So where do you buy YOUR retro games at?

[Iron Lizard]

I let my friends build awesome collections and when they bored of them I move in for the kill.

[MrMatthews]

I just bought a brand new copy of Jet Grind Radio (DC) on Amazon.com $20.00

I got a good deal.

I saw a used copy here locally for $7.99. I didn't buy it.

[17daysolderthannes]

I saw a used copy here locally for $7.99. I didn't buy it.

I got my complete copy for $5, though I did have to bring it back to be resurfaced about 6 or 7 times before they finally sanded it and buffed it for 4 minutes. I really don't think its as good as fans imply, its just a very simple tony hawk predecessor when you get down to it, and much less fun.

Correction: Tony Hawk ripoff, Tony Hawk came out in 99, Jet Grind came out in 2000.

[zetastrike]

I buy mine at a store called Microgame. It used to be called MicroPlay. I think it is one of the few in the US. They have a ton of used games for just about any system.

[JDB]

eBay rant:

within the past few weeks there's been an increase in the number of eBay !!SHEEP!! copying other eBay listers who list their MD games with a p&p of £2.99 and with a starting bid of £2.50, their justification for the starting price is that they see the OMGZ R@RE titles go for £25... this really pisses me off because nobody buys them at this price. For the past 3 years I've never paid more than £3 for a generic MD game (CIB)... now the price of collecting has shot up nearly 2x...

...is it a storm to ride out, or is it here to stay?

[InternalPrimate]

Here

I'm going to throw in a little Chewbacca for you:

[Kollision]

For the past 3 years I've never paid more than £3 for a generic MD game (CIB)...

Hmmm. What do you call generic?
Sports games?

[16-bit]

I usually check thrift stores whenever I get the chance, I sometimes find cool stuff there, I think the coolest thing that I saw though was some Master System games, other than that nothing out of the ordinary.

Usually when I buy games for systems that are more common (PSX/2, N64, SNES, Genesis, Gamecube) I go to an independent video game/video rental shop where I live, it's a lot better than going to EBgames IMO, but even still, every once in a while I do get a good deal at EB.

For systems like the Saturn and the Dreamcast, I have to go online, mainly because that's my only option, there are no places near where I live that sell Sega Saturn games, the nearest place is two hours away.

[johnnyb]

I wish we had thrift stores here, I have to get everything online! If there are any stores around they are atleast 4-5 hours away! There are also garage sales on Saturdays but you have to get up far too early to beat the crowds, then most stuff is gone.

[MrMatthews]

Do you guys have used video game stores at least? GameStop/EB Games, Game Crazy, etc?

[johnnyb]

We do have EB games but they have stuff all, a few playstation and xbox games, but that`s all we have!

[Phantar]

yeah, pretty much the same here, the only stores that carry used games normally don't have anything older than PS2 games, maybe the odd PSX one, but that's it.

So it's online stores and the occasional garage sale for me as well, though I use the opportunity to to some game hunting whenever I'm abroad.

[johnnyb]

It`s just as well a lot of the people selling old gaming stuff online around here start things off at $1 with no reserve... there`s not a huge interest in the likes of sega here so the amount of games you pick up for a couple of $ is great! I still would prefer looking around in a store though!

[jesus.arnold]

We used to have a great chain of stores in the UK called Gamestation, but they were bought out by another company and immediately stopped selling old games and started to destroy stock on mass, within a matter of months they became just another worthless generic store, I haven't actually gone to one of their stores in months now as there was never anything worth buying that I couldn't get in a closer shop.

[Scooter]

There is a small chain of used game stores I check out when I can. Their older stock is dwindling and rarely does new stuff arrive. I think if they could sell off their stuff in one lot (and make their price) they would do it. They really make their income off PS2 and newer stuff like most such stores. They have been a good source for some pretty good stuff though.

A new retro store opened up about this time last year. I'd frequent him a LOT more if he dealt in complete games. He's more interested in selling loose carts and discs and selling them cheap. He's also found that he makes more money on used DVD movies and even VHS tapes (mostly due to his location) so he has expanded this aspect of his store. He's swung me some great deals but he just doesn't get the "complete in the box" thing so I just can't often find much to interest me there anymore.

So that leaves me with online sources. I've gotten a few nice bargains off Craigslist but that's pretty spotty. Ebay has gotten riduculous with prices and shipping charges. That then led me to Amazon but again the prices got stupid. One rare good source for selection and price that has remained good is Half.com. I just wish they could/would include actual photos of the item for sale. Even though it's associated with ebay, it doesn't seem like the masses have discovered it yet and as such the prices are quite often more reasonable and the shipping is a preset amount which is really great (and fair). Half.com has provided me with the vast majority of my Dreamcast games and increasingly is a more common source for all the system I collect for and even strategy guides which I've also begun to collect.