Do you collect sealed games? Or, how do you feel about collecting them?

Mindl3ss

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Do you collect sealed games? Or, how do you feel about collecting them?

I recently had a friend purchase what I consider to be a rare game on eBay. It is a newer game, but was limited release, and so the price reflects that.

It generally goes for $80-100 in sealed condition, and anywhere from $40-60 when opened.

I collect games, and if they are sealed, I consider it a bonus. I don't go out of my way to buy sealed games, unless I find a really good deal.

The other day a friend of mine called me up to ask if he got a good deal. He told me the game, and how much he got it for. I asked if it was new or used, he said new... I was amazed at the deal he got. I told him he did very well.

Then, he told me he was planning to open it. I offered him several items to trade for it still sealed, and even offered to buy him one already opened... but no... he wanted that "new game" smell. So, he opened it. Cutting the value in half.

I know that the idea of games is to play them, and enjoy them, but when it's a game that is no longer produced, and still in it's factory seal, and worth as much as twice the value in that condition, why open it? Why not get one that has been enjoyed before? He said "what's the difference if I bought it new and opened it when it came out?" To which I countered "Because at that point it would have still been availible in stores for a whopping $40" Now, is a different story.

Of course, this is the same friend who bought my limited edition Metal Gear Solid 3, and I found it spewn all over his floor and the box squished... (I had two, and sold my copy for about $250 a few years back... and I think it's gone up since) So I should expect this level of disrespect.

Well... Sorry for the rant, but I had to get that out there... and I'd like to know what you guys think. Does anyone else feel it's a shame to open a factory sealed game that is rare?
 
I have a friend like that too. He always does stupid stupid stuff that de-values things so much. It makes me sick.

One time he had just bought a new psp and after a week of having it he wanted to open it up and try to mod it with LEDs and ect.. I told him that his warranty would be void, plus I told him that he would probably break it because he doesn't know what he's doing. He shoulda bought a used FAT one from gamestop or something, but he didn't listen. He went right ahead and butchered that PSP and basically just threw about $200+.

Your situation is even worse, that was a collectible! How could anyone do that?! And just for the smell?! That's just like my friend, he has some weird illogical reasoning for every stupid thing he does.

I know how you feel.. They just wont listen..
 
The most frustrating part isn't necessarily that he opened the game, but that it was a game that has been on my radar for a while.

I would be upset if he had done it to any old collectible game, but since it was one that I REALLY wanted, it was salt on the wound.

I asked where he found such a good deal, and he said eBay. So I did a search, found the item he was talking about, and it was still active, but ended while I was scrolling down to it on the search page... he was the winner with BIN...
 
The most frustrating part isn't necessarily that he opened the game, but that it was a game that has been on my radar for a while.

I would be upset if he had done it to any old collectible game, but since it was one that I REALLY wanted, it was salt on the wound.

I asked where he found such a good deal, and he said eBay. So I did a search, found the item he was talking about, and it was still active, but ended while I was scrolling down to it on the search page... he was the winner with BIN...

Ouch, dood. That's gotta be especially painful to watch since it was one you wanted. At least he hasn't opened it yet, right? Maybe you can still convince him to sell it to you.
 
Ouch, dood. That's gotta be especially painful to watch since it was one you wanted. At least he hasn't opened it yet, right? Maybe you can still convince him to sell it to you.

Oh, I bugged him about it after he bought it, about three days after (seeing if he had it yet) and then yesterday again. He said he had just gotten it.

I asked if he opened it... to which he said, yes. Didn't even give me the option. At least while he had it in his posetion... before he got it, he said he would consider trading it/selling it to me... but once it was in his hand, he just had to wait.

Your friend sounds similar... VERY twisted logic. I don't get why he makes some of the decisions he does... And half the time, he LIES about them just to make you happy... I'm really surprised he told me he had opened it... it would be more like his character for him to say "uhmm... no... not yet" or some other stupid story like "well, the seal got torn during shipping"
 
If I'm buying a new game from a store, I insist on getting a sealed copy so I know it's new, and hasn't been kicking around in a drawer. But if I'm buying for older systems, as long as it's complete in box, that's good enough for me.

For Nintendo stuff (SNES, Gameboy, GBA, Game & Watch), I really do like having the original poly bags that the game cartridge came in though - but these bags are not sealed.

I actually prefer if it's complete in box, and not sealed, since I actually like to play my stuff. So sealed isn't worth paying extra for for me, but I do realise that some people really value sealed stuff. If I ended up with a sealed copy of a game, I'd probably be very tempted to open it, so if it was especially valuable I'd have to sell it on or trade it for a minty complete one.

I had a whole stack of sealed Lynx games I bought for a couple of bucks apiece, but I opened them all. :-I

The closest thing I have to a 'sealed game' are a couple of games with the outer wrapper/hanger on them opened only at one end - one being Chrono Trigger. But it came that way, I didn't open it.

Most Nintendo games I've come across in Australia didn't come factory shrinkwrapped anyway. It's only the later Wii and some Nintendo DS games that come sealed in a folded plastic wrapper (not shrinkwrap).

- James
 
Oh, I bugged him about it after he bought it, about three days after (seeing if he had it yet) and then yesterday again. He said he had just gotten it.

I asked if he opened it... to which he said, yes. Didn't even give me the option. At least while he had it in his posetion... before he got it, he said he would consider trading it/selling it to me... but once it was in his hand, he just had to wait.

Your friend sounds similar... VERY twisted logic. I don't get why he makes some of the decisions he does... And half the time, he LIES about them just to make you happy... I'm really surprised he told me he had opened it... it would be more like his character for him to say "uhmm... no... not yet" or some other stupid story like "well, the seal got torn during shipping"

That's exactly what my friend does too! Sometimes he even makes up stories for no reason at all. If I talking about some rare game that's impossible to find, he'll say something like, "Are you serious?! I saw that at gamestop a few weeks ago!" Of course by now, I know he's full of crap, but he used to throw me through all these loops before I figured out.
 
I only have 1 sealed game and that is NBA Jam for the SNES. I've browsed eBay numerous times looking at sealed games, but generally I'm after something specific. I was really happy to find a complete in box version of The Simpsons Arcade Game for PC. Someday I'd like to display it next to my Simpsons machine somehow. The same would go for NBA Jam. I bought it more for future game room decor more than anything. I can't see paying ridiculous prices for sealed games though. There would be a certain cool factor, but not enough to spend hundreds of dollars for some games.
 
I only have 1 sealed game and that is NBA Jam for the SNES. I've browsed eBay numerous times looking at sealed games, but generally I'm after something specific. I was really happy to find a complete in box version of The Simpsons Arcade Game for PC. Someday I'd like to display it next to my Simpsons machine somehow. The same would go for NBA Jam. I bought it more for future game room decor more than anything. I can't see paying ridiculous prices for sealed games though. There would be a certain cool factor, but not enough to spend hundreds of dollars for some games.


For sure. Like I said, only time I've bought games sealed is when I get a smokin' deal on them. I will buy CIB games more often, because I love playing them.

If I'm buying a newer game, I will buy new if I can't find a used one that is 100% complete and mint.

I did buy two of the Super Mario All Stars 25th for the Wii... one I've already opened... it is for play.
 
For sure. Like I said, only time I've bought games sealed is when I get a smokin' deal on them. I will buy CIB games more often, because I love playing them.

If I'm buying a newer game, I will buy new if I can't find a used one that is 100% complete and mint.

I did buy two of the Super Mario All Stars 25th for the Wii... one I've already opened... it is for play.
I bought the Super Mario All Stars for the Wii as well. I was surprised to see 3 copies left at the store. I bought one and after leaving the electronics area, my friend decided she wanted to buy a copy as well. We went back to electronics and there was now only 1 copy left and she got it. I've kept mine sealed, but I already have the SNES version anyway. I haven't looked at what prices are in the last week, but at one point copies for the Wii version were going right around 70 to 80! :mario:
 
I bought the Super Mario All Stars for the Wii as well. I was surprised to see 3 copies left at the store. I bought one and after leaving the electronics area, my friend decided she wanted to buy a copy as well. We went back to electronics and there was now only 1 copy left and she got it. I've kept mine sealed, but I already have the SNES version anyway. I haven't looked at what prices are in the last week, but at one point copies for the Wii version were going right around 70 to 80! :mario:

I dropped the ball on that one. I almost preordered it like 3 times but didn't. I'm regretting that now :p
 
I have a sealed Bubsy for the Genesis.

Not because I collected it, I just never opened it...

Probably worth $1.

... Altan
 
ive got a sealed donkey kong 2 i won in an ebay lot and a silent hill wii i just never got around to playing yet

if i find a sealed vintage game at a bargin ill buy but i wont go out of my way. i do have a ton of carts with their original boxes/cases and booklets. matter of fact i just got a SFII CE for genesis today complete at goodwill for 3 bucks
 
I'll only buy a sealed game, and keep it sealed, if it's priced low enough and I know I can sell it for a profit or use it as leverage for a trade. That would be my only reason for keeping a game sealed.

If it's a sealed game I intend to keep, I'll open it up and play it. Maybe I should take a picture of the sealed game before I open it, just to reminisce of when it was new.

I've come to the conclusion that spending, say $100 for a sealed game, just to have it in the collection, is the equivalent of keeping a $100 bill in a picture frame never to be spent or put to use. Life is short so enjoy playing the games you like; not just staring at the box.
 
Oh man, I missed the Mario All-Stars for the Wii too. Regretting that one...

Then there's the problem with re-sealing. I know some older Intellivision and 2600/VCS stuff can be resealed by sellers looking to make an extra buck.

- James
 
Funny that after my long hiatus I come across this thread.I've pretty much suspended my arcade collecting for now,but in place of it I've been on a complete nes game buying binge.

I don't go for the sealed games since I think they are extremely overpriced,but it is kind of cool to see games in that condition as it's kind of like you dug them up from a time capsule.

I would go after a sealed game if the price is right,but it almost never is.
I'd try to find all 6 Mega Man games sealed,but the amount of money I'd have to spend to get them all isn't worth it.Not only that,but they rarely are for sale anyway.
 
I remember seeing a Mega Man 2 sealed last year. Other than that, I don't see them often.

The game my friend ended up getting was Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii. It was on my radar, since they did another special edition game for Christmas this year, and I missed out on the last one (The Metroid). I don't know why I missed it last year, but I did. And the price he got his at...

To all you guys who want a Super Mario All Stars, I may consider selling the one I opened. Not for a huge mark up or anything (maybe just a small one)... Or I could trade it for the Metroid Prime Trilogy
 
To all you guys who want a Super Mario All Stars, I may consider selling the one I opened. Not for a huge mark up or anything (maybe just a small one)... Or I could trade it for the Metroid Prime Trilogy

I might be up for that depending on what you want for it. I'm not looking to collect it and I'm not willing to pay the crazy prices that other dumbasses like me are paying :p

I meant to get a couple of copies of MT when I saw them but only got one and left it sealed just in case (since I'll probably never play it). I'm not looking to trade it, though.
 
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