Questions About Rental Games

[Blanka789]

I just picked 2 Genesis games up today at Goodwill, all in good condition. However, they were definitely rentals.

One game was in a clear case that looked like a VHS case, but had a modified space to fit Genesis Carts. It had a Hollywood Video sticker on the cart, does anyone know why they used these instead of the regular cases? The next game was also from Hollywood Video (had the silver stickers and barcode on the cart to prove it), but was left in the standard black Genesis case.

Both games brought up some questions that I had always wondered but which I never got around to asking. First off, what is with the washed out colors on the front part of the cover (except the Sega seal)? The side and back of the games do not suffer the same fate, nor does the small square containing the seal on the front.

When I looked at the manuals for the games, I noticed that they had a protective plastic covering surrounding them, almost like they had been laminated. Even though these games and manuals had probably been put through hell, they had held up surprisingly well, most likely thanks to the covering. What kind of covering is this? More importantly, would doing this to other manuals affect the value? It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to risk ruining my collection.

Any help is appreciated, and I can post pics if you guys need them, just let me know.

[Steve W]

what is with the washed out colors on the front part of the cover (except the Sega seal)? The side and back of the games do not suffer the same fate, nor does the small square containing the seal on the front.
That's probably what happens to games when they sit on a rental shelf with direct or indirect sunlight on them.

[gum_drops]

What kind of covering is this? More importantly, would doing this to other manuals affect the value?


Its a clear adhesive laminate and yes it will drop the value on your games. If you are careful with your manuals it really shouldn't be an issue.

[Neil Koch]

One game was in a clear case that looked like a VHS case, but had a modified space to fit Genesis Carts. It had a Hollywood Video sticker on the cart, does anyone know why they used these instead of the regular cases?


Just a thought, but maybe to cut down on theft? Maybe they thought people were less likely to try and steal them (or just keep them after renting them) if they weren't in the original cases.

[Astrosmash]

Just a thought, but maybe to cut down on theft? Maybe they thought people were less likely to try and steal them (or just keep them after renting them) if they weren't in the original cases.

This may or may not be the true of the exact case the OP's talking about, but some of the clear rental cases used for games would have had a security lock on them.

I worked at a video store back in 2001, and the cases they used had a sliding plastic piece that went over the opening end. When you brought the game up to the counter, the clerk used a plastic "key" to remove this piece, and when the game was returned the lock was put back on before it went back on the shelf. It was just so somebody couldn't open the case in the store, swipe the game disc/cart and put the case back.

And this was just a local video store that I worked in, so it's not unlikely that the big chains might have used similar security cases.

[Astrosmash]

Both games brought up some questions that I had always wondered but which I never got around to asking. First off, what is with the washed out colors on the front part of the cover (except the Sega seal)? The side and back of the games do not suffer the same fate, nor does the small square containing the seal on the front.

Definitely just sun-fade. As for the seal on the front not fading, I'd hazard a guess that there may have been a sticker or something over that part of the box at some point in time. Some of the local video stores in my area always put their store stickers in the lower right corner of their boxes.


When I looked at the manuals for the games, I noticed that they had a protective plastic covering surrounding them, almost like they had been laminated. Even though these games and manuals had probably been put through hell, they had held up surprisingly well, most likely thanks to the covering. What kind of covering is this? More importantly, would doing this to other manuals affect the value? It seems like a great idea, but I don't want to risk ruining my collection.

Good chance that the clear covering is clear contact paper (home and craft stores should have it; its the same stuff people often line drawers or cabinets with). But I've even seen some video stores use things like clear packing tape to cover manuals; the one I worked for years ago not only put the tape on the front and back cover of the manual, but also taped the back cover of the manual *into* the front of the rental box! Personally I don't really recommend this as a good way to preserve manuals already in good shape (I still regret contact-papering the map from my NES Pirates! game), but if you have some that are falling apart anyway then go for it.

And all of these things - rental box instead of original, sunfade, taped manuals - will detract from value. If you're mainly buying the game just to play it, no big deal, but something to keep in mind if you plan to resell down the line.

[PapaStu]

The laminate keeps them together better. Think of all the rentals a game got, and that most didn't know what did what in the game so they flipped through the manuals. That thin paper can easily be ripped and fall apart when handled roughly (as people tend to do with movies and things that they are renting). That sticker laminate thing keeps them together and cuts down on the wear.

And yes it hurts a manuals value to many people who'd be looking for games complete.

[Blanka789]

Good to know that the laminate hurts the value of a game, I'll stay away from doing it to my own collection. And I think you guys are spot on about the sunfade. Oh well, they were only 99 cents apiece so it isn't like I'm losing a ton of money here.

[bangtango]

One game was in a clear case that looked like a VHS case, but had a modified space to fit Genesis Carts. It had a Hollywood Video sticker on the cart, does anyone know why they used these instead of the regular cases? The next game was also from Hollywood Video (had the silver stickers and barcode on the cart to prove it), but was left in the standard black Genesis case.

Why was one game in the VHS case and the other in a standard Genesis case? Could be any number of reasons.

1. The games were handled by two different managers and/or two different stores.

2. Maybe they were missing the original black Genesis case from the game in the VHS box.

3. Maybe the Genesis game in the VHS case was one of the Genesis games that was released with a cardboard case instead of a plastic one.

I actually enjoy finding and buying ex-rentals in the wild, especially ones from places I used to rent at a lot or if I am lucky the very same copy of a game I rented many times.

One of my happiest days was buying a copy of NES Pirates that I had rented about 10-15 times from a Sounds Easy Video about 20 minutes from my home. This was when the N64 had come out and Sounds Easy Video was blowing out their NES games. Wish I had never sold that copy of the game a couple years ago, even though I already had another one. It had some sentimental value to me.

[Astrosmash]

I actually enjoy finding and buying ex-rentals in the wild, especially ones from places I used to rent at a lot or if I am lucky the very same copy of a game I rented many times.

Same here; I never minded getting ex-rentals, as long as they work and the cart's labels aren't too messed up/completely covered in stickers; it gives them some character. (Same reason I don't mind things like marker writing on carts, again as long as it's not on the label.) And they're especially of interest if they're from some of the local shops - unfortunately I don't think there's too many of those left unclaimed.

I did grab some good stuff when one of the local video stores closed, including Knights of the Round, Robotrek and AD&D: Eye of the Beholder for SNES. I'd really wanted to get their copy of Dragon Warrior IV (NES) that I rented frequently, but somebody else must've got to it first. Eventually I did get a copy of it, but I'd really wanted the one I rented so many times.

[bangtango]

Same here; I never minded getting ex-rentals, as long as they work and the cart's labels aren't too messed up/completely covered in stickers; it gives them some character. (Same reason I don't mind things like marker writing on carts, again as long as it's not on the label.) And they're especially of interest if they're from some of the local shops - unfortunately I don't think there's too many of those left unclaimed.

I did grab some good stuff when one of the local video stores closed, including Knights of the Round, Robotrek and AD&D: Eye of the Beholder for SNES. I'd really wanted to get their copy of Dragon Warrior IV (NES) that I rented frequently, but somebody else must've got to it first. Eventually I did get a copy of it, but I'd really wanted the one I rented so many times.

My biggest rental store scores (*) in recent years included the following games below. I resold all three of them to fund another purchase.

-Final Fight 3 (SNES): the game was complete but the box/manual & game were covered with rental stickers, bought for $4 and resold for $40 shipped

-Tengen Tetris (NES): box and cart, bought for $5 or so, resold for around $60 shipped

-Namco's Ms. Pac Man (NES): cart only, bought for $5 and resold for $18 shipped


* To clarify, these three above were bought directly from a rental store clearing out old games. Point being, I didn't buy them in a thrift store after the fact and simply noticed they were ex-rentals. Got this milk straight from the cow, pardon the pun.

Sucks that you didn't get DWIV. Too bad. Just hope that whoever bought it picked it up to play, instead of reselling, and is happy with it.

[Blanka789]

Now that you guys mention it, I kind of like the rental games. They do have some character. I remember renting games like this years ago, but never owned them...I guess collecting kind of gives me a chance to do that.

[scooterb23]

My favorite part about rental games are the "Be Kind Rewind" stickers they slapped on a few of the carts I own.