's pretty hard to find stuff that I don't have, and the rarer stuff is just pretty much unattainable anyway except through sheer dumb luck.

I should also note that I'm not shooting for a complete set or anything. There's lots of terrible games at the local retro store, but I'm not paying money for them. Not $5 a pop, anyway. Sell 'em for a dollar or two, and I might snag a few.

[Exhuminator]

If you enjoyed Phantasy Star II, imagine PSIV as an amped-up, better-balanced version of that game.

This is absolutely correct. Phantasy Star IV is omega awesome. In comparison to Phantasy Star II my only complaint would be Phantasy Star IV toned down the parallax scrolling in dungeons which for me wasn't a positive.

[Tanooki]

Phantasy Star 2 I wouldn't replay today as it was pretty aggressive with the random battles and the game moved at a very slow pace which I don't have time for. If PS4 is exactly the same way even if it would be considered a loss I would not bother due to time and patience alone.

The SNES stuff I found despite giving up was $4 for Arkanoid loose, C+B Wolfenstein on a cheap trade, and CIB Arcana for $20, along with a CIB Mario Paint for $20 too. Sometimes even if it's a rule you break it when the price is beyond right.

I spoke of crooks for the entire circular hot mess of the last 3 years is all. Speculators treating it like oil and mineral rights, foolish miners wanting their cut into the mix for either fun(to beat the even higher prices they feared which in turn they directly caused), and the scheming resellers who place stuff beyond reasonable pricing knowing eventually someone will foolishly buy it which then causes the bar to raise again after that. It's the whole situation and I'm over playing with it. I want no sets either and have most of what I care about, the rest I don't would be $1-20 stuff that has been flat through the stupid period so I have no fear or concern of grabbing them.

Genesis wise I was thinking of reacquiring Castlevania, Virtua Racing, Dune, Star Control, Ghouls n Ghosts, the Streets of Rage games, Columns, Sonic Spinball(yes I like it), and beyond that not really sure, maybe Sonic 2 but I've never been big on that speed run game. I also found Alisa Dragoon pretty fun using that lame ATGames emulator portable, shame it didn't save.

[Sarge]

The random battle rate isn't nearly as bad in PSIV, if memory serves. It's pretty much better balanced in every way. Not that PSII is a bad game now, but I think PSIV trounces it (and pretty much the entire series). It's one of the primary reasons I was so disappointed Sega went with Phantasy Star Online as their followup.

[Tanooki]

I may just have to fire it up in some emulator and see if it does it for me or not. Perhaps it's the final proper refinement of the series, kind of like how Dragon Warrior 4 was for the NES. Late in life, late to getting things just right.

[Sarge]

It's easily the pinnacle of the series. Definitely give it a shot in an emulator, though, we have that luxury now. No sense in spending money on something you're not going to enjoy. If you want to go the legal way, it's part of a lot of compilations, it's on VC, and it's also on Steam.

And yeah, Dragon Warrior IV was something special. I've still got my copy (complete!) that my Mom bought for me years and years ago.

[Jagosaurus]

My local retro stores over the years have sold Genesis titles at a much fairer price than SNES & NES. They'll often charge a flat rate per game, even if CIB BC the Genesis clamshell boxes aren't as hard to find. I'll fork up $5 for a decent, boxed Genesis title any day!

I'll chime in on Phantasy Star 4. Played it about 2 years ago for the first time. In my top 5 games of all time. loved it.

[Tanooki]

I don't have a Wii or WiiU so the virtual console for PS4 won't be possible but I have no issue using roms/emulators and never have. They've saved me a lot of money over the years discovering turds the 'game media' called good games and others that didn't do so well were good so I bought those. I have seen historically Genesis games but when half price greeded out the area and wrecked other stores with it those went up too. They're at or above ebay, which at least if they match isn't bad since Genesis stuff is low compared to Nintendo, but some of the flea bags are charging the CIB price for a loose one. Again why I was looking for other sources as I refuse to feed greedy peoples business practices.

I paid 2 years ago $40 for the DW4 game alone in minty like shape and don't regret it one bit. Shortly after I got a slick trade from a friend on that old official strategy guide for it with the pull out map which was great.