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[Absolute Niro]

I'm looking for a hobby and decided that collecting games might be a cool idea, mainly older games from the mid-eighties and nineties. So, looking for somewhere to start, I decided to find an NES for sale on the web. There are tons of them, but people seem to think they're worth a billion dollars - why is this? The average price seems to be 200 - 400 bucks for a single, used NES, often without cords or controllers. That's just a complete ripoff.

I looked at some videos and it seems the best way to build a collection is through flea markets, but Norway isn't really known for having a lot of those, at least not in my area.

Halp pls.

[Max White]

People highly value the NES because most of them have died off by now due to misuse by young kids. A working one is a treasure to behold!
The cheapest you will ever find is at a garage sale when parents are selling off their kids old junk that they think isn't valuable. The child has moved out and left a ton of crap behind and they want it gone, without realizing the value of some of this stuff. Once universities open again you might find a few around. Keep your eyes open for any old consoles.

Even if they say it is broken, offer them $5 for it anyway, just because 'you think it looks nice' because the truth is that the scrap parts are also important to have. If you can get two broken systems for $5 each, you might have just bought a single working system for &10, assuming you are handy with a screw driver.

Parents don't understand the value behind these things. Abuse it.

[Absolute Niro]

Hmm, so I'm assuming there really aren't any easy ways to get one without going to a garage sale or flea market or whatever? Might not exactly be the season for it, but I rarely see stuff like that at all in my area.

[nenjin]

Try Pawn Shops. They always have a healthy supply of games and consoles because people need money quick.

[Cheeetar]

I wish my old gameboy was worth nearly as much.

[Max White]

Hmm, so I'm assuming there really aren't any easy ways to get one without going to a garage sale or flea market or whatever? Might not exactly be the season for it, but I rarely see stuff like that at all in my area.

Na not really. These things are artifacts.

If you are more about playing the games than collecting physical copies, I wouldn't recommend emulates, because that would be piracy, despite the ease of use and convenience, and that you might not ever find some games any other way. The fact that everybody uses them certainly doesn't make it ok.

[Frumple]

Hmm, so I'm assuming there really aren't any easy ways to get one without going to a garage sale or flea market or whatever? Might not exactly be the season for it, but I rarely see stuff like that at all in my area.

Not for less than a couple hundred bucks, nope. Some of those systems are thirty year old pieces of electronics (Famicom came out in '83, yo'.). Nintendo tough back then was pretty damn tough, but fiddly electronic things don't tend to have the best of shelf life, especially when they're not well maintained (and who the bloody hell actually knew how to maintain the damn things back then? Less than a percent of the user base?). So the supply is really bloody limited, it's got collector value, and most importantly people actually want to get their hands on the machine.

So the price goes right on up. That's what happens. Short of ripping older or ignorant people off, you're not going to get the system for cheap. And ripping off said people will take some effort.

[Absolute Niro]

Hmm, so I'm assuming there really aren't any easy ways to get one without going to a garage sale or flea market or whatever? Might not exactly be the season for it, but I rarely see stuff like that at all in my area.

Na not really. These things are artifacts.

If you are more about playing the games than collecting physical copies, I wouldn't recommend emulates, because that would be piracy, despite the ease of use and convenience, and that you might not ever find some games any other way. The fact that everybody uses them certainly doesn't make it ok.

Eh, it's more just to collect than actually playing the games, although I'd obviously like to play them too. Contra doesn't feel right with a keyboard.

Hmm, so I'm assuming there really aren't any easy ways to get one without going to a garage sale or flea market or whatever? Might not exactly be the season for it, but I rarely see stuff like that at all in my area.

Not for less than a couple hundred bucks, nope. Some of those systems are thirty year old pieces of electronics (Famicom came out in '83, yo'.). Nintendo tough back then was pretty damn tough, but fiddly electronic things don't tend to have the best of shelf life, especially when they're not well maintained (and who the bloody hell actually knew how to maintain the damn things back then? Less than a percent of the user base?). So the supply is really bloody limited, it's got collector value, and most importantly people actually want to get their hands on the machine.

So the price goes right on up. That's what happens. Short of ripping older or ignorant people off, you're not going to get the system for cheap. And ripping off said people will take some effort.

Guess my only option is going out, then. Well, I guess it's spring now, hopefully a few opportunities will pop up.

[Max White]

I have a working Sega Genesis that I got by putting two broken ones together, so remember to keep an open mind and if you find a broken system, don't write it off.

[Frumple]

Eh, it's more just to collect than actually playing the games, although I'd obviously like to play them too. Contra doesn't feel right with a keyboard.

Gamepads for the computer are a thing

Pretty sure there's NES-style pads and whatever. E: And by pretty sure I mean three second google. They've got stuff like that all over the place, and if emulators don't support them you've got programs that convert gamepad input to keyboard input for your programs and junk.

[Korbac]

Wow, the NES really is old. I take it the SNES and the N64 would be quite a bit cheaper?

[Absolute Niro]

That's pretty cool, might get one of those. I've seen people buy whole systems for that money on Youtube, though, so it kinda hurts.

The SNES and N64 are both quite expensive, too, doesn't look too bad though. I've found a few for ~100 bucks online.

[Lord Shonus]

I bought an NES for $40 on ebay less than six months ago. I also purchased an SNES for $45 at a local used game shop. They have 4 of them left. Both consoles are extremely. The most common POF for the NES can be fixed for $0 with 10 minutes or less of work (The game tray becomes misaligned, causing the infamous blinking colored screen. The remedy is to remove the top of the case, loosen the screws, and jiggle it around with a game in until the game works. Then tighten the screws.) The high prices on Ebay are caused by the misconception that old=$$$, and a vast overestimation of how rare these units actually are, or because they come in "Collector" condtion, including box, manuals and other miscellany (Or with many or rare games).  Here's a link for two working NES units (they are described as having the easily fixed problem I already mentioned) with 21 games, currently under $70.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-Nintendo-NES-Systems-21-Games-zelda-complete-in-box-cib-mario-123-/261175811439?pt=Video_Games&hash=item3ccf4a9d6f

[Absolute Niro]

Hmm, hopefully the price of that doesn't get too high, I might be able to snipe it at the last minute.

EDIT: Oh wait, it has a reserve price. Probably in the low millions.

[Lord Shonus]

That I didn't notice, but it's unlikely to be high.


Here's one with a Buy it now of 70
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Nintendo-NES-Consoles-NTSC-2-Controllers-and-Dr-Mario-/221195525392?pt=Video_Games&hash=item338047dd10

and a 3-day bid one that has no reserve
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-NES-Console-with-mario-bros-pacman-excitebike-/221195545340?pt=Video_Games&hash=item3380482afc