YOURTURN

I just saw the final bidding price. And all I can say is... What. The. Actual. Fuck. Is. Wrong. With. These. People? I mean, I can understand if people think I am "wasting my money" every time I only buy a sealed Japanese variant of any game these days. But spending that amount of money for any reason? This world is going upside-down. And I am wondering if it will go back to being for sale later on.

I don't do literal holy grails anymore. Not only is there no Castle Anthrax, two of my past attempts became financial fiascos. With one giving me a (different) forum-based omen that I wasted money in the long run. So thinking about it, I have chosen to post an honorary "Holy Grail" to post here. Which is (edited) this... Here is what you guys need to know: It is a Kayou (Chinese CCG company) card, but the series is licensed by Pierrot (via their Mainland China branch). It was graded by a UK card grading company called Get Graded. This particular card has helped convince me to hunt down rare non-Japanese game variants that have caught my interest. In all cases it gets the honorary "Holy Grail" title because (also edited) it is also tied to a goal I had since 2010. And now think having it I can correctly do that goal. Something that is the top reason why I joined VGS, and the part of the community I hope to be part of once I get my games graded. Starting with the one I get thanks to this graded beauty.

Edited. I will replace this once I complete a set.

I would have said something like "And real men don't make child-like comments just because VGS encourages others who collect graded games to show them off." while I miss how things were on NintendoAge. So thank you for saying what real men would actually say. And thank you for not being the reason why this somehow reminds me of the seller behind the graded "Mario Paint" (sealed game only) scenario.

If we are talking about today... I'll simplify by saying that it depends on what I am interested in. I can make a long speech about my history with both anime and manga. Including brief explanations that would help those who knew that I had a breakdown understand what caused it to be that bad. And so on, and so forth. But right now? Anime = Detective Conan while I am living where I am. My paternal genetic cousin is Arthur Conan Doyle. Which is not the reason why I watch it. I just do because it is a good anime adaptation. Even if they create a few episodes that he would have criticized in the end. If I was where I wanted to be, and almost ended up being at, my list would have definitely been longer. With the original Bubblegum Crisis being on top of that list. Manga = ??? as I'm still looking. But until then I am doing a soft return for the Naruto franchise. But I am nearly sure that I'll find a definitive series when I return to Tokyo later this year. With hopes What's Michael? will be reprinted around the time I return back from Tokyo. Otherwise I'll be looking at how I sought series out during my pre-2012 days. With me adding that, like anime as well, I will not get into Sanrio Boys. So long story short... I just go where my interests take me.

Out of boredom I asked an AI more about the Game Boy Color. Both the facts and opinion this particular AI said sounds about right. Cursed Branding (the AI) The Cursed Handheld known as Game Boy Color Damned to forever wander the cursed land, damned to forever be cursed by the dark gods and the power of the elder lord to endlessly spread suffering and misery among all those who cross his path. May they all be damned for all eternity for this cursed device that will never know peace, or redemption.

I gave it an 8/10. It would have been a 6/10, but that +2 is there because I had fun trying to be good at it... And... It was one of my fun non-RPG moments when I had my used Dreamcast.

Ah yes, the legendary @JamesRobot. As told by Cursed Branding (an AI I have found): JamesRobot of Video Game Sage The JamesRobot will guide any video game developers to create a video game that will be loved by millions, for the JamesRobot is a sage and knows the secrets of game development. All is not well though, for this sage cannot be controlled, for it is sentient! If you try to control it you will be cursed by the JamesRobot, and your video games will be doomed forever! All hail the JamesRobot! [In other words: The curse has your video game collection become part of the Carolina Collection. For all of eternity.]

Hmmm... I should do that if I ever meet a cute female yandere that proclaimed me as her "Senpai" in Japan! Which is happening later this year. But knowing my luck, I might end up doing that to a cosplayer at Tokyo Game Show 2023 and she'll turn out to be a normal stalker.

Sensitive much? I mean it does not take basic psychology to know why I gave you the eyeroll. It's your opening response about my writing, dood! Plus, when I past my 20 year mark as a collector I was living in Colorado Springs. Which was in 2004, with the start of 2005 being when I was diagnosed with Asperger's (which was absorbed into ASD from 2013 onward). Stuff you would have known if you skipped the need to insult me and just ask your questions. But yeah, I resided there in 2004. I dealt with a video game seller that was willing to reseal a Xbox copy of Marvel Vs Capcom 2 for me. The game had a tear, he had the means of resealing it, and was fine charging me the full price. And yet, he got pissed that I returned it. As opposed to him charging me a second time after he accepted said return. There was also the chain of comic book stores. One was a prime example on how you do not display comic books. And despite that, they were willing to ask full price while doing just that. While the other one had a manager that told me how he got to see Army of Darkness on VHS in 1988, while having a fit when I said Evil Dead 2 debuted in 1987. Plus I do agree that it doesn't take rocket science to take photos of anything that would be submitted. But it also does not take rocket science to realize that the sellers are selling the grade, not the game, in cases like that one. Something that gives my dismissed opinions about VGA a valid sense of irony. With me saying that because some have said that buyers can see the difference. While also complaining when that is not the case.

From my personal opinion is that the Game Boy is parallel to the PlayStation 4 Pro, while the Game Boy Color is parallel to the PlayStation 5. With most of the games getting an uptick being parallel to Crisis Core Reunion. Maybe even both Remake and Remake Intergrade for those who do not own a 4K or 8K TV. Because by the end of the day, the PS5 is just an upgraded PS4 Pro. Just like the 3DS is an upgraded DS, and the GBC is an upgraded GB. Versus @Gloves tolerating me is different from how he tolerated EastAsiaSoft's inability to cut tabs so he could open their products is new, and not an upgrade or downgrade.

Please do me a major favor and try to sound you know what you are talking about before you decide to respond to anything. I have a low tolerance for freshmen year responses these days. Okay? Thank you! Oh, and take note that my last submission to CAS resulted in a post-grading situation that did change my then "80+" graded Nucleon Quest Super Convoy to a possible 80. However, seeing that you need to be educated... The entire process goes like this: Preparation of submission. Acknowledgement of submission. Any additional requests (if it is part of the grading company's policy). Preparation of grading process. Grading process. Preparation of casing (as the labels are not finalized before it was graded). Casing. Preparation of return shipment. Shipment. Number 3 specifically is tied to Collector Archive Services. And probably UK Graders since I was prepared to try them out prior to having my inquiries be ghosted. As well as CGC and CBCS when it comes to pressings, etc. And yes, my experiences in this portion of the hobby has me know the difference between a grading error and a post-grading error. With me also relying on those who have helped fill in the gaps I never got to experience. Then again, I make a point of listening to those who know what they are talking about. With one prime example being @Code Monkey's experiences with Wata being why I tried CAS (a year after I talked to Ross Barr). So thank you for playing and good luck not realizing how little it takes to find out why you should always take photos of your pre-graded games before you have them graded.

I 100% completely agree with this. Going back to my talks of being a Dragon Quest fan back then, there is a huge difference between knowing the game series and being a fan. With one example being the time @Sumez used the manga as an explanation for somebody to "geek out." When the actual fanbase actually knows that the majority of the manga for the franchise is simply filler. And to truly 'geek out' one would have to be prepared to spend a lot of money doing any of the events Yuji Horii (aka the main creator who is in charge of both production and development) was involved in. Atop of buying clothing, home-based products (e.g. furniture and silverware), among other options that do not involve playing the games. With the GBC, as I recall just because I am old, the whole thing is no different than how Nintendo chose to transition from the GBA to the DS, and from the DS to the 3DS. The problem is that it becomes far more confusing to those who do not live in Japan, or simply make it an actual focus, than it is for those who do. Mostly because the focus are the games have become the focus, and not much else. But it is like you are implying... Because this system is the earliest known case of backwards compatibility, it is more of a blur between the two than simply somebody both buying and playing PS1 games on a PS2 console. With me feeling that this is more of a "PS4 to PS5" upgrade kind of scenario.

Since we are talking about companies like Wata and CGC, they use pre-made cases. Which itself has the issue become both who was inserting the game into the case and if they are trying to meet a quota. And seeing that a lot of their mistakes were tied to the Colorado location (which is a state I used to live in, thus not being shocked by this), it sounds like at least one of the people in charge of casing these games chose to put quantity over quality. Which tells me that the new owners included this in part of their post-move shake-up. However... If we were talking about CGA, UKG, or CAS... I would have said it was probably more of a miscalculation on the fabricator's end. Just because I had that happen when I used both CGA and CAS for two different submissions. With the last one being tied to the fact I paid a 7-day turnaround, and it was getting close to a major holiday.

I did. In 2017. Atop of the time I got to experience Dragon Quest the Real at Universal Studios Japan and eating at Luida's Bar (which is a Dragon Quest themed place)... I managed to complete the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and nearly all of the Game Boy Advance portions of the Dragon Quest library. All CIB, with one instance where I used eBay to purchase a CIB-based upgrade for one of the two Dragon Quest Monsters boxes I bought at Mandarake. But my experience here is that people who have a genuine interest in either a console or franchise tend to be either overlooked or ignored. Which is why I am going the PS5 route this time around.

That damage appears to be post-grading. I had a number of CGC graded comic books that could have been 9.8s, but ended up looking like 9.6s after they were slabbed. The bigger problem is that people tend to put more focus on the pre-slab grade before any post-slab issues. Especially when their intent is to make a potentially quick profit. It's kind of those "Let's ignore the rarity or obvious because the grade is so high!" scenario. One that'll explain why I only allow my insanity to be borrowed when a set is close to be completed, and that is not a risk factor.

Not a problemo. Just note the following about Collector Archive Services: If the game is not on their list, you have to do a submission. This means that if you want to include any upgrades, you need to submit said request the moment you get a confirmation that they received the item. If you want the label on top, which is not an option with them, you need to contact them first about it. Chances are they will treat this request as a custom order, but not a complex custom order. Unless you pay for their standard premium, or they offered you a cheaper premium, turnaround times with CAS is, at the longest, around 8 months. Complex customs tend to be longer. Use their email address, and not their "contact us" button for any responses. I found out that I get a response within 24-48 hours by doing this. With no response with their "contact us" form. Their secondary grade system involves decimal points. Meaning that if you need a reason why your game got an 80+ and not an 85, that will say what the grader determined was the game's overall condition. And above all else, please note that CAS promotes themselves more as a grading company for collectors than anything else. Which is another reason why I stuck with them back then. And not the reason why I am going to try Wata now.

Yeah. The last time I even heard of said cart, some were claiming that said carts were limited to competitions. Or something like that. But even then my findings went from being a logical conclusion to being an urban myth-style dead end.

Both were given their grades prior to being cased. This is one of the reasons why I chose to try out CAS when I found that both CGA and WATA were unable to meet my standards. With the only difference is that the majority of Wata's mistakes were made during their time in Colorado. While the mistakes CGA have made are being ignored. Again, my first submission to CGA was before they expanded their "+" system to their AFA department. If what I had submitted went to UKG (or CAS after they were open for business), the box portion itself would have been graded an 80. However, both graders had agreed that it was an 85. And the damage I am talking about is not a casing-related issue. CGA, UKG, and CAS use the same grading system. I would have more information on the three, but UKG had chosen to ghost me due to the fact that I reside in NA. That level of unprofessionalism is why Wata is now third on my "test" list. With me looking at my time dealing with graded comic books as a way to understand their system. While I also wish CAS gave people the same label options that both CGA and UKG offer. The point being is that CAS offers a secondary grade that explains why a game might have received an 85+, when the person submitting it thinks it would have graded a 90. While Wata's reason for grading the wrap separately is meant to help give a better understanding how far from mint the box is. While going with a separate grade for the wrap making sense when it was previously shown that VGA made mistakes doing it differently. That was something promoted by CGA long before they updated their long-outdated website. I believe it goes as far back as their Tom Derby era, which pre-dates the beginning of any company that was willing to grade video games. Again, reasons why I made an effort to try out CAS while others hyper-focused on finding the next VGA or Wata.

This has quickly become the worst "Who's of first?" parody skit I have ever read.

I don't blame you. I was going to do the same thing, but what I was going to write would have appealed to the most minute of members here. Good luck. I personally found out years ago that Mandarake graded games do not count because they can be unwrapped and played. And that you have to have a sealed 95+ graded SNES copy of A Link to the Past to join the "Dollar High Club." I have with AFA. Again with the Toy Toni fiasco, where even C.I.B.'s very own Tom Derby did not bother to look for any grading irregularities when he bought some of Toni's sealed Star Wars toys.

You are welcome. But to be frank, graders are not allowed to overlook anything. They are limited to soft grading when the quota compromises their ability to determine if the item is a 9.6 or a 9.8. Stuff like cracks in the case and tears in the wrap cannot be overlooked by the grader. Which tends to mean that it was mishandled by a different department. Which also has me blame those who force graders to compromise to that point in their careers. As well as those who act like experts over things they never study. Because a grading company does not charge a large sum for the grading process. And yet, those who grade get flak for any mistakes the other departments make. Which is why I brought up the action house Sotheby's, as they do not have such clientele. Instead they have the ability to grade an item "1-10" with added notes on any irregularities found on non-graded items. And probably do just that if they were a grading company. Simply because they would be a "under the radar" company. Just like CAS... Which I am not going to use again. For reasons tied to the fabrication department and not the graders.

I am going to partially agree with @jonebone by saying that the issues might not be limited to the graders, but rather have me shift the blame onto those who are in charge of quotas. Something I started to read up on as a means to determine if CBCS was the better option compared to CGC and PGX. For example, you can go to a Levi store both in a mall and a factory outlet. At the mall you will find how the jeans are supposed to both look and be, while the outlet tends to have the irregulars. This is because those in charge of making those jeans are expected to meet a daily quota. Which has even the best be prone to slip up if the quota is too high. In the case of graded comic books and cards, people send these in bulk. And many expect them to be done by a set amount of time. Which can put pressure on those who are hired to deal with those types of quotas. And like the case of what I was told by a former CGC grader, graders will be told to "soften up" just so they can help complete their share of said daily quotas. Because of that, people often do not get the Sotheby's-level of grading detail. Something that people who do not know how tough the profession is tend to expect. Which is why I tend to look at other grading companies that others here will overlook, try them out, and see if they are worth both the time and money needed for their services. Then again, my first freelance work for Beckett was better than my second/last. The difference was that the second/last one was part of their "Best of DBZ" publication, which meant that I had around a week to do the same work I gave the first time around. Which I spent weeks on just to make sure that everything was correct. (I wish I kept my congratulatory email I got from Kyle Hebert when it came to my first article... )

To be honest, CGA is a shadow of its former self since their Tom Darby days. And that does not say much seeing how they are still here is only tied to the fact their own controversies continue to be ignored. And as for CGC, I was once told by a former comic book grader that the grading department often follows a "quota before accuracy" protocol. Which is why both situations do not surprise me. Especially when the original VGA page announced they decided to grade sealed VHS tapes, as opposed to doing what was needed to be done (e.g. catching up on their grading) first.

Redacted for the hope doing so @Gloves, @OptOut, @fcgamer, and others will not send a Thai kicker as a response to what I had previously posted.