Video Game Price Guides

It's been a while since I've done any progress updates. I recently received Ninja Gaiden in excellent condition and I have that Gun.smoke that I'm still waiting for. I also won a Nintendo lot of 8 games late Friday and I'm not certain if it's been shipped or not.



Perhaps the biggest disappointment of collecting Nintendo games is my current inability to play the games. Two obstacles prevent me. The first is I don't have a television to use and the second is I really have no time to play. Work is busy and more importantly I've recently finished upgrading www.videogamepriceguides.com which took up a lot of my time. The upgrade has some bugs which I'll address in the coming days, but working a job where I spend eight hours working with three major game systems then going home to work on the site then playing the "iCade 60 in one" with my son leaves me pretty burnt out over videogames.



I try to mix up my interests by focusing not so much on playing games themselves but more for the appreciation of the art, programming, story, and mundane details which make up the game. Which brings me back to the original message of this post which is the references to Coca Cola in Ninja Gaiden. It not only exists in the NES version but the arcade version as well.

Robocop Nintendo

The Nintendo version of Robocop was nothing compared to the arcade version. But regardless, Robocop is Robocop and it’s the perfect theme for a videogame. Robocop and I had a run-in once:

One day, as I was watching Fox News, there was a loud metallic tap at the door. When I answered it I was shocked to see that it was Robocop. He unnecessarily identified himself as Robocop and told me that official police business required the use of my bathroom.
I didn’t put up any protest, and why should I? It was official police business and it was Robocop. Who says “no” to Robocop? I directed him to the guest bathroom down the hall and he marched into it and closed the door.

I returned to the television and lowered the volume in a vain attempt to hear what Robocop was doing in my bathroom. I was excited to have a celebrity in my home but what could he possibly be doing? Was he reloading his weapon? Was he hiding from OCP goons?
To kill time I looked outside at his police cruiser. It was beautifully adorned with battle scars. Bullet holes, fire and smoke damage, a smear of blood of hair on the fender. Everything I’d expect to see on his car.

By the time I walked back into my living room I could hear the door open to the bathroom. Robocop marched out, nodded at me, and said his trademark phrase “Thank you for your cooperation”. While he said those chilling words he spun a metallic cylinder and inserted it into the hollow of his leg. At first I assumed it was his weapon, but it didn’t appear to be a gun, so I assumed it was a canister of police grade pepper spray.

So what was he doing in my bathroom? My curiosity got the better of me and as I crept down the hall, I worried I’d find parts of a disarmed bomb, or worst.

My eyes instantly burned the moment I turned the bathroom light on. The air was thick with pepper spray. It confirmed my suspicion that was what he put into the hollow of his leg. But why was he spraying it in my house? I looked in the medicine cabinet and under the sink but nothing looked disturbed. Then I lifted the toilet seat where I found a pile of D-Cell batteries in a pull of motor oil. Robocop forgot to flush!

Rambo Arcade Game

About 12 years ago I worked for SEGA. This was shortly before their involvement with a little abortion called Gameworks. The Vegas Gameworks was one of the first ones built and 12 years ago it stunk and it still stinks today. I mean literally. Worst than taco meat and after shave.



Anyways I had an urging this previous Father's day to visit there to check out the new RAMBO arcade game. It was a cool looking game but nothing more than a typical light gun game. It might have been top of the line back when Virtual Cop came out but the novelty looks as though it would wear off the moment you pressed start.



Operation Wolf, rebranded as Rambo would have made a more exciting experience. However its possible to ruin a movie by over merchandising and considering the Rambo story line(s) are perfect for a video game its probably best there were only a few: Rambo on SEGA Master System. Rambo III in the arcade Master System and Genesis. Rambo for NES. There might be a few others but who cares none were memorable. Games that have pulled themes from Rambo have done much better... like Ikari Warriors for instance.



But anyways getting back to the arcade game. It's not worth the 8 credits that Gameworks expects you to fork over to play it. The gun(s) looks like something from the future and maybe in some small way takes away from the fact that Rambo was never about guns really... it was always about that knife of his. And his bow. And lets not forget his enchanted bandana. But this plastic double gripped monstrosity would be perfect for gunning down E.T. or executing a space ape gang-land style. Now that's a script for Rambo V. UPDATE: In looking at photos of the machine on other websites, it seems that other machines were equiped with UZI looking weapons and not the garbage I saw. I'm not sure if this this was just on the machine at Gameworks or if its on all of the U.S released machines, but what I saw was definitely not an UZI!



Anyways the whole thing is a big disapointment. But enjoy the photo of the marquee anyways.

Gun.Smoke

Gun.Smoke will make Nintendo game number 72! After an incredible low ball offer was made for it the seller accepted.

I like this game even though its heaps easier than it's arcade brother.

1943: The Battle Of Midway

This video is footage of my iCade 60-in-1. It's not related to the story below.

So I was playing my iCade 60-in-1, 1943 specifically, and doing well. I mean very well. I was creeping up on to the fourth boss, and was approaching 500,000pts. I was doing figure 8's around the enemy planes! Explosions to my left! Explosions to my right! Nearly full life bar!

Then suddenly something went wrong... it felt like slow motion... then the familiar sound of something metal bouncing on wood deep inside the bowels of my arcade machine! What the hell? I pressed on destroying wave after wave of 1943 enemies... then the controls went to crap. Up wasn't responding... neither was down! Then suddenly a dull thud, again deep inside the machine's wooden shell!

A took heavy damage from a bomber that crept up behind me. I tried dodging bullets but by now the controls were so lifeless. And then Kaboom! And my plane burst into flames billowing brown smoke before finally shattering into a fiery explosion over the South Pacific. I yanked on the joy stick and it detached from the machine! The metal shaft separating from the guts of the assembly and spilling into the machine.

There would be no NTSB investigation, no military tribunal or investigation. The official report was as follows:

When installing the joysticks on the arcade machine I took a short cut by sliding the retaining ring on to the joystick to the first position. This position is normally used for testing, and for transport. The full assembly requires the retaining ring to be pushed entirely onto the metal shaft into the supplied groove. Vibration from playing the machine for the past six months dislodged the partially installed ring, giving way to the rest of the assembly.

So there you have it. What could have been an incredible performance went straight into the toilet because of laziness.

Donkey Kong III Deal

Over this past I've been working on a new feature over at www.videogamepriceguides.com called "'I'd buy that for a dollar!" which for any true video game fan would know its one of the phrases for the ultra cool game SmashTV. Anyways, the feature basically shows a list of all of the games currently going for a dollar or less. In testing it a copy of Donkey Kong III came up. It was going for about 98 cents if I remember correctly and I ended up bidding $2, and winning it for like $1.89.

I somehow knew this auction would be unusual as the seller listed the shipping as UPS ground. Come Tuesday I asked the seller if the Item shipped and he explained that it was shipped priority mail. Priority Mail? Apparently this shipper doesn't know the difference between UPS and USPS which was surprising as he had a 100% seller's rating with over 700 points.

Videogame Box Art History

I've been reading "Racing the Beam" which discusses in intimate detail what it took to design games for the Atari 2600. It's moderately technical and probably would lose many readers due to it's jargon.

However there are a couple sections that I found to be particularly interesting that dealt more with marketing than programming. The book repeats the well known story that some of Atari's finest programmers left Atari and created Activision after they felt they were not receiving the recognition publicly and financially that they felt they deserved. The book provides an example of two games: Indy 500created by Atari and Grand Prix created by Activision. A photo shows the box art and screen shot for both games. The caption points out to the reader that Indy 500's box art features an "intricate, realistic painting of the game's subject" where as the game is more abstract than what the art alludes to.





The Activision box art (and not-coincidentally most of Activisions boxart for the Atari 2600) closely resembles what the actual Grand Prix game looks like.





I've always been a fan of box art and I believe that the art on many of the Atari 2600 boxes are some of the finest ever created. Although true, some people may have been convinced in buying a sub-par game because the art alluded to an experience that just wasn't going to happen, it brings back to full circle my belief that less is often more in a video game. And although Indy 500 doesn't feature the in-game thrills that the art implies, to a child of the '80 with an endless imagination the game did feature what the art implied plus more, but not simply represented on the screen.

Now that I've been made aware of this interesting concept of Activision representing their box art as a close resemblance to actual game play it got me to thinking about the black label Nintendo games that got me interested in collecting Nintendo games in the first place. There is little dispute that Nintendo was very careful in releasing the NES in the United States alleging to go so far as to sanction games with their Seal of Quality. Almost all of the initially released games for the NES feature a pixelated representation from the game on the label and box art. Typically it was almost an exact representation and in some cases there were a few exaggerations but all in all there was little question as to what the game looked like. This quiet possibly was genius marketing from Nintendo.

Popeye Box Art



Close up of screen shot



Actual NES screen shot

Pedro! Games

Well Athena and Urban Champion arrived today. In perfect condition, which is exactly what I expected from Pedro! Read my complete review of previous experiences with Pedro! at http://www.videogamepriceguides.com/. Not only were both in great condition, the Urban Champion looked liked it had never been used.

So I got to Urban Champion today for the very first time and I must say that the game is overtly simple, but not terrible. It would definately make a great drinking game. I finally got to see the cop car drive around and the two bum fighters look around like they were innocent. This game is in desperate need for a remake.

Anyways Arkanoid is the last title I still have outstanding. I have an opportunity to get a mint Operation Wolf for $4.00, but I'm torn if I really want it for that price

Arknoid Makes 70 Games

With winning Arkanoid I am now at 70 Nintendo Games. I also have a counter offer for Operation Wolf for $3.75 with free shipping, and waiting to hear back a counteroffer for Touch Down Fever where I promised the seller I'd feature him on www.videogamepriceguides.com

Arkanoid should mark the last of the Taito games with the "Astro Pop" label. Too bad I didn't go for an auction with the Arkanoid controller too.

I've also decided to add current consoles to the VideoGamePriceGuides.Com site. I debated this for awhile because its believed that used game sales hurt current console software sales, but after much research I've come to realize that not too many of the current software sales that are being sold as used are recent. Many in most cases have been in stores for months already and what ever purchases that full MSRP have already taken place.

Athena

I purchased Athena on eBay today as well. I've never played the game really, and it looks kidish.

I have nothing further to comment on this game except to say that it's one of the ones I needed to finish off the SNK collection. I still need Mechanized Attack, Alpha Mission, Fighting Golf, Touchdown Fever, and Little League Baseball.

Mechanized Attack will be the last of the SNK military games for the NES to acquire. I'm deeply saddened by this event. Fighting Golf, Touch down Fever, and Little League Baseball are all "girl games". Just kidding. I have some interesting information about Mechanized Attack but will save it for when I purchase the game.



I'm joking, she's not a hussy.

Urban Champion

I just purchased Urban Champion from the Video Game Price Guide. Up until now I never thought much of the game, and don't ever recall playing it. However a friend pointed out that it looks like two bums fighting. Could it be that this game was the inspiration for InDecline's Bum Fight movies?

An excerpt from the manual sums it up:

Don't let the bully of the block push you around. Fight for your right to walk the street. Him 'em high or hit'em low, but don't forget to dodge or block his punches. Avoid being taken away by the Police or bonked on the head by a flower pot in your fight to hold your head up high.


Just look at this chaos:



In the first scene blue bum takes on the green bum. It's not surprising that they are fighting infront of a bar (even though its a snack bar.) I can only assume at this point they are fighting for a sandwich. Anyways, blue bum punches green bum so hard he rolls away to the next scene which is the book store. This is significant because bums usually get their bedding from old newspapers.

Finally they end up at the barbershop. This too is significant because bums eat hair. Or so I'm led to believe by this highly accurate portrayal of "bum life." If there was a Bum Life or Bum Time magazine I'm sure this game would have been featured in it.

Oh well, this is just another black label Nintendo Game towards completing my NES Collection.

I also learned today that GameRepair where I showed you the Super Mario Bros. 2 mural, has Yobo's in stock. I may have to check them out.

Nes Collecting: June 3rd Update

I've been sick all morning, but now that I feel a little better I thought I'd share some thoughts on my next Nintendo Collecting plans.

I think it's time that I finished off a publisher. I'm closest to finishing the SNK collection. Athena, Mechanized Attack, Fighting Golf, Alpha Mission, Touchdown Fever will finish it off.

I still have a few black labels outstanding. I don't quite understand why Balloon Fight and Clu Clu land has to be so expensive.

I've been leaving the www.videogamepriceguides.com url in the feedback comments section of items I have won. My hope is that it will generate some traffic.

Remember The Launch Of The Wii

I stumbled across some old photos I took with my phone from the launch day of the Nintendo Wii.

There was a website, I don't remember which one, that allegedly listed the number of units different department stores had on launch day. I didn't believe the numbers. How would a random website have this information?

Luck for me I had a friend that stocked shelves at Target at Boca Park here in Las Vegas. I emailed him the night before and asked if he could verify the stock. He texted me around midnight and said that they had alot.

The next morning I drove by the Boca Park Target, and by 3:00am there was a line. They were not opening until 8. I checked out two 24 hour Walmarts but neither had them.

So I waited in line at around 5:00. I estimated I was probably 100th in line.


Some people had a generator and a PS2 hooked up. I think they played it all through the night. By 5:30 I had to pee and my battery in my phone was dying.



Around 6:30 a store manager and a security guard passed out tickets. If you have a ticket you were guaranteed to buy a Wii until closing that evening.



I was number 93. They ran out of tickets around 150. There was about 400 people in line. Women and children started screaming. They were not going to open the doors until 8:00. I asked the manager to verify he said I was guaranteed to get one with this ticket. He said yes.



So I bailed and went to Del Taco, then Star Bucks, then home to Pee, then back to Target. They were taking us in ten at a time. Buy your accessories, buy your games, go to the customer service center to pick up your console.


It was a fun day and an experience I'll always remember.

Toki

I received Toki today in the mail. It was in perfect condition and the envelope was covered in exotic stamps. Not bad for $5.50 with free shipping. This, like most of the other Nintendo Games I have here I got off of eBay using the www.videogamepriceguides.com website to find this and other incredible deals.

I've been going back and forth with a seller who is selling Operation Wolf and Cobra Command as a lot. She originally had the lot listed for $20 or best offer. I made an offer of $7 minutes before the auction ended but the seller never accepted it. Then a few days later I noticed it was listed again. So I made another offer. This time for $6.00.

If there is any advice that I've learned in life its that whether you're negotiating over price or principle if someone compromises once, they'll compromise twice. Such is the case with this lot. I've budged to $7.50, but they are still at $16.00. One of the strategies I've been using to get this person to come down is to point out that its not fun to have an auction end without a sale. Sure you can re-list an item, but is the time lost really worth a few bucks? Although the seller and I have gone back and forth a few times, I've decided to wait and to let the auction expire. I'll look to see if they've listed again and I'll start the whole process over. I know that unless someone else buys it, or they stop listing it, I will get it for $7.50.

Donkey Kong Jr.

Donkey Kong Jr. arrived today. I'm not sure if it was the heat of Las Vegas or what but glue from the bubble material it was packed in melted onto the plastic. Sigh! I suppose its nothing that a little elbow grease can't take care of.

As a kid Donkey Kong Jr. was one of my favorite arcade games. The colors seemed so rich and vibrant. Especially the fruits.