Quick question about Astal (Saturn)

[megasdkirby]

Well, my brother has this game, and I really liked it.

But how much is the game actually worth complete?

On the DP price guide, it states $3, but I have never seen it go that low, specially not on Ebay.

What is a fair price for the game (great condition, complete)? I really want a copy, but don't want to pay higher than I should.

[Diosoth]

Well, my brother has this game, and I really liked it.

But how much is the game actually worth complete?

On the DP price guide, it states $3, but I have never seen it go that low, specially not on Ebay.

What is a fair price for the game (great condition, complete)? I really want a copy, but don't want to pay higher than I should.

I've seen it between $10 and $20. Depends on how scummy the particular store is.

[mobiusclimber]

Keep checking Ebay and wait for a non-BIN auction. It's possible to snag this game for less than $30 (as low as $15 shipped, or maybe even lower if you really luck out) since there just aren't that many people on Ebay anymore.

[hellfire]

I got a loose copy on amazon for 9 dollars shipped,

[darkwingduck13]

If you find a complete copy of Astal for less than $20 shipped, you'd better jump on it. This is one of those games that shocked me at first. I paid $14.95 for my complete copy at Game X Change several years ago, when they still had Saturn stock worth talking about, and last year when I got into doing some more Saturn shopping, I noticed the price was most often twice what I'd paid. It's a combination of things, I think...it's a system exclusive game that really shows off the strengths of the Saturn (the hardware sprite work is fantastic even to this day), it's got a quirky Japanese feel to it, and it's really just a good game. Totally worth the cashola if you can find a good-condition copy.

[DKTheArcadeRat]

Hmm. Sound like I need to get on a complete copy! Does anyone either have a Case/Manual for this game or want a Disc only?

[darkwingduck13]

I just re-read the part about the Digitpress guide saying $3. If it really says that, then the guide's prices are even more jacked up than I thought they were. I've never been able to find any games even in the wild at local cheap-stores for the prices they list on some titles. It's like listing that you got Dragon Force for 50 cents at a yard sale, so that's the "going price."

[Baloo]

I just re-read the part about the Digitpress guide saying $3. If it really says that, then the guide's prices are even more jacked up than I thought they were. I've never been able to find any games even in the wild at local cheap-stores for the prices they list on some titles. It's like listing that you got Dragon Force for 50 cents at a yard sale, so that's the "going price."

Yeah, I don't like the prices in the guide either. They seem off.

[darkwingduck13]

Yeah. I mean, I paid $9.95 for a complete Valkyrie Profile one time at a shop, but I don't go around telling people that's what the game is worth. Weird. Just...weird.

Still...big vote for Astal here. Play that damn game!

[PentiumMMX]

I got mine (Loose; stuffed in the case for Pandemonium) for $1 just a few months prior to buying a Saturn, and was more than worth what I paid for it. It's probably the best game I've bought for my Saturn besides Bust-A-Move 3.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I picked up my CIB copy of Astal for $20, thinking I was getting ripped off when comparing to the DP guide. I looked on eBay though, and realized that I actually got a good deal on it... The guide needs a new runthrough for Scarcity and pricing for quite a few items.

[darkslime]

I picked up my CIB copy of Astal for $20, thinking I was getting ripped off when comparing to the DP guide. I looked on eBay though, and realized that I actually got a good deal on it... The guide needs a new runthrough for Scarcity and pricing for quite a few items.

Agreed. I really don't see a point in that guide though, to make it accurate it would have to be updated almost daily. Just use VGPC or ebay completed listings.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

The only problem with VGPC is that it has no separation between the condition or value of the game. It shows all auctions, and it's hard to determine if the sale was "cart only" or "complete" or "has no label, scratches all over the CD, and smells like garbage". The range in price helps in some instances, but it's harder to determine when some games almost never sell in complete condition.

I also agree that a complete guide is hard to keep up to date, but I would only expect a section to be updated twice a year. Rarity is something that should be static.

[mobiusclimber]

Agreed. I really don't see a point in that guide though, to make it accurate it would have to be updated almost daily. Just use VGPC or ebay completed listings.

As long as you're aware of how often a price guide is updated, it shouldn't be a problem if it's only updated a few times a year and can, in fact, be a blessing (when games are lower priced due to the economy or just simply the season, when a game is overpriced due to a new release a la Earthbound's bump from SSMB). Half the time tho, I've just never seen those games sell at those listed prices. Ever. Part of the problem, for me, is that, according to the FAQ, the guide lists prices "among dealers," meaning, this is what one dealer would charge to another. WOW do I NOT need that information. I almost never fist-bump a deal closed, for instance. Besides that, it's kinda easy to figure out for most games what the dealer price would be. It also seems like the lowest sold price is taken and then a deal is given on top of that to come up w/ the prices.

And Ebay's completed listings just doesn't work now that Ebay is sinking faster than the Titanic. Forget getting an average, it's impossible to get ANY idea on the price of certain games because they either don't show up at all or only as overpriced BINs that no one buys.