Wata 9.2 A+ equals to what VGA???

[Ninja_xxx | 2]

Wata 9.2 A+ is equal to what VGA? i'm new collector and trying to collect 85+ gold and up so need to know.

Thanks

[Gloves | 12,231]

There's no real strict correlation, but generally I've seen that Wata grades top-heavy. If I had to take a GUESS I'd say like an 8 on VGA? There are others with more/better info than I.

[kell | 102]

Check the thread below: “wata crossover... ”

some of that work has been done

Edited January 26, 2020 by kell

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

3 hours ago, kell said:

Check the thread below: “wata crossover... ”

some of that work has been done

 

[austin532 | 469]

IMO Wata tends to grade their games higher than VGA. I've seen both and while neither one is 100% accurate, VGA seems more reasonable. To me anything in the 9's should be near perfect.

[Ninja_xxx | 2]

ok let me get this right a 9.2 can be 80 vga upto 85+ vga.....thats a big range

what grades do most people here collect?

[Bronty | 187]

Yeah It’s a big range because they have completely different grading criteria

[kell | 102]

Anyone get a grading report form either WATA or VGA?  Do they help with estimating grades?

[LifeGame | 803]

I dont know but a 9.4 A+ Kung Fu Heroes just sold for 800$usd so if that equals VGA 80 then all I gotta say is thats very very expensive for that title unless i missed something....

[Startyde | 180]

Grading at Wata used to be somewhat clear cut but the last order I sent changed all that. I've subbed 3 VGA 90 games in two different orders. The first crossed to Wata 9.8. Two months later the remaining two crossed to Wata 9.4 and 9.2. It should be impossible to have that much variance so idk. I'll find out when I eventually get them back, someday. 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Startyde

[Ninja_xxx | 2]

4 hours ago, LifeGame said:

I dont know but a 9.4 A+ Kung Fu Heroes just sold for 800$usd so if that equals VGA 80 then all I gotta say is thats very very expensive for that title unless i missed something....

Ya prices are crazy. Every game i want to buy everyone seems to want world record highest price ever paid. 90% is resellers buying high and selling even higher. Such a bad time for real collectors

[Ninja_xxx | 2]

1 hour ago, Startyde said:

Grading at Wata used to be somewhat clear cut but the last order I sent changed all that. I've subbed 3 VGA 90 games in two different orders. The first crossed to Wata 9.8. Two months later the remaining two crossed to Wata 9.4 and 9.2. It should be impossible to have that much variance so idk. I'll find out when I eventually get them back, someday. 

ouch a 90 into a 9.2 i would not be happy to be honest. Do they give your old vga case back so you can send back to vga and get same grade

can i ask why you crossed over

[1upped | 152]

9 minutes ago, Ninja_xxx said:

Ya prices are crazy. Every game i want to buy everyone seems to want world record highest price ever paid. 90% is resellers buying high and selling even higher. Such a bad time for real collectors

I agree, but that Kung Fu Heroes round seal has been tough for years now.  There was one 85+ about 1-2 years ago and the rest of them were beat up copies.  It’s a beautiful piece of art work and an early third party title that has run fairly dry.  I can confirm the copy that he spoke of is in a private collection and not being re-sold.  Sigh....collecting is becoming so much more complicated

[Startyde | 180]

21 minutes ago, Ninja_xxx said:

ouch a 90 into a 9.2 i would not be happy to be honest. Do they give your old vga case back so you can send back to vga and get same grade

can i ask why you crossed over

Definitely not happy. The first game I crossed myself to get an idea of the scale difference. That came back a 9.8 so made sense. This last order was on behalf of someone else and the games were savagely graded less. Either Wata has changed their metrics or the games were damaged somehow. I won't be able to say until I get them in hand. I even called Wata the moment they uploaded the grades and asked what caused them to be so low and they "couldn't tell me" because I didn't order a grading report, despite them just being graded.

I'm not trying to be negative or turn this into Wata bashing (even though I'm unlimitedly annoyed I paid for a 5 day speed run in Nov 2019 and I still don't have the games) but so much of this order is seemingly being handled asinine.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Startyde

[GPX | 1,403]

2 hours ago, Startyde said:

Definitely not happy. The first game I crossed myself to get an idea of the scale difference. That came back a 9.8 so made sense. This last order was on behalf of someone else and the games were savagely graded less. Either Wata has changed their metrics or the games were damaged somehow. I won't be able to say until I get them in hand. I even called Wata the moment they uploaded the grades and asked what caused them to be so low and they "couldn't tell me" because I didn't order a grading report, despite them just being graded.

I'm not trying to be negative or turn this into Wata bashing (even though I'm unlimitedly annoyed I paid for a 5 day speed run in Nov 2019 and I still don't have the games) but so much of this order is seemingly being handled asinine.

What were the seal grades given by WATA of the 3 VGA90 items? It could still make some sense for example:

- 9.8 A

- 9.4 A +

- 9.2 A ++

I’m also thinking because there’s so many high 9.6/9.8 games already, they might be marking things a tad more harsh to make it a more even distribution?

Edited January 28, 2020 by GPX

[hyrulevyse | 151]

If you're trying to collect 85+ then why worry about Wata games at all?  To cross them over?  As others have said there's no definitive grade that would translate into an 85+ but if I had to choose one based on the limited info we have I'd say a 9.2 A+ would be close to an 85

[1upped | 152]

I would agree with hyrulevyse.  Two different grading systems (so apples to oranges), but an 85 usually crosses to 9.2-9.4 A-A+.  Not always though....VGA is VERY strict on wrap.  You could have 8 sharp corners, but a flawed wrap, and grade out at a 70-75.  That same game could crossover at WATA to a 9.4 B as they have completely different systems.  If wrap is important to you, look for 85+ from VGA and you will have, for the most part a mint game.  Look for 9.2 or higher and A+-A++ for a mint WATA game.  If you want pristine, look for 90-100 on VGA and 9.6-9.8 A+-A++ for WATA

Edited January 28, 2020 by 1upped

[jonebone | 1,329]

9 hours ago, 1upped said:

I agree, but that Kung Fu Heroes round seal has been tough for years now.  There was one 85+ about 1-2 years ago and the rest of them were beat up copies.  It’s a beautiful piece of art work and an early third party title that has run fairly dry.  I can confirm the copy that he spoke of is in a private collection and not being re-sold.  Sigh....collecting is becoming so much more complicated

I have a raw one that should be 85+, guess it will be on my next round of listings!

[Startyde | 180]

8 hours ago, GPX said:

What were the seal grades given by WATA of the 3 VGA90 items? It could still make some sense for example:

- 9.8 A

- 9.4 A +

- 9.2 A ++

I’m also thinking because there’s so many high 9.6/9.8 games already, they might be marking things a tad more harsh to make it a more even distribution?

It's the latter, the sealed wraps are all A++ so I don't thiiiiiink it's external damage. It must be something else. 

[GPX | 1,403]

1 hour ago, Startyde said:

It's the latter, the sealed wraps are all A++ so I don't thiiiiiink it's external damage. It must be something else. 

It just occurred to me, with all these numerical discussions on grades and VGA to WATA conversions, the collecting scene is starting to seem like complex algebra!

VGA85+ = WATA (x)A++

Solve for x.

[GPX | 1,403]

On 1/27/2020 at 5:18 AM, Ninja_xxx said:

Wata 9.2 A+ is equal to what VGA? i'm new collector and trying to collect 85+ gold and up so need to know.

Thanks

My tip is:

if you are highly specific in your condition criteria of your collection, ask to see photos of all surfaces and use your own eyes to judge for yourself.

Both companies have different criteria in their rating of box and seal so the overall score would not correlate 100%.

[Startyde | 180]

6 minutes ago, GPX said:

It just occurred to me, with all these numerical discussions on grades and VGA to WATA conversions, the collecting scene is starting to seem like complex algebra!

VGA85+ = WATA (x)A++

Solve for x.

You know GPX, you're onto something bigger my friend. At the end of the day we're talking about numerical representations of someone's opinion on the condition of your videogame. In the grand scheme of what's important in the world, it doesn't crack the top million. Not worth getting tooooooo upset about.

[GPX | 1,403]

5 minutes ago, Startyde said:

You know GPX, you're onto something bigger my friend. At the end of the day we're talking about numerical representations of someone's opinion on the condition of your videogame. In the grand scheme of what's important in the world, it doesn't crack the top million. Not worth getting tooooooo upset about.

Depends on the angle. Not important for the human race to advance. Important in that these numerical representations can be a big difference in whether you can go on a trip around the world OR go starving for a month or two.

In previous years, I can remember buying a sealed game and just soak up on all the nostalgia, the history and the art on the game. Now things aren’t as simple/innocent as it once was.

[jonebone | 1,329]

What frustrates me is that they really are almost two completely different scales.  It makes no sense to me that two companies can be so different.  

If I have a baseball card, I know to look for centering, corners, edges, chipping, etc.  BGS and PSA will give very close grades the vast majority of the game.  

Granted, a game is three dimensional but the criteria between companies seems completely different.  VGA penalizes for stickers,  Wata doesn't seem to consider them a big flaw.  Wata was initially lenient on PS1 drill holes (unbelievably), but thankfully they seemed to have correct it.  Yet they grade the manual on a PS1 single case game which I'm not a fan of either.

Ultimately, I'm an experienced collector and know Mint when I see it.  I don't need a 3rd party service to tell me that.  Where I do need the 3rd party service is to provide an opinion so that others who don't have an eye for condition will believe it is in the stated condition.  But then the game becomes valued and collected solely on its numerical grade, and when you encounter lots of head scratching grades, it makes buying graded a damn nightmare.  

I don't know what I tend to like on Wata anymore.  I thought it was 9.6 / A+ but I've seen a bit of play in that grade too. 

[kell | 102]

Don't forget the graders validate authenticity for many as well, so there can be more to it than just the numbers for some.

There was a time when a Y-fold would give you some level of assurance.