DP's rarity guide values for SNES carts seem off ?

[Anthony1]

Is it just me, or are the values of the SNES carts in the DP rarity guide seem somewhat off?


I did some searches, trying to find out which SNES games are the most valuable, and I was suprised by the results.


Alot of games showed up that I didn't really expect, and then alot of games didn't show up that I would have expected.

First I did a search to see what carts might be valued over $50. Only three games showed up. The Donkey Kong competition cart, the Starfox competition cart and a cart that goes with a exercise bike.

Then I did a search for games $30 or over. The only new game that showed up was one Mega Man game. I think it was Mega Man X3. Then I did a search for games $20 and over. This time, a bunch more games showed up, some that I was familar with, but the values that some of them had seemed very low to me.

For example Chrono Trigger showed up, but the value was $25. I thought that game went for more like $40.

Final Fantasy III showed up, and it was also valued at $25. Again, I thought it was a game that went closer to $40. Final Fantasy II had a value of $20, which I thought to be quite low. Orge Battle at $20 seemed pretty low too.

But the biggest thing was that I didn't see alot of games that I expected to see. Stuff like Mario RPG, Yoshi's Island, Super Metroid stuff like that. I know that alot of those games are quite common, but I still think they pull decent money on Ebay and other places.


But the most amazing thing of all, was the fact that Zelda: A Link to the Past was only valued at $5. Now that is really amazing to me. I must have gotten taken to the cleaners then, when I paid $15 for it. If that game is only worth $5, then I'm a horses ass!

[Kroogah]

Um...moving to the Collector's Guide forum.

[Gapporin]

Well, you have to remember that DP prices are on the low side as well. Therefore, $15 for Zelda: LttP isn't a steal of a deal, but it certainly isn't a crying shame, either.

[Anthony1]

ok, if anybody wants to sell me some carts based on how DP's rarity guide values SNES carts, then I would like these


1. Super Metroid - R1 $5.00 - I understand that this game is common, but $5? No way, I can't get it for less than $17 or more on Ebay.

2. Super Adventure Island - R1 $4.00 - This game consistently goes for around $13 to $16 or so. So if anybody wants to sell me one for $4.00, then PM me PLEASE!

3. Joe & Mac - R1 $3.00 - If anybody wants to sell me this for $3.00 then let me know!!!

[Anthony1]

Well, you have to remember that DP prices are on the low side as well. Therefore, $15 for Zelda: LttP isn't a steal of a deal, but it certainly isn't a crying shame, either.

I'm not sure if you understood correctly. DP values it at $5. I bought it at $15.



So if the valuation of $5 is really correct, then I got totally hoodwinked! But I have to think that DP isn't taking Ebay into account at all. Or the recent surge in retro collecting.

[scooterb23]

First off, Ebay is only good to show what people are willing to pay for an item at a specific time, not what an item is actually worth. Be sure to keep those separate. One desperate soccer mom can throw things off for months

Second keep in mind that it is the DP Rarity GUIDE...use it as such, a guide to help you as a collector in the big bad scary world of video games. Values aren't set in stone...they are fluid. Right now I know in my area, SNES and N64 carts are dirt dirt dirt cheap, but that can change. $15 for LttP doesn't sound bad to me...although I can and have found it for $5 and less before, prices are a YMMV thing. Pay for a game what you feel comfortable with, and don't cry if you paid a few bucks more than the DP guide value.

Heck, I'm working on collecting for Gameboy right now, and I look at the DP guide and see games for $1 and $2, but there isn't a place around me that has a game under $5. It doesn't bother me...I just focus on trying to get the best deals I can, and enjoy the collection. Although I do need to get moving on it...I want to be over 300 games by the end of the year, and I've stalled at 55 :P

As always, remember to have fun with it, and don't think too much about the money aspect.

[maxlords]

I've bought all those games for those prices....more than once too.

[squirrelnut]

I don't get why people are so afraid to over pay on something. The true value is what it's worth to you. Bubble Bath Babes isn't worth 600 bucks at all. Every single game is worth the exact same. NOTHING. If someone won't buy it, then it is worth nothing.

The DP guide is just a rarity guide with prices added. That's like going to mcdonalds and complaining there chicken isn't as good as KFC's.

Plus prices fluctuate every month so I really doubt they're too worried about the current market value vs rarity value.


Just my 2 peso's

[Naouruki]

Is it at least slightly possible for 'DPers' to admit that the Holy Guide MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

[DigitalSpace]

2. Super Adventure Island - R1 $4.00 - This game consistently goes for around $13 to $16 or so. So if anybody wants to sell me one for $4.00, then PM me PLEASE!

3. Joe & Mac - R1 $3.00 - If anybody wants to sell me this for $3.00 then let me know!!!

I got my copy of Joe & Mac for $2 and Super Adventure Island for $6.

[Mayhem]

Is it at least slightly possible for 'DPers' to admit that the Holy Guide MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

I always take prices to be slightly on the low side as to be... and I quote from myself "the minimum price you should expect to pay to obtain the game in question". eBay and other places are liable to push it up. Thrift stores that have no clue what they have (especially when they sell loose copies of Fun 'n Games for example for $6) will keep it down.

I think people sometimes look at eBay and factor the prices on there too much into their thinking... there ARE other ways to get games now

[kevincure]

Mayhem is dead on - the DP prices aren't meant to be ebay prices, but rather prices that are seen relatively often. I know there are a number of trade meets where DP prices are used (to compare values of big trades), and it's tough to think of games that can't be found at DP prices with a little searching. Ebay should be considered the high-end price for rarer/demanded items, and the low-end price for cheap/not demanded items.

[digitalpress]

Is it at least slightly possible for 'DPers' to admit that the Holy Guide MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

OUCH.

This entire forum is for people to point out issues, errors, corrections, suggestions, etc for the guide. NO ONE thinks it is the "Holy Guide" and ALL OF US know it is flawed.

Take a look around and try contributing something positive before making similar assinine statements in the future. Thank you.

[maxlords]

Is it at least slightly possible for 'DPers' to admit that the Holy Guide MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

Huh? I don't think we think that. I certainly don't swear by the guide as the only prices. I'm just saying that I've gotten all those games that cheap in the past.

[hydr0x]

Take a look around and try contributing something positive before making similar assinine statements in the future. Thank you.

sadly he is not the only one to think that way, i have been observing a lot of this attitude towards our Guide lately on other boards (even got bashed myself once for it), somehow people get the feeling we would think the DPCG is perfect, i know we do not think that way, but maybe we could do something to show people we aren't... dunno, just an idea (no idea what we could do about it though!)

[digitalpress]

Take a look around and try contributing something positive before making similar assinine statements in the future. Thank you.

sadly he is not the only one to think that way, i have been observing a lot of this attitude towards our Guide lately on other boards (even got bashed myself once for it), somehow people get the feeling we would think the DPCG is perfect, i know we do not think that way, but maybe we could do something to show people we aren't... dunno, just an idea (no idea what we could do about it though!)

It is your job as a DP Editor to point them to the book's text which belies what they think WE think, and to the online database FAQ which clearly states our philosophies on pricing and scarcity.

[sniperCCJVQ]

Is it at least slightly possible for 'DPers' to admit that the Holy Guide MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

Same goes for all those "Ebayers" :

Is it at least slightly possible for 'Ebayers' to admit that the Holy Ebay MAY actually be flawed and is not the infallible Gospel almost all here take it to be?

Bottom line, the guide is there for the RARITY and not for the price.

[hydr0x]

It is your job as a DP Editor to point them to the book's text which belies what they think WE think, and to the online database FAQ which clearly states our philosophies on pricing and scarcity.

Joe do you really think i didn't do that? the problem is that despite this there are still more and more people thinking that way

[digitalpress]

It is your job as a DP Editor to point them to the book's text which belies what they think WE think, and to the online database FAQ which clearly states our philosophies on pricing and scarcity.

Joe do you really think i didn't do that? the problem is that despite this there are still more and more people thinking that way

Um... there's nothing we can do about the ignorant, Jan! Let them be.

[Spartacus]

I stumbled into an $8 almost complete Legend of Zelda (missing the map) at an EB games store (of all places!) a few weeks ago. But honestly, I was suprised by it. You know what else suprised me? I dug around a little and came up with a loose Clayfighter Tournament Edition and a Chavez II for $4 apiece there too. But what REALLY blew me away was seeing they wanted $29.95 for a Super Metroid cart!

I remember when I first bought the Advanced Edition I often thought the prices were inaccurate. In fact I can remember that they even used to piss me off a little! I've actually come to put a little more faith in the prices of VGC because, as far as I can tell it's done by the same price analysis team, but it's printed quarterly and argueably it can do a better job of tracking market fluctuations. And there are some differences between the two with DP usually being a little bit lower.

Anyway, both list SCD Keio Flying Squadron in the $60-$70 range . I paid twice that. But I was having a hard time seeing ANY copies for sale and I wanted it NOW so I paid more for it. It really only means I wasn't willing to wait any longer. I've come to the conclusion that DP's suggested prices do not reflect the wiley niley price of the week on Ebay, but rather what you might expect to pay if you show some patience and are willing to put a little effort into it.

To make an opposite example, last weekend I drove about an hour to a small flea market and I found a booth with a few complete SCD games on the table. She asked a buck a piece for them. Third World War, Star Wars, and Cliffhanger. All well below DP's price guide. To me it didn't mean the DP price guide is crazy, it just meant that I could enjoy a sense of confidence that I came upon a pretty good deal.