Why is it so much easier to find games and systems than accessories?

[BetaWolf47]

The only accessories I ever see are common controllers, and even then I can't find a lot. I see NES controllers, SNES controllers, Genesis controllers, Zappers, N64 controllers, etc., but I have yet to see a Saturn 3D controller, Super Scope, Saturn or Genesis light gun, or NES dog bone controllers. I've seen several of each system though. What's the deal? Anyone have similar problems?

[kupomogli]

Maybe they threw them, broken them, lost them when moving, stopped working properly and they tried fixing it but failed and threw it away, etc.

I think that's the reason you don't find older controller accessories that often.

[iycon]

i dont know, but i can guess.

I'm thinking that the mainstream public buying the games mainly stuck with the core consoles and games and didnt bother with accesories beyond that except the occasional extra controllers.

[Superman]

I can't say that I have had that problem for most of the items you mentioned. I see Saturn 3D controllers and Super Scopes quite often and the light guns every once in awhile. It has been quite awhile since I have seen a dog bone controller though.

[Nature Boy]

The only accessories I ever see are common controllers, and even then I can't find a lot. I see NES controllers, SNES controllers, Genesis controllers, Zappers, N64 controllers, etc., but I have yet to see a Saturn 3D controller, Super Scope, Saturn or Genesis light gun, or NES dog bone controllers. I've seen several of each system though. What's the deal? Anyone have similar problems?

Unless you're Atari manufacturing E.T. carts, you generally don't create more supply than there are consoles to use it with...

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I bought a Saturn 3D controller, new in box, for $15 (and the supplier still has more). I see Saturn and Genesis light guns all the time. You should see some of the random controllers I pick up... Picked up a 3DO 6-button Controller last time I was out grabbing random accessories. I can honestly say I haven't seen many dog bone NES controllers. Maybe I'm just lucky?

[BetaWolf47]

Unless you're Atari manufacturing E.T. carts, you generally don't create more supply than there are consoles to use it with...
Most systems support at least two players though. So why do you see barebones systems and even less loose controllers?

[Shadow Kisuragi]

It's usually because people lose the controllers or they just find the system in storage somewhere. Unfortunately for me, I ended up the other way around with about 30 Classic NES controllers and 4 NES decks because people were just tossing them in with game lots. I've got 3 of those under the bed storage bins full of controllers and I only own about 15 systems total.

[Baloo]

I always see a ton of Genesis, Playstation, Nintendo 64, and NES controllers around here, but I have only seen Saturn stuff once in the wild, and never any Dog-bone NES controllers. I see a good amount of zappers though, I had four, just recently got rid of one.

[Push Upstairs]

I've seen *TWO* Super Scopes in my life, one new, and one used circa 2004.

I wasn't impressed with it on either occasion.


The accessory I would like to see again was this wireless SNES controller that had a round satellite dish looking receiver. I pointed the dish *AWAY* from me and the controller still worked....that impressed the hell out of me.

[Steve W]

There's one single store I can think of that has a Sega Menacer light gun, and they want $79.99 for it. Not even boxed! I've seen the SNES light gun equivalent in thrifts before, usually in a toy bin. And Nintendo Zappers are common as dirt around here.

What I want to find is those damn SMS 3D shutter glasses! I've only found a pair in the wild once, and they didn't have the card to plug them into the system, making them fairly useless. Even retro gaming shops don't have any.

[j_factor]

A lot of the third party accessories from back in the day only had a single, relatively small production run. It's not that hard to find either of the Sega Genesis official arcade sticks (there was a 3-button and a 6-button), but good luck finding the Beeshu Gizmo arcade stick. Back then, most people bought one extra controller and that was it, maybe an arcade stick if you preferred them. That didn't stop all kinds of weird controllers from coming out, but I honestly can't imagine the business having been profitable.

[Nature Boy]

Most systems support at least two players though. So why do you see barebones systems and even less loose controllers?

Not everybody buys more than one controller, and controllers break - especially when you throw them across the room in frustration!

[Steve W]

I found a Saturn 3D Analog Controller today in a thrift, along with a Saturn game pad and a couple Genny pads. No games though. Hardly ever Saturn games in the wild, and when it happens, they're always sports titles.

[BetaWolf47]

I found a Saturn 3D Analog Controller today in a thrift, along with a Saturn game pad and a couple Genny pads. No games though. Hardly ever Saturn games in the wild, and when it happens, they're always sports titles.

Yeah, true that, although I've gotten mad lucky at Play N Trade before. *Hugs his copies of Saturn Bomberman, Albert Odyssey, and Dragon Force that he got for chump change*

[ButtonMasher123]

I don't why it is, but I'm getting tired of finding all these Genesis Menacer cartidges with no Menacer gun to go with them. :mad:

[Dr. Dib]

I'm going to go with what was mentioned above, the fact that most people find their console in storage sans anything else. Or they just don't find the other stuff.

I've been somewhat fortunate I guess with weird accesories. I found a Menacer in box with T2 for $14.99. I also found two power gloves. Both of those things were at video game stores, so I guess it's expected. Never been too lucky with accessories in the wild. Oddest thing I've seen was a TG-16 controller in a resale shop. No console though.

[guitargary75]

Don't know?

[emceelokey]

Thin is, how many controllers do you buy in the span of a systems life? For the SNES, I never bought a replacement controller. I had the original two it came with and that's it. The only time someone would buy one is probably because they either lost or broke the one they originally had so basically it's 1 for 1. 1 gets bought, 1 gets tossed or lost.

[CelticJobber]

Is it rare to find mint-in-box NES Power Pads?