(Discussion) How Much Is Too Much to Pay For a Game? - Retro Bird
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ก.พ. 2022
- It seems like most people have a price threshold for how much any one single video game should cost. But, there are some exceptions. Let's discuss!
How Much Is Too Much to Pay For a Game? - Retro Bird
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The amount of money a game is worth to me greatly depends on the time of day. At noon, $90 for a Metroid game is absurd. At 2 AM, yeah it's kinda worth it. So now I own Metroid: Zero Mission.
I had no idea it went for that much now. I guess it's a good thing I got it a few years ago for about $40
So true lol!
I got it recently for $8. It's on the Wii U eshop. Fusion too.
@@tr1bes but you can't play that on your GBA
@@Packers4Evar12 Then get a gameboy advance everdrive. You don't have to worry about future skyrocket prices then. I got mine at $150.
Is anyone else just impressed how there are only like, 4 cuts? Retro just keeps going without missing beat.
16 cuts but thank you and I'm glad it felt that way to you!
I'm not a collector so I don't go for condition, but if it's an amazing game that brings back memories I would be willing to pay close to $100
Same. I was lucky and I got Crystalis 5-6 years ago for $35 out the back of a man's Taurus. He had a working NES (and other consoles) in there to test them.
@@the_kombinator A few years ago I picked up super black bass for SNES at our local flea market I overpaid at $30 but I have no remorse because I've got more value playing it
@@olegraybeard4206 You can still find some real good cheap games on eBay. I got Cobra Triangle for less than a bottle of half-decent wine (which lasts about a weekend here) and I've been playing that pretty regularly. My 3 year old asks for it every day lol. THing is, I had no idea that game even existed prior to a review of it (John Riggs). I got a bunch of sub $20 games recently that are a lot of fun.
@@the_kombinator Check out Roller Games. Great budget title.
I feel like arcade cabinets fall into their own category also. Since.. they're entire cabinets! :)
At this point, I've given up on getting physical copies of a lot of older games.
As much as it would be nice to have physical cartridges of Earthbound or Dracula X or Mystical Ninja or whatever, a digital version is acceptable when it's less than $10!
Or do what I do,get a nice high quality Reproduction!!
There's always the question of "how much fun will I get from this game vs. spending the money somewhere else?" Get into expensive games, and you're talking about anything from building a collection for another system to going on a nice vacation. I'm pretty sure I'd get way more out of traveling a couple weeks than playing Little Sampson.
This is especially true given you can always play those very same games through alternative means while there aren’t other ways to take a trip or buy a new car (Until Total Recall tech actually becomes a reality).
That depends if you love travelling. Many people don't like it because there is always a hassle to get packed have your suite cases, waiting etc. Travelling is ok. It's a lot of preparation though. Where as when you buy a video game it's really for collecting purposes..... I stopped Collecting video games & I stopped travelling. Yes I agree you would get more out of travelling than playing Little Sampson.
@@leeartlee915 Stay away from totally recall vacations. I heard some guy got his brian lobotomized.
@@MrPAWBowens Like a fried egg.
As for the vacation thing, I think the point there is more about things you can only be obtained one way vs things that can be replicated through alternative means. Like, if I don’t pay to see a band live, there is no other way to replace that experience. Sure I can look at a youtube video or something but it’s not the same experience. Contrast that with video games where, for the most part, you cannot tell the difference between playing the original hardware vs playing it via emulation, Everdrive, GC Loader, etc. I know people like to say “Oh I can tell the difference”. But in truth, I’ve tested some of my friends who are hard core collectors. I’ve been able to “trick” them pretty often. In the end, you are playing the same game and with a little work, you can even play it with the original controller.
I’m really into RPGs and wanted a reason to sink a lot of time into my Dreamcast. Skies of Arcadia was at a local retro game store that I trust, complete with the jewel case still in perfect condition for ~$190. I know it’s a lot for a game, but at least I can justify it with an RPG knowing I can play it for dozens of hours. I don’t think I’d shell out more than $50 on ebay though, I only pounced because I knew this copy was legit.
Some years ago I paid £100 for a loose copy of earthbound for the snes which was a fortune at the time, but I also picked up chrono trigger at the same time for £40 which was also not cheap as most snes carts were around £5 - £10 at the time!
Both seem absolute bargains now!!
I'm willing to pay quite a bit depending on the game and system. It's part fun, part nostalgia, part collector mentality. But the biggest factor is honestly that the idea of digital only is way too Orwellian for me and I want physical copies for that inevitability.
“By 2030, you’ll own nothing and will be happy” ~ Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum
@@totallyfrozen I'm glad people have finally seen that there is no "conspiracy theory" and it's in fact very real. These people hate us with a passion, and will do anything they can to subjugate us.
My Birthday Number is my limit. I was born in 74, so that is how much I am willing 2 shell out on 1 video game. To pay under that number for newer games like the Switch I always purchase from the used games section. That is the power of cartridge games over CDs they don't damage as easy. I have yet to bring home a bad used game for my Switch Lite to this day. I'm happy to say this is the 1st (Handheld since I have a Lite) that I've never paid for a new game from start to finish. Heck I even got a discount on my PINK Switch Lite! But that's another story!
Ooh! It must've been about seven, eight years ago. Me and the little lady was out on this boat you see, all alone at night, when all of a sudden this huge creature, this giant crustacean from the paleolithic era, comes out of the water. It stood above us looking down with these big red eyes... with a CIB copy of Chrono Trigger. And I yelled, I said, "What do you want from us monster?!" And the monster bent down and said, "I need about treefiddy".
"Treefiddy" 😅 for real though. It's crazy. Did you ever get it? I just got a DS loose copy for $80.. still a little pricey imo for a loose DS cart but... I figured that's as cheap as it's going.
@@mordaeu1411 yeah, I had a CIB Chrono Trigger back in 1996. Like a dummy, I sold it along with some other wonderful SNES gems when I went off to college. I do still have the DS copy CIB, but geez.. I'd really like to have an SNES copy again. Can't wait to make a video on Chrono Trigger someday. Definitely looking forward to playing it again. But when I do, I ain't giving that darn Lavos monster my treefiddy.
@@FeralInferno I have yet to play it, since its always been pricey as far as I've known. It'll be my first time playing it on the DS and I can't wait! Kind of sucks that people think games are worth an entire paycheck (or more!) sometimes and now the younger generation won't be able to play some of these wonderul titles. Don't give your money to the monsters!
Let me tell you that is a really good deal after taking a look on ebay 👀
Remember, games used to be $49.99, so $100 is basically double the price, which, to me, is fine for a game that released decades ago CIB. I look at it as getting a game complete that has all content and I can still enjoy just as I did when I was younger. Double the amount is basically a convenient fee, a fee for obtaining a game from someone’s collection who kept the game and contents in excellent condition, and the fact that the game is discontinued, all helps justify in my mind to pay double the price or maybe a bit more.
I was starting to get scared since I was almost at the end of the video and there had been no quick little story for me and then it seems you pulled a fast one on me.
These videos never stop surprising me!
I feel lucky to live in Japan because there are these chain stores call "Book Off" and retro games are plentiful and very affordable as well.
My general rule of thumb is "less than retail". Preferably "WAY less than retail". Or at least it used to be until retail shot sky high. Now I don't even bother collecting anymore unless a stunning deal falls into my lap. My upper threshold on rare games used to be $160, and I generally didn't like paying more than $20 for a single game.
It comes down to how much I want the game. I ran across Mega Man Xtreme for $10, and bought it on a hunch since I like the original MMX game. Turned out to be a good decision! But if it's for a game I've really had my eye on, I'll spend whatever's a fair price for it. It's a good thing I've never felt that way about a really expensive game before, but I have purchased plenty of games before they shot up in value.
My mentality with buying video games has always been a game is only worth as much as I'm willing to pay for it at any given moment. That price usually ends up being a yard sale or thrift store price. I haven't bought a retro game in years.
Same here. I haven't bought a retro games in years now. Prices are going way up.
I sold a kidney to get a copy, "Stadium Events," on the NES. Thankfully it wasn't mine.
I managed to convince my wife to go in with me, and sell our kids.
Anyone that says that your kids are irreplaceable has clearly had a hysterectomy.
My most expensive game at least that I’ve spent money on, was Majoras Mask around $70. I’m starting my “collection” recently and can’t bring myself to spend more on a game then the price of new AAA titles. In my mind I can’t justify it when multicarts/ever drives would be a cheaper and perfectly fine alternative to just play the games and get the experience. I started way to late in this hobby to ever actually grab something like Crono trigger.
20k! Congratulations retro of the house bird, first of his name and king of the mega nanner 🍌! More than the going rate is too much, Ebay and Amazon help establish the market price and reputable sellers guarantee authenticity. No shame in the retro game
Thank you Matt!
Like Retro Bird mentioned, my threshold really depends on the console as well as how badly I want to own said game on that console. Generally, I try not to spend over $50 or $60 for any one particular game. Though, I used to collect games for the Sega Saturn years ago which had many games that would sometimes be a little over my price limit.
I even sometimes would pick up a Sega Saturn import title I really wanted which usually added quite a bit to the price. Personal demand for a specific game (even if a bit over your price range) can definitely factor into a game purchase if it is a game or genre you love!
For me it depends on how much fun/use I'd get out of the game. If the game is just gonna sit on my shelf and never get played, then I can't see spending more than $20 on it. So $20 is the "it's okay to sit on my shelf price". Hah
Well, it's been slowly creeping up over the years. For the longest time it was my copy of Radiant Silvergun which I think I paid about $100 for (I'm doing a rough conversion to $US here). But then more recently... well, I did buy a few quite expensive Sega Master System games. And then I started collecting Game & Watches and I have paid more than $150 for some of those.
I'm not paying ebay scalpers' prices though! With the G&W I have sometimes gone for slightly broken or imperfect ones and then repaired them. I wouldn't dream of collecting them boxed. They go for twice the price and I don't actually really want boxes.
Hey, you can always sell them on I guess.
My usual threshold now is about $50, but I'll make exceptions on rare occasions. The most I ever spent on a game was $100 on Cubivore, and I had buyer's remorse as I feel gameplay-wise, although it's a fun game, it feels more like it should be $30. Well, fast forward 3 years and now I'm thinking I got it for a steal. $500 for a loose copy today is insane! And there's some games I remember seeing around $40-50 at the time, felt that was too pricey, and now I'm royally kicking myself for not buying them when I had the chance.
I'll occasionally pay over $100 for special games as long as they're in good condition, and I've gone over $200 for 12 games in my collection (all but one of them Saturn imports). I collect for quite a few consoles, but bought most of my games when they came out or right around then. Paying more than MSRP nowadays means I have to really want a game, and I pretty much only do it for 5th gen and a small handful of 6th gen games. Paying more than "MSRP + inflation" means the game has to be pretty special. I'm constantly aware that $60 USD in 1996 dollars = $107 in 2022 dollars, so that "MSRP + inflation" line is in my head when I'm pricing special games. Plus I just have to skip some pick-ups when my budget isn't up to it ... even when I know the game will cost $20-30 more next year. I may be able to pick it up next year, I may not.
I posted that I think anything over MSRP is too much. But, I think what you're saying makes a lot more sense with MSRP + Inflation. That seems incredibly fair to me. I think your formula is perfect in that regard.
Saturn prices are what finally made me go to Everdrives and ODEs. Still waiting for my X Station ode for my og ps1.
I just want to say that I really enjoy your videos. I look forward to them each week. It’s a shame you don’t have more views given the quality of your content and your humor.
Good job!
Thank you Corey! Glad that you like them!
I use relative things like how much I make an hour and what other purchases have I made recently, like a subscription service to prevent or justify my position. I usually don't buy things to have on a shelf so I feel like I get my value.
100 is indeed my cutoff point. The only time I'll go over is if I sell something else in my collection to cover part of the cost.
My dad reactivated our old NES console so his grandchildren couldt play some good games when we visit him. I owned classics like the super Mario bros or megaman 3 back in the day. So I searched ebay and bought some stuff like gradius, zelda, castlevania, all games I wanted when I was a child but didn't had the money for. This games are mostly cheap for 20 euros and are only catridge in bad or medium condition in terms of scratches etc. I even bought some rare gem for 50 euros for myself, elite for the nes.
I haven't thought about a hard limit, but practically speaking, for me it has been about $200. I don't like buying games in the $100-200 price range, but I will still do it if it looks like a good deal compared to others like it
I appreciate the choice of DKR soundtrack for background music!
It depends on how well it emulates.
You're bang on there. Max I'll pay is $100 for something older. Anything holy grail-wise I've either got, or it's laughably priced sky high (looking at my Saturn console sitting smugly near me). I will pay full price for a new game, but only if it's a "guaranteed" game, which to me is anything from a proven developer or a title I've been hotly anticipating. That said, I very rarely buy at full price on launch day. I will usually wait until it's dropped a bit before buying if it's a title I'm iffy on. Most of my new games collection was bought for under $50 CAD, not counting Nintendo Switch of course. I can count hte number of games on 2 hands that I've paid 69-79 on launch.
Well, what a coincidence?! To me the threshold is exactly $100 but I don't even use dollars to pay for the stuff I buy. Because of your vids I bought a copy Rocket Knight Adventures complete in box and it cost me exactly $100. This is the second most expensive game in my collection, the first one and the only exception to the $100 threshold is Alien vs Predator for the Jaguar. That cost me $105.
Honestly for me, I don’t have a certain price threshold for all games, rather individual price thresholds for individual games. For example, one game I have been looking into getting is TMNT hyper stone heist for Genesis. Now, I collect my games CIB or at the very least boxed; and this is one of the pricer Genesis games around. So, my price threshold for that game is much higher than my average spending on Genesis games. The same can be said for certain consoles, especially ones that are more obscure. The point that you brought up about the Neo Geo is exactly how I feel about the Sega cd, as a majority of its games are expensive, not to mention how pricey the system itself is
When I collected Saturn games in the early 2000’s, I tried to never pay over $100 for a game. There were a few that were a bit over that (Radiant Silvergun, Taromaru), but I could get most games for far under $100 by being patient. When I picked up a Neo Geo AES, I tried to keep to $200 or less for each game. Eventually, though, I had to up the limit to $400. The real limit that I tried to keep, was a monthly limit on games spending. So if I bought 5 games for $100 each or 1 $500 game, it didn’t matter. That would be the limit for that month on games. That method is a lot more flexible, I found.
Ive been so lucky to get my games for cheap. Games that would normally go for 100+ dollars ive gotten them for like 5 or 10.
That massage parlor idea is fantastic!
*gravelly voice* I'M BACKMAN
I am one of those people who put off buying Symphony of the Night. Game store near me had it at $30 for almost a year and no one had bought it yet. Next time I go to get it, it's gone and I discovered the price hike on it. Still kicking myself. 6th gen was my favorite generation so thankfully most games I consider personal to me are $5-$30, which I consider myself lucky. But I could definitely see myself paying tripple digits for a few of my all time favorites if it was the only way I would ever experience them again. To me $300 is the highest could bring myself to spend, thankfully there are less than 5 games at that price point on my list.
I think I've yet to pay more for a game than what it would've originally cost when it was new. But I feel like I could make an exception for certain Sega Saturn games. If I had the console.
Pseudo Saturn.
Klonoa on ps1 is just absolutely ridiculous. I have a copy somewhere in my moms garage. I pray I find it 😭
Please do that’s like $500!
I hope you find it too! If not, there's the Switch release coming up.
@@RetroBirdGaming I think its identical to the wii version. I already have that. The ps1 version is the best!
I have a large collection already so if I want to add anything it probably is going to be expensive. Part of what I do is have a video game fund I can add to each week for more expensive titles so when I come across something at a local shop I'll just spend it. Works pretty well since I'm picky and don't come across items I want often
That's a great idea. I also have a similar fund. Works great 🙂
I definitely lean towards looking for cheap stuff, but I also leave a little money aside always to look for those opportunities on the higher end stuff at a "discount" price. A lot of games that are generally off limits for me every so often are found at a store or locally or a con or something at a price that's much better than you might typically expect. I feel like I can justify it because getting higher end games at a discount price is "safer". If I regret the purchase, I can recoup the money. Also, there's times where I am unwilling to buy $100 games period...but then for special occasions like a con or something I'll treat myself to something that I normally wouldn't buy. It's OK to splurge once in a while as long as it's just once in a while.
100$ would be my limit, maybe 150$ if I loved it growing up.
I bought Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Turok2, Resident Evil 2 for less than 150$ Canadian.
Only Goldeneye didn’t work, it kept resetting.
You take the risk when you buy used though.
$150 Yeah that's a lot of money. I know Canadian Currency isn't worth as American & European dollars.
My limit is from in between 500 - 1000 dollars, if I REALLY want a game. Any more than that is ridiculous.
20 Bucks...20 Bucks IS the highest I am gonna spend. Made some exceptions regarding N64 and Dreamcast Games, but since I started collecting only Gameboy and OG Xbox Games, I NEVER! paid more than my Personal Limit allows me to do
I'm one of those $100 max guys at this point. I think I've purchased all the games I'd ever make an exception to that rule for at this point, most of them before I would have had to make an exception, really. Anything else I know I want is either still cheap or so far beyond that price that it's not even a consideration. I'll emulate them if I want to play them that badly.
$60 is my normal limit and is the usual cut off but I've made an exception a few times over that.
Quick little story: I recently got both Smash Melee and Mario Kart Double Dash CIB for $25 each when I went to Video Games New York . Someone was selling all his Nintendo stuff and the store was only going to give him $15/each. I almost felt bad....almost.
Excellent
I am a cheapskate. If I really want to play the game, I will go virtual console. If it is one I want a physical copy of, I will opt for the beat up one with half a label and no box and manual, if a nice copy is selling for original retail price or higher. If it is a game I really love and want to be proud of, I may be willing to break that $100 in that exception. Just depends on the game and if it does, or does not have other ways to play it. Like Super Mario All Stars for SNES, I would go with a normal copy for Wii instead.
Well who doesent want to be a cheapskate , i want to be a cheapskate too
It's better to be a cheapskate than wasting money.
I paid about $80 for my copy of Outrun 2006 on original Xbox, since I’m trying to complete that set, around 2018 or so. I think that was my most expensive purchase to date, but some others have come close, like God Hand on ps2 and paper Mario on n64
Yeah, I’m in a similar situation right now. I recently decided to collect all the mainline Zelda games since I love the series and already own most of them. Unfortunately the final one I do not own is Minish Cap. I’m about to just shell out the money it will take to get it off eBay…
I get most of my collection from cheap sources, but it seems weird to me that people pay more than the standard $60 new cost for any game at all, new or used. There is definitely a strange psychological aspect to collectors paying hundreds or thousands for old games because they want them THAT bad and they aren't easily available now. I think it shows obsessive compulsive and irrational behavior when people fill voids within themselves with stuff they convince themselves they need, regardless of the cost. I get it...it's fun to collect stuff. I do it too and have a big collection. But it's insane to spend that much.
Especially if you spend that much on games that you only collect, not play. Some people just like the rush of buying things. A lot of collectors I think are mentally unhealthy because of this.
@@InkfinityOkamix3 Definitely, great point about the rush of spending a lot of money on something and "impulse buying". I've been there, but only when buying big lots of games first starting my collection which are discount deals anyway. There is definitely a potential for an unhealthy addiction to high priced games for some people.
Before 2010, you could easily collect retro games on the cheap with yard sales, Goodwill, and thrift stores.
Nowadays you don't have much of a choice. Even at yard sales, I've had guys tell me "well it's going for that much on eBay".
And out in the wild, condition is usually crap. You're not gonna find "Earthbound" 100% complete in the box AND in like new condition. You'll find it cartridge only, with a torn label, and a Blockbuster sticker on the back.
Your only options now are being a part of a collectors group on social media or sites like eBay and Facebook marketplace.
I refuse to pay current gen prices for anything that's not current gen.
@@ekahnoman7331 I definitely agree, the community has certainly created a stranglehold on the whole situation so that good local deals in the wild are almost impossible to find. But it depends on what you collect though. I love xbox, PS2 and Wii and a huge part of my collection have been $1 games at the swap meet. Also, I have some recent local scores that were definitely well below "retail/eBay" prices, notably a master system with a bunch of boxed games and a similar SNES lot. I collected back then too, it's not like it used to be but a couple times a year I get a good score.
I honestly hate spending more than, say, $80 on a retro game, depending on the system. Like, for GameCube, I can sit there and see Windwaker for $70 (what a world we've come to, lol) and say, "Well, that's the same price as many new releases, and if it's something I really want...", but past that point, it seems kind of ludicrous. Granted, there are a couple of exceptions that I may have to confront soon as a lover of Xeno games... Yep, the wallet will be feeling that one...
Glad you mentioned Little Samson, I paid $1400 for my copy at a gaming convention in 2019 and have no regrets. With that being said, that is probably the only time I would pay anywhere near that for 1 game. Most times if the game is over $100, I have to seriously debate if it's worth the asking price.
SUPER subjective. I would pay 60 for Paper Mario (a game which I hold closely), but perhaps 30 is the base limit which is only situationally increased.
The most I ever shelled out for a game was the Neo Geo AES Samurai Shodown IV complete in box, which ran me around 400 bucks about 11 years ago. I loved the game before getting it, and played it so much once I finally had it. It's a purchase I still don't regret. However there were many more that I bought and ultimately didn't have that same level of appreciation for. So I personally think if you love a game, and are willing to pay for whatever condition/completeness you like, then go for it. More power to you. This can be a learning experience though if you end up not enjoying owning the game as much as you thought before you bought it versus after getting your hands on it. So, do your due diligence to make sure your money was well spent when you are looking at paying out the nose for a game.
I'll say this having bought video games in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, $30 to $70 is too much. $20 dollars is just the right amount, not too pricey and most people have 20 dollars anyways.
After the Sega Dreamcast, I stopped buying new video games because I had real life bills that were going to stay with me for the rest of my life.
These days if I buy a video game it's older like a Wii, or nintendo DS game and even then I won't pay more than 20 dollars max.
Depends $100 for a game alone is a threshold. But. BUT if it’s a collectors edition with cool stuff then that depends
My magic number is $300, but that's my limit...I've never gone past $235.
Some time ago a friend of mine called Terra asked if she could borrow $200 and as collateral I could keep an old SNES game and play it as much as I wanted. I could get my money back at any time but I'd have to return the game. Pretty good deal I thought, and a while later two other friends called Cecil and Chrono offered the same deal.
Scoring an SNES classic for $106 delivered and the Genesis classic for $85, both on eBay around the holidays and both much cheaper than the going rate seems to be, has greatly lowered my personal view of the value of retro gaming. With my PS4 I paid around $25 for a subscription to stream and even download some full games and that's where I got most of my PS4 collection. I game on the cheap.
My kinda gamer! I won't pay more than $30 for a retro game, especially 6th gen stuff that's too much like newer games just not as polished and not HD.
I'm a collector in the sense that I've never been willing to part with my old games & consoles. I'm mostly attached to the physical games I had growing up because they're literally the same copies I had back then. So, when I actually buy a new game for an old system, I tend to cap off at around $10 per game...maybe $20, if I simply MUST have it. For older games I just want to play, digital/emulated versions are good enough for me.
This video nails it I totally feel all of this. I’m old enough to remember when you’d buy these games new for $30 to $40 each. Now, all the Jabba the Huts on eBay have gone greedy to psychotic levels for INCOMPLETE USED copies.
I have a collection of GC, Wii, Wii U, Switch, DS and 3DS. But I love Fire Emblem, so I own sealed copies of the GBA games mint for like $110/ea, and every other game released in the west sealed. And I bought Mega Man 3 CIB in like new condition because it was my first game. Most of my GC/Wii/DS games were bought in eBay auctions in 2013 for $20-35 ea. Like Fire Emblem Path of Radiance, like new CIB for $70 and sealed for $200. Now it's like 3x that. I don't buy legacy games anymore. Too expensive and I already got the key ones I cared about.
I once bid $475 for a sealed copy of BattleSphere Gold on Atari Jaguar. It was a moment of madness. My bid was sniped at the end, much to my relief! These days, I would say about $160 is my limit, which is what I paid for Worms Armageddon on N64. That was an exception though, I try and look for retro games around $50 or less.
I just bought a loose cart of Chrono Trigger for the DS at $80... a little pricey than what I want to spend on it/what it's actually worth... but I figured that's the cheapest I am getting it. I wanted to have a physical copy of the game, since Nintendo may or may not do more virtual console/subscription. And then I'd actually own it.
More than $200!
For me, the threshold, generally speaking, is $60 since that was the common price of a new game. I've made exceptions for the Gamecube and N64 since I want complete sets. But I mostly wait and pick those games up at work since I get a discount.
I really regret selling my sealed copies of zelda 1&2 on nes. Sold for £130 each about 13 years ago.
You brought up some great talking points there.
My own opinion on how much is too much for a Video Game is really a combination of a few things.
How much i want to own the Game, how much i want to play the Game, how much i think the Game is worth to me, and what the asking price is.
Good video 👍
Thank you James!
Oh boy, could I go on and on about this topic.
I'm a mid 80s baby, got my first NES as a 4 or 5 year old. Had so many consoles as a kid... NES, SNES, Sega Genesis (w 32x and CD), Master System, GameGear, N64, PS1, PS2 and a for most consoles at least 10 or 15 games. I lost ALL of it when I bought my PS2. My mom decided since I got a PS2, I didn't need all the other stuff and gave it away. Oh the heart break.
Now, in my mid 30's and making decent money I decided I want most of it back. I bought a few CRTs, some consoles (even some I didn't have before) and some games. I'm also now big into soldering and modding. I am married and have two younger children. This is all background info for my "take" on this.
I love video games. They have always been a large part of my life. They always will. I make good money. I could go a bit "cray cray" and buy up a lot of stuff. But I won't. My family, and my families financial security comes first. Having said that, I still do have a decent amount invested into video games in the past two to three years. I'd say easily, when you add it all up.... a good $2500 without breaking a sweat. That does include a PS5 though, and a few more expensive console mods (N64Digital, Ultra HDMI, PS1Digital, DCDigital, Xstation). Maybe $3000. I have most of what I really want now in terms of actual hardware. Games themselves is interesting though.
I have a strong preference to play on "real hardware". I can do emulation no problem. I don't hate it. But I like real hardware better. I have no qualms about using an everdrive on real hardware ever, so long as it doesn't impact the gameplay at all. I have the "classic edition" consoles. I just ordered a few terasic DE-10 NANO boards to build a MisterFPGA setup. I do also like to use and own real copies of the games. I just have two big criteria for it. Price, and space. I'm not spending $70 for a copy of McDonalds Treasureland Adventure on Sega Genesis even though it's a real gem of a game. I'm sure as hell not spending $800 or $900 for a copy of EarthBound. Even games more reasonably priced. I'm not going to go spend a few hundred dollars on $20 or $30 games that I can't really "display". They would just sit in tubs and boxes. I have no room in my current home for a real "game room" to display these things. I could probably throw together a crude one in my basement, but it's not temp controlled... and yeah. No. So I just don't have space, and can't justify the spend. The games I go for right now are games I really loved as a kid, or had some interest in and are cheaper. I picked up a CiB copy of Sim City for the SNES because I really liked that one as a kid. I adored Super Mario RPG as well... but I'm not forking over $100+ for a lose cart. I'm just not. I can't justify spending thousands between a dozen or two of the games I really loved (because a lot of other people really loved them, and now they are very expensive) when I have options to play them on real hardware. I can load up Symphony of the Night on my Xstation. I can even play it via Component on my CRT via PS2. It looks fantastic, and I don't need the disk. Don't need to spend a ton of money. If I could buy the PS1 games I loved for $20 or $30 each. I'd own them. Not $200 or $300 each. That money would be better served in my college funds for my children.
My cut off would be paying above the original retail price of the game.
Well no retro games for you then
@@Residentevil1998racooncity lucky I collect for the future retro 7th gen, which are cheap cheap currently
Once I saw an Ebay auction in Germany selling Kizuna Encounter for the Neo Geo AES. When I saw it it was at 2.000 € so I started to watch it. Eventually it was sold for 77.000 €. I took a screenshot because I have never seen a more expensive game on Ebay being sold.
Can't imagine paying so much for a game.
I bought Radiant Silvergun for 120€. It is the most expensive game I have bought
I collect gameboy games almost exclusively, so I am as cheap as you can be. Sometimes refusing for paying $10 for a game.
But yes on ocassion I do end up spending a little more in games that I really like, like my copy of chrono trigger DS. And for those my mental gymnastics is that, modern games are sold between $60 for normal releases and close to $100 for special editions. So mentally I kind of see it like that, this is like if I was buying the new halo or new god of war. Or maybe I would think that this price is close to the original retail price of the game, so it could be consider an acceptable price as if I was buying it 20 years ago.
So that is more or less how I define my limits. I try to link them with sort of equivalent examples.
So in truth, why wouldn't I pay $90 for a complete copy of chrono trigger if that is one of my favorite games of all time? If it came today I would definetely buy the collectors edition with the cool box, manual and poster.
Yeah, I’m definitely in the $100 boat as far as most I’d be willing to spend. Typically if I’m going that high it’s something that I not only want but also have some kind of strong nostalgia for. Some of these prices are wild. I wanted to add the SNES version of Chrono Trigger to my collection but a loose cart costs more than THREE TIMES what I paid for a factory sealed copy of the DS version. Nuts…
Yeah, it's starting to feel like everyone is saying "this isn't for you, go do something else". It hurts the hobby overall. There's a lot of expensive games that I COULD afford but I simply refuse to pay the price. Though I do make the occasional exception. 😞
My threshold for individual games is around $5. I'm only out for a few specific and expensive games, but the cheaper ones I tend to come across at that price or lower. Roughly 90% of my collection came from yard sales and thrift stores (probably why I am adamant about spending more).
I have stepped out of my comfort zone several times right before the current price hikes and felt content. It's just not an ability I choose to continually do.
50 bucks is my limit. Fortunately for me I got most of my stuff more than a decade ago and I still find some in the wild. I rarely find something that's actually on my wishlist but I'm also into trades.
Oh I'm also very flexible when it comes to condition. I have no problem with loose copies and I know my electronics so I get some sweet deals on broken games from time to time. Like a RE 2 for N64 for 5 bucks.
I lost my copy of MegaMan X3 in a house fire and afterwards I made it my mission to reclaim that game again even if it took me years, which it did. I only payed so much for it because it's super nostalgic for me. Just so happened to be expensive nostalgia.
The most I've spent is $600 so far. Spending $100-200 per game has always felt relatively normal for me.
But I also don't really play anything modern. So you'd be surprised how much money you really can have for collecting when you focus your hobbies.
Although TBH, these days I tend to always tell people who wanna play retro but haven't ever collected to try emulation by default.
Depending on what game, a Arcade cabinet or any cartridge and disk game 🎮 will be different prices...but too much is more than $50...that is when it gets too expensive.
Finally getting to comments with reasonable prices.
I hesitated to get the Metroid Prime trilogy for £50 a while ago but since then I've seen it bounce up to 70, 75 and now sitting at £80 and that almost makes me want to get it more before it goes higher
If I buy an expensive game I usually justify it by thinking of it as an investment, when the price is only likely to go up and the game is obscure enough that a re-release won't ever happen. The only game I can remember paying over $100 for was Cubivore for Gamecube. I bought it last year and think I paid around $220, which was still a great deal considering what it usually sells for on ebay.
As a saturn import collector you'll eventually approach that $100 threshold, but luckily there will be plenty of great games to add to your collection before you reach that price point. I mean what were really talking about here are the rarer shmups and fighters.
My price treshold usually depends if i need to import, and if it's 2nd hand or new.
For new and imports i'm willing to pay a bit more since they may dissapear later. If they are old i can wait the same way i waited until now
For me, realistically? Never market value. Whether it's eBay or the local game store, I always want it for less than what the market is asking. Doesn't mean I won't spend 100$ on a game, just means that IF I'm spending 100$ on a game, it better have been discounted from 150$ or more.
The highest prices I’ve ever paid for games have been shmups (surprise, surprise) but thankfully, I got a lot of them at least 10 years ago, so under $100. The two exceptions were Gaiares in complete, like new condition for $100 about 5 years ago via a Craigslist ad (how lucky was that?! And yes, the seller let me validate the board with my gamebit driver), and Truxron, also complete and in great condition for $110 shipped from Italy about 3 years ago on eBay of all places (that was the going price for a cart only copy at the time). It was listed as “Tatsujin” for the Mega Drive, but the pictures clearly showed a North American Genesis copy of Truxton. That too turned out to be a legit copy. The best part? Both cases still had the hang tabs on them! I love telling my “Epic Win” stories. 😁
Around 99’-2000, I started collecting for snes because I finally had gotten one after not owning one during the 16-bit era’s heyday.
I was visiting my grampa in rural Louisiana and the local video rental store was selling all its games. I pickup up Final Fantasy 2 and 3 for $8 each.
I stay in Louisiana too lol
@@slimsyparfaits5493 Awesome that video store was in Mamou/Eunice
I recently bought Cobra Triangle (John Riggs' review got me hooked) for $12 CAD shipped. Excellent game. Some of the most fun games I play with my 3 year old that I bought between the $8-$20 range are: City Connection, Snake Rattle n Roll, Pipe Dream (his excitement as the goo starts flowing is palpable), some others.
$100 for, hmm... I just looked up Zelda II and it's not even half that. Score. I might get it if I sell enough computer gear on eBay.
As a Neo Geo and Saturn collector, I ask myself this question constantly. I struggle to justify anything around $300, that may be my self-imposed limit at this point.
Video games now a days brand new start from 59.99 and higher so to most people that's the normal for games.. Now what makes the difference is us as adults now when we know those games were super lower and all of a sudden they jumped.. People will pay for it
I have two retro games I've spent a lot on that it was no question about it. Super Metroid and Castlevania Legends. Super Metroid was only 100 complete several years ago and I grabbed it as soon as I saw it. Metroid was probably the first game I played and I had never seen a copy of Super in the wild as an adult when I finally had my own SNES so I jumped on it immediately.
CV Legends. I dropped 400 on. This game was huge to me as a kid. Sonia's design got me to beg my mom for it at Walmart when I was 7. It rang up for half price, 14.99. booted it up and the art style and the GB rendition of Bloody Tears solidified me as a CV fan. In 2008, I sold it on a whim when I got laid off for 100 bucks. Even then, that was cheap. I've regretted it constantly since then. Sitting at work a couple years ago. I got an eBay alert for Legends. I've had one set for the last few years at that point. Someone posted it for 400. It has normally been anywhere between 599-650 for a while then. I bought it within about 30 minutes. I've sold a handful of games in my life. None of which I'd pay more than 50 now to get back. Legends was different. Having a copy of it again just feels like part of me isn't missing any more. Weird. But.. yeah haha
We got lucky on this one. I was worried The Bird had released a video without a single 🍌 banana reference in it but he managed to slip it in right under the bell.
How much I will spend depends on the game's actual rarity and that requires research. Being a collector isn't easy.
The most expensive game in my collection is Gimmick for the Famicom. This title in particular comes with a sound chip to enhance the audio so a physical copy was a must. The going price (converted from yen) is approx. $1000 CIB / $500 Loose. I got it for $300 Loose on a trip to Japan which I rationalized partly as a souvenir.
I always say "a modern game sells for 60 dollars so why would I pay more for a game thats 25 years old." I usually stick to that because anything more can buy multiple games or an accessory for a console of some kind.
Can't justify going over $150 for any game. Certainly not $200. Of course, there is an exception to every rule. Thankfully, I pretty much own all those exceptions already before they got there.
I'd really like to try Gotcha Force. But I have accepted that's it's a game I'll never own, because I'm not paying half a grand for it.
I sold my entire collection a while back and have since gone virtual, but if i had to go back in I would probably buy the japanese versions of hit titles (SNES, N64 etc) as they are much cheaper.
Mine is $35 because that's just about $10 over what they were new for vintage games. Also that $35 mark is where newer consoles (last year or so of the 360 till now), their used games are at. So if I'm going to pay $35 or more I look at something more current. Also to put in perspective a little bit, toy grade (Walmart, Kmart, Target) RC cars have sold since the late 80s at that price, so what else could you be doing with your money as well.
It's entirely down to how much I want the game. I can try talking myself out of an expensive game, but if I'm still thinking about it months later, it's probably best that I bite the bullet and pay what they're asking for. I had this with Sexy Parodius, after years of coming back to pirated copies. I ended up trading in a lot of games that I didn't care about and picking it up as a treat for myself over Christmas. Now it's a huge relief to own a real copy.
Despite being a PS5 owner, there still hasn't been a game that I've wanted enough to pay the standard £70 that Sony expects me to pay.
About your last comment, I know what you mean: some commenters on here are saying "I'd rather spend $60 on a new game than on an old game". But for me when the price gets above that -- up to $70, $80, $100 -- I'd far rather spend that kind of money on an awesome Saturn, PS1 or PCE game in good condition than on a new game (many of which go on sale within a few months anyway).
That being said, I actually have paid $70 USD for a few PS5 games: Ratchet which is awesome, and pre-orders for Horizon FW (this week!), Gran Turismo 7 & Forspoken. Most of the new games I play are small games ... but for the big-budget ones that are the kinds of games I am really excited to play, I feel it's worth giving them my $70 to support those kinds of games. Heck, I paid $70 for games all the time back in the '90s ... and with inflation that means I was paying the equivalent of $125 for those games in 2022 dollars. That's even more than Sony's crazy £70 price for PS5 games you're facing in the UK!
I found a loose copy of Solatorobo for only $80 at a local game store.
Considering the game is worth $250 or $300 nowadays, sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and buy it, because unless the person selling it knows nothing about the game industry you won't find it that low anywhere else.
I paid around $100 for Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes, and Zelda Twilight Princess (All CIB black label). I even felt bad about those as obviously they had been cheaper before, but in the current market and the excellent condition is why I hit the bullet. I found Power Stone 2 at a local store for $130, which is slightly under market, and bought that. That was the point of wow one game is not worth this much, while I don’t regret the purchase. I would honestly say $60 per game is my max as it is pretty consistent with what games are brand new today. I’ve gotten a lot of deals at or around $60 such as Conker’s Bad Fur Day. Maybe a game like Rocket Robot on Wheels could get me to spring up to $70, but more than that is where I think it starts to become more ambiguous with what’s going into it. I don’t plan on buying $100 games anytime soon. But of course thanks to the eshop closing on 3DS/Wii U, those games are gonna go up. Just when I wanted Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright only to see it’s an $80 NOW :/
I don’t collect retro games anymore, emulation suits my needs, but when I was collecting, my limit was the full price of a brand new AAA game. The philosophy being: if I’m willing to pay $91 (Canadian with tax) for let’s say God of war, or Mario Kart 8, then I’m also comfortable with spending the same money on any other game, new or old which I will enjoy just as much.
15% tax... Unless you live in Alberta.
I usually don't spend a whole lot on games unless it's something I really like. I usually just pick up stuff at pawn shops and antique stores for like $3-$10 each. Then, there are times where I drop $120 on a game. I rarely do that, but you definitely won't see me throwing down Little Sampson money.