atari 2600 - Kotaku

posts about #atari2600 more →
Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
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Bress Tess Iz
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
wow, being religious pays off for someone before they die #atari2600
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(Starman) Starman
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
...Really? This is just like paying over $5000 just to play Super Noah's Ark 3D.

(Yes, I realize the irony with my comment.)

...So, any chance we can emulate this soon? :P
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Edited by (Starman) Starman at 11/11/09 8:51 PM (Starman) Starman was starred

benmullins001
11/11/09

@(Starman) Mudkip [Happy 40th, Sesame Street!]: This game will never be played, ever. It's a sealed copy, and unsealing it would dramatically lower its value.
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kevingifford
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
The thing that always happens with old game consoles (and I suppose a lot of other collectible hobbies) is that after a while, the only really passionate people left already have 99.99% of a complete set and are willing to pay absolutely anything for those last half-dozen or so they need.

That's why, for example, most games on 8-bit consoles are lucky if they break $5 on eBay but the rarest NES games like Stadium Events are climbing up into the thousands without breaking a sweat. Those half-dozen collectors need them, and that's their big outlay for the year, so they bid big or go home. #atari2600
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Jonny_eh
11/11/09

@kevingifford: What happens when their collection is 'complete'? I've always wondered that about collectors. I guess they move on to collect something else? #atari2600
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badasscat
11/12/09

@Jonny_eh: Believe it or not, most collectors do actually play their games. Probably not *this* one, which is still sealed and will likely remain so, but all of the common games actually get played. There are very, very few collectors in the classic gaming community who are in it *just* to collect, and those that are are kind of ostracized - they keep a very low profile because they're looked down upon by the rest of the community.

The whole reason 99% of the collector community collects is because they played these games as a kid and now they're just getting all the stuff they couldn't when they were younger. So they love to play the games. #atari2600
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n00b_pwner
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
Atari 2600 MUSIC game?

If this was NES music generator, then I would be creaming my pants right now...

Also, I don't know anything about this game, but I am confused why this is sold in religious bookstores anyway. Sounds a bit odd for this...
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Edited by n00b_pwner at 11/11/09 8:19 PM n00b_pwner was starred n00b_pwner was unstarred

Michael Dukakis
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
My mother thankfully saved my baseball card collection... my hookers not so much. #atari2600
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Baguette
11/11/09

@Michael Dukakis: Why would you want to keep your hookers? They're like bread, they will eventually grow mold. #atari2600
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Eltigro
11/11/09

@Michael Dukakis: Old hookers aren't worth as much as old baseball cards... you know... when talking about street value... #atari2600
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relatively_speaking
11/11/09

@Eltigro: Just keep your hookers in their original packaging... #atari2600
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Eltigro promoted this comment

Bouchart
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
Stories like this make me wish I had some skill as a counterfeiter. #atari2600
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badasscat
11/12/09

@Bouchart: Atari collectors know the difference. Take it from one. #atari2600
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infinitezero
11/11/09

In reply to Extremely Rare Atari Cartridge Sells for $5,000
wow the person that bought that is one hell of a collector. Now that he has it what does he do with it? Stare at it? what a waste. #atari2600
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Bouchart promoted this comment infinitezero was starred infinitezero was unstarred

Bouchart
11/11/09

@infinitezero: He'll try to sell it off to an even more hardcore collector. It's Greater Fool Theory. #atari2600
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Orionsaint
11/05/09

In reply to People Magazine Plugs Atari, Snubs Nintendo in “Celebrate the ‘80s!”
Look NES generation. Yes the NES was huge, but you have to understand. Gaming was huge before you were born or maybe you were a baby. Arcades, Atari & Pac-Man ruled the world from 1978 to 1983. They were phenomenons that took over the world. I'm sorry you missed it. #atari2600
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toblathe
11/05/09

@Orionsaint: I'm not sure if you are trying to make a point or just referencing your own nostalgia. NES competed with, and beat, every one of the 30+ home gaming systems that came out in the 80's. Up until 1991 when the SNES came out, it was still holding it's own against 16 bit sega systems. And Atari was great, but it wasn't necessarily ahead of it's time. There were a handful of systems with almost identical controls, and specifications that just needed the marketing prowess and title selection to be everything Atari was and more. I am a child of the 80's, and you're right that gaming was huge before I was born... but it was in the arcade. NES ushered in the era of casual home gaming. #atari2600
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Orionsaint promoted this comment toblathe was starred toblathe was unstarred

Orionsaint
11/05/09

@toblathe: Spoken like someone who wasn't there. Are you kidding? Arcades were huge yes, but so was Atari. It was the best selling toy at Christmas one year. Everyone had an Atari. It was a cultural phenomenon. You had to be there.

It's like if a 15 year today told you. NES wasn't that big from what I've seen. It's easy to say that when you weren't actually there. #atari2600
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Orionsaint
11/05/09

In reply to People Magazine Plugs Atari, Snubs Nintendo in “Celebrate the ‘80s!”
80's kids of the world unite! That's right! I'm a late 70's early 80's kid. Atari rules! Without Atari. We wouldn't have an NES. Atari got the whole ball rolling! All hail ATARI!!! #atari2600
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GohanGVO
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
How interesting that TRU is not going to sell the traded-in games. I imagine it has to do with shelf space concerns. Most "R Zones" are packed as is with content for the current systems. It would be a nightmare to try and display them in the current setup, and an attempt to reorganize every store would be costly.

Still, there is some upside to this program. Smaller retailers in the US could see an influx of a wide range of classic games to order for their shops, and TRU will see increased foot traffic from those looking to trade games (and, of course, shop).
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Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
I seem to remember Toys R Us trying this before in 1995. Nothing like getting 40 bucks for freaking WEAPONLORD for the SNES with no box. I paid for my first PSX, less then 90 days after launch with a RF switch and memory card with SNES trade ins.

I also remember a poster commenting months ago on how TRU pretty much got bent over six ways from Sunday on values as people would raid the bargain bins elsewhere, then trade in the semi-worthless software to TRU for big prices.

As for taking older titles, most well run mom and pop stores will already do that and give you better then what TRU will.
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bearbyteshh
09/10/09

@Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.: Yeah. I too traded in all my SNES stuff for a PSX. I think it was at Funcoland if I remember correctly. I don't trade in consoles anymore though, as I always end up regretting it, and repurchasing them at some point down the road.
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Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians. promoted this comment bearbyteshh was starred bearbyteshh was unstarred

Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.
09/10/09

@bearbyteshh: My biggest regret was trading in all my Sqauresoft SNES games in the rush to get a Playstation. I really should have kept those..
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DigitalHero
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
"... by accepting games from even the oldest systems, including the original Atari 2600 and 32-bit Sega Genesis."

So Toys R US will be using Ebay. That is where the rare games will go. lol
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shufflemoomin
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
I'd imagine a 32-bit Sega Genesis would be worth quite a bit of money. They're quite a rarity. Some would even go as far as to say impossible to find...
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Doomstink
09/10/09

@shufflemoomin: I think he was referring to the 32x, which technically is a 32-bit Genesis.
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SanjiX
09/10/09

@Doomstink: Are you serious? They literally go for $20 NEW. Right now. 32X's are common. Sega CD on the other hand...
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Cyberxion101
09/10/09

@SanjiX: "Sega CD on the other hand..." are common as well SanjiX. At least 'round these parts they are. Now units that actually work are an entirely different matter. :P
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Skunky
09/10/09

@Cyberxion101: hey, my first gen worked great, I just had to disassemble it and reassemble it anytime I wanted to change discs because the tray wouldn't eject fully. But aside from that minor detail it worked perfectly!
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Doomstink
09/10/09

@SanjiX: [cgi.ebay.com]

4x that actually, and I wasn't the one insinuating that they were worth a lot. I was pointing out to the OP that the 32-bit Genesis statement he was trying to mock wasn't really as stupid as he thought it was.
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suburbancowboy
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
I kept all of the boxes and manuals for every game I ever owned. That means I still have games for the Texas Instruments TI99-4A in their original boxes. Hunt the Wumpus...on cassette.
I still have about 60 Sega Master System games as well.
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jubella
09/10/09

In reply to Toys R Launches Game Trade-Ins Nationwide - Update
I wonder how they're figuring out what the worth of a 20 year old game is?
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Yossarian promoted this comment jubella was starred jubella was unstarred

Yossarian
09/10/09

@jubella: Quite possibly it is irrelevant, much like it is for used cars in lots of cases.

The act of getting a customer into a store and actively purchasing new games or toys probably has a definable value to the store. This is the same effect that makes advertising with Google AdWords effective. Customers are worth "$X", so you can decide to spend $1 or $2 per used cartridge just for the sake of getting new meat into your store.

They might have a much fancier system in place that takes into account collectability, but I kind of doubt it.
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