9:38 made me laugh out loud after a particularly stressful day at school. Thanks retro bird for making my Friday (and subsequent weekend) more filled with laughter and joy!
That's one way to diet. Well, US citizens are among the fattest and overweight folks in the world. Most just wanted a sitting job in an office. Then they pretend that the snacks and soft drink next to them doesn't do anything to the weight. When they visit the doctors, the doctors try to tell them to lose weight. So they start and 2 weeks later, back to eating snacks and soft drink. The most they excersice is by walking to the car and driving to the nearest grocery to buy more junk food. They probably sweat a lot for exceeding the limit of steps to the car. Once they get home, the sofa feels comfortable and with a few more snacks, they are good to go. That's a lot of excersice. When they look at how skinny the Orientals are like the Japanese, they just can't believe how they keep that shape. I wonder why. Perhaps they never heard of constantly walking to burn the fat and sugar intakes.
Yes to JPN games, yes to saving for the ones you really want, and definitely yes to telling everyone you know you want old gaming stuff. People just start giving you their old games with blatant disregard of value
My best friend since 4th grade hooked me up with his childhood copies of Contra III, Final Fantasy III, F-Zero, Mega Man 2, Metal Gear Solid, FFVII, Gran Turismo, an NES, and a few manuals including DOOM 64 and KI Gold all packaged in a nice N64 tote bag that came as a preorder bonus when he got his N64 from Toys R Us. Needless to say I was beyond excited. It was awesome to watch him sit down the day he gave them to me and beat Mega Man 2 from start to finish while only dying once. FFIII still had his original save data on the cart and I couldn't bear to see that data gone. So I soldered a AA battery to the terminals while I replaced the 2032 internal battery. Now that data should be good for another 20 years. Thanks Mikey! You're the best!
Now that's a friend,a buddy of mine that I hadn't seen in 20 years started seeing my ex-wife,I was happy for them,well I guess he thought I wouldn't,first day I seen him he hooked me up with a Saturn and I nice copy of fighting vipers,I couldn't believe it,now I'm telling them to get married,hard to say what I'll receive,lol
I blame my podcast cohost for getting me hooked on your videos. Just wanted to let you know I enjoy what you do, and type light hearted approach. As for strategies, I suggest making sure you make friends with game store clerks and owners, thrift or pawn shop employees, etc. If they know you're on the hunt, and you build a good rapport, you might even get to the point where they remember you and teach out to you to let you know amen something particularly juicy comes in, maybe even before it hits store shelves.
One of the few guys in the retro game scene with good humor. I was just wondering if there are any 80's peeps out there that just started collecting for these 8/16/32 bit machines. People start to collect the things first they sold when they were young. Then you get the games you've rented/played with friends that you liked but never had. Then you see these awesome games that you played through an emulator that you want to have in original form. Then OCD kicks in and you want to have these games complete and you start to upgrade those carts with better ones. Before you know it, you became a retro game collector.
The secret to having help from friends is to have help from friends who go to antique malls and thrift stores. I've found tons of oddball consoles and oddball collectibles for my main video gaming friend, ranging from a Sonic the Hedgehog plate to an early Pong system with its own rifle-sized light gun. It's fun for him, and makes birthday and Christmas shopping easy for me.
That's a great idea. I need to tell my friend who is visiting Japan to get my wanted lists with an S. It's every version of N64 consoles and matching color controllers, an autograph with Mario/Zelda Maker and anyone important, PC engines games, a 6 in Hello Kitty stuffy doll, a life size Link and many more. Also a Sake. All of these are highly wanted and because that friend is special. Lol
@@tr1bes Several years ago, I went to a used record store in Memphis with one of my friends. While we're browsing, a British guy walked up to the register and demanded the clerk show him all their Sun Records first pressings. Literally everyone in the store looked up and stared at him like "WTF?" Somehow, he thought every store there had stacks of old Elvis singles sitting around.
My best suggestions are 1)buy the Games in the condition you want it in and do not settle for something you plan to "Upgrade" later. 2) Look at the market pattern. There is a 15 year retro price increase wave.
Great video, when I started collecting I picked a few systems and a roadmap for how I wanted to see my collection over the years. No one could have predicted the prices that games go for today, but I think I made my young collector self proud
Collecting games is all about focus. Nobody can own every game ever unless they're rich but at that point, why would you want a huge collection you'll never play most of?
Hagane is the best example of thinking strategically. The cib American hagane sells for $5000 - $7000 in good condition. The cib Japanese Hagane has the same artwork on the box and is the same exact game with no text to read, and costs $200 - $300. I am proud to own my beautiful Japanese cib Hagane, which I bought for $220 last year.
Being known as the retro-gamer in your circle DOES WORK! A friend tended to sell his old toys for cheap back in the day. This included his Genesis collection. But almost two decades later, he found one at his parents' place and gave it to me. I am now a proud owner of King's Bounty!
For eBay shopping, you can remove certain items from your searches if you type - followed by a keyword, like -repro or -manual. It can make scrolling through less time consuming. I agree on the novelty of buying versions of games from other regions. I bought the Super Famicom version of Super Godzilla because I thought it was cool.
Retro bird in 15 years: Bread bag clip Sara Lee Whole Wheat | FACTORY SEALED - $450 Bread Bag clip Great Value | slightly used, only one white bend line - $100 starting bid
My strategy is, buy for a system that has just been phased out that may interest you (let's say the PS4). Many people are selling their games cheap right now and if you have this magical thing called 'patience' those bargain bin games you were keen to play could be worth something in the future.
This is the right strategy. Keep it up. While everyone focus on highly wanted console/games, head toward the one that no one is looking for. 15-20 years later, these overlooked games will be look upon.
Peck, I should've bought the physical copy of Ittle Dew back when it was in my local game store because now it's overpriced online. It's $115 and I'm really annoyed that I didn't grab that game when it was available because it's a great game! Now, I have to wait until the price drops to a more reasonable level.
My strategy on collecting I count how many games I have for each console and I don't go overboard on trying to get every game. I just get the games that interest me to keep my collection as small as possible
This covered things pretty thoroughly. I've used most of these ideas. Last summer, I went to zero game stores or any other kind of shopping, and just bought 2 higher priced games that I really wanted on PC-FX. I still spent a few hundred dollars, but I'd decided that I was going to either get a couple of PC-FX or Neo Geo AES games, depending on what I found online at the right price, and I got a couple of strong deals. It's helped me several times that my mom loves garage sales and my wife is always poking around swap and sell sites. They both give me a quick call, text, or whatever when they come across something, and I've scored tons of great stuff without having to get up myself. My favorite was about 20 years ago when my mom found a box of Jaguar/Jaguar CD stuff including consoles and about 25 games for $30. She called me, and I got up and bought it all. I already had a Jaguar and several games, so I kept the CD unit amd the games I didn't have, and gave the extra console and games to my brother so we could use the JagLink and play co-op Doom and enjoy the constant crashing! I do more importing than anything these days. I have most of what I want domestically, so imports are my main thing anymore. However, there are some games that people should know are either nearly or exactly the same in other regions. 32X and Neo Geo games boot up in the region of the hardware they're played on (with a few exceptions), so you're gonna get that english experience if you're playing on an english console. Super Metroid has a language selection in the game options in any region. Loads of Japanese games are just all in english to begin with if you take a minute to search, while others like, say, Nosferatu on SNES only have Japanese in the cutscenes, or Blue Stinger or Deep Fear have Japanese text, but English voice acting, so you can follow the story still. More often than not, though, I am the one who finds deals when I'm out and about, and I'll either do some birthday/Christmas shopping for my friends, or contact them to let them know or offer to pick it up for them. I have a good buddy who does the same for me, though he's yet to find anything I need, he still texts me photos from toy shows all the time to check or to ask what something is. It's good to have friends.
What I do is watch the bid starts for games I want. The seller is hoping it will get higher than it is worth, but sometimes it does not & boom you win! Still have to win the bid though. Here's my Ebay tip January 4 the Win! Majority of the people spend all there money on Christmas so bids usually never go higher than actual price! I got Darkwing Duck on the GB for $25 and it markets around $40, so I consider that a big win. If u don't win don't worry about it there retro games it will be available again. You just have to bid your time! Did u c I misspelled Bide! Ha-Ha!
I started collecting GBA games at the price drop. Only cartridges. The great thing about them is that you can ship those for the price of a postcard or simple letter. Shipping can be very expensive, go small!
I’m glad your channel randomly popped up in my recommended feed. I really like the videos, topics, and your sense of humor. Keep up the good work. Subscribed!
Recently picked up a Repro cart, and with the exception of it being a slightly tighter squeeze than authentic carts, it works perfectly fine and I saved $70. I may consider adding other repros to my collection if they are as good as this one.
I only collect games that catch my eye, fit a specific genres, and only for specific consoles. I recently bought "The Cruel King and the Great Hero" (storybook edition) which came with a bunch of goodies and it's a turn-based RPG with a unique style for the Nintendo Switch. I only collect for 3 consoles rn: GameBoy, 3DS, and Switch. I wanted a new turn-based game that I'd probably replay a bunch, so I looked for a fresh game for my collection and I feel like this game might have a permanent spot in my collection!
@@KnowNothingNerd Yeah, I knew the 3DS wasn't. A real shame. Isn't there something with the DS that's not region-free though? Perhaps I'm thinking about the DSiware or something.
@@RetroBirdGaming You should try playing "Clash of the Elementalists" on the 3DS because it's a DSi game that's cheap and fun. Make sure your 3DS friends have a copy so you can all battle each other.
A couple of friends of mine gave me their entire collections of video games a few years ago! Another friend started collecting for the N64 but gave up after a few games and gave me his collection too 😁
Actually be on good foot with other collectors is one. I had this thing where i came across a collection on the local online market place. The guy wanted around 300 euro voor his 150 titles is collection. (some of the highlights where haunted grounds and 1000 arms) The guy had got some offers on the rare pieces but in the end sold it to me, because we traded before and i have a name is a collector around town. Great video as always ^^
Love the 10/2 block analogy you gave. Good way to look at it. I've got literally thousands of games that I got because they were great deals, but a few gems like snow bros that I still don't have and think about often.... thanks 👍
lots of your advice towards the end has worked out for me but in regards to collecting records, have been given over 200 records from friends/coworkers just wanting to get rid of them
Here’s my tip. Always ask at yard sales if they have any video games they would consider selling. So many people think they’re worthless. It’s worked a ton for me. One time I asked an old lady and she said her grandson might have some. I left my number (which works …. Sometimes.) she called me back a few weeks later. Turned out her grandson was like 30 something and had a ton of stuff. I bought boxes of Gamecube and Ps2 games for a few hundred dollars. It was epic! Always ask!
I just traded in some old games I had lying around and it took off more than half the total price of my gaming pick ups today. It can be sad to eat some places games go, but if you haven’t played them in a long while and don’t plan to soon, then find joy in the idea that someone else will love those games!
I would say if you're going for a complete collection of a franchise get the expensive games first because they're most likely going to keep going up then go for the ones cheaper and try to avoid buying an expensive game after a recent release in that same franchise. Trust me I've seen Zelda's adventure for the CDi gone up so many times and I ended up paying for it down the line seeing it was my last Zelda game I was missing :(
Trying before you buy is always a good move. Most games can be emulated. You might find that a game you really want isn't really a game you want at all.
One idea is usually buy games from sagas or cartridge and manuals separated and one by one instead of the full package, because incompleted are way less valued. Eventually you complete them spending less money for the same result.
Letting people know you're into gaming is a big advantage. Its how i started my PS3 and Gamecube collections. Previous owners just didnt want them anymore.
Oh man, sweet dream deels could be a subject all on its own. Can't tell you how many rare and amazing things I've found in my dreams only to wake up and realize it wasn't real lol. Even worse, I've dreamt I found a great deal and didn't have enough money!
lmao xD loved the video my strategy is to buy 1 game at a time and focus on beating the game when i get a chance to play, usally by the time i beat the game i saved up enough to buy another holy grail 🥰✨
Great advice! Did you ever find Snickers? 😅 I've found patience is key when hunting physical copies of games. Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that you won't be able to get a complete copy or the copy you get will be less-than-perfect condition. I recommend always setting a ceiling price to limit your spending on certain games. Researching current prices of a game can help you determine a fair asking price. I belong to a local gaming group and we frequently discuss games that we enjoy. Many of them go to gaming conventions and have actually helped other people in the group find classic games they were looking for, so it can be helpful to network with many different retro gamers. There is sometimes a chance they have come across a game you were looking for and vice versa.
Nice bread bag clip collection. I use them on my power cables for systems so I can easily tell which cables go to which systems. Just write on it with a Sharpie and clip that little clip onto the end of the plug 🔌 and voila! That messy power strip (or UPS if you're prepared) now has all its plugs labeled.
I’ve been wanting to get turtles 3 radical rescue for the GB for awhile now so I can complete the trilogy. But every time I looked for it it was always insanely priced. Then it just happens to pop up in a local retro shop in my area, and I caved and payed the absurd price because it was right in front of my face and I’d been looking for it forever lol
Collect what you can afford. It's very easy to buy something you really want only to get yourself in debt. In my experience, as soon as you stop looking for something on ebay one gets listed a few days later and sells.
I love checking out the local game stores! It's always a good way to get games immediately and find deals, like my local shop has 15% off every so many purchases , then use that discount on something a little More expensive after buying a few cheaper loose carts
If I can add a strategy, I would mention this: Go for games from last gen consoles. When a new console comes out, a lot of gamers will trade in their old system and games for the newest console. As for Japanese games......I definitely collect them as well.
All I can say to add to this gem of a video... Credit.. Credit is gold.. I find buying video games at a pawn shop spend 30 bucks on a good size lot take em to local stores and use the credit to buy those expensive titles.. Majority of the times I spend 20 to 30 bucks at pawn shop and trade those in I end up getting 75 to 100 in credit. Turn around and buy that 100 game for the price of 30 bucks that you originally spent at the pawnshop. Happy hunting guys
I always Buy used and broken things, for cheap then i Fix them and add them to My collection, i also Buy a console that comes with a Game i want, keep the Game and sell the console again. That's how i usually do to expand My collection.
Having people know you like older games is a great tip. I got a lot of Gameboy, GBC and GBA games just because my dad's cousin was giving them away for free and knew I collect them.
Most of my valuable games have been acquired by thrifting, or yard sales. If you're patient, enjoy leaving things to chance, and cheap, I'd recommend this.
I have had success in getting some retro games from friends and family. I actually got my first NES from my cousin who had one in a box along with a few games he decided to give me (one of which was Cowboy Kid btw) and my dad's friend one year on the day of the Super Bowl brought a container that had an NES system, zapper, Genesis and a bunch of games for each console. I also got my GameCube and a bunch of Nintendo 64 games from a friend in high school.
My order of prioritization is the following: -Expensive games that I really want -Cheap games that I really want -Cheap games that I'm mildly curious about -Expensive games that I'm mildly curious about. (May never get to those) I'm making progress toward finishing up the expensive heavy hitters, but I've been taking the slow and steady approach.
I'm not that much of a collector but I've always went with basically the opposite buying habits most people have. I always go after the most expensive games first, I do not recommend this especially since prices are much higher for expensive games than they used to be. I used to have a list of every game I wanted for a console and find which one on the list was worth the most, as a result I ended up with a lot of really collectible games before the prices went out of my range. Sometimes I would go 2-3 months without buying any games to afford a big one, I end up with a lot of time to focus on each game without adding to a backlog too. This strategy also got me into trying more consoles, I found out about Border Down on Dreamcast (the most expensive on my original list) and bought the console for that game and figured out the rest from there, it's still my personal favorite DC game I've played.
I would tend to buy the Japanese version of the games. They have more variety than the Western version ones. Oh and congratulations on your 300th video by the way :)
I've done the browser open for some manuals, the last one is Hyperstone Heist and have only seen bad condition ones, about 1 a year, if that, I have given up...
Those are some great tips to collectors! Love the Japanese tip as well as getting the word out. My journey has been limited due to my rural area. I'm probably 90% online. I do have a few friends around who look for me and cut me deals if and when they can. I've been on a big lull lately mainly due to my collection getting closer to where I want it and the prices climbing. Online is a different ball game than other means. One constant is know your values. It was a lesson I learned the hard way but games you may know less about may come up and you think it's a good deal when in fact you are over paying. Another constant, offer trades. Most of the time the sellers you are buying from also buy. This is where I like to look for lots on FaceBook, garage sales, etc. Even if I own the games or systems already those help pay for what I don't have. Pay attention to market trends. This can be tricky and not blatantly obvious but also saved me money. If you collect for several systems, don't be afraid to patient with one. PS2 prices were good a while back. Genesis, Atari 2600, Nintendo portable systems, PSP, even N64 a few years ago. I'd even throw NES in there prior to 2019. GameCube is one I have been avoiding for a while now. Those prices just went crazy. Just think logically about that. What systems were out when 30 year olds were kids? Those are the ones to avoid typically. Everyone trying to buy up their childhoods. Basic supply and demand there. High demand low supply means high prices. Most importantly, if there is a will there is a way. Lastly, be kind to all collectors. After all, we were all new at one time or another. If you are in a position to help someone out, please do so. This is a hobby we all love and enjoy. Let's keep it on track opposed to this grading, sealed, rip off people nonsense.
I do wishlist on amazon of game that I want and I wait to see which price go up, down or remain the same. Then, I can buy game cheaper (but sometime, what I want get more expensive that before) and know what are the trends (for exemple, some wii u games are going down or remain cheap and wii game start to get expensive).
-Keeping a list of wants (and updating it) is crucial. Keeping a copy on your phone is a good idea for when your out hunting. -Researching your wants is important too. Sometimes there are variants which look like something you want but are not the same. -Depending on the title I'm also in favour of getting import versions of games. In fact, sometimes the import version is the more desirable version anyways.
Yeah, you need a plan. I just started collecting sealed switch games, and even though I knew I wanted certain games years ago like say the physical version of Curse of the Moon, I never bought it. So now it's around $175 on ebay and it's tough making the decision to buy it, even though I REALLY want it.
Thanks for the tip on Japanese Silent Hill 2! The terrible reputation of the HD Collections and high prices for the PS2 originals has had me putting off starting this series for years. Odd coincidences in this video. My cat is named SNICKERSnack, usually shortened to snicker or snack. The only Japanese game I had back in the day was Rockman 5 for the Gameboy.
When it comes to games disappearing from the shelf, out of state Walmarts seem to be one’s best bet. It sounds weird, but Walmarts are everywhere and carry games well past their shelf expectancy (within the current console generation), you never know! That affordable hard copy of Samurai Shodown for the Switch _could be out there!_ I had a heck of a time getting Metroid Prime Remastered, but I found several copies of that just as I found several copies of Pokken! And $50 was the price of that game vs the $60 at GameStop where Pokken would still be _unavailable!_ Great Stuff, as always!
It's been highly recommended for more than 10 years. Almost everyone in retro communities know about the price tag of the Sega Saturn and they offer an alternative route.
I made my list about 5 years ago. I have been getting a bunch of them over the years but i haven't got them all yet. Now i see the prices i wrote down 5 years ago and compare them to current prices.... its so sad and makes it even harder to buy a game when i see the price was 50% less
Wanted to go game hunting this weekend when the on screen footage reminds me I need to save up and buy a copy of Einhander. Definitely think I need to get Einhander and quit putting it off.
I have a Japanese copy myself. Was a fraction of the cost of the US version and even has an added mode that gives you unlimited credits to practice through the game. If I recall correctly, it's cheaper to buy a region-free PS1 and Japanese Einhander than it is to buy a US Einhander alone. Anyways, just thought I'd mention it and good luck to you in your quest for Einhander :)
@@RetroBirdGaming Thank you for the suggestion, I honestly never thought of doing that with PSX! I actually went that route with Saturn recently since the games were so much cheaper and I hadn't bought Saturn games yet. Will definitely be giving this a go! Thanks Bird!!
One thing I do to help me stay in budget but still get games is not cashing out of apps. For example I use Mercari to buy a lot of games, but I also sell stuff. So whenever I sell something, I just leave it in my account as spending money and don't t feel guilty about using it to buy more games. If I don't have enough in the app account, I wait until I sell some stuff. Keeps me in check while still being able to buy
It really helps letting others know that I'm into collecting. I got a sweet deal on a SEGA Genesis, 32X, and a stack of 20 games all for $100 from my uncle once, and another time I was given a stack of 17 N64 games for free from my brother-in-law (including some really valuable ones). One of my best friends knew I'm particularly into RPGs and literally gave me his copy of Skies of Arcadia for the Gamecube as a gift. As for collecting from other regions, I've loosened up on this a bit over the years. Originally I only wanted games from my own region, but I found the Japanese copy of one of my holy grails, Shining Force III for the SEGA Saturn, CIB for $35 at a flea market, and that severely beats the $300+ that the North American copy goes for.
Great video as always! My own strategy is the following: 1. Patience ex: Megaman X Collection for gamecube was 60-80 USD 5 years ago, now since the re released on new consoles prices went down to 32-40 max CIB and I just got it. 2. Not always buy CIB ex: bought all the Mario Party games for the Gamecube disc only 6 years ago for 5 to 10 dollars each and I have been buying the case with manual/coverart for less than 20 dollars each. Don't get anxious and always look for good deals they are still out there I 100% sure even on 2022! Good luck everyone!
@@reygamingchannel1505 Thanks. It's for PS2...For that system I collect complilations of 16 bit retro games. I don't like 3D stuff for that system because they look watered down a lot from a game that's 3D now on PS4 & 5.
It's on many systems now. I have it for ps2, 3ds, switch, and ps4. When gamers have these many options, it shouldn't be limited on 1 peripheral option. Bought the ps4 mmx collection digitally for $5.
I buy games CIB as soon as I possibly can if they're new games. I buy old games when I can and I'd prefer to get them CIB. Indie games always go up in price fast and if I don't like a game, I can just sell it. I make sure to limit my spending and my collection size. I'm just waiting for my orders of Alwa's Collection and Ikenfell to come in the mail, so I can try them out. If they're really really fun, then they'll stay in my collection for a bit but if I get bored, then I can just sell them to people who didn't order them.
Only thing I'd add is for those eBay buyers: you can always look for items accepting best offers or just contact the seller and ask if they'd budge on the price. I've always had good experiences sending a message.
@@RetroBirdGaming funny enough with low ball offers is that every now and then they do work but never bet on them :) I always close out my messages thanking them in advance for their time. Regardless of if they budge on price. Being nice doesn't take any extra effort.
Being "that guy" helped me a couple of times. I got given a Sega Master System with a bag full of loose carts for free, and on another occasion I got a box with four Amiga 500s in it, plus disk drives and assorted bits and pieces than somebody didn't want.
@@tonyp9313 - hmm, there was about 25. A few I already had, some of the common ones like Sonic 2. Some I later got boxed copies of, kept the better cart and sold the spare. There were some decent ones like Master of Darkness, Asterix, Fantasy Zone. Some really terrible ones like the Flintstones. One rare game - Masters of Combat. No boxes.
@@AnthonyFlack I really like The Sega Master system. It's a shame the library is small. When they have great games on there, they really are top quality games.
@@tonyp9313 - the European library is a bit bigger, about 300 games. Still not huge but enough to keep you occupied. I have a lot of time for the ol' Master System. Some years after I got the free stuff, I got into collecting boxed SMS games and got up to around 160. The library is small enough, I pretty much know what I'm missing. I was playing some SMS today actually, I finally fixed the battery in my Golden Axe Warrior cart so I can save. GAW is a shameless clone of the first Zelda game but a pretty good one.
@tomallica420 If you feel like having too many games is too stressful then you can always downsize your collection like I did. I only have like 25 games and 3 consoles.
Tips: 1. Be patient. 2. Buy more games in one order to save a lot on shipping. 3. Games stores are often better than eBay (IF you can find the right games). 4. Don't only look in the most obvious places, try online stores from other countries for example. 5. Make sure the game is in the condition you want, so that you don't have to resell later. 6. Imports aren't only from Japan, if you are European, US games are imports too and if you are American, PAL games are imports too and in English.
I'm sure you might have mentioned it before, but not just different regions, but different versions maybe, for example I have Kirby Super Star Ultra on DS that I got a for around $20, I had no idea the SNES version was around $60 But making list is a really great way, I've made some, kind of just organized by order, but for the ones that are especially expensive, I separate them and weigh my options, as they're often interesting, but there are other appealing games for a fraction of that price.
I Totally agree about adding Japanese games to the collection. For the last couple of years I'd say i even prioritized that. I really wanted Stack up CIB for my R.O.B and the Famicom version CIB was only 50 bucks and i totally felt satisfied with the Japanese version and even prefer it to the North American Version. It looks great in my collection!
The best way for me has been to set alerts for eBay and eventually one will pop up within my budget. The other tip is to go back in time and start collecting when you could find Sonic CD at the thrift store for $2
I also have a piece of advice, DON"T fall for the retro store trap. What I mean is don't go into the story and feel like you have to buy something because you went so far to go there, also if you see something there that you like don't immediately buy it. You're exited to buy something there and you really want it, but the store usually marks up the product way more at the store then what they sell them on eBay. I'm not saying the stores or bad, I'm just saying to make sure that what you're buying is the same price as eBay or better then eBay prices.
It's pretty crazy how some of these stores still stay in business. Many retro stores have shut down due to the pandemic, but the "bigger" ones are still around in my area. By "bigger" ones I mean the ones with the most games and who have been around for a while. But as you mention these stores typically sell at Ebay prices or higher. I never understood the point of hunting in the wild only to pay more than Ebay, where sellers already usually set their prices at the higher/highest end of market value. If I'm going to pay an arm and a leg for a video game at the store or through Ebay I will ALWAYS choose the Ebay route. Why drive to the store and waste your time when you can make the purchase at the comfort of your own home? For most games (besides the rare and uncommon) Ebay usually has multiple listings. And even the uncommon and rare ones pop up often enough if you check in pretty regularly. So you don't have to drive and waste gas money, plus you can usually choose the condition you want. Many Ebay sellers have a "best offer" option too and often accept offers for less than what they listed for. I'm not sure who is buying these games from retro stores anymore. In past years I could always find deals but in recent ones that has dried up, to the point I no longer go. For the reasons stated. Because even IF I find something I like chances are it will be in mediocre or crap condition and overpriced.
@@thehollowedtree9586 I think people still go to the stores to by them for the expirence of going to the store, also they can get the game right away and not have to wait for shipping, plus you can physically hold and look at the game, but on ebay you buy it and hope you don't get scammed
Ideally you should keep your weirder collecting goals in check - unless you embrace that lifestyle - you don't wanna get completely consumed by your desire to get most every Lego game on PSP.
Games played: Dynamite Headdy (0:14), Hagane (0:18), Rockman 8 (Mega Man 8) (0:28), Wario Land 4 (0:51), Kirby Super Star (1:21), Einhander (5:15)
9:38 made me laugh out loud after a particularly stressful day at school. Thanks retro bird for making my Friday (and subsequent weekend) more filled with laughter and joy!
Glad to hear it but sorry about the stressful day :( Hope your weekend goes smoothly!
The human body can survive roughly 9-20 days without food, so if you really want a copy of something like earthbound........well you know what to do.
That's one way to diet. Well, US citizens are among the fattest and overweight folks in the world. Most just wanted a sitting job in an office. Then they pretend that the snacks and soft drink next to them doesn't do anything to the weight. When they visit the doctors, the doctors try to tell them to lose weight. So they start and 2 weeks later, back to eating snacks and soft drink. The most they excersice is by walking to the car and driving to the nearest grocery to buy more junk food. They probably sweat a lot for exceeding the limit of steps to the car. Once they get home, the sofa feels comfortable and with a few more snacks, they are good to go. That's a lot of excersice. When they look at how skinny the Orientals are like the Japanese, they just can't believe how they keep that shape. I wonder why. Perhaps they never heard of constantly walking to burn the fat and sugar intakes.
@@tr1bes Don't care, didn't ask.
@@sgt.chocolate No one wants a toxic Internet user or a troll
@@tr1bes what?
So let’s eat the earthbound copy?
Yes to JPN games, yes to saving for the ones you really want, and definitely yes to telling everyone you know you want old gaming stuff. People just start giving you their old games with blatant disregard of value
Where can i find games in different regions like japan? Like what websites?
@@Angel_devil6969there are no websites. You have to actually go to Japan. Or Europe or pal. I went to pal once and got quite a few games on the cheap
I just discovered your channel - this dry appreciation of collecting retro games is exactly my thing. Thank you!
Welcome to the channel! Glad you're liking it :)
My best friend since 4th grade hooked me up with his childhood copies of Contra III, Final Fantasy III, F-Zero, Mega Man 2, Metal Gear Solid, FFVII, Gran Turismo, an NES, and a few manuals including DOOM 64 and KI Gold all packaged in a nice N64 tote bag that came as a preorder bonus when he got his N64 from Toys R Us. Needless to say I was beyond excited. It was awesome to watch him sit down the day he gave them to me and beat Mega Man 2 from start to finish while only dying once. FFIII still had his original save data on the cart and I couldn't bear to see that data gone. So I soldered a AA battery to the terminals while I replaced the 2032 internal battery. Now that data should be good for another 20 years. Thanks Mikey! You're the best!
Now that's a friend,a buddy of mine that I hadn't seen in 20 years started seeing my ex-wife,I was happy for them,well I guess he thought I wouldn't,first day I seen him he hooked me up with a Saturn and I nice copy of fighting vipers,I couldn't believe it,now I'm telling them to get married,hard to say what I'll receive,lol
Sweet!
That’s a sweet collection of bread bag clips.
Thanks!
I blame my podcast cohost for getting me hooked on your videos. Just wanted to let you know I enjoy what you do, and type light hearted approach. As for strategies, I suggest making sure you make friends with game store clerks and owners, thrift or pawn shop employees, etc. If they know you're on the hunt, and you build a good rapport, you might even get to the point where they remember you and teach out to you to let you know amen something particularly juicy comes in, maybe even before it hits store shelves.
Thank you for that! I'm really glad to have folks like yourself on the channel!
One of the few guys in the retro game scene with good humor. I was just wondering if there are any 80's peeps out there that just started collecting for these 8/16/32 bit machines. People start to collect the things first they sold when they were young. Then you get the games you've rented/played with friends that you liked but never had. Then you see these awesome games that you played through an emulator that you want to have in original form. Then OCD kicks in and you want to have these games complete and you start to upgrade those carts with better ones. Before you know it, you became a retro game collector.
The secret to having help from friends is to have help from friends who go to antique malls and thrift stores. I've found tons of oddball consoles and oddball collectibles for my main video gaming friend, ranging from a Sonic the Hedgehog plate to an early Pong system with its own rifle-sized light gun. It's fun for him, and makes birthday and Christmas shopping easy for me.
That's a great idea. I need to tell my friend who is visiting Japan to get my wanted lists with an S. It's every version of N64 consoles and matching color controllers, an autograph with Mario/Zelda Maker and anyone important, PC engines games, a 6 in Hello Kitty stuffy doll, a life size Link and many more. Also a Sake. All of these are highly wanted and because that friend is special. Lol
@@tr1bes Several years ago, I went to a used record store in Memphis with one of my friends. While we're browsing, a British guy walked up to the register and demanded the clerk show him all their Sun Records first pressings. Literally everyone in the store looked up and stared at him like "WTF?" Somehow, he thought every store there had stacks of old Elvis singles sitting around.
My best suggestions are 1)buy the Games in the condition you want it in and do not settle for something you plan to "Upgrade" later. 2) Look at the market pattern. There is a 15 year retro price increase wave.
I've watched this four times already and that ending gets me rolling every time.
You totally cracked me up at the end with the "Snickers/banana" tag scene!
Great video, when I started collecting I picked a few systems and a roadmap for how I wanted to see my collection over the years. No one could have predicted the prices that games go for today, but I think I made my young collector self proud
Collecting games is all about focus. Nobody can own every game ever unless they're rich but at that point, why would you want a huge collection you'll never play most of?
Best collecting tip:
Collect what you love.
You know it!
Except when price is an issue. I won't collect no matter how much I love a said game.
Ohh man Einhander.. what a GEM!!!
Hagane is the best example of thinking strategically. The cib American hagane sells for $5000 - $7000 in good condition. The cib Japanese Hagane has the same artwork on the box and is the same exact game with no text to read, and costs $200 - $300. I am proud to own my beautiful Japanese cib Hagane, which I bought for $220 last year.
And the japanese hagane box is beautiful
I like trading games that I find second-hand for games that I want via our local retro gaming community. This strategy has worked pretty well for me!
Cool
The humor is on point lol Glad to have found your channel!
Glad to have you here!
Being known as the retro-gamer in your circle DOES WORK! A friend tended to sell his old toys for cheap back in the day. This included his Genesis collection. But almost two decades later, he found one at his parents' place and gave it to me. I am now a proud owner of King's Bounty!
For eBay shopping, you can remove certain items from your searches if you type - followed by a keyword, like -repro or -manual. It can make scrolling through less time consuming.
I agree on the novelty of buying versions of games from other regions. I bought the Super Famicom version of Super Godzilla because I thought it was cool.
Yes. It's way easier to shop around for a game like "Tomba" when you search something like "tomba -'tomba 2' -japan"
Thanks, I did not know that
Retro bird in 15 years:
Bread bag clip Sara Lee Whole Wheat | FACTORY SEALED - $450
Bread Bag clip Great Value | slightly used, only one white bend line - $100 starting bid
My strategy is, buy for a system that has just been phased out that may interest you (let's say the PS4). Many people are selling their games cheap right now and if you have this magical thing called 'patience' those bargain bin games you were keen to play could be worth something in the future.
This is the right strategy. Keep it up. While everyone focus on highly wanted console/games, head toward the one that no one is looking for. 15-20 years later, these overlooked games will be look upon.
Peck, I should've bought the physical copy of Ittle Dew back when it was in my local game store because now it's overpriced online. It's $115 and I'm really annoyed that I didn't grab that game when it was available because it's a great game! Now, I have to wait until the price drops to a more reasonable level.
The most I can bother paying for it is $80.
“SNICKERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssss…”
😂😂😂😂 10/10 ending gag 👍
My strategy on collecting I count how many games I have for each console and I don't go overboard on trying to get every game. I just get the games that interest me to keep my collection as small as possible
This covered things pretty thoroughly. I've used most of these ideas. Last summer, I went to zero game stores or any other kind of shopping, and just bought 2 higher priced games that I really wanted on PC-FX. I still spent a few hundred dollars, but I'd decided that I was going to either get a couple of PC-FX or Neo Geo AES games, depending on what I found online at the right price, and I got a couple of strong deals.
It's helped me several times that my mom loves garage sales and my wife is always poking around swap and sell sites. They both give me a quick call, text, or whatever when they come across something, and I've scored tons of great stuff without having to get up myself. My favorite was about 20 years ago when my mom found a box of Jaguar/Jaguar CD stuff including consoles and about 25 games for $30. She called me, and I got up and bought it all. I already had a Jaguar and several games, so I kept the CD unit amd the games I didn't have, and gave the extra console and games to my brother so we could use the JagLink and play co-op Doom and enjoy the constant crashing!
I do more importing than anything these days. I have most of what I want domestically, so imports are my main thing anymore. However, there are some games that people should know are either nearly or exactly the same in other regions. 32X and Neo Geo games boot up in the region of the hardware they're played on (with a few exceptions), so you're gonna get that english experience if you're playing on an english console. Super Metroid has a language selection in the game options in any region. Loads of Japanese games are just all in english to begin with if you take a minute to search, while others like, say, Nosferatu on SNES only have Japanese in the cutscenes, or Blue Stinger or Deep Fear have Japanese text, but English voice acting, so you can follow the story still.
More often than not, though, I am the one who finds deals when I'm out and about, and I'll either do some birthday/Christmas shopping for my friends, or contact them to let them know or offer to pick it up for them. I have a good buddy who does the same for me, though he's yet to find anything I need, he still texts me photos from toy shows all the time to check or to ask what something is. It's good to have friends.
What I do is watch the bid starts for games I want. The seller is hoping it will get higher than it is worth, but sometimes it does not & boom you win! Still have to win the bid though. Here's my Ebay tip January 4 the Win! Majority of the people spend all there money on Christmas so bids usually never go higher than actual price! I got Darkwing Duck on the GB for $25 and it markets around $40, so I consider that a big win. If u don't win don't worry about it there retro games it will be available again. You just have to bid your time! Did u c I misspelled Bide! Ha-Ha!
I started collecting GBA games at the price drop. Only cartridges. The great thing about them is that you can ship those for the price of a postcard or simple letter. Shipping can be very expensive, go small!
I’m glad your channel randomly popped up in my recommended feed. I really like the videos, topics, and your sense of humor. Keep up the good work. Subscribed!
Recently picked up a Repro cart, and with the exception of it being a slightly tighter squeeze than authentic carts, it works perfectly fine and I saved $70. I may consider adding other repros to my collection if they are as good as this one.
I only collect games that catch my eye, fit a specific genres, and only for specific consoles. I recently bought "The Cruel King and the Great Hero" (storybook edition) which came with a bunch of goodies and it's a turn-based RPG with a unique style for the Nintendo Switch. I only collect for 3 consoles rn: GameBoy, 3DS, and Switch. I wanted a new turn-based game that I'd probably replay a bunch, so I looked for a fresh game for my collection and I feel like this game might have a permanent spot in my collection!
I feel like most of my collection is platformers:
- A Hat in Time
- Shantae
- Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
- HollowKnight
Oh, and then there's Strawberry Shortcake Summertime Adventure for the GameBoy.
Lol. I am the guy that refreshes listings constantly for the game lots! I also fast scramble and do math on them before purchases/bidding
Great video! Japanese carts FTW. Chrono Trigger Japanese for the DS lets one select English in the options, and it's ~$80 cheaper than a US copy
Yes, and aren't most DS consoles region-free?
@@RetroBirdGaming DS is region free. Sadly, 3DS is not (with regards to JPN/NA games)
@@KnowNothingNerd Yeah, I knew the 3DS wasn't. A real shame. Isn't there something with the DS that's not region-free though? Perhaps I'm thinking about the DSiware or something.
@@RetroBirdGaming You should try playing "Clash of the Elementalists" on the 3DS because it's a DSi game that's cheap and fun. Make sure your 3DS friends have a copy so you can all battle each other.
nothing like a street banana....a good find
A couple of friends of mine gave me their entire collections of video games a few years ago! Another friend started collecting for the N64 but gave up after a few games and gave me his collection too 😁
Actually be on good foot with other collectors is one. I had this thing where i came across a collection on the local online market place. The guy wanted around 300 euro voor his 150 titles is collection. (some of the highlights where haunted grounds and 1000 arms)
The guy had got some offers on the rare pieces but in the end sold it to me, because we traded before and i have a name is a collector around town.
Great video as always ^^
Love the 10/2 block analogy you gave. Good way to look at it. I've got literally thousands of games that I got because they were great deals, but a few gems like snow bros that I still don't have and think about often.... thanks 👍
lots of your advice towards the end has worked out for me but in regards to collecting records, have been given over 200 records from friends/coworkers just wanting to get rid of them
Here’s my tip. Always ask at yard sales if they have any video games they would consider selling. So many people think they’re worthless. It’s worked a ton for me. One time I asked an old lady and she said her grandson might have some. I left my number (which works …. Sometimes.) she called me back a few weeks later. Turned out her grandson was like 30 something and had a ton of stuff. I bought boxes of Gamecube and Ps2 games for a few hundred dollars. It was epic! Always ask!
I just traded in some old games I had lying around and it took off more than half the total price of my gaming pick ups today. It can be sad to eat some places games go, but if you haven’t played them in a long while and don’t plan to soon, then find joy in the idea that someone else will love those games!
I would say if you're going for a complete collection of a franchise get the expensive games first because they're most likely going to keep going up then go for the ones cheaper and try to avoid buying an expensive game after a recent release in that same franchise. Trust me I've seen Zelda's adventure for the CDi gone up so many times and I ended up paying for it down the line seeing it was my last Zelda game I was missing :(
Trying before you buy is always a good move. Most games can be emulated. You might find that a game you really want isn't really a game you want at all.
One idea is usually buy games from sagas or cartridge and manuals separated and one by one instead of the full package, because incompleted are way less valued. Eventually you complete them spending less money for the same result.
8:30 needs to be a GIF
Letting people know you're into gaming is a big advantage. Its how i started my PS3 and Gamecube collections. Previous owners just didnt want them anymore.
Oh man, sweet dream deels could be a subject all on its own. Can't tell you how many rare and amazing things I've found in my dreams only to wake up and realize it wasn't real lol. Even worse, I've dreamt I found a great deal and didn't have enough money!
lmao xD loved the video my strategy is to buy 1 game at a time and focus on beating the game when i get a chance to play, usally by the time i beat the game i saved up enough to buy another holy grail 🥰✨
Great advice! Did you ever find Snickers? 😅
I've found patience is key when hunting physical copies of games. Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that you won't be able to get a complete copy or the copy you get will be less-than-perfect condition. I recommend always setting a ceiling price to limit your spending on certain games. Researching current prices of a game can help you determine a fair asking price.
I belong to a local gaming group and we frequently discuss games that we enjoy. Many of them go to gaming conventions and have actually helped other people in the group find classic games they were looking for, so it can be helpful to network with many different retro gamers. There is sometimes a chance they have come across a game you were looking for and vice versa.
I'm definitely the "old videogames dude" in my circle. So far it's gotten me a free 32-inch CRT, so I'm not complaining!
Nice bread bag clip collection. I use them on my power cables for systems so I can easily tell which cables go to which systems. Just write on it with a Sharpie and clip that little clip onto the end of the plug 🔌 and voila! That messy power strip (or UPS if you're prepared) now has all its plugs labeled.
Good ol' bread bag clips. What can't they do?
I’ve been wanting to get turtles 3 radical rescue for the GB for awhile now so I can complete the trilogy. But every time I looked for it it was always insanely priced. Then it just happens to pop up in a local retro shop in my area, and I caved and payed the absurd price because it was right in front of my face and I’d been looking for it forever lol
Your humor won me over, subscribed.
Welcome to the channel!
Mr Bird don't eat tha.. well I guess that's his road nanner now 😮💨
Collect what you can afford. It's very easy to buy something you really want only to get yourself in debt.
In my experience, as soon as you stop looking for something on ebay one gets listed a few days later and sells.
Yeah what’s with that!? And as soon as I buy a game, I’ll see one listed the next day in better condition for less money 😂
I love checking out the local game stores! It's always a good way to get games immediately and find deals, like my local shop has 15% off every so many purchases , then use that discount on something a little
More expensive after buying a few cheaper loose carts
This guys so underrated, I love his vids :D
Ah, a fellow bread bag clip collector. :D
If I can add a strategy, I would mention this: Go for games from last gen consoles. When a new console comes out, a lot of gamers will trade in their old system and games for the newest console. As for Japanese games......I definitely collect them as well.
All I can say to add to this gem of a video... Credit.. Credit is gold.. I find buying video games at a pawn shop spend 30 bucks on a good size lot take em to local stores and use the credit to buy those expensive titles.. Majority of the times I spend 20 to 30 bucks at pawn shop and trade those in I end up getting 75 to 100 in credit. Turn around and buy that 100 game for the price of 30 bucks that you originally spent at the pawnshop. Happy hunting guys
I always Buy used and broken things, for cheap then i Fix them and add them to My collection, i also Buy a console that comes with a Game i want, keep the Game and sell the console again. That's how i usually do to expand My collection.
That part where Retro Bird is holding his bread tag collection whilst evilly laughing 😂😂😂😂😂. GOLD!
Having people know you like older games is a great tip. I got a lot of Gameboy, GBC and GBA games just because my dad's cousin was giving them away for free and knew I collect them.
Most of my valuable games have been acquired by thrifting, or yard sales. If you're patient, enjoy leaving things to chance, and cheap, I'd recommend this.
I have had success in getting some retro games from friends and family. I actually got my first NES from my cousin who had one in a box along with a few games he decided to give me (one of which was Cowboy Kid btw) and my dad's friend one year on the day of the Super Bowl brought a container that had an NES system, zapper, Genesis and a bunch of games for each console. I also got my GameCube and a bunch of Nintendo 64 games from a friend in high school.
My order of prioritization is the following:
-Expensive games that I really want
-Cheap games that I really want
-Cheap games that I'm mildly curious about
-Expensive games that I'm mildly curious about. (May never get to those)
I'm making progress toward finishing up the expensive heavy hitters, but I've been taking the slow and steady approach.
I just get games I think I'll like and sell the games I don't play in my collection. It keeps my collection small and easy to maintain.
I'm not that much of a collector but I've always went with basically the opposite buying habits most people have. I always go after the most expensive games first, I do not recommend this especially since prices are much higher for expensive games than they used to be.
I used to have a list of every game I wanted for a console and find which one on the list was worth the most, as a result I ended up with a lot of really collectible games before the prices went out of my range. Sometimes I would go 2-3 months without buying any games to afford a big one, I end up with a lot of time to focus on each game without adding to a backlog too.
This strategy also got me into trying more consoles, I found out about Border Down on Dreamcast (the most expensive on my original list) and bought the console for that game and figured out the rest from there, it's still my personal favorite DC game I've played.
I would tend to buy the Japanese version of the games. They have more variety than the Western version ones.
Oh and congratulations on your 300th video by the way :)
I've done the browser open for some manuals, the last one is Hyperstone Heist and have only seen bad condition ones, about 1 a year, if that, I have given up...
Those are some great tips to collectors! Love the Japanese tip as well as getting the word out.
My journey has been limited due to my rural area. I'm probably 90% online. I do have a few friends around who look for me and cut me deals if and when they can. I've been on a big lull lately mainly due to my collection getting closer to where I want it and the prices climbing.
Online is a different ball game than other means. One constant is know your values. It was a lesson I learned the hard way but games you may know less about may come up and you think it's a good deal when in fact you are over paying.
Another constant, offer trades. Most of the time the sellers you are buying from also buy. This is where I like to look for lots on FaceBook, garage sales, etc. Even if I own the games or systems already those help pay for what I don't have.
Pay attention to market trends. This can be tricky and not blatantly obvious but also saved me money. If you collect for several systems, don't be afraid to patient with one. PS2 prices were good a while back. Genesis, Atari 2600, Nintendo portable systems, PSP, even N64 a few years ago. I'd even throw NES in there prior to 2019. GameCube is one I have been avoiding for a while now. Those prices just went crazy.
Just think logically about that. What systems were out when 30 year olds were kids? Those are the ones to avoid typically. Everyone trying to buy up their childhoods. Basic supply and demand there. High demand low supply means high prices.
Most importantly, if there is a will there is a way.
Lastly, be kind to all collectors. After all, we were all new at one time or another. If you are in a position to help someone out, please do so. This is a hobby we all love and enjoy. Let's keep it on track opposed to this grading, sealed, rip off people nonsense.
I do wishlist on amazon of game that I want and I wait to see which price go up, down or remain the same. Then, I can buy game cheaper (but sometime, what I want get more expensive that before) and know what are the trends (for exemple, some wii u games are going down or remain cheap and wii game start to get expensive).
-Keeping a list of wants (and updating it) is crucial. Keeping a copy on your phone is a good idea for when your out hunting.
-Researching your wants is important too. Sometimes there are variants which look like something you want but are not the same.
-Depending on the title I'm also in favour of getting import versions of games. In fact, sometimes the import version is the more desirable version anyways.
Yeah, you need a plan. I just started collecting sealed switch games,
and even though I knew I wanted certain games years ago like say the physical version of Curse of the Moon, I never bought it.
So now it's around $175 on ebay and it's tough making the decision to buy it, even though I REALLY want it.
Thanks for the tip on Japanese Silent Hill 2! The terrible reputation of the HD Collections and high prices for the PS2 originals has had me putting off starting this series for years.
Odd coincidences in this video. My cat is named SNICKERSnack, usually shortened to snicker or snack. The only Japanese game I had back in the day was Rockman 5 for the Gameboy.
Is just it me or is that one seriously sweet looking GBA you got there?
I think it's just you. Yeah the GBA does look sweet.
I know this legend who put the work in on it!
When it comes to games disappearing from the shelf, out of state Walmarts seem to be one’s best bet. It sounds weird, but Walmarts are everywhere and carry games well past their shelf expectancy (within the current console generation), you never know! That affordable hard copy of Samurai Shodown for the Switch _could be out there!_ I had a heck of a time getting Metroid Prime Remastered, but I found several copies of that just as I found several copies of Pokken! And $50 was the price of that game vs the $60 at GameStop where Pokken would still be _unavailable!_
Great Stuff, as always!
I actually took your Japanese import advice for the Saturn. That was one of the best collecting suggestions I've ever had!
It's been highly recommended for more than 10 years. Almost everyone in retro communities know about the price tag of the Sega Saturn and they offer an alternative route.
Your demeanour is giving me Scott the Woz vibes and that’s a compliment
Glad somebody is finally giving bananas the recognition they deserve B-)
I made my list about 5 years ago. I have been getting a bunch of them over the years but i haven't got them all yet. Now i see the prices i wrote down 5 years ago and compare them to current prices.... its so sad and makes it even harder to buy a game when i see the price was 50% less
Wanted to go game hunting this weekend when the on screen footage reminds me I need to save up and buy a copy of Einhander. Definitely think I need to get Einhander and quit putting it off.
I have a Japanese copy myself. Was a fraction of the cost of the US version and even has an added mode that gives you unlimited credits to practice through the game. If I recall correctly, it's cheaper to buy a region-free PS1 and Japanese Einhander than it is to buy a US Einhander alone. Anyways, just thought I'd mention it and good luck to you in your quest for Einhander :)
@@RetroBirdGaming Thank you for the suggestion, I honestly never thought of doing that with PSX! I actually went that route with Saturn recently since the games were so much cheaper and I hadn't bought Saturn games yet. Will definitely be giving this a go! Thanks Bird!!
One thing I do to help me stay in budget but still get games is not cashing out of apps. For example I use Mercari to buy a lot of games, but I also sell stuff. So whenever I sell something, I just leave it in my account as spending money and don't t feel guilty about using it to buy more games. If I don't have enough in the app account, I wait until I sell some stuff. Keeps me in check while still being able to buy
Great ending mate 😆😆😆
It really helps letting others know that I'm into collecting. I got a sweet deal on a SEGA Genesis, 32X, and a stack of 20 games all for $100 from my uncle once, and another time I was given a stack of 17 N64 games for free from my brother-in-law (including some really valuable ones). One of my best friends knew I'm particularly into RPGs and literally gave me his copy of Skies of Arcadia for the Gamecube as a gift.
As for collecting from other regions, I've loosened up on this a bit over the years. Originally I only wanted games from my own region, but I found the Japanese copy of one of my holy grails, Shining Force III for the SEGA Saturn, CIB for $35 at a flea market, and that severely beats the $300+ that the North American copy goes for.
I've been a manager in the grocery business for years. I can get you some really rare vintage bread bag clips if you want my man....... 😆.
Great video as always! My own strategy is the following: 1. Patience ex: Megaman X Collection for gamecube was 60-80 USD 5 years ago, now since the re released on new consoles prices went down to 32-40 max CIB and I just got it. 2. Not always buy CIB ex: bought all the Mario Party games for the Gamecube disc only 6 years ago for 5 to 10 dollars each and I have been buying the case with manual/coverart for less than 20 dollars each. Don't get anxious and always look for good deals they are still out there I 100% sure even on 2022! Good luck everyone!
I got the megaman Collection CIB for $20 at a pawn shop.
@@tonyp9313 great deal! Congratz!
@@reygamingchannel1505 Thanks. It's for PS2...For that system I collect complilations of 16 bit retro games. I don't like 3D stuff for that system because they look watered down a lot from a game that's 3D now on PS4 & 5.
It's on many systems now. I have it for ps2, 3ds, switch, and ps4. When gamers have these many options, it shouldn't be limited on 1 peripheral option. Bought the ps4 mmx collection digitally for $5.
I buy games CIB as soon as I possibly can if they're new games. I buy old games when I can and I'd prefer to get them CIB. Indie games always go up in price fast and if I don't like a game, I can just sell it. I make sure to limit my spending and my collection size. I'm just waiting for my orders of Alwa's Collection and Ikenfell to come in the mail, so I can try them out. If they're really really fun, then they'll stay in my collection for a bit but if I get bored, then I can just sell them to people who didn't order them.
Only thing I'd add is for those eBay buyers: you can always look for items accepting best offers or just contact the seller and ask if they'd budge on the price. I've always had good experiences sending a message.
Me too. The key is to ask nicely and you tend to have good luck so long as you don't send them a complete lowball of an offer.
@@RetroBirdGaming funny enough with low ball offers is that every now and then they do work but never bet on them :) I always close out my messages thanking them in advance for their time. Regardless of if they budge on price. Being nice doesn't take any extra effort.
The banana gag always gets me 🤣
I already have a Burned copy of Megaman 8... wanting to by that game "Problem solved"!! :D
Being "that guy" helped me a couple of times. I got given a Sega Master System with a bag full of loose carts for free, and on another occasion I got a box with four Amiga 500s in it, plus disk drives and assorted bits and pieces than somebody didn't want.
What games did you get for Sega Master System?
@@tonyp9313 - hmm, there was about 25. A few I already had, some of the common ones like Sonic 2. Some I later got boxed copies of, kept the better cart and sold the spare. There were some decent ones like Master of Darkness, Asterix, Fantasy Zone. Some really terrible ones like the Flintstones. One rare game - Masters of Combat. No boxes.
@@AnthonyFlack I really like The Sega Master system. It's a shame the library is small. When they have great games on there, they really are top quality games.
@@tonyp9313 - the European library is a bit bigger, about 300 games. Still not huge but enough to keep you occupied. I have a lot of time for the ol' Master System. Some years after I got the free stuff, I got into collecting boxed SMS games and got up to around 160. The library is small enough, I pretty much know what I'm missing.
I was playing some SMS today actually, I finally fixed the battery in my Golden Axe Warrior cart so I can save. GAW is a shameless clone of the first Zelda game but a pretty good one.
@@AnthonyFlack 160 is a lot. I only have 12 SMS games...
My strategies are constantly changing because I haven't found the right one for me yet
There are no "right ones". You always gotta adapt to the trends at the time.
@tomallica420 If you feel like having too many games is too stressful then you can always downsize your collection like I did. I only have like 25 games and 3 consoles.
Tips: 1. Be patient. 2. Buy more games in one order to save a lot on shipping. 3. Games stores are often better than eBay (IF you can find the right games). 4. Don't only look in the most obvious places, try online stores from other countries for example. 5. Make sure the game is in the condition you want, so that you don't have to resell later. 6. Imports aren't only from Japan, if you are European, US games are imports too and if you are American, PAL games are imports too and in English.
I'm sure you might have mentioned it before, but not just different regions, but different versions maybe, for example I have Kirby Super Star Ultra on DS that I got a for around $20, I had no idea the SNES version was around $60
But making list is a really great way, I've made some, kind of just organized by order, but for the ones that are especially expensive, I separate them and weigh my options, as they're often interesting, but there are other appealing games for a fraction of that price.
It's like how the PC version of MySims is $10 while the DS version is $12.
I Totally agree about adding Japanese games to the collection. For the last couple of years I'd say i even prioritized that. I really wanted Stack up CIB for my R.O.B and the Famicom version CIB was only 50 bucks and i totally felt satisfied with the Japanese version and even prefer it to the North American Version. It looks great in my collection!
The best way for me has been to set alerts for eBay and eventually one will pop up within my budget. The other tip is to go back in time and start collecting when you could find Sonic CD at the thrift store for $2
I also have a piece of advice, DON"T fall for the retro store trap. What I mean is don't go into the story and feel like you have to buy something because you went so far to go there, also if you see something there that you like don't immediately buy it. You're exited to buy something there and you really want it, but the store usually marks up the product way more at the store then what they sell them on eBay. I'm not saying the stores or bad, I'm just saying to make sure that what you're buying is the same price as eBay or better then eBay prices.
It's pretty crazy how some of these stores still stay in business. Many retro stores have shut down due to the pandemic, but the "bigger" ones are still around in my area. By "bigger" ones I mean the ones with the most games and who have been around for a while. But as you mention these stores typically sell at Ebay prices or higher. I never understood the point of hunting in the wild only to pay more than Ebay, where sellers already usually set their prices at the higher/highest end of market value. If I'm going to pay an arm and a leg for a video game at the store or through Ebay I will ALWAYS choose the Ebay route. Why drive to the store and waste your time when you can make the purchase at the comfort of your own home? For most games (besides the rare and uncommon) Ebay usually has multiple listings. And even the uncommon and rare ones pop up often enough if you check in pretty regularly. So you don't have to drive and waste gas money, plus you can usually choose the condition you want. Many Ebay sellers have a "best offer" option too and often accept offers for less than what they listed for. I'm not sure who is buying these games from retro stores anymore. In past years I could always find deals but in recent ones that has dried up, to the point I no longer go. For the reasons stated. Because even IF I find something I like chances are it will be in mediocre or crap condition and overpriced.
@@thehollowedtree9586 I think people still go to the stores to by them for the expirence of going to the store, also they can get the game right away and not have to wait for shipping, plus you can physically hold and look at the game, but on ebay you buy it and hope you don't get scammed
@Spencer There's a thing called "Price Charting" that is helpful.
You’re so funny . Love your videos 🤣
Ideally you should keep your weirder collecting goals in check - unless you embrace that lifestyle - you don't wanna get completely consumed by your desire to get most every Lego game on PSP.
I started by collecting certain franchises, Sonic, Zelda and Metroid to be exact.
I have a few Japanese Saturn games. But I often prefer the US release of Saturn games because I LOVE longboxes
I have a notebook of 400 games I always wanted in physical form. I'm at 367 , Mercari, estarland, lukiegames and eBay has been my friend as of late.