who here likes/loves/hates GameCrazy? Indifferent? [Archive]

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Steven

01-26-2006, 04:25 AM

Me, I love it. Yesterday dropped by a location and made good use of the buy 2 get 1 free deal. Got 3 $5 games for $10.91 8-)

I didn't know the retro 2 get 1 free deal was year round, sweetness.

Niku-Sama

01-26-2006, 04:40 AM

some one explain this retro thing please?

mines ok, but i would have to say i am indifferent about it, bought a very nice almost mint boxed NES from there for $40, it was complete but they wouldnt sell it to me once because it hadnt been tested, and then when i did buy it the manuals were missing (the nes and the nintendo players guide) so yea....they dont get much in the way of old in stock though and their game cube section is lacking BAD

Steven

01-26-2006, 04:53 AM

some one explain this retro thing please?

Anything that is Dreamcast down is considered retro to GameCrazy. Buy 2 games at 4.99 or less, get the 3rd for free (equal or lesser value). It only applies for games 4.99 though. Hope that clears it up.

EnzoSangiorgio

01-26-2006, 04:59 AM

The sales are pretty good, but the selection is abysmal in north jersey. and is it just me or does gamecrazy have the worst salespeople? i've had some bad experiences with gamestop, but the gamecrazy guys are consistently obnoxious to the point where i need to raise my voice to tell them i don't want their goddamn membership.

2Dskillz

01-26-2006, 06:19 AM

Where are Game Crazys located at?

I have never seen one before.

FlufflePuff

01-26-2006, 06:31 AM

I'll admit that I'm a fan of Gamecrazy, so much more so than Gamestop. Their employees usually know what they are doing. Their store managers are sometimes hit or miss, but as long as they still have retro games in stock I'll be a happy camper. And, as long as they dont throw the damn cases/inserts away for PS1/Saturn/Dreamcast games.

DigitalSpace

01-26-2006, 07:19 AM

They're alright.

Pros: Still carry retro stuff, cheap Genesis titles aplenty (although a couple of the local stores stopped carrying Genesis for some reason), the ability to try any game before you buy it, decent sales every now and then, most new games are sealed.

Cons: Shitty MVP membership (it's even worse now that they quit doing MVP exclusive sales), shitty computer system, most used games are overpriced compared to other game stores (although they're starting to get better with this)

Nez

01-26-2006, 08:03 AM

Hate shit games in shit condition and people with shtty attitudes. Rather go to any other game store. Well except Games +.

mezrabad

01-26-2006, 08:24 AM

I think what gets me to my Game Crazy is that it's the first game store I've ever lived close enough that I could walk to it. (no, I've only walked to it once, lets not go *nuts* here)

The employees are a mixed bag since the cute gamer girls quit. :(

Using their "buy one GBA used game get one free coupon" I went to get my son Pokemon Emerald and he decides he wanted Pokemon Ruby for free. I'm okay with that (we have more than one GBA so we could trade critters) so we tell the SalesBooger. SalesBooger goes and gets a Pokemon Ruby without a label (unlike the one we had pointed to in the display case) and he proceeds to give us this bullshit line about this Pokemon Ruby was a Limited Edition one with a transparent case (apparently the transparent ones have absolutely no label on them?). I chuckled and said that I'd prefer one with the label thanks. (The labeled one was just as clear red as the labeless one.)

Also, bought a used PS2 bulky from them for Christmas. It came with a game bundle. I forgot to check the bundle for manuals (the first three Ratchet&Clank games) so I don't blame them for shorting me the manuals. What I didn't like was:

Evening, 15 minutes before closing . . .

GC: "We only have ONE PS2 Bulky for sale and it's that one with the bundle."

ME: "Just one? You don't have any others that I could get with out the bundle?"

GC: "Nope."

ME: "Well, allrighty then. Guess I'll take it."

Next day . . . 15 minutes after opening

ME: "Hey, y'know, this PS2 has a disc read problem, I could only get one disc to boot on it and that was after it sat in there for five minutes."

GC: "Oh, sorry about that. Here, try THIS one, instead.

Where had he been keeping the other one? Up his ass?

Bottom line. I like my GameCrazy because it's close, but I don't trust them.

01-26-2006, 09:14 AM

I've bought plenty of games there, esp. made a good haul at the last $5 sale I went to.

I dont have any major complaints about the place, but I dont visit them around here too regularly.

vahn401

01-26-2006, 09:39 AM

If I actually had one even remotely close to me, I might like it. But since I live in NH, the closest one is like 2-3 hours into mass.

MagicMajenta

01-26-2006, 09:48 AM

Where are Game Crazys located at?

I have never seen one before.

They're connected to Hollywood video if you have them in your area.

MagicMajenta

01-26-2006, 09:52 AM

I've bought plenty of games there, esp. made a good haul at the last $5 sale I went to.

I dont have any major complaints about the place, but I dont visit them around here too regularly.

Hey since you are also in MN where are the good Gamecrazys. I've been to the one on White Bear Avenue right of of HW 36 near the Cubs and the one on Snelling across from the Har Mar mall and as far as I can tell their inventory isn't that great. Was wondering maybe you know where the best Gamecrazy stores are.

mrmeatball

01-26-2006, 03:02 PM

Yes, I appreciate my local Gamecrazy over the EBgames and Gamestops in my area. They have the largest selection of retro games and their current generation goods are better than what the other stores in the area have to offer.

Push Upstairs

01-26-2006, 03:10 PM

I've done decently with my local Gamecrazy

I bought a 32x for $5 there once and i also got my Saturn there for $8 (after 11 store credit).

Other than that its been a mixed bag...sometimes i found great things, other times i went home empty handed.

Vinnysdad

01-26-2006, 04:37 PM

I like the Gamecrazy in my area. I always get good deals and the sales people have never acted like a-holes with me. Whenever I buy a used game I always ask to see all copies of the disc they have and they always agree. I have tried at other stores and I sometimes get attitude. So no problems here.

googlefest1

01-26-2006, 04:50 PM

i consider them the greates games store just becasue they take in everything and sell everything game console related

but thier selections in CT suck ass -- there are too many buyers in CT - oneday id see some games but dont have the cash - come in 3 days later and its gone -- happends all the frekin time

also when they get stuck with comon titles (for old stuff it never sells and never changes)

also most of the sales people are ok - but the dumb arse ones piss me off ( the ones that have no idea whats going on in the game world) - i came across a dumb arse that told me there is no such thing as a game gear - and they were selling a bunch of titles

and i hete when they put stickers on the cover sheet instead of the outside plastic

Mr_Elimin8

01-26-2006, 09:17 PM

The Buy 2 get 1 free on $4.99 games is a permanent sale. It's because they want to clear out their backstock, so the sale will always be there. (I use to work at a gamecrazy).

And to mezrabad's post;
If a gamecrazy is holding something for someone, the consumer has 7 days to pick it up. If someone asks how many PS2's they have, they must omit the PS2 being held and count everyone not held. It's kind of pointless to tell someone, "Yep. We have one used PS2...but we're holding it for someone. So you can't have it." So what I'm getting at is, they were probably holding that one for someone and their 7 days ran out. Happens a lot.

MegaDrive20XX

01-26-2006, 09:25 PM

I dont hate them, I loathe them :angry:

goldenaxe90

01-27-2006, 01:16 AM

I used to live near Columbus, OH, and there were maybe 5 or so Game Crazys there, a few werent bad. BUT there were times I would make a trip to Cleveland with the ex girlfriend, and I found piles of stuff at those Game Crazy stores. Those were the days

InsaneDavid

01-27-2006, 01:29 AM

If a gamecrazy is holding something for someone, the consumer has 7 days to pick it up. If someone asks how many PS2's they have, they must omit the PS2 being held and count everyone not held. It's kind of pointless to tell someone, "Yep. We have one used PS2...but we're holding it for someone. So you can't have it." So what I'm getting at is, they were probably holding that one for someone and their 7 days ran out. Happens a lot.

Or they got some in for trade the first day he was there and they were sitting in the back until they get "checked in and tested" the next morning - which is BS since many just toss it on the shelf. I mean, they sold a bad PS2 to begin with didn't they? Also the bundle thing is BS, store managers (and most AM's and shift leaders) make and split bundles at their discretion. They should have allowed the sale of just the PS2 - when bundles like that are rung up each item goes indivdually.

The "sale" being fulltime is correct though, just as with the first 3 retrogames for $15 sale last year, they're still trying to clean out their distribution centers, distribution channels, recallibrate their prices, and get their inventory under control.

(I spent time in their "employment" as well)

As for my views on GameCrazy, look to my posts in the following threads... LOL

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68697

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=70559

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78659

Lothars

01-27-2006, 01:43 AM

I've never been to one unfortunately we don't have one here or anywhere by where I live though it's possible they don't exist in canada lol

Mianrtcv

01-27-2006, 01:55 AM

The only location near me has seriously quiet people working there. It's fine they are quiet, to each their own. Unfortunately this overlaps into when you ask them a question. The store is poorly organized as another obstacle. I only go there when time is on my side.

freckledpeas

01-27-2006, 02:20 AM

Game Crazy unfortunately is the only game store in town... I find it pretty comparable to EB and GameStop, however. All of these stores seem to have their deals that come and go, so it's just a matter of waiting for those deals (my favorite being of the "buy 2 get 1 free" assortment). At least with Game Crazy, you can still find some older games/systems, whereas it's tougher to find these items in the other 2. Therefore, while I'm not a HUGE fan of Game Crazy, it's definitely better than nothing, and it does have its moments.

01-27-2006, 10:19 AM

MagicMajenta wrote:
Hey since you are also in MN where are the good Gamecrazys. I've been to the one on White Bear Avenue right of of HW 36 near the Cubs and the one on Snelling across from the Har Mar mall and as far as I can tell their inventory isn't that great. Was wondering maybe you know where the best Gamecrazy stores are.

I cant say any of them are the "best", I've visited the WB Av one (there's a ToyRiffic store a bit farther north on WB near Batteries+) & hit the HarMar one for that 3/$15 sale- dont make it out to that one much.

I usually go to the Woodbury one by Barnes & Noble across the street from Ult Electronics (formerly Audio King). There's also one way far out in Fridley maybe a mile south of 694 on Central AV (Hwy 65). I didnt buy anything there but they kindly directed me to a huge closeout sale just over a year ago.

Oh, also one on that same road (Hwy 65) farther north in Blaine, I only go there when I'm visiting nearby friends, so it's kinda my special treat. :D

I'd say "inventory" is subjective/depends on what you want. Maybe we dont look for the same things.

chrisbid

01-27-2006, 10:55 AM

gamecrazy is my favorite chain, but you cant really judge a chain by a single store... only their pricing. you have to judge individual stores, and the employees that work there. if they are asshat high school know-it-alls, then the store will likely suck...

mezrabad

01-27-2006, 10:56 AM

And to mezrabad's post;
If a gamecrazy is holding something for someone, the consumer has 7 days to pick it up. If someone asks how many PS2's they have, they must omit the PS2 being held and count everyone not held. It's kind of pointless to tell someone, "Yep. We have one used PS2...but we're holding it for someone. So you can't have it." So what I'm getting at is, they were probably holding that one for someone and their 7 days ran out. Happens a lot.

That sounds reasonable. Thanks for explaining that. It does help douse some of my mild animosity.

filmbucket

01-27-2006, 11:50 AM

I went to Game Crazy last night while two people were working there. One had their back turned from the front of the store and was playing a GBA SP, the other was eating a bowl of ice cream and flirting with a guy while a group of four kids were running randomly around the store. They have a decent collection of older games (I know most don't have the correct price on them) but they're shoved into a case. The last time I went in the store I had planned to buy all the SMB/DH and SMB/DH/TM carts since they were priced at .25 each...the associate grabbed them all, scanned one and said 'Oh, these aren't a quarter, they're .53 each' and wouldn't change the price even though they were all priced with a sticker that read .25 so I left.

WiseSalesman

01-27-2006, 12:07 PM

I like GameCrazy a lot, actually. Generally, their employees actually seem to be into games, which is nice, and the selection, while hit and miss, is decent for a new store. The MVP program is trash, but I don't sign up for membership at any chain ever, so that doesn't really matter to me. Occasionally their prices are out of line, but I find, for the most part, that I can usually save a dollar or two buying used games there over what I would pay for the same used game at Gamestop or EB.

Steven

01-27-2006, 03:38 PM

One Game Crazy experience I had yesterday that I thought was semi-shady was when I entered one and there was a guy and girl working. They were clearly pretty close (talking, laughing, standing right next to each other).

The girl says "how you're doing."

I say fine and walk over to the old games section to look at them, later after finding nothing good I walk the other way to look at accessories they got. The girl asks "need any help?" and the guy says to her "C'mon he doesn't need any help, if he did he would ask you." (I also think he muttered at the end something like "didn't you see he went directly to the old games -- he knows what he's looking for" but I can't be sure... something similar to that at the end)

I thought that was pretty rude of him on her, and it was even a bit rude to ME as well. And I know he was just trying to throw his weight on her, rib her, tease her, whatever, but that's not what I'd consider professional and as a former multi-time retail employee, you're suppose to ask "need any help?" in most cases after a customer's been in a store for a few minutes.

If anything, tell that to her AFTER I leave. That was shady.

drwily008

01-27-2006, 06:22 PM

See, I really liked the ones I went to. I don't have any down here in Florida (the ones I went to were in Ohio). I think they are set up nicely and generally have a good selection.

Down here Blockbuster bought "Rhino Games" and they have similar deals and selections. I do HATE the fact that they throw out the boxes to the older stuff.

The employees I've met are almost all dickheads...but that is the problem. No matter where you go, you are bound to run into a bad employee.

When I used to manage EB Games, Babbages, GameWorld, and Alladin's Castle...I wouldn't even let most of these people get to the interview process. If they had bad additudes, I would just put their applications in the file cabinet and hold onto them for 6 months then trash them.

I have taken over managment at various places where there were already existing employees with the personalities of a rock. Honestly, I had no patience and would pull up files and do audits until I found something to fire them for. It never fails they all have something that they shouldn't have done.

Then I would pay attention to the most hardcore customers and start to get a feel for their personalities and morals all while deciding whether or not to ask them if they are interested in a job.

That is the best way to do it! You end up with a great staff passionate about games, dedicated to selling quality games (not just crap to meet your quotas), great with customers, and they were usually hardcore collectors too (would sell the best looking disc or cart).

marshmannes

01-27-2006, 06:26 PM

Gamecrazy needs to still sell retro games. Game stores need to be unique and not jump the bandwagon of the other stores. There are many good old games there. The two problems that I had at that store are the one where I bought a two dollar copy of Alien 3(Loose) and when I bought the PS1 version of Road Rash (Greatest Hits). I returned the Road Rash game and got the original version of the game. Gamecrazy is way better than Gamestop or EB games. The people at that place know what they are talking about and I see the workers playing Boogerman, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, and Tecmo Super Bowl.

01-27-2006, 08:35 PM

UPDATE: Woodbury MN GCzy store is CLOSED- just found out tonight...news to me.

ghostangelofcky

01-28-2006, 01:35 AM

hate that chain, but I live out here in CO, and we have Game Force, which i hate more. I go to Game Crazy just to look for obsecure handhelds, all the rest of their shit is either over priced or beyond in complete. ie psi games just disc no case or label.

MagicMajenta

01-28-2006, 10:14 AM

Cryomancer

01-28-2006, 10:42 AM

Probably my favorite as far as chain stores go. I used to work at the hollwood mine is connected to so I kinda know the guys who work there, and they're not too bad. The manager guy is a collector I think. The selection isn't amazing but if I feel like messing with preorders (RARELY) or want something new I generally go there. While working at hollywood i also received the gamecrazy employees discount, and they got ours as well.

christhegamer

01-28-2006, 12:10 PM

(you should really make a poll ;))

It's an OK store. Good selection, nice presentation, clerks that actually have half a brain; yeah, it's pretty good :)

01-28-2006, 06:41 PM

MagicMajenta wrote:
Well as far as I could tell, those 2 locations that I have been to only sell stuff for the current gen systems, unless they have their retro stuff hidden somewhere. That's really what I meant by their inventory not being that great.

Well, I went out to the HarMar/Roseville store in hopes to find SOMEthing from this sale, again the clerk hadnt heard about it & chose one thing from my list that they DID have...that I didnt get.

I saw NES, SNES, & Genny carts on the right side of the store (in the counter on your right if you're facing the check-out register). Not really hidden.

EnzoSangiorgio

01-28-2006, 07:33 PM

Unfortunately, Gamecrazy employees have been assholes at all four that I've been to in the area. I was even kicked out of one because one of their employees was insulting and saying off the wall things to me and my friends every time he passed and I called him an asshole. And the manager (not him) kicked us out. :roll: @_@

DigitalSpace

01-28-2006, 09:03 PM

Time for a story I just remembered about my most memorable experience at a GameCrazy.

In July 2004, I decided to head out to a CD/Game Exchange. That went pretty well - I got Darius Twin and TMNT Tournament Fighters for SNES, NASCAR 98's Collector's Edition for PlayStation and Luigi's Mansion for Gamecube. Yeah, yeah, I know, what does this have to do with Gamecrazy? Well, I'm getting there...

When I left CD/Game Exchange, I remembered that there was a GameCrazy in a Hollywood Video store ata nearby Fred Meyer's, and decided to walk there. Spanky's Quest was high up on my SNES want list and I had been looking for a copy in the wild for months, and I was checking any store that had SNES games to see if I could find a copy. (I didn't find it that day, but fortunately, I found it at another CD/Game Exchange the next month).

I entered the store and looked around a bit. I noticed four guys in suits walking around the store and talking. One of them comes up to me and introduces himself. It's Mark Wattles, who at the time was the CEO of Hollywood Entertainment. He asks if he can talk with me for a bit. I say sure. He asks me if I buy games often, where I usually shop for them, and if I had any suggestions. I don't remember everything I said, but I know I praised them for selling older games, mentioning that GameStop had stopped taking them in, and I told them used game prices were a little too high compared to GameStop and EB. He asked me if I had an MVP card. I told him I didn't. He offers me a year long membership on him. Couldn't pass that up. :D

I wound up buying 4x4 Evo 2 for the Gamecube and a Extreme-G 2 for the N64 there (which had been mispriced at 99 cents instead of the $4.99 it was supposed to be).

That was my first discount card (and would have been my only one if EB hadn't gotten smart with theirs and charged only $5 for it - who cares about a magazine sub?). They did some pretty decent MVP exclusive sales for a while, but as Hollywood got sold to The Movie Company, those became a thing of the past, and by the time my membership ran out, I wasn't convinced enough to extend it.

That was a good day. The only thing that sucked was that I passed up a copy of Arrow Flash for the Genesis at that GameCrazy for 99 cents - since it was so cheap I looked it up when I got home to see if I had missed out on anything special. Turns out it's supposedly a decent shmup that was worth at least that. Damn. I didn't know much about Renovation back then - today I would have picked it up from just seeing their name on the label alone. Still looking for that one.

Mattiekrome

01-28-2006, 10:52 PM

I didn't know the retro 2 get 1 free deal was year round, sweetness.

Ditto! I'll have to go to the local one here and check it out. I ask nearly everytime I go in there what their specials are, and they never mention the buy 2 get 1 free...

Anyways, I "like" gamecrazy... The one down town used to be hella good, but it seems like a year ago, they stocked up ALL of their retro NES/N64/SNES etc, and havent gotten anything in since. It was real cool for the first month, but now when you wander in there, all you'll see is a stack of SMB/DH and about 30 more games that are in awful condition...

I did get a Taiko Drum Master for cheap yesterday too, so thats why I "like" it :)

VG_Maniac

01-29-2006, 03:23 AM

I like Game Crazy because they are the only stores around where I live that still sell classic games (other then pawn shops and thrift stores). However, there are lots of things I don't like about them -

They seem to throw all their boxes and booklets away for cart games, and they throw all the cases away for Dreamcast and PSX games.

They always bug me about getting an MVP membership, then when I finally get one, it gets messed up in their system and says it expired just one week after I signed up! :angry:

Prices seem to be different on some games for each store. Example - I got Tecmo Super Bowl for $1.99 at one GameCrazy, and then saw it a few days later for $12.99 at another Game Crazy.

Sometimes I'll buy a game with a price sticker that says something like $4.99, but when the guy rings me up, the computer will say the game is something like $9.99. Then he has to call other stores and confirm which price is correct. This happens ALOT when I shop at GameCrazy.

Nirvana

01-29-2006, 08:07 PM

Gamecrazy overcharges their prices on some old games, but it's way more convenient than having to order it online. I don't buy all my games from there, though. I only go there if I am looking for an old game. And they should update their list of available games more often. I was looking at a list that wasn't updated since October.

Sauza12

01-30-2006, 11:12 AM

Game Crazy is a mixed bag for me.

There are two close to me. One is half a mile from my house, and they have great people working there. I've gone in there several times and just talked games with the random employee that is working. They seem to be reasonably knowledgable in games and still carry older games.

The biggest problems with them are:
1) Thier prices, which seem to always be $5-10 more expensive than at EB or Gamestop and
2) They throw away all of the boxes for older games. I used to go in there and they would have 20 or 25 complete Genesis games. I haven't seen a complete Genesis game in either store in 6 months.