Dumb Buyers

[Black Tiger]

But it has happened with every other fantastic system which had the status as an underdog system with fantastic library before it.

The only difference is that this is the second overpriced generation-behind console hardware the same company has  dared to put out. Like the Wii, it should have launched for $100 - $150 to justify its existence.

[ginoscope]

The reason your store has a ton of N64 systems is because its a store. I worked in game retail when N64 was still supported and it was that way then. It was also that way with GC, and with WiiU.

Errr, no.  N64 was actually quite difficult to keep in stock for about two years while the retro craze really ramped up.  It is only when the prices of the games started pushing up that many of my customers began to sell.  Many specifically stated that the reason was game cost.  As for the GC, we dont normally buy very many, but the backwards wii hurt that one.  The wii u, despite being less popular than the other big two, is very difficult to keep in stock.  Even harder is getting the games sold back to us.  People really like the system once they try it, and the games seem to stay in their collections.  Ps4 and x1 stuff floods in daily, but not so much on the wii u.

Somebody said in another forum they would wait it out and buy a Wii-U cheaply after the NX drops. As a Wii-U owner, I can say that is unlikely. It is a fantastic system, and it's status as an underdog system with fantastic library assures it will remain desirable long after discontinuation. I don't imagine it will ever be possible to pick a complete system (Wii-U plus Gamepad plus hookups and accessories) for under $100.

The wii u is a pretty good system it gets lots of use at my house.  Another bonus with the Wii U is that you can hack the wii mode and play gamecube games without emulation via the SD card slot. 

[Black Tiger]

It's neat in that it's a console, just like every other console is and I like console gaming. But it launched slightly less powerful and full featured than existing consoles which were already selling for something like $150. In the case of the Wii, they just repackaged hardware they'd already spent years reducing the manufacturing costs for.

If Nintendo wanted to justify releasing last gen hardware with top quality software support, so be it. But selling it for more than a dsuper budget price at launch is a worse gouging than anything in the Turbo gouging thread.

[StarDust4Ever]

The wii u is a pretty good system it gets lots of use at my house.  Another bonus with the Wii U is that you can hack the wii mode and play gamecube games without emulation via the SD card slot.

Are you using the Smash Bros adapter for Game Cube Controller? Mayflash made a nice cloned version.

I have my own Game Cube and my old Wii is on the fritz. I was always too scared to softmod it because of my extensive VC/Wiiware collection.

[ginoscope]

I have tried the gamecube adapter but I'm lazy to get it all hooked up sometimes so I find the original classic controller for wii is perfect for gamecube.

Softmod on the wii u is pretty easy to do and all contained within the wii mode. 

[SignOfZeta]

The reason your store has a ton of N64 systems is because its a store. I worked in game retail when N64 was still supported and it was that way then. It was also that way with GC, and with WiiU.

Errr, no.  N64 was actually quite difficult to keep in stock for about two years while the retro craze really ramped up.  It is only when the prices of the games started pushing up that many of my customers began to sell.  Many specifically stated that the reason was game cost.  As for the GC, we dont normally buy very many, but the backwards wii hurt that one.  The wii u, despite being less popular than the other big two, is very difficult to keep in stock.  Even harder is getting the games sold back to us.  People really like the system once they try it, and the games seem to stay in their collections.  Ps4 and x1 stuff floods in daily, but not so much on the wii u.

I'm specifically speaking of systems. Games were genuinly ALWAYS a problem with N64 but in all but the earliest days systems were surplus, the Pika ones especially. When the last Tony Hawk game came out my store had maybe a dozen N64 games, with most being sports, wrestling, or South Park, and probably 200 N64s between new and used.

The Cube was even worse. Even at very reduced prices we still had a wall of the f*ckers. Didn't it hit an official $50 at some point? Once everyone had a GC the $50 Dreamcast moved faster. The fact that Cubes rarely break doesn help either. PS2s shit the bed like there is some sort of contest for it so people will always need those.

I'm personally a big fan of the Cube, particularly the hardware. Virtually no load times on many 1st party games. They never overheat. A GB Player with Wavebird or Hori Gameboy Player Controller over 480p component is a premium experience.

[StarDust4Ever]

I'm personally a big fan of the Cube, particularly the hardware. Virtually no load times on many 1st party games. They never overheat. A GB Player with Wavebird or Hori Gameboy Player Controller over 480p component is a premium experience.

I miss my Hori digital Game Cube controller. I had one before crooks broke into my house and stole my entire Game Cube Collection shortly after Thanksgiving in 2006. They left all the cart systems thankfully. I eventually re-purchased most of the games they stole that I really wanted to play again, but shortly after the burglary, in early December, I stood in line at Walmart for seven hours for a Wii.

Backwards compatibility was nice too but no Game Boy Players. eStarland was clearancing their stock of Hori Game Boy Player controllers for $18.99, purple was sold out but they still had black. I had my heart set on Purple and figured I could pick one up at a later date used for cheap. I realized my mistake a couple years later when they were selling for $100 on Amazon... 

Nowadays I use this for Game Boy goodness:

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=31

Sadly they've been discontinued sometime after Wii dropped the Game Cube ports. SNES controller made the best Game Boy Player controller ever, and I can even use my custom arcade controller with it:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/sets/72157634800361528/

Sorry for the off topic rant... 

[SignOfZeta]

Wow, that is pretty cool.

I bought my Hori Gameboy Player Controller for $8.99 at Game Crazy. If someone burgled it from me I'd spend the $100 in insurance on something else. I love the thing, but not that much.

It's weird how things seem to go straight from the crap bin to eBay madness. Where these people are when the stuff is still being made I'll never know.

[Gredler]

Wow, that is pretty cool.

I bought my Hori Gameboy Player Controller for $8.99 at Game Crazy. If someone burgled it from me I'd spend the $100 in insurance on something else. I love the thing, but not that much.

It's weird how things seem to go straight from the crap bin to eBay madness. Where these people are when the stuff is still being made I'll never know.

From the few posts I've read while briefly in a Facebook group, and on the few other forums I frequent, it appears that most were  not old enough to care when stuff was modern if alive at all. I think a lot of this is trust fund babies with allowances larger that average earned wages.

[neopolss]

The GC was rock solid system that definitely got overshadowed by the PS2.  The system will probably always stay dirt cheap, with exception to the special edition consoles.  The games are creeping up, with a few like Fire Emblem getting into triple digits, but overall the prices arent ridiculous (yet).  Current gen, I still prefer the wii u, and it is my go to for large groups.  Theres few multiplayer games for the other systems, my PS4 gathers dust quite often.  I guess it shows that power isnt everything.  Im still impressed with 2600 games though, so I cant really relate to the current mindset of graphics and power above creativity.

[StarDust4Ever]

The GC was rock solid system that definitely got overshadowed by the PS2.  The system will probably always stay dirt cheap, with exception to the special edition consoles.  The games are creeping up, with a few like Fire Emblem getting into triple digits, but overall the prices arent ridiculous (yet).  Current gen, I still prefer the wii u, and it is my go to for large groups.  Theres few multiplayer games for the other systems, my PS4 gathers dust quite often.  I guess it shows that power isnt everything.  Im still impressed with 2600 games though, so I cant really relate to the current mindset of graphics and power above creativity.

Amazing but sometimes less is more. I'm Kosmic Stardust on AtariAge. I got a 2600 in 2012 after bashing it for ten years. I'm blown away by some of the homebrew games coming out for it. Look up Space Rock; it's an amazing Asteroids clone.

As for Nintendo, they still know how to make fun games and value local multiplayer over online. Nowadays it seems everyone is gaga over trophies/achievements and head counts online. Give me Mario or Zelda any day over that crap.

[jonebone]

Let me offer one other perspective that wasn't mentioned in this thread... as I'm a "New" TG16 guy.  But I'm a patient collector and not one paying anywhere near prices quoted in the beginning of the thread. 

It's not 20 something year olds driving the high end market... $500 is a LOT to most of those guys.  It is spill over from other collectors who are tired of collecting their main system and want to expand.  For me (born 84) it was always NES / N64 as my two favorites.  Then I went to Genny / SNES, then PS1 / Gamecube, back to Gameboy, etc.

It's not just TG16 getting price spikes this year, PS1 has been insane too.  Take Team Buddies for example... was always about $60-$80 CIB and maybe $150-$200 Sealed.  Been that way for 5 or 6 years, completely flat.  In 3 months, it is now $200-$250 CIB, literally 3x or 4x value in 3 months.  And PS1 has generally been dead compared to Nintendo... but the Nintendo overflow has to go somewhere.  And some of them are overflowing here, so I don't see TG16 prices cooling off anytime soon.  Not necessarily good or bad, just reality.

And I do enjoy playing the games, but I also enjoy collecting them.  It is not impossible for someone to enjoy doing both.

[geise]

The DC was rock solid system that definitely got overshadowed by the PS2. 

Yep, it sure was.

[StarDust4Ever]

Let me offer one other perspective that wasn't mentioned in this thread... as I'm a "New" TG16 guy.  But I'm a patient collector and not one paying anywhere near prices quoted in the beginning of the thread. 

It's not 20 something year olds driving the high end market... $500 is a LOT to most of those guys.  It is spill over from other collectors who are tired of collecting their main system and want to expand.  For me (born 84) it was always NES / N64 as my two favorites.  Then I went to Genny / SNES, then PS1 / Gamecube, back to Gameboy, etc.

It's not just TG16 getting price spikes this year, PS1 has been insane too.  Take Team Buddies for example... was always about $60-$80 CIB and maybe $150-$200 Sealed.  Been that way for 5 or 6 years, completely flat.  In 3 months, it is now $200-$250 CIB, literally 3x or 4x value in 3 months.  And PS1 has generally been dead compared to Nintendo... but the Nintendo overflow has to go somewhere.  And some of them are overflowing here, so I don't see TG16 prices cooling off anytime soon.  Not necessarily good or bad, just reality.

And I do enjoy playing the games, but I also enjoy collecting them.  It is not impossible for someone to enjoy doing both.

I definitely agree with you. My decision to pick up a Turbografx in 2014 was basically one of "Okay I've got all the popular stuff, how can I expand my collection?" I introduced three new "underdog" consoles to my collection: Turbografx, 7800, and SMS. For SMS I bought a converter to play games on my Model 1 Genny. No need for a new console. The 7800 I mainly got for the Atari homebrew scene. And Turbografx-16, which played a distant third wheel to the SEGA/SNES fanboy wars, was incredible. Despite never owning one back in the day, I had a bit of prior TG-16 nostalgia simply from playing many of the games on Virtual Console. In fact prior to the Wii VC announcement, I had no idea what a Turbografx was. I even enjoyed Bonk's Adventure enough to track it down on NES before later selling it after the price inflated beyond reason.

If you look at consoles many consider to be "underdogs", TG-16 stands out as the one with the best value and had some incredibly great exclusive games despite it's smallish library. I think most everyone starts out with a Hucard only system, then graduates into imports and CDs, if they can stomach the price of a refurbished CD addon. The Turbo Everdrive is a surprisingly hot seller for Krikzz Everdrive product line, precisely so because the barrier of entry is so high.

[bob]

Putting this thread back on track.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/turbografx-game-assortment-Bonk-1-2-Legendary-Axe-1-2-Splatterhouse-Air-Zonk-/191951456734?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276