What videogame consoles aren't gouged to oblivion?

[Psycho Punch]

I can think of a few:

Atari 2600
Epoch Cassette Vision / Super Cassette
PS3 ()

Which consoles weren't somehow affected by overspenders? I want to try something new but I don't want to get raped on ebay.

[wildfruit]

Ps2.
Ps2 sports games at boot sales. A living nightmare.

[Psycho Punch]

Ps2.
Ps2 sports games at boot sales. A living nightmare.

I should build a fort of PS2 sports games to go with tatsujin's system card throne.

[Gypsy]

Goes right with the PS3 but 360 is good budget gaming as well. Wii doesn't seem too bad outside of a few crazily priced titles either. Mostly it's going to be newer stuff but yeah the Atari bubble popped awhile ago.

PS2 as already mentioned isn't a bad choice. For nutty games like Rule of Rose (if you are into horror) you can easily play through a hdd or burned disc.

Original Xbox is still the best though. No one cares about it at all. Only a small group of titles (less than 10) are even over $30.

[TheClash603]

Master System

[NecroPhile]

Other than a few oddball titles, most anything new-ish (PSP/Vita, PS3/PS4, etc.) is original msrp or less, and there's always good deals on PC games on GoG and Steam.

[sirhcman]

Xbox, Xbox 360, Sega Genesis (to an extent), Master System, Gameboy (including Color) are just a few that I collect for and are on the cheap side of things

[PukeSter]

unlike rising prices of super famicom games, Japanese n64 games are still dirt cheap (except sin and punishment or bangai-o)

For example, Mario 64 is $5 instead of $25

[esadajr]

Atari 2600 with harmony cart, tons of fun

I agree with Sega stuffs (to an extend), Saturn is affected, but still a number a good tities can be had for a reasonable price.

PS3 is great, I got my first one a couple years ago. Tons of great bargain bin games waiting to played. Also because of imports (ie guilty pleasures).

[sirhcman]

I agree with Sega stuffs (to an extend), Saturn is affected, but still a number a good tities can be had for a reasonable price.

Definitely some good tities on the Saturn!

[TDIRunner]

Game Gear games are literally a dime a dozen.

[Otaking]

Wii, xbox, Ps2, DS, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance.
Dreamcast for the most part is still quite cheap.
 

[TDIRunner]

Also, if you are willing to walk into a GameStop, they are basically giving Wii games away now.  I bought Link's Crossbow Training CIB for $0.49 (before Power Rewards discount).

There are also a lot of decent PS3 games there for cheap.  I bought Warhawk the other day CIB for $0.96.

[DeshDildo]

1.) Game Gear is cheap all the way around.  Tim's T.V. out mod to the system is great.
2.) Atari 7800 games are still cheap even though the hardware has jumped up in the last year.  I recommend buying or modding an NES controller for it though or buying the Euro 7800 pad.
3.) Gameboy Advance stuff is really cheap and there are some awesome titles including many great SNES ports.  Play through Game Cube player.

[sirhcman]

1.) Game Gear is cheap all the way around.  Do Tim's T.V. out mod and it's great.

Do you offer this service?

[TDIRunner]

Tim's T.V. out mod to the system is great.

I already have the board in my possession.  I just need to find the time to install it.  I also have the GG Everdrive, so despite how cheap the games are, my collecting for that system is pretty much done.

[CrackTiger]

Most of these aren't any different than PC Engine.

Even if some games are more collectible than others, most libraries have lots of affirdable cool games. Don't worry about the Genesis and SMS games that "go for" thousands of dollars and just enjoy some of the fun ones which are within your budget.

Or better yet, start "collecting" flashcarts.

[LostFlunky]

Intellivision and Colecovision are still pretty cheap. 

[CrackTiger]

Intellivision and Colecovision are still pretty cheap. 

Several Intellivision games sell for over $100 and one is in the thousands. Separate from that, many out of print games from the strong homebrew scene go for $100+.

There are still lots of cheap classics, but it's no different than most libraries.

[SignOfZeta]

I collect 16-bit era almost exclusively and I rarely pay more than $40 for a game. There's lots of stuff to play. Really good stuff in the $10 range is out there for almost any system. Considering new games I don't even like are $60 on average I think prices of classic systems are fine.

Except for 2600, for which so few decent games exist that the value is pretty much meaningless. The good games are valueless and the bad ones not only innumerable but also sometimes worth thousands.

What I don't do is "complete" collections. If I can't afford the really great $1000 game I'll pirate it somehow. If I can't afford the really shitty $1000 game I'll just avoid it completely. I have no need for the shitty games, sports, mahjong, whatever. In that scenario stuff is affordable. I have a real Neo Geo running real Metal Slug and KOF. A real Genesis running real Phantasy Star IV. A real PC Engine running real Ys...and a bootleg Sapphire. This is all absolute top shelf gaming and not very expensive even now. If "getting into" a system means you are going to blow actual money on repro crap, buy all the sports shit, buy the rare shooter you don't have half the skill to beat, buy overpriced inferior US localizations, buy a mail order only Turbochip wallet, Bikini Girls, then I can't help you. You're your own worst enemy.

[ginoscope]

I'm with everyone here if all you really want to do is play on original hardware than there are ways to do that without breaking the bank.  Like Black Tiger said just collect flash carts but there are a lot of affordable games that you can get for every system.

I'm with Zeta in that I finally narrowed my collecting and gaming to the 8/16 bit era plus the Saturn.  There are just too many games to collect for every system ever made.  I have always been fond of the Saturn and always wanted a Gray launch version but the price of Saturn stuff turned me off.  I ended up getting a cheap Gray Saturn from japan and a Rhea and I am done with Saturn.  I still have all my Saturn accessories from 10 years back so I am good.

[crazydean]

Dreamcast accessories CIB can still be had for cheap. I got a brand new first-party controller and VMU for about $20.

[DeshDildo]

1.) Game Gear is cheap all the way around.  Do Tim's T.V. out mod and it's great.

Do you offer this service?

I can, I just don't know when.  I haven't been doing much work for others because my schedule has been crazy and it's been hard to get solid soldering iron time in.  I have a metric crap ton of my own projects backlogged.

[CrackTiger]

There's a better Game Gear RGB board from Europe which includes a controller port, fully consolizing the system. I also bought a GG link to Sega controller cable, so two people can play on the same TV like a regular console.

[Gypsy]

I collect 16-bit era almost exclusively and I rarely pay more than $40 for a game. There's lots of stuff to play. Really good stuff in the $10 range is out there for almost any system. Considering new games I don't even like are $60 on average I think prices of classic systems are fine.

Except for 2600, for which so few decent games exist that the value is pretty much meaningless. The good games are valueless and the bad ones not only innumerable but also sometimes worth thousands.

What I don't do is "complete" collections. If I can't afford the really great $1000 game I'll pirate it somehow. If I can't afford the really shitty $1000 game I'll just avoid it completely. I have no need for the shitty games, sports, mahjong, whatever. In that scenario stuff is affordable. I have a real Neo Geo running real Metal Slug and KOF. A real Genesis running real Phantasy Star IV. A real PC Engine running real Ys...and a bootleg Sapphire. This is all absolute top shelf gaming and not very expensive even now. If "getting into" a system means you are going to blow actual money on repro crap, buy all the sports shit, buy the rare shooter you don't have half the skill to beat, buy overpriced inferior US localizations, buy a mail order only Turbochip wallet, Bikini Girls, then I can't help you. You're your own worst enemy.

Damn right. KOF is probably my favourite fighter franchise. 98 is a master work.

[SignOfZeta]

I have KOF 98 for MVS. I think I paid $45 for it.

[xcrement5x]

I agree Game Gear is cheapish still except for a couple titles.  Wii is pretty good too, most of the "good" games were made in abundance since the console was so popular. 

I'd also say PSP sometimes, depends on the games though.

[Gypsy]

I agree Game Gear is cheapish still except for a couple titles.  Wii is pretty good too, most of the "good" games were made in abundance since the console was so popular. 

I'd also say PSP sometimes, depends on the games though.

Does the PSP have any games over $70?

I know Hexyz Force was trending in that direction (despite being not very good imo) but that is 50 CAD new now due to it being reprinted.

[NecroPhile]

Does the PSP have any games over $70?

Vic's pair (Class of Heroes 2 and Summon Night 5) might and there's any number of limited edition fancy box sets out of Japan that go that high, but otherwise not really, at least not for retail stuff.

[Gypsy]

For now at least SN5 is back in stock at videogamesplus. I could definitely see it trending up once that stock and the stock of the people that bought the game just to sell is exhausted.

I was definitely thinking only of US releases fwiw, but it makes sense that there are some pricy Japanese LE sets.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

PC Engine and Genesis are easy.  I can find a bunch of cheapo games for those that I still don't own in the $5~$10 range.

[esteban]

PC Engine and Genesis are easy.  I can find a bunch of cheapo games for those that I still don't own in the $5~$10 range.

I forgot how much you enjoy mahjong and wrestling games!

j/k

[bob]

PC Engine and Genesis are easy.  I can find a bunch of cheapo games for those that I still don't own in the $5~$10 range.

I forgot how much you enjoy mahjong and wrestling games!

j/k

hey, one of the best PCE games ever is still around $10.

FINAL
MATCH
TENNIS

[esteban]

PC Engine and Genesis are easy.  I can find a bunch of cheapo games for those that I still don't own in the $5~$10 range.

I forgot how much you enjoy mahjong and wrestling games!

j/k

hey, one of the best PCE games ever is still around $10.

FINAL
MATCH
TENNIS

I own all the cheap games.

I was buying them years ago, because I was a cheapskate.

Little did I know, I should have been buying all the other games. ;(

C'est la vie.

[SignOfZeta]

I...kinda did that too.

[mitsuman]

How about C64?

[Psycho Punch]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

[esteban]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

I had a C64 but gave it to a friend in California.

Lots of floppies...the only floppy I kept was...Gauntlet? And a few random other games. Because it was Gauntlet.

[wildfruit]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

I had a C64 but gave it to a friend in California.

Lots of floppies...the only floppy I kept was...Gauntlet? And a few random other games. Because it was Gauntlet.

Were discs the c64 mainstay in America lands? I only ask because I knew no one with discs. All about the tapes. I still have one. And a crappy B&W commodore monitor.

[SignOfZeta]

I used tapes for the PET and VIC20 (at school) but only floppies for C64 at home.

I've also never seen a legit retail piece of C64 software except for a cartridge a guy I know had...it was pirate city.

[mitsuman]

My brother and I had a ton of legit floppies. But we also had our share of copied material.

[esteban]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

I had a C64 but gave it to a friend in California.

Lots of floppies...the only floppy I kept was...Gauntlet? And a few random other games. Because it was Gauntlet.

Were discs the c64 mainstay in America lands? I only ask because I knew no one with discs. All about the tapes. I still have one. And a crappy B&W commodore monitor.

We are talking mid- to late 80's, everyone I knew had a floppy drive. Also, I had C64/Apple II in most classrooms (5th-8th grade)—floppy. Commodore PET in 2nd-3rd grade (cassette).

High school was Apple IIgs....3.5 floppies...probably 5.25 drives, too, but the 3.5 drives were so kool in 1989.

[wildfruit]

We had floppies in school, BBC Micros & Acorns. but at home tape was King. Amstrad/ spectrum/c64. Tapes all the way.
*nb I never actually had any of these at home at the time. My first was NES, I had one friend with a c64 and one with a spectrum zx. I did not get a c64 until about 5 years ago when it was gifted to me.

[esteban]

We had floppies in school, BBC Micros & Acorns. but at home tape was King. Amstrad/ spectrum/c64. Tapes all the way.

Tapes would have been common circa early 80's...if I had been a bit older, I would have used them a lot more at school/home.



Also: My family never owned a computer, sadly

[wildfruit]

We had floppies in school, BBC Micros & Acorns. but at home tape was King. Amstrad/ spectrum/c64. Tapes all the way.

Tapes would have been common circa early 80's...if I had been a bit older, I would have used them a lot more at school/home.



Also: My family never owned a computer, sadly

I'm talking late 80s. Tapes were still the thing. And they were cheap, most were only about £3-£5. Some AAA ones were £10. Compare this to the average NES game being about £40. I don't regret not having one at the time though because really I don't have the patience for the LOADING.

[ClodBusted]

Am I correct in assuming that tapes were more used in the UK in the late 80s than in other regions?

[wildfruit]

Am I correct in assuming that tapes were more used in the UK in the late 80s than in other regions?

I can only presume so?

[Otaking]

For Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad in the UK it was all tapes as Wildfruit said, those 8 bit computers were insanely popular in the early to mid 80s, but I would say in the late 80s they were being phased out and everyone had moved on to 16 bit Commodore Amiga and Atari ST which had a huge user base and used floppy disks.
Also in the late 80s consoles started to gain popularity here, the Sega Master System was reasonably popular, much more so than the NES, and we had the start of the grey import scene with imported PC Engine and Mega Drive.


I was given a Spectrum as a kid in the 80s and I hated the thing, the tape loading really pissed me off, it took ages and half the time didn't work, it completely put me off home video gaming, I'd see what was capable in the Arcades and think this home gaming is just shit. It wasn't till I played imported PC Engine and Mega Drive that got me into it. Well that's an understatement more like I then became completely obsessed with video games.

[Psycho Punch]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

Now that I think about it, didn't the C64 use a custom digital interface for tapes?

[wildfruit]

How about C64?

If I ever buy one I'd rather buy a stack of blank audio tapes or just plug an Ipod to the damn thing.

Now that I think about it, didn't the C64 use a custom digital interface for tapes?

Yes. This thing. Reminds me of what a mega cd plugs into. But smaller
/ca85c7b39.jpg