Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

I mean why spend money on anything not directly related to food, shelter, and health? Why spend extra to have aesthetically pleasing shelter rather than concrete blocks?

People buy what they want to buy. You criticize this and I’ll criticize that.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#5

Post by res0nat0r » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 4:07 AM UTC

system2 wrote: post #2

Maybe let's not spend thousands of dollars for outdated gaming systems?

I'd spend $2k on an outdated painting from Rembrandt if someone offered me one at that price, but that's just me.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#6

Post by emodendroket » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 4:25 AM UTC

system2 wrote: post #2

Maybe let's not spend thousands of dollars for outdated gaming systems?

Well, it's true. If you never buy anything you never get scammed. And I find the emulated experience is just as good these days on top of it. But assuming you are going to start shelling out you should be able to know what you're buying.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#7

Post by mepiethree » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 4:26 AM UTC

“it’s hard to justify any real value for a US copy of Super Mario Bros, no matter how old or sealed it is, as it’s just a newer copy of the same game.”

This point is lingered on for a while and I don’t get it. Nothing about pricing collectibles is a rational assessment of utility: value is essentially a function of rarity, desirability, and condition. Obviously, in this case, the US versions score higher on “desirability” for US collectors, because the whole point of buying the things is for the sentiment. You can, after all, emulate the games in a million different ways.

I collect civil war stuff, and we have a similar ‘paradox’. Confederate relics score low on “condition”, because the confederacy had worse iron. Yet, confederate relics fetch very high prices. Why? Because they score high on “desirability”: many of the few people who are VERY interested in the civil war are (unfortunately) very sympathetic to Confederates.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#8

Post by lmm » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 4:32 AM UTC

seibelj wrote: post #4

system2 wrote: post #2

Maybe let's not spend thousands of dollars for outdated gaming systems?

I mean why spend money on anything not directly related to food, shelter, and health? Why spend extra to have aesthetically pleasing shelter rather than concrete blocks? People buy what they want to buy. You criticize this and I’ll criticize that.

Spending money on stuff that's valuable in itself is positive-sum. Spending money on stuff whose value is scarcity is zero-sum at best.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#9

Post by BadassFractal » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 5:12 AM UTC

I got bitten by a fake SNES Classic off of ebay a few years back. I was super excited to play Super Mario RPG on the real thing, only to find out that it was running with all sorts of glitches due to how the clone device had been designed, to the point where it was unusable. I suppose it's a pretty good scam since the thing goes for $200+ these days and I'm guessing it's some kind of a low powered android device on the inside.

Haven't quite figured out how to play those old classics again.

Re: Retro Scams: Authenticating Early Nintendo Systems and Games

#10

Post by ok_dad » Mon, Nov 29, 2021, 6:38 AM UTC

BadassFractal wrote: post #9

I got bitten by a fake SNES Classic off of ebay a few years back. I was super excited to play Super Mario RPG on the real thing, only to find out that it was running with all sorts of glitches due to how the clone device had been designed, to the point where it was unusable. I suppose it's a pretty good scam since the thing goes for $200+ these days and I'm guessing it's some kind of a low powered android device on t…

I've got an SNES from when I was a kid in the 90s, but it's not in great shape I don't think. I'll dig it out and see if it works in two weeks (I'm moving) if you email me (in profile). If it does, I could part with it for shipping cost and a trade of some other thing you have that you don't want, maybe. I think I've lost the TV adapters though, so I can't be sure it will work or not. I have a few games too, not sure which ones. I'm not too into classic games, everytime I play them I get really bored.