Family Treasure Chest in Massachusetts in the only one in my town or around me. I never go there though.
If you go, my recommendation is to deal with the younger brother of the wife who sometimes runs it (was there on Wednesday for me)... and not the husband/owner as he's a jerkwad from what I've seen/read on Yelp and from dealings on Ebay I've personally had with him.
Just some updates from what I've experienced in Massachusetts
Game Underground Framingham $$$
agreed upon the '$$$' ..they wanted $10 for a PS2 game you could get used as $2 at gamestop .. their used system prices were average though.. $30-40 for Dreamcasts,Gamecubes, etc..
Sudden Impact Winthrop
Defiitely '$$$' ... very expensive prices (i.e. $50 for a gamecube-GBA add-on with CD) .. The owner is really nice though, and cleans and packages the systems up very well.. he also seems like the kind would easily trade in a system/game if it was defective, etc
The Time Capsule Seekonk
Seems pretty '$' cheap to '$$' average .. very small selection at the store in Seekonk ..lots of random individual-prices items
The Toy Vault North Attleboro
I'd say '$' - '$$' on most of their stuff.. Their systems were about $10 cheaper at this store than I saw elsewhere.. (i.e. Xbox classic for $30 vs. $40 elsewhere) . .they have lots of other cool stuff as well .. saw a 72pin NES connector for sale, etc
This place has probably the most carts and retro systems I've seen in one store at the same time.. It's truely awesome.. The prices range from "lol, no" to reasonable.. they have whole racks of $5 NES, SNES,GEnesis carts, which are mostly the usual junk, but occasionally a decent title in there as well
it is with a saddened heart (maybe only me) that "The Score" in Franklin TN will be closing at the end of July.
Is it me, or are stores in TN just going under by the droves...
only stores that aren't profitable.
All my favorite Nashville area stores are still in business.
I'll miss the Score. Looks like i'll need to go there during my lunch break soon and see if they are having any good going out of business sales.
I loved the tournaments they held. In fact, I just moved to Nashville looking forward to all the tournaments I could attend... now that's ruined. Guess I'll stick to Game Trader in Murfreesboro. I wasn't impressed with any of the others I visited last month (Sans the Tullahoma store, haven't make it there yet).
Spoke with the guys at the Gamehaven in E. Knoxville yesterday while at home. It seems they're just getting by... they may not survive long either.
Yo there, I own ThrillHouse Games in Tulsa, OK. Most definitely NA user friendly, just had Ferris_Bueller in the other day even (swell guy), and see Laserman every once in awhile on his out and abouts. Love to have you guys in!
Just some updates from what I've experienced in Massachusetts
Game Underground Framingham $$$
agreed upon the '$$$' ..they wanted $10 for a PS2 game you could get used as $2 at gamestop .. their used system prices were average though.. $30-40 for Dreamcasts,Gamecubes, etc..
Sudden Impact Winthrop
Defiitely '$$$' ... very expensive prices (i.e. $50 for a gamecube-GBA add-on with CD) .. The owner is really nice though, and cleans and packages the systems up very well.. he also seems like the kind would easily trade in a system/game if it was defective, etc
The Time Capsule Seekonk
Seems pretty '$' cheap to '$$' average .. very small selection at the store in Seekonk ..lots of random individual-prices items
The Toy Vault North Attleboro
I'd say '$' - '$$' on most of their stuff.. Their systems were about $10 cheaper at this store than I saw elsewhere.. (i.e. Xbox classic for $30 vs. $40 elsewhere) . .they have lots of other cool stuff as well .. saw a 72pin NES connector for sale, etc
This place has probably the most carts and retro systems I've seen in one store at the same time.. It's truely awesome.. The prices range from "lol, no" to reasonable.. they have whole racks of $5 NES, SNES,GEnesis carts, which are mostly the usual junk, but occasionally a decent title in there as well
Few things...
1. Thanks for Land of Electronics! Been jonesing for a new place to check out that wasn't 80 miles out in Western Massachusetts lol. I'm gonna give them a looksie and see what's shaking there.
2. The owner of Sudden Impact will 100% make deals with you, especially if he knows you'll be around and keep coming back. You've got to remember that this hobby has exploded and it's "hip" to be collecting for the older systems, so his prices are more or less to "protect" his business. I don't mind slightly losing on trades with him because he's a constant source of stuff, and isn't a super douchebag like the guy at the Game Zone is in Salem. He'll always try to get cash out of your pocket is what I've noticed, even if you bring him stuff to trade that trumps what you're asking for in return lol... that's my only pet peeve.
Storytime...
First time I went into Sudden Impact the owner was letting kids give him 1$'s for stuff he had marked for 5$ ... because he knew them from the neighborhood.
3. Game Underground is one of those places that COULD be great. They've got a decent location, a fun idea and if ran with the right frame of mind could make a real go at being a truly wonderful gaming store. Unfortunately instead of any of that, it's just an overpriced game store that's down a flight of stairs in a dingy basement off the highway.
4. You didn't try out The Time Capsule that's right over the border in Connecticut from the Seekonk store...? Those 2 stores are on my list, it's just a pain to drive all the way down there.
1. Thanks for Land of Electronics! Been jonesing for a new place to check out that wasn't 80 miles out in Western Massachusetts lol. I'm gonna give them a looksie and see what's shaking there.
2. The owner of Sudden Impact will 100% make deals with you, especially if he knows you'll be around and keep coming back. You've got to remember that this hobby has exploded and it's "hip" to be collecting for the older systems, so his prices are more or less to "protect" his business. I don't mind slightly losing on trades with him because he's a constant source of stuff, and isn't a super douchebag like the guy at the Game Zone is in Salem. He'll always try to get cash out of your pocket is what I've noticed, even if you bring him stuff to trade that trumps what you're asking for in return lol... that's my only pet peeve.
Storytime...
First time I went into Sudden Impact the owner was letting kids give him 1$'s for stuff he had marked for 5$ ... because he knew them from the neighborhood.
3. Game Underground is one of those places that COULD be great. They've got a decent location, a fun idea and if ran with the right frame of mind could make a real go at being a truly wonderful gaming store. Unfortunately instead of any of that, it's just an overpriced game store that's down a flight of stairs in a dingy basement off the highway.
4. You didn't try out The Time Capsule that's right over the border in Connecticut from the Seekonk store...? Those 2 stores are on my list, it's just a pain to drive all the way down there.
1) sure no problem! It looks like they just opened a 2nd location .. dubbed 'Land Of Electronics 2' in Raynham,MA (which I'll have to check out as well and see if they have anything extra there in terms of game stuffs)
2)true.. he did knock some $'s off the prices when my friends and I were there, but I think it still ends up being a bit pricey .. still.. you get decent equipment and he seems really good about returns/exchnages
3)Yea, that place has lots of potential .. pretty neat that they have all those arcade machines setup down there as well.. they look a bit disorganized however
4) No, I just went to the one in Mass .. I haven't been to their other location yet .. you can probably find *something* there.. but don't expect a huge selection a la' Land Of Electronics
It's been years (about 10 or more) since I've been in a Video Game Trader in Calgary. They used to have 3 locations but one of them shut down years ago. Cash Converters in Calgary, while it isn't specifically a retro video game shop, they do always have a fair amount of retro gaming stuff on their shelves. Used to be dirt cheap (I bought a copy of FF for NES for $4 there in 2006), but now they've caught on that this stuff is collectible and have raised the price a lot (last time I Was there they had a copy of FF for NES for $60).
There's also a lot of booths set up at the flea markets that specialize in retro gaming, and sometimes you can find decent deals there, but at the same time most of the guys sell their stuff based off of ebay prices.
The only places around me (western 'burbs of Chicago) that still sell old games are Disc Replay. Disc Replay is a chain of stores that are all owned by different people and don't have a central owner, so they all compete with each other and each one does things a little differently. The stores in Bolingbrook, Naperville, Crest Hill, and Countryside, Illinois are the only ones worth a damn.
$$ Bolingbrook and Naperville have cool stuff sometimes but they get picked over pretty quickly so mid-week is the best time to visit them. At Naperville, if you ask nicely, they may let you see what's in their Amazon room and you may get to make a deal on some boxed or rare games. Last time I was there, they had Baby Boomer, Little Samson, and EVO: The Search for Eden CIB. They both know exactly what to value stuff at though, so don't expect awesome deals. They price according to Amazon, which can be good or bad.
$$ Countryside sells everything from Atari on. I've found some good Colecovision stuff there. They also have lots of imports and rare games across all systems. Worth a look every month or so. They also know the value of what they're selling. They price according to Amazon and Ebay, which also can be good or bad.
$ to $$ Crest Hill is the most fun because they sell a little bit of everything (toys, movies memorabilia, records, superhero busts, used porn (ewwww), etc.) and they sometimes don't know the value of what they're selling. I've seen overpriced games (Ristar for $35? Come on) and sometimes I see way under-priced stuff (I got Gun-Nac for $15 there and a Colecovision system for $5). They have boxes of games behind the counter, so ask to pick through their games. The rare games are in the case and the boxes are full of commons but there are gems in there sometimes. I have no fricken idea what they use to price... it's wonky most of the time.
Stay away from Downer's Grove. The people who work there are assholes most of the time. I've never had a good experience there. The workers are smug and huff like children when you ask for help and try to make you feel like shit in general. I'm always super nice to them too, having worked retail for most of my life and knowing what it entails, but they mostly just have a bad attitude. Also, they play screamo so it's hard to shop there without getting a headache. They're owned by the same people who own the Countryside store, but the Countryside store has most of the games and professional employees. Sometimes you can find good deals at Downer's (I got the Zelda Collection on Gamecube for $20 once) but there hasn't been anything good there for months and months. Just go to Countryside and have them transfer anything you want from Downer's if they still do that.
Also, stay away from Gorilla Games ($$$$$$). There are two in Chicagoland; Naperville and Lombard. Both stink on ice. The store is nice and everything but all their classic games are WAY too overpriced, even for a brick and mortar. Here are some examples of what I mean:
$33 for Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire - N64
$35 for Mario Bros. 3 - NES
$65 for Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past - SNES
$15 for Sonic the Hedgehog - Genesis
Those are actual prices I saw there FOR REAL! Stay away from them unless you want a laugh.
Oh, and not a game store but Galloping Ghosts Arcade ($) in Brookfield, IL is a blast. $15 is the entrance fee for access to the largest classic arcade outside of Chicago. Everything is on freeplay and they have some of the best machines (Star Wars Arcade, The Simpsons, X-men, Splatterhouse, Contra, all Street Fighters, etc.). My buddies and I always have a great time, I think it's worth giving a shout out too. It smells like sweaty fat nerd 24/7 in there, though.
Logan Hardware (FREE) in Chicago is awesome too. It's a record shop in the front with a free vintage arcade museum in the back. It's fun to take a trip there every now and again.
Another one in Texas: Patriot Games in Odessa. Prices look to be based more on popularity than rarity. The Mario games for instance were priced a little high, but the Master System games all had pretty good prices. They had a CIB Earthbound that someone was paying $500 in installments, so they definitely work with people. The customer service was top notch.
Found one in Munich, Germany. The owner's very nice and often lowers prices. Bought some stuff for cheap from him, highly recommended!
It's in Landshuter Allee 33, and if you're ever coming to Munich in Germany (Oktoberfest for example ) I'd check this place out! Oh, and it's called Game Trader.
Buried Treasures Games in Richland, Washington. I went in there today on my trip to Eastern Washington. Prices were about average, but the owner was really nice and very helpful and liked to talk games. He said he was really picky about the quality of used games he takes in. Everything was very clean and well organized. I would make it my new regular shop if I didn't live several hundred miles away. 1341 B George Washington Way.
Newer Store in Janesville, WI. Not a ton of game stuff, but a 70's and 80's kids dream. (They carry whatever games they get in, I have purchased NES through Gamecube stuff from there.
You guys need to clean up part of South Carolina's section. The store in Taylors (yes, with a 'S') is called 'The Video Game Cavern'. Their Facebook doesn't say that, but trust me, the store's sign does. There's two similar posted for Taylors in the list, but trust me, there's only one.
Exile on Main Street in Champaign IL is an absolute joke price-wise. Most things are above ebay prices, and there is some stuff priced 3-4 times what you'd pay on ebay even. Seriously, never go there.
Disc Replay in Terre Haute IN used to have amazing prices. Last time I was there a month and half ago or so, they had just upped a lot of their NES/SNES prices, though. Still good prices, but not as amazing. A lot of the lower end stuff seemed to suffer the most, like games that were $2-3 were now $4-6.
Comments
Originally posted by: Ray Bot
Just 4 Play opened a new location.
Northshore Square Mall
Slidell, LA
$$$
also:
Game On
Bayou La Batre, AL (they also have a booth at the Mobile Flea Market in Mobile, AL)
$
just a heads up, you listed Game On's Bayou La Batre location under "louisiana" but its in Alabama.
Originally posted by: Toast
Family Treasure Chest in Massachusetts in the only one in my town or around me. I never go there though.
If you go, my recommendation is to deal with the younger brother of the wife who sometimes runs it (was there on Wednesday for me)... and not the husband/owner as he's a jerkwad from what I've seen/read on Yelp and from dealings on Ebay I've personally had with him.
Is it me, or are stores in TN just going under by the droves...
Originally posted by: catfriedrice
it is with a saddened heart (maybe only me) that "The Score" in Franklin TN will be closing at the end of July.
Is it me, or are stores in TN just going under by the droves...
only stores that aren't profitable.
All my favorite Nashville area stores are still in business.
I'll miss the Score. Looks like i'll need to go there during my lunch break soon and see if they are having any good going out of business sales.
Game Underground Framingham $$$
agreed upon the '$$$' ..they wanted $10 for a PS2 game you could get used as $2 at gamestop .. their used system prices were average though.. $30-40 for Dreamcasts,Gamecubes, etc..
Sudden Impact Winthrop
Defiitely '$$$' ... very expensive prices (i.e. $50 for a gamecube-GBA add-on with CD) .. The owner is really nice though, and cleans and packages the systems up very well.. he also seems like the kind would easily trade in a system/game if it was defective, etc
The Time Capsule Seekonk
Seems pretty '$' cheap to '$$' average .. very small selection at the store in Seekonk ..lots of random individual-prices items
The Toy Vault North Attleboro
I'd say '$' - '$$' on most of their stuff.. Their systems were about $10 cheaper at this store than I saw elsewhere.. (i.e. Xbox classic for $30 vs. $40 elsewhere) . .they have lots of other cool stuff as well .. saw a 72pin NES connector for sale, etc
new addition :
Land Of Electronics East Bridgewater '$$' http://www.land-of-electronics.com
This place has probably the most carts and retro systems I've seen in one store at the same time.. It's truely awesome.. The prices range from "lol, no" to reasonable.. they have whole racks of $5 NES, SNES,GEnesis carts, which are mostly the usual junk, but occasionally a decent title in there as well
Originally posted by: Paul
Originally posted by: catfriedrice
it is with a saddened heart (maybe only me) that "The Score" in Franklin TN will be closing at the end of July.
Is it me, or are stores in TN just going under by the droves...
only stores that aren't profitable.
All my favorite Nashville area stores are still in business.
I'll miss the Score. Looks like i'll need to go there during my lunch break soon and see if they are having any good going out of business sales.
I loved the tournaments they held. In fact, I just moved to Nashville looking forward to all the tournaments I could attend... now that's ruined. Guess I'll stick to Game Trader in Murfreesboro. I wasn't impressed with any of the others I visited last month (Sans the Tullahoma store, haven't make it there yet).
Spoke with the guys at the Gamehaven in E. Knoxville yesterday while at home. It seems they're just getting by... they may not survive long either.
Originally posted by: Pendragonx
Just some updates from what I've experienced in Massachusetts
Game Underground Framingham $$$
agreed upon the '$$$' ..they wanted $10 for a PS2 game you could get used as $2 at gamestop .. their used system prices were average though.. $30-40 for Dreamcasts,Gamecubes, etc..
Sudden Impact Winthrop
Defiitely '$$$' ... very expensive prices (i.e. $50 for a gamecube-GBA add-on with CD) .. The owner is really nice though, and cleans and packages the systems up very well.. he also seems like the kind would easily trade in a system/game if it was defective, etc
The Time Capsule Seekonk
Seems pretty '$' cheap to '$$' average .. very small selection at the store in Seekonk ..lots of random individual-prices items
The Toy Vault North Attleboro
I'd say '$' - '$$' on most of their stuff.. Their systems were about $10 cheaper at this store than I saw elsewhere.. (i.e. Xbox classic for $30 vs. $40 elsewhere) . .they have lots of other cool stuff as well .. saw a 72pin NES connector for sale, etc
new addition :
Land Of Electronics East Bridgewater '$$' http://www.land-of-electronics.com
This place has probably the most carts and retro systems I've seen in one store at the same time.. It's truely awesome.. The prices range from "lol, no" to reasonable.. they have whole racks of $5 NES, SNES,GEnesis carts, which are mostly the usual junk, but occasionally a decent title in there as well
Few things...
1. Thanks for Land of Electronics! Been jonesing for a new place to check out that wasn't 80 miles out in Western Massachusetts lol. I'm gonna give them a looksie and see what's shaking there.
2. The owner of Sudden Impact will 100% make deals with you, especially if he knows you'll be around and keep coming back. You've got to remember that this hobby has exploded and it's "hip" to be collecting for the older systems, so his prices are more or less to "protect" his business. I don't mind slightly losing on trades with him because he's a constant source of stuff, and isn't a super douchebag like the guy at the Game Zone is in Salem. He'll always try to get cash out of your pocket is what I've noticed, even if you bring him stuff to trade that trumps what you're asking for in return lol... that's my only pet peeve.
Storytime...
First time I went into Sudden Impact the owner was letting kids give him 1$'s for stuff he had marked for 5$ ... because he knew them from the neighborhood.
3. Game Underground is one of those places that COULD be great. They've got a decent location, a fun idea and if ran with the right frame of mind could make a real go at being a truly wonderful gaming store. Unfortunately instead of any of that, it's just an overpriced game store that's down a flight of stairs in a dingy basement off the highway.
4. You didn't try out The Time Capsule that's right over the border in Connecticut from the Seekonk store...? Those 2 stores are on my list, it's just a pain to drive all the way down there.
Originally posted by: Faltain1
Few things...
1. Thanks for Land of Electronics! Been jonesing for a new place to check out that wasn't 80 miles out in Western Massachusetts lol. I'm gonna give them a looksie and see what's shaking there.
2. The owner of Sudden Impact will 100% make deals with you, especially if he knows you'll be around and keep coming back. You've got to remember that this hobby has exploded and it's "hip" to be collecting for the older systems, so his prices are more or less to "protect" his business. I don't mind slightly losing on trades with him because he's a constant source of stuff, and isn't a super douchebag like the guy at the Game Zone is in Salem. He'll always try to get cash out of your pocket is what I've noticed, even if you bring him stuff to trade that trumps what you're asking for in return lol... that's my only pet peeve.
Storytime...
First time I went into Sudden Impact the owner was letting kids give him 1$'s for stuff he had marked for 5$ ... because he knew them from the neighborhood.
3. Game Underground is one of those places that COULD be great. They've got a decent location, a fun idea and if ran with the right frame of mind could make a real go at being a truly wonderful gaming store. Unfortunately instead of any of that, it's just an overpriced game store that's down a flight of stairs in a dingy basement off the highway.
4. You didn't try out The Time Capsule that's right over the border in Connecticut from the Seekonk store...? Those 2 stores are on my list, it's just a pain to drive all the way down there.
1) sure no problem! It looks like they just opened a 2nd location .. dubbed 'Land Of Electronics 2' in Raynham,MA (which I'll have to check out as well and see if they have anything extra there in terms of game stuffs)
2)true.. he did knock some $'s off the prices when my friends and I were there, but I think it still ends up being a bit pricey .. still.. you get decent equipment and he seems really good about returns/exchnages
3)Yea, that place has lots of potential .. pretty neat that they have all those arcade machines setup down there as well.. they look a bit disorganized however
4) No, I just went to the one in Mass .. I haven't been to their other location yet .. you can probably find *something* there.. but don't expect a huge selection a la' Land Of Electronics
There's also a lot of booths set up at the flea markets that specialize in retro gaming, and sometimes you can find decent deals there, but at the same time most of the guys sell their stuff based off of ebay prices.
$$ Bolingbrook and Naperville have cool stuff sometimes but they get picked over pretty quickly so mid-week is the best time to visit them. At Naperville, if you ask nicely, they may let you see what's in their Amazon room and you may get to make a deal on some boxed or rare games. Last time I was there, they had Baby Boomer, Little Samson, and EVO: The Search for Eden CIB. They both know exactly what to value stuff at though, so don't expect awesome deals. They price according to Amazon, which can be good or bad.
$$ Countryside sells everything from Atari on. I've found some good Colecovision stuff there. They also have lots of imports and rare games across all systems. Worth a look every month or so. They also know the value of what they're selling. They price according to Amazon and Ebay, which also can be good or bad.
$ to $$ Crest Hill is the most fun because they sell a little bit of everything (toys, movies memorabilia, records, superhero busts, used porn (ewwww), etc.) and they sometimes don't know the value of what they're selling. I've seen overpriced games (Ristar for $35? Come on) and sometimes I see way under-priced stuff (I got Gun-Nac for $15 there and a Colecovision system for $5). They have boxes of games behind the counter, so ask to pick through their games. The rare games are in the case and the boxes are full of commons but there are gems in there sometimes. I have no fricken idea what they use to price... it's wonky most of the time.
Stay away from Downer's Grove. The people who work there are assholes most of the time. I've never had a good experience there. The workers are smug and huff like children when you ask for help and try to make you feel like shit in general. I'm always super nice to them too, having worked retail for most of my life and knowing what it entails, but they mostly just have a bad attitude. Also, they play screamo so it's hard to shop there without getting a headache. They're owned by the same people who own the Countryside store, but the Countryside store has most of the games and professional employees. Sometimes you can find good deals at Downer's (I got the Zelda Collection on Gamecube for $20 once) but there hasn't been anything good there for months and months. Just go to Countryside and have them transfer anything you want from Downer's if they still do that.
Also, stay away from Gorilla Games ($$$$$$). There are two in Chicagoland; Naperville and Lombard. Both stink on ice. The store is nice and everything but all their classic games are WAY too overpriced, even for a brick and mortar. Here are some examples of what I mean:
$33 for Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire - N64
$35 for Mario Bros. 3 - NES
$65 for Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past - SNES
$15 for Sonic the Hedgehog - Genesis
Those are actual prices I saw there FOR REAL! Stay away from them unless you want a laugh.
Oh, and not a game store but Galloping Ghosts Arcade ($) in Brookfield, IL is a blast. $15 is the entrance fee for access to the largest classic arcade outside of Chicago. Everything is on freeplay and they have some of the best machines (Star Wars Arcade, The Simpsons, X-men, Splatterhouse, Contra, all Street Fighters, etc.). My buddies and I always have a great time, I think it's worth giving a shout out too. It smells like sweaty fat nerd 24/7 in there, though.
Logan Hardware (FREE) in Chicago is awesome too. It's a record shop in the front with a free vintage arcade museum in the back. It's fun to take a trip there every now and again.
CD World in Idaho Falls, ID
Game Nation in Yakima, WA
Disc Replay (Indianapolis, IN - 5 locations) = $
Granny Bea's (Columbus, IN) = $
It's in Landshuter Allee 33, and if you're ever coming to Munich in Germany (Oktoberfest for example ) I'd check this place out!
Oh, and it's called Game Trader.
EDIT: In fact, it's hit or miss...
Mantiques
http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2013/jul/08/downtown-shop-specializes-collectible-trivialities/
(I am not affiliated with the store, I just go there a lot)
Gamers (Villa Rica, GA) = $$
https://www.facebook.com/TheGameGallery?fref=ts
Lucky Funtime Video Games (on the cheaper side of $$) - located in The Wind Gap Flea Market - 316 N Broadway , Wind Gap, Pennsylvania 18091
https://www.facebook.com/luckyfuntime?fref=ts
Planet Games ($$) - 27 South 7th Street, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 18049
https://www.facebook.com/PlanetGames?fref=ts
Disc Replay in Terre Haute IN used to have amazing prices. Last time I was there a month and half ago or so, they had just upped a lot of their NES/SNES prices, though. Still good prices, but not as amazing. A lot of the lower end stuff seemed to suffer the most, like games that were $2-3 were now $4-6.