Searching for Genesis and other old games

[tim333]

How does one go about finding older games? I'm on a Genesis collecting kick, and it has presented some difficulties. Most stores are Gamestop and EB and won't carry anything older than Playstation/Nintendo 64 - Hell, many of 'em won't even stock Dreamcast stuff anymore.

There are two used game stores near me that carry anything, and I've picked through them both several times. There's a third store not so near me (about an hour's drive) - a Rhino Games, a small chain that still carries the old stuff - that I've also paid a visit to, and I might do so again. You'd think that with three stores I'd have a satisfactory selection, but I have a rough time finding anything good after getting the super-commons that are worth picking up.

Does anyone here know any other ways to find 16-bit games? I've thought of finding used game stores when I travel, but I've never had any luck finding them. Of course I'm aware of the online market - I got Sparkster for $10 on eBay, and it was so worth it - but that lacks the gratification of finding it there in front of you. Do I have no choice?

[Mel]

same problem here, I tend to buy stuffonline or at ebay.

I recommend collectorscards and games, and I'll try to sell some stuff in these forums soon...

Check the "Sonic's Bazaar" forum, it lets any of the members here sell their stuff.

[Melf]

I personally get all of my older games from eBay and what others sell on forums. No store near me sells them anymore.

I've done pretty well on eBay actually, and the majority of my Genesis games have come from there.

[tim333]

Buying online is a bit of a hassle for me - I don't have a credit card or anything, so I have to pay my parents afterward... whereas if I find a game at a store I can just pay them directly in cash.

[Melf]

I only use postal money orders when I buy on eBay. No PayPal or credit cards. I don't like to use them unless I'm buying from a reputable store, like NCS or Video Game Depot.

[Elusive]

I go to car boot sales, flea markets, second-hand shops whenever I can. eBay is only a last resort if I can't find a game I really want. Pawn shops are goldmines, I've found, as are clueless carboot sellers - I got a boxed Aura Interactor for £5, as the seller had no clue what it was. Keep an eye out for parents throwing out their 'kids' old junk', they're fantastic for good deals.

[tim333]

Despite my complaining, I actually just bought Toejam and Earl 2 for $2.25 on eBay... not bad. But the shipping is $5, which might be understandable if there were a box. As it's cart only, though, it's ridiculous. This is another problem of online purchases - the shipping can cost more than the game!

[j_factor]

I buy online. You don't really need a credit card, just get a debit card that has visa or mastercard capability. If that doesn't do it for you, you can get prepaid cards rather easily.

I don't really use eBay much. I mainly buy from GOAT (goatstore.com) and VFW (vintagefunworld.com), though I buy stuff here and there from other stores as well.

I'd like to buy at stores, but the one local shop in my town closed up, Gamestop and EB suck for vintage stuff, and there's no Game Crazy in a convenient location.

On a side note, I love your sig, Tim.

[Dartagnan1083]

I'm fortunate to live near a used media store that sells everything from Atari games, to 3DO titles, to Super Famicom titles, to Saturn Imports.

They get some nice stuff in all the time, and they charge based on prices from Digital Press. So it's never as ridiculous as Ebay or Amazon.

[tim333]

Hey, thanks a lot for pointing me to those online stores. The selections are impressive, and most of the prices are decent. I'd definitely rather make my online purchases on these stores than on eBay in the future.

As for the sig - there will always be time for KLAX.

[Kollision]

Let me just use this thread to also praise Goat Store (www.goatstore.com). :D:D:D

Great inventory, nice service and fast international shipping.

[The Sports Guy]

You might be better off looking for "Sega Genesis Game Lots" and get like 40 games for a decent price and sift through the crap.

Luckily I have two game stores - one here at school and one here at home that still deal in decent older stuff.

The forums here and at other sites such as www.atariage.com are great places to find games. I just bought MK II for a buck.

[MrMatthews]

Don't forget about craigslist.com. The quality here is as hit or miss as any garage sale, but it's a good source for finding stuff in your area. Most people selling video games here are pretty clueless as to what their collection is actually worth, so your dollar tends to go rather far.