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I think that with common loose games, it's actually market manipulation. Not WATA-Heritage-level manipulation like you see with the speculation on graded/sealed stuff. You have these 2-3 web based used games stores who probably have enough money to buy every loose copy of a specific game that come up on ebay. It's reasonable to assume that for common popular games they have dozens in stocks all the time, and they also get some from trades-ins probably. All they need to do is bid up stuff on ebay. All the time on ebay I see users with 5 digit reputation scores bidding items up to the higher end of the current market price. Most chances are these users are businesses. Now, they can't make a profit if buy it for 90% of they sell it for, but even if they don't sell it for a profit, they help secure a higher price so they can make that profit on their current stock. A common game doesn't go organically for two times the price in one year, even if everyone gets free money (unless maybe there is some sudden rise in demand, like a new remake or something like this). Hell, even if everyone got money which they are only allowed to spend on old used games, I don't think that Pokemon Emerald would have doubled in price.

Never played it, but it's on my list. There are, however, to things I can say without having played it: 1) I hate the cover art. 2) I wish I could be present in the meeting where whoever thought about the idea shared it with the other developers. "So, yeah, we need a Mario launch game. How about this: instead of Mario let's make Luigi the main character. I think we should make him fight Boos in an some old mansion setting. Also, let's give him a vacuum cleaner to do this. What do you think?".

When I read stuff like this I understand why many sellers on ebay don't want to sell to international buyers. If I was evil, I could easily make them loose more then the value of the item just on shipping (they can send it tracked for cheap, but if I need to send it tracked to the states its at least $15). Really, I laugh when I see "no returns" on a listing because hearing the stories from sellers it seems like it means nothing.

I always cringe when I see people overestimating the condition of their items. It seems most people have such low standards. If I was seller I'd always list the item a condition below what I think it is, and put photos that emphasize all the defects, so that whoever buys it will be happy with his purchase.

I absolutely do care for physical releases. I just don't care for the "limited" / "collectible" aspect of their releases, that imo they are using as a major selling point. For the part where they release indie games that otherwise wouldn't get any release - I'm totally for it, I just don't happen to keep up with current indie releases.

I'm glad I have zero interest in LRG. Never got the appeal they have to most people.

Oh no! Now I can't unsee this for the rest of my life!

Do you think that their unavailability is connected to your disinterest? When I was getting gb/c games I didn't even think about getting them cib. Then I started looking for gba games as well. I'm looking for cart + manual and on gba games, most of the time it's some thing like this: cart price = x, cart+manual = 1.3x, cib = 2x. Now, that's actually in my price range so I have to try really hard not to develop intrest in cib gba games (I still prefer to save the money, so I want to keep it as a non-option for me).

I agree with others here that a bad label / no label is much better then a fake label (yes, fake, a repro would be one made by Sega / Konami / whatever). Personally, I'd prefer no game then one with a fake label. Of course, if I had one with a fake label I'd just rip it off. But still, if somehow it was impossible to remove the fake label, I'd prefer to load a rom on a flash cart and use a sharpie to write the name of the game on it with spelling mistakes, then to own the fake one. That being said, it's a matter of personal taste. So you might prefer a fake label / sleeve. But here is the problem - one day you might want to sell it, and maybe the buyer doesn't want a fake label. Now, you are not putting one that is obviously fake, you are looking for ones that are "as close as possible to the originals". So that will be misleading a potential future owner.

The winning bidders activity is weird. It is a new account (6 fb), and on the time I'm writing this post, he is the leading bidder on 4 different items ending in the next 2 hours. Three of them video games, and the fourth "Toys & Hobbies > Collections & Lots". I don't know about you guys, but if I was new in ebay I'd wait for my first order or two to be delivered, see how it goes, before I go on a shopping spree. Also, note that he probably set an automatic bid for over $100 on it when it was $30 or something. So it's not "being carried away", he actually planned and intended to pay a ridiculous amount.

Sounds good. They are definitely my "try out someday" list.

super > 2 > fusion > original Never played the others. I'm curious, does Metroid prime feel like a sequel to the 2d games in terms of gameplay? Or is it just the story / franchise?

Exactly. If someone in that time told me they like FPS games and are not sure which console to buy, I'd scratch my head and ask why they don't buy a pc.

Thanks for the advice and the info! And yes, I thought about it, maybe in the future I'll try something like that.

That's a great find!

Got Kirby Tilt n' Tumble a couple of weeks ago and was very excited to start playing it. But then I remeber I got Kirby 64 two months ago and didn't get to play it. So I decided to play Kiby 64 first, that way I keep up with the "story and plot" (yeah... what ever that means in kirby games...). Anyway, Kirby 64 is amazing! I knew it's supposed to be good, but it's even better then I expected. They got the "2.5d" with the panning camera better then in most "2.5d" games released today, the game looks beautiful for this resolution (and not only by n64 standards), and the level design is great. What a fun game!

I want to use ebay with a parcel forwarding service. I'm aware that I lose my buyer protection but it's mainly for cheap items that are worth the risk. Stuff like common manual. The service I'm using can combine packages so I can order from several different sellers and get the shipping to my country cheaper. But they can only store the package for 2 weeks (waiting for the other orders) before they charge fees. How much does it normally take for economy mail (whatever it is sellers offering free s&h on cheap stuff probably use) to be delivered in the US? Say, between different states. And from Canada to the US?

The bonus stages is ssb (64, the "smash the targets") and ssbm (where you need hit the punching bag) are really fun. Maybe I'm primed because of the other fighting games mentioned.

This month got a late-90s/early-2000 theme for me. Started focusing more on getting the manuals for the games I add (I also have my own manual for mario party 3 that I used to own back in the day, it's not in the picture because it's not new). I also got add more manuals for stuff I already own, and also finished getting the manuals to catch up with my n64 carts.

I'm currently experiencing exactly the same thing with Wario Land 3. Now, Wario Land 3 is also really tries to be "open world". But I hate the map, feels like a 15-puzzle with a twist.

Kirby Tilt n' Tumble

2 > 3 > 1 (never played the others) Why does it seam like no one likes 3?

On the topic of incompetent shipping companies: A couple of times I had to deal with shipping companies that give fake shipping updates. That is, they update the package as "delivered" when they give it to the driver, who might deliver the package the following day, the following week, or never. So you lose all your buyer protection if this happens. I guess they have some stupid workflow that makes it more convenient for them to just update it as "delivered". Whenever that happens I just get them on them phone and let them know that as far as I'm concerned they can burn the package if they like, but that I insist they don't write it's delivered if it's not.

Well, I have no idea at all. But I'm glad that now I know that the Mattel Hyperscan is a thing.

In the past, hardware limitations dictated game design far more then they do today. I don't think the "20 years" is a relevant rule because as time passes hardware limitations are less and less relevant. The 16 years between the nes and the gamecube are not the same as the 16 years between the gamecube and the switch. I feel that the gamecube will never be retro. The n64 can be somewhat described as retro but only a little. As time goes, hardware limitation is less of a factor in game design. Now, "retro style" (for modern games) may be used to refer to games today that are imitating the style that in the past was the only one possible due to technology.