It's been awhile since I wrote one of these, and I figured a lazy day at work is a good enough time as any to whip one up. Here we go folks, Part 3 of my RISING RETRO POPULARITY retrospective, and my tips on how to help get the games you thirst for and beat the man at his own game. Not sure who the man is in this situation, but it's whoever beats you to the retrogaming hauls! Bastards...
It's winter, obviously. We're in the dead freeze zone of February, and my nipples can key a car. Most of you know if you've watched some of my newbie YouTube videos, that my golden time is garage sale season, but seeing how I live in New York, I've been shut in doors. This typically means my retro pick ups have been forced to turn in a new direction, and I can't rely on Thrift Stores. My luck at thrift stores is practically equivalent to that of playing the lotto. Zilch. Zero. Nada. One haul in every 20-30 visits. So what do I do now?
I figured I would let you guys in on a little secret. Actually, you can't even call it a secret anymore. Maybe 6-8 months ago you could have, but now this market is probably over saturated to the point where you'd be lucky to find a $10 Super Mario / Duck Hunt. I am of course, talking about the infamous FACEBOOK GROUPS!
"Facebook!? What the hell are you talking about Tom? What have you been smoking? What the hell can I find on Facebook?"
Calm down there, buddy. Here's an example...
Yes, that's right. CIB N64 games floating in interstellar Facebook space. Now the price is a little more than what I am willing to spend right now, but I'm currently in talks with this woman on working out a trade / cash combo. And by the way, those aren't the only games she has. There are 12 other ones all CIB, adding up to probably over $500 in games / strat guides. Not bad, right? Trust me, I've seen a LOT better and I have a few people who can vouch for that.
Just ask my brother in law, this guy is known for getting 50 NES games for $10. And that's not an exaggeration. He's a douche..love you man..asshole.
Like I said, months ago, no one really knew about Facebook groups, primarily the for sale groups. Think about it as online yard sales where people are trying to get rid of their junk. Some of these people, even consider their old video games to be junk and that's where we get to cash in big time. Hell, right now I am probably in 15-20 "FOR SALE" groups for LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, and even started moving out to the NJ / CT areas. Haven't found anything over there yet, but if you could just imagine what I picked up through these groups, you'd probably crap yourself.
When I first started checking out these pages, there was probably only one or two other people browsing the boards. Now, I'm lucky if I can scroll through a days worth of posts and see 5 people putting up ISO's (in search of) video game posts. The run was good while it lasted, but unfortunately, not so much now. Thanks retro craze and re sellers. Thumbs up to you.
Seriously, who the hell would sell to this guy?
But Facebook isn't all about FOR SALE and YARD SALE GROUPS (although they are still damn good if you can get lucky). Facebook is also home to some epic gaming communities where you can trade and sell your games to those that appreciate and know the value of your collection. Now, there is one such group out there that reigns supreme among the rest, and if you have yet to be a part of this I suggest you do so now. It's a group known as the TRADE SELL COLLECT RETRO AND NEW VIDEO GAMES AND TOYS...also known as TSCRANVGAT. Try saying that three times in a row without spitting on your monitor.
Click below if you want to check it out.
There's a lot of reasons as to why groups such as this are a great way to enhance your collection. First of all, the community is filled with people that have one thing in common. They love gaming. Secondly, the admin team is top notch, ensuring that no one gets screwed over (and if someone does, they send the guilty party to the execution chamber). I've worked out some trades with a few people already, and I have to say, it's a perfect opportunity to remove yourself from the evil that is eBay and Craigslist where you are have to deal with fees or creepy stalkers who just want to catch you off guard in a back alley somewhere.
Oh, but I'm not done. Not only does TSCRANVGAT offer some kick-ass services on their main page, but they also have an epic GAME WHEEL. What is the Gamewheel you ask? Picture some of the rarest and most expensive video games out there. How would you like to have a chance to buy them for $3....Oh, don't believe me? Really? Well, I spent $20, and look what I happened to get my hands on.
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The way it works, is that they'll post up a game and offer up a limited number of slots at a certain price. Let's say they're posting EARTHBOUND (drool...still have yet to buy it), and they'll offer 75 slots at $3 each. You can buy as many of those $3 slots as you want, to increase your chances of winning in a randomized live drawing. It's basically like the lotto. The more you buy, the better your chances. But trust me, don't let that fool you. I've seen people win games worth hundreds, and spend only a couple of bucks. Myself included....
Although I have yet to win Earthbound or EVO...which are the only two games I really want. Yet I keep winning other games. Go figure, my luck works that way.
It's a hell of a lot of fun, and watching the live streams of the drawings are even better because you've got some epic hosts including the kick ass Brian "THE SHOW" DeLegado, doing the shows. Good laughs, great fun, and a nice way to kill some time at work, and drain your wallet if you're not careful lol. Trust me though, it's worth it. So do yourself a favor, and check it out AFTER you give TSCRANVGAT a whirl.
Don't let Facebook fool you. It's not all about posting baby pictures, and updating your status to cry like a little baby in order to fulfill your attention craving needs. It's also a great way to try and find some video games, IF you know where to look.
Good luck out there, and happy hunting folks.
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