Why did common SNES games skyrocket in price over the past 2 years?

[recorderdude]

Even playstation games are going up. A few years ago, every game in the crash bandicoot trilogy (except maybe 3) was worth about 5 bucks around here. Now they're 15 apiece. Same with Spyro. Again, games with a TON of copies available, so much so that they reached greatest hits. It's all in the demand. Since it's such an RPG monster, too, those have always had value. It doesn't seem to be climbing as fast as the SNES by any stretch for the majority of titles, though; the obscurities in its library that are good but not notably rare are still cheap and available, as well as a fair number of the big hits, such as rayman and tomb raider.

[Gameguy]

Also at the very tale end of its life cycle I got a copy of Conker's Bad Fur Day for $5 bucks brand new at EB.

I remember getting several sealed copies for $1 each at Zellers when they found a boxes of brand new games in the back after they were already just into the Gamecube. I stupidly sold them for $15 each, I couldn't even get $20 at the time. I traded one copy for several PC games I wanted so I'm still happy with that trade, and I still have one sealed copy I got from someone else when I bought their collection. I'm glad I held onto one copy now that it's valuable.

Even playstation games are going up. A few years ago, every game in the crash bandicoot trilogy (except maybe 3) was worth about 5 bucks around here. Now they're 15 apiece. Same with Spyro. Again, games with a TON of copies available, so much so that they reached greatest hits. It's all in the demand. Since it's such an RPG monster, too, those have always had value. It doesn't seem to be climbing as fast as the SNES by any stretch for the majority of titles, though; the obscurities in its library that are good but not notably rare are still cheap and available, as well as a fair number of the big hits, such as rayman and tomb raider.

It depends on what the game is, most PS1 stuff is still near worthless and several titles actually decreased in price. Final Fantasy VII dropped hard awhile ago, luckily I just sold a few copies before then for full value. Usually it doesn't work out in my favour like that, it's usually the other way where I sell games before they increase in value. I never really collected for PS1 before but now I'm keeping an eye out for specific games, might as well before it gets too hard to find these games.

It seems the rarer or valuable games are continuing to increase in value but the less valuable games are decreasing in price, years ago I had little problems getting $5 each for NES or Gameboy commons but now most people aren't willing to pay more than $2-$3 per game unless it's something really good.

[The Adventurer]

PS1 is a pretty fun console to hunt for. There are a mountain of games, many are still dirt cheap. And most of its real hidden gems can be quite affordable. Again, its the popular common stuff that nets the premium prices. Because they are always in demand.

[wiggyx]

I remember working retail in the 90's. You literally couldn't give away copies of SMW. It boggles my mind that its worth more than so many games now, especially since it has to be the MOST common game out there.

Lots of nostalgia for the SNES right now. All of us 30-somethings looking back and recalling the good times. Now we have jobs, some extra cash, and have largely settled down. Time to take a trip down memory lane I guess. Hell, I'm 34 and I just started growing my SNES collection this past year after about 10 years off. Thank god I already had so many of the now insanely priced games.

[Big Papa Husker]

N64 stuff is going up locally. A pawn shop even had the Conker's BDF cart only for $85, but within the last few years they have been using eBay/Amazon as a price guide. About 2 years ago, I found a copy of Conker with a badly torn up label for $1. It seems like all local thrifts or pawn shops price games really high.

[FrankSerpico]

I frequently used to see Link to the Past and DKC sold in lots with other games at fairly cheap prices 6 months to a year ago when I was acquiring a lot of my SNES games. You may have to bite the bullet and take in a dud or two like Lagoon or Rise of the Robots because that's how lots are, but there's no way in hell anyone should pay 30 bucks for Link to the Past when I got it and 5 other games for less than that

[recorderdude]

I do game lots all the time myself. The less-than good games either get resold or kept for novelty.

Example: I picked up an Accolade Genesis Double Dragon with copies of super off road, universal soldier (turrican 2) and Dark Castle for a total of $12. I love the turrican series, grew up with offroad, and had been looking for a cheap Genesis DD for a while.

...Dark castle, however, is undeniably the absolute worst platformer on the SEGA genesis. Even action 52's platformers have better control and music (the genesis version, mind you, even dark castle isn't as bad as NES A52)

However, it has this sort of "shit charm" that makes you really wanna play on and actually beat it. Plus, it's actually starting to go up in price as it's not the easiest to come by....so it sits among my library still.

[retroguy]

Gee, I guess I should feel lucky my local retro store doesn't go by ebay prices. They use an online price guide (don't know which one), and charge more or less depending on condition. Since the objective is to buy games that I actually want to play, I usually buy copies with a beat up label or someone's name written on it so I save a few bucks. It's how I got Paper Mario for 12 bucks and Super Smash Bros for 10.

[recorderdude]

I...honestly don't know how my store prices games. One time I saw an asterix game for genesis that cost $10 loose and $6 COMPLETE IN BOX for the same game...and it's not like they just screwed it up once...there were TWO loose $10 copies and TWO complete $6 copies there.

Another time, they priced a beaten up copy of Bio Hazard Battle loose for $8 and a week later I nabbed a complete copy in better condition for $3.

To be completely honest, I think they just don't care.

[Guyra]

I...honestly don't know how my store prices games. One time I saw an asterix game for genesis that cost $10 loose and $6 COMPLETE IN BOX. Another time, they priced a beaten up copy of Bio Hazard Battle loose for $8 and a week later I found a complete copy in better condition for $3.

To be completely honest, I think they just don't care.

They probably just roll a d20. :P