Where do you get your games?

[ianoid]

Alright kiddies, let's get some cold hard numbers. Consider it research for On the Prowl. I gots to know, where do you get those neato games you got? Round up you technical buggers. The next poll will gather info about your trading habits.

[Raedon]

I get at least 75% of my games locally. I only actively collect NES and snes, genesis, n64 though as anything pre-nes has dried up where i am.
This year I've only run into 78 Atari 2600 games of varying quality. Thats not so bad, that's a good collection of fun games, but thats with hunting every lunchbreak and every weekend.


I go online for:
SMS mostly, the system fasinates me.
Any pre-nes uncommon games or systems (non-atari.)

thats it. I'll need to go online to finish my NES collection but there are new carts to be found at every fleemarket i go to so even rare stuff isn't to hard... yet.

I only buy Genesis games boxed, and that is getting harder. This "shelf space" problem is going to kill Genesis collecting. atm I don't have a used game store in my area that carries Genesis at all.

[sniperCCJVQ]

95% of my stuff came from the wild and trade. I rarely buy videogame stuff on ebay, only if i need something really specific.

From a canadian perspective, buying on ebay it's not a advantage for us (damn change rate !) but for those who sell there stuff, it's where the avantadge his.

[DDCecil]

About 10% in the wild these days (there is basically nothing around here anymore!), 20% on ebay, 70% through trades and online stores.

[tynstar]

I buy games around town and instructions & manuals online.

[omnedon]

95% local, the rest E-bay. I've gotten good at getting stuff locally. My fear is, that I may singlehandedly clean the city out! Got tons of complete in box genesis and NES yesterday for $2.99 each! I'm slowly building relationships with local game store and pawn owners. The stories they tell me about what hits the trash is heartbreaking, and I'm trying to place myself squarely between these "pros", and the trashbin.

E-bay is great, and got me started, but these Ebay finds don't spawn there, someone is finding this stuff. Might as well be me!

[IGotTheDot]

You just can't beat the fresh air at the Swapmeet and finding a giant box of NES games with NES and a Toaster and getting it all for 40 bucks. I love Swapmeets!

[nesman85]

i look in the wild all the time, but don't find much, so most of my stuff is through trading with people on the internet. i buy off ebay too, but not a whole lot.

[CrazyImpmon]

I figure maybe less than 5% is from eBay, probably 10% from newsgroup or game boards, the rest are in the wild.

[maxlords]

I used to get about 75-80% of my games in the wild back when I was in Oregon, but since I've moved to Ontario, it's dropped to about 15% or less. There's just not the same selection here. Back in Oregon, I could find anything in the wild except TG16/Duo stuff. I even found boxed SFC games at pawn shops :)

[Captain Wrong]

A vast majority is local or trades with people on this board. Of course that's usually because I'm just looking for "stuff" and nothing specific. I've had some good finds, nothing necessarly earth shaking, but stuff that made the trip worthwhile.

Now Import Saturn shmups, which I actively collect, I've never seen in the wild out here. So for that I have to go eBay. Saddly I can't afford many, so I only get to treat myself once in a while. :)

[Felixthegamer]

I have had good luck locally with game hunting. I know those days are limited and I am enjoying them for all they are worth. For now, I probably only get around 10% off e-bay or other internet places.

[moycon]

Most newer games (PS1, PS2, DC) I get used from Blockbusters.
The older stuff I hit ebay for.

Hard to break it down percentage wise since usually I'll pick up a game or two from BB but sometime buy up larger lots ( ie: 27 - 2600 games) off of ebay.

[Mr. NEStalgia]

100% of my collection has come locally. I dont feel like spending those eBay prices, and then getting ripped off on shipping. But I guess if I ever saw a steal on eBay I'd go for it.

-=Mr. NEStalgia=-

[Sylentwulf]

Well, Pretty obvious to most people, but I don't find CRAP near where I live, and it's ALL on ebay.

Honestly, I buy almost all of my new/modern games on ebay as well, even if it's only gonna save me $5.00, that's another $5.00 I have to spend :) But for the most part, if you wait 2-3 weeks after the game is out, you can get it for less than $40 including shipping brand new on ebay.

Mario sunshine has been WELL under $40 including shipping brand new from repectable sellers (More respectable than most Retail stores) for a few weeks already.

[ianoid]

I must admit that I'm impressed by the number of you that mostly get their stuff from their local environs. I feel more at home here now.

It's weird. Though the eBay only people tend to spend time on the 'net hunting, they also spend less time socializing- perhaps that's a reason why we have no 100% people. I can think of at least one prominent collector with a great collection who is 100% eBay.

Hey Sylentwulf- aren't you basically 100% eBay? Or did you vote?

Next poll will have to be where do you get your classics.

[Rogmeister]

Wow, here's an old thread... :D

I admit to probably using Ebay too much...lately, however, I've begun using Amazon.com more...not buying from that store itself but from the various sellers that are in their Marketplace program. I've yet to be disappointed in any transactions and you can often find some pretty darn good buys.

[jdc]

Old thread....but still relevant!!

I get all of my games locally in the wild. I prefer to support the local small game stores and pawn shops rather than put money into Walmart's pockets just to save $5. I'll go to Walmart IF it is a title that the other guys absolutely cannot get.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

I usually buy stuff from around my parents house or my dorm and anywhere inbetween the two places. But everytime I go to NYC I always pick up a bunch of stuff usually at the game store I stop at.

[Nubiandaze]

Hay All,
Is there a button I press to vote? I can't find it.
Anyhow I get around 70% of my games from ebay. Most of my Atari Lynx collection I have found locally. I'd find roughly 30% in the wild I'd say. Ianoid, I haven't heard from you in ages, I though you gave up game collecting and sold your collection. I traded with you for a Vectrex Animaction cart once. Glad to hear from you.
Regards,

Nubian.

[Emily]

I guess the poll is over....

I get 75% of my games in the wild. Im lucky enough to have multiple thrifts overflowing with loose, or used games :D I shop on ebay if I want a specific title or just Vectrex stuff in general.

[Richter Belmount]

mostly ebay for anything rare and my fav game store for common old titles

[Gemini-Phoenix]

It's almost always got to be eBay. Very rarely do I step foot inside a game shop now - Why bother when I can get a new release for half as much sealed on ebay? Most shops don't even sell sealed games anyway.

I buy all my consoles from shops though, and very rarely I buy something like Halo II LE or Donkey Konga or "Special" games like those which are just worth buying in a shop.

[NESaholic]

Modtly ebay, then the flea. I have no other places to go. :/

[FlufflePuff]

I buy 99% of my stuff in the wild. However, I differentiate between Gamecrazy wild and pawn shop wild. 60% of my stuff comes from thrifts, fleas, pawn shops, among others. 35% from Gamecrazy/Gamestop/other Game stores. 4% from friends, family, and coworkers getting rid of stuff. The remainder I get off Ebay.

[dracula]

i joined cheapassgamer.com and since then i get all my games from the deals i find there. every now and then overstock.com will have $2 game sales or circuit city/best buy will have $5 sales.

Lately i have been going to gamerush a lot, they have "trade in any 3 games, get ANY used game for $10" and that is pretty sweet.

I check pawn/thrift/garage sales occastionally, but the good scores are few and far between, it is not worth the time/gas money to go to all the garage sales/pawn shops generally, tho I have gotten some nice deals there on occasion. But really i am competing with too many other scavengers in my area for that.

[dracula]

oh i forgot craigslist.com that place can have some nice deals occasionally.

[VG_Maniac]

I either get my games off of ebay, or at local used video game stores. There are two Game Crazys near my house, and a couple other vg stores.

[Jumpman Jr.]

I'd say this one most describes me:

"3-24% from the wild. I look but I don't find. I HAVE to go to the internet to get the goods."

I go hunting a fair bit, but I don't find all that much. The places around me are pretty much dried up. And even if there were some great stuff to be found, there are tons of resellers in my area.
I don't much care for ebay though. Most of my collection has come from deals through here, on cgcc and over at AtariAge. Usualy, I get big lots from local collectors on these boards as well.
The stuff I buy in the wild is usually just for me to play. Most likely newer stuff (N64 and up) cause its not so hard to find.

[donkeykong1]

I get most of my games from swapmeets, then thrift store, and a few from ebay. Many of the games I have I had when they came out.

[ozyr]

Most games from local electronic stores, plus the usual discount places (kmart, sam's club, etc.). SOmetimes from Amazon if it is a really good sale.

Older stuff mostly from some friendly folks across the big pond.

Flea markets and such - nothing. This has pretty much dried up in the last five years.

Ebay - only if I find somthing that I have been looking for for years (like a few rare Philips items a few months back).

[tuxedojoe]

I never have any luck with finds in the wild where I live. Every once in a while, I make a small score, but for the most part, I get my games from the following sources:

-eBay. Yeah, I know it's evil, but it sure is necessary.
-I pick up a lot of games whenever I am in Japan.
-Online stores
-For new games, I can usually buy them at a local game store