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Thread: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

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    Pear (Level 6) downfall's Avatar
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    Default Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Seriously? Around here, I can get 5 NES games, or 3/4 SNES games, or 2 N64 games for the same price that I can get one really crappy used Game Boy game (like Bo Jackson's Baseball) or whatever.

    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA? And so people think they're more popular than the others? Or what? I don't figure it's rarity so much, because the Gameboy (and it's iterations) are the highest selling game systems in history. (Or at least it has been that way right?)

    It just bugs me, because I'd like to expand my original Game Boy collection, as I have a grand total of 5 or 6 games for it (Mario's Picross, Metroid II, Kirby's Dream Land, Tetris, and something else I can't think of), but I can't see myself shelling out $10 (that I already can't afford) for a monochromatic game that probably has a better version on NES/SNES that I could get for one fifth of the price. I'm fine with paying that much for any good game.. I paid the $10 for Metroid II, because it's a good game. But there's no way I'm going to spend a ten on Bo Jackson's Baseball just to build up my collection when 9 times out of 10, Game Boy games just aren't as good as other games.

    Is that just me though? And I'm not talking Gamestop either. I'm talking pawn shops, thrift stores, and the like, and it's not isolated. Every single one of them has that pricing scheme.

    So what gives?

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    Ladd Spencer (Level 17) Sniderman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Quote Originally Posted by downfall
    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA? And so people think they're more popular than the others? Or what? I don't figure it's rarity so much, because the Gameboy (and it's iterations) are the highest selling game systems in history. (Or at least it has been that way right?)
    I've noticed that myself and I've just assumed that it's the backwards compatability factor. Every GB game ever made works on every consecutively released GB system. (Just not in "reverse.") So there is no chance of a cart becoming obsolete.

    Hell, Tetris, the original grey cart pack-in game, works just fine on my brand-new GBA-SP.
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    I've always figured it was a combination of two things:

    (a) The Game Boy has no competition, so the retail prices in general are higher than they would be otherwise. And if the retail prices are higher, the used prices stay higher.

    (I realize that new Game Boy games aren't for sale anymore, but this relates to the fact that it's backwards compatible I suppose).

    (b) Supply and demand. Do you ever see a retailer with loads and loads of Game Boy games? I don't. People just don't trade 'em in as often. And they sell fairly well too.
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    Kirby (Level 13) norkusa's Avatar
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    I don't think it's because of backwards compatibility. Used Gameboy carts have always been expensive. I've got an old Funcoland price list from '98 somewhere, and I remember an incredibly high percentage of GB titles listed (around 95% or higher) were $10 and above. At the same time, most of the NES games were listed at $4 and below. Just doesn't make any sense to me. Must be high demand.

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    Pretzel (Level 4) Mr. Smashy's Avatar
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    I sure love to speculate on these things.

    I would imagine that the Game Boy is still considered a current generation system and since it has a huge user base, the odds of getting a sale on an overpriced game are pretty good.

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    If you think used GB games are expensive, try new/unopened GB games...$80 for Metroid II, yep.

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    It's because of these 2 reasons:

    1. Used game stores know that folks will still pay money for GB games since their kids have a GBA. They're cheaper than most GBA games, though not by much. Therefore, it's a cheaper alternative.

    2. They really aren't traded in as often as you think. The marquee titles like Tetris, Mario, Pokemon, and other games based on popular characters see a decent amount of trade in, but stuff like Fish Dude, Race Days, Panel Action Bingo, and Great Greed don't see much. Probably cause not many people bought them to begin with.

    Some original GB games are in fact cheap, like Nemesis, which is like $2.99 IIRC.
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    *didnt read over entire thread*

    There expensive for the same reason NES game would be expensive if the Gamecube had an NES cartridge slot.

    They can still be used by a machine that is currently on the market. Some games are shitty though, so you do come across cheap ones, but for the most part they are 10.00 and up because the GBA can still play them. As long as the games are still useable in the current game market they will run a little higher than games on a defunct system.

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    Default Re: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Quote Originally Posted by downfall
    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA?

    Bah? how is this done? I havent even thought of that and am at work right now(no access to games). Do you need an adapter? Arent the GBA games larger?
    Im freaking out now! This is cool news!


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    Default Re: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Quote Originally Posted by QBert
    Quote Originally Posted by downfall
    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA?

    Bah? how is this done? I havent even thought of that and am at work right now(no access to games). Do you need an adapter? Arent the GBA games larger?
    Im freaking out now! This is cool news!


    QBert
    Yo, Qbert... get with the program! They have always been compatible! That's the beauty and the genius of it! Just plug a game on in! No adaptor needed...

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    Ryu Hayabusa (Level 16) Custom rank graphic
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    Default Re: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Quote Originally Posted by QBert
    Quote Originally Posted by downfall
    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA?

    Bah? how is this done? I havent even thought of that and am at work right now(no access to games). Do you need an adapter? Arent the GBA games larger?
    Im freaking out now! This is cool news!


    QBert


    Just insert the cart and the GBA boots the game, easy as pie.

    You really didn't know that? I figured it was common knowledge by now.
    RIP bargora, you will be greatly missed.That is how we do things on Giedion Prime.

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    Cherry (Level 1)
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    Default Re: Why are used Game Boy games priced so high?

    Quote Originally Posted by Oobgarm
    Quote Originally Posted by QBert
    Quote Originally Posted by downfall
    Is it because Game Boy games can be played on the GBA?

    Bah? how is this done? I havent even thought of that and am at work right now(no access to games). Do you need an adapter? Arent the GBA games larger?
    Im freaking out now! This is cool news!


    QBert


    Just insert the cart and the GBA boots the game, easy as pie.

    You really didn't know that? I figured it was common knowledge by now.
    Nope, I was outta the GB loop for a while, and just got an advance not too long ago, shit Im super happy now! Thanks.


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    Insert Coin (Level 0) nothingisttrue's Avatar
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    i was in eb games once and the guy at the counter was taking a guys tradein and he had a shit load of gb and gba advance games and the employee said that these are the best things to trade in you get more then anything else and their worth the same with or without a case. also supposedly a gba will play even virtual boy games. so you can make your self have a seizure and have your head explode. haha if you want to know where nintendo got the idea for a virtual boy goto the video store and rent videodrome

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    Pear (Level 6) downfall's Avatar
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    Glad to see that I was on the right track.

    As far as not seeing many GB games traded in, I think every pawn shop I've been in around here has them, and they're usually pretty decent titles, but they're always Kirby's Dream Land, Tetris, or are things I'm not interested in, even though they are decent titles.

    And a sealed GB game for $80, while pretty far up there, is still cheaper than a lot of sealed NES games are going for. (Sealed SMB for around $200 recently I think?) I'd assume that was a higher end GB title going for $80, but that's just my opinion from observation. I really know nothing about it, which is why I started this topic.

    Anyway, thanks for all the replies.

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    Kirby (Level 13) norkusa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nothingisttrue
    also supposedly a gba will play even virtual boy games.
    A GBA can't play Virtual Boy games.

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    Kirby (Level 13) Push Upstairs's Avatar
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    I have never seen a GB game for less than $10 at stores in my area.

    Most titles go for $14.99 and $17.99 with very few (only some Pokemon games) dipping down to the $10 mark.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nothingisttrue
    i was in eb games once and the guy at the counter was taking a guys tradein and he had a shit load of gb and gba advance games and the employee said that these are the best things to trade in you get more then anything else and their worth the same with or without a case. also supposedly a gba will play even virtual boy games. so you can make your self have a seizure and have your head explode. haha if you want to know where nintendo got the idea for a virtual boy goto the video store and rent videodrome
    I wonder why Nintendo didn't make the GBA compatible with VB games? I mean, the VB was very sucessful and lasted a long time, plus a GBA would have no problem duplicating the VB's 3-D effect as it has the special secret reflective mirrors and inflatable headset.

    then again, his name is "nothingistrue"...

    <sarcasm off>


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    Kirby (Level 13) ubersaurus's Avatar
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    The simple fact is as long as GB games remain commercially vable (which will be as long as the gb is backwards compatible), you can expect to pay relatively high prices for titles.
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    Insert Coin (Level 0)
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    I have a video game store that I hit every once in a while and while they don't usually have tons of GB games, the ones that they do have are cheap ($4.99-$7.99 usually). If there is a specific title (or titles) you are looking for, let me know. Last time I looked, they had Kwirk for I think $6.99 which is a ton cheaper than I paid after hunting for a long time...
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    I blame backwards compatibility as well. I'm hoping that the next incarnation of the Gameboy drops support for B&W Gameboy and Gameboy Color games, since hopefully that would eventually cause the market prices to drop.

    There are a whole bunch of old school Gameboy games that I've been wanting to get for a LONG time now, like Mercenary Force, Trax, Nail 'n' Scale, Dexterity, Burgertime, Lock 'n' Chase and many others... but even though I really like these games, I'm certainly not paying $15 or $20 for them. Hell, I bought F-Zero X just the other day for $10 and P.N.03 for $20.

    I find that Game Gear games often sell for somewhat high prices too... at least in my area, I think the lowest I've seen a Game Gear game sell for is $7 (not counting Sega's baseball games). It's lower than most Gameboy games at least, but still seems higher than it should be to me.

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