What are the most sought after/ expensive game guides?
I was talking to friend of mine about why certain guides are worth more than other guides. He really was confused that certain popular game guides are worth $5 while other non-popular game guides(the ps2 sphinx game for instance) go for $35-$40.
It got me thinking; what makes a guide like sphinx go for $30 and are there any other "high dollar" guides I should keep my eye out for?
Thanks,
Mason
Not sure how much its worth, but I've been looking for the guide to the Dreamcast version of Half Life for years now. I saw it at B&N way back when and obviously not for long since the game was never released.
I really don't know for sure, but it could have to do with the rarity of the game that the guide is for?
But production amounts probably contribute to it as well.
Then again, I could be talking out of my ass.
Kirby's my bitch!
Some popular games have multiple guides produced - not as bad here as it was in Japan where you had, say, Konami's various guides that have a different color stripe along the top (red, GH-green, blue, lol), but you often have different guides, say Versus and Prima Games (or whatever).
Guides can be expensive for 3 reasons:
1. The guide was printed in short supply.
2. It's attached to a once popular game that had a short supply.
3. Or, the game was HUGE back in the day, and now a rebirth for it has shot demand for it since they are no longer in print.
Or all of the above.
Lately PSX RPG guides for the oddball ones like Thousand Arms and such, have been going for mad, mad cash.
Jason
The most expensive guide I know of is this one:
It's the Versus Books unofficial FF7 Guide. This picture is taken from here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW
That BIN is a *bit* high, but really not ridiculous, I've seen it go for more. I'd say fair value for a flawless copy of this, w/original poster, is between $80 and $100.
I had one, sold it for $75 awhile back, value has been going up.
Isn't the original Earthbound guide worth a fair bit?
I thought Lunar 2 was a $80 guide.
I think the special edition warcraft guide was $80 too.
Well, and then there's guides for the import market; that's an area where I don't have a clue if I'm getting ripped off. I paid over $100 for the Rondo of Blood guide, for example (damn good purchase though).
PSX RPG guides as mentioned above can rake in some cash.
typical $$ makers are
Suikoden - in MINT condition (black cover so it's hard to get one in Near-Mint to Mind condition)
Koudelka
Star Ocean 2nd Story
Suikoden II
Thousand Arms
Valkyrie Profile
If anyone has ever seen a Rhapsody guide, I'll pay some serious CASH for it, though I am not sure one was even made.
There Can Be Only One!
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This is what I was thinking. I've seen this one go for a ton.Originally Posted by WanganRunner
Versus Books guides in general seem to be better moneymakers than say Prima or Bradygames.
I'm just happy to have the guides for Star Ocean: The Second Story and Valkyrie Profile. It's funny, the Valkyrie Profile guide used to sell for under 10 bucks for a long period of time, but once the price of the game started to skyrocket, so did the guide. Mine is pretty much still unused, so I bet I could get a pretty penny for it. However, it's a permanent part of my collection, and I do plan on using it the next time I replay Valkyrie Profile.
I also love my Chrono Trigger guide. :) It's not perfect and minty anymore, but man, I sure got my money's worth with that one. Easily the most enjoyable guide book to both use and browse through I've ever seen.
Earthbound Guide worth a ton? Really? I knew it was valuable and I have one. I don't think it is close to the top ten guides though pricewise. Lunar 2? No way that's an easy one to get. I got Lunar 1,2 and Vay with guides and a nomad for less than $150 so it can't be worth that much. Suikoden has always stood out to me as being one of the most sought after guides.
Here's some guides I've sold for between $50-80:
Suikoden 2
Final Fantasy Tactics (original print)
Star Ocean: 2nd Story
Valkrie Profile
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Versus Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy III from Nintendo
Suikoden only got me $25.
Plus I believe I could sell my WD Lunar 2 guide for that price range if I wanted to.
"Four o'clock and all is well.....wish I was in bed, Sir."
-- Guard in the Imperial City, Oblivion
The Prima official guide for Star Ocean Second Story is worth bank? I found one a few months back at a thrift store for like 50 cents. Its sitting on my shelf now. Maybe I should sell it...
Chris
If you like the game, it's worth keeping. It's one of Prima's best guides, I think.
But yeah, it's been pulling in a fair sum for quite a few years now. In fact, for awhile it was selling for more than the game would.
I 2nd that. I think personally either that, or the FF7 guide I mentioned above are my favorite guides of all time. I have been meaning to play SO2 all the way to the end (didn't the first time, borrowed it), but I want the guide first, and I don't want to pay out the ass for it.
I also just sold a Xenogears guide for $45, for the record, so that's worth decent money as well.
A friend of mine just found a Final Fantasy Tactics guide at Goodwill. The market on guides seems very inconsistent, though.
On a related note: I've got Breath of Fire 1 and 2 guides for sale/trade, if anyone's interested.
There's a Thousand Arms guide? I need that. Personally I'm STILL looking for a Gamefan Tales of Destiny 1 guide. I've been looking forever, I know it exists...just can't find it.
As for valuable guides, most of the abovementioned ones are pretty valuable. I got a Koudelka guide online here at DP for like $8 last year though. I don't think that one is $$$.
The Star Ocean 2 guide is hilarious...I've passed up well over 30 copies of it for $1.99-3.99 each back in the day. It was EVERYWHERE. I've got a mint one for myself...it's sad that it's so expensive cause it's common as dirt.
Same goes for Valkyrie Profile...I snagged that one off eBay for $5 about two years ago, then it suddenly SHOT up in value.
I sold my Fine-VF FF 7 Prima guide for over $50 US on eBay, sans poster.
@ Soulblazer: I'd SLAY for a Suikoden 1 guide for $25...I've seen em go for up to $80+ sometimes.
@coreycorey2000: They mean the Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete Working Designs hardcover strategy guide. It sells for $75-100+ easily on a regular basis.
@ WanganRunner: I'm not sure that the Earthbound guide is necessarily spendy. I bought one with the Earthbound box for $20 last year. It's in demand, but it's not rare because EVERY copy of Earthbound came packaged with the guide.
@ rhiokhi: I don't think there's a Rhapsody guide. I've never seen one. I used to work at a bookstore during the PS1 RPG heyday and I ordered in EVERY guide that was in print for the RPGs.
scooterb: "I once shot a man in Catan, just to watch him die."
You don't even want to know how much of a pain it was for me to get it. o_O After all these years, I finally got it from a member here. :)
Heh, I bought the SO 2 guide with the game.Almost all of the guides I mentioned I bought new with the game. Heck, I almost always buy the guide with the game it's a RPG or a adventure or sim game.
Max, this was the unofficial Prima guide....is there another one for Suikoden, perhaps? I bought it new with the game back in the day. I guess I just did'nt get much money for it.
Aussie, there's a reason that SO 2 guide is so good -- look at who wrote it.
Xenogears was one of those guides that was in the 'good' price range -- $25 to $45. I've sold Super Mario RPG and Front Mission 3 for that price range, as well as a Quest For Glory guide.
I have a original print version of the FF7 Official Guide also...did'nt know that could command a decent value.
"Four o'clock and all is well.....wish I was in bed, Sir."
-- Guard in the Imperial City, Oblivion
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