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View Full Version : Optimism! (or finding my 2nd Competition cart this month!)



Goodwill Hunter
02-27-2004, 09:22 PM
When I posted about the Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge I found in a Gamestop at the beginning of February (“Found my first Competition Cart tonight!”) this was the one reply that stayed with me…


I love how Goodwill Hunter made the title of his post "...my first competition cart!", as if he's expecting to find more. Man, I wish I was that optimistic! :P Great find.

I laughed and acknowledged my own over-enthusiasm when I read that post. But at the same time, in the back of my head, part of me was saying, “Well, why couldn’t you find another one!?” And for the past month, in addition to my usual search for games, I have been obsessively combing through every stack of SNES games I could find….Gamestops, used game stores, thrifts, etc. The only fruit this labor had produced was one Donkey Kong Country demo cart...until today.

I went into a used game store during lunch today that provides a find from time to time, but the more rare stuff has prices that lean in the ebay direction. I scanned the loose SNES games in the front case, but didn’t see anything different from the other times I’d been in there this month.

As I walked past the SNES boxes (most are overpriced and don’t have manuals), for some reason I checked out the plastic boxes on the bottom shelf. When this store gets a loose SNES game that deserves more promotion than getting tossed in the front case, they make a color copy of the label, insert the copy in a plastic game case, write the name of the game on the spine, and put it out with the regular SNES boxes.

There were 2 plastic boxes labeled STAR FOX that caught my eye. I tipped the first one out and saw a copy of the standard Fox McCloud cart label. Tipped out the second and did a double take…this is what I saw:

http://members.aol.com/a54br9/test/SFW1.jpg

This must have been sitting there awhile as it was $11.99, marked down from $12.99. I thought “this must be a mistake”, but I took the case to the front anyway and said, “I’ll take this one.” The kid looked in several drawers (sell many SNES games?) before finding the right one, and hauled out the standard StarFox cart. Hiding a mixture of disappointment and hope, I feigned ignorance, pointed to the case, and said, “No, this one is Super StarFox.”

“Super StarFox?…I never heard of that!” said the kid as he went to check another drawer. And I must have been nice to someone in a former life, cause that kid turned back around and put this on the counter:

http://members.aol.com/a54br9/test/SFW2.jpg

Mint condition without a mark on it…I put it in the plastic case as he wrote up the ticket. I think he sensed something was up as he handed me the change and said, “Just what is that?” I tried not to smile too much as I responded, “I hear it’s a good game” and walked out the door.

So I started February with DKCCC and ended it with a StarFox Super Weekend Cart…not bad for a short month with crappy weather. I guess I owe norkusa a thank you for inspiring for my quest…but that’s all he’ll be getting, I’m keepin’ the carts :D

Rich

Kejoriv
02-27-2004, 10:20 PM
Incredible find. Good job. This inspires me to go on the hunt tomorrow.

kai123
02-27-2004, 10:28 PM
Go buy some lottery tickets right now. You are on a very luck run here.

klimatron8
02-27-2004, 10:28 PM
Didn't someone once say that things usually happen in three's? Seriously I think you should think about retiring for good after that month. Congrats and at the same time die right now :)

Dangerboy
02-27-2004, 11:03 PM
Wow...didn't know my jaw could leave that kind of dent hitting the desk.
:eek 2:
Jason

Drexel923
02-27-2004, 11:17 PM
:eek 2: If I didn't hate you the first time...I definitely hate you now. You lucky bastard. :angry: :( LOL

stargate
02-27-2004, 11:22 PM
Can someone explan the relevance of the game and what it is worth?

dave2236
02-27-2004, 11:31 PM
:eek 2: If I didn't hate you the first time...I definitely hate you now. You lucky bastard. :angry: :( LOL


I hate you now too, especially considering you live about 2 hours from me.

and if I would shop Milwaukee instead of Appleton, I might find one.


ANYWAYS, congrats, glad these go to someone who relizes their value

mosesshirai
02-27-2004, 11:35 PM
That Is THE MOST SOLID MONTH OF SEARCHING I HAVE EVER SEEN. You have skills. Now If I could just find something good out here on this rock in the middle of the sea(Honolulu, HI).

tholly
02-28-2004, 12:27 AM
I wish I could find one awesome game like that in the wild, let alone 2. That is just amazing.

Ed Oscuro
02-28-2004, 01:05 AM
haha, you're the epitome of Awesome, GH :D

Balloon Fight
02-28-2004, 01:21 AM
You're dead to me Goodwill Hunter. ;)

Nice find you luck bastard. :)

jdc
02-28-2004, 08:40 AM
I second the question. Being that I've only just gotten into retro gaming....and being that I know where that exact Star Fox cart is right this minute, 2 of them in fact.....what's the big deal with it anyways?

maxlords
02-28-2004, 09:05 AM
I second the question. Being that I've only just gotten into retro gaming....and being that I know where that exact Star Fox cart is right this minute, 2 of them in fact.....what's the big deal with it anyways?

Well, they were a mail order only time trial version of the game...very rare and usually sell for $100-150 cart only. Go buy both. NOW.

Cmosfm
02-28-2004, 12:25 PM
This inspires me to go out on the hunt now! I havent been in a while...but I may just hit the flea markets tommorow.

Good job man, best month ever!

Balloon Fight
02-28-2004, 01:54 PM
I second the question. Being that I've only just gotten into retro gaming....and being that I know where that exact Star Fox cart is right this minute, 2 of them in fact.....what's the big deal with it anyways?

This cart, Super Starfox Weekend, was used for video game tournaments at Blockbuster in the early 90s. It's extremely rare for the SNES, and can bring upwards of $200.

norkusa
02-28-2004, 02:01 PM
Uncanny. I can't believe it. I will never doubt you again, Goodwill Hunter.

PapaStu
02-28-2004, 03:18 PM
Sorry Double post

PapaStu
02-28-2004, 03:19 PM
Not being a big SNES hunter (i've only got the games that I had gotten my grandparents when i was younger, that they recently gave back to me when they gave me their SNES). I've started to scan for these games too. If i knew the system a little better I might wreck shop, but with your newfound skillz I think that i may also come across some sweet stuff, for a system other than my PSOne.

Castelak
02-28-2004, 10:35 PM
Hehe, this is a topic that puts a smile on my face... So cool!

Goodwill is like my rival... >:)

Chunky
02-28-2004, 11:00 PM
sheesh.

Well that makes up for the 8 thriftshop/fleamarket run of 6 counties of WI/IL/IN of NOTHING.

well i seen it all. tons of overprices genesis units, and broken snes ones. including one place that would not sell me/let me look through the tari boxes they had because i was white.

blah, glad someone got something! good job GWH

DigitalSpace
02-28-2004, 11:19 PM
X_x

That would be the look on my face if I found a competition cart at that price.

Way to go Goodwill Hunter! :D

LazingBlazers
02-29-2004, 01:19 PM
LOL Very good find, Goodwill Hunter! Judging by the price label, and confirmed by what I can see of the receipt, I know exactly where you got that. I got a complete Final Fight Guy there for $9.99 a couple of years ago. They had another one at the time, too. Got to love it when they sell those loose 2600 Pac-Mans for $10, and Star Fox Competitions for $12.