Another consideration is if you want to help out the community at large. I swear, every time I splurge on a classic, a remaster or re-release is announced soon after. This happened when I started collecting for the Saturn, so y'all have *me* to thank for Panzer Dragoon, Layer Section, and most notably Radiant Silvergun. There have definitely been others, but I think I try to block them out of my memory. 😂
Really good advice! I always tell people that if you want to collect lots of games, patience is key. The thing I struggle with is walking away from “a good deal” when I either already own the games or am not interested in the type of games. I tell myself I can always resell them, but that’s a bit of a hassle, and that doesn’t always happen. Great video! Well done.
I struggle with this too! All the 'good' deals can really start to add up overtime and I've found that they often contribute to making my collection less curated than I originally envisioned. As you mentioned you can always resell but that takes time away from focusing on other things we would rather prioritize lol.
@@orbalology If you don't want to get into reselling, I'd suggest an alternative. If you know a few other collectors in your area, share the top games you are looking for and what you are willing to spend on them. I've saved a ton of money by simply having my friends call me up while game hunting and getting me that a deal on something I need and of course I return the favor. I recently picked up the Last Story for the Wii well under what it is going for fairly recently thanks to this strategy =)
I used to get any game that I was interested in, because I was afraid to miss out. In my adult years, I now only get preorder games that I know I will play right away. If not I take the risk to see if I can get the game for cheaper after release. I feel like collectors who just collect the game and not play the game really ruins these prices. Oh well people do what they want to do. I really liked your video. Please keep making more videos :)
Thanks! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this one. The collecting world has become overly complicated, in both good and not so good ways. I have a feeling the landscape will only continue to evolve and change in the next 5 years, if not less. But I agree, I think taking a more patient approach is a smarter way to collect nowadays :)
This is an excellent video. I've never allowed myself to get too big into collecting because I know my self control would completely go out the window. But i have really been enjoying going through your videos and seeing all this incredibly well thought out information/tips. I love a good spreadsheet lol. On a separate note, have you heard of The Banner Saga? Super under rated trilogy that I completely fell in love with. It's a mix of visual novel, turn based strategy combat, and inventory management sim. The visual novel scenes are beautiful but the art and animations in the combat is just out of this world.
I've been eyeing that game actually! I hear it's super challenging and the visuals look really neat. I've just been torn about which system to buy a physical copy for 😅 I love srpgs on handheld but it looks like the PS4 versions may include more content (and is much cheaper last time I looked).
@@orbalology That's definitely the struggle. It's an amazing game to play handheld but the price and all three games not being actually on the switch cartridge makes it pretty difficult to pick handheld for the collection over ps4.
I'm from Europe and recently splurged Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan for 3DS, ebay sales were averaging €50-60 for sealed copies but I got mine for €40, I'm glad!
I love that your videos take some different angles toward collecting than I am used to seeing. Much appreciated! Also thanks for introducing me to the reprints, I've snagged Xenoblade 2, Torna, and Bayonetta 2 for MSRP since then.
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright is a great 3DS game! No doubt in my mind, you will enjoy it. Radiant Historia is another game that I’m glad I have in my collection. Since the last 3DS video I watched of yours, I went back and looked at my collection. Turned out I had quite a few rare games that I was not aware of.
You made really good points! I love that you talk about collecting on your channel. 3DS games are definitely where I splurge when it comes to collecting. Switch collectors editions are also very enticing to me. My latest splurge was for the Short Hike Collectors Edition - it’s just so beautiful.
Thanks! Oh the Short Hike collector's edition is gorgeous! I was very tempted to buy it myself but settled on the standard edition. If I had more room there would have been no hesitation :)
This is a fantastic video Emily! A really great point of discussion 😊 I was so excited to see that Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright was your splurge game! I had no idea how expensive it had gotten until I saw it at a store last year for over 200 I think?! My heart sank seeing that -- Phoenix Wright is one of my all time favourite series and I want it to be as accessible for people as possible 😢 It's also a grim reminder of how fast time is moving... I can't believe the Switch turns 6 this year 😵
Oof $200 💀 I'm really looking forward to playing more of the Layton & Phoenix Wright games this year! I'm almost done acquiring all of them so I'll need to sit down & play through them soon 😂 And it's so crazy how fast everything changes, time can be really fleeting 🙈
Excellent Video, Emily. Been downloading all the 3ds demo games cause a lot of them have multiplayer options with one game and multiple handhelds. Happy hunting on the shop today!
Another great video! The new Wonder Boy Collection is another classic example of a re-release with better content while also screwing over those who bought a previous collection.
Totally agree with you about buying expensive games for currently active systems. In a collecting discord I’m in recently some people were mad about the Blue Reflection reprint from VGP, and I said the same thing: this can always happen! We were getting ps2 game reprints up into 2014 even, if the factories are still open to produce carts/discs people should hold off on paying exorbitant prices for games
Yeah I've seen a few ruffled feathers regarding the VGP reprints. This is what happens when one gets too focused on game speculation vs. playing their games 😅
Glad to see the Layton vs Wright!! That game was what set me on my path of loving the Layton series, one of my favs on 3DS :) I did have to splurge for Azran tho from what I can tell it’s always been pricey :P great vid as always, appreciate the insights!
As a matter of fact, I use to think that I will never have a physical edition of Star Wars Republic Comando, but thanks to THQ Nordic, I was able to get that one + Racer in one single package =)
The retail releases have made collecting so much easier! Though sometimes I wonder why some of these titles didn't see retail releases in the first place 😅
Love this topic Emily - as I think whether you're going to collect for the switch entirely or just collecting for a curated collection you can get tripped up by FOMO. I'm in the later camp, and find that I'm constantly thinking "do I buy now or wait." In the beginning of the switches life there weren't many reprints so I unfortunately got in the scarcity mindset & would buy immediately unlike my 3ds/ds phase when I would wait for deals & used copies. I think part of that is having a disposable income. Now though watching your videos & just chilling down I'm finally considering Gamefly & renting games I'm interested in & seeing if I like it/love it THEN buying them since they're really isn't a need to rush anymore. I wonder tho, with a looming switch 'pro' (2025) will that always be the case... It's definitely a new Era for me tho, like with Fire Emblem engage I knew if I bought it I would play it so I bought it😆 & am loving it! & currently considering treating myself to the Ara Fell/ 3rd Tower pack on Limited Run (even tho I have a feeling that will come out somewhere else too🙃)
It'll be interesting to see what happens when the Switch 2 or whatever the new Nintendo console is called comes out. If it's backwards compatible we may see devs continue pumping out Switch games for a bit longer. I have a feeling the Nintendo game ecosystem will be similar to what we've been seeing over on PlayStation with the PS4/PS5, but time will tell lol. I've been eyeing Ara Fell/3rd Tower pack as well but haven't decided whether to wait for alternative options or to just preorder 😅
Just discovered your channel yesterday and subscribed! Love your videos and atmosphere/theme. With the eshop closing, I've been spending toward the digital store since I don't have enough space in my apartment. Narrowing down each game and FOMO at the same time has been difficult. I used your list as reference for any potential game I might like. With the amount of games I bought on my 3DS, my current collection consists around half physical and half digital. Another reason I went digital is because I want to avoid cartridge failure in the future. My smash bros 3DS cartridge, which I bought since launch day, has failed out of the blue. But thankfully my 3DS was still able to read the game but stuck on a black screen after starting it. I was able to transfer the save data while also purchasing a digital copy of Smash and transferring the data onto the digital copy, retaining everything that was on the cartridge and being able to play. I've also been reading that the Pokemon ORAS cartridges have a chance of failure, so I took the opportunity to make both games on my wishlist on the eshop in case there's a last minute eshop sale(fingers crossed). Going digital can also help solve problems, but not all.
A lot of games are cheaper digitally too. Not just because of discounts (Ace Attorney games selling for $5), but also because even at full price their $40 price, it never increased over time as opposed to physical copies. The Dragon Quest games are the most obvious. $45 on eShop, and over $100 physically.
Hello, I just recently came across your channel, and I have been enjoying your videos! I wanted to thank you for bringing up Xenoblade Chronicles 2 because I had no idea it was reprinted and kind of gave up looking for a copy, so thanks for the info!
I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying them! Definitely go & snag one of those Xenoblade 2 reprints, it's one of my favorite Switch games in my collection :)
Thats awesome you nabbed a copy of Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon! Here in Australia the video rental stores lingered on for a few years longer than back in the states, Around 2016 I found my copy at one closing down for $24AUD which completely mind-blowing to me at the time. At the moment at a major retro retailer here its $220AU!!
Exellent points - two of my most expensive buys were Bayonetta 1 physical (japan only), Celeste (Japan and LRG) and now both reprinted. Ouch but still. This is a really great series have subbed. Thanks for your work.
Great advice! That's also what I do, I wait for sales nowadays. I like collecting but sometimes I find some games in console not worth at full price or when there are a lot of bugs. Will continue this trend based also on your advice.
Thanks! Haha yeah I feel like this is the way to go with what patterns we've seen so far on modern systems. Though the next gen may decide to change things up, for better or for worse 😅
Great suggestions 💕💕 Similar dilemma with me. I have the collector's editions for Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2 but missed out on 3. Would love to have it but don't really want to pay the outrageous prices 😭
Great advice, something I definitely struggled with during my early collecting days. Checking out alternatives (ports on other consoles, importing from other regions, emulating, or simply waiting) can be a struggle, but helps to ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck and don't end up ending up with filler and keep that personalized curated library something to be proud of. As someone who is winding down on collecting and finally tackling the massive backlog, would love to see a video going over setting collecting goals for a given console or when you feel like you finally have what you've been looking for. I see so many collectors get in over their heads and buy everything they might like all in quick succession only to see a post a few months later when they are financially forced to sell off everything.
Oh I've touched on this topic a little bit for the 3DS actually, despite me splurging on the Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright in this video lol. The video is titled My Last 3DS Haul or something like that lol. I have a few other 3DS videos last year where I was trying to figure out what games to prioritize using spreadsheets. I haven't been collecting that long & within the past year picked up a few new systems to start collecting for (the original DS, PS Vita, PSP, PS5, etc.). I like to use spreadsheets to set goals that I've featured in a few non-3DS videos a bout this but I don't think I'm at the stage where I'll be winding down collecting except for just the 3DS right now. And your comment's last sentence sounds more like poor planning & budgeting, which is always sad to see.
@@orbalology I'm fairly new to your channel and will be sure to check out that video :) The PS4 and PS5 are great consoles to be collecting for with countless affordable, great games. The Vita and PSP can be a bit more pricey however if you're open to imports (EU, HK, JP) its not as unaffordable as many make it out to be and they both have fantastic libraries as a JRPG, Rhythm game, and Visual Novel fan. Spreadsheets sure come in handy, especially when trying to keep track of what you are looking for and when you years into collecting not accidentally buying something you might already have lol Yeah, that is very true. Idk, it seems that those who do complete sell offs set too large of a goal (every single limited print game or every single RPG) instead of something more obtainable and better curated. Thanks for the response. I've used some of your tips regarding which publishers to prioritize (ones likely to get single print runs) and using Play Asia's Japanese title names to help navigate Amazon Japan, greatly appreciated!
@@kevinmiller8111 I'm happy to hear some of my tips have been helpful! Yeah I feel like I may be overreaching a bit with how many systems I'm attempting to collect for right now, especially with how expensive some of them are getting. But I feel like planning & budgeting have been key so not to overextend myself. I live by my spreadsheets so they are a great help with keeping me organized 😂
As long as you stick to a budget, and keep those spreadsheets up to date you'll be fine. When I started I was going after all of the 6th and 7th gen console games I wanted and was able to keep myself from going too overboard, although Gamestop underpricing its older and rarer titles maybe made that a bit difficult at the time lol I wouldn't completely give up on some of the rarer titles though, I found that some of the larger mom and pop shops can often undercut Price Charting I use the following strategies so I won't end up buried alive under a pile of games one day :P 1) Don't have more than a small handful of things on order at any given time, forces you to be more selective on what you are getting 2) Have shelving set up in advance and when new games come in find a space for them. If you just leave them in boxes it's hard to tell how much you have and kinda creates a soft cap on what you ultimately end up with 3) Set per title price limits,. Yeah you'll probably have to break this for your absolute favorites as you have mentioned in prior videos, but for other games it forces you to shop around and be patient For me half the fun is stumbling upon a hard to find title at a good price point while out hunting thrift shops and game stores anyway. A more selective library means you'll be more likely to talk about everything when showing off and most importantly playing your collection =)
An excellent video that touches on something I think about all the time. Even though I've tried to cut back on the number of limited editions I buy, any game that has a limited / special edition is one that I will usually try to get at launch. I also try to do the same with games from companies that have limited print runs. Lots of great new games coming out over the next few months and I need to sit down and figure out which are "definites" and give some serious thought to those I'm on the fence about. Oh, and I liked your mention of Level-5. It might be interesting to see what would happen if they were acquired by a larger company as they have so many games that have never been released in the west plus a bunch of IPs that seem to have been discontinued (e.g., Layton games)
I have quite a number of collector editions preordered this year too, and no idea where I'll be storing them 😂 Definitely makes it hard to balance so many new releases all at once so I'll likely not be buying as many older releases for the next few months unless I happen upon some amazing sales 😅 And yup it'll be interesting to see what happens with Level-5. I hope they pull through and deliver some more amazing games, I'll continue rooting for them.
Hey Emily! I love that you made a video about this topic, makes your channel so unique among other things. I cannot agree more with the ideas of FOMO when seeing all these special editions and short print games, def victim to it (NIS kills me). However, if it is a franchise that I am already a big fan of, I don't mind pre-ordering since I know I will play it instead of letting FOMO make the decision, lol. I also had no idea Blue Reflection got a reprint until seeing your video, I have a first run copy I got for an after retail price, but I didnt spend too much for it thankfully. Can't wait for the next video!
I feel you about the special editions! I have quite a number preordered for this year myself all from franchises I adore. I'm hoping to get a bit of a break in the 2nd half of the year 😅
Really great video Emily. I thought about discussing this myself and to my personal thoughts and where I feel most comfortable. It's easy to get caught up with FOMO I know I have. When it comes to collectors I tend to stay away from most of them unless it's a series I really love, or game I'm really excited for. I also look at the contents and the quality over the value and the price. Mostly The ones I buy are from NIS.
@@orbalology There's some of the best out there. Give me all the Ys and Trails CEs and I'll give you my entire wallet. 🤣 Keep up the great work Emily. You'll crack that 10k in no time.
I agree It is really hard to know when a game is going to go up in price or not because you never know when a reprint or port is going to happen either sometimes the game industry can be unpredictable. Thank you for another great video keep it up!😁
It's all really difficult to navigate! Sometimes it's often best to just buy games you enjoy and not be weighed down too much by all these other factors 😅
You were recommended to me somehow, and I'm stoked to find you. I've been doing data science / analysis / architecture in the games industry for a number of years, and adore jrpgs (especially srpg). I wonder if data people are more likely to fall in love with these genre? I wanted to say though, after a binge of a handful of your videos I have to say that you really seem to have opened up quite a bit! You are so much more expressive now than in your early videos, and I hope it's translated into your IRL if that is something you're still working on. It's really charming! Also, incredibly impressive how often you reply to people. It'll be hard to keep that up always I'm sure, but you're dedicated for sure :)
Haha, I've noticed a lot of data / detailed oriented people tend to gravitate towards these genres as well. Especially the more tactical based ones 😂 And thank you! I'm glad to hear there's been a noticeable improvment in my videos. I think it's started to translate to work and other applications but there's always room for improvement 😂 I try to respond to most comments when possible! One of the best parts of having a niche channel is interacting with a lot of like-minded people who share a similar love for the hobby :)
I collect CIB games, so pretty much every game I buy is a splurge lol! That being said, I end up compensating for that by only purchasing a few games a year. My main rule of thumb is basically the newer the game, the less I am willing to pay for it. Half the time, $79.99 is too much for a modern game to me lol! The eshop closing has been challenging this a bit; I see 3DS games going for $80-$100 and I'm like "omg seriously??!" Some of the games *are* around 10 years old at this point, but still! Anyway, I just discovered your channel and have really been enjoying your video game collecting videos! Cheers :)
You brought up a lot of great points Emily. Some of the titles that I fell into the FOMO trap and overpaid were Celeste, Ys 8 and all of the Shantae games on the Switch. Ys 8 was reprinted not too long after and Celeste just got it's reprint announced while the Shantae games were released elsewhere even though I prefer to have them on Switch. It does suck knowing that I overpaid for them at the end of the day but knowing others get the chance to own these physically now without having to go through that makes me feel better. I'm over the whole limited super rare run company holding these titles prisoner from the average consumer. While I would like to get Ryza 2 on Switch, I'm definitely going to hold off on a potential reprint for that one since it seems like a no brainer. I'd rather keep a series consistent on the same console. Congratulations on getting Phoenix Wright and Prof Layton! I remember being so excited for it when it was announced and barely playing it once I did get it but I'll definitely be returning to it soon. The Ace Attorney series is one of my favorites and you'll definitely enjoy them! I agree with you on the whole visual novel portability thing. I want to pick up the Nonary games physically as well but something is stopping me from getting on the PS4, I'd rather have them on the Vita.
Yup I am also happy for reprints as well so that more collectors can add great quality titles in their collections. Even if it was a game I had already purchased at or above MSRP, the speculative monetary value was never why I started collecting. And I still think Koe Tecmo will reprint Ryza 2 soon! Maybe shortly after Ryza 3 releases (or shortly before because of the launch delay). Oh and definitely consider revisiting Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright sometime soon! There's some free DLC that you can only access if you beat the game so I'm thinking of playing through it ASAP 😅
@@orbalology I can understand if people are upset when they are collecting to eventually sell but that's definitely not why I started collecting either. To each their own, keeping my fingers crossed for Ryza 2! I had a good time with the Layton games that I did play and I loved their aesthetic but some of those puzzles made me put the game down. Thank you for the heads up on the free DLC! I had no idea the game even had DLC.
Being someone who lives in Australia I don’t need to worry about reprints as I collect Aus rated and we never get the reprints along side the ESRB and PEGI. I’ll grab a Pal version if it’s several hundred cheaper than Aus Pal which unfortunately lately is a regular occurrence. Definitely a great video and I agree that if it’s a publisher that reprints often definitely wait around and don’t let FOMO get the best of you
I want to thank you for introducing me to VideoGamesPlus. I didnt know about it prior to discovering your channel and it helps that it is located in Canada so i dont have to pay duties (im in Canada as well). Since discovering it 2 weeks ago, ive made 2 orders and im sure many more will come. Haha. Anyway speaking of Atelier Ryza, your senses were right because VGP just announced a reprint.
Oh I'm glad I was able to point you towards them! I've had only great experiences with them so far. PNP Games is another one in Canada that may be worth checking out too :)
I didn't realize Celeste was getting an reprint. I will be adding this to my collection, Thank you 😀 I am an physical collector at heart, If an game I want to purchase will cost a lot of money I will purchase the game digitally (usually on sale) or play an free demo first and from my experience with game I will know if it's worth paying the price for me personally.
The timing of your video topics can't be more perfect i swear lol. This is definitely something i feel HEAVILY for when it comes to collecting for the Nintendo Switch, prices aside, the fomo is an understatement at best. Unlike the PS4/5 most games i've wanted (specially the limited to collectors edition) i've gotten all at release, even then after the fact some if not most of these LE/CE's are still available at MSRP or a bit more. However when it comes to collecting on the Switch, i have this sense of urgency due to games being more rare and overall just sought after so low prints to normal prints are usually higher than MSRP sadly, so trying to navigate through that has been rough to say the least! (Example of this is Deadly Premonition Origins, the base game has little to no prints left and the Collectors is over 120$ CAD whereas a few years ago it was less than MSRP :/, also a game i adore and love.) This video is super helpful, genuinely speaking collecting in 2023 for the NSW is rather daunting due to price and the obscene rarity of some games, i love my LE's and CE's and i really want XBC2/3 but they cost more than life itself lol.. it's sad but also makes sense, thank you for this video and as always, stellar work Emily :)
I'm glad to hear the video was helpful for you Mike! I agree it's really hard to navigate collecting for certain systems but I hope you're able to find some good deals this year! :)
Fomo is definitely something I've been susceptible to in the past but I've learned to sit on something for a bit and the urge does tend to subside. One game that I kind of splurged on was a copy of Soul Silver a few years ago. But seeing the prices it goes for now, I was lucky to have made purchase when I did. Thanks for the great discussion!
Really enjoy your videos. Probably because we have similar taste in games and collecting philosophies. I try to set a monthly spending limit for myself so my collection steadily grows and I stay in budget. I do tend to give myself some extra budget for the holiday sales though.
Thanks, glad to hear you're enjoying the videos! 😊 Setting a monthly budget can grant some flexibility while staying the course in not overspending on this hobby. I like to do this too though some months I can go a bit overboard & have to sell other hobby things to recover 😅
Your channel got recommended to me a few days ago, and I have been enjoying your content so far, Ms. Emily! Subscribed and keep up the great work! :D In terms of splurging, I, personally, never do that hehe. I'm always willing to stand by, no matter how long it takes, (which, in turn, also means that I don't give into FOMO) and wait for the absolute right time (and price hehe), to get games I want. :) But, I'm also okay if I never get said games anyway, since ultimately, there are plenty of awesome games that I already have, and I feel very blessed to have said collection. :D
Thank you! And it sounds like you're stronger than many us not giving into FOMO haha. I've been trying to adopt a similar mindset that if I can't get a physical game there'll always be more games to buy in the future for better prices. But some collecting grails can be hard to let go I confess 😅
@@orbalology Hehe, it's understandable for sure, especially when it comes to your personal grails or your favorites. You'll definitely have a softer spot for those titles, and thus, you will definitely want to get them ASAP, and to that, I say, do it, and collect them to your hearts content haha! :D
I feel so lucky for choosing Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney as my first 3ds game lol. I was so hyped for the crossover! It sucks that it didn't sell well. The most I ever splurged was to get DQ V DS for 200$ 😅 my whole DQ DS collection was bought last year after playing 11, but I consider it worth it since it became one of favorite franchises.
Oof $200 is a lot but with the current prices I've been seeing them listed for it may be a bargain by comparison lol. The DQ games are so great though! Really looking forward to the upcoming HD-2D DQ3 remaster :)
What the?! I had no idea ys viii was reissued and I missed it 🤦♂️ I wish we were neighbors so you could help me with this stuff 😂 Btw, i kept an eye on the namco store, and was able to get the tales games for $10 in the chinese new year sale this week. Thank you for the tip! 🙌
I did just pick up Kid Icarus myself, had owned it let it go and fomo got me. But I was patient and happily paid $45 for CIB. When you’re after market shopping so you focus on new or will you nab CIB/raw etc. Love PW and Layton games myself! So good!
I normally don't get fomo with physical games, but the closing of the Eshops really got me. :( Can't miss on my opportunity to buy Pokemon Crystal digitally!
I had to buy up all the Phoenix Wright games myself. They'll probably re-release those on the Switch or elsewhere eventually but it really won't be the same.
Splurging on things you truly enjoy is never a bad thing! The problem with FOMO however is that it's notorious for making you lose sight of what you actually want to collect and play in my experience. I've been guilty of buying these types of games in the past, and don't get me wrong, owning something that has a constantly increasing re-sell value has a certain element of satisfaction to it. But I feel like the line between owning a game for genuine enjoyment vs owning a game for exclusivity can get very blurry. I've had to reel myself in many times and it's definitely not easy, but I don't want my collection to become bloated, I'd rather it be a representation of my tastes. Patience is key like you say! Fighting FOMO is getting easier with re-prints and retailers like VGP & PNP stocking Limited Run Games, Strictly Limited Games etc.
It really is a struggle to not get too caught up in FOMO! With the 3DS eshop closing I had to think really carefully about what games to grab without losing sight too much 😅 But I agree, places like VGP/PNP have made fighting FOMO a little easier at least.
Video Game Plus? I can’t believe I’ve never heard of them. Damn, do I suck. As for splurging, I try extremely hard and avoid overpriced collector’s editions. Even though the FOMO can be brutal sometimes. The one series I allow myself to splurge on is anything Dragon Quest related. It’s my absolute favorite series and I’ll allow myself to splurge on whatever collector’s edition they’re releasing, for example The Edition of Lost Time version of Dragon Quest XI. Anyway, great video as always.
I'm really glad I was able to obtain the 3DS Shin Megami Tensei games before the prices when up on them even more, though I did end up having to pay $80 for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse because I couldn't find a complete copy for less than that and people were even charging $70 for just the cartridge at the time. The Etrian Odyssey games are something that have only recently come to my attention, but a lot of those game are rather pricey now. Being someone who really loves dungeon crawlers, they look like something that would be right up my alley, hopefully I can at least afford to get a few of them in the future. Reprints or retailers somehow getting additional copies of certain games can be a very pleasant surprise. I was browsing the Video Games Plus site earlier this month and I was very happy to find out they had copies of the Axiom Verge & Axiom Verge 2 combo release from Limited Run for a reasonable price. That was a release I thought I would never be able to afford with the prices I had see it go for previously so I eagerly took advantage of the opportunity to get it. Sometimes you can get really lucky browsing the restocks that some retailers list on their sites, so it never hurts to give those a glance.
There's been some speculation that we'll see Atlus bring back Etrian Odyssey in some form this year. Not sure how likely this is but if you can definitely see if you can secure a few of the 3DS games. And agreed! I do this too with new websites and check to see if there's anything that's been overlooked by the regulars 😅
Quality and really interesting topics with useful tips and insightful view as usual one of the rare videos that I really watch completely. What do you think are the possibility of Messenger reprint?
I think this heavily depends on what the original contract with SRG. It's an undoubtedly popular title so I'm surprised it hasn't hit retail like so many other Devolver games. Though I wouldn't be surprised for a retail release after Sea of Stars comes out. But if it's not coming to the Switch again I think it's likely it'll re-release for the next Nintendo console.
I had been putting off getting a copy of Chrono Trigger, telling myself that it was an eventuality that it would get an HD2D remake, but I saw a really well taken care of DS copy of the game and decided to splurge just the other day. I had owned a copy for the SNES when I was a kid and had been meaning to pick it up again. I find myself often being TOO patient and putting off purchasing things and then realizing they disappear LOL. I avoid buying any games, limited edition/ or not, if I wouldnt actually play it though. I'm a terrible collector!
It's such a cool game, I can't wait to play through it all! And it'll be great if Vanillaware brings it over to modern systems at some point for more to enjoy as well :)
A weird one I want to put on your radar is Hypnospace Outlaw on Switch. It's a phenomenally bizarre point and click that captures the nostalgia of the early internet beautifully. You can pick it up for $35 online, but I missed out when Best Buy had it clearanced for $8!
There are a few games that I’d love to add to my 3DS collection, but I can’t really justify getting them since either their prices have skyrocketed, or I already own the original edition for the DS. If I already own a copy of a game, I don’t tend to re-purchase it on a different console even if the newer version is considered the definitive edition. The FOMO isn’t there either since I know I can play all the games for free at any time.😄
$70 for Muramasa Rebirth? I bought it for $20 back in 2019. Prices are getting stupid these days. I wonder if a market correction is going to occur. These prices are unsustainable.
Great advice! I tend to wait longer than most, but I usually will only get games that I really want to play. I do splurge every once in a while when I bought a digital game and then find out it goes physical if it’s under 50 bucks I usually get it. Hahaha
@@orbalology hahahahaha well it’s less self control, and more I need to wait until I resell some more stuff on eBay or else I sleep on the couch 😂😂. I love playing video games, but not as much as I love my back not hurting.😂
My limit is double the MSRP price, I had to check with my past orders and yeah I try to avoid going past that. I'm jealous you got Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright. I made my peace with that game, but when I was window shopping I did see it for sell and was really tempted to buy alas after waiting a day it was gone. Easy come, easy go.
Double MSRP is a good rule of thumb. I may have to adopt that soon for some of the older games as well. And yeah I remember we talked about this game a couple weeks ago 😅 While I think following our collecting rules help keep us in check sometimes allowing for a little flexibility from time to time can also be good as well. You never know, you may come across another copy in better condition and for a better price once the 3DS hype settles down. So you may not need to rule out the game just yet :)
Thanks for the video. I’m finding myself at a crossroads thinking about reducing my collection to make room. When I think about collecting, I find myself concerned about disc based games, especially pre blu ray because of disk rot. So I love it when those games get re released or remade on modern consoles. I love switch games because it uses carts. May be last time that is done. Also I have never really sold any of my collection and so I’m struggling learning where and how to sell them. I’d love to go to a swap meet but don’t know of any. Also, I’d love to back up games but I’m not tech and am just clueless. I’ve even thought about buying a cheap Chinese emulation machine because it’s preloaded. There’s barriers to entry for many of us out here :(
I agree, selling can really be a hassle. I've sold a lot of things online but with all the fees & shipping sometimes it doesn't feel worth it. I have a feeling that I'll be needing to trim down my collection within the next couple of years and I'm not looking forward to it :(
I have to thank you for introducing me to VGP! I recently ordered Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Torna and I’m so happy to be able to get them new at MSRP. That is my new favorite game store. Out of curiosity, do you think there will be a market correction on 3DS games a year or so after the eShop closure? Obviously scarcity will be higher than ever, but that market is so hot right now due to the “doomsday clock” of the eShop closure.
I think we'll be seeing a bit of a rollercoaster with prices before they start to settle down to the 'true' market prices. There's so much hype & speculation I think this year will inflate many games higher than they 'should' probably be. But some games may only continue to climb, it's all hard to predict 😅
Wise words as always! I suppose a couple of extra things I think about are fit for the console hardware (e.g. the Switch version of Skyward Sword is better in many ways but drift starts to set in much faster than the original on the Wii) and also the region-locking (or not) of the console, many developers do not release their games in Europe because of the translation burden and so a rerelease on a future console may end up just being for NA,. In terms of exceptions I tend to find that Zelda and Dragon Quest games can name their price and I will just pay.😅
Those are definitely good points to keep in mind! And I've been really close to picking up some of the expensive Dragon Quest DS games... but I keep hesitating out of fear they'll all see re-releases soonish 😅
NIS reprint of Princess Liar and Blind Prince sold out quick. This was another evening random launch like Square-Enix's Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection. The recent reprints gives me hope of picking up some rare titles and makes me just wait it out, instead of splurging for a rare title on places like eBay.
Yup, I'll be talking about this sale in my end of the month pickups video. I was one of the few to place an order successfully but NISA still messed it up pretty badly 😔
I’ve been collecting for a long time and typically keep purchases under $20. I make exceptions from time to time but there are so many great games in that price range that I don’t need to very often. Also since you mentioned Vanillaware I think you should add GrimGrimoire to your list. It’s fantastic in every way and is being released on the Switch soon.
Wow, it's really difficult to find a lot of games for under $20. I've found a few deals from time to time but rarely find many in that range 😅 And I have the GrimGrimoire remaster on my radar! Hoping to grab that slightly discounted in the latter half of the year.
@@orbalology Right now I have 335 games on my wish list that have a Pricecharting value of under $20 CIB. They range in platform from the Atari 2600 to PS5 and are in many genres. I also tend to do most of my new game purchasing at/around Black Friday every year.
This is a great video. I definitely have bought from fomo. Celeste is a game I paid too much for especially with the rerelease. Some of these games like alliance alive for example, I bought on eBay for switch. But switch is a tough system because you never see a lot of releases in the wild. I have a ton of Switch purchases I never saw at any retailer. They make so few because they think you’ll buy digital if you don’t find a copy. But I won’t. So it’s a tough system to collect for, especially if you have a conservative “fun” budget.
It's really difficult to know when to wait or buy certain games, especially on the Switch which have so many niche releases they keep pumping out. It's all difficult to keep up with so there will always be titles that slip through the cracks 😅
If there is one ds/3ds series for splurging is Professor Layton games in general. They are extremely wanted. I've just splurged in Zelda Spirit tracks, It have a very good dual screen gameplay that possibily won't be the same in a eventual future port.
Prioritizing the games that take advantage of the dual screen is always a good idea! I've been trying to do the same with some of the last few 3DS (and eventually more DS) titles for the collection.
Hello and happy Friday! What are your thoughts on the Final Fantasy pixel remaster on switch? Thats one I really want but fear due to limited amounts being produced it will remain a relatively high dollar amount game to acquire. Have a great weekend!
Happy Friday! I missed out on the FF pixel remaster on the Switch too & I'm still hoping Square Enix will have an Asian-English or a retail (w/out the lenticular cover) release at some point. The $100 price tag for the SE store exclusive one is hard to swallow so if they were to restock it tbh I would probably hesitate buying it 😅 Unfortunately if Square Enix doesn't print any more copies or release alternative physical versions the sold out copies are probably going to really skyrocket in price. And if that's the case I'll probably just wait to see if they'll re-release this on the next gen consoles at some point. But I'm not the biggest FF fan so this all comes down to personal priorities and what compromises you may be willing to make in order to acquire a copy for your collection.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is one of the few games I'm missing too. VGP did do some 3ds reprints early on like with Tales of Abyss, and many Atlus titles but I doubt they'll do anymore considering how old the console is now.
in france blue reflection cost 45 € when i bought it in 2018 , now it's cost 100 € more and not available in shop , only online , i never see it at retail shop
I just bought some of the last 3DS games I wanted physically because I know the eShop is closing in 2 months and I do not wanna miss out on the Fire Emblem Fates games. They'll most likely skyrocket in price after March so now's as good a time as ever.
It's looking like I'm going to have to splurge if I want to eventually get the Professor Layton games. I got the first three a long time ago, and then got the Last Specter a few years after release since I didn't have a 3DS on launch. There are so many other older games I never managed to pick up that are probably more expensive now as well. My price range for collecting varies on when I actually find the game available, and whether or not I find the price worth it at the time. Though I don't think I've payed over $100 for a single game as of yet though.
There's a possibility that the Layton games will get a Switch remaster... but I don't see Level-5 focusing resources on some repackage. They may also play a little oddly on the Switch compared to the 3DS going from dual screens to single screen w/out a stylus.
I recently picked up a used CIB copy of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (PAL) for the equivalent of $30. The collecting market in South Africa is much smaller so used game prices for older titles are still pretty reasonable.
I've actually been considering picking the PAL version of that game and just playing it on a region free modded 3DS 😅 It's strange how different regional prices can substantially vary for certain games 😅
It's a great topic to cover, I'm sure it will help many potential buyers. I generally try to get the less popular games. For example, I skipped over Fire Emblem Awakening and instead bought Fire Emblem Echoes and Fire Emblem Fates Conquest. I figured that Awakening is so popular that there would be a lot on the market or it would be ported in the future.
Agreed, I can see Awakening having some sort of reboot in the future, though Fates maybe too bc of the eshop exclusive dlc that's ending soon. But in general it's a good idea to prioritize the less known/niche titles. The popular or AAA titles are all printed in mass quantity and easy to obtain later.
@@orbalology I really hope so. There’s just nothing really like Fire Emblem on other platforms. So it would be nice to see the older games become more accessible in the future.
I wish they would print a but more to demand, especially for games a few years old. Glad places like VGP have been helping fill that void, but of course it would be nice to have a local retailer to buy them at. Heck, I remember people freaking out back in like 2015ish and prices jumping for Zelda on 3ds, thankfully Nintendo reprinted it and now it’s easy to find. Glad to see Celeste getting a new printing, i wasn’t big into collecting at the time but did order from the initial limited run printing. But has come to a point where I don’t want to open it even though I know I won’t sell it. Maybe the price will drop and I’ll finally open it? Probably not it’s a different print, probably won’t hurt the value, ha maybe I’ll order this new one.
The new Fangamer printed Celeste may be a more complete cart, so we'll have to see what happens with the LRG version. I have a feeling prices will dip a bit but will still have that different variant higher value.
👏👏👏 Fantastic 3DS pick up. Around $100 is a good deal for that game considering current prices. Which is crazy to say 😅😅 I think you have a good approach to splurging. Its a very careful line to walk because so many games these days seem to get reprinted. The only Switch game I've splurged on was the Asian English release of Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV. But I won't be splurging on any other Switch games going forward. The dual release NISA games Saviors of Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Revisited has tempted me but I doubt I will get it. In terms of splurging for other consoles the 3DS is the only one I will just to grab the collectors editions and standard editions I want. Buy hey I'm a 3DS collector I gotta right? 😂😂 Enjoy your time Layton Vs Wright! ^^
Oh that Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Switch release is one of the NISA titles I'm thinking of getting actually, though I'm not really in need of any more dungeon crawlers in the collection 😅 And yup you're one of the biggest 3DS collectors I know so splurging on that console definitely tracks :)
Since LRG probably won't make celeste again do you think the price for those will actually go down a lot? Or will the people who want the LRG version for their collection keep the price up due to scarcity?
I think it depends on whether there'll be a revised cart for the new game or not. If it's a more complete version I think many collectors will place more value on that over time. But the LRG holographic cover is pretty cool so some collectors may like to have that in their collection. It's hard to know but I think the retail version will ultimately drive down prices for the LRG variants.
If you don’t mind my asking, where did you get The Alliance Alive for Switch? I just got the 3ds version and have been looking everywhere for the remaster but can’t find any full box copies.
I bought it on NISA's store page over a year ago and unfortunately they're out of stock now. The NA version is difficult to track down these days but the pegi and Asian English are a bit easier to find around MSRP if you don't mind buying those regions on eBay/Amazon. PlayAsia recently had a sale on the Asian English one but it looks like they only have PS4 copies left.
I picked the worst time to get Blue Reflection. Literally two weeks before the reprint was announced! 😂 😢 At least I got the PAL version, so it wasn't as expensive.
It's just a casual hobby. I don't really have any golden grail games that I would pay high prices for. I do tend to impulsively go through phases of infatuation with certain systems where I start picking stuff up physically. If I am really interested in playing it I will just pirate it instead of paying high prices, but I also understand why people love to collect physical copies too!
I recently was able to grab a copy of XC2 for under retail price. I assume that was part of the reprint. But how do I know if it includes the patches? The barcode has zeros on it indicating it’s an original print right? But I definitely don’t think it’s an original based on the fact they started printing them again?
I share how you can identify revised switch carts in the video linked up in the card. The Switch case barcode on the back is not a full proof way to identify them unfortunately, since reprints and revised carts are not necessarily correlated with one another. There's a pretty extensive list of games that have seen revisions that I link in the description of that video :)
1st print copies of celeste will likely still retain a lot of value (for sealed at least) because the foil cover is freaking gorgeous! those atlus 3ds reprints have some weird ass shrinkwrap seal that totally looks like a reseal 🤣 afaik the AoT final battle reprint looks the exact same as the original that used to go for $300-400 🤣
My big general rule of thumb is to only get something if I intend to play it (always intend because we all have to play piles, right?). I personally don't have a need to collect everything in a series or all North American releases for console A. I am pretty stingy when it comes to collector's editions. I have to really like the series and want the collectables. As for Limited Run Games, et al, I don't really bother.
Yup I try to pick up games I intend to play too, though I guess my problem is there are just too many games I'm interested in and would never be able to get through in my lifetime 😅
FOMO drove my collecting for like the first two and a half years... I've chilled way out now. That's mostly because I got a new car, so I literally can't afford to splurge on games like I did anymore...😅 Oh well, maybe it'll help me forge new and better habits.
Haha when I started heavily collecting again in 2019/2020 I definitely gave in to plenty of FOMO too. Nothing too outrageous but there were plenty of things I definitely could have waited on at the time. It happens to the best of us, and I suppose it's all part of a collector's journey lol :)
Always loved professor Layton, bought all the DS games when they came out but never picked up any of the 3DS titles; i kick myself for that. But E.O. Nexus will likely be my next splurge 🙏🏼
The best price I've seen for the NA version of Etrian Odyssey Nexus is on PNP games (if that's the region you collect for too). I've been debating picking it up for the longest time & I may have to give in soon 😅
I love your videos! And your amazing! I dont understand ebay. Alot of games are rare? Hard to get, but when you look on ebay there are sometimes hundreds or even thousands of the same game, all going for hundreds of dollars? I can see if you search celeste and maybe like 14 posts come up then yea maybe 200 of more? But when there are endless pages of the same game is it really rare? I am in the mindset ( i even told the gamestop lady) if i need something there is a surplus on ebay, so i dont even pre-order.
Yup ebay is full of speculative resellers. The listings really showcase how oversaturated the market can be for overinflated but still fairly common games.
i regret passing up on Solatorobo for the DS. i saw a CIB for just over a hundred and now it's more than double. i believe to this day it's still only on the DS.
Wow yeah that game really commands such high prices these days. I would love to see it offered on another system at some point, I keep hearing how enjoyable it is but those prices 🙈
Yeah, I initially wanted to collect JRPGs on Switch, but FOMO has really deterred me from this. I'm sure you're very familiar with what happened with the Physical versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel ports. I kinda suspect an asia physical release of this, and possibly a Japan release too (I noticed the Japanese store didn't offer a standard edition). It can be frustraiting, as I don't want to support this practice, nor do I want to support scalpers either. On the other hand, I'm really happy about the amount of JRPG ports we are getting these days, and the Asia English versions are just wonderful for this too. I would like to get a US 3DS before the Eshop closes too as I want a physical copy I can play of SMT IV. I'm in the UK and we never received a physical release of this, and it's my favourite non-Persona Megami Tensei game, so I'd love to get it before prices go through the roof!
Yeah the whole FFF Pixel remaster physicals were not done well at all. I'm still hopeful for retail and/or Asian-English versions but the whole thing did leave a bad taste in the mouth. For the US 3DS you can always mod any system so that it's region free to be able to play the SMT IV physical cart! I've been considering doing that for a few EU games that were either exclusives or are currently cheaper than the NA versions.
So happy Celeste is getting a reprint for a fair price. I was late to playing it and just finished it a couple of days ago and wanted to add it to my physical games collection. No way was I gonna pay that much for it lol
I was really thrilled when they announced the Celeste re-release too. I wrote it off as something I would never be able to add to the collection so it's great to now have this opportunity.
I just bought one of the OG Limited Run ones. I think they were trying to make money off of it before the reprint. It was like 60$, and even though I knew they were doing a reprint, I figured $60 for an UNOPENED Limited Run cover was worth it. It's also supposed to be sort of holographic. I just find this cover a lot prettier. Normally I wouldn't care though.
Good call on the Layton/Wright game. E-shop closure looming, A "remaster" highly unlikely. My "splurge" games: Metroid Prime Pinball with the Rumble pack $70 (NDS) [CIB] Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon $65 (NDS) [No Manual] Super Metroid $75 (SNES) [Loose] Ar Nosurge (PS3) $65 [CIB] [Vita is WAAAAY to Expensive] Deception IV: Nightmare Princess -Asian English (Vita) [CIB] [One of my most rare game, I payed $75 back in the day to have it imported]
Oh Emily don’t remind me about Pirates Curse 😭. I have every other shantae game on the switch, because they had them all at the Limited Run Retail grand opening, but I wasn’t early enough for pirates curse 😅. Now that 800 dollar price tag mocks me haha
@@orbalology yeah I also gave up lol. Maybe one day I’ll get it but until then, I’ll be waiting patiently because I’ll never pay that much for a game that is only a standard version lol
Another consideration is if you want to help out the community at large. I swear, every time I splurge on a classic, a remaster or re-release is announced soon after. This happened when I started collecting for the Saturn, so y'all have *me* to thank for Panzer Dragoon, Layer Section, and most notably Radiant Silvergun. There have definitely been others, but I think I try to block them out of my memory. 😂
Thank you for your sacrifices 😂
Go buy a sealed case of eternal darkness then I want a remake or remaster so let’s get those odds up
Really good advice! I always tell people that if you want to collect lots of games, patience is key. The thing I struggle with is walking away from “a good deal” when I either already own the games or am not interested in the type of games. I tell myself I can always resell them, but that’s a bit of a hassle, and that doesn’t always happen. Great video! Well done.
I struggle with this too! All the 'good' deals can really start to add up overtime and I've found that they often contribute to making my collection less curated than I originally envisioned. As you mentioned you can always resell but that takes time away from focusing on other things we would rather prioritize lol.
@@orbalology If you don't want to get into reselling, I'd suggest an alternative. If you know a few other collectors in your area, share the top games you are looking for and what you are willing to spend on them. I've saved a ton of money by simply having my friends call me up while game hunting and getting me that a deal on something I need and of course I return the favor. I recently picked up the Last Story for the Wii well under what it is going for fairly recently thanks to this strategy =)
Not too much patience though because I was waiting out on Ni No Kuni and now they're both not available in my country.
I used to get any game that I was interested in, because I was afraid to miss out. In my adult years, I now only get preorder games that I know I will play right away. If not I take the risk to see if I can get the game for cheaper after release. I feel like collectors who just collect the game and not play the game really ruins these prices. Oh well people do what they want to do. I really liked your video. Please keep making more videos :)
Thanks! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this one. The collecting world has become overly complicated, in both good and not so good ways. I have a feeling the landscape will only continue to evolve and change in the next 5 years, if not less. But I agree, I think taking a more patient approach is a smarter way to collect nowadays :)
This is an excellent video. I've never allowed myself to get too big into collecting because I know my self control would completely go out the window. But i have really been enjoying going through your videos and seeing all this incredibly well thought out information/tips. I love a good spreadsheet lol.
On a separate note, have you heard of The Banner Saga? Super under rated trilogy that I completely fell in love with. It's a mix of visual novel, turn based strategy combat, and inventory management sim. The visual novel scenes are beautiful but the art and animations in the combat is just out of this world.
I've been eyeing that game actually! I hear it's super challenging and the visuals look really neat. I've just been torn about which system to buy a physical copy for 😅 I love srpgs on handheld but it looks like the PS4 versions may include more content (and is much cheaper last time I looked).
@@orbalology That's definitely the struggle. It's an amazing game to play handheld but the price and all three games not being actually on the switch cartridge makes it pretty difficult to pick handheld for the collection over ps4.
I'm from Europe and recently splurged Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan for 3DS, ebay sales were averaging €50-60 for sealed copies but I got mine for €40, I'm glad!
Nice! That's a great price :)
Love your videos. They’re sensible and practical. You’re a much needed asset to video gaming and collecting.
Completely agree!
Thank you! 😊
I love that your videos take some different angles toward collecting than I am used to seeing. Much appreciated! Also thanks for introducing me to the reprints, I've snagged Xenoblade 2, Torna, and Bayonetta 2 for MSRP since then.
Thanks, I'm glad to hear these topics have been resonating with you as well 😊 Also glad that you were able to pick up those games at MSRP too!
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright is a great 3DS game! No doubt in my mind, you will enjoy it. Radiant Historia is another game that I’m glad I have in my collection.
Since the last 3DS video I watched of yours, I went back and looked at my collection. Turned out I had quite a few rare games that I was not aware of.
Radiant Historia is such a gem!! Definitely a worthwhile splurge!
You made really good points! I love that you talk about collecting on your channel. 3DS games are definitely where I splurge when it comes to collecting. Switch collectors editions are also very enticing to me. My latest splurge was for the Short Hike Collectors Edition - it’s just so beautiful.
Thanks! Oh the Short Hike collector's edition is gorgeous! I was very tempted to buy it myself but settled on the standard edition. If I had more room there would have been no hesitation :)
This is a fantastic video Emily! A really great point of discussion 😊
I was so excited to see that Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright was your splurge game! I had no idea how expensive it had gotten until I saw it at a store last year for over 200 I think?! My heart sank seeing that -- Phoenix Wright is one of my all time favourite series and I want it to be as accessible for people as possible 😢 It's also a grim reminder of how fast time is moving... I can't believe the Switch turns 6 this year 😵
Oof $200 💀 I'm really looking forward to playing more of the Layton & Phoenix Wright games this year! I'm almost done acquiring all of them so I'll need to sit down & play through them soon 😂 And it's so crazy how fast everything changes, time can be really fleeting 🙈
Excellent Video, Emily. Been downloading all the 3ds demo games cause a lot of them have multiplayer options with one game and multiple handhelds. Happy hunting on the shop today!
I wish The Messenger would get a re release, I really regret not picking that one up, great video as always 🙂
Thanks! And I think there's a high possibility of The Messenger getting a retail release! Maybe after Sea of Stars comes out :)
@@orbalology I hope so. I missed that one too. A double pack like Ori 1& 2 got would be beyond amazing.
Was pushed your channel yesterday and glad to find another Switch/3DS collector. Instant sub. Great video!
Thank you & welcome! 😊
Another great video! The new Wonder Boy Collection is another classic example of a re-release with better content while also screwing over those who bought a previous collection.
Thanks! That's another great example :)
Very informative! You give great advice here! ♡ Shadow Dragon! Thanks for another great video, Emily!
All the engage playing has me pumped to play Shadow Dragon soon hehe 😂
Totally agree with you about buying expensive games for currently active systems. In a collecting discord I’m in recently some people were mad about the Blue Reflection reprint from VGP, and I said the same thing: this can always happen! We were getting ps2 game reprints up into 2014 even, if the factories are still open to produce carts/discs people should hold off on paying exorbitant prices for games
Yeah I've seen a few ruffled feathers regarding the VGP reprints. This is what happens when one gets too focused on game speculation vs. playing their games 😅
Glad to see the Layton vs Wright!! That game was what set me on my path of loving the Layton series, one of my favs on 3DS :) I did have to splurge for Azran tho from what I can tell it’s always been pricey :P great vid as always, appreciate the insights!
Thanks for watching! Hehe I had a feeling you would approve of my splurge choice 😆
Never could imagine how re-prints can make for so mutch of a topic to talk about!
Awesome video, very informative.
As a matter of fact, I use to think that I will never have a physical edition of Star Wars Republic Comando, but thanks to THQ Nordic, I was able to get that one + Racer in one single package =)
The retail releases have made collecting so much easier! Though sometimes I wonder why some of these titles didn't see retail releases in the first place 😅
Love this topic Emily - as I think whether you're going to collect for the switch entirely or just collecting for a curated collection you can get tripped up by FOMO. I'm in the later camp, and find that I'm constantly thinking "do I buy now or wait." In the beginning of the switches life there weren't many reprints so I unfortunately got in the scarcity mindset & would buy immediately unlike my 3ds/ds phase when I would wait for deals & used copies. I think part of that is having a disposable income. Now though watching your videos & just chilling down I'm finally considering Gamefly & renting games I'm interested in & seeing if I like it/love it THEN buying them since they're really isn't a need to rush anymore. I wonder tho, with a looming switch 'pro' (2025) will that always be the case...
It's definitely a new Era for me tho, like with Fire Emblem engage I knew if I bought it I would play it so I bought it😆 & am loving it! & currently considering treating myself to the Ara Fell/ 3rd Tower pack on Limited Run (even tho I have a feeling that will come out somewhere else too🙃)
It'll be interesting to see what happens when the Switch 2 or whatever the new Nintendo console is called comes out. If it's backwards compatible we may see devs continue pumping out Switch games for a bit longer. I have a feeling the Nintendo game ecosystem will be similar to what we've been seeing over on PlayStation with the PS4/PS5, but time will tell lol. I've been eyeing Ara Fell/3rd Tower pack as well but haven't decided whether to wait for alternative options or to just preorder 😅
Just discovered your channel yesterday and subscribed! Love your videos and atmosphere/theme.
With the eshop closing, I've been spending toward the digital store since I don't have enough space in my apartment. Narrowing down each game and FOMO at the same time has been difficult. I used your list as reference for any potential game I might like. With the amount of games I bought on my 3DS, my current collection consists around half physical and half digital.
Another reason I went digital is because I want to avoid cartridge failure in the future. My smash bros 3DS cartridge, which I bought since launch day, has failed out of the blue. But thankfully my 3DS was still able to read the game but stuck on a black screen after starting it. I was able to transfer the save data while also purchasing a digital copy of Smash and transferring the data onto the digital copy, retaining everything that was on the cartridge and being able to play. I've also been reading that the Pokemon ORAS cartridges have a chance of failure, so I took the opportunity to make both games on my wishlist on the eshop in case there's a last minute eshop sale(fingers crossed). Going digital can also help solve problems, but not all.
A lot of games are cheaper digitally too. Not just because of discounts (Ace Attorney games selling for $5), but also because even at full price their $40 price, it never increased over time as opposed to physical copies. The Dragon Quest games are the most obvious. $45 on eShop, and over $100 physically.
Hello, I just recently came across your channel, and I have been enjoying your videos! I wanted to thank you for bringing up Xenoblade Chronicles 2 because I had no idea it was reprinted and kind of gave up looking for a copy, so thanks for the info!
I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying them! Definitely go & snag one of those Xenoblade 2 reprints, it's one of my favorite Switch games in my collection :)
Thats awesome you nabbed a copy of Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon! Here in Australia the video rental stores lingered on for a few years longer than back in the states, Around 2016 I found my copy at one closing down for $24AUD which completely mind-blowing to me at the time. At the moment at a major retro retailer here its $220AU!!
Nice video. I’m not a collector, but your video kept getting recommended on my home page, and I learned quite a bit from watching!
Thanks! Glad to hear there was something new for you in this vid :)
Nice video! I enjoyed your take on when to buy or hold off on certain games.
Thanks! :)
Splurge on these games now! Great video
Thanks :)
Exellent points - two of my most expensive buys were Bayonetta 1 physical (japan only), Celeste (Japan and LRG) and now both reprinted. Ouch but still. This is a really great series have subbed. Thanks for your work.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Great tips and discussion! I don't really have any games I want that are expensive right now which is nice I guess!
Thanks! Glad to hear there aren't any expensive games giving you a bad case of FOMO. You're stronger than many of us lol 😅
Great advice! That's also what I do, I wait for sales nowadays. I like collecting but sometimes I find some games in console not worth at full price or when there are a lot of bugs. Will continue this trend based also on your advice.
Thanks! Haha yeah I feel like this is the way to go with what patterns we've seen so far on modern systems. Though the next gen may decide to change things up, for better or for worse 😅
really cool channel looking forward to following your journey in the world of video game collecting all the best & good luck
Thank you! :)
Great suggestions 💕💕 Similar dilemma with me. I have the collector's editions for Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2 but missed out on 3. Would love to have it but don't really want to pay the outrageous prices 😭
On no I'm sorry to hear the Xenoblade 3 sale went poorly for you. That was such a disaster I hope Nintendo never does again 😭
Great advice, something I definitely struggled with during my early collecting days.
Checking out alternatives (ports on other consoles, importing from other regions, emulating, or simply waiting) can be a struggle, but helps to ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck and don't end up ending up with filler and keep that personalized curated library something to be proud of.
As someone who is winding down on collecting and finally tackling the massive backlog, would love to see a video going over setting collecting goals for a given console or when you feel like you finally have what you've been looking for. I see so many collectors get in over their heads and buy everything they might like all in quick succession only to see a post a few months later when they are financially forced to sell off everything.
Oh I've touched on this topic a little bit for the 3DS actually, despite me splurging on the Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright in this video lol. The video is titled My Last 3DS Haul or something like that lol. I have a few other 3DS videos last year where I was trying to figure out what games to prioritize using spreadsheets.
I haven't been collecting that long & within the past year picked up a few new systems to start collecting for (the original DS, PS Vita, PSP, PS5, etc.). I like to use spreadsheets to set goals that I've featured in a few non-3DS videos a bout this but I don't think I'm at the stage where I'll be winding down collecting except for just the 3DS right now. And your comment's last sentence sounds more like poor planning & budgeting, which is always sad to see.
@@orbalology
I'm fairly new to your channel and will be sure to check out that video :) The PS4 and PS5 are great consoles to be collecting for with countless affordable, great games. The Vita and PSP can be a bit more pricey however if you're open to imports (EU, HK, JP) its not as unaffordable as many make it out to be and they both have fantastic libraries as a JRPG, Rhythm game, and Visual Novel fan.
Spreadsheets sure come in handy, especially when trying to keep track of what you are looking for and when you years into collecting not accidentally buying something you might already have lol
Yeah, that is very true. Idk, it seems that those who do complete sell offs set too large of a goal (every single limited print game or every single RPG) instead of something more obtainable and better curated.
Thanks for the response. I've used some of your tips regarding which publishers to prioritize (ones likely to get single print runs) and using Play Asia's Japanese title names to help navigate Amazon Japan, greatly appreciated!
@@kevinmiller8111 I'm happy to hear some of my tips have been helpful!
Yeah I feel like I may be overreaching a bit with how many systems I'm attempting to collect for right now, especially with how expensive some of them are getting. But I feel like planning & budgeting have been key so not to overextend myself. I live by my spreadsheets so they are a great help with keeping me organized 😂
As long as you stick to a budget, and keep those spreadsheets up to date you'll be fine. When I started I was going after all of the 6th and 7th gen console games I wanted and was able to keep myself from going too overboard, although Gamestop underpricing its older and rarer titles maybe made that a bit difficult at the time lol
I wouldn't completely give up on some of the rarer titles though, I found that some of the larger mom and pop shops can often undercut Price Charting
I use the following strategies so I won't end up buried alive under a pile of games one day :P
1) Don't have more than a small handful of things on order at any given time, forces you to be more selective on what you are getting
2) Have shelving set up in advance and when new games come in find a space for them. If you just leave them in boxes it's hard to tell how much you have and kinda creates a soft cap on what you ultimately end up with
3) Set per title price limits,. Yeah you'll probably have to break this for your absolute favorites as you have mentioned in prior videos, but for other games it forces you to shop around and be patient
For me half the fun is stumbling upon a hard to find title at a good price point while out hunting thrift shops and game stores anyway. A more selective library means you'll be more likely to talk about everything when showing off and most importantly playing your collection =)
An excellent video that touches on something I think about all the time. Even though I've tried to cut back on the number of limited editions I buy, any game that has a limited / special edition is one that I will usually try to get at launch. I also try to do the same with games from companies that have limited print runs. Lots of great new games coming out over the next few months and I need to sit down and figure out which are "definites" and give some serious thought to those I'm on the fence about. Oh, and I liked your mention of Level-5. It might be interesting to see what would happen if they were acquired by a larger company as they have so many games that have never been released in the west plus a bunch of IPs that seem to have been discontinued (e.g., Layton games)
I have quite a number of collector editions preordered this year too, and no idea where I'll be storing them 😂 Definitely makes it hard to balance so many new releases all at once so I'll likely not be buying as many older releases for the next few months unless I happen upon some amazing sales 😅 And yup it'll be interesting to see what happens with Level-5. I hope they pull through and deliver some more amazing games, I'll continue rooting for them.
Hey Emily! I love that you made a video about this topic, makes your channel so unique among other things. I cannot agree more with the ideas of FOMO when seeing all these special editions and short print games, def victim to it (NIS kills me). However, if it is a franchise that I am already a big fan of, I don't mind pre-ordering since I know I will play it instead of letting FOMO make the decision, lol. I also had no idea Blue Reflection got a reprint until seeing your video, I have a first run copy I got for an after retail price, but I didnt spend too much for it thankfully. Can't wait for the next video!
I feel you about the special editions! I have quite a number preordered for this year myself all from franchises I adore. I'm hoping to get a bit of a break in the 2nd half of the year 😅
Really great video Emily. I thought about discussing this myself and to my personal thoughts and where I feel most comfortable. It's easy to get caught up with FOMO I know I have. When it comes to collectors I tend to stay away from most of them unless it's a series I really love, or game I'm really excited for. I also look at the contents and the quality over the value and the price. Mostly The ones I buy are from NIS.
Thanks Phil! Yup I'm a fan of the NIS collector editions myself. They're often compact & chalk full of goodies.
@@orbalology There's some of the best out there. Give me all the Ys and Trails CEs and I'll give you my entire wallet. 🤣 Keep up the great work Emily. You'll crack that 10k in no time.
I agree It is really hard to know when a game is going to go up in price or not because you never know when a reprint or port is going to happen either sometimes the game industry can be unpredictable. Thank you for another great video keep it up!😁
It's all really difficult to navigate! Sometimes it's often best to just buy games you enjoy and not be weighed down too much by all these other factors 😅
You were recommended to me somehow, and I'm stoked to find you. I've been doing data science / analysis / architecture in the games industry for a number of years, and adore jrpgs (especially srpg). I wonder if data people are more likely to fall in love with these genre?
I wanted to say though, after a binge of a handful of your videos I have to say that you really seem to have opened up quite a bit! You are so much more expressive now than in your early videos, and I hope it's translated into your IRL if that is something you're still working on. It's really charming!
Also, incredibly impressive how often you reply to people. It'll be hard to keep that up always I'm sure, but you're dedicated for sure :)
Haha, I've noticed a lot of data / detailed oriented people tend to gravitate towards these genres as well. Especially the more tactical based ones 😂
And thank you! I'm glad to hear there's been a noticeable improvment in my videos. I think it's started to translate to work and other applications but there's always room for improvement 😂
I try to respond to most comments when possible! One of the best parts of having a niche channel is interacting with a lot of like-minded people who share a similar love for the hobby :)
I collect CIB games, so pretty much every game I buy is a splurge lol! That being said, I end up compensating for that by only purchasing a few games a year. My main rule of thumb is basically the newer the game, the less I am willing to pay for it. Half the time, $79.99 is too much for a modern game to me lol! The eshop closing has been challenging this a bit; I see 3DS games going for $80-$100 and I'm like "omg seriously??!" Some of the games *are* around 10 years old at this point, but still!
Anyway, I just discovered your channel and have really been enjoying your video game collecting videos! Cheers :)
You brought up a lot of great points Emily. Some of the titles that I fell into the FOMO trap and overpaid were Celeste, Ys 8 and all of the Shantae games on the Switch. Ys 8 was reprinted not too long after and Celeste just got it's reprint announced while the Shantae games were released elsewhere even though I prefer to have them on Switch. It does suck knowing that I overpaid for them at the end of the day but knowing others get the chance to own these physically now without having to go through that makes me feel better. I'm over the whole limited super rare run company holding these titles prisoner from the average consumer. While I would like to get Ryza 2 on Switch, I'm definitely going to hold off on a potential reprint for that one since it seems like a no brainer. I'd rather keep a series consistent on the same console.
Congratulations on getting Phoenix Wright and Prof Layton! I remember being so excited for it when it was announced and barely playing it once I did get it but I'll definitely be returning to it soon. The Ace Attorney series is one of my favorites and you'll definitely enjoy them! I agree with you on the whole visual novel portability thing. I want to pick up the Nonary games physically as well but something is stopping me from getting on the PS4, I'd rather have them on the Vita.
Yup I am also happy for reprints as well so that more collectors can add great quality titles in their collections. Even if it was a game I had already purchased at or above MSRP, the speculative monetary value was never why I started collecting. And I still think Koe Tecmo will reprint Ryza 2 soon! Maybe shortly after Ryza 3 releases (or shortly before because of the launch delay).
Oh and definitely consider revisiting Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright sometime soon! There's some free DLC that you can only access if you beat the game so I'm thinking of playing through it ASAP 😅
@@orbalology I can understand if people are upset when they are collecting to eventually sell but that's definitely not why I started collecting either. To each their own, keeping my fingers crossed for Ryza 2!
I had a good time with the Layton games that I did play and I loved their aesthetic but some of those puzzles made me put the game down. Thank you for the heads up on the free DLC! I had no idea the game even had DLC.
Being someone who lives in Australia I don’t need to worry about reprints as I collect Aus rated and we never get the reprints along side the ESRB and PEGI. I’ll grab a Pal version if it’s several hundred cheaper than Aus Pal which unfortunately lately is a regular occurrence.
Definitely a great video and I agree that if it’s a publisher that reprints often definitely wait around and don’t let FOMO get the best of you
I want to thank you for introducing me to VideoGamesPlus. I didnt know about it prior to discovering your channel and it helps that it is located in Canada so i dont have to pay duties (im in Canada as well). Since discovering it 2 weeks ago, ive made 2 orders and im sure many more will come. Haha.
Anyway speaking of Atelier Ryza, your senses were right because VGP just announced a reprint.
Oh I'm glad I was able to point you towards them! I've had only great experiences with them so far. PNP Games is another one in Canada that may be worth checking out too :)
I didn't realize Celeste was getting an reprint. I will be adding this to my collection, Thank you 😀
I am an physical collector at heart, If an game I want to purchase will cost a lot of money I will purchase the game digitally (usually on sale) or play an free demo first and from my experience with game I will know if it's worth paying the price for me personally.
I was really happy to hear Celeste finally hit retail the other day! Really looking forward to adding it to my collection as well :)
The timing of your video topics can't be more perfect i swear lol.
This is definitely something i feel HEAVILY for when it comes to collecting for the Nintendo Switch, prices aside, the fomo is an understatement at best. Unlike the PS4/5 most games i've wanted (specially the limited to collectors edition) i've gotten all at release, even then after the fact some if not most of these LE/CE's are still available at MSRP or a bit more.
However when it comes to collecting on the Switch, i have this sense of urgency due to games being more rare and overall just sought after so low prints to normal prints are usually higher than MSRP sadly, so trying to navigate through that has been rough to say the least! (Example of this is Deadly Premonition Origins, the base game has little to no prints left and the Collectors is over 120$ CAD whereas a few years ago it was less than MSRP :/, also a game i adore and love.)
This video is super helpful, genuinely speaking collecting in 2023 for the NSW is rather daunting due to price and the obscene rarity of some games, i love my LE's and CE's and i really want XBC2/3 but they cost more than life itself lol.. it's sad but also makes sense, thank you for this video and as always, stellar work Emily :)
I'm glad to hear the video was helpful for you Mike! I agree it's really hard to navigate collecting for certain systems but I hope you're able to find some good deals this year! :)
Fomo is definitely something I've been susceptible to in the past but I've learned to sit on something for a bit and the urge does tend to subside. One game that I kind of splurged on was a copy of Soul Silver a few years ago. But seeing the prices it goes for now, I was lucky to have made purchase when I did. Thanks for the great discussion!
Ah Soul Silver is a game on my list too. I'm glad you were able to get it before prices totally shot up!
@@orbalology Good luck on the hunt for it!
Really enjoy your videos. Probably because we have similar taste in games and collecting philosophies.
I try to set a monthly spending limit for myself so my collection steadily grows and I stay in budget. I do tend to give myself some extra budget for the holiday sales though.
Thanks, glad to hear you're enjoying the videos! 😊
Setting a monthly budget can grant some flexibility while staying the course in not overspending on this hobby. I like to do this too though some months I can go a bit overboard & have to sell other hobby things to recover 😅
An extremely worthwhile topic. Collecting these days has definitely gotten crazy 😂
It really has! It's become so overwhelming & too easy to get caught up in all the hype nowadays 😅
Your channel got recommended to me a few days ago, and I have been enjoying your content so far, Ms. Emily! Subscribed and keep up the great work! :D
In terms of splurging, I, personally, never do that hehe. I'm always willing to stand by, no matter how long it takes, (which, in turn, also means that I don't give into FOMO) and wait for the absolute right time (and price hehe), to get games I want. :) But, I'm also okay if I never get said games anyway, since ultimately, there are plenty of awesome games that I already have, and I feel very blessed to have said collection. :D
Thank you! And it sounds like you're stronger than many us not giving into FOMO haha. I've been trying to adopt a similar mindset that if I can't get a physical game there'll always be more games to buy in the future for better prices. But some collecting grails can be hard to let go I confess 😅
@@orbalology Hehe, it's understandable for sure, especially when it comes to your personal grails or your favorites. You'll definitely have a softer spot for those titles, and thus, you will definitely want to get them ASAP, and to that, I say, do it, and collect them to your hearts content haha! :D
I feel so lucky for choosing Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney as my first 3ds game lol. I was so hyped for the crossover! It sucks that it didn't sell well.
The most I ever splurged was to get DQ V DS for 200$ 😅 my whole DQ DS collection was bought last year after playing 11, but I consider it worth it since it became one of favorite franchises.
Oof $200 is a lot but with the current prices I've been seeing them listed for it may be a bargain by comparison lol. The DQ games are so great though! Really looking forward to the upcoming HD-2D DQ3 remaster :)
It was only a few days after you uploaded this video that Atelier Ryza 1&2 both got reprints announced 😀
Haha, good timing :)
What the?! I had no idea ys viii was reissued and I missed it 🤦♂️
I wish we were neighbors so you could help me with this stuff 😂
Btw, i kept an eye on the namco store, and was able to get the tales games for $10 in the chinese new year sale this week. Thank you for the tip! 🙌
Oh I'm glad you were able to score a great deal on those Tales games! 🙌
I did just pick up Kid Icarus myself, had owned it let it go and fomo got me. But I was patient and happily paid $45 for CIB. When you’re after market shopping so you focus on new or will you nab CIB/raw etc. Love PW and Layton games myself! So good!
$45 is a great deal for CIB these days! I try to go for CIB used mostly but when certain sites are offering MRSP for new reprints I try to grab those.
I normally don't get fomo with physical games, but the closing of the Eshops really got me. :(
Can't miss on my opportunity to buy Pokemon Crystal digitally!
I had to buy up all the Phoenix Wright games myself. They'll probably re-release those on the Switch or elsewhere eventually but it really won't be the same.
Splurging on things you truly enjoy is never a bad thing! The problem with FOMO however is that it's notorious for making you lose sight of what you actually want to collect and play in my experience. I've been guilty of buying these types of games in the past, and don't get me wrong, owning something that has a constantly increasing re-sell value has a certain element of satisfaction to it. But I feel like the line between owning a game for genuine enjoyment vs owning a game for exclusivity can get very blurry. I've had to reel myself in many times and it's definitely not easy, but I don't want my collection to become bloated, I'd rather it be a representation of my tastes.
Patience is key like you say! Fighting FOMO is getting easier with re-prints and retailers like VGP & PNP stocking Limited Run Games, Strictly Limited Games etc.
It really is a struggle to not get too caught up in FOMO! With the 3DS eshop closing I had to think really carefully about what games to grab without losing sight too much 😅 But I agree, places like VGP/PNP have made fighting FOMO a little easier at least.
Awesome advice. Maybe it is time I splurge on the project x zone games on 3ds as they are the only two games I really still want for the system.
Those are good choices to splurge on imo! Especially with them pulled off the eshop already due to licensing issues.
Video Game Plus? I can’t believe I’ve never heard of them. Damn, do I suck. As for splurging, I try extremely hard and avoid overpriced collector’s editions. Even though the FOMO can be brutal sometimes. The one series I allow myself to splurge on is anything Dragon Quest related. It’s my absolute favorite series and I’ll allow myself to splurge on whatever collector’s edition they’re releasing, for example The Edition of Lost Time version of Dragon Quest XI. Anyway, great video as always.
Well, now you're in the know! VGP is great 😊
I'm really glad I was able to obtain the 3DS Shin Megami Tensei games before the prices when up on them even more, though I did end up having to pay $80 for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse because I couldn't find a complete copy for less than that and people were even charging $70 for just the cartridge at the time. The Etrian Odyssey games are something that have only recently come to my attention, but a lot of those game are rather pricey now. Being someone who really loves dungeon crawlers, they look like something that would be right up my alley, hopefully I can at least afford to get a few of them in the future.
Reprints or retailers somehow getting additional copies of certain games can be a very pleasant surprise. I was browsing the Video Games Plus site earlier this month and I was very happy to find out they had copies of the Axiom Verge & Axiom Verge 2 combo release from Limited Run for a reasonable price. That was a release I thought I would never be able to afford with the prices I had see it go for previously so I eagerly took advantage of the opportunity to get it. Sometimes you can get really lucky browsing the restocks that some retailers list on their sites, so it never hurts to give those a glance.
There's been some speculation that we'll see Atlus bring back Etrian Odyssey in some form this year. Not sure how likely this is but if you can definitely see if you can secure a few of the 3DS games. And agreed! I do this too with new websites and check to see if there's anything that's been overlooked by the regulars 😅
Quality and really interesting topics with useful tips and insightful view as usual one of the rare videos that I really watch completely. What do you think are the possibility of Messenger reprint?
I think this heavily depends on what the original contract with SRG. It's an undoubtedly popular title so I'm surprised it hasn't hit retail like so many other Devolver games. Though I wouldn't be surprised for a retail release after Sea of Stars comes out. But if it's not coming to the Switch again I think it's likely it'll re-release for the next Nintendo console.
I had been putting off getting a copy of Chrono Trigger, telling myself that it was an eventuality that it would get an HD2D remake, but I saw a really well taken care of DS copy of the game and decided to splurge just the other day. I had owned a copy for the SNES when I was a kid and had been meaning to pick it up again. I find myself often being TOO patient and putting off purchasing things and then realizing they disappear LOL. I avoid buying any games, limited edition/ or not, if I wouldnt actually play it though. I'm a terrible collector!
I've definitely fallen into this too. Sometimes I wait too long for something to go on sale and then they shoot up way in price before you know it 😂
Great video, Emily
Thank you! 😄
Muramasa The Demon Blade is a gem. Still have my Wii copy and I hope it does come out for modern systems :-)
It's such a cool game, I can't wait to play through it all! And it'll be great if Vanillaware brings it over to modern systems at some point for more to enjoy as well :)
A weird one I want to put on your radar is Hypnospace Outlaw on Switch. It's a phenomenally bizarre point and click that captures the nostalgia of the early internet beautifully. You can pick it up for $35 online, but I missed out when Best Buy had it clearanced for $8!
Also comes with a mini cd!
Oh this looks like such a fun love letter to the 90s, thanks for putting this on my radar!
Hello. I enjoy your videos. I already splurged on FE Divine for extra 😂 before i saw this video
The FE Engage collector's edition is really stunning, so I don't blame you! 😂
There are a few games that I’d love to add to my 3DS collection, but I can’t really justify getting them since either their prices have skyrocketed, or I already own the original edition for the DS. If I already own a copy of a game, I don’t tend to re-purchase it on a different console even if the newer version is considered the definitive edition. The FOMO isn’t there either since I know I can play all the games for free at any time.😄
I’m gatekeeping Devil’s Third on the Wii U. One of the best “bad” games ever. It’s so fun.
$70 for Muramasa Rebirth? I bought it for $20 back in 2019. Prices are getting stupid these days. I wonder if a market correction is going to occur. These prices are unsustainable.
Great advice! I tend to wait longer than most, but I usually will only get games that I really want to play. I do splurge every once in a while when I bought a digital game and then find out it goes physical if it’s under 50 bucks I usually get it. Hahaha
You have a lot more self control compared to a lot of us I think 😂
@@orbalology hahahahaha well it’s less self control, and more I need to wait until I resell some more stuff on eBay or else I sleep on the couch 😂😂. I love playing video games, but not as much as I love my back not hurting.😂
😂😂😂
My limit is double the MSRP price, I had to check with my past orders and yeah I try to avoid going past that. I'm jealous you got Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright. I made my peace with that game, but when I was window shopping I did see it for sell and was really tempted to buy alas after waiting a day it was gone. Easy come, easy go.
Double MSRP is a good rule of thumb. I may have to adopt that soon for some of the older games as well.
And yeah I remember we talked about this game a couple weeks ago 😅 While I think following our collecting rules help keep us in check sometimes allowing for a little flexibility from time to time can also be good as well. You never know, you may come across another copy in better condition and for a better price once the 3DS hype settles down. So you may not need to rule out the game just yet :)
Thanks for the video. I’m finding myself at a crossroads thinking about reducing my collection to make room. When I think about collecting, I find myself concerned about disc based games, especially pre blu ray because of disk rot. So I love it when those games get re released or remade on modern consoles. I love switch games because it uses carts. May be last time that is done. Also I have never really sold any of my collection and so I’m struggling learning where and how to sell them. I’d love to go to a swap meet but don’t know of any. Also, I’d love to back up games but I’m not tech and am just clueless. I’ve even thought about buying a cheap Chinese emulation machine because it’s preloaded. There’s barriers to entry for many of us out here :(
I agree, selling can really be a hassle. I've sold a lot of things online but with all the fees & shipping sometimes it doesn't feel worth it. I have a feeling that I'll be needing to trim down my collection within the next couple of years and I'm not looking forward to it :(
I have to thank you for introducing me to VGP! I recently ordered Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Torna and I’m so happy to be able to get them new at MSRP. That is my new favorite game store.
Out of curiosity, do you think there will be a market correction on 3DS games a year or so after the eShop closure? Obviously scarcity will be higher than ever, but that market is so hot right now due to the “doomsday clock” of the eShop closure.
I think we'll be seeing a bit of a rollercoaster with prices before they start to settle down to the 'true' market prices. There's so much hype & speculation I think this year will inflate many games higher than they 'should' probably be. But some games may only continue to climb, it's all hard to predict 😅
Wise words as always!
I suppose a couple of extra things I think about are fit for the console hardware (e.g. the Switch version of Skyward Sword is better in many ways but drift starts to set in much faster than the original on the Wii) and also the region-locking (or not) of the console, many developers do not release their games in Europe because of the translation burden and so a rerelease on a future console may end up just being for NA,.
In terms of exceptions I tend to find that Zelda and Dragon Quest games can name their price and I will just pay.😅
Those are definitely good points to keep in mind! And I've been really close to picking up some of the expensive Dragon Quest DS games... but I keep hesitating out of fear they'll all see re-releases soonish 😅
NIS reprint of Princess Liar and Blind Prince sold out quick. This was another evening random launch like Square-Enix's Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection. The recent reprints gives me hope of picking up some rare titles and makes me just wait it out, instead of splurging for a rare title on places like eBay.
Yup, I'll be talking about this sale in my end of the month pickups video. I was one of the few to place an order successfully but NISA still messed it up pretty badly 😔
I’ve been collecting for a long time and typically keep purchases under $20. I make exceptions from time to time but there are so many great games in that price range that I don’t need to very often. Also since you mentioned Vanillaware I think you should add GrimGrimoire to your list. It’s fantastic in every way and is being released on the Switch soon.
Wow, it's really difficult to find a lot of games for under $20. I've found a few deals from time to time but rarely find many in that range 😅 And I have the GrimGrimoire remaster on my radar! Hoping to grab that slightly discounted in the latter half of the year.
@@orbalology Right now I have 335 games on my wish list that have a Pricecharting value of under $20 CIB. They range in platform from the Atari 2600 to PS5 and are in many genres. I also tend to do most of my new game purchasing at/around Black Friday every year.
This is a great video. I definitely have bought from fomo. Celeste is a game I paid too much for especially with the rerelease. Some of these games like alliance alive for example, I bought on eBay for switch. But switch is a tough system because you never see a lot of releases in the wild. I have a ton of Switch purchases I never saw at any retailer. They make so few because they think you’ll buy digital if you don’t find a copy. But I won’t. So it’s a tough system to collect for, especially if you have a conservative “fun” budget.
It's really difficult to know when to wait or buy certain games, especially on the Switch which have so many niche releases they keep pumping out. It's all difficult to keep up with so there will always be titles that slip through the cracks 😅
If there is one ds/3ds series for splurging is Professor Layton games in general. They are extremely wanted. I've just splurged in Zelda Spirit tracks, It have a very good dual screen gameplay that possibily won't be the same in a eventual future port.
Prioritizing the games that take advantage of the dual screen is always a good idea! I've been trying to do the same with some of the last few 3DS (and eventually more DS) titles for the collection.
Hello and happy Friday! What are your thoughts on the Final Fantasy pixel remaster on switch? Thats one I really want but fear due to limited amounts being produced it will remain a relatively high dollar amount game to acquire. Have a great weekend!
Happy Friday! I missed out on the FF pixel remaster on the Switch too & I'm still hoping Square Enix will have an Asian-English or a retail (w/out the lenticular cover) release at some point. The $100 price tag for the SE store exclusive one is hard to swallow so if they were to restock it tbh I would probably hesitate buying it 😅
Unfortunately if Square Enix doesn't print any more copies or release alternative physical versions the sold out copies are probably going to really skyrocket in price. And if that's the case I'll probably just wait to see if they'll re-release this on the next gen consoles at some point. But I'm not the biggest FF fan so this all comes down to personal priorities and what compromises you may be willing to make in order to acquire a copy for your collection.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is one of the few games I'm missing too. VGP did do some 3ds reprints early on like with Tales of Abyss, and many Atlus titles but I doubt they'll do anymore considering how old the console is now.
Yeah I think all the 3DS carts are long gone now, there may be a few more reprints but they'll be few & far between.
"Low print niche games" should be the name of this channel. lol. 😆
lol I do love so many of them! 😂
in france blue reflection cost 45 € when i bought it in 2018 , now it's cost 100 € more and not available in shop , only online , i never see it at retail shop
I just bought some of the last 3DS games I wanted physically because I know the eShop is closing in 2 months and I do not wanna miss out on the Fire Emblem Fates games. They'll most likely skyrocket in price after March so now's as good a time as ever.
Yup, I think buying a lot of the 3DS titles now is probably a good move.
It's looking like I'm going to have to splurge if I want to eventually get the Professor Layton games. I got the first three a long time ago, and then got the Last Specter a few years after release since I didn't have a 3DS on launch. There are so many other older games I never managed to pick up that are probably more expensive now as well.
My price range for collecting varies on when I actually find the game available, and whether or not I find the price worth it at the time. Though I don't think I've payed over $100 for a single game as of yet though.
There's a possibility that the Layton games will get a Switch remaster... but I don't see Level-5 focusing resources on some repackage. They may also play a little oddly on the Switch compared to the 3DS going from dual screens to single screen w/out a stylus.
I recently picked up a used CIB copy of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (PAL) for the equivalent of $30. The collecting market in South Africa is much smaller so used game prices for older titles are still pretty reasonable.
I've actually been considering picking the PAL version of that game and just playing it on a region free modded 3DS 😅 It's strange how different regional prices can substantially vary for certain games 😅
It's a great topic to cover, I'm sure it will help many potential buyers. I generally try to get the less popular games. For example, I skipped over Fire Emblem Awakening and instead bought Fire Emblem Echoes and Fire Emblem Fates Conquest. I figured that Awakening is so popular that there would be a lot on the market or it would be ported in the future.
Agreed, I can see Awakening having some sort of reboot in the future, though Fates maybe too bc of the eshop exclusive dlc that's ending soon. But in general it's a good idea to prioritize the less known/niche titles. The popular or AAA titles are all printed in mass quantity and easy to obtain later.
@@orbalology I really hope so. There’s just nothing really like Fire Emblem on other platforms. So it would be nice to see the older games become more accessible in the future.
I wish they would print a but more to demand, especially for games a few years old. Glad places like VGP have been helping fill that void, but of course it would be nice to have a local retailer to buy them at. Heck, I remember people freaking out back in like 2015ish and prices jumping for Zelda on 3ds, thankfully Nintendo reprinted it and now it’s easy to find.
Glad to see Celeste getting a new printing, i wasn’t big into collecting at the time but did order from the initial limited run printing. But has come to a point where I don’t want to open it even though I know I won’t sell it. Maybe the price will drop and I’ll finally open it? Probably not it’s a different print, probably won’t hurt the value, ha maybe I’ll order this new one.
The new Fangamer printed Celeste may be a more complete cart, so we'll have to see what happens with the LRG version. I have a feeling prices will dip a bit but will still have that different variant higher value.
👏👏👏 Fantastic 3DS pick up. Around $100 is a good deal for that game considering current prices. Which is crazy to say 😅😅
I think you have a good approach to splurging. Its a very careful line to walk because so many games these days seem to get reprinted. The only Switch game I've splurged on was the Asian English release of Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV. But I won't be splurging on any other Switch games going forward. The dual release NISA games Saviors of Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Revisited has tempted me but I doubt I will get it.
In terms of splurging for other consoles the 3DS is the only one I will just to grab the collectors editions and standard editions I want. Buy hey I'm a 3DS collector I gotta right? 😂😂
Enjoy your time Layton Vs Wright! ^^
Oh that Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City Switch release is one of the NISA titles I'm thinking of getting actually, though I'm not really in need of any more dungeon crawlers in the collection 😅 And yup you're one of the biggest 3DS collectors I know so splurging on that console definitely tracks :)
Since LRG probably won't make celeste again do you think the price for those will actually go down a lot? Or will the people who want the LRG version for their collection keep the price up due to scarcity?
I think it depends on whether there'll be a revised cart for the new game or not. If it's a more complete version I think many collectors will place more value on that over time. But the LRG holographic cover is pretty cool so some collectors may like to have that in their collection. It's hard to know but I think the retail version will ultimately drive down prices for the LRG variants.
@@orbalology Good to know, thanks
If you don’t mind my asking, where did you get The Alliance Alive for Switch? I just got the 3ds version and have been looking everywhere for the remaster but can’t find any full box copies.
I bought it on NISA's store page over a year ago and unfortunately they're out of stock now. The NA version is difficult to track down these days but the pegi and Asian English are a bit easier to find around MSRP if you don't mind buying those regions on eBay/Amazon. PlayAsia recently had a sale on the Asian English one but it looks like they only have PS4 copies left.
I picked the worst time to get Blue Reflection. Literally two weeks before the reprint was announced! 😂 😢
At least I got the PAL version, so it wasn't as expensive.
Oh no 😭 Sorry to hear that happened but yeah thankfully you went for the PAL version.
It's just a casual hobby. I don't really have any golden grail games that I would pay high prices for. I do tend to impulsively go through phases of infatuation with certain systems where I start picking stuff up physically. If I am really interested in playing it I will just pirate it instead of paying high prices, but I also understand why people love to collect physical copies too!
I recently was able to grab a copy of XC2 for under retail price. I assume that was part of the reprint. But how do I know if it includes the patches? The barcode has zeros on it indicating it’s an original print right? But I definitely don’t think it’s an original based on the fact they started printing them again?
I share how you can identify revised switch carts in the video linked up in the card. The Switch case barcode on the back is not a full proof way to identify them unfortunately, since reprints and revised carts are not necessarily correlated with one another. There's a pretty extensive list of games that have seen revisions that I link in the description of that video :)
1st print copies of celeste will likely still retain a lot of value (for sealed at least) because the foil cover is freaking gorgeous! those atlus 3ds reprints have some weird ass shrinkwrap seal that totally looks like a reseal 🤣 afaik the AoT final battle reprint looks the exact same as the original that used to go for $300-400 🤣
My big general rule of thumb is to only get something if I intend to play it (always intend because we all have to play piles, right?). I personally don't have a need to collect everything in a series or all North American releases for console A. I am pretty stingy when it comes to collector's editions. I have to really like the series and want the collectables. As for Limited Run Games, et al, I don't really bother.
Yup I try to pick up games I intend to play too, though I guess my problem is there are just too many games I'm interested in and would never be able to get through in my lifetime 😅
FOMO drove my collecting for like the first two and a half years... I've chilled way out now. That's mostly because I got a new car, so I literally can't afford to splurge on games like I did anymore...😅 Oh well, maybe it'll help me forge new and better habits.
Haha when I started heavily collecting again in 2019/2020 I definitely gave in to plenty of FOMO too. Nothing too outrageous but there were plenty of things I definitely could have waited on at the time. It happens to the best of us, and I suppose it's all part of a collector's journey lol :)
Always loved professor Layton, bought all the DS games when they came out but never picked up any of the 3DS titles; i kick myself for that. But E.O. Nexus will likely be my next splurge 🙏🏼
The best price I've seen for the NA version of Etrian Odyssey Nexus is on PNP games (if that's the region you collect for too). I've been debating picking it up for the longest time & I may have to give in soon 😅
Koei Tecmo and Gust reprinting copies gives me hope that Nights of Azure gets some reprint love soon.
I would love to see a reprint of that as well!
I love your videos! And your amazing!
I dont understand ebay. Alot of games are rare? Hard to get, but when you look on ebay there are sometimes hundreds or even thousands of the same game, all going for hundreds of dollars? I can see if you search celeste and maybe like 14 posts come up then yea maybe 200 of more? But when there are endless pages of the same game is it really rare? I am in the mindset ( i even told the gamestop lady) if i need something there is a surplus on ebay, so i dont even pre-order.
Yup ebay is full of speculative resellers. The listings really showcase how oversaturated the market can be for overinflated but still fairly common games.
i regret passing up on Solatorobo for the DS. i saw a CIB for just over a hundred and now it's more than double. i believe to this day it's still only on the DS.
Wow yeah that game really commands such high prices these days. I would love to see it offered on another system at some point, I keep hearing how enjoyable it is but those prices 🙈
I’m happy Celeste is getting reprinted by Fangamer. I hope one day Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse gets reprinted as well. Those prices are outrageous!
i bought shantea for 16 $ in 2020 for 3Ds new sealed , in france
Yeah, I initially wanted to collect JRPGs on Switch, but FOMO has really deterred me from this. I'm sure you're very familiar with what happened with the Physical versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel ports. I kinda suspect an asia physical release of this, and possibly a Japan release too (I noticed the Japanese store didn't offer a standard edition). It can be frustraiting, as I don't want to support this practice, nor do I want to support scalpers either. On the other hand, I'm really happy about the amount of JRPG ports we are getting these days, and the Asia English versions are just wonderful for this too.
I would like to get a US 3DS before the Eshop closes too as I want a physical copy I can play of SMT IV. I'm in the UK and we never received a physical release of this, and it's my favourite non-Persona Megami Tensei game, so I'd love to get it before prices go through the roof!
Yeah the whole FFF Pixel remaster physicals were not done well at all. I'm still hopeful for retail and/or Asian-English versions but the whole thing did leave a bad taste in the mouth.
For the US 3DS you can always mod any system so that it's region free to be able to play the SMT IV physical cart! I've been considering doing that for a few EU games that were either exclusives or are currently cheaper than the NA versions.
So happy Celeste is getting a reprint for a fair price. I was late to playing it and just finished it a couple of days ago and wanted to add it to my physical games collection. No way was I gonna pay that much for it lol
I was really thrilled when they announced the Celeste re-release too. I wrote it off as something I would never be able to add to the collection so it's great to now have this opportunity.
I just bought one of the OG Limited Run ones. I think they were trying to make money off of it before the reprint. It was like 60$, and even though I knew they were doing a reprint, I figured $60 for an UNOPENED Limited Run cover was worth it. It's also supposed to be sort of holographic. I just find this cover a lot prettier. Normally I wouldn't care though.
Good call on the Layton/Wright game. E-shop closure looming, A "remaster" highly unlikely.
My "splurge" games:
Metroid Prime Pinball with the Rumble pack $70 (NDS) [CIB]
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon $65 (NDS) [No Manual]
Super Metroid $75 (SNES) [Loose]
Ar Nosurge (PS3) $65 [CIB] [Vita is WAAAAY to Expensive]
Deception IV: Nightmare Princess -Asian English (Vita) [CIB] [One of my most rare game, I payed $75 back in the day to have it imported]
Oh nice splurges, and not too bad especially considering prices today!
Oh Emily don’t remind me about Pirates Curse 😭. I have every other shantae game on the switch, because they had them all at the Limited Run Retail grand opening, but I wasn’t early enough for pirates curse 😅. Now that 800 dollar price tag mocks me haha
Oof I feel you there! It's the one I'm missing too but gave up on a long time ago. Maybe someday Wayforward will release a retail version 😅
@@orbalology yeah I also gave up lol. Maybe one day I’ll get it but until then, I’ll be waiting patiently because I’ll never pay that much for a game that is only a standard version lol