Japan Release Prices

[JapanesePeso]

I've spent several months during the first part of this year collecting information on what Japanese imports go for abroad and I've created what I think are some halfway respectable price guides. I'd be perfectly happy to let digitpress use this info in anyway you can especially since a lot of systems have almost no info for the import prices.

Here are the guides:

Wonderswan
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40

Saturn
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=33

Famicom
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=241

Dreamcast
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=520

3DO
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=15

PC Engine
http://www.risingstuff.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104

I have a few more unreleased ones that I might put up over the course of the rest of the year. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know. :)

[JohnnyA]

Love your guides. Keep up the good work. Would love a PS1/PS2 guide.

[smork]

JapanesePeso, I applaud you for creating your lists, but the prices are way, way off, especially for the rares. I'm really only familiar with the Wonderswan and Dreamcast prices but on those the rares are almost twice what you have them listed at. For example I've never seen Dicing Knight even listed for over $200 and in fact Traders had a bunch of new ones recently for about 15,000. I picked up my Handy Sonar for less than a quarter of the price listed (from a shop that had pretty middle of the road prices), and Judgment Silversword can still be found new for less than 10,000 yen.

On the Dreamcast side it's the same thing, many of them are about twice what they go for even in expensive Akihabara stores.

I'm not sure if the prices just haven't been revised in a few years, but they don't reflect what things go for on Yahoo Auctions or in the Akiba shops these days....

[Ed Oscuro]

JapanesePeso, I applaud you for creating your lists, but the prices are way, way off, especially for the rares. I'm really only familiar with the Wonderswan and Dreamcast [snip]
Famicom prices look fine to me. I checked Akumajo Densetsu / the Dracula cartridge rerelease, the Ninja Gaiden games, the Batman Sunsoft games, and they looked alright to me, not inflated.

[Vectorman0]

These are definitely very handy for helping people put a value on something they aren't sure of.

I quickly looked over the DC list, and this one stuck out as being way too high:
De La Jet Set Radio $375

[mb7241]

Good stuff to know, for sure, but I'm in the camp with several others...many of the prices (40-50%) are at least twice what I've seen them go for on average...

[JohnnyA]

You have to remember that (I think) these are priced at the going rate for these Japanese games IN AMERICA.

[smork]

You have to remember that (I think) these are priced at the going rate for these Japanese games IN AMERICA.

Something magically costs twice as much because it's IN AMERICA? Besides, I think they are based in Japan, not the US.

[Mimi Nakamura]

Something magically costs twice as much because it's IN AMERICA? Besides, I think they are based in Japan, not the US.

It's not magic. It's something called Distribution and Availability.

[smork]

It's not magic. It's something called Distribution and Availability.

I don't think you know anything about buying Japanese soft from overseas. Prices do not double when you buy in the US. Shop around.

Check out his shop - his own store is cheaper than his price list. Yahoo Auctions + middle man + shipping is cheaper than the rares on the price list. Ed says the Famicom prices are fine, which means probably the lists just aren't current as prices haven't settled for more recent systems like Dreamcast and Wonderswan.

Go check around, check eBay, even - the prices are just off for the rares for Dreamcast and Wonderswan.

[mobiusclimber]

Yeah the thing of it is, those WERE the prices for WS games anyway, back when this was first compiled. Now something like Makaimura is a lot cheaper, but I remember when copies were selling for that price.

[Ed Oscuro]

Glad I held out on collecting WS then. Yeah, I recall prices used to be rather expensive.