TurboGrafx - Doomed to Inflation?

[vestcoat]

Writing on the wall
1)  Unlike the 3DO and Jaguar, the overall quality of the TG16 library is pretty good.
2)  The mysterious underdog factor:  I imagine it would be a fun console to go back and “discover” if you missed out in the Nineties.  Unlike its competitors, the TG16 wasn’t sold in most mainstream stores.  K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Kay-Bee Toys, and Funcoland didn’t carry it.  In Minnesota you had to go to Toy R’ Us, Children’s Palace, Software Etc, or Electronics Boutique.   
3)  TG16 games had comparatively low print runs.
4)  Attractive media – hucards are cute, CD’s are cool.
5)  Games are more valuable to collectors than worthless SMS games, but not yet out-of-sight like Neo Geo carts.

Are we screwed?  Alexduo’s report of the guy with 6-8 copies of MC is worrisome (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=7700.msg163794#msg163794)
The comic and baseball card markets crashed in the Eighties/Nineties, but that was well after their heyday of collectability and the old stuff has never really lost value.  Same thing with Magic cards – modern ones aren’t worth anything but the early ones are.  Of course, the TG16 was the first CD system….

[SignOfZeta]

TG-16 is expensive, but PC Engine is cheap. If you insist on collecting TG-16, you are screwed, but you are only screwing yourself when nearly all games on TG-16 exist on PCE for (usually) cheaper prices and are (usually) better releases.

The same is true for the Neo. MVS is quite affordable. Of you MUST have AES versions, well, that's your f*cking problem.

[Liquid Snake]

Three main reasons I love to collect JPN version are:
- game selection is larger than US (a lot of games did not port over to US)
- better cover arts and no censorship/localization
- price is much cheaper than US (exclude shumps & some rare titles)

[turbokon]

What about systems? Are pce systems generally cheaper then turbo's?

[Sparky]

TG-16 is expensive, but PC Engine is cheap. If you insist on collecting TG-16, you are screwed, but you are only screwing yourself when nearly all games on TG-16 exist on PCE for (usually) cheaper prices and are (usually) better releases. 

I dont care if the PCE shoots rainbows out its white f@cking huey slot, it is not my black TG16, the system i wanted way back when i was a kid, so now i have and have spent very little cash on it.

Let up a bit would ya zeta on tg16 hate.... geeeeez

[DragonmasterDan]

Writing on the wall
1)  Unlike the 3DO and Jaguar, the overall quality of the TG16 library is pretty good.
2)  The mysterious underdog factor:  I imagine it would be a fun console to go back and “discover” if you missed out in the Nineties.  Unlike its competitors, the TG16 wasn’t sold in most mainstream stores.  K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Kay-Bee Toys, and Funcoland didn’t carry it.  In Minnesota you had to go to Toy R’ Us, Children’s Palace, Software Etc, or Electronics Boutique.   

I bought TG16 stuff at Target.

[vestcoat]

I bought TG16 stuff at Target.

Cool.  What State?

[DragonmasterDan]

Cool.  What State?

Missouri

Added in edit: And I'm reasonably certain Best Buy carried TG16 stuff as well. I don't specifically have any memories of buying any TG16 stuff at one though. Also Kay bee Toys DEFINITELY did carry it. I have a Kay bee ad in an old comic book from the early 90s with an ad featuring Bonk.

[Bonknuts]

PlayWorld (that place was huge. Bigger than Toys R Us) and "Best" (if you remember that store) also carried TG16.

[spenoza]

Toys R Us carried Turbo stuff, and so did both Electronics Boutique (back when their mascot was a dog called ElBo) and some other computer equipment/software store that competed with EB (can't remember the name). Of course, I didn't buy the system until the price had dropped to $99, but I bought it shortly after that price drop. Those three stores meant you could price compare between stores any time you went to a mall area.

[DragonmasterDan]

Toys R Us carried Turbo stuff, and so did both Electronics Boutique (back when their mascot was a dog called ElBo) and some other computer equipment/software store that competed with EB (can't remember the name). Of course, I didn't buy the system until the price had dropped to $99, but I bought it shortly after that price drop. Those three stores meant you could price compare between stores any time you went to a mall area.

The other store was probably Software Etc or Babbages.

[esteban]

Another factor is the age cohort of the "collectors" and video game enthusiasts: a lot of folks collect based on what they grew up with as a child.

As the age cohort gets older, average salary increases, amount of free time decreases, etc. All of these factors increase the likelihood that a premium (inflated) price will be paid for items, if only because of the convenience.

Of course, I hope I am wrong.

[Liquid Snake]

Other chain stores (besides Babbages & Software Etc) also carried Turbografix in the ninties:
- Service Merchandise
- Best (not bestbuy)
- Sears
- Radio Shack

I've never seen Turbo game at target.

[Obfuscate]

Writing on the wall
 In Minnesota you had to go to Toy R’ Us, Children’s Palace, Software Etc, or Electronics Boutique.   

I spent many a days at the Toys R Us next to Northtown mall back in the day looking/buying all my turbo stuff.

[_joshuaTurbo]

I got probably 80 games or more in 1994-1995 from a store in Wausau WI called RSC Video Game Star and a movie rental place in my home town (in the same area)  In 1994 they started to clear out their TG-16 library, around 20-30 games (ish) and I bought literally all of them.  Usually for 3 for $10.  The same went for VGS.  The sold me my Duo and 12 games for $300!! 

I never saw tg-16 in actual department stores, then again I rarely got out of my town at that age to go game shopping.  :C  We only had a Wal-Mart and a Pamida...... 

Must have been cool to see the TG-16 sitting next to the Genesis and SNES/NES at Toys R Us and other stores back in the day.