Why are Saturn games so expensive?

[Reid]

Why are Saturn games so expensive?

Is it because few were made?

Or because everyone wants them?

[GrayFox]

It's because they're awesome.


They're sought after and plenty of them are hard to find as well :P

[RadiantSvgun]

Well, like most older systems, only certian games are expensive. RPGs, Stragety/RPG, arcade, ect.

[Beefy Hits]

One thing I do have to say about sought after and rare games - they're rare for a reason. If it's hard to find, it's usually because it's a good game that's worth playing. Seriously, can any of you think of a rare game that ISN"T something you'd wanna play? The only game that comes to mind is the old DBZ game that everybody was after years ago on the PSone.

Conversely, bad games like Odama and Beat Down drop in price faster than you can imagine.

[Kid Ice]

Expensive as compared to what? 80% of the games in the library can be had for $20 or less. What is the most expensive Saturn game? I know PDS and RS go for 100-200. Compare those numbers to most other systems and it's actually a relatively cheap system to collect for.

[ZiLL]

I just picked up a saturn and I noticed the same thing...

Anyone have a copy a Panzer Dragoon Saga they want to sell for cheap? :P

But Beefy is correct...people hold onto the good games..it's usually the crappy ones you see in big lots on eBay and the likes.

The one that blows my mind is Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3....I know it isn't rare, but it's a great game, and a lot of people seem to be after it.

[All Things Sega]

saturn games aren't that expensive, just a select few. It all comes down to simple economics. Supply and demand. Theres many gamers out there who love saturn games but not enough were made and sold so now you have to pay a premium to get it. I remember the playstation dbz game was always selling for over $200. Was it because it was a good game. NO! Just was limited run and more poeple wanted it for their collection or just to try. Look at Ebay and you'll see many games for sega saturn aren't that expensive. So go ahead and start collecting and playing for it.

PS Since you'll be buying sega saturn games, now you will be responsible for driving up the price of games for the rest of us LOL

[ZiLL]

saturn games aren't that expensive, just a select few. It all comes down to simple economics. Supply and demand. Theres many gamers out there who love saturn games but not enough were made and sold so now you have to pay a premium to get it. I remember the playstation dbz game was always selling for over $200. Was it because it was a good game. NO! Just was limited run and more poeple wanted it for their collection or just to try. Look at Ebay and you'll see many games for sega saturn aren't that expensive. So go ahead and start collecting and playing for it.

PS Since you'll be buying sega saturn games, now you will be responsible for driving up the price of games for the rest of us LOL

I was just throwing that idea around in my head today!

Once I pick up the majority of my Saturn collection, I am going to start going around and hyping all the games I have to other potential saturn collectors....BOOM, instant value increase!! LOL

[blissfulnoise]

Oh, Daytona USA: CCE Netlink Edition. How I want you so bad...

[smork]

US Saturn games aren't so bad. There's only a couple that are even remotely pricey. Nobody wanted some of the currently pricey games at the end of the lifespan of the system, so not many were made. At the time, PDS could be picked up for a song, my buddy got 3 copies at TRU for $20 a pop (still has them, too).

Imports, that's another story. It's just demand. There's a whole lot of games that can be gotten for $1-$2, a raft of them in the $30-$60 range, and several higher than $100.

I really don't think collecting domestic Saturn stuff is that bad compared to other systems. The library isn't that big, even.

[GaijinPunch]

If it's hard to find, it's usually because it's a good game that's worth playing. Seriously, can any of you think of a rare game that ISN"T something you'd wanna play?

I'd say there are more shitty rare games than good ones. Seems a lot of the uber rares (Delisoba Deluxe, Heim Waltz) either aren't games, or are really short/bad ones. You're write about they're rare for a reason -- not many made, b/c they suck. At least is the case often.

[j_factor]

Saturn is pretty cheap to collect for IMO. Especially compared to Turbografx and Neo Geo. But actually, I'd even say SNES can be more expensive than Saturn.

There are only 20 US Saturn games that can't be had for $20 or less, complete. That's out of a library of around 250. That's really not too bad, especially since many of the cheap ones are the best ones.

Even including imports it's not that terrible. The only expensive Japanese imports are shooters (but not all of them), fighters (but not all of them), Capcom Generations releases, Dracula X, and a couple platformers. There is a small number of European imports that can be pricey.

Also, the most expensive Saturn game is Radiant Silvergun, which is actually not that rare if you're willing to shell out the cash for it, and you can get it for $175 easily. That's nothing compared to Air Raid for 2600, or Bubble Bath Babes on NES.

The only bad thing is that the expensive games are almost all great games. There's no Saturn equivalent of Surprise at Dinosaur Peak -- if it's pricey, it's probably because it's awesome.

[Doom Gaze]

The problem is that they're nigh impossible to find in the wild. Rarely you might see some generic sports game but you have to frequent the internet or a specialty shop to find even commons.

And lately, Dreamcast (which really only sold as well as Saturn) has been undergoing the same drying up.

[7th lutz]

The problem with the saturn is its later games are great and they rare in the U.S.. Games from 97-98 in the U.s are the rare ones for the most part.
The Saturn does has good sized amount of games in the states compared to the sms and I think it is around the n64 amount or higher. It is the genre, and people keeping the games besides the time of some Saturn releases.

Another thing to keep in mind, saturn games have been harder to find since gamestop took over Funcoland in some parts of the U.S. along with stores outside of the internet got a rid of the best saturns around 2001-2002 and the sms for that matter in some parts. In the flee market I live, there are still are good amount of nintendo games but for saturn there isn't.

[Doom Gaze]

Another thing to keep in mind, saturn games have been harder to find since gamestop took over Funcoland in some parts of the U.S. along with stores outside of the internet got a rid of the best saturns around 2001-2002 and the sms for that matter in some parts.

But since then they've dropped everything except the current consoles. :(

[CosmicMonkey]

Also, the most expensive Saturn game is Radiant Silvergun, which is actually not that rare if you're willing to shell out the cash for it, and you can get it for $175 easily. That's nothing compared to Air Raid for 2600, or Bubble Bath Babes on NES.

Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru goes for a lot more than Radiant Silvergun. I'm sure there's a couple of other full games that go for more too?

[7th lutz]

Another thing to keep in mind, saturn games have been harder to find since gamestop took over Funcoland in some parts of the U.S. along with stores outside of the internet got a rid of the best saturns around 2001-2002 and the sms for that matter in some parts.

But since then they've dropped everything except the current consoles. :(
It is true with gamestop. I also was refering to places outside of funcoland that had retro stuff. There was places in my state don't anymore like gamestar. There are still places outside gamestop that still has snes,nes and n64 games, Genesis games but not saturn, and sms games anymore.

[dj898]

Also, the most expensive Saturn game is Radiant Silvergun, which is actually not that rare if you're willing to shell out the cash for it, and you can get it for $175 easily. That's nothing compared to Air Raid for 2600, or Bubble Bath Babes on NES.

Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru goes for a lot more than Radiant Silvergun. I'm sure there's a couple of other full games that go for more too?

again that's because it got very low print run and now it's highly sought after by collectors - game wise it's kinda ok but not great on my book

same thing can be applied to another titles released in Japan that is pretty ridiculous in price is Virtual Bart. JPN version goes for some silly price but PAL release is pretty cheap though some dodgy sellers were/are trying to sell PAL release for the same amount of money JPN release is sold for... :p

[Poofta!]

i too think saturn isnt expensive by any means. its definately hte most expensive Sega console to collect for, but nevertheless its pretty cheap compare to everything else (assuming youre always going for CIB). even the PSX is more pricey, a lot more, single games and the fact there are so many more worth getting.

interestingly enough i think saturn's closest equal out of the sega consoles in game-price is the sega CD. lol. id rather collect for that anyway (im almost done).

[J2games]

Of all the systems we stock, Saturn runs in second place for the largest sales per month (after the NES.) I think the system has become so collectible because the it has a large number of games that were REALLY good!

Include in this a mod or cart to be able to expand your system to play non-US released games and you really open up the library to some solid game titles.

Too bad the Saturn didn't fair better during it's time. It's one of the systems my guys keep running in the shop constantly!

[Kejoriv]

Seriously, can any of you think of a rare game that ISN"T something you'd wanna play?
I have no desire to play Stadium Events
I have no desire to play those 51-a carts for the Nes

[NE146]

quote="Beefy Hits"] Seriously, can any of you think of a rare game that ISN"T something you'd wanna play?[/quote]

LOL Is that a trick question? There are tons of rare games that are "rare" for the very reason that they sucked! :P The 2600 is full of carts that go for a couple grand and are real hunks of crap more or less

As for the Saturn, that was probably one of the first consoles that I was coherent in mind enough to snag the "closeouts" for when stores were getting rid of their games by the bulk at the end of the console life :D I even got this one store to dump their Virtua Cop/Virtua Fighter/Daytona packs on me for free! I remember the girl at the counter saying.. "you can just have these" LOL

[vintagegamecrazy]

I'll have to admit that most games are cheap, but impossibe to find even commons nowadays, Game Crazy has some cheapies but none I don't have, the Music Recyclery has them but they are a fortune. They aren't that expensive overall but Ebay is the only place to snag them now and they are going for more because of that.

[mailman187666]

some of you may want to check family owned buisinesses and independent video rental places that have been around for a little while. This one store I went to was closing down and they had a bunch of the saturn games that were stored in the back room from when they were renting them out, then 8 years later they were for sale...for about 2.50 to 5 bucks a piece. Nothing extreme but was able to get myself an Iron Storm and Legend of Oasis, along with several other commons and semi commons. But I seriously NEVER see any Saturn games at flea markets. The only ones I do see are priced accordingly. But I say as long as they got them for under ebay prices, they are good finds. Unfortunately any store or dealer that ever has them are always above ebay prices, and they sit on the shelves collecting dust every time i go because nobody will pay $10-$20 more than what it costs on ebay.

[Steven]

Expensive as compared to what? 80% of the games in the library can be had for $20 or less. What is the most expensive Saturn game? I know PDS and RS go for 100-200. Compare those numbers to most other systems and it's actually a relatively cheap system to collect for.

Agreed, not TOO many go for $40 or more. Most can be had for 20 or under.

Anyway I completed my SAT collection August 2005, almost a year ago. So I haven't kept up with market prices but how are they currently? They dropped IMO in 2005 in general.

Games like Burning Rangers dropped from 45 to 30-ish.

Wouldn't shock me though if the Saturn market picked up again. It's all a cycle...

[ZiLL]

I did manage to find a couple Saturn games at Goodwill today for WAY cheap...CIB to boot!!

They are still out there, you just have to track them down.

[Muscelli]

Expensive as compared to what? 80% of the games in the library can be had for $20 or less. What is the most expensive Saturn game? I know PDS and RS go for 100-200. Compare those numbers to most other systems and it's actually a relatively cheap system to collect for.

Agreed, not TOO many go for $40 or more. Most can be had for 20 or under.

Anyway I completed my SAT collection August 2005, almost a year ago. So I haven't kept up with market prices but how are they currently? They dropped IMO in 2005 in general.

Games like Burning Rangers dropped from 45 to 30-ish.

Wouldn't shock me though if the Saturn market picked up again. It's all a cycle...

Picked up again would be an understatment.. Guardian heros went for 190 (!!) on ebay the other week

[wallydawg]

I did manage to find a couple Saturn games at Goodwill today for WAY cheap...CIB to boot!!

They are still out there, you just have to track them down.

That's where I scored my Saturn; 14 CIB games and two controllers for a cool $28. 8-)

[Hounder]

If you think $40 is expensive for gaming collecting don't get into the NES where a good majority of them hit over $40 alot of the times. And more than you think hit into the hundreds with a few CIBs that hit in the thousands.

I think if you can get the rarest game for a system for $200 that's easy collecting :)

[MrRoboto19XX]

Everytime I think to myself "Man, Saturn collecting is expensive!" I shortly therafter think "Well, at least Im not trying to complete a neo geo collection!"

That usually makes me feel better.

The only complaint I have is how I badly want a grey japanese saturn, but can only find them shipped from japan, where theyre way too expensive once you factor in shipping costs.

[aaronpetrosky]

Hounder said it all, but that's why you don't collect CIB stuff for NES. Good old cartridges only I say.