Code Monkey | 2,011 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 I don't get it. Sure, it's a good game but so are many others. Sure it was a late release but not really........it was released in 1992 with loads of other games being released in 1993 and 1994. Some PAL and unlicensed as late as 1995 and 1996. To illustrate why I think Little Samson should not be so expensive due to its release date, here are other games released AFTER Little Samson, some of them just $20 in value. It makes no sense. 1992 November - Little Samson November - Widget November - Prince Of Persia November - Tecmo NBA Basketball November - James Bond Jr. November - Goal! Two November - Lemmings December - The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man December - The Terminator December - Tiny Toon Adventures: Cartoon Workshop December - Swamp Thing December - The Great Waldo Search December - The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle And Friends December - Young Indiana Jones Chronicles December - Mega Man 5 December - RC Pro Am II December - Caesars Palace December - Best Of The Best: Championship Karate December - George Foreman's KO Boxing December - Joe & Mac December - F-117A Stealth Fighter All of these games were released AFTER Little Samson and some of them are really fun but none of them come close to the same value. Mega Man 5 is just as fun and not even 1/20 of the price. Swamp Thing is way harder to find, James Bond Jr. is a unicorn that I'm not sure even exists. Caesar's Palace is literally the FOURTH CHEAPEST GAME according to Price Charting. There are literally only 3 other games cheaper than it in the NES library. How is this possible? 1993 January - Ultima V: Warriors Of Destiny January - Nightshade January - Overlord January - Break Time: The National Pool Tour January - Batman Returns February - Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Hillsfar February - Bomberman II February - Rollerblade Racer March - Alien3 March - Mickey's Safari In Letterland March - Fire 'N Ice March - Zen The Intergalactic Ninja April - Bases Loaded 4 April - Casino Kid 2 April - Lethal Weapon April - Yoshi's Cookie (Nintendo published games don't count) April - Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble In Wackyland April - Kid Klown In Night Mayor World May - Kirby's Adventure June - Cool World June - Ducktales 2 June - Jurassic Park June - Battletoads & Double Dragon July - Color A Dinosaur July - Mighty Final Fight July - Mario Is Missing! August - Bubble Bobble Part 2 August - The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt September - Battleship September - Star Trek: The Next Generation September - Bram Stoker's Dracula October - Championship Pool October - Tetris 2 October - Last Action Hero October - Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing November - Pac-Man (Namco) November - Ms. Pac-Man (Namco) November - Cliffhanger November - Jimmy Connors Tennis November - Wayne's World November - WWF King Of The Ring November - The Ren & Stimpy Show: Buckarro$! December - Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade According to this, Ducktales 2 and Jurassic Park are equal rarity and to be honest, I hardly ever see Jurassic Park for sale but I just picked up a copy for about $20. And that game was released AFTER Kid Klown and Bomberman II. I'm also convinced someone travelling back in time to destroy all copies of Bram Stoker's Dracula because I've never seen a copy of that game for sale. 1994 January - Bonk's Adventure January - Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers 2 February - Alfred Chicken February - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters March - Mega Man 6 March - Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II March - Mickey's Adventures In Numberland June - Mario's Time Machine August - The Jungle Book August - The Flintstones: Surprise At Dinosaur Peak August - The Incredible Crash Dummies December - Wario's Woods Okay, I understand Flintstones having the Hanna Barbara collectors but for thousands of dollars? Really? It was released the same month as The Jungle Book and The Incredible Crash Dummies, why are those $100 games? I don't understand this at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 11,779 Administrator · Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Relative scarcity paired with "hidden gem" status. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,501 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) Not so much release date but how rare they are. Absent official production numbers, collectors went off of how often they came across them. Little Samson didn't pop up as much as the other titles, even those released later. That's not to say that people later hyped up the prices to stupid amounts simply because it was rare (and people needed it to complete their sets) but the initial rarity is what caused the game to be priced higher than other games released around the same time. A similar thing happened to Dino Peak. And it's possible people were mistaken about overall rarity back in the day (though they're probably not off by much). But it's not like collectors are going to go, "Oh, this game wasn't as rare as I thought it was even though I paid $900. I'll sell it for $50 because that's what its rarity should be." Edit: And Gloves brings up a good point. Taito was making some pretty good games at a time when most developers were concentrating on the new SNES and were either putting out piss-poor ports of their SNES games, or were doing shameless cash grabs (looking at you, THQ.) Little Samson was a decent platformer with a unique setting and four playable characters. That made it stand out more. Edited August 5, 2023 by Tulpa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarzombie | 924 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 15 minutes ago, Gloves said: Relative scarcity paired with "hidden gem" status. Scarcity + Good Game + People know it = $$$$ Scarcity + Bad Game + People know it = $$ Scarcity + Good Game + Unknown = $$ Scarcity + Bad Game + Unknown = $ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 11,779 Administrator · Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 3 minutes ago, guitarzombie said: Scarcity + Good Game + People know it = $$$$ Scarcity + Bad Game + People know it = $$ Scarcity + Good Game + Unknown = $$ Scarcity + Bad Game + Unknown = $ Game you specifically are looking for a copy of = $$$$$$ 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,501 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 4 minutes ago, Gloves said: Game you specifically are looking for a copy of = $$$$$$ Game you specifically are looking for a copy of and AVGN did a video just before you're about to buy it = forget about it. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 11,779 Administrator · Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Just now, Tulpa said: Game you specifically are looking for a copy of and AVGN did a video just before you're about to buy it = forget about it. "OMG this game SUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKSSSS!!!" *RAGE* -> prices skyrocket 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultGen | 5,405 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) Like 90% of the market is just hype and perception. No one is doing statistical analyses checking true rarity against Metacritic score against the price of everything else in the market. A loose Stadium Events just sold for double what a CB Mah Jong did, which sold for $1000s more than a sealed Hot Slots. Those are all pretty big name NES collector games, but their prices are in reverse order of rarity and condition. This IMO is why it's still at least relatively easy to find deals on truly rare, underappreciated uncommon, and/or interesting games. The majority of the game collecting market just wants to spend big bucks on Earthbound, Rule of Rose, Little Samson, etc. for them hot upvotes. When was the last time anyone hyped Isolated Warrior? It's always the right time to buy Isolated Warrior. Little Samson is rad tho. I really like it. Edited August 5, 2023 by DefaultGen 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,501 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 12 minutes ago, DefaultGen said: . When was the last time anyone hyped Isolated Warrior? It's always the right time to buy Isolated Warrior. *Polar Bear flashbacks* 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Code Monkey | 2,011 Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 27 minutes ago, DefaultGen said: Like 90% of the market is just hype and perception. No one is doing statistical analyses checking true rarity against Metacritic score against the price of everything else in the market. A loose Stadium Events just sold for double what a CB Mah Jong did, which sold for $1000s more than a sealed Hot Slots. Those are all pretty big name NES collector games, but their prices are in reverse order of rarity and condition. This IMO is why it's still at least relatively easy to find deals on truly rare, underappreciated uncommon, and/or interesting games. The majority of the game collecting market just wants to spend big bucks on Earthbound, Rule of Rose, Little Samson, etc. for them hot upvotes. When was the last time anyone hyped Isolated Warrior? It's always the right time to buy Isolated Warrior. Little Samson is rad tho. I really like it. I just bought a copy of Isolated Warrior missing the manual for $63 USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePhleo | 2,185 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) I think you need to plot price trends on a 3D membrane graph to make full sense of the hobby as a whole. Current Notoriety + Current Scarcity = Current Price I bet there would be some nice sensible peaks and valleys in a graph like this that would give you a "eureka" moment. Like, Little Samson isn't super rare, but it is currently pretty scarce...and very notorious so it has a high price. Firehouse Rescue on the other hand is VERY rare, but not talked about at all so it has very little motivating it to push upwards.......Super mario bros. is EXTREMELY common, but also EXTREMELY rare in (conditionally speaking) in nice condition and EXTREMELY talked about so it's "the grail" in mint condition. Actually, scratch that...you also need to add a fourth dimension to represent condition as well...so include colors to represent condition. Edited August 5, 2023 by ThePhleo 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 11,779 Administrator · Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 3 minutes ago, ThePhleo said: I think you need to plot price trends on a 3D membrane graph to make full sense of the hobby as a whole. Current Notoriety + Current Scarcity = Current Price I bet there would be some nice sensible peaks and valleys in a graph like this that would give you a "eureka" moment. Like, Little Samson isn't super rare, but it is currently pretty scarce...and very notorious so it has a high price. Firehouse Rescue on the other hand is VERY rare, but not talked about at all so it has very little motivating it to push upwards.......Super mario bros. is EXTREMELY common, but also EXTREMELY rare in (conditionally speaking) in nice condition and EXTREMELY talked about so it's "the grail" in mint condition. Actually, scratch that...you also need to add a fourth dimension to represent condition as well...so include colors to represent condition. Video game prices in the 2010s, a brief history: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link | 2,713 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 2 hours ago, Gloves said: Relative scarcity paired with "hidden gem" status. I've written out a couple of paragraphs on this a few times, but it really just all comes down to this and 1 hour ago, DefaultGen said: hype and 2 hours ago, Tulpa said: unique . Little Samson is fun as fuck. It looks and sounds great. I had no idea there was a collecting community when I discovered it without anybody's input, just browsing a ROM set. And yet I wrote an article about it. That's the kind of impression it can make. Swamp Thing is a terrible game. There is no reason to like Caesar's Palace. Terminator and several others exist in another game, a movie, a cartoon, something, there are SIX Mega Mans. LS has a unique confluence of desirable factors. Every single other NES game in the referenced sales period is missing multiple pieces of that pie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link | 2,713 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 58 minutes ago, ThePhleo said: you also need to add a fourth dimension to represent condition as well...so include colors to represent condition. Condition is a factor in a single copy sale price, but not as far as determining why demand exceeds supply. 34 minutes ago, Gloves said: Video game prices in the 2010s, a brief history: Count this business under notoriety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcgamer | 4,724 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 (edited) Judging from release years, Samson plus Flintstones 2 likely killed Time Diver Eon Man Edited August 6, 2023 by fcgamer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultGen | 5,405 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 6 hours ago, ThePhleo said: I think you need to plot price trends on a 3D membrane graph to make full sense of the hobby as a whole. Current Notoriety + Current Scarcity = Current Price I bet there would be some nice sensible peaks and valleys in a graph like this that would give you a "eureka" moment. Like, Little Samson isn't super rare, but it is currently pretty scarce...and very notorious so it has a high price. Firehouse Rescue on the other hand is VERY rare, but not talked about at all so it has very little motivating it to push upwards.......Super mario bros. is EXTREMELY common, but also EXTREMELY rare in (conditionally speaking) in nice condition and EXTREMELY talked about so it's "the grail" in mint condition. Actually, scratch that...you also need to add a fourth dimension to represent condition as well...so include colors to represent condition. Some economist is have a stroke at how you turned a supply/demand curve into a three, potentially four dimension graph 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 2,956 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 Becuz collectors dumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPX | 1,370 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 Firstly, the cost of a game has very little to do with how fun it is. Secondly, my non-scientific formula for the cost of a game: (X)x(Y)x(Z) where: X = how many times it gets mentioned online (eg. forums, YouTube etc.) Y = mass hype surrounding game (eg. news articles about record breaking prices, Pawn Stars etc.) Z = how many rich bastards willing to fight over game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIB_Wholesale | 418 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 supply https://www.pricecharting.com/game/nintendo-3ds/barbie-groom-and-glam-pups https://www.pricecharting.com/game/nintendo-ds/barbie-groom-and-glam-pups 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcgamer | 4,724 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 36 minutes ago, GPX said: Firstly, the cost of a game has very little to do with how fun it is. Secondly, my non-scientific formula for the cost of a game: (X)x(Y)x(Z) where: X = how many times it gets mentioned online (eg. forums, YouTube etc.) Y = mass hype surrounding game (eg. news articles about record breaking prices, Pawn Stars etc.) Z = how many rich bastards willing to fight over game Rich bastards don't care about games, can guarantee it. They be going after babes and yachts, well classically anyways. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePhleo | 2,185 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 (edited) 6 hours ago, DefaultGen said: Some economist is have a stroke at how you turned a supply/demand curve into a three, potentially four dimension graph Nah, they have those weird greek alphabet ratio things that calculate this stuff for them and they like to pretend it's just supply/demand so us "normies" can think the world is ezpz. I WANNA SEE THIS DEFAULTGEN...I WANT TO SEE THIS Edited August 6, 2023 by ThePhleo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIB_Wholesale | 418 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 1 hour ago, fcgamer said: Rich bastards don't care about games, can guarantee it. They be going after babes and yachts, well classically anyways. 29 minutes ago, ThePhleo said: Nah, they have those weird greek alphabet ratio things that calculate this stuff for them and they like to pretend it's just supply/demand so us "normies" can think the world is ezpz. I WANNA SEE THIS DEFAULTGEN...I WANT TO SEE THIS IM(expert)O if @ThePhleo didnt use samson for branding the price would probably be reasonable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIB_Wholesale | 418 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 in all seriousness it's likely tied to supply speculation about the year is a clue 1992 right next to the SNES release the studio probably had way too many projects and trying to transition equipment and staff to SNES developing probably the nerds in the 'perfect everything NES department' kept delaying the game and the studio released low numbers to gauge if they wanted to rerelease as a SNES or just cut their losses why would you release a bible nes game after the SNES release? it's really similar in gameplay to other taito platformers.... aka a decent game not legendary or iconic... there are a lot of libraries and NES completionists which is probably the only reason for the high demand is low supply numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePhleo | 2,185 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 59 minutes ago, CIB_Wholesale said: if @ThePhleo didnt use samson for branding the price would probably be reasonable My secret's out! I've been manipulating the Samson market since 2011! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
final fight cd | 186 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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