Looking To Buy Games & Consoles On The Cheap. Anyone Have Any Suggestions Or Recommendations?

[Lord Vile]

On 5/15/2020 at 12:04 AM, minibois said:

The only consoles I could foresee difficult in getting them is the Switch and Wii U.

The Switch simply because it's quite new and still sought after and the Wii U, because it just didn't sell too hot.

 

You could consider a Wii over the GameCube too, as it can still do all the GameCube things (except for the GameBoy Player), but it also tends to be cheaper (plus you can get component cables for it, without spending 300 USD. The GC component cables look better to be fair).

A GBA can still be had for decent prices. Well, depending on what version you're going for. The AGS-101 is the most expensive (usually at 80+ USD), but an AGS-001 or AGB-001 can be had for nice prices.

Of course a DS is an alternative for GBA/DS games, but it can't play GB/GBC games.

 

P.S. As for Sonic games, I can recommend Generations, Unleashed (preferably the PS3/Xbox 360 versions), Colors and Forces (if you get it for cheap). I am not really into the 2D Sonic games, so I have no preference there.

Plus you should totally check out Metroid Prime. The first two are on the GameCube, the third on the Wii. Or get the Trilogy for the Wii/Wii U.

It's usually local groups I recommend, since then it's easier to ship items/travel towards them to meetup.

Most groups have a Facebook group or sometimes another chat app group (Discord, WhatsApp, etc.).

 

You could try to find groups via Facebook, Google, etc. 

There are 2 versions of the Wii and only one can do GameCube. Also gamecube games are expensive. Paper Mario goes for about £70

 

Also OP if you're after the OG sonics you'll want a Sega Genesis. 

[Kawaii Koneko]

Aside from eBay, CL, etc, thrift stores like Goodwill can sometimes be good. Some are more aware of market prices than others so sometimes you don't save much from just buying online but you can find really good deals. I tend to find that accessories tend to be the best bargains for some odd reason.

 

Garage sales and flea markets are also good places to look. Your best bet is to wait until a city wide garage sale day and go nuts.

 

Another option is college move out days. You would be surprised what people dump on the curb when they are moving back home and only have so much room in their car. Yeah, it can be a bit embarrassing but since everyone else is doing it, it doesn't feel so bad.

 

I've found some good random game and computer related things but last time I did it, someone threw out an entire tub of video games and related things. There was everything from controllers, cables, to GB, GBA, PS2, and GameCube games in there. There was even a working GBA! The real gem was Fire Emblem Path of Radiance for GameCub. At the time it was going for about $80 USD on eBay. Looking at auctions on eBay now, they are going for over $160! https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311.R1.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xfire+emblem+p.TRS0&_nkw=fire+emblem+path+of+radiance&_sacat=0

 

My mom also found a tub with a few PS2 games, a DDR mat, a couple PS2 controllers in great shape, and PS2 in very nice shape. Everything was clearly well taken care of but I guess they just couldn't take them with. My mom just gave them all to me since I'm the gamer of the family. I already had almost everything in the tub except for a couple of the games but it's always nice to have extras.

[SteveGrabowski0]

17 hours ago, Kawaii Koneko said:

Aside from eBay, CL, etc, thrift stores like Goodwill can sometimes be good. Some are more aware of market prices than others so sometimes you don't save much from just buying online but you can find really good deals. I tend to find that accessories tend to be the best bargains for some odd reason.

Do you still have much luck with Goodwill? I got a PS2 Fat in really nice shape from them for $20 a couple of years ago, though it had garbage generic controllers so I had to go buy real Dualshock 2 at a local flea market that was great for picking up PS2 gen stuff before the pandemic. But ever since then Goodwill tells me all their gaming stuff goes to their auction site.

[Kjennings92]

On 5/16/2020 at 1:59 PM, Lord Vile said:

Ebay has great buyer protection, if there's anything wrong you shouldn't have much issue getting your money back. 

 

Game and console prices also depend. Boxed or not, condition and what gen. An N64 costs more than a 360 for example. Games for the N64 start around £20 and go up to the hundreds, PS2 games start for a few quid.

Thanks for the tip! But I should make you aware that I'm after specific consoles/platforms. Also, I'm in the States; not the UK as much as I wish. 

[Kjennings92]

On 5/17/2020 at 11:29 AM, SteveGrabowski0 said:

Do you still have much luck with Goodwill? I got a PS2 Fat in really nice shape from them for $20 a couple of years ago, though it had garbage generic controllers so I had to go buy real Dualshock 2 at a local flea market that was great for picking up PS2 gen stuff before the pandemic. But ever since then Goodwill tells me all their gaming stuff goes to their auction site.

As for my opinion on this goes- I prefer to buy online from reputable sources if I'm unable to actually go anywhere & buy in-person. Just my 2 cents. 

[Lord Vile]

2 hours ago, Kjennings92 said:

Thanks for the tip! But I should make you aware that I'm after specific consoles/platforms. Also, I'm in the States; not the UK as much as I wish. 

Which ones? I just used those as an example.

 

£ to $ is around 1:1 now though 

[Kjennings92]

35 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

Which ones? I just used those as an example.

 

£ to $ is around 1:1 now though 

To be specific, I'm after: the Nintendo Wii/Wii U, the PlayStation 3, the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch, & the Nintendo 3DS. [Not sure if I'll go older 3DS or newer 3DS. I would appreciate it if someone can help me decide!]  

[Lord Vile]

21 minutes ago, Kjennings92 said:

To be specific, I'm after: the Nintendo Wii/Wii U, the PlayStation 3, the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch, & the Nintendo 3DS. [Not sure if I'll go older 3DS or newer 3DS. I would appreciate it if someone can help me decide!]  

I’d get a 2DS XL tbh. If you’re going wii get the model that does GameCube too. 
 

oh and if you get the GBA get the SP model because it actually has a backlight

[Kjennings92]

9 hours ago, Lord Vile said:

I’d get a 2DS XL tbh. If you’re going wii get the model that does GameCube too. 
 

oh and if you get the GBA get the SP model because it actually has a backlight

I'm already aware that the Wii can play GameCube games as someone pointed out earlier on in the post. But the 2DS wouldn't work out as there's a few games on my wishlist that are specifically for the 3DS. Hence why I'm trying to decide between an older 3DS or a newer 3DS. Still open to suggestions & recommendations though!  

[SteveGrabowski0]

2 hours ago, Kjennings92 said:

I'm already aware that the Wii can play GameCube games as someone pointed out earlier on in the post. But the 2DS wouldn't work out as there's a few games on my wishlist that are specifically for the 3DS. Hence why I'm trying to decide between an older 3DS or a newer 3DS. Still open to suggestions & recommendations though!  

There are no 3DS exclusives that won't work on 2DS. There are only exclusives for New models, eg New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL, because those three are the ones with the upgraded cpus, which I outlined on Page 1.

 

 

[Kjennings92]

11 minutes ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

There are no 3DS exclusives that won't work on 2DS. There are only exclusives for New models, eg New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL, because those three are the ones with the upgraded cpus, which I outlined on Page 1.

 

 

I think I see what you're saying here. I'm just not sure if you can play 3DS games on a 2DS for example & expect them to work. Do you see what I'm trying to say here?

[Lord Vile]

2 hours ago, Kjennings92 said:

I'm already aware that the Wii can play GameCube games as someone pointed out earlier on in the post. But the 2DS wouldn't work out as there's a few games on my wishlist that are specifically for the 3DS. Hence why I'm trying to decide between an older 3DS or a newer 3DS. Still open to suggestions & recommendations though!  

Not all Wii’s can play GameCube games only the first lot can. There’s 2 serial numbers of original white Wiis and only one can ply GC games. 
 

The new 2DS XL can play new 3DS games. The old OG 3DS can’t 

 

Also again with the GBA get a GBA SP

[SteveGrabowski0]

28 minutes ago, Kjennings92 said:

I think I see what you're saying here. I'm just not sure if you can play 3DS games on a 2DS for example & expect them to work. Do you see what I'm trying to say here?

Any 3DS game that is not  New 2DS / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive will play on any model of 2DS or 3DS, though the ones with the stronger version of the cpu will play some games much better. For instance, Hyrule Warriors is much better on the 3DS models with the stronger version of the cpu (New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL) than the ones with the weaker version of the cpu (2DS / 3DS / 3DS XL). Here's a quick rundown of all the models:

 

2DS

Cons:

• Junky tablet meant for little kids, avoid IMO
• Has every con of the other systems

 

3DS

Pros:

• Has front facing stereo speakers

Cons:

• Very small screen
• 3D effect is hard to keep in focus
• Has weak version of cpu
• Will not play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

 

3DS XL

Pros:

• Good screen size
• Has front facing stereo speakers

Cons:

• 3D effect is hard to keep in focus
• Has weak version of cpu
• Will not play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

 

New 2DS XL

Pros:

• Good screen size
• Has strong version of cpu
• Will play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

Cons:

• No 3D
• Has a single rear facing speaker
• If I remember right, it has a really short and uncomfortable stylus. And you can't swap between the different stylus models since only the New 2DS XL stylus will fit to be stored in the New 2DS XL.

 

New 3DS

Pros:

• Has strong version of cpu
• 3D is much easier to keep in focus thanks to the face tracking camera
• Will play all New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games
• Has swappable faceplates which look pretty cool and is the only model to do so I believe.

Cons:

• Screen size isn't terrible, but it's smaller than New 2DS XL / New 3DS XL
• Very limited release in the US so may be hard to find. Much more popular in Japan.

 

New 3DS XL

Pros:

• Best screen size of any 2DS/3DS model
• 3D is much easier to keep in focus thanks to the front facing camera
• Has front facing stereo speakers
• Has the strong version of the cpu
• Will play all New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

Cons:

• None, it's the Cadillac of the 3DS line and the model you should probably buy unless you get a ridiculously good deal on a New 3DS or New 2DS XL.

 

tl;dr version -- Just buy the New 3DS XL. It's by far the best model of the 3DS line.

[SteveGrabowski0]

7 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

Not all Wii’s can play GameCube games only the first lot can. There’s 2 serial numbers of original white Wiis and only one can ply GC games. 
 

The new 2DS XL can play new 3DS games. The old OG 3DS can’t 

 

Also again with the GBA get a GBA SP

He can also play GBA on the DS I believe. Didn't all models of DS come with the GBA cartridge slot? Plus the last model of DS had a really nice screen IMO.

[Lord Vile]

10 minutes ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

He can also play GBA on the DS I believe. Didn't all models of DS come with the GBA cartridge slot? Plus the last model of DS had a really nice screen IMO.

Nah only the first DS and DS Lite have a GBA slot. Maybe the DSi I’m not sure 

[SteveGrabowski0]

1 hour ago, Lord Vile said:

Nah only the first DS and DS Lite have a GBA slot. Maybe the DSi I’m not sure 

You're right, it was DS and DS Lite. DS has a crap screen but DS Lite is the one I was thinking of with the nice bright screen for playing GBA games. I was only thinking of it since Spawn Wave did a video the other day taking a broken DS Lite and ripping off the top of it to salvage it as a working GBA. I was thinking it was DSi, but you're right, it was DS Lite.

 

 

[Kjennings92]

4 hours ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

Any 3DS game that is not  New 2DS / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive will play on any model of 2DS or 3DS, though the ones with the stronger version of the cpu will play some games much better. For instance, Hyrule Warriors is much better on the 3DS models with the stronger version of the cpu (New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL) than the ones with the weaker version of the cpu (2DS / 3DS / 3DS XL). Here's a quick rundown of all the models:

 

2DS

Cons:

• Junky tablet meant for little kids, avoid IMO
• Has every con of the other systems

 

3DS

Pros:

• Has front facing stereo speakers

Cons:

• Very small screen
• 3D effect is hard to keep in focus
• Has weak version of cpu
• Will not play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

 

3DS XL

Pros:

• Good screen size
• Has front facing stereo speakers

Cons:

• 3D effect is hard to keep in focus
• Has weak version of cpu
• Will not play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

 

New 2DS XL

Pros:

• Good screen size
• Has strong version of cpu
• Will play New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

Cons:

• No 3D
• Has a single rear facing speaker
• If I remember right, it has a really short and uncomfortable stylus. And you can't swap between the different stylus models since only the New 2DS XL stylus will fit to be stored in the New 2DS XL.

 

New 3DS

Pros:

• Has strong version of cpu
• 3D is much easier to keep in focus thanks to the face tracking camera
• Will play all New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games
• Has swappable faceplates which look pretty cool and is the only model to do so I believe.

Cons:

• Screen size isn't terrible, but it's smaller than New 2DS XL / New 3DS XL
• Very limited release in the US so may be hard to find. Much more popular in Japan.

 

New 3DS XL

Pros:

• Best screen size of any 2DS/3DS model
• 3D is much easier to keep in focus thanks to the front facing camera
• Has front facing stereo speakers
• Has the strong version of the cpu
• Will play all New 2DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL exclusive games

Cons:

• None, it's the Cadillac of the 3DS line and the model you should probably buy unless you get a ridiculously good deal on a New 3DS or New 2DS XL.

 

tl;dr version -- Just buy the New 3DS XL. It's by far the best model of the 3DS line.

Well, looks like my best option would be to go for a newer 3DS like the XL, etc. And guys, there's no need to keep hammering it in- I know GameCube games can't be played on the Wii U or the newer Wii's. I was informed earlier on in this post I made. Nevertheless, I would like to thank everyone for their advice, opinions,tips/suggestions/recommendations, etc. Much appreciated!  

Edited May 20, 2020 by Kjennings92

[Kjennings92]

So far, the overall response I got from this post has been quite amazing & I'd like to thank every single 1 of you for taking your time to comment & give your advice/opinions, suggestions, etc!  ❤

 

But I do happen to have 1 other question which remains unanswered: Earlier on in this post, someone recommended OfferUp. I have heard of them, but haven't had any experience buying anything from them. In fact, I just managed to create my account just this morning. I decided to look up some reviews & a couple of them have quite a few negative/critical reviews saying they've had bad experiences or they've been scammed, etc. (SiteJabber & TrustPilot were the 2 websites I found some reviews on.)

 

So, I would actually like to hear from you guys once again, but this time, just let me know if you have had any bad experiences recently with OfferUp. I would like to be formally convinced that these guys are legit or "on the up & up" as I say. Afterall, no one wants to get scammed, right? Let me know if this route is worth it! AND GO!

Edited May 21, 2020 by Kjennings92

[Kawaii Koneko]

On 5/17/2020 at 11:29 AM, SteveGrabowski0 said:

Do you still have much luck with Goodwill? I got a PS2 Fat in really nice shape from them for $20 a couple of years ago, though it had garbage generic controllers so I had to go buy real Dualshock 2 at a local flea market that was great for picking up PS2 gen stuff before the pandemic. But ever since then Goodwill tells me all their gaming stuff goes to their auction site.

I honestly haven't been to Goodwill since Covid-19 caused everything to be shutdown. My local Goodwill has opened again with like a fifteen person limit or something like that but I haven't really been in the thrifting mood lately.

 

The best Goodwills that I find are in bigger cities. I went to one in the Chicago area once and there was so many good things. It was years ago but they had some $70 or $80 IFRC Microsoft wireless keyboards with mice dead cheap. I think they were like $20. They actually probably like twenty of them. They were rejects from stores because the boxes were quite damaged during shipping. Products were fine. I bought one for myself and one for my dad. Can't believe I actually gamed on that thing lol. Using a nice mechanical keyboard now I can't believe I used stuff like that lol.

 

They also had a bunch of new boxed PC games with very slight imperfections. They were current games. To give you an idea of how long ago this was, they had new Gears of War games and the game wasn't even out that long. I picked out the best examples and bought one for myself and sold the other two on eBay and made like $50 or something off them. I regret not buying more but I was stupid and thought they might not sell and I would get stuck with them lol.

 

Anyway, point is, I think Goodwills in the bigger cities are the best places to go. You find higher end items and sometimes stores donate new products just because the boxes are busted and you can get great deals and even make some money reselling the items. Plus, in the bigger cities, there are often multiple Goodwills. So you can hit like three or four of them and make out like a bandit... when you are lucky lol.

[Kjennings92]

On 5/28/2020 at 4:53 PM, Kawaii Koneko said:

I honestly haven't been to Goodwill since Covid-19 caused everything to be shutdown. My local Goodwill has opened again with like a fifteen person limit or something like that but I haven't really been in the thrifting mood lately.

 

The best Goodwills that I find are in bigger cities. I went to one in the Chicago area once and there was so many good things. It was years ago but they had some $70 or $80 IFRC Microsoft wireless keyboards with mice dead cheap. I think they were like $20. They actually probably like twenty of them. They were rejects from stores because the boxes were quite damaged during shipping. Products were fine. I bought one for myself and one for my dad. Can't believe I actually gamed on that thing lol. Using a nice mechanical keyboard now I can't believe I used stuff like that lol.

 

They also had a bunch of new boxed PC games with very slight imperfections. They were current games. To give you an idea of how long ago this was, they had new Gears of War games and the game wasn't even out that long. I picked out the best examples and bought one for myself and sold the other two on eBay and made like $50 or something off them. I regret not buying more but I was stupid and thought they might not sell and I would get stuck with them lol.

 

Anyway, point is, I think Goodwills in the bigger cities are the best places to go. You find higher end items and sometimes stores donate new products just because the boxes are busted and you can get great deals and even make some money reselling the items. Plus, in the bigger cities, there are often multiple Goodwills. So you can hit like three or four of them and make out like a bandit... when you are lucky lol.

Not sure if this comment was posted in response to @SteveGrabowski0's comment or if was to actually help me out.  I personally don't shop at Goodwill all that often unless it's for like 2nd-hand clothes, etc. Looks like my choices will be split up between Amazon, OfferUp, Gamestop, possibly FB Marketplace as a last resort...? 

 

I have somewhat mixed feelings about getting a memory card for the GameCube (or 2 depending) from Amazon however. It's not because Amazon can be shady or anything like that, it's just the reviews are kind of mixed & I honestly don't know which ones are fake & which ones are genuine. This is what I've found so far on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Nintendo+GameCube+memory+card&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

 

Which makes trying to decide is a little tricky for me. Thankfully, I have no doubts so far. But if any of you bother to check out some of the reviews these products have, I've noticed that some are complaining about the data being/becoming corrupted. So if anyone has any suggestions/advice/tips on what I should go with or look for, that would prove to be quite helpful & I would be grateful once again!   

[Kawaii Koneko]

1 hour ago, Kjennings92 said:

Not sure if this comment was posted in response to @SteveGrabowski0's comment or if was to actually help me out.  I personally don't shop at Goodwill all that often unless it's for like 2nd-hand clothes, etc. Looks like my choices will be split up between Amazon, OfferUp, Gamestop, possibly FB Marketplace as a last resort...? 

 

I have somewhat mixed feelings about getting a memory card for the GameCube (or 2 depending) from Amazon however. It's not because Amazon can be shady or anything like that, it's just the reviews are kind of mixed & I honestly don't know which ones are fake & which ones are genuine. This is what I've found so far on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Nintendo+GameCube+memory+card&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

 

Which makes trying to decide is a little tricky for me. Thankfully, I have no doubts so far. But if any of you bother to check out some of the reviews these products have, I've noticed that some are complaining about the data being/becoming corrupted. So if anyone has any suggestions/advice/tips on what I should go with or look for, that would prove to be quite helpful & I would be grateful once again!   

It was a little of both. I kind of bunny trailed a little bit lol..

 

As for the memory card, I'm personally in the official only camp when it comes to memory cards. For about the same price you can get an official GC memory card on eBay. I personally would just do that. I know it doesn't have near the memory of those aftermarket ones but I just don't trust anything but official with my invaluable save data.

[Kjennings92]

2 minutes ago, Kawaii Koneko said:

It was a little of both. I kind of bunny trailed a little bit lol..

 

As for the memory card, I'm personally in the official only camp when it comes to memory cards. For about the same price you can get an official GC memory card on eBay. I personally would just do that. I know it doesn't have near the memory of those aftermarket ones but I just don't trust anything but official with my invaluable save data.

Fair enough. But if an original couldn't be found --(just imagine)-- would you actually bother to take a chance on something like this if you were desperate enough?

[Kawaii Koneko]

11 minutes ago, Kjennings92 said:

Fair enough. But if an original couldn't be found --(just imagine)-- would you actually bother to take a chance on something like this if you were desperate enough?

I suppose if I was desperate enough and all the original GC cards disappeared lol. 

[Kjennings92]

1 minute ago, Kawaii Koneko said:

I suppose if I was desperate enough and all the original GC cards disappeared lol. 

Got you. BTW, have you had any experience with the 3rd-party stuff or not? Just wondering... 

[Kawaii Koneko]

1 minute ago, Kjennings92 said:

Got you. BTW, have you had any experience with the 3rd-party stuff or not? Just wondering... 

Not on GC but I have on PS1 and PS2. It wasn't good. I tried those mega storage cards when I was younger and they were unreliable for me. I have five official PS1 cards and a couple PS2 cards and they all still work to this day. So I just stand by official.

 

I'm not saying all the 3rd party stuff are bad. I'm sure there are some gems out there but I just don't feel like risking it. I don't mind having to swap memory cards. it feels nostalgic anyway lol.