Games you have trouble finding in good condition?

[bangtango]

I haven't seen this exact thread done before, unless I was using the wrong key words.

This would pertain primarily towards disc-based games that you buy used, though cartridge games can be listed. I'll start with my example.

Since finally acquring a PS2 in February with my tax return, I've spent some of my time acquiring a few of my favorites from my Gamecube and XBox libraries. See, if the games are cheap enough, then I'm open to buying them for more than one system. Here it is, around two and a half months later and I'm still looking for good condition copies of NBA 2K2 and NFL 2K2. The problem isn't finding them, nor is it the price. Those two PS2 games are everywhere and always for $1-3. I've come across at least 6 copies of NFL 2K2 and at least 7 copies of NBA 2K2. The trouble is finding discs of those games that aren't all beat up and I've tried close to a dozen places around here that would sell PS2 games. Seeing that shipping would cost more than the games if I bought them online, I prefer to find them locally. As of now, I've had terrible luck and it baffles me given that those two are pretty common games and in low demand.

Here lies the question I'm asking with the thread.

What games do you have a great deal of difficulty finding in good, working condition?

Just a few very loose ground rules:

1. Games that people can actually find from time to time, not really looking for the R7's (or higher) of the world. It can be a pretty common title, like the two I talked about above. It's just a matter of whether or not you can actually find a copy that is in good condition. For example, someone might write "I've found Twisted Metal II on PS1 in a pawn shop or thrift store 5 or 6 times in the past year and it is always damaged or scratched up."

2. I'm not really basing this on the condition of the case or the manual, or if the manual is even there. It also doesn't matter if the box is intact, if you're talking about cart games. I'm primarily speaking of the actual GAME itself. A disc game you find from time to time that is ALWAYS scratched up when you see it or maybe a cartridge game that never loads, no matter how often you find it. Perhaps you look for a specific game but can never find a copy with a working save battery, such as an RPG or sports title. (I have the same problem with NHL 95 on the Genesis, I've went through 8 copies in the past 12 months and none of them saved).

Obviously, it is more useful if you have failed to find said game at least 2-3 times on account of the issues mentioned above or if you have been trying to find it for the past several months (or few) and keep on coming up empty. Then again, it could be a game you already own but keep on finding out in the wild in bad shape, whether or not you intended to get it again.

So what games in your area have been suffering the most abuse from their former owners? Any era of gaming is suitable though I'm most interested in hearing of the disc-based games myself.

[Cornelius]

Doesn't *quite* meet your criteria, because they always have worked, but a gold Zelda (I or II) cart for the NES can be pretty dang hard to get a hold of. I've had many copies pass through my hands, and finally have one that is very good, but even it has a little bit of the gold worn off.

Dunno, just the first thing that came to mind as I was reading your post.

[Muscelli]

sonic adventure limited edition, I bet a mint copy doesnt exist

[plaidbrad3141]

It took me forever to find a clean copy of Fatal Frame for the PS2 in the wild.

[bust3dstr8]

Finding good condition HuCards is tough. Even if the top looks great, the bottom is often very scuffed up. It's just the way the PC-Engine is designed I guess, if people don't clean the card slot off its worse. The dirt seems to get
ground real deep into the card.

[BocoDragon]

Somehow, in like 15 years of active searching, I have never found a decent looking copy of Super Mario Bros 2. I kid you not.

[RadiantSvgun]

Megaman X3
Crusader of Centy
Capcom Vs Snk 2 gamecube
Ninja Gaiden Trilogy
Lunar 2 psx
Dracula X snes
Splatterhouse 2
Elemental Master
contra nes box
contra force
Final fight guy
Mighty final fight
Kickle cubicle
Axelay

[DigitalSpace]

I was having some trouble with Rumble Racing (PS2), but I finally manged to find one in good shape at an EB a while back. Same thing with Driver 2 (PSX) until I got a copy at GameCrazy about a week and a half ago.

The games that come to mind right now are:

Rayman 3 (Gamecube)
Road & Track Presents The Need For Speed (PSX)
Kings of the Beach (NES)
Road Rash 3 (Genesis)

[sirhansirhan]

I never owned a Gamecube but bought a Wii on launch day, so I've been trying to catch up on all of thr Cube games I've wanted all this time but have never bought. It's a shame that new GC games are hard to come by these days, because as a system, I've never seen more consistently shitty looking used games.

A rough estimate would be that half of the used PS2 and X-Box games I come into are in good enough shape (for me, anyway), and maybe 1/3 of PS1 games, but it really seems like only about 1/10 of the used Gamecube games I look at are in acceptable shape. Is it because the discs are small? Or because it is generally perceived as a system for kids, and kids are harder on their discs? I don't know.

[goemon]

I guess that obi completeness counts for this topic... there are some games that are really hard to find compete with obi:

Kitchen Panic (PS): I've never seen a complete copy for sale/auction. I searched for a while trying to find one, but I found a great deal on an incomplete copy and went for it. Great game BTW!

Ningyo no Rakuin (PS): Another uncommon/semi-rare game that I've had trouble finding with the obi intact. It's easier to find sealed than Kitchen Panic, though.

Those are the only examples I can think of offhand.

[Tron 2.0]

I can think of a recent example where i've had that problem.

Duckhunt for... the famicom i don't know why it's hard to come by for it.

While the, NES version is common i had to struggle just to get a copy of it cib.

[djsquarewave]

Kitchen Panic (PS): I've never seen a complete copy for sale/auction. I searched for a while trying to find one, but I found a great deal on an incomplete copy and went for it. Great game BTW!
The only copy of this I've ever actually seen had the spine. And you know that one's mine now. :) 'course, this was off the shelf at a Chemeleon Club in Tokyo, so...yeah.

I had a bit of trouble findind a copy of Chronicles of Riddick (Xbox) in good condition. Bought a copy from the Gamestop here, took it home and it refused to load into the game. Disc was scratched to hell. Took it back to exchange it, and the guy took another out of the drawer and looke at it, and said "Wow, this one looks even worse." Looked at three or four more copies before he found an acceptable one.

Though at least I didn't have to drive to the next town to even find another copy to try like I did with Mercenaries. :-/

[dojosky]

sonic adventure limited edition, I bet a mint copy doesnt exist

it sure does exists ! ;) I have one i bought directly from a sega employer it was sealed but one night he decided to open it to play it GRRR but its still MINT . to be honest i dont think they were ever sealed why would an exclusive game be sealed ?? . but I might be wrong .. that Night i bought many sealed dc games from him and 3 brand new dc systems too ! plus am sure some collectors has mint sonic adventure limited edition in their hands...

[Penguin]

Couple games that come to mind are Zelda and the Adventure of Link gold carts for NES, Ive seem more of them missing gold than I have non gold ones. Another game would be Frogger for 2600, whenever I find one it always has a dirty/damaged label, or the stupid hole worn open on the middle of the label.

[GrandAmChandler]

Plaque Attack
Frostbite
Crackpots

Every 2600 Parker Bros. game.

[PentiumMMX]

A few of mine:

Pokemon Crystal (GBC): It took me years to find a copy with a working save battery (I asked for it for Christmas 2001, and didn't get it until Faburary 2007)

Crash Team Racing (PSX): Every copy I fond is always beaten to hell and my PlayStation rejects it.

[Bratwurst]

Just about every NES Capcom game I see in the wild has been through what I dub 'excessive appreciation.' The chance of this phenomenon doubles if it's a disney license. Some of the most common games on the planet and they all look like they've been through a wood chipper.

Getting mint copies of NES Megaman games, online or off is also next to impossible.

[mrmark0673]

Rental only games (Flintstones 2, Final Fight Guy, Clayfighter: Sculpters Cut Etc.) can be very difficult to find in good shape. Often these games have label damage from having stickers on them or just generally beat up because people who rent the games don't take very good care of them.

[Kid Ice]

Every 2600 Parker Bros. game.

Later releases like Super Cobra and Popeye seem to be subject to peeling labels. Earlier games like Frogger and ESB are usually okay though.

[dcescott]

Later releases like Super Cobra and Popeye seem to be subject to peeling labels. Earlier games like Frogger and ESB are usually okay though.

Frogger has given me problems. I find the no label parker bros case several times and think, maybe I'll get lucky and find a proto from this! You never know
Nope, just Frogger. Wasted .50

[Cambot]

Somehow, in like 15 years of active searching, I have never found a decent looking copy of Super Mario Bros 2. I kid you not.

I guess I got lucky a couple months ago at a thrift store, then.


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/ckeene/DSCN1119.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/ckeene/lot.jpg

[BocoDragon]

I guess I got lucky a couple months ago at a thrift store, then.

You're the one who's stealing my karma!!! :)

And how did you know that boxed SNES games (including the Square greats) were the other thing that would make me jealous....?

[Pilotwings]

Un squadron ( usa version) seems hard to find in good nic.:frustrated:

[Cambot]

I always used to have a hard time finding Mario Paint in good condition. I finally got one from a co-worker,


You're the one who's stealing my karma!!! :)

And how did you know that boxed SNES games (including the Square greats) were the other thing that would make me jealous....?

Yeah, sorry. I like to randomly throw that find out there.

[mEgAsHoT]

The game that I can't find in a good condition around my area is Ridge Racer V for the PS2. I've only seen one copy in my area (McDonough, GA), and that only copy was horribly scratched up. I haven't found another copy of the game since then.

[kataboom]

Somehow, in like 15 years of active searching, I have never found a decent looking copy of Super Mario Bros 2. I kid you not.i agree with this one. sm2 is hard to find in good condition.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[nildem]

I've had a really hard time finding certain Activision Atari cartridges where the glue hasn't seeped through and stained the label.

Plus, most ColecoVision games have those damn black labels that tend to flake and chip really easily. I've pretty much given up looking for mint cartridges.

Alot of Tengen NES cartridges seem to have damage on the end of the label since they're a bit harder to remove from the system than regular carts.

[kataboom]

It's pretty random, but Pinbot for NES. I've got maybe 5-6 copies over the past few months in lots and they all sucked. Haven't had much luck with Pokemon Yellow either :(

But to respond to the above post, whenever I get a copy of SMB2, it's pristine :)ill trade you 5 copies of my junker smb2's for one of your pristine copies!


Alot of Tengen NES cartridges seem to have damage on the end of the label since they're a bit harder to remove from the system than regular carts.

i have to say no thanks to many black tengen carts because the tengen oem screws arent stainless so they corrode like no ones business. anyone got a good lead on stainless replacement nes cart screws?

[psychic1]

I used to work at 5 different Funcolands back in the day so I've handled millions of games and 3 in particular come to mind when I think of good games that are very difficult to find complete and in mint condition.
Not surprisingly, they've all been mentioned already.

Castlevania: Dracula X - SNES
Contra Force - NES
Splatterhouse 2 - Genesis

[nildem]

i have to say no thanks to many black tengen carts because the tengen oem screws arent stainless so they corrode like no ones business. anyone got a good lead on stainless replacement nes cart screws?

They're not the actual gamebit screws, but Radio Shack sells tiny phillips-head screws similar to the ones used on the older NES cartridges. I think they're like $2.99 for a package of 50 or so. I've been using them for quite some time and they work really well.